Get a true knowledge and sense of thine owne sinnes p. 265. This also the best preparative to the Sacrament Ibid. Lect. 53. 5 Get before a lively faith p. 266. the reasons of this the necessity of faith in this respect p. 267. rules to try our faith by p. 268. Comfort for such as have true faith though in the least measure p. 269. Lect. 54. 6 Get before hand a sound hope and assurance that when thou dyest thou shalt goe to heaven p. 270. Notes to trie true hope by p. 271 c. 7 Get before hand a good conscience and be carefull to lead a godly life p. 272. 8 Seeke this grace of God by hearty prayer p. 273. Lect. 55. The Text 1 Psal. 51.5 cleared against the Anabaptists by answering two questions p. 275. The youngest infant is guilty of sin and deserveth to be damned p. 277. In what respect infants called innocents holy Ibid. p. 278. and some also borne in the state of grace p. 279. How severe God hath beene in his judgements towards some infants Ibid Three waies they are guilty of sinne pag. 280. Therefore 1 Anabaptists erre grossely 2. Great need they should be baptized 3 Observe and take to heart Gods judgements on them 4. The sins of little ones not to bee neglected p. 281. Lect. 56. The sinne that is in infants is derived to them from their parents Though there bee three other causes of actuall sins p. 282. yet of originall sin this is the onely cause Ibid. Why the children of the holyest parents are borne in sin p. 283. yet this doeth not excuse or extenuate their sins nor give cause to deny reverence or duty to parents Ibid. Great is the duty that children owe to their parents p. 284. For they have all received that benefit from the parents godly or ungodly rich or poore which no duty of theirs can requite Ibid p. 285. No man hath cause to be proud of his parentage Ibid. Parents should be humbled for the sinnes of their children p. 286. Lect. 57. Our originall sinne is that for which God may most justly abhorre us and for which we should be deeply humbled p. 301 303. Lect. 58. Parents should use their utmost endeavour to breed grace in their children For 1 No. way like this can we shew we love them as we ought 2 Iustice bindeth us to it 3 It will be our chiefe comfort to see grace wrought in them p. 287. 4 They will bee more dutifull to us 5 This will give us assurance that there is truth of grace in our selves 6 God hath charged us and put us in trust with their soules p. 288. 7 The hope of the Church and propagation of the Gospel depends on this 290. Lect. 59. Meanes to destroy corruption to breed grace in our children are these Wee must 1 Maintaine our authority There is an honour due to us from our childe p. 291. This we must take heed we loose not Ibid. This many loose by neglecting 1 to feare God themselves and to give good example p. 292 2 to keepe their children in awe when they are young p. 293. Correction necessary for children and three great sins parents commit in neglecting this Ibid. 294. Lect. 60. Secondly we must instruct our children 1 By teaching them the principles plainely even whiles they are very young p. 294. 2 By acquainting them with the practise of religion 3 bringing them to Church even while young 4 examining them how they profit at Church p. 295. 1 Obj. Absurd to teach little ones religion Answ. 1. No for they are capable of the feeds of grace 2 child-hood the fittest age to be wrought upon this way p. 296. 3 Though it doe them no good for the present it may prepare them for grace and doe them good hereafter p. 297. 2 Obj. No heed to be taken to the good things seeme to be wrought in children for they will loose them againe Three answers given to this Ibid. Thirdly we must give good examples to our children great force in this p. 298. Fourthly wee must take heed how wee place them at schoole or in service or in mariage p. 299. Fiftly we must bee earnest with God in prayer for them Ibid. In using these meanes wee may comfort our selves though we see them fruitlesse oft p. 300. Lect. 61 Two rules to try all doctrines in religion That Doctrine cannot bee of God 1 that gives any thing to man in matter of his salvation any cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe 2 That is agreeable to naturall reason and grounds it selfe most upon that pag. 304. The Papists errour touching originall sin p. 305. How dead wee are by nature and void of all freedome of will unto good in foure points Ibid. Concupiscence without consent is sinne p. 306 307. Lect. 62. The knowledge of our naturall corruption is of great force to humble us p. 308. viz. 1 to keepe us from priding our selves in best duties we have done p. 309. 2 to humble us when we pray Ibid. Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions p. 310. respect to be had to th' ability of them that joyne with us Ibid. 3 to humble us in our fasts Fasts are to no purpose if wee bee not humbled in them p. 311. 1 for Gods judgements upon ourselves and the Church Ibid. 2 for th'outragious sinnes committed every where that wee know or heare of pag. 312. 3 For our owne sins specially Ibid. 4 specially for our originall sin Ibid. Lect. 63. Every one should endeavour to be delivered from the danger of his originall corruption especially p. 313. Three motives to this p. 314. Meanes 1. Seeke to be justified from it by Christ. Labour to be in Christ and to know by faith that Christ is ours for then God cannot loath us for it Ibid p. 315. 2 Labour to finde that by the Spirit thou art delivered from the dominion of it and to cleanse thy selfe from it and to mortifie it This meanes more sensible then the first though not so perfect p. 316. Lect. 64. Meanes we must use to mortifie corruption in our selves 1 Observe the first stirrings of it and what sins thy heart is most inclined to p 317. 2 When thou discernest it set thy selfe against it viz. resist it hate and dislike it and grieve for it Ibid. 318. 3 Shun all occasions and provocations to it Be sober 1 in the use of the comforts of this life p. 319. 2 In following the businesse of our callings some part of every day to be spent in religious duties p. 320. Lect. 65. The fourth meanes to mortify corruption is a diligent and conscionable use of the exercises of religion p. 321. Great force in reading and hearing of the Word to mortifie corruption Ibid. Prayer hath great force to mortifie sin p. 322. The fift meanes of mortification is to beare afflictions willingly and patiently Ibid Great force in affliction this way p. 223.
flesh is flesh And that is Iobs meaning Iob 14.4 No man can beget a child that is cleane from sin himselfe being uncleane Secondly Though many parents be themselves holy and have their hearts purified by faith yet do they also infect their children and derive unto them this corruption of nature as Isaac was borne with his fore-skin though his father were circumcised when he begat him and as the corne that groweth from the cleanest and purest seed riseth not without straw and chaffe Because we can derive nothing to our children in their naturall birth but that that was our owne and was naturall unto us as we heard of Adam Gen. 5.3 Hee begat a son in his own likenesse after his image Now that grace that is in us is not our owne not naturall unto us but wholly from God and supernaturall Iam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the father of lights Now before I come to the use that this doctrine serveth for I must first prevent the abuse that may be made of it For from this Doctrine it may seeme to follow 1. That such as are children of what age soever they bee are not much to bee blamed for any of their sins seeing their parents have bin the first authours of them 2. That they have no great cause to reverence and respect their parents that have done them so much wrong as to poison and infect them with so corrupt a nature But they that gather such conclusions from the Doctrine do not make a right use of it but abuse it rather For first Wicked children may not extenuate their sins nor lay all the blame of their lewdnesse and damnation upon their parents because they did receive from them this corruption of nature or say as Ezek. 18.2 The fathers have eaten soure grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge nor say to their parents when they reprove them for any of their sins I pray whence had I this corruption of my nature may I not thanke you for it Woe be to him â—aith the Lord Esa. 45.10 that saith unto his father what begettest thou or to the woman what hast thou brought sorth For 1. they are themselves the authors of their owne destruction Hosea 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe And Ezekiel 18.20 The soule that sinneth it shall dye the father shall not beare the iniquitie of the son The sins for which they perish and are plagued of God are their own nothing is so properly their own as their sins are Pro. 1.31 They shall eat the fruit of their owne way Yea this very originall sin and corruption of nature that is in them though they received it from their parents is their owne Iam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his owne lust 2 They have by their actuall sins made themselves much worse then they were when they came from their parents Mat. 23.15 Secondly Children may not take occasion hereby to despise their parents because they received from them this corruption of nature which is the cause of all their misery but they are bound to honour and reverence them in their hearts and to be every way dutifull unto them for all this Foure examples I will give you for this 1. Solomon shewed a great deale of duty and reverence to his mother 1 King 2.19 1. He rose up to meet her 2. He bowed himselfe unto her 3. He set her upon his right hand And yet he knew well what she had done when she was Vriahs wife It is no disparagement to the greatest that is to shew reverence to their parents though they be never so much inferiours in estate and degree unto themselves 2. Sem and Iaphet are blessed for this because they would not behold the nakednesse of their father when he lay like a drunken beast uncovered in his tent and Ham their brother is cursed of God because he did otherwise Gen. 9.22 23. A child is bound upon paine of Gods curse to be unwilling to heare or see or know any thing by his parents that may diminish that reverent opinion he ought to beare them in his heart 3. Iudah was extreamely importunate to have his brother Benjamin back againe out of Egypt upon this ground especially Gen. 44.31 that else he should bring his fathers gray haires with sorrow to the grave which he protesteth verse 34. he could not endure to see It should trouble a child to do any thing that might grieve his parents and he is bound in conscience to doe what he can to keepe his parents from sorrow and griefe 4 Though David complaine here of the corruption of nature he received from his parents yet yet did not that minish at all his dutifull respect unto them but in the time of his owne greatest distresses he had alwaies a great care to relieve and provide for them as we shall see 1 Sam. 22.3 Let my father and my mother I pray thee saith he to the King of Moab come forth and be with you till I know what God will do for me Every child is bound to relieve and provide for his parents if they stand in need and to account them worthy of double honour even that way also And no marvell for children have received such benefits from their parents as by all the duty they can performe to them they are never able to requite Let children saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.4 learne first to shew piety at home and to requite their parents for that is good and acceptable before God Marke 1 kindnesse and bounty is to be shewed to our parents first before all others 2 Hee calleth this piety religion a service done to God 3. This is a chiefe good worke that God delighteth in 4 This is but a requitall of the good we have received from them Yea certainely it is a requitall farre short of the benefits we have received from them Let me shew you in a word or two the benefits that every one of you have received from your parents even you whose parents have beene never so poore First If thy parents be godly and religious as through their meanes by nature thou didst inherit corruption and wert made the child of wrath so by their meanes through grace thou shalt be sure to inherit a blessing if the fault be not in thy selfe it is thy patrimony thou art borne to it thou maist challenge it at the Lords hands for thou hast his promise for it Psal. 112.2 The generation of the upright shall be blessed And Pro. 20.7 The just man walketh in his integrity his children are blessed after him Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children And this blessing that thou art borne to by being the child of Godly parents reacheth not onely to temporall and outward things according to that speech of David
