Commentary called Chazkuni We read saith he Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 Honour thy Father and thy Mother Exod. 20.12 The Lord is honoured if thou relieve thy Father and thy Mother If thou hast nothing thou art bound to beg for them in their great need 4thly They take care to seek after thee when thou goest astray or art lost 1 Sam. 9.5 5thly To be dutiful is a comely ornament to Christianity and as Chains about thy neck Prov. 1.9 6thly The Lord hath very often inflicted immediate Judgments on those that rebel against their Parents as on Absalom 2 Sam. 14.9 Hophni and Phinchas 1 Sam. 2.25 the Fourty two Children 2 Kings 2.25 7thly Doing thy duty to thy Parents is well pleasing lunto the Lord Coloss 3.20 8thly The Lord reproveth Israels rebellion by the good example of the Rechabites obedience to their Parents Jer. 35. the whole Chapter 9thly This duty is a righteous thing Ephes 6.1 2. 10thly Children ought to follow the good example of all such as have been in the exercise of this duty as there be many Examples in Scripture 11thly This duty is commanded Exod. 20.12 Deut. 5.16 12thly Those that are faithful in this duty are under a promise Ephes 6.2 Let these Twelve Reasons though out of due place suffice for the proof and confirmation of the Doctrine 8th You must obey their just and lawful Commands saith the Apostle St. Paul Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord Coloss 3.10 If any Parents be so wicked as to command their Children to lye steal cousin and cheat or do any thing that is forbidden by the Lord in his Word they must not obey their Parents in that for the word all things intends all things that the Scriptures or rather God allows as lawful for the Child to obey his Parents in but here mind to do it in modesty meekness and a good and clear Conscience as in fear to offend the Lord and disobey his Word and not to act in stubbornness and rebellion against thy Parents for this is not well-pleasing to the Lord nor approved of by men and was of old to be punished by death Deut. 21.21 Isaac obeyed Abraham in going to the place of sacrifice Gen. 22.5 Jacob obeyed his Father and Mother and fled from Esau to Padam Aram Gen. 28.7 Joseph obeyed Jacobs command in visiting his brethren when they sold him into Egypt Gen. 37.14 Israel is reproved by the good Example of the Rechabites in obeying their Fathers Jer. 35.8 to the 14th Christ our good and holy Pattern is said after he was twelve years of age to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.42.51 The Scripture is full of Examples of this kind as Moses Samuel Saul David Jephthah's Daughter Esther and many others who were all obedient to their Parents 1 Sam. 17.17 Exod. 18.24 Judges 11.26 1 Sam. 1.28 9th You must have an honourable esteem of your Parents in hearty affections actions and words you must abhor and detest the doing of any thing that you may dishonour vex grieve or disquiet your Parents by also you must carry your selves with an aw and respect and must most gladly do those things in kindness and hearty affections which may bring much joy peace and comfort to your parents since you can never pay that debt which is due to them for their care and pains for you when young you must call upon the Lord for his help both for your Pareuts in their need and for your selves for assistance to supply their wants In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God Phil. 4.6 10th You must be ready and willing to suffer any hardship travel service and care for your Parents without grieving murmuring and repining What a great and good pattern was that good Woman Ruth in this case who said to Naomi though but a Mother-in-Law Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy People shall be my People and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried Ruth 1 16 17. Here is a lesson of Honour indeed tho' but a poor alienated Moabitish young Woman and the Lord remembred her and was always with her in all her undertakings Ruth 2.8 chap. 4.13 11th Be often speaking in their praise and taking your Parents parts in all companies and places The Children of Israel spake very honourably to Joseph of their Father Gen. 43.28 44.24 The Daughters of Zelophehad spake in their Fathers praise justifying him that he did not cause others to sin as Korah did but had only his own sins to answer for Numb 27.3 Children had better not to speak at all concerning their Parents words or deeds if they cannot speak in the behalf of their Parents Praise to augment their dignity or honour let thy parents be either godly or wicked thou must not 〈◊〉 diminish one jot or tittle of their honour for they are thy Parents still let them be never so vile but still labour to let thy good and Christian-like carriage be that which may win their hearts to Christ and then how happy will it be for Parents if they be converted by the fruit of their own bowels 12th Let thy Parents be thy chiefest joy and glory in this World Childrens Children are the crown of old men and the glory of Children are their Fathers Prov. 17.6 Her children call her blessed Prov. 31.28 What should we joy in and talk most of but of the original fountain from whence we sprang and this will put us in mind of our duty to God also who made us and gives us our life and being and all things necessary for this life and that which is to come Acts 17.26 28. 