thirsty I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water courses There 's no interest in God or Christ but by the operation of the Spirit the Holy Ghost proceeding from Father and Son teacheth believers all things convinceth of Sin reneweth the will Joh. 14.16 26.16.8 13. begetteth faith uniteth the Soul to God filleth the empty vessel with divine gifts graces influences comforts all the good things of Heaven are conveyed into the Soul by our Lords substitute the Spirit assisteth quickneth inlargeth supporteth and satisfieth yea saith the Christian I have had much experience of the Spirits help in my own Soul but what reason have I to hope for the like to my Children Look on the text again I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed it shall not come on them by drops but be poured on them abundantly they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost see the full promise in Joel 2.28 accomplished Act. 2.17 18. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall Prophecy It 's true there 's something in that Promise Arbitrary and extraordinary suited to that dispensation but something there is also usual permanent and essentially necessary to true Christianity which God makes good to believers and their seed in all ages Oh happy Children that have the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the communion and communications of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13.14 4. Children of Believers are rightful heirs of all Gospel-priviledges I may in a sound sense say of them as Paul of the Jewish Church Rom. 9.4 who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the Adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises there are two sorts of priviledges 1. External as the Ordinances they being born within the Pale of the Visible Church have the Prayers of Gods People for them Rom. 4.11 As the Children of Abraham had the Seal of Circumcision at eight days old so Children of Believers are Baptized being Disciples of Christ Mat. 28.19 and so have Gods Sheep-mark set upon them betimes and are taken into his peculiar protection and growing up and owning their Baptismal Covenant they enjoy 2. Those Essential Priviledges that accompany Salvation as Reconciliation Adoption Justification and are in a fair way to Eternal Salvation for they lye in the Road of Free-grace under the droppings of the Sanctuary where the Spirit is wont to breathe the breath of Spiritual Life if any be proper heirs of Gods special care and Ordinances surely it 's the Children of Gods People Psal 69.35 36. For God will save Zion and build the Cities of Judah who shall have the benefit of this Salvation He answers the Seed also of his Servants shall inherit it and they that love his name shall dwell therein Parents have pray'd for the Churches Deliverance and their Children shall reap the fruit of their Prayers so Psal 102.28 The Children of thy Servants shall continue and their Seed shall be established before thee there 's a double mercy here 1. In restoring Ordinances 2. In vouchsafing this priviledge to the Children of Believers Oh what would a Child of God give to know that his Posterity should see better days You have it in the Promise and may have it in the performance if you reach out the hand of Faith to receive it for your selves and yours 5. Children of Believing Parents shall be converted to God by Ordinances Psal 110. 3. The People shall be willing in the day of thy Power i. e. in dispensing of powerful Ordinances in the beauties of holiness for holiness is full of glory from the Womb of the Morning i. e. from the beginning of Christs entrance upon his Kingdom thou hast the Dew of thy Youth i. e. those young men of the Seed of the faithful that shall be born to the Messiah resembling Dew for quality and quantity for number and strange manner of Genaration But a plainer text we have in Isa 29.22 23. Jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his Face now wax pale through the loss of good blood or death of godly But when he seeth his Children the work of my hands in the midst of him they shall sanctifie my name Oh blessed sight to behold Gods Image and Workmanship in the Souls of our Children this is far better than to behold our Image upon them Gods Picture is drawn by his own hand with the Pencil of his Word and Spirit the discovery of this will raise high Monuments to the glory of Free-grace Lift up thine Eyes saith God Isa 60.45 Thy Sons shall come from far and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side I know it means Gentlie-converts And 't is so much the more of concern to us Isa 49.22 Another text saith they shall bring thy Sons in their arms with great care and tenderness as nurses carry young infants in their bosoms that they be not hurt Oh what a brave sight is it to see converts flocking to Christ and into his Church like doves