as the art and industry of man hath made them but such as they are by nâ—ture Et sicut gignitur ex oleastri semine oleaster ex oleae semine non nisi oleaster Cum inter oleastrum oleam plurimum distet ita de carne peccatoris de carne iusti vtrinque peccator quam vis inter peccatorem iustum multum distet And as the seed of the wilde Oliue bringeth out a wilde oliue and the seede of the oliue brings out also a wilde oliue albeit betweene the oliue and the wilde oliue in themselues there is a great difference euen so out of the flesh both of iust men and sinners sinners are begotten albeit in themselues great difference bee betweene the righteous and the sinner That all matter of gloriation may be taken from flesh and he who glories may glorie in the Lord boast as thou wilt of the priuiledges of nature they are but the matter of thy mourning Comfort canst thou haue none but in that which grace hath giuen thee aboue nature Onely let parents take heede that in their owne default their children become not crosses vnto them Iustly was Adonijah a scourge to Dauid in his olde daies because he would not displease him from his youth And Ophni and Phinees a crosse to their father Eli because he suffered theÌ„ to run into a slander A threefold dutie therefore should fathers discharge to their children first by a godly life giue them good example doe not that which thou wouldest not wish thy children to follow it is an euill great enough that thou hast deriued sin vnto them by propagation let them not also draw it from thee by imitation Secondly haue a care of their education to bring them vp in the information of the Lord. Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe but the rod of correction driues it away Nazian records that the Lacedaemonians learned their children to excell in fortitude and tollerance of sorrowes by frequent beating them Licurgus taught the Spartans what power was in good education WheÌ„ of two dogs procreat of the same parents by his paines he made the one a hound for the fields the other not so trained vp remaining but a curre for the kitchin And Socrates was wont to say that many children for want of good education were like vnto couragious horses who for lacke of gouernment become no better then Asses It is a shame for Christians to come behinde Ethnickes in this duty And yet that education will not alway doe it is euident in Isaac and Ismael both brought vp in the house of Abram yea in Iacob and Esau both gotten of one father borne of one mother that lay together in one belly their education was alike their dispotition vnlike Therfore besides the ordinary meanes of information and correction the last duty fathers ought to their children is earnest praier vnto God for them euen as Iob euery morning sacrifised for his children that GOD would frame their hearts to his holy loue and obedience that the corruption of nature which in the first generation they communicate to their children may be taken away and they by the grace of regeneration sanctified and renewed vnto his holy image Hauing noted these things in the parable according to the letter in the point of the father two things also occurre to bee marked in the part of the sonne first his vile ingratitude to his Father that vpon no necessity onely to the end he might follow his owne will and enioy the perishing pleasures of his sinfull lusts he forsakes him And that all children may learne to flee this fault let them marke that because this young man became a crosse to his father he becoms at length a crosse also to himself It is the first dutie of godlinesse in children said Cyrill to be thankfull to their parents to wait vpon them serue theÌ„ coÌ„fort theÌ„ especially in their old age Quamvis enim illis plurima eiusmodirediderimus rursus tamen eos generare non possumus for albeit in some things we may be able to requite them as Ioseph being fed 17. yers by his father Iacob in Canaan fed his father againe other 17. yeres in Aegypt yet are we neuer able to beget them againe Ab illis primam viuendi causam accepimus adeo vt parentes velut dij quidam sint hoc est liberis vice Dei hos Deus increatus immortalis nobis creratos mortales deos dedit vt homines honore afficeret For vnder God we haue our being of them he who is the father immortall and increated for the honouring of mankind hath communicated his name to mortall and created creatures to make them also fathers and begetters of others thus are they to their children like little gods or in God his steed which as it should waken in fathers a care to be answerable to there name and place in wise and louing dealing with their children so warnes it children of that loue thankefulnesse and obedience they ought euery way vnto their parents But such is the iniquitie of this age that many parents would willingly bee content to forgo all the good they may haue by their children vpon condition they