CHAP. I. The Context cleared, the Text explained, Doctrines raised.

THese words contain dying Davids living comfort: the Covenant was the only Cordial to his fainting Spi­rits; when the World lookt black about him, here's light ariseth out of obscu­rity: just as it was with Oecolampadius dying, and clapping his hand on his Breast, cried [hic sat lucis] here's light enough: so David [Page 2] and a Believing Soul, looking above sees all good in the Covenant; looking within, sees the countervain of it, saith, here, here alone is light: Job 29.3. by his light I walk through darkness. This shall be my [ vade mecum, or] compa­nion through this Pilgrimage of the World, and this only shall be my [ viand and viaticum] support and supply when I pass through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Farewel empty, filthy World, welcome the imme­diate presence of my Covenanted God. I am going from a Prison to a Pallace, from sorrow to solace, from Sin to sweet In­joyment of God: and the only foundation of my hopes is this Gospel Covenant: A sad, and sorry dying Miser, ready to breath out his sensual, senseless Soul, got a Jacobus piece of Gold, clapt it to his Breast, saying, Some wiser than others, but I will dye with this Cordial at my Heart: but at last pluckt it away saying, it will not do, alas it will not do; Gold it self is no Cordial, it cannot disarm death nor arm against it, it hath lost its vertue: nothing but Gods Covenant will stand in stead: the dying Child of God is like a Standard bearer, who when the bat­tel is lost, wraps himself in his Colours and therein is safe, marching triumphantly through Armies of Enemies, untoucht into his Fathers Pallace. Oh happy Soul that in­joys and improves this Covenant!

The Context tells us, that these be the last words of David, not absolutely as though he breathed his last, after he had uttered [Page 3] them (for there are several expressions and transactions after) but comparatively, they were uttered towards the latter end of Da­vid's Life. Now the dying words of Pious men are gracious, serious, ponderous: they use not to spend their breath about trifles.

In the Context, we have 1. The Porch, or Introduction. 2. The Temple, and ex­cellency of the Gospel Covenant.

In the Porch or Introduction we have these two things. 1. The Penman, instrument, or Amanuensis, who spoke these words, David. 2. The Authour 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.

• 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, [Page 4] 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.

• 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 [Page 5] [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 [Page 6] 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.

This is implied, and owned by David, in 1 Chron. 17.16, 25. God setteth the solitary in Families, Psal. 68.6.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

The godly have much comfort and content in it, with reference not only to themselves, but their houses and families.

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.

An order of persons, in the Fathers Electi­on, Sons Redemption, Holy Ghosts Appli­cation, [Page 8] 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.

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.

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.

Upon this may a Child of God venture his Soul. Eternal Life is contained and com­prehended in it.

I wave 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 [Page 9] much grief to his Spirit, yet he is supported and satisfied with Gods gracious Gospel co­venant.

From the latter acceptation observe this.

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 [Page 10] 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

In handling this point I shall

• [Page 11]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 Ʋriah, 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 [Page 12] 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 [Page 13] 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 [Page 14] 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 [Page 15] 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: [Page 16] 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 [Page 17] 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 [Page 18] 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!

Mr. Baxter's Directory. An Eminent Divine observes, that 1. The Gospel relating matters of fact, is an history. 2. Declaring terms on which God will be served, is a law of Grace. 3. Dis­covering promises of Life conditionally, it is Gods Covenant. 4. As accepted by Man, it is a mutual Covenant betwixt God and Man: this Law and Covenant of Grace, which was purchased by Christs Death, is that legacy he left to the World, dispensed by his Ambassadours, and effectually con­veyed to the Legatees, or Heirs of Promise, by his grand Executor the Holy Ghost. This then is the great security of mans Salvation, That God worketh in us, Phil. 2.13. 1 Pet. 1.5. both to will and to do, that we are kept by the mighty power of God through Faith unto Salvation. This is the ex­cellency of the Gospel dispensation of the New-Covenant, the Old-Covenant laid all the stress on the shoulders of mutable man, [Page 19] and therefore it is judged, that the Covenant of God made with Adam in innocency, was peculiar to him in that estate and went no farther, is not at all continued in any force since the Fall, for if there had been a law gi­ven, which could have given life, then righteous­ness had been by the Law, Gal. 3.21. but it is by the Gospel-Covenant that we are justified and saved.

Quest. What's all this to the purpose? All this seems to be personal not relating to posterity, but you told us of grounds of hope for Children from the Covenant: how come Children concerned in this Covenant?

This leads me to the

4th Thing premised, viz. What is there in the Gospel-covenant, that is ground of support to Parents on the behalf of their Children?

I answer, in general, Parents and Children are legally one party, and in civil contracts are usually involved in the same bottom, so in the first Covenant Adam being a publick person, represented all his Posterity, for judgment was by one to condemnation, Rom. 5.16, 18. yea upon all men: we smart for Adam's sin. And in the Old Testament-dispensation of the Cove­nant, Gen. 17.7. I will establish my Covenant between Me and Thee, and thy Seed after thee in their Generations. And afterwards in Moses days, when God renewed the Covenant, he saith Deut. 29.14, 15. Neither with you only do I make this Covenant, and this Oath, with him that standeth here with us this [Page 20] before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day, i. e. With their Posterity, and so the People did understand it, Deut. 5.3. The Lord made not (i. e. on­ly) this Covenant with our Fathers, but with us, even us who are all of us here alive this day. And in the New Testament, the Apostle saith, Act. 2.39. For the promise is unto you, and to your Children: this is a [faedus ad successores transiens] a Covenant that passeth to succes­sors. Bargains, Leases, Legacies may pass to Children, yea Children may suffer for their Parents faults, Traitors Sons lose their Fathers inheritance.

Now we must look upon Children under a double capacity. 1. Children of Heathens, or Jews; Turks, or Infidels. 2. Children of Christian Parents: concerning the former we have little to say. 'Tis the latter we treat of, and of these also, 1. Some are on­ly by an external profession in Covenant. 2. Others are sincerely, savingly in Cove­nant with God: we can say little concerning the former, we insist chiefly on the latter: and of both or all these, 1. Some Children dye, in Infancy, 2. Others live to years of maturity: I shall hint a word or two of the former, though it be the latter that I princi­pally design.

1. For Children dying in Infancy, if we had any Scripture discovery concerning the Election of all Infants, or that Christ had expiated the guilt of such Infants, or that effectual saving Grace doth always attend the [Page 21] Ordinance of Baptism, though they be brought under it (which yet many are not) the question were quickly determined, but what God doth with the Souls of such Infants, we have not sufficient means to understand, and therefore leave them to Gods good pleasure. But concerning the Seed of those that truly fear God, of one or both the Parents, we have ground of hope for their Salvation: for

1. They are Holy, 1 Cor. 7.14. and though it be faederally or relatively holy yet may be really, and so be saved.

2. Our Saviour saith, Mark 10.14. of such is the Kingdom of God, or of Heaven, Mat. 19.14. not only such as have the disposition of Children, but In­fants themselves, may be Church-members here, and glorify'd hereafter.

3. Children of Godly Parents are in Cove­nant with God, Now to Abraham and to his Seed were the promises made, Gal. 3.16. natu­ral as well as spiritual: it's true there was a Covenant of peculiarity to give his Seed the land of Canaan, and it's as true, the text speaks not of Seeds but one Seed, that is Christ, but the Scripture affirms, that in his Seed, Christ, yea in thee, saith God, shall all the Fa­milies of the Earth be blessed, Gen. 12.3. for so doth the Apostle interpret, and apply it, Act. 3.25. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant, which God hath made with our Fathers.

4. David had good hopes that his Child was gone to Heaven, 2 Sam. 12.25. I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Obs. [Page 22] 1. He doth not only mean into the state of the dead, where the child is, but into Hea­ven where I shall find him, for his Carcass was but part of him, and the least part. 2. This hope he had of him, though the Child was begot in Adultery. 3. Though the Child was struck with death, as a punish­ment of David's sin. 4. Though the Child had not yet circumcision the Seal of the Co­venant, for he died on the seventh day, ver. 18. and we know that Circumcision was not to be till the eighth day. Gen. 17.12. So that it seems the stress is not laid on the Seal, but on the Co­venant: so that we see grounds of hope for the Eternal Salvation of the Infants, of be­lieving Parents. But how and whence this comes to pass, that such Infants become ca­pable of Eternal Salvation, that's a great Question.

Luther thinks that Infants have actual Faith, from Mat. 18.6. Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. So reason is in Infants [tanquam in principio & Radice] in its principle, root, habit, virtually though not yet actually produced.

2. Others say they are saved by some pe­culiar, unknown, unspeakable way without Faith, but the text saith, Mark 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned: how far this extends with reference to Infants I know not.

3. Others say that Parents Faith is also Childrens, according to the Tenour of the [Page 23] Covenant; [I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed] thus Children have faith after a sort. So the text saith, Rom. 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, [Page 26] 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 [Page 27] 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 thirsty. I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my bles­sing upon thine off-spring, and they shall spring [Page 28] 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 [Page 29] 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 [Page 30] 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 [Page 31] 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 'tis 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 [Page 32] 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 not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy s [...]ednor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed, saith the Lord, from hence­forth and for ever. This is a large and long-lasting charter: God Spirits within his children, and the owning of his name in their lips, and this for ever! What can godly Pa­rents desire more? Whether this Spirit im­port a Spirit of Prophecy or a Spirit of San­ctification, surely it's a rich kindness, that it shall run in this straight line, and channel [Page 33] to many generations, that the name of God, as well as your name may be kept up in your Family perpetually when you are dead and gone: Oh happy Parents that have such Children! Happy Children that had such Parents! and blessed be God that embraceth both in the bosom of the Covenant! That's a Soul-supporting word in Hag. 2.5. Ac­cording to the word that I covenanted with [your Fathers, yea with] you, when you came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you: Fear ye not, be not daunted, there were as many and great obstructions in the way of mercy then as now, yet grace overcame them, and I have not taken away my Spirit from you notwithstanding your multiplied provocations this 2000. years, but still it is among you and shall continue to many gene­rations: May not faith triumph in this pro­mise?