to their windows or lockers Isa 60.8 the Seventy Translate it as Doves with their young ones unto me You may hope for your childrens saving conversion having those encourageing promises 6. Godly Persons natural Children may and shall be useful instruments of publick good to the Church of God Isa 49.17 Thy Children shall make haste or as others render it thy builders And her Children were her builders as we read in Ezra and Nehemiah That is a glorious day when destroyers are gone and the Churches Children build Zions Temple and Walls But so it shall be Isa 58.12 And they that shall be of thee i. e. thy Children Spiritual or Natural or both shall build the old Wast places thou shalt raise the Foundations of many generations Is not this worth something to have blessed Instruments of Reformation raised out of your loyns as Magistrates or Ministers how did it glad Davids heart that his Son Solomon must build God an house 2 Sam. 7.13 He shall build an house for my name David ecchos ' verse 18. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto And what if a Zerobbabel or a Joshuah proceed out of thy loyns who knows but some of thy posterity may be raised up as godly Ministers to convert sinners to God hope and pray for all things are possible with God and thou hast incouragement from the Covenant CHAP. V. More grounds of incouragement to Parents from the Promises 7 ANother incourageing word to Parents for their Children is that principles of grace and profession of godliness shall continue to future generations Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall
who dictated them 1. The Penman or Instrument David is described these four ways 1. By his natural descent the Son of Jesse 2. By his Royal Dignity raised up on high 3. By his Divine Unction anointed of God 4. By his Employment Exercise sweet-Psalmist of Israel whose breath is sweet to this Day 2. The Authour that dictated to David Viz. 1. The Holy Ghost Spirit spake by me Viz. 2. God the Father the God of Israel Viz. 3. Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant called here the Rock of Israel as he is called 1 Cor. 10.4 2. In the Temple or the Matter David speaks are also two things considerable 1. The nature of David's Regiment 2. The Excellency of the Covenant For the former which unfolds to us the nature and properties of David's Kingdom as the type and of Christs as the Antitype in four particulars 1. The holiness of it he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God a brave character 2. The happiness of it he shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun riseth a morning without clouds 3. The fruitness of it as the tender grass springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain 4. Here 's an uncomfortable exception with reference to David's Family and Kingdom in these words Although my house be not so with God 2. Here 's an Excellent description of the nature properties and suitableness of the Gospel-Covenant in these four particulars Viz. 1. The dureableness of it Everlasting 2. The orderliness of it Ordered 3. The sureness certainty of it 4. The suitableness to David as to his 1. Present desires in this World 2. Eternal Salvation hereafter You see the Text is a full store house a rich treasury a blessed Magazine whence we may fetch both meat and medicine food and physick work and reward all things that concern grace and glory 1. The Text then presents to us David's case and 2. Cure 1. His Case is presented negatively Although my house be not so with God 2. His Cure positively which is the Covenant that 's a Salve for all Sores a Remedy for all Maladies a Supply for all Wants I am not ignorant that some carry the sense thus Although my house be not so with God i. e. my house is not such an unstable inconstant thing to alter and change as the Weather from a glorious Sun-shine morning to a dark cloudy gloomy evening so it may prove a stormy rainy day no no my House and Family is fixed setled splendid and compleat if not in my outward affairs at present yet in the Messiah to come out of my Loynes in the fulness of time his Kingdom will appear and shine most gloriously and break in pieces all other Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever so you read Dan. 2.44 But though that be a great truth I am apt to incline to those Interpreters that take this as a concession concerning the defects and imperfection of Piety and Tranquillity in David's Family q. d. I must needs confess that neither I nor my Children have lived so exactly or ruled so uprightly in the fear of God as we ought we have had our faults and folly which have clouded our Consciences and Reputation and therefore have not injoyed such uninterrupted prosperity as we might had we walked more closely and exactly and therefore sad Clouds and Storms have darkened and disturbed our Heaven yea oft benighted our state domestical