1. The Contempt of Chastisements is high Profanation of God's Honour, who is our Father and Sovereign, and in that Quality afflicts us: 'Tis our Apostle's Argument, Furthermore, we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us, and we gave 1them Reverence; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of Spirits, and live? 'Tis a Principle deeply planted in the Human Nature, which the most barbarous Nations have kept inviolable, to express the reallest Respect to our Parents, from whom we derive our Life, and by whose ⟨p. 151⟩tender Care we have been preserved, and educated, although their Discipline be rigorous: but it is infinitely more just and reasonable, that we should reverently submit to the Father of Spirits, who hath the highest Right in us. As much as the immortal Spirit excels the infirm corruptible Flesh, proportionably should our Reverence to God, when he most sharply rebukes us, exceed our Respects to our Earthly Fathers when they correct us. The manner of the Apostle's Expression is very significant, Shall we not much rather? If there be any vital spark of Conscience remaining in our Breasts, if Reason be not wholly declined to Brutishness, we cannot do otherwise.
1. The Contempt of Chastisements is high Profanation of God's Honour, who is our Father and Soveraign, and in that Quality afflicts us: 'Tis our Apostle's Argument, Furthermore, we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us, and we gave 1them Reverence; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of Spirits, and live? 'Tis a Principle deeply planted in the Human Nature, which the most barbarous Nations have kept inviolable, to express the reallest Respect to our Parents, from whom we derive our Life, and by whose ⟨p. 151⟩tender Care we have been preserved, and educated, altho their Discipline be rigorous: but it is infinitely more just and reasonable, that we should reverently submit to the Father of Spirits, who hath the highest Right in us. As much as the immortal Spirit excels the infirm corruptible Flesh, proportionably should our Reverence to God, when he most sharply rebukes us, exceed our Respects to our Earthly Fathers when they correct us. The manner of the Apostle's Expression is very significant, Shall we not much rather? If there be any vital spark of Conscience remaining in our Breasts, if Reason be not wholly declined to Brutishness, we cannot do otherwise.
- 1Heb. 12. 9.