8. That great observations shall be made of and remarks upon the Children of godly Parents, Isa 61.8, 9. I will make an everlast­ing Covenant with them, and their seed shall be among the gentiles (i. e. Gentile Churches) and their off-spring among the People, all that see them shall acknowledg them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. Men shall speak to each other, Do not you see the faithful child of such a believing Father? Oh how many a precious day have we had, with such an ones Father, Mother, or Grand­father! this is the Pious Child of a Zealous father, you see it's not in vain to seek and [Page 34] serve God, I remember the prayers and tears poured out for his Child, and I see the blessed fruit thereof: God is a prayer-hear­ing God: of some Children we may say, as Paul to Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy Grand-mother Lois, and thy Mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also: His Grandmothers name was Lois, which signifies better, his Mothers name Eu­nice signifying victor, and Timothy is the fear of God: If Parents chuse the better part, God will give them victory over the World, Sin, and Satan, yea they shall have power with God, and obtain God-fearing Children, which others will observe and admire the grace of God in.

9. Childrens Children to many generations are remembered with Covenant-kindness: So in the second Commandment, Exod. 20.6. Shewing mercy unto thousands [i. e. of generations,] of them that love me and keeep my Commandments: Deut. 7.9. This is transcendent mer­cy, punishment extending but to three or four of them, ver. 5. you'll say, mercy and justice are Gods two Arms, is the one longer than the other? Answer no, they are equally infinite, but he maketh his Church to feel more of his mercy, then of his justice, with the Lord there is mercy, why so? Because with him is plenteous Redemption, Psal. 130.7. It is a Covenant of Grace, and Christ inter­poseth as Mediator of it: Oh! the over­flowings [Page 35] of Free-grace to many generations, Psal. 103.17, 18. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto Childrens Children. Mark it, it's called righteousness, to shew, it is a discharge of his obligation, by which he hath in some sort bound himself to Parents to do good to their Posterity, Mic. 7.20. for it was mercy to Abraham to make a Co­venant, but it is truth and faithfulness to per­form it to Jacob. and his rising seed many years after: for 'tis founded in his Eternal purpose, and continues to Eternity: and this is the reason of our hopes of the calling the Jews, because they are beloved for their Fa­thers sake, or rather because of God's Cove­nant with their Ancestors, Rom. 11.27, 28. Oh what incouragement is this to Parents that God will not utterly cast off their seed: but will resume thoughts of love to them at last?

10. That God will reduce the wandring Children of his People by seasonable and sanctified correction, Psal. 89.29.—35. 2 Sam. 7.14, 15. If his Children for sake my Law and walk not in my judgments (i. e. if they forfeit the Privi­ledges promised by non-performance of the conditions) then will I visit their transgression with a Rod, and their iniquity with Stripes, nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail: God hath adopted Affliction to be a branch of Covenant affection, Psa;l. 119.75. 'Its a promise [I will visit] not so much a threatning, for in faithful­ness [Page 36] he afflicts his Children: he will not take so much pains with a slave as with a Son: he will make his Children thank God for a whipping, Lord; saith a godly Parent, bring home my Child though it be by weeping cross: starve my prodigal son, or feed him with husks, that he may reflect on his Fa­thers plenteous Table: oh break his Leg or Arm rather than damn his Soul: cast him on a sick bed, rather than cast him into Hell: let his Purgatory be here and his Heaven hereafter: now our gracious God answers his Childrens Prayers: good Hezekiah's Pray­ers for his extravagant Son Manasseh were answered by Gods taking him among the Thorns, binding him with Fetters, carrying him to Babylon, till he had humbled him to purpose, and made him know that Jehovah was God, 2 Chron. 33.11, 12, 13. doubtless the natural as well as the spiritual Father of the Prodigal will welcome home the Child, tho' broken on the Wheel.

11. The Covenant ingageth for a blessing on Parents instruction and correction of their erring Children: this is of great use, 1. For instruction, Prov. 22.6. Train up a Child in the way he should go: [There's the Parents Du­ty, do thy duty to set him right in the be­ginning of his way, so some read it,] and when he is old he will not depart from it, i. e. not easily, ordinarily, q. d. if thou that art the Fa­ther wilt do thy duty faithfully, I will un­dertake to do my part: set thou their faces in the right road, and I will keep them in it; or­dinarily [Page 37] I will bless thy instructions admoni­tions, counsels, examples, see Gen. 18.19. God saith of Abraham, I know him that he will command his Children, and his houshold after him, you'll say what is he better for that? they'll chuse whether they'll obey or no: nay saith God, but I will undertake for them, [And they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do Justice and Judgment.] His labour shall not be in vain; I live, saith God, to make his words take impression on his surviving Chil­dren when he is dead? For correction you have a notable promise in Prov. 23.13, 14. With-hold not correction from the Child, for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not dye [I will take care of him;] thou shalt beat him with the Rod, and shall deliver his Soul from Hell: O blessed whipping! surely such a scourge as fetcheth blood is easier than hell-torments: but my benediction shall be upon that correction: that's a cruel Parent, that will rather see his Child a flaming Faggot in the scorching fire, than try to whip folly out of him, that's cruel pity, better he should cry here, then roar hereafter, yea and curse thee for ever, that wouldst not speak a word or give him a tap, to prevent these intoler­able torments: Oh the good that seasonable correction may do! if thou prevail not to make thy Child good, yet thou wilt have comfort in the discharge of thy duty, there's good hopes of both by the blessing of God, Prov. 29.17. Correct thy Son, and he shall give thee rest, yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul: [Page 38] yet take this caution, that these promises must not be understood absolutely, necessa­rily, and universally producing this effect, but ordinarily so it is, and this is sufficient motive to Parents to do their duty, and in­couragement therein.

12. The last incouragement to Parents from the Covenant of God, for their survi­ving Children, is, that God will take care of their outward concerns in the World, Prov. 20.7. the just man walketh in his in­tegrity, his Children are blessed after him, if their Father hath not heaped up riches by cunning and covetous devices, and so leaves them but little in the World, yet he hath left them in the hands of a good Father, who will take care of them, when their earthly Parents are gone: for this blessed Covenant is not confined to the persons of the Godly but entailed on their Posterity, Psal 112.1, 2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments, his seed shall be mighty upon earth, the generation of the upright shall be blessed: answerable to this, I call to mind a passage, told me by a Reve­rend Minister in London, who knew a poor and pious Preacher in Wiltshire, who had ma­ny Children, and little to maintain them, one askt him, how he thought they could shift when he was gone, he answered, I am not at all afraid of that, I am more afraid of them when they shall ride up and down Lon­don streets in their Coaches: which came to pass, for some of them came to be Aldermen [Page 39] of that Famous City: our frequent experi­ence confirms this truth, what care God takes of his upright-hearted Servants Seed when they are laid in the dust: let us take holy David's Experiment, Psal. 37.25. I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. If there have been some few excep­tions, these yet do not destroy the truth of a general proposition: howbeit temporal promises were more express and positive to the Jews of old, than to christians in Gospel-times, which consists more in spirituals: But this will remain a truth that Children of Godly Parents are usually provided for com­fortably even in things that concern this life, if it tends to Gods glory, and their good, and if God see it good in his Infinite Wisdom, which limitations must always be annexed to temporal promises: but if they be poor, defamed, sick, in prisons, banished, yet all these work together for their good. Rom. 8.28.

CHAP. VI. An Answer to an Objection against the premises.

THE third general head in the Doctrinal part, is an answer to a main objection, which is this.

Object. You have produced many promises as branches of the Gospel-covenant, that the children of godly Parents, shall have convert­ing [Page 40] Grace, that God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost shall be theirs, are heirs of Gos­pel Priviledges, shall be sanctified, be use­ful instruments in the Church, shall own their profession with an holy conversation, if they wander God will reduce them, bless Parents instructions, corrections, take care of their outward concerns, &c.

Now do we not see by daily observation the clean contrary to all these, how many worthy Ministers have had worthless sons! how many worthless Children are there of gracious Parents? nay do we not see some Children of Godly Parents, miscarry more than others of their carnal civil neigh­bours more proud, scorners of Godliness, companions of Drunkards, Swearers, De­baucht persons that have proved a great dis­honour to God, scandal to Religion, grief to Godly, and Heart-breaking to their Pa­rents, yea have so prejudiced the Spirits of wicked men, that they say, this Religion is but a fancy, praying so much is needless, and what's become of the Covenant you so much boast of? Nay, have we not seen some Chil­dren of Godly Parents live and dye visibly graceless, under tokens of Gods Wrath, yea hastning their death by intemperance and overmuch wickedness? How is this con­sistent with all that you have spoken? How is God true to his Covenant?

This is a sad truth, and cannot be denied and an awful consideration, and possibly hath staggered the Faith of some, and strengthen­ed [Page 41] the hands of some wicked against the power of Godliness, and is too palpable an ob­servation to be denied. But yet I hope to clear this tremendous providence from the holy Scriptures by propounding these seven considerations.

1. Some of the Children of Gods People can set their seal to Gods faithfulness, in the Covenant made to their Parents and their Seed: this clears Gods truth and the good­ness of Religion: I doubt not but some Children of the Covenant can speak the lan­guage of Solomon, in 1 Kin. 8.23, 24. Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee, who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart, who hast kept with thy Servant David my Father, that thou promisedst him, thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfill'd it with thine hand as it is this day: will not some stand forth and say, I bless God for God­ly Parents, my Soul hath found the benefit of their Prayers, and fruit of Gods Promise, I prefer this charter to all earthly priviledges: let others say their pleasure, I will for ever adore Free-grace, that brought me forth un­der so good a Covenant, it's better to me than to be born of a Royal Race, and being Heir to a Crown, he is my God, Exod. 15.2. and I will prepare him an habitation, my Fathers God, and I will exalt him: and cannot some Parents say, 2 Sam. 7.19. God hath spoken well of his servants house for a great while to come? behold I see the buds of Grace in this or that Child, and a saving growing work in another: blessed be [Page 42] Free-grace: I can hold forth this token for good against all the cavils of prophane Spirits, and against my own unbelieving fears.

2. God never forsakes the Children of Godly Parents, till they forsake him; poor Children run away from God before he turn them off, 1 Chron. 28.9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever. If Solomon (or any other Child or Children of a Godly Father,) put on a Cloak of Religion, to please Parents or accomplish a carnal end, while they live, and cast off Religion, and perversly turn their backs on God, and embrace wicked ways, without true Repentance, they have discharged God of his performing promise, because they have voluntarily descarded the condition on their part; now at ripe age, when they are fit to make a choice, it's a voluntary act, proceeding from their own wilfulness, John 5.40. You will not come unto me; and then it becomes a judicial act in God to forsake them, because they first forsook him: and neither they nor their Parents can find fault with God for withdrawing from them that Grace they abused, which he is not bound to give them.