to the parents Prov. â—8 7 Yea the Lord doth oft impute the sins of the children unto the parents and layeth them to their charge 2 Chron. 22.3 Ahaziah was a wicked man for Athaliah was his mother And the Apostle commandeth that such only should be admitted to the ministery as govern well their own houses keep their children in subjection 1 Tim. 3.4 5. as have faithfull children not accused of ryot or unruly Tit. 1.6 which hee would not have done if parents were not chargable with their childrens sinnes if they were not a chiefe cause of them if it lay not much in their power to prevent the ungraciousnesse of their children Let us all that are parents seriously thinke of this Motive namely how God hath charged us with our childrens soules and consider that it will bee a most heavie reckoning that wee must make unto God for them if any of them shall perish through our default And on the other side it will be a matter of unspeakable comfort to us at that day if we can be able to say of our children unto the Lord as our blessed Saviour speaketh Ioh. 17.12 Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost The second motive that concerneth the Lord and his glory is this That the hope of Gods Church and of the propagation of religion unto posterity dependeth principally upon this that parents have care to make their children religious All that feare and love the Lord should unfeinedly desire and endeavour to provide for the continuance of religion and for the deriving of it unto posterity specially that the true Church and religion to God may continue in their owne posterity See a notable example of this care in the two tribes and the halfe that had their possessions given them beyond Iordan Iosh. 2.24 25. We have done it set upon this altar for feare of this thing saying in time to come your children might speake to our children saying what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel So shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. Concerning which you must understand that there is no man doth so much desire to have a posterity and to provide for posterity as the Lord doth And as it is accounted a great honour to a man to have a great posterity Pro. 17.6 Childrens children are the crowne of old men So is this spoken of as a great honour to Christ that he shall have a great posterity Esa. 53.8 Who shall declare his generation And verse 10. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seed And surely this is the meanes whereby the Lord may have a seed and posterity raised and preserved this is the meanes to derive religion unto posterity when Parents are not only religious themselves but are carefull to provide that their children may be so also This is the Seminary of Gods Church This was the cause of that commandement Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently left thou forget the things which thine eyes have seene and lest they depart from thy heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons This is noted by the Prophet Mal. 2.15 to have beene the cause why the Lord at the first institution of marriage appointed but one woman for one man and did so restraine promiscuous lust that he might seeke a seed of God that is that he might provide for the continuance of his Church And this is made by the Prophet Psalme 22.29 30. one principall end God hath respect unto in converting of us Gentiles unto the Gospell and men of all sorts among us poore and rich that our seed might serve him and might bee accounted unto the Lord for a generation that God might have a posterity and a people to serve him when we are gon So that to conclude the motives if either we respect our children or our own comfort or the glory of God we must be carefull to do our best endeavour that the corruption of nature that we have conveyed into them may be healed and that saving grace may be wrought in their hearts Lecture LIX On Psalme 51.5 May 29. 1627. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the Meanes that God hath in his Word directed parents to use for the saving of their childrens soules And those are five principally First If we desire to save our children and to heale their natures we must be carefull to maintaine that authority and preheminence that God hath given us over them We must take heed we loose not that honour and reverence that is due to us from our children Certaine it is that by the will of God and even by the law of nature there is an honour and inward reverence of heart due from the child to every parent be the parent never so poore never so full of weaknesses and infirmities You know that in the fift commandement Exod. 20.12 this is made the summe of all the duties the child oweth to his parents Honour thy father and thy mother because this is the chiefe duty of all others yea this is the root and fountaine of all other duties a child can performe If he do not in his heart honour and reverence them he can do no duty to them well A sonne honoureth his father saith the Lord Mal. 1.6 if I be a father where is mine honour And Deut. 27.16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or mother It is not sufficient for a child to love his parents but he must also out of this inward reverence and honour he beareth them in his heart stand in awe of them and be afraid to offend them Levit. 19.3 Ye shall feare every man his mother and his father See how fearefull Iacob was to grieve or offend his father though he were an old blind man Gen. 27.12 My father will peradventure feele me and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing And no marvell though this honour and reverence be due to the parent For our parents by being the meanes and instruments of our being are unto us in Gods stead and as his lieftenants have had his power communicated unto them for he onely is properly and absolutely our father and the author of our being Mat. 23.9 And in this respect that which the Apostle speaketh of husbands 1 Cor. 11.7 and so of all superiors may be said of them they beare the image and glory of God In honouring them we honour God in despising them we despise the Lord. Now this authority and preheminence that God hath given us over our children we must be carefull to maintaine we must take heed we loose not this honour and inward reverence that is due unto us from them That which the Lord requireth of a minister towards his slock Tit. 2.15 that he should speake and exhort
faults they sin against the congregation and Church of God in depriving it of that right that by the ordinance of God is due unto it namely that they that have wronged given offence to it by their sin should give it satisfaction by their repentance This right these men spoile and rob the congregation of And as the Pharisees taught children to say to their parents that required any reliefe of them Marke 7.11 It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mayest bee profited by mee as if he should say I have given to the treasury and therfore looke for no duty from me so these men teach grosse sinners to say to the ministers and congregations that require satisfaction from them by their publike repentance I have satisfied the Court and to you I will give no satisfaction at all If in any other Court of justice it should bee said to any that were impleaded for wrong done to any one man in his body or goods or good name give somewhat to the Court and care not for the party that thou hast wronged hee shall have no satisfaction from thee all men would cry out and say this were extreame wrong and injustice and is it no sin thinke we for any man to wrong a whole Church and congregation thus Thirdly They sin against the soules of poore sinners whom by this means they deprive of a speciall means appointed of God to bring them to repentance and so unto salvation The corruption and injustice that is done in other courts toucheth but the goods or good names or bodies of men these are called and should bee indeed spirituall courts but if corruption be used in them there is merchandise made of the soules of men And of all covetousnesse of all filthy lucre that is most damnable that is gotten by the sale of the soules of men as the holy Ghost mentioneth it for the last and worst of all the commodities that Antichrist did traffique in Revelation 18.13 He made merchandise of the soules of men And thus have I done with the second sort of men that are to bee reproved by this Doctrine The third and last sort that by this Doctrine of publike confession are to be reproved are such as having sinned publikely scandalously refuse to make publike acknowledgement of their sin and profession of their repentance when they are required to do it It is strange to see what paines men will take yea what cost and charges they will be at to avoid this And that not the richer sort only but even the poorest and basest of the people Now these poore men in doing thus offend three wayes First and chiefly against the Lord in refusing to give glory unto his name and submitting themselves unto his ordinance For by confessing our sins even before men when God would have us to doe it wee give glory unto God as wee have heard in that speech of Ioshuah to Achan Ioshuah 7.19 And it is his ordinance that you should obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves hee meaneth the ministers and governours of the Church Heb. 13.17 Secondly they sin against the Church and people of God in refusing to give them satisfaction by their repentance when they have given them offence by their sin When Gods people had but taken offence at Peter without any just cause of offence given unto them when hee had by the commandement of God gone to Cornelius and there conversed with the Gentiles see how that great Apostle doth not scornefully resolve them and aske them what had they to doe with his actions but is very carefull to give them satisfaction and to recover their good opinion by shewing them at large the reason why he did so Actes 11.4 It is a perilous signe of an ungracious heart to make no reckoning what Gods people thinke of him Do you not know saith the Apostle speaking of this very sin even of making light account of the judgement of Gods people 1 Cor. 6.2 that the Saints shall judge the world It is a great meanes of peace to our consciences when wee can approve our selves our repentance and conversion not unto God and our owne consciences onely but unto the Church and people of God Shew unto them saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 8 24. that is to Titus and the brethren that are with him and before the Churches the proofe of your love And on the other side it is a great trouble to the heart that hath grace in it to have the censure and hard opinion of Gods people So it was to Anna to be ill thought of by Ely ô how carefull was the poore soule to give him satisfaction 1 Sam. 1.15 16. And it was a great trouble to that good woman that powred the box of precious ointment on Christs head when she saw that the Apostles were much offended with her for it Why trouble yee the woman saith our Saviour Matth. 26.10 And should it not then trouble any such sinner as hath grieved all Gods people in the congregation by his sin and caused them to thinke ill of him Will he not desire if he have any grace in him to recover their good opinion by making knowne unto them his repentance If thou have given offence to any one of thy neighbours even the meanest of them thou art bound in conscience to make him satisfaction and to seeke reconciliation with him Matth. 5.24 Goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother c. Neither is he bound to thinke well of thee againe till thou hast professed thy repentance unto him Luke 17.4 If thy brother that hath trespassed against thee turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him And are not men much more bound to give satisfaction to a whole congregation whom they have offended and to seeke reconciliation with it then with any one man Is the congregation bound or can it thinke well of him that hath given publike offence unto it till hee turne againe unto it and professe his repentance This despising of the congregation and the people of God is a greater sin then most men are aware of Take heede saith our Saviour Mat. 18.10 that yee despise not one of these little ones What saith the Apostle speaking of a particular Congregation 1 Cor. 11.22 despise ye the Church of God for the contempt done to Gods people thus resteth not upon them but reacheth unto Christ himselfe as the Apostle plainely teacheth 1 Cor. 8.12 When ye sin so against the brethren ye sin against Christ. Thirdly and lastly These men that refuse to professe their repentance before the Congregation sin therein against their owne soules and as the Prophet speaketh in another case Ion. 2.8 forsake their owne mercie that is the meanes to assure them that notwithstanding their sins the mercy of the Lord belongeth unto them For 1. no man can ever obtaine the assurance of the pardon of his sin till he have repented