political ecclesiastical as well as personal my Children have not been like tender Grass springing up to maturity but some of them cut off in the prime of their days I have been banisht from my Throne and family not suffered to build God an House nor abide in his Sanctuary my wounded Spirit hath sighed out many heavy groans God hath oft with-drawn his Grace hid his Face and left my Soul on the brink of hellish despair yet for all this I can in my lowest ebbs cast my Eye upon the Gospel-Covenant and fetch relief from that in my lowest state inward or outward Many Doctrines may be drawn out of this large and full Text. Doctrine 1. That it 's a singular mercy to be be trusted with a Family This is implied and owned by David in 1 Chron. 17.16 25. God setteth the solitary in Families Psal 68.6 Doct. 2. House-holders must make inspection into their Families So doth David here and Psal 101.2 3. he had a large Family State-affairs on his hands yet prays with his Family 2 Sam. 6.20 puts it not off to Stewards or Chaplains See Prov. 27.23 Doct. 3. A Religious Family is to be with God Although my House be not so with God he earnestly desires all the members of his Family might be with God laments the contrary for the Lord is with them that are with him 2 Chron. 15.2 Doct. 4. The best Families have their defects and imperfections David's Family for all his care may be far from the rule not only as to individual members but as to the complex body of a Family there were disorders even in Christs own Family Doct. 5. Family-faults bring family plagues family-defects produce family-afflictions God will not spare sinning families though dear to him nay they shall smart soonest and sorest Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the Earth therefore I will punish you Doct. 6. Family-miscarriages do greatly trouble gracious house-holders He speaks of it with sad resentment Oh what bitterness is it to a godly Father Master to find disorders in such as are under his charge Doct. 7. The Covenant of Grace is extensive and comprehensive The godly have much comfort and content in it with reference not only to themselves but their houses and families Doct. 8. The Covenant of Grace is Everlasting It is from all Eternity in the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Father and Son Tit. 1.1 2. and endures for ever Psal 111.9 Doct. 9. There is a comely and admirable order in the Gospel-Covenant An order of persons in the Fathers Election Sons Redemption Holy Ghosts Application believers reception An order of things supream subordinate causes means instruments promises priviledges principles and practices all keep their places they do not interfere or thwart each other Doct. 10. The Gospel-covenant is sure and stable Things are not left at uncertainties nor depend on the mutable Will of Man as of old it was with Adam but they are the sure Mercies of David Isa 55.2 and 54.9 10. Doct. 11. There 's that in the Covenat that answers a Christian's desires As the Christians desire is mainly carried to it so there is that in it which answers and satisfies those desires desires are vast and immense but the contents of the Covenant run parallel and are every way adequate to just desires Doct. 12. A Christians Salvation is wrapt up in the Gospel covenant Upon this may a Child of God venture his Soul Eternal Life is contained and comprehended in it I wave
11.16 If the Root be holy the Branches are also holy So in humane Laws the Father and the Heir are but one Person of this opinion is Mr. Perkin's and produceth the testimony of the Antients as St. Augustin and Bernard saying it is meet and for the honour of God that to whom age denies their own Faith Grace should grant to them a benefit by the Faith of another Perk vol. 1. fol. 486. where he answers Bellarmine's objection That by this means Children shall be born Believers and so be conceived and born without original sin Answ Believing Parents sustain two persons one whereby they are men and thus they bring forth Children having Mans Nature with all the corruptions of nature the other as they are holy men and Believers and thus they bring forth Infants that are not so much their Children as the Children of God and Infants are Gods Children not by vertue of their birth but by means of Parents Faith which intitles them to all the blessings of the Covenant Thus he But this is not the subject of our present design and consideration CHAP. IV. What grounds of hope Parents have from the Covenant for their Adult and surviving Children THE second head in the prosecuting of this Doctrine is the proof of the point That notwithstanding the sins and sufferings breaking forth in a godly man's Family or breaking in upon it which occasion much grief to his Spirit yet he is and hath reason to be supported and satisfied from Gods gracious Gospel-covenant I am very sensible I have undertaken a