3. Parents have no reason to challenge God for non-performance of the terms of the Covenant, but themselves for their neg­lect of duty to their Children, this is ordina­rily the reason of their Childrens miscar­riage: even godly Parents are too apt to miss it, by over fondness, and negligence in [Page 43] their education, not admonishing, counsel­ling, correcting them; David had been too indulgent to Adonijah, in not crossing him, and doubtless his Conscience flew in his Face upon his Ambition: this is a plain case, good Eli honoured his sons above God, 1 Sam. 2.29. by permitting them to disho­nour him, chusing rather to offend God by connivance at their sin, than displease them by severe rebukes, effectual restraints, and severe punishments, for as a Father, and as a Magistrate he ought to have curbed them: therefore God saith, I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth of, be­cause his sons made themselves vile, and he re­strained them not. Oh what privy nips do the Consciences of Parents give them, when their Children grow up and take not good ways! alas I sinned against God, and now God leaves them to themselves; I have no cause to cen­sure God, but condemn my self: God is Righteous, their sin is a Glass to see my own. Lord humble me, and convince them, oh pardon my iniquity, that I may pray believ­ingly for my Seed.

4. God may pass by the immediate off­spring of his faithful Children and work up­on their more remote posterity: Free grace sometimes runs under ground for a season and breaks out at a distance, an immedi­ate Son is bad, but grace layes hold on a Grandson, Jehoshaphat was a good man, 2 Chron. 20.32. But Jehoram his Son proved bad, 2 Chron. 21.6. Yea, Ahaziah his Son [Page 44] walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, 2 Chron. 22.3, 4. Ʋzziah did right in the sight of the Lord, 2 Chron. 26.4. And Jo­tham his Son, 2 Chron. 27.2, 6. But had a bad Son Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.1, 2. Yet Elect­ing love broke out again in good Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29.2. But it lay dormant for a con­siderable time, and laid not hold of Manasseh. 2 Chron. 33.2. Yea some think his forc'd Repentance was not sincere and saving; however the grace of God withdrew from Amon his Son, 2 Chron. 33.20. But laid hold on good Josiah his Son, 2 Chron. 34.2. You see how grace skips and leaps over the head of one, and lays its hand upon another, yea sometimes it crosseth hands and as Jacob guided his hands wittingly laying his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Ma­nasseh, Gen. 48.14, 20. setting the younger before the Elder, contrary to Josephs desire and design: Thus God crosseth our natural affections and expectati­ons blessing such as we least thought of and leaving others that our hearts were most set upon, to convince us of the freeness of his grace: But thus his Covenant doth stand sure.

5. Delays are no denials: God hath his time to bring in the Prodigal Sons of pious Parents; [nullum tempus occurrit Regi] the King of Heaven can take what time he plea­seth to work on hearts. Saul shall long per­secute the Church, yet become a chosen ves­sel: it's worth observing that the Children of many godly Parents sowed their wild [Page 45] Oats in youth; even godly Jacob was guil­ty of many faults, stealing the blessing by a lye: Several of Jacobs Sons had foul spots, Ruben and Judah were guilty of Incest, Si­meon and Levi of rash Anger, Treachery, Murder; yet all godly Patriarchs: Several combining out of envy to sell Joseph: Where­by they broke their Father Jacob's honest heart; but let not godly Parents make too hasty conclusions: He that believes makes not haste: It may be God defers to hear be­cause he loves your company, and would make you an Errand to the throne of grace, your Prayers are yet too cold, he thinks fit to quicken importunity: the Answer will come double loaden, and pay for all your pains and patience; give God the glory of his wisdom: he knows how to husband your mercies better than you: it's worth observ­ing that those Women in Sacred Writ that waited longest for Children had the best as Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, Manoahs Wife, and Elizabeth: Be not preposterous, you may see Gods Salvation before you die.

6. If God never shews mercy to your seed, you must not so much murmur at his Justice, as adore his Soveraignty; he is abso­lute disposer of his own grace; such an act of Prerogative may be admired must, not be questioned: The Apostle Paul having waded as far as Scripture led him into the un­fathomable Abyss of God's casting of the Covenanted seed of believing Abraham, and [Page 46] adopting the forlorn, and forsaken Gentiles, stands on the bank of that Ocean and cries, [ [...]] Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Ro. 11.33. how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out: The immensity and ineffability of these counsels are such depths, as he saith in Job 32.13. He giveth not account of any of his matters: They are oft unaccountable, but never unrighteous: Kings have [Arcana Imperij,] misteries of State, not fit to be communicated to vulgar capacities: And much more the infinit God; Deut. 29.29. secret things be­long to God: It's presumption to pry into Gods Ark, our weak eyes cannot behold this glorious Sun: poor sinner, down on thy knees, and say thus to God; Lord, I will rather adimire the riches of thy grace to my own Soul, than quarrel with thee for not giving my Child grace: It is an abstruse, and inscrutable depth, my humble Ignorance or nescience shall stop at thy pleasure, my will shall be melted into thy will; if my seed must glory in thy Justice, I will acquiesce therein and say, though clouds and darkness are round about thee, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitations of thy throne, Psal. 97.2.

7. Yet for all this Religion must be own­ed, and vindicated, God is good to the Soul that seeks him; Isa. 45.9. to the Soul that waits for him: He never said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain. Lam. 3.25. If God never shew mercy to any of my seed, yet I will never justifie the [Page 47] wicked, by saying It's in vain to serve God: Mal. 3.14. No, God forbid, Il wil never say, that pray­erless Families are as good as praying Fa­milies, my own experience, and thousands more besides; the infallible verity of the faithful God, Psal. 19.11. will contradict that Atheisti­cal Maxim: in the keeping Gods commandments I have found great reward; Yea I have found that the miscarriage of my Child (which is the greatest cross that ever I met with) hath been blessed for the good of my Soul, as the good Woman said, bearing my Children, and my crosses have cost me dear, but I could not be without either; it's not fit I should chuse my affliction, and what God lays on is welcome, and I will like Christ no worse for his Cross: for I find these bitter Waters most medicinal, and the sweetest fruit grows on this bitter Tree: the badness of my Child hath helpt to make me better: this heart-breaking hath proved an heart melting: it's true, wicked men are hardened by seeing the Children of the Cove­nant thus miscarry, (even as divisions, Mat. 10.34, 35. 2 Cor. 2.14. and offences amongst Gods people, are occasions of their ruine, yea the Gospel-preaching is the savour of Death to some) but as God is just therein to them, so my Soul hath cause to bless the Physitian of Souls, that so tem­pers this poison, as to make it wholesome Physick to my poor Soul: my crosses are better than their comforts. I will commend Religion, though I mourn over my irreli­gious [Page 48] Child: Godliness is gain, though I gain not Grace for my Child by it.

CHAP. VII. An Ʋse of Conviction and Humiliation.

ALL the improvement I shall make of this point, shall be 1. Of Conviction. 2. Exhortation.

1. Of Conviction, if this be true, that notwithstanding the sins and sufferings in a godly mans family, which occasion much grief to his Spirit, yet he is comforted and satisfied in Gods gracious Gospel-covenant.

Then it follows by the rule of contraries, that those Families that have no right to this Gospel-covenant are in a woful state, have no grounds of comfort, satisfaction, no hopes of Salvation, so remaining, they are not under a blessing, but under a curse, Prov. 3.33. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: the Plague is in that house: set a cross on that door, and say Lord have mercy upon it: wicked families, read your doom, and train of curses in Deut. 28.15, 16, 17, 18, 19. you make great reckoning of your estates, alas there's no Covenant bles­sing in any thing you have, they are in them­selves great blessings of God, but to you they are cursed, Mat. 2.2. If you will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of Hosts, I will even send [Page 49] a curse upon you, and will curse your blessings, yea I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart: it's a dreadful flaming text against impenitent, inconsiderate sinners: not only their persons, but all their dome­stick concerns are under a curse; your meat, money, houses, wives, children, garments, imployments, injoyments, all that you do, all that you have shall be accursed; this is an heavy case: a grounded curse by man lyes long, and lights sadly upon Successors; Noah pronounced a curse on Cham's off-spring, Gen. 9.25. which never left them till it rooted out the Ca­naanites, by Shem's Posterity.

The subject is large and astonishing, I shall say something,

• 1. To Irreligious Parents.
• 2. To Irreligious Children.

1. There are some Parents within the bounds of the visible Church, that, 1. Un­derstand not this Covenant, never set them­selves to consider it: they bring their In­fants to be baptized in a custom, because others do so, and it would be a shame not to have them Christened, Neighbours would cry out against them; but they neither know the meaning of Baptism, nor Covenant, nor have they any mind to know them. 2. Take no pains to get their own Souls interested in this Covenant, Eph. 2.12. but are strangers from the Co­venants of Promise, and so have no hope for themselves or seed: we find great fault with prodigal Parents that imbezel, and alienate their Ancestors Inheritance, that should have [Page 50] descended to their Children, but it's a thou­sand times worse for Parents, to cut off this blessed entail of the Gospel-covenant. 3. Most are negligent in doing their duty to Children, alas how few will take pains to instruct them in the principles of Religion, the nature, use, ends of the Seals of the Covenant, in praying for them, as if there were no such text in the Bible, or they had never made such a promise, Eph. 6.4. to bring them up in the nurture and ad­monition of the Lord! Ah! wretched Father, Mother, out of your own mouth are you condemned, that promise what you never intend to perform: how notoriously do you falsifie your promise, betray your trust. 4. There are too too many Parents that are scandalous, prophane, atheistical, and teach their young ones to lye, swear, be drunk, unclean, by the evil example they set before them. A Child brought up with Plato, coming home, hearing his father in a furious passion, could say, I never saw or heard the like in Plato. Alas, sirs you lessen your esteem with your Children by sinful courses; you bring guilt upon your family: yea you do your endeavour to root out your family: The seed of the wicked shall be cut off, Psal. 37.28. The whole Psalm, and daily experience te­stifies the same: Hab. 2.10. Ah sinner, thou hast consult­ed shame to thy house, and some generations hence may reap the fruits of thy folly. The text saith he will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth genera­tion of them that hate him. Exod. 20.5. There are some [Page 51] hereditary sins, and some hereditary punish­ments bequeathed as an heritage to their Children; Divines vindicate Gods Justice in proving that God may righteously punish sins of Relations in their correlates, Filij sunt res Parentum. for Children (say some) are portions of Parents, as people are the riches and good of Princes: yea they have in them [aliquid parentis] some­thing of the Parent, they are pieces of them. So David was punished in his Childs death: But I shall not spend more time in this point; because somuch is said by many others.

