many good instructions and other good means used with you but to no purpose that ever you were in so fair so near and ready a way to your eternall welfare had you not turned so far from it and now you must suffer the more anguish and torment by it The punishments of sense also will be heavier upon such degenerate ones as you are than upon others upon Children in whom is no faith Deut. 32. 20. God saith vers 23. He will heap mischiefs upon them and will spend all his Arrows upon them As that of Famine so called Ezek. 5. 16. That of the sword Jer. 50. That of pestilence Psal 91. 5. that of Sickness Psal 38. 2 3. That of thunder and lightning 2 Sam. 22. 14 15. That of inward horrour of his wrath Job 6. 4. Whence the sad conditions and ends of the degenerate Children of the Church of the Children of the godly they are so carefully recorded in Scripture in terrorem that others might hear and fear what a dreadfull condition befell wretched Cain that he was a Magor-missabib one that had terrour round about he thought every one that met him in his vagrand course would kill him Gen. 4. How fatall a deluge befell those degenerate Sons of God Sons of the Church Gen. 6. 2. with Chap. 7. and 8. What a wofull state was that of degenerate Cham that he and his posterity are condemned to vilest slavery to be servants of servants Gen. 9. What mischief befell many others of Noahs degenerate posterity at the building of the Tower of Babel how sad was Gods judgement upon degenerate Ishmael and Esau when they and theirs came to be excluded from the Church of Abraham Isaac and Jacob how deplorable were the ends of the degenerate Sons of Aaron Nadab and Abihu who were consumed by fire from heaven to what sad ends came that degenerate generation for the body of them in the wilderness some by fire from heaven Numb 11. 1 2 3. Some at Kibroth Hataavah where so many were struck dead whil'st eating their quails Numb 11. 33. Some swallowed up alive into the bowels of the earth opening it self for that end Numb 16. 31 32 33. Some by the plague and pestilence Vers 46 47 48 49. Numb 25. 9. Some by fiery serpents Numb 21. How sad were the stroaks of God upon the degenerate posterity in the times of the Judges as that whole Book sheweth not to mention the dreadfull ends of Hophni and Phineas 1 Sam. 4. and that of Absolom 2 Sam. 18. I might adde that remarkable hand of God upon degenerate Iehoram the Son of good Jehoshaphat who dyed of sore diseases his very bowels falling out 2 Chron. 21. 1. 19. compared You may see more of the sad ends of the degenerate Children of godly Josiah Jer. 22. Latter times even those in our dayes afford many terrible and notable examples of like nature but I forbear instances And if such severe judgements befall such in speciall here O how inexpressible are those hereafter which are your peculiar portion then to the Jew first even to the degenerate Jew above other sinners is Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish Rom. 2. 8 9. 5. That God will be farthest off from you in your saddest houres when you would have God 5. God will be farthest off from such in sad hours nearest to you when in sorest affliction as in the case of degenerate Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. God no way answereth him then God departeth from him then so Deut. 31. 17 18. He threatens those degenerate ones that in the many troubles befalling them they shall from a Conscience awakened say Are not all these evils come upon us because God is not amongst us saith God I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they have done in turning away to other Gods 6. That notwithstanding all your privileges 6. They shall be looked at dealt with as if very Pagans yet by such degenerating you will come to be looked at and proceeded against by God as if but Pagans or worse as if a very Vipers brood as if Children of Ammonites or Hittites rather than of godly Ancestors as if Children of the Sorceresse Harlot Church than of the true Church Amos 9. 7. Are ye not Children of Aethiopians unto me O Children of Israel saith the Lord to degenerate Israelites Isa 57. 3. Draw near hither ye sons of the Sorceresse and of the Whore saith God to such like Matth. 3. 7. Ye generation of Vipers saith John to such like 7. In a word Consider how in such an estate you will ever dare to look even your good Ancestours 7. Even their godly Parents Ancestours will one day gladly joyn with Jesus Christ in sentencing them to eternall damnation in the face at the day of Judgement as sometimes dying worthy Bolton spake to like purpose to his Children or how can such degenerate Children of godly Parents as you are ever look for favour or pitty from your own Parents another day and not rather upbraiding with what you have already injoyed and not rightly improved as Abraham is brought in in the Parable Luke 16. upbraiding his son Dives with his former good things verse 26. Son said Abraham Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Dives can have no pitty nor favour from him in his torment no as it is said Psal 58. 