Of EleElion. 445 v rrfe 21. where God f>)S, he planted their fathers a Noble Vi;u, wholly r'-AJ'l a n ght Sted ; ( for all the Patriarks were Godly) now then how art tho11 Chap.~ tttmed into the degmerate plant of a f/rauge Vi11e unto me, the Chitdrm~ ( though of fo noble a root) becoming wild Branches. The Root was holy the IJrancnes finful, and poifonous. As nothing adds a greater embellifh~ent to venue than the continuance of it in a Race and fucce11ion from father to Son ( for Nobility is but the continuance of Venue, Riches, and Ho· nour in a fam ily )fo nothing more .aggravates ~he Vices of Chil&en more than their degeneration from 'their Parents. And the fins of the fathers will be rernmpenced upon the Children , if they walk in their fathers !leps: s~ will the Holinefs of the fathers encreafc the Childrens Sins and l'Lmifhmcnrs, if they Prove n~t anfwerably holy. How of1en comes it in to make up the meali~re of the finfulnefs of each of thofe wicked Kings, [Hr walkt not in the ways of David his Father! ] as well as [he walkt w the w.1~s of Jeroboam his Fathe>") as it was faid concerning the Kings of lfrael ) whot 1 Prove a Rebell, a Traitour, to thy father's God? So you have it in Mo{es Song, Exod. r5.1.. and therefore fay ; as they there, Thr Lord is m; flrmgth and fong, tmd he is become my Sa/vatio11: he is my God, tmd I wi/J preparr him an habitatio11, my Ftlthers God, liiZii•l w•ll exalt him. You fee he rifeth higher upon that·double relation 1 He-M my Fathers God , mid I wilt exalt bim: What wilt thou prove a Tr:ritor to to thy fathers Friend 1 This is the highefi ingrarimde that can be. See what Solom011 fays in Prov. 27. to.Th~ ow11Fnmd, and thy Fathers Frit~~d forjake 1101 : For fuch a Friendfhip is the highefi commendatio~ 6f friend· fbip, and fuch a Friend hardly to be found; and therefore it is the part of a fordid and ingrateful Spirit to leave fuch a.Friend. God was a Frien~ to thy Father, made a Covenant with him to be the God of him, and his Seed, and offers himfelf to be thy friend ; and wilt thou forfake him? Solomoll we fee, renewed the League of ami1y with J-i;r,lm, • Kings).!. 12. meerly becaufe Friendfl1ip had been between him and his father Da· vid; and fo do thou with God , who then will love thee for thy own fake, ond double his love upon thee for thy fathers fake; ( fo thou fhalt be beloved for both) as the Phrafe is, ·Rom. 11. 1.8. So So/omo1J is called orlovrd of God, becaufe of his Fathrr 'IJavid , 2 Sam. 1., 1.). and fo thou !halt have a Douhle Portiott of Love from him, and be his Bmj,lmin, in comparifon of other Saints. . ASecond V{r to fuch Children, is when they are Converted , to pro– voke them unto more holinefs. Where there arc more Encouragements and more helps, there lies a greater Obligation unto Obedience, God hath provided for your Eafe in the Point of Believing : He bath prevented Doubts, and Temptations, and the turmoil of your Spirits that way, that fo you might lay it out the more an other way. He hath oafed you in the worl< of Believing, that you might fpend the more Strength ill work; of Obedience. AgaiA , as your ObeJience flJall b~ firfi accepted before o– thers; fo you lhould be the firfi and mofi forward of all others in matters of Obedience. Being Worthies, you fhould fight in the fore-front ; and though others of your rank do worthily , you fhould exceed them all. How does the continuation of Ancient Nobility in a family raife ~he Spi· rit to more Noble Actions than others of an inferiour Birth afpire to ? Their fathers Blood boils in their veins, their vertues in their Hearts : So let ycur Fathers, or Mother Graces: And the longer the fucce11ion hath held in a right Line, the more forcible lbould your provocation be, not to degenerate. There is no Difpofition in N1ture, but it is found in, and heightned by Grace; God takes in all Natural Difpofitions, and conforms Gracious Difpofitions fuitable and like unto them, as the Rules and Dif– pofitions of friend!hip between Man and Man he takes in to the ways of Grace, and expects that we flwuld obferve them towar.d himfelf, and be as friendly tlnto him, as ever we would be to Men. And fo he takos in
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