Psal. 37.25 I have not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread But even to those that are spirituall and eternall And that not onely in this respect that by this meanes thou wert borne in the Church of God which is no small priviledge Psal. 87.4 5. and didst enjoy the meanes of saving grace the Word and Sacraments a high priviledge certainely Rom. 3.2 hadst the benefit of a religious education of the prayers and good example of thy Christian parents a meanes of great efficacy and power Pro. 31.1 2. but in this respect principally that by this meanes thou maist have more hope to obtaine saving grace and eternall life if the fault be not in thy selfe and if thou apply thy selfe to the meanes of grace then any other even for this cause because thou art the child of such parents as feare God For thou hast the promise and covenant of God for this Gen. 17.7 I will bee thy God and the God of thy seed And Esa. 44.3 I will poure my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thin off-spring So as thou maist in thy prayers put the Lord in mind of the promise made to thy parents and even make claime unto it as Moses did Deut. 9.27 Remember thy servants Abraham Isaac and Iacob and looke not to the stubbornesse of this people And Solomon 2 Chron. 6.16 O Lord God of Israel keepe with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him And this is the benefit thou hast received from thy parents if they be godly But admit thy parents be not religious yet doest thou receive that benefit by them as thou canst never requite with al the duty thou art able to do unto them I speak not of their care and charge in nursing thee and giving thee thy breeding and education for it may be some parents have either beene unwilling or unable to do much that way And yet I must tell you to such children as have received this from their parents even this is a great bond unto duty as appeareth plainely by that complaint the Lord maketh Esa. 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me but this I say 1. Thou hadst thy life and being from them in this world without which thou couldst never have come to eternall life in the world to come according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.46 that was not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and afterward that which is spirituall That is the end that God aimed at in giving us life and breath and all things saith the Apostle Acts 17.25 27. that we might seeke the Lord. 2. Thou hast from thy parents thy well being in this life For as the blessing of well being and living comfortably in this world is promised to them especially that are dutifull to their parents according to that Ephes. 6.2 3. Honour thy father and mother that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth So hath God given power and authority to thy parents how poore soever they be yea though they have no grace nor can pray for themselves to blesse thee that is to pronounce and bestow this blessing upon thee And the blessing that they from the comfort they receive by thy dutifull carriage towards them shall give thee God will ratifie in heaven For so are the words of the fift commandement to be read Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother that they may prolong thy daies in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Now having thus prevented the abuse of this Doctrine let us come to shew the right uses that it serveth unto And those are two 1. For humiliation 2. For exhortation And the use of humiliation concerneth 1 all of us in generall 2 such of us as are parents For the first This Doctrine teacheth us that none of us have cause to glory in or to be proud of our parentage and birth we have much more cause of humiliation in it before God then we have cause of boasting of it before men For 1. whatsoever we have received from our parents be it precedency and esteeme in the world or beauty and strength and a good constitution of body or wit and courage and a generous mind all that is but momentany and of no continuance 1 Pet. 1.24 All flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof sadeth away 2. We have received as wee have heard in this Doctrine that contagion and corruption of nature from our parents how noble soever they were as maketh us base and vile in Gods eyes and will make us miserable for ever if we be not borne againe verily verily saith Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 and that which he saith to Nicodemus he saith to every soule that is heere I say unto you except a man be borne againe he can never see the kingdome of God If we get not a better birth then we had from our parents it may be said of us as it is said of Iudas Matth. 26.24 It had beene good for us if we had never beene borne 3. and lastly The greatnesse of thy birth and parentage through thy corruption maketh thee more uncapable of grace and salvation then other men are that are not so nobly borne as thou art You see your calling brethren saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.26 and surely so may we now how that not many great men not many noble are called Even greatnesse of birth and nobility is a bar oft-times to keepe men from salvation and life eternall though blessed be God some great men are called yet they are but few O then the madnesse of them that rest and glory in their first birth in this that they were borne of such parents and never seeke to be borne againe to be borne of God That receive honour one of another as our Saviour speaketh Ioh. 5.44 glory in the titles of Gentlemen and Squires c. and seeke not the honour that commeth from God alone Why what is that honour that commeth from God Whom doth he account to be honourable I answer 1. 1 Sam. 2.30 They that honour God them will God honour 2. They that are Gods favourites Esa. 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast beene honourable 3. They that love the Word and obey it Acts 17 11. They of Berea were more noble then they of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of mind Secondly This Doctrine serveth for the humiliation of us that are parents surely our childrens sins and the corruptions that break forth in their lives their pride and stubbornesse their profanesse and aversnesse from God their drunkennesse and uncleannesse ought to be a cause of sorrow and humbling unto every one of us that are parents A foolish son saith Solomon Pro. 10.1 is the heavinesse of
doctrine of their mothers Pro. 1.8.6.20 which sheweth plainely it was the practise of Gods Church then that even mothers were teachers of their children even when they were very young and under their government they were wont to teach them good things Yea there is an expresse commandement for this not onely that we should teach our children but that we should teach them even when they are very young Teach a child in his way saith Solomon Pro. 22.6 that is that way that is fit for him according to his capacity as he is able to receive it by a little at once as you poure liquor into narrow mouthed bottells As you do when first you begin to feed their bodies with the spoone so must you do when first you begin to feed their soules with instruction Secondly You must betimes acquaint them with the practise of religion as reading of the Word and prayer and giving of thankes at their meat and singing of Psalmes We shall find Mat. 21.15 that the little children had learned of their parents to sing Hosanna part of the 118. Psalme to the praise of Christ. Yea more then this parents should endeavour to restraine their children from evill and to breed in them a conscience of sin even while they are very young You know the fourth commandement enjoyneth us that not our selves onely rest from all our own works on the Sabbath but that our children do so too Exo. â—0 10 Ezekiel professeth unto God Ezek. 4 14 that from his child-hood from his infancy as some read it he had not eaten any thing that Gods law had forbidden His parents had taught him even then and yet then we know the appetite to meate is most strong and unruly to make conscience of it Parents therefore must joyne instruction with corrections that may breed in their children a knowledge and conscience of the sinne for which they correct them Reproofes or corrections for instruction saith Solomon Pro. 6.23 are the way of life Without instruction correction will do little good And one fault amended by a child out of conscience that it is a sin is worth the amending of an hundred out of the feare of the rod onely That which David saith of Gods corrections may fitly be applyed to this Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law Few or none are the better even for the Lords rods if they be corrected onely by him if they be not instructed also Thirdly You must bring them with you to the Church to the publique worship of God betimes even while they are very young even so soone as they can come and be there without disturbance of the Congregation that they may be acquainted with Gods worship and ordinances betimes Moses told Pharaoh Exod. 10.9 they must have their little ones with them to the solemne worship they were to do unto God in the wildernesse and would not accept of liberty for all the rest unlesse they might have their little ones with them And when Ioshuah according to Gods commandement read the law of God solemnly to the Congregation of Israel Ioâ—â— 8.35 they had their little ones with them in that solemne assembly And when Christ was preaching in the Congregation the people brought their little children unto him Mat. 19.13 that their little ones might have the benefit of his prayers Fourthly and lastly You that are parents must examine your children how they profit by the meanes of grace try how they understand what they heare repeate it and make it plainer to them and in repeating it apply it also Moses requireth the people Deut. 6.6 7. to teach that to their children which they had heard of him They might have objected what needeth that seeing they being present in the congregation heard what thou taughtest as well as we Yes but thou must teach it them againe saith hee for all that more plainly more familiarly Teach these things diligently to your children saith hee yea wheâ— and sharpen them upon your children for so the word there signifieth that is so repeat and make things plainer to them as you may apply them also labour to bring them to some feeling and conscience of that that is taught them O how would Religion flourish how would knowledge and grace grow in your children if you that are parents would thus doe your duty would bee teachers as well as wee and lay to your helping hand to this worke And the best ministery in the world will doe little good while you hang off and will doe nothing Two objections there be that some parents are apt to make against this First It is an absurd thing say they to teach children religion for them to meddle with the Scriptures or for them to bee taught to say either their Catechisme or prayers or grace A Parrat may as well be taught these things as a little child For alas they have no capacity to understand and bee sensible of such matters and therefore it is but a taking of Gods name in vaine to teach them such things Indeed this hath ever beene the conceit of carnall men Pharaoh could not abide to heare Moses say they must have their little ones with them to serve God Exodus 10.10 And Matth. 21.15 When the high Priest and Scribes heard the little children meddle with the Psalme and sing Hosanna they were sore displeased Yea when the disciples themselves Mar. 10.13 carnall men also in this as appeareth by the rebuke they received for it from their master ver 14. he was much displeased with them for it when they saw men bring their children to Christ they rebuked them for it But this is but a carnall conceit as shall appeare by three things that I have to answer unto it First Children when they are very young are capable of the seeds and beginnings of regeneration and saving grace See a notable proofe for this in the example of Iohn Baptist Luk 1.44 Assoone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eares saith his mother to Mary the babe leaped in my wombe for joy There were certainly in that babe the seeds and beginnings of saving knowledge and faith of saving grace both in his understanding and in his will and affections also But you will say that case was extraordinary and miraculous I grant it was so indeed yet is it to the purpose for all that For it sheweth that the youngest infant is not so uncapable of saving grace but that God is able to worke it even in them And that this should encourage us to use all the meanes wee can to breed grace in them betimes because wee know not how soone God may bee pleased to worke with the meanes and blesse them unto them According to that of Ecclesi 11.9 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that But heare now