13th Hearken to your Parents instruction and observe to do and believe so far as it is agreeable to the Scripture it is said Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him 2 Kings 12.2 A wise Son heareth his Fathers instruction Prov. 13.1 My Son hear thou the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the law of thy Mother Prov. 1.8 He is a fool that despiseth his Fathers instruction Prov. 15.5 Reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6.23 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser Prov. 9.9 If thy Parents do instruct thee in the Articles of the Christian Faith as it is expressed in the Nicene Creed all which is confirmed by plain Scripture as you may observe in this ensuing Discourse thou must obey Article the First I Believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah An eternal Self Being a most powerful and Spiritual Substance the Maker and
Preserver of all things in Heaven above and in the Earth beneath substantial and sublunary visible and invisible Who was is and ever will be omnipotent omniscient omniparent and omnipresent who is incomparable invisible incomprehensible unchangeable immutable infallible and immortal who hath all Strength Wisdom Vnderstanding Iustice Life Will Power and Majesty whose Iudgments and Wrath is terrible and Love unspeakable his Favour and Mercy unmeasurable glorious in Holiness out Defence in Trouble and Adversity who is all Goodness Support and Everlasting Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed for ever Amen c. His most Sacred Name must not be expressed at all in common Discourse Deut. 5.11 It must be used with as great care and reverence as possible in Prayer and other Divine Service for fear of using it as a vain repetition which Christ positively forbids Matt. 6.7 and when he prescribes the manner of prayer he seems to forbid the use of that sacred Name First By saying When ye pray say after this manner Our father Secondly By teaching them to sanctifie his holy Name Hallowed be thy Name Thirdly By his omitting that Sacred Name in all that prayer of Direction and using only the pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy and thine four times in that short but ample Petition and Direction fignifying the eternal Being by it Surely then Preachers ought to be very cautious how they express that Sacred Name with too often repeating it in many sentences in their Sermons when they have so done and broken the third Commandment by it their Doctrine would have been much better set forth by other expressions and much better accepted by an Auditory whose hearts are in dread to hear that Sacred Name so numerously and needlesly expressed And in the Confession of our Faith we ought to use it with great Reverence and Zeal Oh! how should our hearts dread and fear when we speak or hear that holy Name mentioned by which the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit is signified The Jews hold it is not lawful to use the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all but by the Priest in the Sanctuary only and that but once a year they use the Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord to express it by yea they are so very careful in their Names of Numbers when they express the number fifteen which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Names of the Most High they always use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being nine and six is fifteen as is seen in the numbers of the Chapters and Verses in the Hebrew Bibles Coles in his Expositor saith JEHOVAH is never pronounced by the Jews on pain of death only by the Priest in the Sanctum Sanctorum and that on the Day of Expiation being but once a year Most Sacred should the Name of the infinite Being be whose Residence is in Eternal Glory who is continually Adored by the Celestial Angels who is worshipped daily by Terrestial Creatures Men and wicked infernal Spirits fear and tremble at his most terrible Majesty yea the Beasts of the Field dread when they hear his voice in the Clouds and no Creature but is under the dread of Divine Power which is the true object of our Faith To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8 6. Psalm 86.10 Isaiah 37.16 44.8 45.22 By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the earth visible and invisible Col. 1.16 Article the second And in one Lord Iesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten or the father before all Worlds c. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God John 1.1 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1.14 Jesus said unto them Verily Verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am John 8.58 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was John 17.5 He had on his Vesture and on his Thigh a Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19.16 1 Tim. 6.16 Rev. 17.14 Then spake Jesus unto them saying I am the light of the World John 8.12 He was in the world and the world was made by him and the World knew him not John 1.10 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world John 16.28 Read Heb. 1.1 to 13. Col. 1.14 to 18. For in him viz. Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 The Scripture is very full and clear against the ancient Ebionetes Marcionists and Arrian and Socinian Hereticks which once abounded and too much spread it self in these days to the great trouble of the Churches here in England and in these parts of the World which said detestable errours lead men to deny the eternal Divinity of Christ as though Christ were not the most high God and of the same Essence with the Father according to his deity but a meer Creature Article the third Who for us Men and for our Salvation descended from the Heavens and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost and became Man c. For I saith Christ came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me John 6.38 Ephes 4.10 And the Angel answered and said unto her the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshaddow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luke 1.35 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might believe through him 1 John 4.9 Here 1st He is said to be begotten John 1.14 18. 3.16 18. 2ly To be born of the Virgin Mary Now when Jesus was born Herod demanded of the chief Priests and Scribes where Christ should be born and they said in Bethlehem of Judea Mat. 2.1 4 5. And unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.11 To this end saith Christ was I born to bear witness unto the truth John 18.37 3ly Christ had a Body A body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10.5 The Women beheld the Sepulchre and how his Body was laid Luke 23.55 Joseph went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus Mat. 27.58 Mark 15.43 Luke 23.52 and he gave the body to Joseph Mark 15.45 Mat. 27.58 59. 4ly Christ is said to have flesh for as much then as Children are partakers of flesh and blood be himself likewise took part of he same Heb. 2.14 Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me to have Luke 24.39 He was of the seed of David according to the flesh Acts 2.30
abused the Lord his Word and Ministers Job 21.14 Chap. 22.17 Acts 7.59 Oh what jofulness would it be to the damned in Hell if they might have but one Sermon of Mercy and general Redemption from their torments preached unto them they would all without all doubt embrace it upon any terms without any put offs or delays 3ly Thy Companions will add to thy torments if thou wast the cause of their sin or they of thine the Rich Man in the Gospel did not desire the company of any of his Brethren in Hell Luke 16.28 4ly If by thy evil Examples others have followed thee to Hell it will be very grievous for thee to bear If the weight of their damnation must hang on thy back and be a continual Reflection on the dropping on thy Conscience hotter than scalding Lead Mal. 4.1 5ly To be truly sensible when it is too late which is never till the door of Mercy is shut and thou art under condemnation that Christ died to save thee Sinner John 3.16 17. 2 Pet. 2.1 Heb. 2.9 1 John 2.2 as well as the best Saint if thou hadst not slighted and abused his eternal fayour This to know will be a continual torment that the door of Mercy was set open to thee and thou refusedst to enter therein nor suffered others if possible Acts 13.46 6ly If thou play the Hypocrite with the Lord and thy Soul this will be an augmentation of thy Horror Isa 33.14 Job 36.13 If thou art so void of integrity as to dissemble with thy Creator thou mightest have had so much consideration as not to have flattered with thy own Soul to pay for it so dear at last 7ly Breaking thy Covenants and not putting in practice thy good Resolutions will be a great aggravation of thy dolor Rom. 1.31 32. it is a breach of a Command to break a godly covenant made Numb 30.2 Good David resolves to pay his Vows Psal 22.25 66.13 116.14 18. 8ly Putting off of time till it is too late will be an everlasting grief to thy Soul Great is the folly and madness of many who are warned and made sensible that they ought to believe repent and obey the Lord in the Gospel dispensation but for some by-ends or other they will delay till old age or the hour of death and then thy soul-work is at an end for there is no work to be done in the grave Eccles 9.10 and if thou repent in eternal fire it will be too late 9ly Mocking at the Ministers of Christ and slighting of Religion and the professors thereof will multiply thy torment to think that when thou shouldest have practised the true religion thou madest a derision at that salve which should have healed thy wounded Soul Luke 10.16 10ly The consideration of Eternity will greatly increase thy torment To think that when ten thousand years are expired and twenty thousand are added to that still thy torment will have no end thy Soul remains still under the curse in eternal fire Mat. 25.41 3d. Motive to perswade you to your duty is the excellency of a christian state or the enjoyment of a Saint living up as far as he is able in all holy duty And First They have great peace in their Souls Psal 119.165 1st They have peace of Conscience while they live 2 Cor. 1.12 2ly They have peace in their Death Psal 37.37 Revel 14.13 3ly They have peace in the Resurrection-day Mat. 25.34 John 16.22 4ly Their peace will be for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 A Second Enjoyment is They are out of the power of Satan He can only tempt them to evil he cannot carry them on by force nor hath he power over them as he hath over the wicked who have given themselves up to sin 2 Tim. 2.26 for the Saints are beyond his power Acts 26.18 3ly They that are faithful have a gracious Majesty to extol and to implore who is of great patience 2 Chron. 