were quit of their euil This prodigall child failed in omissioÌ„ of his duty his fault was in the desertioÌ„ of his father we heare not that other waies he did him any euill or was vnreuerent toward him either in word or deed like vnnaturall children now who are not ashamed to be mockers cursers and oppressors of their parents A fearefull impietie a beastly stupiditie doubtlesse a forerunner of great wrath to fall vpon these who fall into such sins There was infirmities in Noah when C ham mocked his wickednesse but did he not for that incurre the curse and thinkest thou that the faults of thy parents shall excuse thine vnnaturall contempt of them Wilt thou look into the law thou shalt see an heauy penaltie laid on euery iniurie that either by word or deed thou dost to thy father He that curseth his father or his mother shall die the death He that smiteth his father or his mother shall die the death Yee shall feare euery man his father and his mother If any man haue a sonne which is stubborne and disobedient who will not hearken to the voice of his father nor the voice of his mother c. Then all the men of the citie shal stone him with stones vnto death Cursed be he that curseth his father or his mother The eie that mocketh his father despiseth the instruction of his mother let the rauens of the valley picke it out and the young Eagles eat it And if we shal come downe lower to looke into nature we shall finde this vile ingratitude condemned by her decree also Filius cum patre quoquo modo
in flesh Parents should take heed that in their ovvn default children bee not crosses vnto theÌ„ 1. Sam. 3.13 1. King 1.6 A threefold dutie parents owe to their children 1 First to giue them good example Ephes. 6.4 Pro. 22.15 2. Secondly to haue a care of their education Nazian orat 48. in Iulian. st Thirdly to be instant in praier to God for them Children in grieuing their Parents prepare griefes for themselues Children cannot requite the good they haue of their parents Cyrill â—at 7. Gen 47. Nazian ad Vitalianum filios suos auersantem For parents are as little Gods vnto their children The vnrighteous dealing of Children with their parents in this age The fearful punishment of vndutifull children to their parents Exâ— 21.17 Eu. 21.15 Leu. 19.3 Deut. 21.18 De. 27.16 Pro. 30. 17. Nazian senten Natures decree coÌ„demns such impiety Basil. hex hom 8. Hom 9. Why this sonne is called the younger sonne Satan hath tentations meet for euery age of man Ier. 2.24 Nazien orat 46 in Ecclesiast Amb. li. de viduis Leu. 2.14 Youth should be consecrat vnto God A great blessing when younger ones are Gods Nazarites Amos 2. Lam. 3.27 Sam. 4.7 2. Cor. 7.1 But many of them may bee iustly termed Satans Nazarites Somtime also aged men in yeares are found young in manners Gregor Mor. li 19 Philo. Bern. in Can. ser 44. Athan. in ep ad Tim. Ignat. ad Magnesianos These are vvorse then this yong forâ—ome childe Iob 20.11 The pararable coÌ„sidered according to the sense le ts vs see our manifold faults whereunto man by nature is subject Ephes. 2. I IgnoraÌ„ce of God maketh a man to dissteeme of God Ionas 2.8 Deut. 32. 28.29 Luk. 19. 42. No otherwise theÌ„ beasts disesteem of most pretious things because they know them not Ps. 73.27 Gen. 3.7 Ier. 2.9 Such as know the Lord can not bee coÌ„teâ—t to liue without the Lord. 2 K. 2.6 This is euident in elect Angels Gregor Mâ—ral In men also called and sanctified by grace Psal. 73. 28.25 Phil. 3.8 Math. 13. 44. 2 Vpon ignorance followâ—s rebellion whereby maÌ„ sâ—aks of Gods yoke and vsurps his glory This is that peruerse imitation of GOD which Satan taught our first parents Aâ—gus d vâ—rb d. m Man vsurping more then God gaue him lost that which he had but attained not to more Bern. de subiect uâ—sâ—re voluntaris Aug de Corrept gra 14. Esâ— 45.9 3 With these two is conioined hypocrisie man in word cals God his father when no such thought is in his heart Pisid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan a notable distembler Ber. in Câ—t Sâ—rm 82. By hypocrisie man couers the â—uâ—â— which he hath and simulateâ— the good which he hath not Bet. in Câ—â—t ser. 66. Gen. 27. But by no shadow of dissimulation can the Lord be deceiued Hipocrits coÌ„uinced by their owne words Malac. 1. 1. Pet. 1.17 A meet question for hypocrites The iust and proportional punishment of hypocrits Esa. 62.3 1. Sam. 13.14 Ps. 69.28 Reuel 3. Ier. 7.9 Man is so presumpteous by nature as to make God a debtor vnto him Doctrine of merit is learned in the Scoole of Nature Psa. 11.6 No proportion betvveene our work and the Lords revvard Macar hom 15. The vanity of such as trust in their merits is discouered Ber. in annunt Mar. Serm. 1. 2. Cor. 3.5 5 Man naturally esteemes more of the comfort of the creature then fauour of the creatour Gen. 3â— Ge. 25.32 The folly of man in so doing declared by an example Aug. epist. 