there be which are made unto it 1. That it shall never hinder nor beggar a man that that is thus given shall not be lost See this promise Pro. 19.17 He that hath pity on the poore lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given the Lord will pay him againe It will returne againe yea it will returne againe with advantage and increase In which respect it is compared to the casting away of your seed into the ground 2 Cor. 9.6 He which soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully Admit thou dost not find it againe presently certainely if thou give thine almes with a good heart it shall not be lost thou shalt find it againe one day Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many daies And Psal. 37.26 He is ever mercifull and lendeth and his seed enjoyeth the blessing Yea that that is thus given will bring Gods blessing upon all that wee have besides Deut. 15.10 Thou shalt surely give him and thine heart shall not bee grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workâ— and in all thou puttest thine hand unto Luke 11.41 Give almes of such things as ye have and behold all things are cleane unto you This answereth two objections that usually men make to excuse their uncharitablenesse to the poore First beleeve me I know not how soone I may want my selfe I answer Thou art an infidell if thou say so for God hath said this is the way to keepe thee from want Pro. 28.27 He thâ—â— giveth unto the poore shall not lack Secondly I have children to provide for I answer thy children shall not be the poorer for this if God bee to be beleeved but on the contrary thy miserablenesse to the poore is the way to bring Gods curse upon thy selfe and thy children too Pro 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to povertie The second sort of promises that are made to this duty are these that there is nothing we can do that will give us that security of heart that joy and comfort against the dayes of common calamity or against any particular judgement that may befall our selves as this will doe that wee have beene given to the workes of mercy this will free our hearts from the feare of them Psal. 112.7 8. He shall not be afraid of evill tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord his heart is established he shall not be afraid Iam. 2.13 Mercy glorieth against judgement For 1 we have a promise there it will give us hope to be delivered from them Psal. 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble or 2 that God will give us strength and comfort in them Isa. 58.10 If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule then shall thy light arise in obscurity and thy darknesse be as the noone day As if he had said the most uncomfortable estate thou canst fall into shall be comfortable to thee In which respect Solomon makes this a strong motive to the workes of charity Eccl. 11.2 Give a portion to seven and also to eight be liberall in thine almes for thou knowest not what evill shall be upon the earth As if he should say how soone thou mayst loose all that thou hast And surely as there is now much evill threatned to our state by the power and designes of our bloudy enemies so if the wisest of Gods Prophets were now alive to direct us what to do to prevent these evills they would advise us next to our repentance our teares and prayers unto God unto this course as Daniel did that great King Dan. 4.27 O King let my counsell be acceptable unto thee breake off thy sins by righteousnesse make restitution and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity As if he had said if any thing will turne away the judgement this will The third and last sort of promises that are made unto this duty are such as concerne the life to come For this will strongly confirme a man in the hope of eternall life if he have beene given to the workes of mercy In which respect the Apostle calleth it 1 Tim. 6.19 The laying up for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternall life And our Saviour Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when ye faile they may receive you as faithfull witnesses of your faith into everlasting habitations In which respect also in that great day of reckning when every man shall receive according to his workes there shall be principall regard had to the workes of mercy Mat. 25.34 36. Come ye blessed of my father c. for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. And so much for the second point I told you was to be observed in this example of our heavenly father The third is this that we must not onely pity them that are in misery and relieve them too but we must do it freely also though the parties we relieve be most unworthy of it Some cautions I will premise before I prove this First true it is that the poore in all places are for the most part the most void of grace and not so miserable in their corporall as in their spirituall estate as Ieremy spake of them in his time Ier. 5.4 they are fooliâ—h or profane they know not the way of the Lord not the judgement of their God Pro 30.9 Least I be poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine as if he had said so do usually poore men Secondly they that can do it ought to use their utmost endeavour for the reforming of them and it is the sinne and shame of this and all other places that they are born with as they are That which Solomon speaketh of all children may specially be applyed to the poore and their children Pro. 22.15 Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe but the rod of correction the house of correction shall drive it farre from him Thirdly you that are by office to take care for the poore ought to enquire into their conditions as well as into their wants and to put a difference in your almes Let such as are uncleane or idle or such as so soone as you give them a penny will to the ale-house with it presently let such I say smart for it let them feele the misery of want a little better It is the Apostles charge 2 Thess. 3.10 If any will not worke let him not eate Fourthly and lastly We are all bound in our almes to put a difference betweene the poore Gal 6.10 Let us doe good to all men especially to them that are
singular gift and grace of God to bee able to confesse our sinnes aright Iames 1.17 Every good gift is from above Therefore Iob beggeth this of God Iob 13.23 How many are mine iniquities and sinnes make me to know my transgression and my sin Lecture XL. On Psalme 51.3 Novemb 14. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second use and that is for direction to try whether wee have yet attained to this grace or no. And this is surely an use of as great profite and necessity as the former For if we will call to mind and consider 1. What promises God hath made to them that can confesse their sins aright 2. That no man can have assurance and hope to obtaine pardon of his sins till he confesse them 3. How farre many hypocrites have gone in making confession of their sins as we have seene in the examples of Pharaoh and Saul of Cain and Iudas it cannot be but it will worke in us a desire both to learne how we may confesse our sins in such a manner as wee may not loose our labour in it and how we may try and discerne whether we have gone any further in this duty and attained to more grace this way then ever any hypocrite was able to do Now there be five properties whereby a sincere confession of our sins may be differenced and distinguished from that which is counterfeit First The sincere confession of sins is particular Concerning this first property three cautions must be premised to prevent the mistaking of it First That may bee a good confession of sins which is made in generall words so that the heart of him that maketh it doe therein particularize with God Such was that of Gods people in their publike fast 1 Sam. 7.6 Wee have sinned against the Lord. And that of the Publican Luke 18.13 God bee mercifull to mee a sinner These words were very generall but the great affection wherewith they were uttered doth argue that in their heart and feeling their confessions were particular though in words they were not Secondly it is not possible for the best man in his confession to reckon up unto God and mention all his sins particularly Who can understand his errours saith David Psalme 19.12 and 40.12 They are moe in number then the haires of our hâ—ad Thirdly For hidden and unknowne sins a generall confession may suffice to give a man comfort and assurance of the pardon of them as we may see in that prayer of David Psal. 19.12 Cleanse thou me from secret faults Yet doth this remaine a certaine truth that one speciall property to distinguish the sincere confession from the counterfeit is this that it is particular so is not the other And this will appeare to you in foure points 1. All men are bound to do their best endeavour to know and find out their most secret sins that so they may lay them open in particular unto God This is plaine by that speech of the Prophet Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes What needs that but to find out sins that are unknown or forgotten And in that speech of Elihu speaking of a sinner humbling himselfe in confession of his sins Iob 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God that which I see not teach thou me All men should beg this of God to discover to them their secret and unknown sins 2. The more particular a man can bee in the confessing of his sins the more of his sins hee can confesse against himselfe the more comfort he may have in his confession It is with us in our dealing with God in this case as it is in the clyent or patient that dealeth with his Lawyers or Physician for counsell the more particularly we know that a man dealeth with his lawyer in laying open his case unto him and with his Physician in discovering his disease unto him the more good he may receive from him yea the concealing of some one circumstance from them may oft times tend to a mans undoing Even so it is in our laying open our sins unto God the more particular we can be the better it will be for us This is plaine by that direction the Lord gave to the high Priest in the confession he was to make of the peoples sins upon the day of atonement Lev. 16.21 Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat the sacrifice that was to beare take upon him all the iniquities of Gods people as it is said ver 2. a most lively figure of Christ and of the sufferings which hee endured in his soule for our sins and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins 3. Vnlesse we can in our confessions mention some particular sins wherin we have offended God we shall never be able to performe this dutie feelingly and to the purpose See this in that commandement God giveth to his people for confession and the manner of it Iere. 3.13 Onely acknowledge that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy wayes to the strangers under every greene tree as if hee had said confesse thine idolatry See this property also in the confessions of Gods people commended to us in the holy Scripture Iudges 10.10 Wee have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also serued Baalim And 1. Sam. 12.19 Wee have added to all our sinnes this evill to aske us a King In this manner also did David confesse his sin in the time of the great plague 1 Chron. 21.17 Is it not I that have commanded the people to be numbred even I it is that have sinned 4. and lastly Though it be profitable for us as we heard the last day when we would humble our soules in the confession of our sins to call to mind and confesse unto God some of our most hainous sins As Paul did 1 Tim. 1.13 at many other times I was a blasphemer and a persecutor Yet that we may be particular enough in our confession it must not content us to do so but even those sins that seeme smallest as our worldlines peevishnes aptnes to surmise speake evill of others passionatnes choler evill thoughts formality in religious duties such like must also be remembred confessed and bewailed before God Davids heart smote him 1. Sam. 24.5 even for cutting of the skirt of Sauls garment Cain could confesse when God had charged him with it cry out upon his murder say his iniquity was greater then could be pardoned Gen. 4.13 but his hating envying of his brother because he had more grace then himselfe his formality want of faith feeling in the offrings he brought to God that he could not confesse or complain of So could Iudas confesse cry out of his grosse capital sin Mat. 27.4 I have sinned in betraying innocent blood but his covetousnes