10. The Righteous shall rejoyce especially at the day of Judgement when he seeth the vengeance be it upon Son or Daughter he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked as that good Woman as I have heard who had a very degenerate Son for whom she had oft prayed and wept before God for many years together and he rather grew worse than better and God at one time in prayer having quieted her heart in himself if it should be his pleasure even to damn him she one day called in her Son and with sighes and teares told him how dear a Son he had been to her how many meanes she had used time after time both with him and with God to bring him home to the Lord but now saith she I am content to leave thee to the Lords pleasure although he should damn thee wherefore take thy course now I have done if thou wilt needs go on in thy sin upon thy perill be it a day will come when I that have wept so oft to thee and over thee shall yet rejoyce in the sentence of thy just damnation which very speech of hers as I was credibly informed wrought much upon the young mans heart and from that day forward he proved really hopefull in the best things O that the very forementioning of this might have some such blessed effect upon some degenerate Child or other but verily the Saints being to be assessours with Christ at the last day in which respect it s said 1 Cor 6. 2 3. that the Saints shall
shall be an ornament to a Sons head and as precious chaines about his neck a badg and pledg of honour in the eyes of his people Prov. 13. 18. He that hearkneth to reproof of a Parent especially shall be honoured Hence God causeth so honourable a Record to be kept in Scripture of the Acts of obedience to Parents in Isaac Jacob Joseph and others Memorable is that Jer. 35. 18 19. Where God chargeth Jeremiah to tell the Rechabites Because you have obeyed the commandement of Jonadab your Father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever namely so long as that state and Church of Judah should stand as they should not he rooted out as Jer 31. 36. There is the like phrase in a like sense so they should be be honourably imployed according to that phrase in a like sense Jer. 33. 17 18. 2. That the Lord sometimes taketh occasion 2. God manifesteth great things to such in such a way to manifest such speciall grace to children whilest in this way of filial obedience as either was not at all or not in that measure shewed to them before Observable is that in Jacob whose journey to Padan Aram is put upon the account of his filial obedience even by his malicious Brother Esau Gen. 28. 7. now as he in his obediential way journyed from Bershebah towards Haran v. 10 11. there he seeth the ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac thy Father the land whereon thou liest will I give it to thee and to thy seed v. 12 13. and vers 14. He promiseth to multiply his seed and that in him and his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed and vers 15. Behold I am with thee saith God and I will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again to this land for I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of and vers 16 17. Jacob awoke and said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not this is none other then the house of God this is the gate of heaven Never had Jacob that we finde before this time so glorious a manifestation of the promised Messiah to be God and man in one person as that one Ladder with its top reaching to heaven and its bottome on earth to be as a blessed Medium and Mediator by which God and Man heaven and earth should be joyned together as by a Ladder set on earth yet reaching up to heaven to be he by whom the Angels minister unto us and by whom all graces and spirituall blessings descend upon us and our hearts and spirits our prayers praises and other holy services yea and our whole persons one day ascend up to Heaven Never had Jacob such glorious promises of blessing upon him and his seed before Never was he in such a Corner of Heaven before And who then would not be incouraged to filial obedience and to be found in the way there of wherein others have found more of God and Christ than ever before 3. That Gods speciall presence and blessing 3. Gods special presence and blessing is with such is with you in a way of filial obedience to your parents so in this Scripture mentioned Jacob had Gods gracious promise of his presence with him and preservation of him in all places whither he went and that his seed with him should be blessed 4. Promises made to children with their parents come by that meanes to be fulfilled 4. That it tendeth to the ratification and accomplishment of the promises made to you in your godly parents As to Abrahams children in case of their obedience of his godly commands Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his Children and household after him And they in obedience to his command shall keep the way of the Lord that the Lord may bring upon Abraham even in his children after him that which he hath spoken of him even his promises respecting him and his seed Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day which you shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this Law vers 47. For this is not a vain thing for you because it is your life and through this thing you shall prolong your daies in the land which yee go to possess Albeit God had made so many promises of their injoyment of Canaan and many blessings of grace protection peace and the plenty there upon them and their posterity yet the meanes of accomplishment of all must be 1. That parents themselves must set themselves to obey all Gods Commands 2. They must lay their authority upon their Children to require of them also obedience to all Gods Commands 3. The Children in obedience to their parents commands under God they must observe to do all the words of that Law 1 King 2. 