gods 'km in his C òrreFiions. 3+ 5 ons concerning them , as that they may have forne comfortable evidence to their fouls, that they are hisadopted ones, and fuch as he will oneday aknowledge for to behis children. But thirdly, and that which more conccrnethour prefent purpofe i the Apolite urgeth his exhortation by a comparifon that he frameth, between God, the Father of 'Pits, and men, that arefathers of ourflefh : we have hadfathers of our f!efb, and they Fierily, for a few dayes chaftened us, andwe gave them reverence ; ¡hall we not much rather be in fubjeftion to the Father offpirits and live ? they chaftened usfor their pleafure, but He, forourprofit,that wemight bepartakers ofhie bolineft. Where- in you fee the comparifon is laid out in feveralparticulars ; and the preheminency, the advantage of the comparifon is given ttiGod ; for fo is the fcopeand intent of the Text. i It lieth thus briefly i FirlLwe havehadfathers ofourfiefh,and Godit tieFather of Spirits; if wehave beencontented to undergo thedifcipline ofour earthly fathers, much more have we reafon quietly and patiently to fubmit our fclves to the pro- ceedings of the Fatherofourfpirits. Secondly ; theyfor a few dayes chaflened tee, andwe gave them reverence ; it is but a few dayesneither, that the Father of Sprits meaneth to keep us under his dif- cipline c fitppofe it be all our time, and perhaps it ihall be fo, yet all that is, but the time of ourminority ; and therefore ifwe have been content to fubmit toour earthly parents,their difciplinefora few dayes, /ball wenot muchmore be infubjeazon to the Fatherofipirits, to his chaftifement, though it be for our life-time ? for the difproportion is infinitelygreater between the timeofthis life, compared with the flue ofmaturityand ripe age which the Saints fhall.come to hereafter; and the time ofour minorityand child- hood,compared with the ftate of full age and man-hood in this life ; for alas,how thort are our day es I they.arefpent,evenasatale that ütold. But lafily, that the Apofile might over-power the 1pirits ófthe godly, andquiet their minds, and make them compofe themfelves to a patient waiting upon God, and a willing fubmiflion to whatfoever condition he ¡hall bring them into ; Our earthly parents ( faith he) according to their pleafure , and many times in the ftrength ofpáffion , and with over-much unadvifednefs and heat of blood, not fo much refpe&ing the weak condition of theirchildren,cbaftenedus;but be,thatis,our heavenly Father, theFather offpirits,for oar profit; and what profit ? that we might bepartakers ofbit bolineft. This is an Argument (I conceive) very futable to the occafion ofourmeeting together at this time, in regard of thofewhom more cfpecially, and'ncerly it con - cerneth, the Parents of this deceafed young Gentleman; whom the Lord is pleafcd nowdeeply toaffliëi,and to reach out to thema bitter Cup;I ¡hall endeavour there- fore to fpeak fomewhat in this'Argument: And though it concerns them in a more fpecial manner ; yet, it is a meditation, that concerns us all to take know- ledge of; and fuch a one, as if we belong to God, and that the Lord bath a pur- pofe to bring to heaven,we ihall have occafion inour titne,to makeoften ufe of. Palling over therefore other things, let us come to confider of this latter part of the verle ; andof the latter part ofthe comparifonhere framed by theA pofile,inor- der to the fircngthning ofhis mainArgument, whereby he urgeth his exhortation, to thepatient bearing of thofe A ffli&ions that God (hall be pleafed toexercife us withal: Our earthly Parentsfor afewdayes chaftenedue after their ownpleafare, bat He, the Father ofour o trtis, for our profit, that hemight make ow a partakerofbid holinefs. In the words themfelves,we have toconfider thefeparticulars : And 'the main pil- lars of our difcourfe for the prefent (lettingpats therefi) (hall be thefe feverals. Firft, we are to take knowledge of this point in the general, viz. That GodAl- mighty iegraciouflyfit toprocure, andfurtberthegoodandprofit ofhis people. Secondly, and more particularly, That in all the affliítions and chaftifements be bringeth uponbit people, hie eyeand aim ie at theirgood. Thirdly, Thegreàtprofit,antlbenefitthat Godaimethat,andintended; to hùpeoplein allbùfatherly adminiftrations,efpecially ofcafligation,ie, that be mightmake thempar- taker ofhis bolineft. Y y i j
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