his mother and 17.25 A foolish son is a griefe to his father and bitternesse to her that bare him Yea certainely it ought to be so we should bewaile it before God 1. In respect to our children themselves For the root from whence all this their lewdnesse springeth they had it from us We were they that first infected and poisoned them If any parents should see their child loathsomely consumed with the French disease which he had received from them in his birth would it not thinke you be a matter of much shame and humbling to them to behold it If any of us in the time of the great plague should at unawares have brought the infection into our house and set it upon all our children would not this have beene a marvellous affliction unto us And yet we have all done worse to our children then so we have set upon them a farre worse more dangerous more deadly infection we know then either the French disease or the pestilence They endanger but the body and this mortall life these the soules of our children everlastingly And shall not this then be a matter of shame and humbling before God 2. In respect unto God The Lord was angry with the Serpent and laid his curse upon it because it was but an instrument used by Satan for the corrupting of our first parents though it were no cause at all of it Gen. 3.14 And may not the Lord much more be angry with us and lay his curse upon us that have not onely beene the instruments to convey this cursed poison and corruption of nature into our children but the principall agents and causes of it Lecture LVIII On Psalme 51.5 May 22. 1627. FOlloweth the second use that this Doctrine serveth unto which is the use of exhortation to exhort and stirre us up that are parents to do the uttermost of our endeavour to worke grace in our children and so to cure that deadly wound that we have given them and to preserve them from perishing by that poison and infection that we have conveyed into them Now for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation 1. I will give you certaine motives that may provoke us all to this care 2 I will shew you the meanes that we must use to this purpose And for the motives they are of three sorts 1. Some of them respect our children and our duty towards them 2. Some of them our selves and our owne comfort 3. Some of them concerne our duty towards God and the respect we should have unto his glory Of the first sort of motives there are two principally First Our love to our children bindeth us to it Nature moveth us to love them and hath given bowels of pity and compassion towards them when we see them in any misery Insomuch as the Lord hath beene pleased to set forth his mercy and compassion towards his children by this By the compassion of a mother Esa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe And by the compassion of a father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him He is worse then a beast that loveth not his children and grieveth not to see them in misery Lam. 4.3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast they give sucke to their young ones And the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 1.31 that they that are without this naturall affection have extinguished in themselves the very light of nature and are in Gods just judgement given up unto a reprobate mind And what love can we beare to our children if we have no care of their soules the nature of true Christianity is to seeke the good of their soules whom we love Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 See how Abraham expressed his love to Ishmael Gen. 17.18 O that Ishmael might live in thy sight Thus did Solomons parents Pro. 4.3 4. I was my fathers sonne tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother He taught me and said unto me Let thine heart retaine my words keepe my commandements and live Nay this is the onely way to expresse true love to their bodies and their outward estate also No lands or possessions we can leave thâ—â— can give us that assurance that they shall live comfortably even in this life as this will do if we can be a mean to breed saving grace in their hearts For 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promises even of this life Secondly Admit we were not bound to love them above others yet are we bound in justice to make them amends for the wrong we have done them There is no man whom we have hurt in his body or goods or good name but we are bound in conscience to do what we can to make him satisfaction See the equity of Gods law in this point Exod. 21.19 He that smote him shall pay for the losse of his time and shall cause him to be throughly healed How much more are we bound to take care that our owne children may be throughly healed of that wound that we have given them in their soules of that filthy disease that wee have infected them with Now for the motives that concerne our selves and our owne comfort they are three principally First It will be a matter of singular comfort unto us to see the corruption of their nature healed and saving grace wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes A great comfort it is to a Minister to see any of his people reformed and woon to God by his labours Ye are our glory and joy saith Paul 1 Thess. 2 20. I have not greater joy saith the Apostle 3 Ioh. 4. then to heare that my children walke in the truth But this must needs be much more comfort to a parent to see this in his owne child A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 10.1 maketh a glad father And 23.24 25. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Secondly When grace is wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes they will be farre more loving and dutifull unto us then otherwise they can be A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 15.20 maketh a glad father How by his dutifull and respectfull carriage towards him this is his meaning there as appeareth by the last words of the verse but a foolish man despiseth his mother Se this in the sons of Isaack Esau cared not for grieving his parents by matching with the daughters of Heth but Iacob did Gen. 26.34 35. and 27.46 See it also in the sons of Iacob of all his sons Ioseph that had most grace was also the most loving and dutifull child unto him Genesis 45.11 This will make a man love him dearely that otherwise was a meere stranger unto him if hee
were the meanes to win him to God As wee see in the affection of the Galathians towards Paul Galat. 4.15 I heare you record that if it had bin possible you would have plucked out your owne eyes to have done me good Thirdly and lastly This will be a comfortable testimony unto us of the truth and soundnesse of that grace that is in our selves when we are carefull to breed grace in all that doe belong unto us and specially in our owne children And without this we can have no such testimony and assurance of our selves Therfore wee shall find this oft observed for a note of them that were soundly converted themselves that their care was to reforme their families and make them religious also as of Abraham Gen. 18.19 of Ioshua Iosh. 24 15. of Zacheus Luke 19.9 of the Nobleman of Capernaum Iohn 4.53 of Cornelius Actes 10.2 of Lydia Acts 16.15 of the Iaylour Acts 16.33 34. of Crispus the chiefe ruler of the Synagogue Acts 18.8 Therefore the Lord in his law forbade any Proselite to be admitted to the passeover though he were himselfe circumcised and did outwardly professe the faith unlesse all the males in his house were circumcised also and did professe the faith aswell as himselfe Exod. 12.48 And in the condition of that promise he maketh to his people for delivering them out of the captivity which hee foretelleth hee would bring them into for their sins hee requireth not only that they themselves should returne unto the Lord and obey his voice but their children also Deut. 30.2 3. If thou shalt returne unto the Lord thy God and shalt obey his voice thou and thy children with all thy heart and with all thy soule then the Lord thy God will turne thy captivity c. As if hee should say Thou dost not turne to the Lord thy selfe unfeinedly with all thy heart unlesse thy care be that thy children may do so also Bat alas if that law were now in force that none should bee admitted to the Lords Supper that had any in their family that did not make at the least an outward profession of religion how few communicants should wee have If none may be accounted unfeinedly religious themselves whose children and servants doe not live in an outward conformity and obedience to the Word how few sound-hearted Christians will there bee found in this age The third and last sort of motives doe concerne our duty to God and the respect we should have unto his glory and they are two principally First The trust that the Lord hath put us in and the charge that hee hath given us concerning our children For this we must know that our children are not our owne but the Lords I speake to such as are Gods people and members of his Church Thus speaketh the Lord to his people Ezek. 16 20. Thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast borne unto me thou hast taken and sacrificed And as we have begotten and borne them for him so hath he charged us to educate and bring them up for him And that with such a charge as the Prophet telleth Ahab in a parable that hee had received for the keeping of a man committed to his trust in the battell 1 Kings 20.39 If by any meanes hee bee missing thy life shall be for his life If the childs soule perish through the parents default whom God put in trust to keep and looke to it the parents soule must dye for it For this is the righteous sentence of God against them whom hee hath charged with the soules of others Ezek. 3.18 Hee shall dye in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thy hand If any shall object that that is spoken of the charge God hath given to Prophets and Ministers concerning their flocks not of that that he hath given to parents concerning their children I answer That every parent is as deepely charged by God with the soules of his children as any Pastor is with the soules of his flocke and more deepely too You call our congregations that we are set over our charge and you say well for so they are and you can cry shame of us if we either by idlenesse or worldlinesse shew our selves carelesse of our charge and you have indeed just cause to do so But in the meane time you forget that your children family are your charge also you make no scruple of neglecting all duty all care of the soules of your owne charge Know you therefore for certaine that you are as much yea much more charged with the soules of your families and of your children especially then any Pastor is with the soules of his flocke And hearken to your charge I pray you 1. You are as oft and as expressely charged to use the meanes to save your childrens soules and to breed grace in them as any Minister is Exod. 13.8 Thou shalt shew thy sonne the meaning the end and use of the Sacrament of the Passeover Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children Psal. 78.5 He established a testimony in Iacob and appointed a law in Israel which hee commanded our fathers that they should make them knowne unto their children Ephes. 6 4. Yee fathers bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. No Minister is more straitly charged of God to teach catechise his flock then you are to instruct your children 2. Parents stand obliged to their children by more and stronger bonds then any Pastor can be to his flocke as we have heard in the first sort of motives 3. Parents have more meanes and opportunities to prevaile with their children then any Pastor can have to doe good upon his flocke The interest they have in their childrens love and affection is a great matter and so is the advantage they may take of their childrens tender yeeres and so is their continuall conversing with them and so is their authority also None have such opportunities to instruct and bring others to goodnesse as parents have This was that that good Hezechiah meant in his prayer Esa. 38.18 19. The grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee The living the living he shall praise thee and who among all the living the father to the children shall make knownâ— thy truth In which respect we have seene in those eight examples that I mentioned unto you how soone godly maisters of families have prevailed with all that were under them to bring them unto an outward profession and conformity in religion And Ioshua is bold â—4 15 to undertake for himselfe and his house that they shall serve the Lord. Some might have said to him soft Ioshuah speake this for thy selfe and that is well too Nay saith he and that before all the people I will undertake this also for my whole house And in this respect also it is that the childrens sins are said to be a blemish and reproach
the son of her vowes Pro. 31.2 she had beene wont to pray much for him They should not onely use these meanes but pray earnestly to God to give them wisdome to know what they may do to destroy corruption and breed grace in their children They should pray as Manoah did Iudg. 13.8 Lord teach me what I shall do to the child that thou hast given me We should do as the woman of Canaan did complaine to God of the corruption that is in our childrens natures and desire him to heale it Have mercy on me O Lord saith she Mat. 15.22 my child is miserably vexed with a divell And as Iob did Iob 1.5 offer sacrifice daily for them pray daily for them that God would forgive them their sins Now to conclude all this that I have said touching the Meanes that parents are to use for the restraining and weakning of that corruption in their children which they have infected them with and to breed grace in them Though I cannot assure you that if you use these meanes you shall see the effect and fruit of them in every one of your children but you may justly object that many parents that have been as carefull as is possible in the use of these means have had as ungracious children as any others for the Lord is the God of all grace and the onely author of it 1 Pet. 5.10 and he giveth successe and fruit to all meanes thereof 1 Cor. 3.6 and he worketh herein most freely according to the good purpose of his owne will as the wind bloweth where it listeth Ioh 3.8 he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9.18 Yet have I two things to say for your incouragement and comfort that are Christian parents 1 None have more cause to expect and with patience to wait for a blessing from God in the use of the meanes of grace towards any then you have towards your children because of the promises God hath made to you concerning your children Gen. 17.7 Psal. 22.29 30. Esa. 44.3 And the fruit of your labour may appeare hereafter though it do not yet as experience hath proved in many good mens children that for a long time lived most ungraciously 2. Admit God be never pleased to vouchsafe a blessing to your labours in your children yet shall your labours and the fruit of them rebound into your own bosome Psal. 35.13 For 1 you highly please God in doing your duty and he accepteth your worke neverthelesse Esa. 49.4 2 Cor. 8.12 which will yeeld you unspeakable comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 2 You have hereby delivered your owne soules so as the sins and damnation of your ungracious children shall never be imputed unto you Ezek. 3.19 Lecture LVII On Psalme 51.5 May 15. 