A plain and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…

Secondly, they whose progeny is great, and posterity godly, have been serviceable to God, and profitable to Gods people, in this behalf, that they have begotten and brought up such as are like to grow so helpful and fruitful both to the Church and Country.

Secondly, they whose progenie is great, and posteritie godly, haue beene seruiceable to God, and profitable to Gods people, in this behalfe, that they haue begotten and brought vp such as are like to grow so helpfull and fruitfull both to the Church and Countrey.

Use. Reproof of those that rather groan at it as a burden, than take comfort in it as a benefit, to be parents of many children. They wish their ground to be fertile, and their cattle to be fruitful, but their wives to be barren, or to bear but a few. They are glad of their calves, of their colts, of their lambs, of their pigs; but grieved and vexed at their sons and daughters. And why? Because they think they are put to their finding, and depend not on God and his provision; whereas themselves, of themselves, are not able to provide one meal, or morsel, or crumb for themselves; much less for a family. And if the Lord do maintain them, will he not do as much for theirs, if they and theirs would become his? And is he able to feed a few, and insufficient to minister to many? Doth he keep open house for all the fowls of the air, for all the beasts of the earth, for all the worms ⟨p. 123⟩and vermin upon and in the ground, for all the fishes in the sea and rivers? And is he so poor, that he cannot, or so sparing, that he will not allow food for mankind, especially his own subjects, servants, and children? But faithless men consider not of these things, and therefore as they are unwilling to be called father or grandfather of many, so is it righteous, that though they should beget great plenty of children, yet they should gain but small store of honour and estimation by the same.

Vse. Reproofe of those that rather groane at it as a burden, than take comfort in it as a benefit, to bee parents of many children. They wish their ground to be fertile, and their cattle to be fruitfull, but their wiues to bee barren, or to beare but a few. They are glad of their calues, of their colts, of their lambes, of their pigs; but grieued and vexed at their sonnes and daughters. And why? Because they thinke they are put to their finding, and depend not on God and his prouision; whereas themselues, of themselues, are not able to prouide one meale, or morsell, or crumme for themselues; much lesse for a familie. And if the Lord doe maintaine them, will he not doe as much for theirs, if they and theirs would become his? And is he able to feed a few, and insufficient to minister to many? Doth he keepe open house for all the fowles of the aire, for all the beasts of the earth, for all the wormes