1 2 3. David chargeth his Son Solomon saying Keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in all his waies c. that by keeping this charge of God as given in charge by me thy Father according to God thou maiest prosper in all thou doest and vers 4. that the Lord may confirm his word which he spake concerning me namely in respect to my Children saying If thy Children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth with all their heart and soul there shall not fail thee said he a man on the throne of Israel 5. That your examples of filial obedience in 5. It will be a meanes of the like obedience in other Children you may be a meanes to work somewhat at least upon other Children yea even upon disobedient ones as Jacobs did upon Esau Gen. 28. 6 7 8. He never considered his disobedient course of matching with Canaanites against his parents minde But when he saw that Isaac his father had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take him a Wife from thence and not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and that Jacob obeyed his Father and Mother and was gone to Padan Aram and Esau seeing the Daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaack his father vers 9. Then went Esau to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams Son to wife Now he thought his matching thus unto the family of Abraham might better please his Father and so did it 6. In that else in a contrary way of dishonour 6. The contrary will expose the very place where they are to Gods curse of parents you will what in you lieth
a very Father to her Hester 2. 7. she sendeth him word Chap. 4. 16. that she and her maids will solemnly fast and consequently pray too on his and his peoples behalf and so I will saith she go in to the King which yet is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish she will then improve her utmost interest in heaven and earth come what will come of it but she will if possible help out Mordecai and the rest at this dead lift So Joseph he improved his interest in Pharaoh for his Father Jacobs welfare Gen. 47. 1. he told him that his Father and all his and all he had were come and were in the Land of Goshen c. upon which Pharaoh v. 6. biddeth Joseph to place them there Rahab improved her interest not alone in the spies to procure her parents and kinreds safety and welfare as well as her own Josh 2. 12 13. but in the Lord himself also for the same end for this action and success is ascribed also to Rahabs Faith in Heb. 11. 31. with 5. In supplying their outward wants yet so as it be honourably plentifully readily and freely to their content out of the very best and in some cases before themselves Josh 2. We heard but now also what improvement David made in the King of Moab on behalf of his parents and what use Christ the Son of David made of his interest in John the Apostle for his Mother verily good parents did as much with God and men too many and many a time on the behalf of their children as might be shewed in Scripture examples and children cannot do less than repay unto them like for like 5. Which especially we shall presse in this part of the discourse Let children in way of gratefull recompence communicate to their parents of the blessings of this life which God vouchsafeth them according as their parents at any time may need the same Paul in 1 Tim. 5. 4. doth in speciall sort look at this as one way of gratefull requitall of parents when as for instance the childrens Mother is some poor Ancient helpless widdow one that might have charged the Church but that God had given her Children as well as Nephews and they in the first place must learn the gratefull art of maintaining her and of supplying of such a Mother-widdows wants for which end mind we the Apostles words But if any widdow have children or Nephews not let her as if speaking of a Mothers duty to children or kindred but let them learn as speaking of the children firstly and nextly of the Nephews to shew kindness at home and to requite their parents The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plurall number and so not agreeing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the widdow which is the singular but with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children rather being plurall which clearly evinceth that the scope of the place is to shew not what is the Mother-widdows duty to their children but what is the childrens duty to the Mother-widdow namely as vers 16. To relieve the Mother-widdows and by the light of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for relieving parents v. 16. and that in v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for requiting parents we may have much help to clear this particular now in hand the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth let him abundantly supply their wants or let him minister enough to them or what is sufficient for them or that which is to just content according also as in Greek Authors that word is used but I forbear instances In Scripture the simple verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Joh. 14. ◠for it sufficeth shew us the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it sufficeth and 2 Cor. 12. 