It were a blessed thing, if those who are of noble parentage, yet in the cause of God, they would not look at what nature hath advanced them unto; But wherein it is that they are begotten again by the almighty work of the grace of God, by that heavenly principle, the sparkle of that divine nature that is put into them? That in the cause of God it were with them, as it ⟨p. 38⟩is said of Levi, he must not know father or mother. We must not say as those Jews, Mat. 3. 9. We have Abraham to our father, we are borne of noble parents; but as John to them, so I say to you, bring forth fruit, or else the axe is laid to the root of the tree: stand not so much upon the blood we have, as upon the good we do. If we would glory in our parentage, especially glory in our ancestors, who have been godly, who have made themselves noble indeed by the worthy things they have done for God and his people; and let it be our honour, to continue this honour to our family, rather resolve to lose our life, then to let this honour of our family die in us; that it may not be said, how did Religion flourish in such a noble family, for two or three or more successions? but now all is gone, ever since such a sons time all is gone, and things are turned another way. It is a blessed thing to have the glorious name of God kept up in succession in a family, Psal. 72. 17. we have a prophesy that the name ⟨p. 39⟩of Christ shall continue from generation to generation: the words are, filiabitur nomen ejus, it shall be childed, it shall be begotten from one to another; the lineal descent of Christs name, is more honourable then the lineal descent of noble blood.1 Pliny tells us that it was accounted a great honour, even the height of felicity, that in one house & race of the Curios, there were known to be three excellent Orators, one after another, by descent from the father to the son, & that the Fabii afforded three presidents of the Senate in course, one immediately succeeding the other: if this succession be so honourable, so happy, how honourable, how happy doth the succession of religion make families to be?2 We glory in our ancestors, let our ancestors be made glorious in us: It is better, says Chrysostom, that our parents should glory in us,3 then that we should glory in our parents: we should do nothing unworthy of our ancestors.
It were a blessed thing, if those who are of noble parentage, yet in the cause of God, they would not looke at what nature hath advanced them unto; But wherein it is that they are begotten againe by the almighty worke of the grace of God, by that heavenly principle, the sparkle of that divine nature that is put into them? That in the cause of God it were with them, as it ⟨p. 38⟩is said of Levi, he must not know father or mother. Wee must not say as those Iewes, Mat. 3. 9. We have Abraham to our father, we are borne of noble parents; but as Iohn to them, so I say to you, bring forth fruit, or else the axe is laid to the roote of the tree: stand not so much upon the blood wee have, as upon the good we doe. If wee would glory in our parentage, especially glory in our ancestors, who have beene godly, who have made themselves noble indeede by the worthy things they have done for God and his people; and let it be our honour, to continue this honour to our family, rather resolve to lose our life, then to let this honour of our family die in us; that it may not be said, how did Religion flourish in such a noble family, for two or three or more successions? but now all is gone, ever since such a sonnes time all is gone, and things are turned another way. It is a blessed thing to have the glorious name of God kept up in succession in a family, Psal. 72. 17. we have a prophesy that the name ⟨p. 39⟩of Christ shall continue from generation to generation: the words are, filiabitur nomen ejus, it shall be childed, it shall be begotten from one to another; the lineall descent of Christs name, is more honorable then the lineall descent of noble blood.1 Plinie telles us that it was accounted a great honour, even the height of felicity, that in one house & race of the Curios, there were knowne to be three excellent Oratours, one after another, by descent from the father to the son, & that the Fabii afforded three presidents of the Senate in course, one immediately succeeding the other: if this succession be so honorable, so happie, how honorable, how happie doth the succession of religion make families to be?2 We glory in our ancestors, let our ancestors be made glorious in us: It is better, saies Chrysostome, that our parents should glory in us,3
- 1Plin. lib. 7. cap. 41.
- 2Melius est ut inte glorientur parents, quanuttuin parentibus glorieris.Melius est ut inte glorientur parentes, quāuttuin parentibus glorieris.
- 3Chrys. in Mat. 4.