difficult province and walk in an untrodden path But this I may confidently affirm that whatever befalls a covenanted Soul he may fetch all good out of this blessed treasury for 1. Either his Children shall be laid hold on by converting Grace or 2. They shall not if they be oh what cause will he have to magnifie Covenant-love on their behalf if not still he will exceedingly adore Covenant-grace on his own behalf that hath made him to differ and in the worst case will find something in the Covenant for supporting his Spirit and sanctifying his bitter cup of Affliction in the death of Children As to this latter I shall say nothing but refer you to a small Treatise of Mr. John Flavel's called the Balm of the Covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted Saints from this text But my present business is to gather up such gracious promises as a Nosegay or Posie out of the Garden of Scripture as may refresh the drooping hearts of Gods poor Children sorrowing for the miscarriages of their Children that they may turn them into Prayer or use them as a Cordial to support them till the Lord shine upon the Souls of their beloved off-spring In general observe that as the Covenant of Grace is a blessed constellation So every promise is an orient refulgent Star to give both light and influence to the weary Traveller in this dark and dismal dispensation wherein he is appalled through sad fears that his Child shall be a cast-away The Question is what grounds of hope from Scripture have godly Parents for their Children that are grown or growing up and likely to survive or out-live them The resolving of this is of exceeding great importance and having searched the Sacred Records I do find twelve sorts of Promises that may incourage Parents Hearts 1. The first and chief is God himself Gen. 17.7 For I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an Everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee This extends both to Abraham's natural Seed and afterwards to his Spiritual Seed all Gentile-believers Rom. 4.12 18. Oh what a priviledge is this whatever God is hath or can be or do is for believers of all that 's communicable divine power wisdom goodness mercy holiness justice is the portion of Believers and their Seed whatever they can ask or expect in a God shall be in due season laid out in them and for them this one word is the substance and confluence of all good spiritual temporal eternal Deus meus omnia My God is the most extensive and comprehensive word in the World what can a man desire more and no less will give a gracious Soul content for himself and his Seed no less is in the Covenant Jer. 31.33 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord. Psal 33.12 God in some sense may be the God of Nations Families as well as Persons and if some boast of Pedigree Wealth Honour numerous Posterity Worldly Prosperity yet let David reckon up the Epitome the summa totalis of mans felicity he will thus conclude happy is that People whose God is the Lord Psal 144.12 15. Happy Parents that bequeath such a Legacy to their Posterity though they leave them in Poverty 2. Next to that and a mean to injoy God is Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant of the People for a light of the Gentiles it 's true God vouchsafed to the Jewish Nation this priviledge Rom. 9.5 that of them as concerning the Flesh Christ came but they cannot monopolize this glorious gift Eph. 2.13 for now in Christ Jesus we who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and poor Gentiles laying hold on the Covenant are become free Denizons of all Jewish priviledges that are essential to Salvation Gal. 3.28 for we are all one in Christ Jesus and promises are to us that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Act. 2.39 even Christ himself in whom all the promises of God are yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.0 Nor can any man have an interest in any one promise for himself or seed without an interest in Christ there never was or will be any Covenant betwixt God and Man since the fall but through Christ he then that hath Christ hath something to plead for his Children more than another hath Col. 3.11 he only is all and in all for our selves and ours And they shall hang on him all the glory of his Fathers House the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity Isa 22.24 All believers are Gods family and by Faith in Prayer they may freely hang upon him off-spring i. e. Children Grand-children the smallest and least of the Vessels that are in their house he will not refuse them but lovingly entertain them himself will take Infants into his Arms as himself being an Infant was taken into old Simeons Arms and both old and young are blessed by him Oh happy Parents that lay surviving seed in so warm a bosom they cannot miscarry that have Christ for their Guardian 3. Another Legacy that Parents may leave their Children is the third person of the blessed Trinity the Holy Ghost Isa 44.3 4. For I will pour Water upon him that is