1627. WE have already heard that from these words being opened and cleared from the cavills of the Anabaptists these three doctrines do naturally arise 1. That every infant so soone as it is borne and conceived standeth guilty of sinne before God and is by nature the child of wrath 2. That this sinne that every infant standeth guilty of by nature and whereby it doth deserve eternall damnation is derived to it from Adam by the parents 3. That this sin which every infant is guilty of and which is derived to it from Adam by the parents is the chiefe sin and that which above all others may make us odious and abominable unto God The two former of these doctrines we have already finished it followeth now that we proceed unto the third and last of them We must therefore observe that David doth not mention heere the sinfullnesse and corruption of his nature wherein he was borne and conceived to lessen or extenuate the murder and adultery that he had committed as if his meaning had beene to say unto God Lord there is cause thou shouldst pitie me and have mercy on me and not lay these sinnes to my charge seeing I could do no otherwise I did but my kind the corruption of my nature which I received from my parents was the cause of it No no he hath no purpose at all heere to minse or lessen his sin to excuse or defend himselfe before God but for his further humiliation and abasing himselfe before God he aggravateth his sinne and ascendeth in his confession to an higher step and degree of it As if he had said I have not onely sinned against thee and done this evill of adultery and murder in thy sight but I have done it out of the corruption of my vile nature I was not drawne to it through the violence of any sudden tentation but mine owne filthy nature drew me to it I am not onely guilty of this adultery and murder but I am more vile then so for I have in me and had so soone as I had any being a fountaine of all sinne for which thou maiest justly abhorre me and I loath my selfe much more then for my other sinnes For when they are repented of and I am delivered from the guilt and power of them yet this cursed root of all sinne that is in me will never be destroied till I be destroied my selfe This is the meaning of David here And therefore 1. He doubleth the words of this complaint which he maketh here unto God of his originall sin the corruption of his nature I was brought forth in iniquity and in sinne my mother conceived mee 2. He setteth before this his complaint of the corruption of his nature this word of attention behold as if hee should say this this is it that humbleth me most of all And from these words then wherein David doth in this manner complaine unto God of the corruption of his nature we have this doctrine to learne for our owne instruction That our originall sinne that corruption of nature wherein wee were borne and conceived is the sinne of all others fro which the Lord may most justly abhorre us and for which we should be most humbled and abased in our selves See the proofe of both the branches of this doctrine distinctly First That this is the sinne for which the Lord may most justly abhorre us Man saith Eliphaz Iob 15.16 that is every man which must needs be understood in respect of his nature is filthy and abominable in his sight And the Apostle Ephes. 2.3 We are even by nature the children of wrath As if he had said If we had no other sinne but that the very sinfullnesse of our nature maketh us worthy of Gods wrath and odious unto him This truth the Lord shaddowed out to his people under the law by sundry ceremonies For whereas you shall find few or no lawes made for the shutting men out from the tabernacle which was a type of heaven for actuall sinnes there are many against them that were defiled with such impurities as did typify the corruption of our nature by originall sinne The leper though he were a King might not be
suffered to come into the house of the Lord as you shall find 2 Chron. 26.21 Nor the woman that had borne a child for a good space after her child-birth Levit. 12.4 Nor he that had touched the dead body of a man Num. 9.7 19.11 Nor he that had the running of the reines Levit. 15.14 Yea see what the Lord saith to Moses Numb 5.2 3. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the campe every Leper and every one that hath an issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead both male and female shall ye put out without the Campe yee shall put them that they defile not their camps in the midst whereof I dwell Certainely by all these ceremonies God meant to teach his people this that no sinne maketh us more odious unto God no sin deserveth more that we should be forever seperated from God and his kingdome then the very corruption of our nature doth Now for the second branch of the doctrine that our originall sinne the corruption of our nature is the sinne for which wee should bee most humbled and abased in our selves see the proofe of it in foure notable examples besides this of Davids which we have in the Text examples I say of such of Gods people as being not guilty of any actuall sinne that did reigne in them yet have complained exceedingly and cryed out of themselves even for this The first is of Iob who though in respect of his conversation he was a perfect man and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill Chap. 1.1 yet Chap. 40.4 he cryeth out thus unto God Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee As if he had said How shall I appeare or stand before thee The second is the Prophet Esay who so soone as he had seene the glory of the Lord in a vision and by that meanes discerned what himselfe was better then ever he did before breaketh forth into this complaint Esa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone The third example is the Apostle Paul of whom you shall not find that ever he complained so bitterly of any of the foulest sinnes that he had committed before he knew Christ as he doth of this Rom 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death this was a death to him and nothing so much as this The fourth and last example is that of the whole Church Esa. 64.6 We are all as an uncleane man using the very words that the Leper was commanded to use and to cry Levit. 13.45 I am uncleane I am uncleane worthy to bee separated for ever from God and from his people Now for the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine why the Lord hath so just cause to abhorre us for this corruption of our nature and why we have so just cause likewise to be humbled in our selves for it they may be taken from the properties and effects of it For as Adam by that first sinne of his which excepting onely the sinne against the Holy Ghost was in sundry respects the most heinous sinne that ever mortall man did commit and which sinne of his as we have heard in the first doctrine of this verse is most justly imputed unto every one of us as he I say by that first sinne of his did loose from himselfe and all his posterity that glorious image of God in which he was created and whereby he did wholly resemble the Lord in wisdome and holinesse so did he thereby also receive for himselfe and his whole posterity the image of Satan and was transformed into it Whereby it is come to passe that we do all by nature a fearefull thing to heare and yet a certaine truth most lively in our disposition resemble Satan Let us therefore consider our nature and the corruption of it in the properties and effects of it and it shall evidently appeare unto us that there is no creature upon earth that hath so venimous and poisonfull a nature as every one of us have Neither will I speake of such properties and effects of originall sin as are to be found in the naturall man onely and him that is void of all saving grace but of those that every one of us and the best of Gods children such as David and Iob and Esay and Paul were shall find in themselves And those are foure principally First This corruption of our nature depriveth us of the comfort of our best actions and maketh the dearest of Gods children heavie and uncheerefull even in those duties wherein they have most cause to bee comfortable and cheerfull according to that commandement of God Psal. 100.2 Serve the Lord with gladnesse For this flesh of ours this corruption of our nature 1. Disableth us unto spirituall duties maketh us unwilling untoward dull and cold and faint in them so as we performe them with no lust no life no servency of spirit This the Apostle complaineth of Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me through grace he meaneth but how to performe that which is good I find not Heb. 12.1 It easily besetteth us on every side to hinder us from running in any way of Gods commandements 2. It will shew and intermingle it selfe and will not be kept out of doors no not for a moment when we purpose and go about the best duties but it will be medling and have a finger even in them When I would do good saith the Apostle Rom. 7.21 evill is present with me 3. It will crosse 3. It will crosse and oppose the spirit and interrupt the worke of it stirring up such thoughts and motions as are quite contrary and opposite unto it I see saith blessed Paul Rom. 7.23 another law in my members warring against the law of my mind And Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Yea 4. by these and such like meanes it defileth our best duties and maketh them not onely unworthy of all reward with God but worthy to be rejected and loathed by him as the Church complaineth Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Secondly It draweth the best of us to offend God oft 1. Even to doe that that we do not onely know to be evill but that also that our hearts do hate In many things saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 we offend all And Paul Rom. 7.15 What I hate that I doe and verse 23. It bringeth me into captivity to the law of sinne 2. Yea it is restlesse and never giveth over working this way Like thtroubled sea as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 57.20 which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt This root and fountaine is ever springing and putting forth one corruption or other Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearâ— saith the Lord Gen. 6.5 is
sight nor sense of it but the godly man is The proudest man that is if he should bee smitten with a leprosie or some such loathsome disease from top to toe would bee much humbled with it And how can Gods child choose but bee much humbled when hee seriously doth thinke of this leprosie of his soule that as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 1.6 From the sole of the foot even to the top of the head in understanding conscience memory will affections there is no soundnesse in him but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores The proudest man that is would bee much dejected and abased in himselfe if from an high and wealthy estate God should cast him into extreame poverty and beggery And the Lord speaketh of this as of a fruit of such judgements Esa. 13.11 that hee will thereby cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtinesse of the terrible And so must Gods child needs whose eyes God hath opened when hee discerneth and considereth seriously what state he was once in by creation and what he is now how wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked as Christ speaketh to the Laodiceans Rev. 3.17 This knowledge and sense of our spirituall poverty will certainly make us humble in our selves and humble towards others also As our Saviour plainly teacheth Matth. 5.3 5. in the connexion of the three first beatitudes Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that mourne blessed are the meeke They that are poore in spirit cannot choose but mourne and bee humbled in themselves for it and they that are truly humbled in themselves for it cannot choose but bee meeke in spirit towards others they cannot bee insolent nor censorious nor harsh in their disposition and carriage towards others O how apt are wee all to be puffed up with a little knowledge and grace that wee have attained unto above others How apt to despise others because of this If wee knew our owne hearts well certainly wee could not bee so The consideration of what wee were before our calling hath great force to keepe us from despising and censuring others so sharpely as wee are wont Titus 3.2 3. Speake evill of no man but shew all meekenesse to all men for wee our selves were sometimes foolish c. As if hee had said as bad as any other But if wee would consider well what bad hearts wee have since our calling and conversion how untoward to any thing that is good how weake and prone to that that is evill how pregnant and full of vile motions and inclinations continually this would have more force to humble us this way then the former Brethren saith the Apostle Gal. 6.1 if a man bee overtaken in a fault you that are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted If we would consider our selves well and what we were like to prove if we had the same tentation that others have had this would make us meeke and humble this would keepe us from despising others for their infirmities This was that that made blessed Paul so humble and lowly in his owne eyes that he doth professe that he was not onely in respect of his estate before his calling of all sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. â— 15 but even after his calling Ephes. 