9. my grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sufficient for thee and Matth. 25. 9. lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be not enough for us and you In Heb. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Let us be content with what we have and the like use of it is in other Scriptures and this word used in 1 Tim. 5. 16. for the Churches relief of their officed widdows sheweth that it must be honourable for so in v. 3. It s said Honour them that are widdows indeed It is then such a relief as is in honorem in way of honour of the widdows and if each good and christian child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in such sort relieve his Mother-widdow then they must do it honourably or in honour of them as a part of this Honour thy Father and thy Mother in an honourable way yea they must do it abundantly sufficiently and to their just content but more happily of these by and by in the manner of doing it Hitherto also some interpreters refer that 1 Tim. 5. 8. who so provideth not for his own and especially them of his own house hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel as a threat and so forcible argument to sway that such should not be maintained upon the Churches charge which may be maintained by their own referring this not so much to the wanton widdows which waste that which should maintain them and theirs as to the children of their widdow-Mothers whose children should take care to provide for them as their own lest they incur this sad censure of persons denying that faith which they do profess and of persons who are worse than infidels And here the force of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taketh place Parents took paines and care night and day and all that ever Gods providence otherwise cast in upon them all still was that their house especially children might be comfortably and sufficiently provided for and that to their just content as Father Jacob said Gen. 30. 30. When shall I provide for my own house Let children then in parents shiftless conditions vicem rependere take their turn of repayment of like for like to Parents Parents according to their childrens needs and wants and their own ability did supply their children with Food Rayment Physick Housing Lodging Attendance and the like In sickness as well as health In all their bodily ayles and infirmities their persons and estates were subservient to them yea sometimes when through infirmity they were froward and distempered in their spirits let children do the like for parents let them provide for their own parents especially what is meet for them in all respects Parents did seasonably provide all needfull supplies for children and did not procrastinate but took the first opportunity to do it for them let children do as much for parents when they need their help and supply Parents did all cheerfully and freely they grudged their children nothing they had nothing they did for their succour and supply Oh that children would repay parents herein also like for like do what they do for them according as they need them freely and cheerfully without the least regreeting
Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and Recompence to Fathers of our flesh and such carrying of it so by Children as it redoundeth to parents honour as we have largely declared O what Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and holy Recompence to him and what manner of carrying of it so as may redound to his Honour doth God expect from you his Chldren to whom he is not only a Father of your Spirit or Soul as he is to all others but a Covenant-Father If God require that to Parents from their Children upon pain of life and death he much more requireth this from you his Covenant and Church-Children upon pain of loss of eternal life and undergoing eternal death But is that the Honour of Respect which you who are degenerate Children give to this your Father to have no desire of the knowledge of his wayes As it is said of that degenerate generation in Job 21. 14 15. whether those in Jobs own time or those before the floud of whom Job 22. 