How can you see your Children damned in Hell through your default? How can you hear their cries, and see their torments in that Infernal Lake, gnashing their Teeth, and roaring with Flames about their Ears, saying, oh cursed Parents, that by your Soul-damning negligence, have brought your selves and me into this lamentable state! that would not speak a word to me, nor plead the Covenant for me, to prevent these Eternal Torments: that saw me go on in sin, and would not stop my course betimes, by faithful admonition and sound correction; nay that set me a bad Example, and were con­tent that I should perish with you, cursed be the day that ever I should know such wretch­ed Parents, well had it been for me, that I had never been born, or had been brought forth a Beast without a rational Soul, that I might have died like a Beast, yea I had been comparatively happy if you my Parents had put me to death, or as the Heathen Thraci­ans, lamenting my Birth, buried me betimes, [Page 52] and rejoyced at my death, because of the miseries of humane life, but Oh I am brought forth, and fed up for the murderer, the murderer of Souls; I had but gone (as a condemned person) out of a dark prison to the place of Execution, but now, having lived thus long in the World, I have fought against God, and sunk my Soul deeper in Hell: Oh wo is me, that I lived under such cruel Tyrants, and as the dy­ing person said, I am going to Hell and my wicked Mother must follow after.

And Oh, the woful resentment of fellow damned Parents upon the hideous outcries of the fruit of their own bodies and bowels! here neighbours fare is not good fare, but the rich mans torments are aggravated by his fine brethrens coming into the same condemnation: Every Screek of the Child will tear the heart of the self-condemning Father: how easily might I have prevented these despairing groans by a faithful dis­charge of duty! What if I had followed my wandring Child with sighs and tears to God and him while there was hope, but now all too late, all too late, the guilt of my Childs blood is now required at my hands, Had I whipt him so as to fetch blood at every lash, it had not been so dreadful as the lashes of divine vengeance; had I disinhe­rited him for his faults, it had not been so confounding, as my own being banisht with him from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, Oh! what is tem­porary [Page 53] punishment to Eternal torments! Oh that God would strike the hearts of poor carnal Parents with bowels of pity towards their poor perishing off-spring.

2. Graceless irreligious Children, grown up, 'tis no excuse for you to be bad, be­cause your Parents are bad, are you so wild­ly sociable as to go to. Hell for company? This is like the miserable Indians that leap into their Parents graves to be buried with them: Or like that Italian visiting his Fa­thers Sepulcher, washing all the parts of the Monument with lamentable tears, Progenies viperarum nominat po­tius quam viperas ut toti ordini exprobret virulentam malitiam to­tum corpus damnare vo­luit. Calv. in Harm. Evan. in Mat. 3.7. 1 Pet. 1.18. Jer. 6.16. fell down dead: God may say who requires this at your hands: But still it's worse to follow their per­nicious examples, as too many Children do: You may reverence your Ancestors, yet ex­amine their dictates by the word of truth, and not be as the young Novice entring into a Monastery was advised [tu et Asinus unum estote] to be like an Ass, swallow down all that comes. No, no, you are redeemed from your vain Conversation, received by tra­dition from your Fathers, and therefore must enquire not simply for the old way, but which is the good way: It's too much what Cicero (the Heathen Orator) thinks a com­mendable piece of Religion, to live and die in the Religion of our Ancestors: It rather be­comes Children to take warning by their Fathers falls and faults to avoid them, and the bad Consequences thereof: Ezek. 18.14-18. So God saith, If the Father beget a Son, who seeth all his Fathers sins, considereth, turneth, he shall [Page 54] not die for his Fathers Iniquity: But if you follow their sinful courses, you justifie them, condemn Gods ways, and damn your own Souls: Yea you bring upon your selves the guilt of your Fathers sins besides your own; wicked Parents are set before you as Sea-marks to avoid, not as Land-marks to guide you: The Heathen Orator said, Parents are [ [...]] as household Gods, their words should be as Oracles, but alas they are but men, and may mistake and mis­carry, but God in his word is an unerring guide: Follow the Lord and you cannot miss or miscarry, but you may miscarry by following the best men, you will certainly miscarry, if you follow bad men: The Woman of Samaria erroneously pleads the place of her Ancestors worship: John 4.20. And Jere­miah confutes the foolish Jews fond plea from their Fathers practises, Jer. 44.17, 21.

But I shall rather hint a few words of conviction to the irreligious Children of godly Parents: Who degenerate from their Ancestors, that it may be said as in Isa. 63.16. Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledgeth us not, i. e. (as some take it) if our godly Ancestors Abraham and Jacob were now alive, or raised up from the dead, they would not own us for their legitimate off-spring, we are so unlike them. I fear this is too true of the Children of godly Predecessors got to rest, that tread not in their Fathers steps, but take a contrary course: their Fathers prayed in their fami­lies, [Page 55] but Children have left off that trade, Fathers frequent Religious Societies, Chil­dren frequent Alehouses and naughty com­pany, Fathers walked closely with God, Childern run away from God and his Insti­tutions: Wo, Wo be to such Chil­dren.

1. They are perjured faedifragous, and for­sworn wretches, who in their Baptism in­gaged to be the Lords Servants, Subjects, Souldiers, and to fight under Christ's Ban­ner against the World, Flesh and the Devil, and took Press-money, but now have turned their backs on Christ, and fight the Devils battles against Christ. Wo be to such per­fidious wretches, what's the doom of such as outrun their Colours but to be shot to Death? Covenant breakers are ranked amonst the worst of Sinners; Heathens, Rom. 1.31. And such as make hard times in the later days, 2 Tim. 3.3. If it were but a mans Covenant it's a grand crime to disan­nul it, much more this, Gal. 3.15. Prov. 2.17. the Covenant of Marriage is in some sense the Covenant of God, this more immediately and he will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant, Lev. 26.25. Oh Sirs! how dare you look God in the face whose Covenant ye have broken? What have you to do to take his Covenant in your mouths, Psal. 50.16. when Conscience flies in your face?

2. You have lost the benefit of your Infant-Priviledges: Your Infant member­ship was but calculated for your Infant-State, [Page 56] now you are grown up Adult-persons, you must stand upon your own bottoms, no longer on your Parents, now you must live by your own faith; Rom. 1.17, you must enter personally into Covenant with God, repent, obey the Gospel your selves, or else if thou be a breaker of this Gospel-Law, Rom. 2.25. thy Circumcision becomes Ʋncircumcision, i. e. thy Priviledges are made void, insignificant: So God reckons uncircumcised in Heart with uncircumcised in flesh, Jer. 9.26. And saith they are as the Children of the Aethiopians unto him, Amo. 9.7. and in the Gospel it is repeated again and a­gain, 1 Cor. 7.19. Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumci­sion is nothing, but the keeping the command­ments of God; Gal. 5.6.6.15. but faith which worketh by love; but a new Creature: You boast of your pious Parents, as the Jews once did, and bear up big with being Abrahams seed, alas you may be a generation of vipers, Mat. 3.7, 8, 9. as John Baptist tells them, and of your Father the Devil; as our Lord saith, Joh. 8.33, 44. except you have the Faith and do the works of Abraham. A famous Family will avail nothing without personal piety: Without holiness in your hearts and lives you cannot be saved: think not that God is bound, and you loose, the Covenant is mutual, reciprocal, you cannot expect the Priviledges without performing the Condi­tions.

3. It's an awful observation (and often proves too true) that if the Children of God's People turn Apostates they become the worst of men, and run deeper into sin, [Page 57] and further from God then many, yea any others: The Sons of good old Eli run into unparalleled wickedness, 1 Sam. 2. 13, 22. We have many sad instances of Cain, Cham, Ishmael, Esau, Ammon, Absolom, yea, Solo­mon, Rehoboam, Manasseh, and few recovered and with great difficulty; The Tribe of Dan (Jacobs Son) turned Idolaters, and scarce ever returned to God, therefore are not reckoned amongst the Sealed ones, Rom. 7. 5, 8. Because they set up Micahs graven Image: and it's observable, that Jonathan the Son of Gershom (Moses Grandson) was Priest to the Tribe of Dan, and his Sons after him, until the day of the captivity of the land, Judg. 18.30, 31. But the Heathens observe that though this Jonathan was Moses Natural Grandson by generation, yet he is called Grandchild of Manasseh whom he imitated in forgetting God, not of Moses as appears by lifing up a letter in the Hebrew to make it no Moses but Ma­nasseh: [...] He had so far degenerated that his Godly Grandfather must not be named with him. Jer. 5.28. Thus Israelites are said to overpass the deeds of the wicked, i. e. of Heathens, Ezek. 16.47. Ezek. 5.6. yea, they go beyond Sodom and her Daugh­ters, and change Gods judgments more than the Heathen: The reason is clear, because these sin against more Light, Love, Helps, Means, Convictions, Godly Examples, Good Education, and therefore are justly forsaken of God, and left to greater abominations: Oh tremble lest this be your case.

[Page 58]4. The Children of Godly Parents may be cast into Eternal Torments. Abraham the Father of the Faithful may have an houl­ing Son in Hell Torment. Luk. 16.24, 25. Mat. 8.12. The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter dark­ness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, they that would not weep penitently here must weep despairingly hereafter: they that scorned rebukes from Parents, must have dreadful rebukes from God and Conscience, their Education was with Saints, their con­clusion with Devils. There's many gone to Hell with Baptismal Water on their Face: Baptized Magus, Act. 8.13, 20, 23. is like to perish with his money; he was in the gall of bitterness, and bonds of iniquity, that dragg'd him to Hell: Yea the damnation of such Caitiffs will be en­dorst with more vengeance than others: the Worm of Conscience will bite harder, being fed with more materials to strengthen her: the Flame will be hotter, having more fewel: the higher men are exalted towards Heaven, Mat. 11.23. and reach it not, the lower do they fall to Hell, and in Hell; if they plead their birth-right, as he that pleaded he was a Gentleman, the Judge told him, he should therefore have an higher Gallows; or as Lord Sturton that was hanged for Murder in a silken Halter: so must these well-bred persons be dealt with, Luk. 12.47. the more they know of their Masters Will, the more stripes are laid on them: the more they glory in their priviledges, the more misery in their loss, and the higher their hopes, the greater their disappointment: [Page 59] these are both hypocrites and apostates, whose sin and shame is more aggravated and aug­mented than others. Mat. 24.51. Oh what flaming Fag­gots, and scorching Oil, will Parents Pray­ers, Tears, Councils, Admonitions, Exhor­tations be to dissolute young men! when they shall see Parents glorified, themselves condemned: read Prov. 5.11, 12, 13.

CHAP. VIII. An Ʋse of Exhortation or Instruction.

THere are four sorts of persons concern­ed in this Text and Doctrine, that may be instructed in their respective duties from it.