36.16 and of tender mercy Psalm 145.9 great compassion Lam. 3.33 full of pitty James 5.11 He is a guide to the blind a help to the lame Rom. 8.26 safety in Persecution Psalm 27.5 a deliverer in adversity 2 Sam. 4.9 strength in weakness Heb. 11.34 comfort in trouble Isa 49.13 Yea He is all in all Col. 3.11 4ly They have all their sins pardoned Col. 1.14.2.13 Ephes 1.7 5ly And all tears shall be wiped away from their eyes Rev. 7.17 6ly They are joynt-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 7ly They shall be freed from pain sickness and death Rev. 21.4 8ly They shall be invested with a beautiful comfortable delightful and coelestial possession John 14.2 There is light without darkness joy without sorrow health without sickness wealth without trouble ease without pain beauty without deformity riches without corruption comfort without end and life without end it is an incorruptible inheritance 1 Pet. 1.4 an Heavenly Kingdom Heb. 12.22 the Residence of Eternal Glory Rev. 21.23 9ly The Saints shall have glorious Companions the Glory of the Father Son and Holy Spirit to behold also all the Saints that ever lived in the World Luke 13.28 Yea glorious Seraphims Isa 6.2 and all the Holy Angels Mat. 25.31 10ly They shall be changed into an heavenly state of Splendor Beauty and Immortality and made like unto the glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3.21 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 15.51 52. 11ly The greater thy Works are here the greater will thy glory be in Heaven 1 Cor. 15.41 42. yet he that hath the least glory will have enough Psal 16.11 12ly That which makes all perfect and compleat and causes thy great felicity to be superexcellent is that all this felicity and glory is to continue for ever and ever Dan. 7.18 Rev. 22.5 A Fourth Motive is Let the shortness of your life and the uncertainty of the time of your death or dissolution let this be a great obligation on your Hearts to perswade you to do your generation-work so far as it concerns your eternal happiness in the life to come do but consider the many similitudes that the days of mans life is set out by 1st It is likened to a shadow Job 14.2 that with the swift course of the Sun or Wind vanisheth 2ly To grass that to day flourisheth in great beauty Psal 103.15 Isa 40.6 7. but to morrow it is cut down and destroyed Luke 12.28 Mat. 6.30 3ly To a cloud Job 30.15 that fleeth swift away with a strong wind 4ly To an Eagle flying a Ship sailing and a Post riding Job 9.25 26. all which pass out of sight immediately 5ly To a Weavers shuttle Job 7.6 that fleeth out of hand in a moment 6ly To an Hireling Job 7.1 2. that is here to day and gone to morrow 7ly To a fading leaf Isa 64.4 which the wind carrieth presently out of sight 8ly To a Sleep Psal 90.5 that passeth the time away insensibly 9ly To smoke Psal 92.3 that fleeth up into the air and is not seen 10ly To a tale that is told Psalm 90.9 that is soon forgotten 11ly To a Pilgrim Gen. 47.9 Heb. 11.13 that lodgeth here to night and to morrow he is gone 12ly To an hand-breadth Psal 39.5 so that with Job we may conclude that Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble be cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not Job 14.1 2. so that every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 For as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Eccles 9.12 For when they shall say Peace and Safety then suddenly Destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 I come now in the lat place to signifie to you the danger of disobedience to Parents 1st They that despise their Parents shall be destroyed Prov. 20.20 Exod. 21.17 Lev. 20.9 2ly Poverty and Shame is their portion Prov. 13.8 3ly They were of old to be stoned to death Deut. 21.21 4ly The Lord will suffer the fowls of Heaven to execute justice upon them Prov. 30.11 5ly The Lord will bring such as disobey their Parents into captivity Ezek. 22.7 15. 6ly Ishmael was cast out of his Fathers family for mocking at Sarah Gen. 21.8 12. Gal. 4.30 7ly Hophin and Phinehas were slain 1 Sam. 2.25 8ly Absolom was hanged on an Oak in his rebellion against his father David as being neither fit for Heaven nor yet to dwell upon the earth 2 Sam. 18.9 I might enlarge these Doctrines with many Uses but I leave them all to the industry and practice both of the Godly Parents and Dutiful Children to make the most excellent use of all these Precepts and Directions in all their loving Exercises and Carriages each to other and shall return to the plough but by the way I have met with a sort of People which positively deny Christ come in the flesh impudently and confidently affirming that Christ was never seen with mortal Eyes and never died and therefore if any of these people will believe the Scriptures to be the word of God and a rule for their Faith so far as it relateth to the real and true History of Christ our Saviour let them read those Scriptures which concern Christ and they may know that Jesus is the true Christ and Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe and that he was seen of many and did dye was buried and rose again and ascended into Heaven But to conclude To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 3.16 And as many as walk according to this rule peace be unto them and mercy upon the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep thorough the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his fight thorough Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. FINIS