draw out my heart to thee in vain when a Father bids his Child ask he designs to give thou wilt not let this blessed spirit breathe in vain in my soul Wilt thou inlarge my heart and not grant my request Psal 38.9.15 Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee In thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear me O Lord my God Thou hast raised my heart in Expectation wilt thou not give me the mercy I expect 8. Lord is not thy Glory concerned in this affair as well as my comfort And yet my comfort is something in thine eye For thou sayst Ps 118.15 The voyce of rejoycing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous And alas What joy can there be in a family when a foolish Son is heaviness both to Father and Mother Prov. 10.1 and a disturbance to the whole house But oh thy Name is dishonoured by my own flesh wicked men hardened some scandalized by the miscarrying of the Children of the Covenant But on the other hand if Covenant-grace be spread upon my childs heart by Converting-grace many will glorifie God Gal. 1.24 His own Soul will be the actual lively Trumpet of Divine Glory by confessing sin and turning to God thy Omniscience Grace and Omnipotency will be made glorious And who can tell how many may be won to God by his Example 1 Pet. 2 1â— 2 Thes 1 1â— and every Convert Glorifies God in the day of their visitation and at the great Day God will be glorified in his Saints Lord consult thy Glory 9. Lord thou hast given me some incouragement concerning this Child I am praying for When my Child was young he was very hopeful now he is grown up my hopes are dasht He hath now embraced the world or is fallen into bad company and courses the less are my hopes now because he is a woful Apostate and sins against more light than others and this daunts and damps my spirit however I will pray and wait still for what is a daunting to me Gen. 22.14 is rather an advantage to thee In the mount of the Lord it is seen When the knife is at Isaac's throat Hos 2.14 the valley of Achor is a door of hope When men say our bones are dryed our hope is lost Ezeck 37.11 12. we are cut off for our parts then the graves are opened and there 's life from the dead The case is mine I am saying as Jonah I am cast out of his sight yet will I look again toward thy holy Temple The other look may fetch the mercy There 's a may be in the case Can a Child of so many Prayers and Fears miscarry This brings to mind a passage in Melchior Adamus De vitis Theol. Germ. pag. 724. It is this The mother of Hunnius being with child of him had a Vision She thought she was in the Church and took up a Reed or a Straw or such a small thing While she held it in her Fingers it so increased that she was almost oppressed with its weight even to death She presently saw it turned into a Pillar of the Temple Then she was eased of her burden This was verified in her Son Hunnius who though religiously educated and hopeful in Childhood yet fell into bad Company and then into horrible Temptations and sad Apprehensions That he had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost but by Grace was recovered and proves an excellent instrument in the Church of God This may be of use to poor afflicted desponding Parents 10. Lord If thou deny my suit and glorifie thy Justice in the rejection and damnation of My child I must and will acquiesce in thy Soveraign righteous Will It 's hard to bring my heart to it but I will say Thy Will be done Rom. 11.33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! How unsearchable are thy judgments and thy ways past finding out I my self deserve to be forsaken and cast into Hell I have many a time told thee I must for ever justifie God with flames about mine ears if thy justice be glorified in my destruction for all my abominations And if thou deal thus with my beloved Off spring I will say The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Dan. 9.7 Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto me and mine confusion of faces I submit my all to thee and thank thee for grace in my own soul and hopes of Glory and if my wilful child may not bring a revenue of Glory to free Grace I will be content with thy raising up a revenue of Glory to thy Justice in his just condemnation Obj. But what tender-hearted Parent can be contented to see his Child damned Answ You must distinguish betwixt Nature and Grace Nature loves its own and cannot bear to see part of it self in misery Yea grace cannot but desire cannot but earnestly breathe after the spiritual and eternal good of our Children And 't is not only lawfull but duty to desire it Yet if God deny it Grace brings man's Will to a due submission to the Divine disposal for the more a Christian is like to God