• 1. Children of Uncovenanted Parents.
• 2. Children of Covenanted Parents.
• 3. Persons married without Chil­dren.
• 4 Persons that have a Posterity.

An hint, and but an hint to all these.

1. There are some Children attending on God in Ordinances whose immediate Parents were not in Covenant, knew not God, you may lay it to heart and lament it as your in­felicity, but this is no bar to your enter­tainment with God: for how can you tell but some of your remote Ancestours might be godly? and if not, Grace is free, those that come unto him, he will in no wise cast off: Joh. 6.37. you may and must venture: sinners of the [Page 60] Gentiles are grafted into the true Olive, Rom. 11.24. Jud. 11.1, 2, 27, 28. even contrary to nature, that were Wild by nature, so may'st thou be. J [...]phthah was a Bastard, thrust out by his Brethren, but received by God. Be not discouraged, though thou be bad, Col. 3.11. Gal. 3.28. and Parents bad, yet God is no respecter of Persons; Barbarian, Scythian, all's one in Christ Jesus; Grace makes, but regards no difference. And if the Grace of God hath leapt over others heads to touch your hearts. 1. Adore the Soveraign actings of Free-grace, give God glory, discriminating Grace shall have the Crown set upon its head: I was doubly polluted in my Birth, from first, and immediate Parents. Oh that God should dispense with his ancient law, Deut. 23.2. that a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, yet God hath entertained me amongst his Saints on Earth, and gives me hopes of Heaven, oh wonder of Grace! 2. Be hum­ble all your days, and cast down in your own eyes. Young professors are apt to be proud, but it ill becomes you of all persons to be proud, whom God hath lifted from the Dunghill, to sit with Princes the Kings Chil­dren, read and apply, 2 Sam. 7.18, 19, 20. 3. Make up your Parents defect with your own diligence, what time was lost in your child-hood and youth, now redeem it, the more ignorant your Parents were, the more knowledge do you lay in. The further they were from God, the nearer do you get to him. The more disadvantages you have had, the more pains must you take for your Souls, see­ing [Page 61] it's of absolute necessity. 4. If God have laid hold on your Hearts, be more laborious for the good of your families: you have had sad experience of the want of careful educa­tion, let not your Children have the like, but instruct them, pray for them, do what you can to bring them into Covenant with God, give not them occasion to complain of your neglect also.

2. Children of Covenanted Parents: God forbid you should act contrary to your Bap­tismal Covenant-relation, or contradict your obligations, that Thorns should grow instead of Lillies; or stinking Weeds, where sweet smelling Flowers have been: it's dreadful, that cursing should be heard where Prayers have been put up, or idle wanton Songs where Hosanna's have been used to the King of Heaven. 1. Review and Renew your Baptismal-covenant: you were timely devot­ed to God in minority, confirm it now at age; you took press-money to be the Lords Souldiers, to fight against Satan, World, Flesh. Beg the Graces and priviledges ex­hibited and sealed in that ordinance, Regene­ration, Adoption, Mortification, Union to Christ, Tit. 3.5. Rom. 6.1, 2. Gal. 3.26. Act. 22.16. Remission of Sin: say, Lord didst thou pro­mise before I could ask them, and now wilt thou not bestow them, when I am be­come an humble suitor for them? I here produce thy Charter, the deed of gift under thine own hand: thou didst in thy infancy confer a right, give me now possession of it, let me know the Seed was sown by the crop [Page 62] growing up, that I may at last reap the bles­sed Harvest. 2. Repent for your breach of Covenant, alas I have not walkt up to my vow in Baptism: I have failed by omission, trangressed by commission, my Conscience condemns me, God may justly censure me for transgressing his Laws, Isa. 24.5. changing his Or­dinances, breaking the everlasting Covenants I have abused his kindness, rejected his gra­cious offers, neglected his Worship, and God may justly draw up a black bill of indictment against me, pass the Sentence upon me, and execute it as against an Apostate, but Lord heal my back slidings, Hos. 14.4. love me freely, turn away thine anger from me: and deal with me accor­ding to the tenour of this New Covenant. 3. Plead your Fathers Covenant, Prayers, Practice: The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers, 1 Kin. 8.57. let him not leave us nor forsake us. Psal. 22.4, 5. our Fathers trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliver them, they cried unto thee, &c. blessed be God, the God of my Fathers, that gave them a believing, praying heart; and sig­sig experiences of answers of Prayer: I will build on that Foundation, and surely my Lord will not be worse to me than he was to them; How strong a plea this hath been accounted, see in David, 1 Chron. 12.17. Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 20.6. thus may you plead, Lord, my Godly Father was in many straits, and still he made thee his only refuge and thou didst not leave him, Oh cut not off this blessed entail from me his Child, be [Page 63] as good to me as thou wast to him. 4. Walk in the steps of your godly Ancestors, plead and practise as they did, say as Moses, Exod. 15.2. He is my God, 1 Kin. 21.3, 4. Pro. 27.10. and I will prepare him an habitation; my Fathers God, and I will exalt him: God forbid that I should sell the Inheri­tance of my Fathers: My Fathers Friend I will not forsake, by sinning or apostatising, he never gave me occasion to withdraw from him, Jer. 2.5. What iniquity have my Fathers found in God? Shall I disoblige an old Friend, to gra­tifie an inveterate Enemy? No God forbid, Act. 24.14. I will own, love, and serve the God of my Fa­thers for ever: the God of my Fathers help me to stick close to my dear Lord in duty.

3. This Doctrine concerns persons that are married, that yet have no Children to Pray and Care for, or incourage themselves about for surviving Posterity, and under this head I shall also rank unmarried persons: both these may learn these four practical lessons.

1. Be sure you lay hold of this Covenant for your own Souls: Be concerned for your selves; if you have none else to care for, yet you have a great charge upon your hands: You are either Gods or Devils to your selves; (aut Deus aut Demon) either God or Satan is with us, even when alone: Yea every man is the worst Devil to himself (quisque sibi Satan) every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed: Jam. 1.14. Your busi­ness is therefore to secure your best interest, whether you shall have Children or no: and the only course is to lay hold on this [Page 64] Gospel-Covenant, Isa. 56.4, 5. For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and chuse the thing that please me, and take hold of my Covenant: Even unto them will I give in my House, and within my Walls a place and a name better than of Sons and of Daughters—Mark it, you both secure your own Souls and your name: How much is this better than Absoloms Pillar, which became an Eternal shame? You consult honour to your selves by embracing Cove­nant terms, practising Covenant-duties, im­proving Covenant-promises; and Spiritual­lizing Covenant-seals, believing in Christ the Mediator of the Covenant, being sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant that you may enjoy Covenant-priviledges; then shall your names be inrolled in the sa­cred Calendar, Isa. 4.3. and written among the living in Jerusalem: God and good men will esteem and honour you, yea, your name shall be had in everlasting remembrance: Your memory shall be blessed on Earth, Prov. 10.7. and your Souls happy in Heaven: Oh how much is this better than Sons to bear up your name? That's but a Temporal this a Spiri­tual mercy, that Common to all, this pecu­liar to Saints, that uncertain, this fixed, that Temporary this Eternal: Be sure of this and you are happy.

2. Be humble and mortified: You want Children, they are an Earthly blessing, Psal. 127. Psal. 128.3, 4. 3, 4, 5. For Children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb is his re­ward, [Page 65] as arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of Youth, happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: These are not contemptible (though temporal) mercies, you must not throw up the head, and say tush, I care not; I have more ease and draw a light harrow, I may take my pleasure, and make even with my Estate; for I have none to leave it to when I dye: This is naughtily spoken, God would have you humbled under the want of Children, tho' but a temporal mercy: Gods Servants have lookt on it as an Affliction: You may here­by take occasion to exercise Repentance, and enquire what sin he is now punishing you for; thus you may make a virtue of ne­cessity: Your defect of Children may prove an increase of your graces: But take heed of despising the blessing, or taking occasion of revelling away your Estates; that's an ex­tream one way, as penuriousness is unreason­able in you on the other hand, both are sins to be avoided, and mortified, study, Col. 3.5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the Earth, Fornication, Ʋncleanness, Inordinate Affection, Evil Concupisence, and Covetousness which is Idolatry. Away with all licentious practises; live Chastly, modest­ly, moderately, humbly, diligently in both callings.

3. Adopt some to be a Child or Children to you, if you be persons of any Estates: this is Mr. Paul Bains advice: ‘they must, saith he, not revel with their Substance, nor [Page 66] must they live like idle persons and busy-bodies for want of this imployment, but they must save the matter of their E­state, and depute some as Adopted Chil­dren, and be helpful in Educating others.’ Thus he: Adoption hath been used in all civilized nations, and it is In alienam famili­am transitus, A passing legally out of one Fa­mily into another: And amongst the Romans it was [Aut per praetorium, aut per populum:] That which was done by the Proetors was called Adoption; That which was done by the People was called Arrogation. They had many formalities about it, needless here to be recounted. But by this means you may have children whom you may account as your own: you rich men, that God hath denied the fruit of your bodies to, have you no near kinsmen, or poor neighbours, to whom God hath granted a lovely off-spring? surely it would be acceptable both to God, them, and your selves, to pick out an inge­nuous child, help him to learning; train him up for God; bequeath your Estates to make an Experiment of him while you live; So may you have comfort of him, and he may bear up your name: Do good with your E­state, and be serviceable in Church and Commonwealth. I know some rich men grudg and envy any that are likely to enter into their labours: but as their glory will not descend after them, so usually those Estates do no good when they are gone; Psal. 49.17. Eccl. 2.19. For who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool, that shall have rule over his labour.