162. Pittifull blindnes so to loue the world that for it a man should lose himselfe Chrisâ—an Mat. hoÌ„ 9. It is farre otherwise with the godly Phi. 3.13 As they grow in the knowledge of Christ so they increase in a contempt of the world The soule of the godly coÌ„pared to Iacobs tabernacle Ambr de sugasaeculi cap. 5. Ibid. Exhortation to a contempt of this word Ps. 55.6 Eccl. 1.14 Can. 2.10 Why the Lord suffers for a time his children to follow their own will Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 22 c. 1. Ephes. 2.3 To wit that after their conuersation they may know how much they are bound to his grace 1. Tim. 1. 13.14 For in respect of nature there is no difference bevveene the elect c reproâ— bate till grace mak it Rom. 1.26 Eph. 4.19 Iob 15.16 Aug. Mar. epist. 5. Ber in CaÌ„t. Seâ—m 42. Man left to himselfe cannot stand long Proofe of this in Adam his fall should make vs humble Psal. 119. Man coÌ„monly is most vndutifull to God wheÌ„ that is most beneficial to him Hâ—s 4.7 Gen. 9.27 Pro. 1.32 Psa. 69.22 What is meant by tâ—e farre Countrey in this parable Psa. 46.12 Ps. 139.7 Euery part of the vvorld is a like neere to the Lord. Gen. 4.16 This farre countrey is not to be estimat by distaÌ„ce of place Ber. parab de prod Ier. 2.5 But by distance of affection from the Lord. No place makes a man neerer the Lord then another Aug. ad frat her Ser. 27. Pilgrimage to Ierusalem for sanctification is but a superstious conceit Greg. Nissen Not warranted by the iourney of Gregorie Nissâ—n to Ierusalem They are neerest the Lord who are likest vnto him bee the contrary How a man may discerne whether hee bee neere or farre froÌ„ the Lord by two tokens 1 Such as are neere him esteeme him a great God Psal. 16. 2 They feel his effectual vertue in themselus Not by their feet but by affections goe men from the Lord. Ber. parab de prod Nazian Orat. 7 Multiplication of sinnes is like multiplicatioÌ„ of steps which at length make a long iourney The fruit of a mans departure from God The seruice of sinne is very coastly and expensiue That which meÌ„ gather wickedly shall be scattered vainly Iob 20.15 Though there were none but themselues to doe it Abac. 2. Worldlings delight in aboundance of wealth as if their life were in it How foolish they are in making their legacies After the descriptioÌ„ of his sin followes a description of mercy 3. sorts of goods bestovved by God vpon men Spirituall goods of the best sort can not bee spent Pleasures of sinne ends in most fearful paines Reu. 18.14 Ioel. 2.12 The present paine of the godly end in pleasures Psalm Heb. 13.13 1. Pet. 1. Comfort of the Creatures now blinds the vvicked that cannot they see their misery Math. 22. But their eies shall be opened when the obiect of their pleasures shall be taken from theÌ„ And this they may learne if they could marke it by present experience Pro. 14.13 Dan. 5.6 They who vvill not serue the Lord shal serue a vvorse master Psal. 137. Ambros. Citizens of the country far from God are Satan and the reprobates 2. feareful sinnes of Apostate Angels Two cities Ierusalem and Babel coÌ„pared together Citizens of Ierusalem are somtimes also in Babel but trariâ— not in it Babels Citizens are sometime also in Ierusalem but tarry not in it 2. Tim. 3.5
me and bee mercifull vnto mee as thou doest vnto those that feare thy name And it is this looke that brought home againe the Prodigall childe for as the Image which the glasse represents lifts not vp the eies till hee that lookes into it lift vp his eies first So man who is the Image of God cannot lift vp his eies vnto heauen till God first looke down with the eies of mercy vpon him And therefore Bernard expounding this Parable of the forlornâ— Sonne hauing declared the depth of the misery wherein to hee had falleâ— by falling from his father Hee describes the beginning and progresse of his restitution and home comming vnto the Lord for so saith hee Et vbi nunc est pater ille potentissimus dulcissimus liberalissimus nunquid potest obliuiâ—ci filium vterisui Absit absit And where now is the most powerful sweete and liberall father can hee forget his childe the fruit of his wombe No no Non obliuiscitur ed miseretur dolet conqueritur de absentia perditione silij sui He forgets not but hee hath compassion he mourneth and lamenteth for the want and losse of his sonne yea he sends out his seruants to seeke him The first seruant is Feare which following and finding the Kings sonne in most miserable case beates him and prickes him with terrors â—â— chase him to his â—ather But the second seruant Hope comming foorth to seeke him findes him rather hurt then helped by feare cast downe not raised vp therefore hope puts her hand louingly vnder his head and raiseth him out of despaire it wipes away the dung from his eies then beginnes to see O how many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough and I die for hunger Arise saith Hope