3.8 lesse then the least of all Saints How could he speake this in truth may you say Doubtlesse he knew many of the Saints that had more slips and falls then ever he had he knew many of the Saints that had not received that measure of grace from God nor done him that service that he had done yea he professeth of himselfe 2 Cor. 12.11 that he was in nothing behind the very chiefest Apostles And 1 Cor. 15.10 that he had laboured more abundantly then they all How could he then say that he was lesse then the least of all Saints Certainely his meaning is he knew more evill more corruption in his owne heart then he thought was in any Christian in the world besides And this conceit of our selves he requireth to be in all Christians Phil. 2.3 Let each esteeme others better then themselves That pronesse that we find in our owne nature to evill even after our regeneration yea after many yeares spent in the profession of Christianity should be matter of continuall humbling unto us And we have cause even in that respect to complaine as David did Psal. 38.17 I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me Let us now apply this second use of the doctrine unto three particular cases wherein we may have occasion to practise it First Let this humble us in the performing of our best duties and keepe us from priding our selves in them as alas we are all too apt to do See this in the Pharisee Luk. 18.12 We are all by nature Papists and Pharisees in this point apt to conceit we have merited somewhat of God when we have done any thing well If we would but consider and take notice of this when we have done any good duty how our originall sin our corrupt hearts have stained and defiled it and made all our righteousnesse as filthy rags Esa. 64.6 we should find even in our best duties just matter not of pride but of humbling in them and to say of our selves as our Saviour biddeth us in another sense Luk. 17.10 when we have done all we can do we are but unprofitable servants We read of Rebecca Gen. 25.22 that when she had conceived though she knew she bare in her body the promised and blessed seed yet the struggling and combat she felt within her betweene the two twins was so painefull and grievous to her that she cryed out Why am I thus And certainely that combat that Gods child findeth in himselfe in the performing of any good duty that his flesh doth resist and oppose Gods grace and holy spirit in it that it is so crosse and contrary to it that he cannot do the things that he would must needs be a just cause of griefe and humbling unto him as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.17 By reason of this every child of God when he hath performed any duty to God in the best manner he can hath cause to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 O my God pardon me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Yea without this sense of corruption mixing it selfe with our best duties and sorrow for it we can never performe any good duty acceptably Whatsoever ye do in word or deed saith the Apostle Col. 3.17 do all in the name of the Lord Iesus As if he should say feele the need ye have of Christ in it looke not that God should accept of it but only through him Secondly Let this humble us at all times when we prepare our selves to appeare before God in prayer We cannot be too humble when we are to go to God The greatest persons under heaven should not
poore services be as a sacrifice of a most sweet smelling savour unto God Lecture LXXIII on Psalme 51.5 Octob. 30. 1627. THis point may not be passed over without some application And it is to bee applied 1. By way of prevention unto carnall and wicked men who are apt to draw that comfort unto themselves from it that belongeth not unto them 2. By way of incouragement unto the people of God who receive not that comfort from it that they ought to doe First Many a carnall man is apt to stumble at this Doctrine and to blesse himselfe in his grosse sins by it after this manner The Lord saith he you see is not so strict and rigorous as to marke every thing that his people doe amisse hee is apt wee heare to passe by their slips and infirmities but the good things they doe at any time those hee taketh notice of and remembreth and taketh delight in and will undoubtedly reward And therefore saith hee why should my slips and infirmities disquiet mee And what are these slips and infirmities I pray you that he speaketh of Surely swearing ordinarily making himselfe merry now and then with deriding religion and good men breaking the Sabbath wantonnesse drunkennesse and such like Why should I saith hee suffer my mind to be troubled for these things Nay why should I not rather comfort my selfe and rejoyce in those good things I doe For I thanke God I am no Papist but professe the true religion I goe to Church I pray I heare the Word and receive the Sacrament I give to the poore I make conscience of my word I doe no man wrong And these are things I know that God liketh and delighteth in This was just the presumptuous conceit and perswasion of that Pharisee our Saviour speaketh of Luke 18.11 12. And certainly the world is full of such Pharisees even in these dayes Now to beat downe the presumption of these Pharisees I have three things to say First Consider who they are that the Lord standeth so graciously affected unto whose slips and infirmities hee useth thus to winke at whose imperfect services hee is wont thus to delight in and reward Not every one but such onely as are in Christ. Such onely are his children by adoption and grace But what is that to thee Seeing it is certaine thou art not in Christ. Because thou walkest and goest on impenitently in knowne sinnes There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Rom. 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus But who are they Hee answereth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit It is certaine thou art not the child of God because thou art not led by the spirit of God For so saith the Apostle likewise Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and none but they Secondly Admit thou wert the child of God admit thou wert in Christ yet could not God beare with such faults as thine are nor take in good part such service as thou usest to doe unto him The Lord hath promised Mat. 3.17 To spare and beare with his children as a man spareth his son that serveth him In those good duties wherein he seeth our heart is set to serve him he wil beare with many defects and failings But he will not beare with the dearest child he hath in any grosse sinne Did he beare with David when he fell to adultery No no he beat him so sore for it as David complaineth heere ver 8. that he brake his bones with beating of him For such sinnes God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints especially as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 89.7 Nay I say more the Lord will not passe by nor winke at in the dearest child he hath those very defects and failings that are in their best duties if they be reigning corruptions and not infirmities that is if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for Therefore we are required in doing of good duties to watch and observe our owne hearts Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith the Apostle Colos. 4.2 And to strive against our owne corruptions therein Strive with me and for me in prayer saith he Romanes 15.30 And to bewaile unto God our failings in them Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy saith Nehemiah 13.22 And if God will not winke at such faults as thine are in his dearest children canst thou hope that he will winke at them in thee that art still a child of wrath If God will not accept of the services that his dearest children doe unto him unlesse they be sensible of those corruptions wherewith they are stained canst thou hope that he will accept of thine And what talkest thou of thy serving of God or of any good thing that ever thou didst Alas thou couldest never serve God nor doe any good thing in thy life That which the Prophet saith Ieremie 6.10 of such as thou art their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken thou couldst never in thy life heare one Sermon to any purpose the same may be said of all other duties of Gods service thou couldst never pray nor receive the Sacrament in thy life Yee cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshuah 24.19 to them that lived in idolatry And that which I say of the duties of Gods worship the same I say likewise of all other good workes Thou never didst worke of mercy in thy life thou didst never make conscience of dealing justly and truly with thy neighbour Matthew 12.34 How can ye being evill speake good things Luke 6.43 A corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit They that professe that they know God saith the Apostle Titus 1.16 but in their workes denie him being abominable and disobedient are reprobate unto every good worke The good things that such men seeme to doe are not onely defective in the manner or in the measure or in matter of circumstance as the best workes of the faithfull may be but they are utterly void of that which is the very substance and that giveth life and being to a good worke that is faith that worketh by love Gal. 5 6. The third and last thing I have to say to this man is this Thou not being Gods child nor being in Christ but living in the state of impenitency as thou dost and continuing therein shalt find the Lord every whit as austere and rigorous towards thee as he is indulgent and gracious towards his owne children This will appeare in three points First Though he beare with so many faults and frailties in his own children he will not beare with the least fault in thee But thou shalt give account even for every idle word that thou hast spoken at the day of Iudgement as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.36 Yea the Lord will bring every secret thought of thine into judgement Eccl. 12.14 Secondly Though he take the poorest and weakest services that his children doe him in
affected with the miseries of the Church and bow 562 c. Pray for the Church 567 Onely the Church hath benefit by Christ. 744 Nor all within that Ibid. Church-Assemblies Being come into them we must set our selves as in the presence of God 35 Their sin which behave themselves unreverently in them 36 That sleepe ordinarily there 708 709 That absent themselves from them 710 Reverence due in them in three regards 709 The fulnesse of them a comfort to Gods children 800 Civill-honesty In it selfe a good thing pleasing to God and such as he useth to reward 692 693 The great sinne of Professors that are defective in that 694 695 Yet no sound comfort to be found in this alone 695 696 Comfort Ministers must take care to comfort such as are afflicted in conscience though the greatest part of their audience stand not in need of the word of consolation 135 136 459 649 650 Reasons to perswade such as are afflicted in mind to give way to comfort 137 God intends good to his children by with-holding comfort from them for a time 142 Comfort for those that complaine and mourne for their unprofitablenesse in the use of Gods ordinances 595 Of their doubtings and infidelity 647 648 654 680 682 Common-wealth A great sin to be all for ourselves and to have no care of the common good 125 We must seeke the good of it 806 The Gospell brings blessings to it 806 807 Communion Their sin that forbeare it because they are out of Charity 113 Because we come not to it rightly humbled wee depart without comfort 265 266 There 's great force in that to work assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 635 And constancy in the truth 797 Concupiscence without consent is sin 306 Conference We should conferre of what we heare specially in our owne families 40 41 Good in trouble of mind to make knowne our case to some faithfull friend or Minister 151 Confession He that truly repents will willingly confesse and bewaile his sin 158 He that can rightly and truly confesse his sins may be sure to find mercy in the pardon of them 159 160 The Reasons why Gods people have beene so willing to confesse their sinnes and why the Lord hath so much delighted to see them do so 161 162 How farre forth confession of sinne in private to a Minister or other friend is not necessary 163 164 How farre forth it is profitable and fit 164 165 Those whose sinnes are publike and scandalous must be willing to make publike confession and profession of their repentance 171 c. Three cautions touching this 171 Confession of our sinnes to God is of all other most necessary and usefull 191 192 Five meanes whereby we may be enabled to confesse our sinnes aright 196 c. Five properties of sincere confession of sinne 198 203 Conscience Thy conscience will one day bring thy secretest sinnes to thy mind 207 And smite thee for them 208 No comparison betweene the pleasure of sinne and that 209 A good conscience