[Page 67]4. Take more time and pains for the good of your own Souls, and lay out your selves for the good of others: if you be unmarried study that Text: 1 Cor. 7.33, 35. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. Not that married persons have a Supersedeas, or Quietus est, from Soul-concerns. But the un-married have a more leisure and fairer opportunity for immediate acts of Devotion. Married persons have some divertisements (in themselves lawful) which un-married are free from. The Married may have nume­rous Children, and so have many distracti­ons, which Childless persons are not in­tangled in; and so may [Vacare Deo] be more at leisure for God; or as the word is, attend on the Lord without distraction. [ [...],] sit close to the Lord without Disjunction; [Indivisâ cum domino conjunctione vivatur] like the faithful servants who depart not from their Masters side: O happy souls who have an heart and leisure to keep so close to God! You have more time than others, see your feet and hands and heart run parallel: Your oppor­tunities are double to others. Let your im­provement be doubled. You have no chil­dren to lay up for: Lay out the more for God. He expects more from you than from others. You have no children to maintain; Honour the Lord with your substance. Prov. 3.9. Buy Bi­bles and Catechisms for poor Children. Maintain them at School. Relieve the poor. [Page 68] Incourage a Gospel Ministry. Give the tenth part at least of your yearly incomes to cha­ritable Uses. Let your own hands be your Executors. Trust not others when you are dead; For as it is no thanks to you to be­queath Legacies when you are forced to leave all, so you know not how they will be imbezelled or disbursed. Besides, you lose the opportunity of shewing your chari­table Disposition. Living Springs send forth streams liberally. Dead Pits afford nothing but what is drawn out with Buckets. Watch and catch at Objects and occasions of doing good. Spare upon your selves, but be li­beral in good uses, Let your Superfluities give way to your Brothers Conveniencies: Your Conveniencies to his Necessities: Yea, your Necessities must go to supply his Ex­tremities. Fear not wanting your selves: You put all into a good Bank. Dare you not trust God upon his Bills of Return, Pro­mises? If you lend to the Lord, doubtless he will repay: Do you fear the Alsufficient God will turn Bankrupt? Consult the Ex­periences of Gods servants, and see if the Jewish Proverb have not proved true, [De­cima ut dives fias] Pay Tythes that thou may­est be rich. Remember what our Lord saith, Luke 6.38. Give, and it shall be given you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and run­ning over, shall men give into your bosomes.

CHAP. IX. An Exhortation to Parents, to have their Children within the blessed Covenant.

I Have dispatched the three first Exhor­tations. 4. The last concerns all Pa­rents to do their endeavour to the uttermost to bring their Children, and leave them un­der this Covenant. Alas! What signifies your leaving them great Estates, Hundreds a Year, or Thousands of Gold and Silver, in comparison of this? David was a King, and his many Sons Noble Princes, and So­lomon one of the most glorious Monarchs that ever the Sun saw: so that it became a Pro­verb, Solomon in all his glory. Mat. 6.29. 2 Chro. 11.15. Laurence Saunder writ to his Wife, Ri­ches I have none to en­dow you with, but that trea­sure of ta­sting, How sweet Christ is, which I feel, I be­queath to you. Fox Mon. And David left him in peaceable possession of the Kingdom, and the Lord magnified him exceed­ingly: Yet all this did not cheer up dying Davids heart so much as this blessed Cove­nant. That's but a carnal heart that can brag of what treasures of worldly riches he leaves his children. The gracious soul would rather bequeath a promise to them, than all the wealth of the Indies. Zenophon tells us, that one being asked, Where's your Trea­sure? He answered him [ [...],] Where Cyrus my friend is: Much more may a Christian say, Christ is my Friend, and my All. Oh that I could leave him in the bosom of my dear Child! That is the height [Page 70] of my Ambition, to have my Children gra­cious, and glorified. As an honest Minister said, If I may but see the fear of God in my Children, [Satis habeo, satisque mihi, uxori, filiis & filiabus perspexi.] I have enough, and my self, Wife, Sons, Daughters, are all well provided for; I need no more. Oh! that God would set Parents hearts towards the Covenant of God! I shall give some Mo­tives and Directions. 1. For Motives, I be­seech you consider:

Eph. 23.1. That your Children are Children of wrath, as well as others: You begot them as Men, not as Holy Men, for Grace was ad­ventitious. Adam begot a Son in his own likeness, Gen. 5.3. after his own Image, not Gods, which he had lost. For Grace comes by spiritual regeneration, not by natural generation: You gave them a sinful and miserable be­ing! O study to give them an holy and happy being. They are born in sin; Travel over them till Christ be formed in them. Gal. 4.19. If you cannot make them good, yet lament that they are so bad: You have done them a dis-kindness: Labour to do them this kind­ness, to plant Grace in them.

2. Your Children are more inclined to Vice than Vertue; they are born like the wild Asses Colt, Job 11.12. with a byas Hell-wards, and an antipathy in their nature to what is good: For the carnal mind is enmity against good: Rom. 8.7. Aelian tells of a Whore, that boasted she could easily get Scholars away from Socrates, but Socrates could get no Schollars from her. [Page 71] Wrong is always before right; naturally, the left hand before the right. Children need not be taught what is bad, they learn that fast enough: but you'll find much ado to beat into them what is good.

3 Yet they must learn Divine Truths, and their Duty, or never be happy. One thing is needfull; If they die as they are born, Luke 10.4. with their backs on God, they are undone for ever; they are become like the beasts that perish. But it's better be a beast, Eccl. 3.2. than to be a rational man like a beast; The one goeth upwards to be judged by God, and con­demned to eternal torments; but the Sen­sitive spirit of a beast goeth downwards to the Earth: And however some think the Beast shall not lose its individuation, yet it is not capable of Moral Evil, and so of the Punishment of Hell, as a rational, but a grace­less soul is. Would you not have them far worse than Beasts? Oh! take pains to work grace in them, else no salvation, Mat. 18.3.

4. They are capable of Instruction. For this end was the Book of Proverbs written, Prov. 14. To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man know­ledg and discretion. Aristotle indeed saith, That a young man is not a fit hearer of Moral Philosophy, or of Ethicks; but he speaks of what is, [De facto, non de eo quod fieri debet,] what is usually, not what ought to be. Chil­dren can learn Trades, Toys, why not Scrip­tures, Catichisms? It's not enough to tell the ca­pacity of many Children: were they Idiots, or Natural Fools, destitute of Common Rea­son, [Page 72] it were a lamentable judgment of God, and a sore affliction to Parents. But they have members of Body, use of Reason. Oh! do what you can to add Grace. You are taken with their outward Feature, wit, Parts; these qualifie them not for Heaven, till Gods Image be super-induced.

5. Parents have great advantage in begin­ning with their Children, whilst young: Now they are young and tender, soonest reduced. Like young twigs quickly bended, or a young Horse easily broken, or a young Hawk soonest brought to the lure. Take them betimes, before they be hardened in sin, and you may most likely prevail; but if they be let alone awhile, they'll be past deal­ing with. Custom in sin makes them like the Aethiopian in his skin, Jer. 13.23. or the Leopard spots. Besides, teach them betimes, and they will more likely retain it. It is an usual saying, [Li­quidae sunt puerorum memoriae, Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odo­remtesta diu- ] Childrens me­mories are soft, and soonest take impression, and clear or free from disturbance, and so retain it longest. Season a New Vessel, and it will keep that favour long: Let Cloath be died in Wooll, and after in Cloath, the colour will be most lively and durable. The Application is easie.

6. Parents are betrusted with their Chil­drens Souls as well as Bodies: Ezek. 18.4. All Souls are mine, saith God, and he concredits them to the tuition of Parents as a precious Talent, or depositum, saying as Pharoah's Daughter to Moses Mother, Exod. 2.9. take this child away, and [Page 73] nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy Wages: so saith God (when the Child is Born and Baptized) to Parents, I devolve the charge of this child on thee, look to it, Ezek. 3.17. if it miscar­ry through thy default, its blood will I re­quire at thy hand: thou must give an ac­count of its Soul: go then to God and say as Manoah concerning his Son Sampson, Judges 13.12. how shall we order the Child? And how shall we do unto him? Fetch your instructions from God, and assistance also for your Childrens good, con­sider of a reckoning day.

7. By this you will manifest your own sincerity or sinisterity, your love to God and your Children, or your hatred; Remember, no man is really good that is not Relatively good: When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren, saith our Lord, i. e. Luk. 22.32. evidence the sincerity of thy conversion, by endea­vouring the good of others: Grace is like Fire that turns what it toucheth into its own nature: if you do not your endeavour to bring others, (especially your seed) into co­venant, it's a shrewd sign you are not your selves in Covenant with God: then wo be to you, Oh cursed Parents of cursed Children! Are you so indifferent whether Christs Kingdom be reared and erected in your Family, that you'll scarce put up a prayer, or speak a word to promote it? Where is your love to Christ that loved Souls so dearly? And where is your true love to your natural off-spring? if a Beast be fallen in a Pit, will you not help him out? Hast [Page 74] thou more care of a Swine than the Soul of thy Child?

8. Satan lyes at the catch for your Children, that Fiend of Hell hunteth daily for the pre­cious Soul of thy dear Child: he got posses­sion when thy Child came into the World, and he makes it his business to keep posses­sion, and will do till Christ that's stronger than he cast him out: Luk. 11.22. and wilt thou see a Dog, a Bear, the Lion of Hell hurry away thy Child, Man, and not cry out to Heaven for aid? O heard-hearted miscreant! doth not nature teach the Hen to fly at the glade that would take her Chickens; yea the Sheep to turn upon the Dog that would catch her Lamb? And art thou so far degenerated as to cast of all pity to thine own bowels? Oh Monster of Mankind! hast thou laid aside Humanity, as well as Christianity?

9. The Church and Commonwealth re­quire this office of love from you to your Children: and if you neglect their Education you take a course to corrupt both. It's worth observing, that the Heathen Romans sued in their Courts of Judicature, such persons as were not careful in Educating their Children; Cicero laid this to the charge of Verres, that he had debauched his Son, by Intemperance, Riot, Wantonness; it seems it was actiona­ble among Heathens, and it were well if it were punished among pretended Christians; Wo be to that Town where the Springs are poisoned: sad is the case of that Church and State where Academies and Inns of [Page 75] Court are corrupted, yea, corrupters; Isa. 1.4. Hos. 5.7. where strange Children are begot and brought up; no reformation can be expected till publick Schools be reformed. It's said of Protagoras he lived 60 years, and spent 40 years in cor­rupting youth; if not only Old Trees in an Orchard be rotten but young also, what fruit can be expected? Its fit they be digged up, by this we may Divine what will be­come of a Church or Kingdom.

10. The consequence is sad of Parents neglect of their Childrens due education: a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame, Pro. 29.15. throw the Reines on the Childs Neck, and whither will he not run? A foolish Son is the heavinéss of his Mother, Prov. 10.1. Pro. 19.15. Pro. 17.21. the calamity of his Father: neither Father nor Mother have joy in a wicked Child, and usually they may thank themselves for it; the Switzers had a law, that if a Child was condemned to dye, the Parent should exe­cute him, because it's neglect in Parents that is usually the rack of their Children: it's true a godly Man may have a bad Son, but this is most ordinary. Oh what shame will co­ver the Face, and horrour fill the Conscience of a bad Father, or a good Father conscious of guilt, when he shall see his Child running hell-wards, or roaring in those unquenchable Torments! I advise you therefore to a time­ly care to prevent these dreadful consequen­ces.

Quest. What course should Parents take to restrain sin in Children, principle them [Page 76] with Grace, and bring them within the Co­venant of God?

I answer this is a large and ordinary sub­ject, that I cannot now insist on: practical Divines lay four great duties before Parents, for the Education of their Children,

• 1. Provision.
• 2. Correction.
• 3. Instruction.
• 4. Prayer, Supplication.

1. Providing Food, Rayment, a Calling: This though a great duty, I pass, as not per­tinent to our case: only I find this remark­able passage, that the Athenians ordered in their laws, that if Parents had not brought up their Children in a lawful calling, they should not be bound to keep their Parents: thus all were set to Trades.

2. For correction, I shall not inlarge on that, only observe it to be done seasonably, Prov. 19.18, Chasten thy Son while there is hope, some put it off till he become too stub­born, do it with self-reflection, humiliation, moderation, prayer, instructing them in their fault, and the way to mend it. I pass this also.

3. Instruction, this I chiefly aimed at, if I had leasure, an hint of 1. The Matter. 2. The Manner of performing this duty.

1. For Matter, instruct your Children in the main fundamental principles of our Christian Religion, as, that there is a God; concern­ing, his nature, properties, persons of the God-head: the creation of the World; of [Page 77] Man, the Immortality of the Soul; the Na­ture of Sin; the fall of Adam; the sad fruits thereof: the Remedy by Christ, his Humi­liation Offices, Exaltation; the Duty of Man; the nature of a Church; priviledges, proper­ties of Believers; the Ordinances, the state of all men after death; Rewards and Punish­ments, &c.

You are likewise to instruct them in the Covenant of Grace; the nature, use, ends of it; the difference betwixt this and the old Covenant of Works; the Mediator of it; the terms, properties, and conditions there­of; the seals of it. Baptism and the Lords Supper; the priviledge and necessity of Souls being within it: press them with Arguments to enter into it, give directions about it.

2. For the Manner of your instructing your Children, you must do it. 1. Isa. 28.9. Timously as soon as they are capable, but drawn from the breasts, 2 Tim. 3.15. [ab incunabulis] that they may suck in knowledge with there mothers milk as Timothy. 2. Frequently, once is not enough but you must inculcate truths on them, whet them, as you go oft with the Knife upon the Whet-stone, Deut. 6.7. so the word signifies. 3. Experimentally not by rote, hear-say, work things on your hearts, Eph. 4.21. learn and speak the truth as it is in Jesus: speak feelingly, from the Heart, as one that be­lieves thy self. 4. Wisely, Jud. 22.23. Col. 3.21. observe the tempers of your Children, some must be drawn, others driven, provoke not tender-hearted to fretting, discontent. 5. Season­ably, [Page 78] observe [candida tempora] proper melt­ing seasons, Eccl. 8.5. Psa. 14.10. as a good humour, affliction, conviction, speak to them words upon the Wheel, or in some nick of time, when they will be best taken. 6. Lovingly, winningly, meekly, not in passion, but draw with cords of love: Hos. 11.3. oil them with kindness, and they will go down glibly: even bitter Pills rolled in Sugar will be well taken. 7. Plainly, fa­miliarly, not in high flown language, but use similitudes, speak as they are able to bear it, Isa. 28.10, 11. come on gradually, [guttatim] by drops, here a little there a little, into these narrow mouth'd vessels. 8. Faithfully, search the wound, do not skin it over: a fair hand makes a foul wound: Luk. 19.22. a weak dose rather stirs, than purgeth out bad humours, rebuke sharply. Tit. 1.14. 9. Scripturally, bring your autho­rity along with you shew them chapter and verse, Act. 18.24, 28. Gods authority joined with yours may prevail much, [...] Cor. 10. [...], 5. these are Spiritual Weapons. 10. Rom. 10.1. Prayingly, pray solemnly before an in­struction, by Ejaculation, in speaking: it's not your work but Gods to make it success­ful: Be sensible that all is lost if God give it not the setting on, and strike with the great hammer.

CHAP. X. Directions to Parents, and encouragements in their pleading for their Children.

4. THE last Exhortation to Parents on the behalf of their surviving Children is prayer and supplication, this is a natural du­ty, and catholick relief to the aking hearts of Godly Parents, not only to obtain Chil­dren, as Hanna, but for Grace in Children, when they go astray: hence it was that holy Abraham, to whom this Covenant was first made, breaths out his longing Soul in a short Ejaculation for his wild Son, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee! Gen. 17.18. q. d. I thank God for Isaac, but I am not satisfied with Isaac only, I must beg Spiritual and E­ternal Life for my extravagant Son Ishmael, though he be not the Son of the Promise: yet let him be a Son of Promise; if Isaac must have the Earthly Canaan, let not Ishmael be excluded out of the heavenly. Thus must you plead with the Lord for Children.

To assist you herein, I shall subjoyn some pleas, Arguments and Encouragements not to move God, but to quicken your Faith, Hope, and Importunity. Thus then say.

1. Lord, this Covenant thou hast made with Believers and their Seed, did spring only from the Fountain of thy Free-grace: this Promise commenced before I had a Be­ing, [Page 80] and therefore could not depend on any worthiness in me; Deut. 7.7, 8. the Lord did not set his love on Israel because they were better than others, but because he loved them, the love of be­nevolence produced the love of complacency, it's an Everlasting love both in its original and duration: Jer. 31.3. it hath no cause but in Gods breast, and shall have no end: Lord, for thy words sake, 2 Sam. 7.21. compared with 1 Chr. 17.19. yea, for thy Servants sake, [ viz. Christ, who is Gods Essential word] and according to thy own heart, hast thou done all these great things: hadst thou seen any stop or obstruction on my part, thou would­est have forborn making this Covenant. But such a Covenant there is, and Grace made it, look into thine own heart, Lord, and as Grace only made it, so let Grace perform it.

2. Lord, Thou art true and faithful in the performance of thy promises: Mercy made this Covenant with Abraham, Mic. 7.20. Numb. 23.19. Psal. 89.35. Truth performs it to Jacob: thou art not as man that thou shouldst lye; thou hast sworn by thy holiness that thou wilt not lye unto David: well Lord, in hopes of the performance of thy Covenant, I married, begot Children, gave them up to God in Baptism, wherein thou tookest them as thine own; and dost thou now repent of thy choice? Oh no, thou hast told me in thy word, Isa. 54.9, 10. that thy Covenant-promises are as sure as the Waters of Noah not overflowing the World: Jer. 31.35, 36, 37. yea the Moun­tains and Hills will sooner depart, than God go back from his word: yea his Covenant [Page 81] is as sure as the Ordinances of Heaven, Sun Moon and Stars: as sure as day and night; Lord, my Soul having got such good hold of thee by Faith, I will not let go this hold, but stick fast till thou make good thy pro­mise to me and my seed: I am resolved to sue thy Bond, by Faith and Prayer, till thou pay this debt.

3. Lord, thou hast made this Covenant good to others: thou hast performed the mercy promised to our Fathers, and remem­bred thy holy Covenant: Luk. 1.45, 55, 72. there hath been a performance of the things spoken by the Lord: never could any stand forth, and chal­lenge thee for the breach of promise, from the beginning of the World to this day: and I humbly hope thou wilt not begin with me: Gen. 13.16, 17, 18. thou madest a promise to Abraham of a numerous off-spring and inhabiting Canaan, and thou didst perform all to a tittle, yea to a minute, the least Iota did not fail, or fall to the ground: and thou art as great, as good, as powerful, as merciful now as ever; Gen. 18.14. Job 42.2. thou sayest, is any thing too hard for the Lord? My Soul Eccho's, No: I know, that thou canst do every thing: with God all things are possible, I believe, Lord, help my unbelief; thou art able to reduce my Prodigal Child, to convert my stubborn Child: Oh give a proof of thy power in this great work.

4. Lord, thou hast made good the Pro­mise to my own Soul: my Parents improved and pleaded thy Covenant for me, a sinful wretch, and wilt thou not make the same [Page 82] good to mine? I must say as once Solomon, Thou hast kept with thy Servant David my Fa­ther, 1 Kin. 8.23, 24. that thou promisedst him, thou spakest also with thy Mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day: Blessed be the God of my Fathers, that hath not cut off his kind­ness from me, that am the Seed of those faithful ones, that are now at rest with thee: I my self, can rise up and bear witness to thy faithfulness [Ecce signum] Behold a testimo­ny of Divine love: Psal. 86.16, 17. thou hast shewed me a token for good, who am the Son of thy handmaid: and I take this as a pledge of more kindness to mine: Psal. 116.16. thou hast loosed my Bonds, wilt thou not also knock off the Fetters of sin from my poor Child? I was as wicked as any; and cost my Father, and Mother many a tear and groan, but thou heardest their Prayer, wilt thou not also hear me?

5. Lord; I do find all that I want for my self and seed within the compass of the Cove­nant: for as thou hast promised to be my God, and pardon sin, so thou hast underta­ken to work the conditions thou requirest, as absolutely necessary for obtaining the pri­viledges of the Covenant: thou say'st they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them, Jer. 31.34. i. e. as I understand it, young as well as old: Deut. 30.6. thou sayst, the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy Seed, to love the Lord thy God. Again thou say'st, They that dwell under his shadow shall return: Hos. 14.7. amongst whom are Children: and that he will turn the hearts of the Fathers with the Chil­dren, Mal. 4.6. [Page 83] (so some read it:) this is enough Lord, may my Children be savingly converted, I have all my desire, for this shall be their Salvation; and I have these promises under thy hand, and surely they are not insignifi­cant.

6. Yea, Lord, thou hast converted some whose immediate Parents were not in Cove­nant, and whether their remote Parents, were so, who can tell? I plainly discern thou sometimes leapest out of the ordinary road, reaching over the heads of some near­lier related, to lay hold on strangers hearts, and I do not grudge them this mercy, but adore the freeness of Divine Grace: only, my Soul fetcheth some encouragement thence, Rom. 11.17, 23. Hos. 2.23. will my Lord graft into the true Olive some wild branches, and not take in natural? Wilt thou say, Ammi my people to them that were not thy people, and wilt thou say Lo ammi to such as cling to thee, are resolved not to forgo thee? Oh my Lord, the exuberancy of Free-grace to strangers is an incouragement to me; and thus I say, will my Father give such lumps of bread to Dogs, and can he not afford a crum to a Child? I see some, whose Parents never spake a word to God for them, eminent in Grace, and Monuments of free-grace, and shall any of my Children, which thou hast taken into thy Family be shut out of thy doors? I hope not.