the more is his Will melted into God's Will and therefore will a Child of God rejoyce in the execution of Gods justice upon dearest carnal Relations at the great Day As sanctified Levi in the cause of God Deut. 33.9 said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen neither did he acknowledg his Brethren nor knew his own Children Nature will be in a sort swallowed by grace in Gods good pleasure That was a remarkable passage of a gracious Gentlewoman that had a vicious Son who fell into many debaucheries and into one hainous Act which sunk her tender spirit But recovering her self she said to him with some warmth Ah! my sinful Son thou hast cost me many a Tear Groan and bitter hour but a day is coming when I shall triumph in seeing the just vengeance of God excecuted upon thee this did so appall the young Gentleman that he laid it to heart repented and became a new man to the joy of his Godly Mother But 2. You must distinguish about Damnation and look on it as under a double notion 1. as a state of compleat Sinning Blaspheming and hating God to the utmost God calls you not to be content with this which is so directly contrary to the Grace of God in the Christian nor yet may you be content to have your Child separated from God the cheifest good which is the worst part of hell But 2. Hell may be considered as a place or state of torment and misery to the Rational Creature and upon this account you must not be contented simply to have your Child tormented which is abhorent to nature but your Souls must be so overr-uled with the Divine pleasure as where his will is
all these and shall consider the Text in a two fold notion or relation 1. In a domestical sense 2. In a personal respect The former refers to David's House the latter to his Heart and Soul this blessed Covenant was David's chief relief in both these cases from the former observe That notwithstanding the sins and sufferings in a godly mans family which occasion much grief to his Spirit yet he is supported and satisfied with Gods gracious Gospel covenant From the latter acceptation observe this Doct. That Covenant Relation is the foundation of a dying Christians safety satisfaction and salvation It is the former Doctrine I shall say something to at present CHAP. II. The Doctrine cleared from the Text some things premised THE principal point I propose from the Text concerns David's family for 1. He mentions his house in the beginning of the Text. 2. The latter end of the verse refers to his house Although he make it i. e. my house not to grow i. e. to increase in number power honour The former part of the verse is variously rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec tanta est domus mea apud Deum Nor is my house so great or of so much worth with God Alass what is my house at best my pedigree is mean and base David disdains not to reflect on his despicable original though advanced to the culminating point of civil and spiritual promotion as a King and Prophet he magnifieth God and villifieth yea nullifieth himself 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto others thus plus est quam haec domus mea ante Deum Chaldee Jon. i. e. there is more in the Covenant than this my house before God All the Families in the World amount not to so much as one Messias he he only is the noble flourishing branch springing out of my Family that 's worth us all who conveys life and sap to us all Isa 11.1 this is the Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a branch growing out of its Roots and they shall hang on him all the glory of his Fathers house Isa 22.24 my whole family would fall to ruine but for him on whose behalf it must be upheld that he may be born of it yea who only upholds it Others thus quamvis not sit it a i. e. Although my Family and Kingdom be not so holy as to perform the conditions of the Covenant so exactly as God requireth we are guilty in many respects before God and he hath whipt us sore yet Gods Covenant is the ground of my hope for my Family and I doubt not but my Lord will make it good And what David saith of his Family any Child of God may say of his except in the peculiar case of the Messiah springing out of his loins Thence we may safely draw this Doct. That notwithstanding the sins and sufferings in a godly mans Family which occasion much grief to his Spirit yet he is supported and satisfied with Gods gracious Gospel covenant In handling this point I shall 1. Premise some things fit to be known 2. Give the proof of the point 3. Answer a main objection 4. Make a short Application The things to be premised are four 1. What may befal a Godly mans family 2. Why are these a grief to his Spirit 3. What is the Covenant that supports him 4. What is in the Covenant to bear him up A word of all these briefly 1. What may fall out in a godly mans family that may occasion his grief Answ I shall reduce these to two