a speciall meanes to make us beare affliction comfortably and patiently 272 And to get assurance of Gods favour 409 410 638 641 Make conscience of every truth 793 794 Conversion The power and goodnesse of God to us in it is admirable 342 c. God hath set a time for every mans conversion we must count the present time that 345 Reioyce in the truth of grace wrought in thee 346 In it a change and reformation wrought in the whole man 414 Three cautions 415 416 Conversion is to be ascribed wholly unto God and the mighty working of his grace 503 c. 519 The work of grace in the conversion of man is most free 510 511 God in denying the meanes of conversion or grace of conversion to any doth them no wrong because he is a solute Soveraigne 519 520 In that he denies effectuall grace to profit by the meanes to most he manifests his free grace and mercy to his elect 520 God in conversion not onely offers grace but conâ—ers and inâ—useth that grace into the will that actually inclines it 524 Covetousnesse True saith will subdue it 733 Curiosity Take heed of affecting the knowledge of curious intricate and unprofitable points 785 This discerned three wayes 786 788 D. Death ONe chiefe thing that should make the faithfull willing to die is that then they shall sin no more but be freed from all possibility of falling away 11 324 325 In the best an unwillingnesse to die 325 Delay Presently set upon the practice of what you have learned out of the Word 43 Seeke speedily the pardon of sin 9â— Without delay make thy best use of the meanes of conversion 346 Desire Vnfained desire to please God a signe of uprightnesse 438 439 463 Five differences between the desires of the godly and the wicked 442 443 Signes to know a true desire of grace 465 Doubting All doubting is not a signe of infidelitie 242 Yet a dangerous signe not to bee able to believe the Word nor to be troubled with infidelity Ibid. Or to dispute against the Word 243 Comforts for such of Gods children as doubt they are hypocrites 461 A man may be in the state of grace though hee perceive it not 650 651 He that finds least comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ. 653 E. Enemies WE must love them and expresse it in eight duties 752 753 Errours Corruption in iudgement the most dangerous corruption 779 780 The faithfull may erre in matters of smaller moment 780 781 Yea in fundamentall points for a time 782 We must shun the hearing and conâ—erring with seducers 784 Examination Christians should daily examine their wayes 197 198 A meanes to get and increase assurance of Gods favour 641 643 Example Great force in example 298 Experience It is profitable to call to mind the signes of grace we had in former times 643 And the speciall Experiments wee have had of Gods love in temporall blessing 644 But specially in spirituall things 645 Exercises of Religion Every man is to spend some part of every day in them 320 Conscionable use of them is a meanes to mortifie corruption 321 F. Faith WIthout faith we cannot beare afflictions patiently but having it we may 266 267 How to trie it 268 Diverse effects of it 627 True faith is operative 626 Comfort for such as complaine of the weaknesse of it 269 Till faith come into the heart no sin can be mortified but when it commeth it will mortifie sin 326 327 Two reasons of that 327 330 We must exercise and make use of our faith 330 Faith the root of all true piety and love to God 397 There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation 411 650 652 Wherein the nature of true faith consisteth 411 413 653 It will bring comfortable assurance in the end 413 The inward instrument to sanctifie the heart 731 All men by nature unable to believe 746 Falls of the godly The truly regenerate
Meanes to get assurance of Gods favour 641 c. Wicked men Lâ—wd persons are a curse to the place they live in 124 Have no cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to passe by the sâ—ips of his children 361 363 Wicked men must pray and do other good duties and they may receive good theâ— by three wayes 363 364 We must love their persons and yet shew detestation to their vices 749 Works Good works the fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit in us good grounds of hope and comfort 104 105 The maine foundation of any comfort in them is wholly in Gods mercy 106 Why no man can make them the maine ground of his comfort Ibid. God doth greatly respect the poore and imperfect services of his people and three reasons for that 357 361 Good works must be performed in a right manner 433 438 Word of God The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken 238 We must believe it 239 Allow and approve of it as just 240 Take it to heart Ibid. The Word a speciall meanes to enable us to beare afflictions christianly 263 To mortifie our corruptions 321 322 Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selâ—e and to the Ministry thereof 507 509 The least thing God hath appointed in his Word may not be neglected 577 579 Try our estate by the Word of God 624 625 The Word a speciall meanes to get comfortable assurance that Christ is ours an 〈◊〉 633 634 A singular good thing to love the Word 700 Worship of God We must depend upon the direction of the Word for 〈◊〉 581 Conscience to be made of the outward parts of Gods Worship and exercises of Râ—ligion 581 582 We must labour to understand every thing we do in the service of God 583 589 Els we shall receive no good by it 584 585 In every part of Gods Worship labour to find God with us in it 587 588 591 Foure motives to stirre up this â—are 591 Foure means to make Gods Ordinances effectuall 592 593 We must not neglect Gods Ordinances though we find no fruit 594 Gods solemne Worship and conscionable use of his Ordinances a meanes to worke 〈◊〉 and recover assurance that Christ is ours 632 True love of God will appeare towards his Worship 799 Z. Zeale EVery one that 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ must needs be zealous for God and his worship 799 FINIS Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. Vse 1. 2. The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understaÌ„d not Doct. 2. Reason Vse Doct. 4. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. Doct. 5. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doct. 6. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 7. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Sort. 2. 3. Vse 3. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic Applic * So it is in the margent Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Doct. 8. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Vse 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Answ. Object 5 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nota. Doct. 9. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. Vse Vse 2. Motive 1 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. Reason 1 Aâ—sw Reason 2 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Answ. 2. Nota Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 10 Reason Vse 1. Quest. 1 2. 3. Object 1 Answ. 1 Object 2 Answ. Applic. Object 3 Answ. Vse 2. 1 Sort of Motives 2 Sort of Motives Meanes Signes Applic Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 11 Object 1. Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason Object Answ. Vse Vse 2. 1 Duty Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 2 Duty Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. 1. Duty Object Answ. Duty 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object Answ. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ 2. Object Answ. 1. Object Nota. Doct. 12. Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2 Reason 3 Vse 1. Three sorts of conâ—ession of sin Object Answ. Appli 1 Appli 2 Appli Quest. Answ. 1 2. Doctr. Proofe Reason Appli Object Answ. Object Answ. Answ. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 13 Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason Reason 2 Reason 3 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1 Answ. Object Answ. Object 3 Answ. Quest. Answ. Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ. Doct. 14 Branc. 1 Branch 2 Reason Reason 2 Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3 Attribute 4 Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Vse 4. Nota. Doct. 15 Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 16 Reason 1 Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Object 1 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Quest. 2. Answ. Doct. 17 Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3 Answ. Proofe 1. Proofe 2. Object Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 18 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. First sort of Motives Second sort of Motives The third sort of motives Meanes Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 2. Applic. Object 1. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 2. Answ. Means 3. Applic. Means 4. Applic. Means 5. Applic. Nota. Doct. 19 Branc. 1 Branc. 2 Reason Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Motives Means Means 1. Applic. Mans 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Ans. Meanes 4 Applic. Applic. Means 5 Applic. Meanâ— 6 Means 7 Applic. Applic. Quest. Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. 1 2. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 4. 1 Restraining grace Applic. Object Applic. Applic. Object Answ Applic. 1 CoÌ„verting grace Applic. 3 Confirming grace Applic. Object Answ. TentatioÌ„ 1 Preservative 1. Object 1 Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Preservative 2. Quest. Answ. TentatioÌ„ 2. Preservative Quest. Answ. 4 Saving grace Applic. Object Answ. 1 2. Doct. 20 Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Vse 1. Motive 1. Motive 2. Motive 3 Applic. The first signe of uprightnesse of heart Applic. The second signe of uprightnes of heart Object Answ. The first property of obedience and true righteousnesse Applic. The second property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Branch 1 Object Answ. 1 Answ. 2 Branch 2 Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Doct. Reason 1 Reason 2 Object Answ. Applic. Motives Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4. Motive 5. Motive 6. Mean 1 Mean 2. Means 3 Means 4. Means 5 Object Answ. Object Applic. The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse 1 The subject of sancâ—â—fying grace Caution 1â— Caution 2 Caution 3. Applic. The 〈…〉 Quest. 1 Answ. 1. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Applic. Applic. Answ. 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. 2 The continuance of saving grace Applic. 1 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. The â—ourth property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Applic. Applic. Applic. The third signe of uprightnesse of heart Answ. 1. 2. Applic. 1 Quest. Answ. 1 Answ. 2. Applic. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Applic. 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Motive Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Nota. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Doct. 21 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Object Answ. Vse 1. Applic. The object of true knowledge The properties of saving knowledge The effects of saving knowledge Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object Answ. Applic. Means 4 Means 5 Means 6 Means 7 Nota. Doct. 22 Branch 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Quest. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Branch 2 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Answ. Answ. 2. Reason 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Vse 2. Caution 1 Caution 2 Applic. Nota. Doct. 23 Caution Object 2 Answ. Proofe Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Applic. Applic. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quâ—st 3 Answ. Nota. Doct. 24 CautioÌ„ 1 CautioÌ„ 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Nota. Doct. 25 Branch 1 Reason Branch 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Object Answ. Nota. Doct. 26 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Object Answ. Signe Meanes Nota. Doct. 27 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Signe 1. Applic. Signe 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Signe 3. Applic. Means 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Quest. Applic. Object 1. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. 1. 2. Nota. Doct. 28 Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3. Vse 1. Applic. Errour 1 Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Reason 2 Object Answ. 1. 2. Reason Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Vse Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 3. Answ. Vse 2. Motive 1 Contrâ— Motiv 2 Applic. Motive Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. Applic. Motive 4 Signes Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Aplic Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Proof 1 Proofe 2 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Aplic Object Answ. Motive 1 Motive 2 Object Answ. Meanes Doct. Reason 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason 2 Reason 3. Applic. 1 Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Object 4. Answ. 1. Answ. 2.