The Use hereof in the first place, Use 1 may serve to justify the righteousness of God, in the confusion of the children of Christian Parents: if thou seest any child of the godly perish, write upon him, He is either a persecutor, or a worldling, or a presumptuous hypocrite; otherwise he had been an heir of grace: The spirit of God dealeth fairly, and sweetly, and comfortably with them: whence it is that they are ofttimes sweetly trimmed up with many good gifts and parts, that you would wonder to see how forward and dexterous they are in their places; and how comes this? is it not from the faithfulness of Gods Covenant, that we might see and say, That on Gods part there was no want unto his salvation, but it was his own ungracious gracelessness, that cast off grace in the means of it? let Ishmael perish, and Esau perish, and all civil justiciaries perish; and their blood will be upon their own heads, the Lord and his Throne is guiltless; it's not for want of grace offered unto them: for though he had not purposed to save them merely of grace; yet he meant to let them see, that he did not only deal justly with them, but also graciously in some kind. What a warning should this be to the children of godly Parents! take heed what you do; Ishmael had a godly Father, and Esau both godly Father and Mother; therefore bless not your selves in that. Take heed also that you rush not upon another rock: for you will be ready to say, Notwithstanding the fair Covenant, which I am under, I cannot have grace unless God work it in me: stand not with God upon ⟨p. 228⟩those terms; for either God will bring you home unto himself, or else you shall fall upon such terms, as that God will take you by the throat one day, and make it appear that you did forsake the Covenant of grace, upon such grounds, as many a Reprobate in Hell would never have parted with it upon the like: either you do malign the grace of God, or are profane, or else you stand upon your own righteousness, and stablish that; and then your heart begins to rise against your Parents: and you think your self wiser then seven men that can render a reason; or if you break not out upon these terms, then you will begin to see that God hath enlightened your mind, and to seize upon your heart; and then you see that you can do something, you can pray, and you can hear with profit, and the like:
The Use hereof in the first place, Use 1 may serve to justifie the righteousness of God, in the confusion of the children of Christian Parents: if thou seest any child of the godly perish, write upon him, He is either a persecutor, or a worldling, or a presumptuous hypocrite; otherwise he had been an heir of grace: The spirit of God dealeth fairly, and sweetly, and comfortably with them: whence it is that they are ofttimes sweetly trimmed up with many good gifts and parts, that you would wonder to see how forward and dexterous they are in their places; and how comes this? is it not from the faithfulnesse of Gods Covenant, that we might see and say, That on Gods part there was no want unto his salvation, but it was his own ungracious gracelessnesse, that cast off grace in the means of it? let Ishmael perish, and Esau perish, and all civil justiciaries perish; and their bloud will be upon their own heads, the Lord and his Throne is guiltless; it's not for want of grace offered unto them: for though he had not purposed to save them meerly of grace; yet he meant to let them see, that he did not only deal justly with them, but also graciously in some kinde. What a warning should this be to the children of godly Parents! take heed what you do; Ishmael had a godly Father, and Esau both godly Father and Mother; therefore blesse not your selves in that. Take heed also that you rush not upon another rock: for you will be ready to say, Notwithstanding the fair Covenant, which I am under, I cannot have grace unless God work it in me: stand not with God upon ⟨p. 228⟩those terms; for either God will bring you home unto himself, or else you shall fall upon such terms, as that God will take you by the throat one day, and make it appear that you did forsake the Covenant of grace, upon such grounds, as many a Reprobate in Hell would never have parted with it upon the like: either you do maligne the grace of God, or are prophane, or else you stand upon your own righteousness, and stablish that; and then your heart begins to rise against your Parents: and you think your self wiser then seven men that can render a reason; or if you break not out upon these terms, then you will begin to see that God hath enlightened your minde, and to seise upon your heart; and then you see that you can do something, you can pray, and you can hear with profit, and the like:
