2 Be ye also, O Children, exhorted and persuaded, to yield your selves pliable (from the time that you have any capacity) to the good instruction of your parents: that by your continuing to grow in grace, answerably to the means which by the divine providence have been afforded you, you may with the greater comfort, and stronger confidence, both in time of humiliation when for preventing or averting some judgement, or obtaining or regaining some blessing, you pour forth your souls to God, or in time of gratulation for some judgement removed, or some blessing bestowed, you enlarge your hearts, and open your mouths, you may say to God, I am the son of thine hand-maid: and thou hast been my God from my mothers womb. Take heed that being borne in Gods house, and by your parent, the son of his hand-maid, you become not a bond▪ slave, and have the flesh, a bond-woman for your mother. They that serve the flesh in the lusts thereof are such: What can such expect but the doom denounced against the bond▪woman and her son, which was this, *Cast out the bond-woman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free▪woman. A woeful doom for such as are borne in Gods house, to be so cast out. Thereby they may know that they have nothing common with the true sons of God. Nothing, I say, in regard of those spiritual privileges which belong to Gods free-borne children. So walk therefore, O children, that are borne in the Church, so carry your selves all your days, as you may on all occasions say to the Lord, I am the son of thine hand maid.
2 Be ye also, O Children, exhorted and perswaded, to yeeld your selves pliable (from the time that you have any capacity) to the good instruction of your parents: that by your continuing to grow in grace, answerably to the means which by the divine providence have been afforded you, you may with the greater comfort, and stronger confidence, both in time of humiliation when for preventing or averting some judgement, or obtaining or regaining some blessing, you powre forth your soules to God, or in time of gratulation for some judgement removed, or some blessing bestowed, you enlarge your hearts, and open your mouths, you may say to God, I am the sonne of thine hand-maid: and thou hast beene my God from my mothers wombe. Take heed that being borne in Gods house, and by your parent, the son of his hand-maid, you become not a bond▪ slave, and have the flesh, a bond-woman for your mother. They that serve the flesh in the lusts thereof are such: What can such expect but the doome denounced against the bond▪woman and her sonne, which was this, *Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne: for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not bee heire with the sonne of the free▪woman. A wofull doome for such as are borne in Gods house, to be so cast out. Thereby they may know that they have nothing common with the true sonnes of God. Nothing, I say, in regard of those spirituall priviledges which belong to Gods free-borne children. So walke therefore, O children, that are borne in the Church, so carie your selves all your daies, as you may on all occasions say to the Lord, I am the sonne of thine hand maid.
- *Gal. 4. 30. Lij•e ancillam hinc & si•ium eius. D•sca•, juquit, jam quod nihil commune habebit filius ancillae cum filio m•o Isaac. Chrys Hom. 46. in Gen. 21Gal. 4. 30. Lij•e ancillam hinc & si•ium eius. D•sca•, iuquit, iam quod nihil commune habebit filius ancillae cum filio m•o Isaac. Chrys Hom. 46. in Gen. 21