heads 1. Corruptions breaking out 2. Afflictions breaking in on his house sin and suffering and indeed suffering is the proper fruit of sinning 1. Corruption may break out in godly families I shall not need to instance in Adams Noahs Abrahams Isaacs yea even in Jacobs Aarons Samuels c. I shall keep to David's Alas corruption brake out sadly 1. In himself 2. In his Children 1. David was guilty of 1. Sins of Ommission possibly not instructing restraining or not punishing Ammon Absolom and not crossing Adonijah 2 Kin. 13.21 1 Kin. 1.6 David was too indulgent for which he smarted Yea 2. He was guilty of foul sins of commission as Adultery and Murder of his faithful Servant Vriah 2 Sam. 11.4 27. rashness towards Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 19.29 sometimes lying changing his behaviour c. 2. His Children also were deeply guilty Ammons Incest 2 Sam. 13.23 28. 2 Sam. 15.1 1 Kin. 1.7 Absolom's Rebellion and Adonijahs Ambition Alas that there should be found such gross abominations in godly David's Family yet this was not his case only it 's said of Samuel that his sons walked not in his ways but turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment 1 Sam. 8.3 2. And what a flood gate of troubles did these sins open which gushed in upon him deep called to deep Psal 42.7 all Gods Waves and Billows went over him Remember David and all his Afflictions Psal 132.1 saith he how numerous how ponderous some of his desireable Children dying in the height of their career by the eminent hand of justice one died in infancy to punish his iniquity 2 Sam. 12.14 besides forreign Enemies he had a doomy morning noon evening what bloody Wars with Saul and his house with Philistines Ammonites what sad Tragedies Insurrections Commotions Confusions threatning a total Dissipation and extirpation so that David might call some Child Beriah as Ephraim did because it went evil with his house 1 Chron. 7. 21 22 23. and so it hath done with many a good mans house 2. Why are these breakings out of sin and breakings in of sufferings in their Families such a grief to godly householders An. For the first it must needs trouble them 1. Because by sin God is greatly displeased his name much dishonoured Religion discredited the hearts of the Godly sadened the wicked scandalized hardened Motes in Professors are beams Mountains in the eyes of Prophane what will they say they are no better than we what are they but a pack of hypocrites to what purpose is all their whining and praying Our Children carry as civilly as theirs where 's the Covenant they boast of Hence David Psal 42.3 My tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God 2. They are greatly afflicted with the sins of Children because the beloved of their Souls are endanger'd they are pieces of themselves as their own Souls how can I endure to see my own flesh scorched and tormented in Hell-flames Oh! that Child that came out of my Loins my Bowels to be separated from God a companion with Devils a Fire-brand in Hell the mention of it sinks my Spirits Is all my labour lost their Souls lost oh who can endure to think of it no wonder if that be the first of Solomon's Proverbs Prov. 15.28 ch
1. A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heaviness of his Mother Yea 17. 25 he frequently repeats it other afflictions lye on the back this goes to the heart see Rom. 9.1 2 3. 3. Consciousness in Parents of their own guilt makes Childrens Miscarriages more uneasie and afflictive O I read my sin in my Childs folly alas omission of due instruction admonition correction hath brought my Child to this I may thank my self I have taught the young ones by my bad Example I have not watcht over them pray'd for them been so jealous of them to offer Sacrifice for them continually as I find Job did chap. 1. 5 3 25. who can tell but if I had been faithful I might have prevented all this Oh my Childs sin brings my youthful vanities to my remembrance thus I dealt with my Father to this pitch I arrived God punisheth my sin with my Childs I am verily guilty this cuts deep Jer. 4.18 4. The affliction is heavier because it doth in some sort weaken Parents confidence in the Covenant and endanger their faith in the Promise Godly Parents are ready to say when a Child is born and baptized as Samuel of Eliab 1 Sam. 16.6 surely the Lords anointed is before him this is a lovely child I hope this may honour God in his day but the child grows up and degenerates answers not expectations but grows debaucht and hopeless old in sin though young in years and now the Godly Parents hopes are dasht and daunted he is put to a stand and knows not what to think or say but concludes sadly with the two disciples in another case we trusted that it had been he this Child Luk. 24.21 that should have been an honour to God a comfort to me and a good instrument in the Church but oh how am I disappointed he