7. Lord, if thou hadst a design to deny my suit thou wouldst have shut my mouth in prayer: for thy word saith, Psal. 10.17 Thou wilt pre­pare [Page 84] their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: An inlarged heart in Prayer, is not on­ly a mean, but a pledge of gracious audience: surely thou wilt not send thy Spirit into my heart, and 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 [Page 85] how many may be won to God by his Ex­ample, 1 Pet. 2.1 [...]. 2 Thes. 1.1 [...]. 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 [Page 86] 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 [Page 87] 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 'tis 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 [Page 88] 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 manifested, you must rest satisfied in that by which God thinks fit to Glorify himself.

11. Yet further, say, Lord, if thou refuse to hear me for this or that particular Child, yet I will thank thee for Free Grace express­ed to another Child, or more of my Chil­dren that are-hopefull: God forbid that my sorrow for our Child should drown all my Comfort in another, or my complaints should silence my gratitude: I will praise thee for what I enjoy, and hope for more: Nature teacheth persons to beg a future, by ac­knowledging a former kindness. I Bless the Lord, I have a Praying, Obeying Child, that [Page 89] was born as destitute of Grace as this: and I humbly take this as a pledg of more; Thou hast Grace enough for all my Children, I will not despond, but be thankfull; such a Child I hope, hath embraced the Covenant of God: Who am I, O Lord God! 2 Sam. 7.18, 19, 20. and what is my house? That thou hast brought me hitherto. And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God? but thou hast spoken also of thy Ser­vants house for a great while to come: and is this the manner of man, O Lord God? Thou didst not owe me any thing, and yet thou hast given me the best things: 'Tis true I have a Cain, yet I have a Righteous Abel, I have a Shem as well as a Cham, an Isaac as well as an Ishmael, a Jacob, as well as an Esau, a Solomon as well as an Ammon, or Absalon: All my Children were born in Sin, and God might have suffered all to have dyed in Sin: But blessed be Free-Grace, that hath pluckt this or that as a brand out of the Fire; God hath heard prayers and taken of my Seed, to be the Lords, he hath not dealt so with all Families. I own this as an higher preferment for my Children then if they were the great­est princes on Earth, I will be thankful for them, yet jealous of them, and mix my praises with prayers, the heart is very deceit­full; I will give God Glory, yet not glory in my Children: But my jealousie shall not ob­scure thy Glory of this mercy. Ebenezer hitherto God hath helpt. I will rejoyce with trembling: something God hath done that I may love and praise him, and be encouraged [Page 90] to hope for more: Much is yet to do that I may still have an Errand to the Throne of Grace, thus my Lord keeps me in a waiting depending posture I must have something to evidence that God is my God, and an hearer of Prayer: I must not have all, that I may know I am on Earth, and not in Heaven: It may be Religion may live in my Family when I am dead and gone: And if all my Seed be not happy, I hope some may: However God hath done my own Soul good, and laid a foundation of Grace in my heart, and will lay the top Stone in Glory: It was a notable speech of that gracious Minister of Christ, One Mr. Avery, See the life of Mr. Ma­ther, p. 131. passing to New-England, in a Storm at Sea, expecting every wave to bring death, he lift up his Eyes to Heaven, and Said, Lord I cannot challeng of preser­vation of my life, but according to thy Co­venant I challeng Heaven: Immediatly a wave wasted him to Heaven: he his Wife, and five Children, being then drowned: and is this nothing that thou may'st with gratitude and confidence claim a Promise for thy own Salvation: If it reach no farther.

12. Lastly, Lord notwithstanding all the discouragement I have I will Believe, Hope, and Pray till thou take me off by my own death, or the death of my Child: As I will follow on to know, and love, and serve the Lord, whatever thou do with me, so I am resolved to Pray and Hope, and wait what­ever thou say to me, Lam. 3.26. for I am sure, 'tis good for a man both to hope and quietly wait for [Page 91] the Salvation of the Lord: God is worthy waiting on, even upon my Knees, I cannot be in a better excercise: Say then, Oh my dear Lord, I am a Sinfull worm, have a wick­ed heart, am of polluted lips, a sinfull life, I deserve not the least crum of Bread or drop of Water, I have forfeited my right to all Covenants, as well as common Mercys, for my self and Seed: I have begot a Child in my own Image, not thine: it is a Child of wrath by nature, as well as others, but thou in thy love hast made a Covenant with believ­ers and their Seed: thou hast brought me in­to the bond of the Covenant: the like mercy I beg for mine: my Child must have thine Image as well as mine, or it is undone for ever: and it is not in my power to convey it, but thou canst: My dayly errand to the throne of Grace, is to beg the blessings of the Cove­nant of Grace to me and mine: I will not go from thy door without an alms: thou shalt have a troublesom guest of me till thou grant my request: O remember thy word unto thy servant, Psal. 119.49. upon which thou hast caused me to hope: Come, Lord, let Covenant-Grace enter into the soul of my Child, which is part of my self: and I will take it as done to my self; if I had not the mercy I beg under a promise, I durst not ask it, but thou hast made thy self a debtor, and I will put thy bond in suit by Faith in Prayer: Thou canst not deny thine own hand writing: Thou art Faithfull, and wilst per­form it to some, and why not to me.

God loves such importunate beggers, and [Page 92] our dear Lord Jesus hath propounded two pa­rables to provoke importunity: Luke. 11.5, 8, 9.18.1.8. therefore it is not unmannerly sauciness, but holy earnest­ness, and approved impudence, wherein God much delights: the End thereof is not to move God to alter his purpose, but that our own Souls may have the condition of thy Promise: thus the Canaanitish (or the Syrophenician) Wo­man crys out for her Daughter, Have mercy on me O Lord, thou Son of David, my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. Mark. 7.24, 25. Mat. 15.22, 28. She received a first, a second, a third re­pulse, but She hangs on still, and will have no nay and at last obtained her suit with an high Encomium and larg grant: O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt: go thou and do likewise.

Obj. Alas! Sir but I am faithless, had I Faith as that Woman had, I might prevail, and you say Faith in Gods Covenant is necessary for the parent, but I cannot Pray in Faith for my Child, and how then should I prevail?

Ans. There is a two-fold faith, General, and Objective, by which you believe God is able and willing, to make good his Covenant, doth make it good to some, and would to thee if thou hadst the condition: this is absolutly necessary in all that come to God, and this thou hast thou art sure that Christ is able to save to the uttermost, Heb. 12.6. Jam. 1.6, 7. all that come to God by him, Heb. 7.25. [...], to the uttermost, i. e. to the utmost extent of the Covenant-grant, yea, saist thou, I believe his ability, but I question my right coming, therefore, 2. [Page 93] There is a particular persuasion, that God will grant this request, Ergo, for this child, or in this case: 'tis true sometimes the Lord doth impress this upon the Spirit with power that this Mercy shall be granted, this Child shall be Converted, but this is not necessary for the obtaining of the Mercy: a godly Soul may want faith to believe the issue of his Prayer, and yet be heard, as you see in Da­vid, Psal. 31.22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes. Mark it, he had no particular faith for his preservation, yet he prayed still nevertheless. Saith he, Thou heardest the voyce of my supplication, when I cryed unto thee. Observe it, the want of his Faith hindred not the fruit of his Prayer, nor will it do of thine.

2. What ailes thee to follow so hard af­ter God? Is it not a principle of Faith? Hast thou not laid hold on Gods Covenant for thine own Soul? What means that frequent renewing of thy Covenant with the Lord, in taking God to be thy God, chiefest Good, and utmost End? and thy dedicating thy all to the Lord? This shews thou art in Cove­nant: for this is the Essence of saving Faith; and thy being so much concerned for thy Seed, declares plainly thy being in Cove­nant. Thou goest daily to the Lord, in ear­nest pleadings for thy Children, and wilt not be beat off, (like the foresaid woman) though one while he answers not, another while he gives discouraging answers: And is not this sincere faith? Our Lord accounted it so in [Page 94] the woman that weathered out so many af­fronts in her importunate pleas: And are not thy motions still more vigorous? Poor soul, thou art following the Lord with tears, sighs, and groans, for thy wandring Child, saying still, Mar. 9.24. Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief! I will still express my desires of Grace for my child, or children; nothing else shall serve my turn: Civility will not please me, nor profit them without Sanctity I am not sa­tisfied with Gifts without Grace; Common Grace, without Saving Grace. Carnal men are well content to see their Children Wit­ty, Ingenious, Industrious, and likely to thrive in the World, good Husbands, no­table Tradesmen, and likely to come to preferment. But oh my Lord, thou know­est my breathings; I look further: My soul longs for a principle of Grace, and a Portion in another World: This is all my desire, and all my Salvation.

Yea, you'l say, But I am afraid I offend God, by being too importunate; Who can tell whether my Child be Elected, and if not, it's in vain to pray, I cannot alter Gods Decree?

Deut. 29.29I Answer: The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things that are reveal­ed, belong unto us, and to our Children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law. You must not make Gods hidden Councels, but his holy Scriptures the Rule of your Pray­ers. 1 Tim. 2.4. God saith, he will have all men saved: Thus his Will is manifested, and I told you the [Page 95] Warrant you have to believe, and pray for the Children of the Covenant; and you cannot be too importunate, so as you do not limit the Holy One of Israel: and as longas there is life, there is hope; There­fore continue your Prayers the term of your natural life, unless God take you off by some remarkable Providence. I knew a very gracious zealous woman, many years ago, who was weeping and wrestling with God, in an Out-house in the night, for the precious Soul of her Prodigal Son, who was now fallen sick, and upon his, Death bed; and while she was groaning out her soul with tears, and strong cryes, she thought she heard a voyce, saying to her, [Be con­tent, what I have done I have done:] She rose off her knees, could not speak a word more, went away quieted; and upon enquiry, found that her Son breathed out his last breath at that very instant in a Town two miles thence.

I am not credulous of such Storys: but have great reason to believe the truth of it, yet the instance is singular; However this is a truth, that God shuts up the Spirit of Prayer, when he doth not intend to hear a good Wo­man, so God had never denyed what she had asked of God in Prayer: One objected a child of hers dying, she replyed it's true, but I could never Pray for that Child; Gods assistings or withdrawings often portend the event.

But 'tis safest for us to suspect some fault in our Persons or Prayers if God do not hear us for our Children, therefore it becomes us to [Page 69] search our Consciences and Conversations, to find out the Sin, confess it, beg a pardon in the Blood of Christ, and Mortify it, and then Pray, say as Divine Herbert's Church Lock and Key.