Goe home to thy Father I haue brought thee heere The horse of desire Thus is he no sooner mounted vppon the Horse of desire but incontinent wisdome cometh with the bridle of discretion Goe not saith he too fast lest the Kings Sonne fall into the hands of his enemies hold you in the high way for the enemies are not in the path way but in the by rodes lurking in ambushment Then came in the valienâ— warriour Fortititude and he drawing out the sword of gladnesse and ioy be not troubled saith he they are moe with vs then with them are signified by these but the riches of Gods manifold mercies whereby he supplies all our wants fulfilleth all our necessities for their confimation in the state of grace that once are conuerted to it And it is to be noted that all these good things are taken out of our fathers treasure they are giuen vs freely we haue them not of our selues The third perfiting grace is figured here that being taken in into his Fathers house he is set downe to a banquet they are meery together repesenting the mutuall ioy that is betweene God and his children the Lord reioicing in the conuersion of a sinner and the sinner reioycing in the saluation of his God See what a difference is here between his former estate wheÌ„ he went from his father and the estate whereunto hee is aduanced now after his returning How farre is his satisfaction aboue his desire hee sought but the roome of a seruant and he is honoured with the dignity of a sonne the mourning weede is taken from him and he is made to reioice in steed of his former scarsity wealth and abundance of al good things is giuen vnto him As men see it in the Parable so is it to be wished they wold proue it in the practise If they would forsake the pleasures of sinne and come and taste how graciouâ— the Lord is they should see the one are but huskes of Acornes meeter for beasts then for men and are no way to bee maâ—ched with the delicates of GOD whereby he refresheth his children The Lord worke this change in vs that as we haue wandred with this Prodigall we may repent and returne with him and the Lord who hath giuen vs the beginning of conuersion confirme vs more Amos. Malac. This parable intituled a Mirrour of Mercy and why Ex. 34 6.7 Why the Parable is tripled The sentence of damnation is written by nature in euery mans hâ—art Tit. 3.11 Gen. 3.24 Men vnder the bondage of sinne either perish in the deadsleep of Atheisme Hermes Psa. 14.3 Or then being wakned are oppressed with dessperation Rom. 2.15 On the other extremity many are deceiued by presumption 2. Thes. 3.2 Mat. 20.16 Mat. 11.12 Gen. 3.8 Luk. 2.46 Eph. 4.18 To cure these euils many waies vseth the Lord to perswade vs of mercie Rom. 8.1 Christ set ouer against the excluding Cherubin the Comfoâ—ter ouer against the accusing coÌ„science a tripled Parable against our manifold doubtings Gen. 41.32 Heb. 6.27 For the sense of mercy is an effectuall motiue to repentance Three degrees of Gods mercies 1 He vvas good to his children before they sinned Ier. 2.5 2 Good to them wheÌ„ they sinned Hos. 11. â—8 3 Good to them after they had sinned Psal. 130. Rom. 12. â— In the Gospell God discouers the bovvels of his mercies Heb. 12.21 Heb. 12.24 Miserable are they vvho are not moouâ—d vvith mercy to repent Heb. 10.27 This man in the Parable represeÌ„teth God We must beware that wee diminish not the maiesty of GOD in our thoughts to thinke him like man Macar hâ—m 24. Hâ—m 12. The reason why he figures himselfe like a man Euery good and excellent thing in man is a witnesse of the incomparable goodnesse and excelleÌ„cy of God Psal. 94. Mat. 7.11 Atheists are iniurious to the Lord for they doe not thinke him so good as themselus But makes him like an Idol of of the nations that hath eies and sees not Psal. 115. Hovv god hath honoured mans nature appeares 1 In creatioÌ„ 2 In redemption 3 In the word Gregor mor. l. 32. Rom. 6. The two sonnes in this Parable represent not Iewes and Gentiles 2. Car. 3. Ioh. 10.16 Nether yet Angels and men Heb. 12. Cant. 8.8 Nor yet Pharisees and Publicanes But the tvvo Sons represent sorts of Gods children vpon earth The â—lder sonne represents such as are chosen called Psal. 27. Iosh. 24.17 Ioh. 6.68 The yoner son repâ—esents such as aâ—e chosen but not yet called These are disobedient chilchildren till they be called Aug. This learneth vs to looke vvith pity to men in their sin it may be they are our brethren in regard of election Act. 9.13.17 2. Tim. 15. This Parable being first considered according to the letter teacheth vs. That good fathers oftentimes haue euill children Esa. 1. And all to declare that grace is Gods free gift comes not by nature For godly fathers beget natural children not out of new grace but out of old nature Aug. cont Pelag. lib. 2. ca. 9. This is cleared by similitudes Aug. cont Inâ—ian lib. 6. cap. 6. August de nuptijs concupis lib. 2. c. 19 No matter of gloriation