15 16 17 18. but to wish rather what those wretches there mentioned that God might depart from you in respect of any such motions which he maketh and convictions and restraints upon your Spirits which sometimes you meet with and to take no delight at all in God in his word worship wayes daies government Saints and Servants Or is this the honour of Reverence which you give him to be awless fearless of his presence when you are in his house when at Prayer with your Parents or the like and to be constantly fearless of his displeasure or of sinning against him Or is this the Honour of Obedience which you give him to obey the motions of your own hearts lusts of your Companions of Seducers and of the very Divell himself but as for Gods charge or Commands you make light of them So that God may say of you as he did of that degenerate generation of old and speak of it as inter horrenda Hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished Children and they have rebelled against me the Oxe knoweth his owner the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinfull Nation Children that are corruptors they have forsaken the holy one they are gone away backward Isa 1. 2 3 4. And as Isa 30. 9. This is a rebellious people lying Children Children that will not hear the law of the Lord. Or is this the honour of holy Recompence which you should have rendered to him for all his benefits towards you to depart from him to vex and provoke his holy Spirit which is striving with you as he was with that degenerate generation in Gen. 6. 2 3. to corrupt your selves as did that other generation mentioned Deut. 32. 5. whose spot was not the spot of Children or of right-bred children of God who were a crooked and perverse generation Surely God may and doth say to you as he did by Moses to them vers 6. Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath not he made and established thee finally is this your being an honour to God your heavenly father to cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of for your sakes as it may be said of you which was said of those degenerate Jewes Rom. 2. 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God vers 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you when such as you are by your vile speeches carriages opinions or courses of life shall occasion the prophaner sort or enemies to God and his Church Ironically to say as they of old did of those degenerate Jewes Ezech. 36. 20. These are the people of the Lord So by your meanes others now a daies to say of you Yea these are your younger generation of the Church these are those that are in the Covenant of grace these are your Church-members these are they which in their Infant-Baptism were devoted to the faith and worship of Father Son and Holy Ghost these are the brood of such Puritan Ministers and other precise followers and the like blasphemous sarcasmes wherin the Lords precious name together with his Truth Covenant Saints and Servants are also vilely reproached Again as such Children are Gods Servants and Children so they are by externall calling Covenant and Church Interest his subjects also Of them is Gods kingdome Luk. 18. 16 17. Now for His Subjects such as you are who are the subjects of the Lord thus to break your Oath or Covenant of Allegiance and to reject his goverment over you by his Word Spirit or Discipline like those degenerate Jewes who said of the promised Messiah Jesus Christ We will not have this man to rule over us Luke 19. 27. Hereby you do but rebel against your Lord and Soveraign and what is rebellion but as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. even a hellish execrable and damnable crime But to proceed to the other branches of the evill of sin in this degeneration of such Children In which we shall be more brief 2. Hereby you become breakers of Covenant 2. It is a breach of Covenant with God with God with whom you are confederate Yea you hereby tear off the very seal of the Covenant even your Baptism Thus God when telling Moses how that people would degenerate he saith Deut. 31. 20. They would break his Covenant so Isaiah charging the degenerate generation in his daies also with their sin he saith Isa 24. 5. They have transgressed the Lawes they have broken the everlasting Covenant And as for invalidating after a sort of the Covenant-seal thereby you may see it in those degenerate ones mentioned even now Rom. 2. 25. If thou be a breaker of the law thy Circumcision which to them was the seal of the Covenant and of the righteousness of faith as Baptism is to us Gen. 10. 11 13. Rom. 4. 11. is made uncicumcision and so ineffectuall It is as it were torn off and trampled under foot through that sin of theirs Now if this be so heinous a thing with men to break Covenant with Princes to tear off tread under foot their broad seals how evill is this in Gods sight and if that breach of a Covenant made before God even with a tyrant by Zedechiah were so grievous to God that as Ezech. 17. 15 16 17. he saith Shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break Covenant and be delivered So I may say here to these degenerate Children of the godly shall such as you are escape the fiery displeasure of God that do such things or shall you that break Gods Covenant be delivered from wrath to come no assuredly unlesse the Lord give you repentance unto life And consider of it in the fear of God