proves the greatest affliction I have oh what 's become of the Covenant have I not some reason to question either Gods faithfulness or mine own interest This was the temptation of holy David with whom the Covenant was made expresly and immediately Psal 89.20 yea God gives him all the assurances imaginable his word his oath ver 34 35. yet ver 49. he saith Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses which thou sworest unto David in thy truth A sad expostulation as if God kept not touch with David why what 's the matter the reason was because Providences run counter to Promises crosses seemed to make void Gods Covenant ver 38. to 46. but thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast been wroth with thine anointed c. Alas David where 's thy Faith But so it is that sense prevails in the best Saints above Faith at some seasons but most of all in this case when the Children of the Covenant cross the Ends of the Covenant and no doubt this becomes a great grief of heart to a godly Soul when he is thus sadly non plust till the light of the Covenant rightly understood unriddle this mystery the poor Christian is in great perplexity David had a promise by Samuel that he should be King yet saith in his heart 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Why so why his present danger seemed to supersede the performance of that promise Psal 116.11 and though he said in his haste all men are liars yet when he came to himself certainly he would fret and vex himself that he should so wrong himself and Samuel yea and cast such an unworthy reflection upon God himself as though he were unfaithful to his promise thus will the Godly Soul do at last but at present he is upon a strange rack tortured betwixt hope and fear CHAP. III. What this Covenant is and what is in it to support the Christian IT would be superfluous to say much of the nature of a Covenant yet take this short description of it A Covenant is a voluntary mutual compact between two parties containing benefits to be injoyed and duties to be performed 1. It 's a compact between two parties for though a single person may make a promise yet a covenant is betwixt two or more and of parties formerly at distance this is the case betwixt God and Man so Gen. 26.28 2. It 's a mutual reciprocal compact both parties must be ingaged therefore it 's called the Bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20.87 because though they were free before yet now they are become bond 3. It 's a voluntary compact both parties were free before they were obliged by covenant covenanting is an Elective act God is a free Agent nothing but pure love induced him to covenant with Man Deut. 77 8. and though man was not absolutely free being Gods Creature and so bound to his Creator yet his actual entring into Covenant is a voluntary act Psal 110.3 Thy People shall be willing or Volunteers in the day of thy Power 4. Betwixt Covenanters there is mutual obligation to conferring of benefits and performing of duties called the habenda and the agenda things to be conferred by God and received by man and duties on mans part if he expect any benefits from God Isa 1.19 If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the Land Yet in the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and Man there are two things peculiar 1. That there is an interposing Mediator our blessed Jesus the days-man that lays his hand upon both now saith the Apostle a mediator is not of one but God is one Job 9.55 Gal. 3.20 i. e. his business is to reconcile parties not only distinct but different 2. This Mediator is also surety or sponsor to be a susceptor or undertaker for both parties i. e. to perform what is necessary both what concerns conferring of benefits on Gods part not formally and performing conditions on mans part as though Christ believes and repents for us to save us a labour of repenting or believing but meritoriously purchasing these Graces for us and efficiently working them in us thus Jesus is made a surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 on Gods part he brings in everlasting righteousness and makes God friends with us and all his attributes amicable to us imploy'd for us on our part working gracious dispositions and actings which are the conditions of the Covenant so the whole lyes upon Christ Col. 3.11 and he is all in all he is responsible for God and Man being only able and capable as God and Man to fulfill necessary terms on both parts thus God promiseth what he requires and gives what he promiseth Jer. 3.19 But I said how shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant land a goodly heritage of the Host of Nations And I said thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turn away from me Thou shalt there 's Gods undertaking to give filial disposition and perseverance Oh infinite contrivance of Divine Wisdom and Free grace