¡ The Fruit ofEvesTranfgr^efjori. 413 . Firft, it difcovers the wretchednefsof their fault, who grudg and repine at the increafe ofchildren as a burthen. Some there are that,prcfcribe to God how many children he fhould bellow upon them, and would let him do wit a flint, that,théy, would pot by anymeans have him exceed ; which argues a moll miferable, and a moftfaithlefs mind : For.whcdce is this fear ofincrcafe before it come? and whence. is this repining at it when it is.come, butfrom forced iffruftful opinion or other, that they conceive either of their ;liabilitytomaintain them, &c. Let me fay to you, be- loved, ofyour children, as our blefied Saviourfaid ofhis Difciples touching them-. felves ; theyare ofmore value thenSparrows, yet theLord feeds them,togethcr with the young "ovens that cry ; howmuch more will he give fupply to thofe treasures that are{tamped with his ownImage. Neithlir is it only a reward and bleflingupon the rich that they arefruitfid, but it is even a rewaèd and blefliog,to the poor,that they have children s for it isfpecified in Pfd. 107. 41. that God will make them a family likea flock offheep ; and cow- fortablc it is,that they (hall have a family like a flockof theep,becaufe:this may,well be intended ; they (hall profper and thrive with a little maintenance; as lheep will grow fat, albeit the lees arebut very (hors. < . Secondly; it fervestodireék.allthat defies this Melling ofin'creafe, that they may know of whom tofeek'it; it is God that muffmake thee fruitful like7acJae/ ; his hethat malees the barren to dwell with thefamily, antic* be ajoyful mother of Children. There arefive fpecial keyes. that.God referves in hisown power. The firft is the key ofthe Rain ; The Lord(hall open hisgood trtafure, and the Heavens togive Rain to the land, Deut. z8. tz, Secondly,the key of food; Thou opeoteftthyhánd,andfillefl.all thingslivingtritb thy plenty, Pfal. so4. z8. 1. , . Thirdly, the key of the grave; he6rinneth down tothegrave, and raifethupa- gain, t Sam. z. 6. . Fourthly, thekey of the heart ; it is Paid //End. 14. The Lord opened theheart .ofLydia. . Fifthlyand laftly, thekey oithe womb; God remembred Rachel, andepenedhers womb, Gen. 30. Abraham therefore beingchildlefs,hemakes his moan to God. !ram prayed to God.for his Wife,becaufethe wasbarren.Hanna Samuels;mother,poured outher foul to God in hearty prayer, when fhe had no child. ,As altoZachary, and Elizabeth, the parents of.'ohnBaptift. This is the true comfit, firft to God, and then to themeans. Rachel was in a pafiion,and fhe cryed to her Husband, give me children or elfe I die.;' but nothing ofall this 'prevailed till the fought it of the i Lord, and then thewas fruitful, that isthefirfl. Secondly,it is recorded ofher,that thewas not only fruitful ; but that with this fruitfulnefs ofhcrs,there came an increafe of Godspeople ; the built upa greatpart ' of /Pad: and what elfe were the ifraeliter,but Godspeculiar people ? A rightchri- than indeed is called a true Ifraelite; and the eleól are termed by Saint Paul, Gal. 6. r6. the Ifrael ofGod: So then henceyou may infer: that The delire ofhaving Children, mu/t aim at the intreafe, and enlargement of Gods Church. This is a bleffing indeed, when the wife by her off=fpring builds up ¡frail, not Rabeli Bethel, Gods houle; not Bethaven, the hordeofiniquity. This was the delire ofholy people ofold, whenthey prayedthat their childep might be as corner- Ftones, couched into the walls ofthe Temple ; meaning thereby,that theymight grow into the Temple ofthe Lord, to be a habitation ofGod by his Spirit ; Tie/idiethe man, faith the Pfalmiff, that hash his quiver full Ofthem : it is of fuckchildren, that are as the arrows of ftrong man. Whence it follows, that they muffhave,more in them thannature; for arrows are not arrows by. growth, but by Art: fo they muff be loch children, the knottinefs of whole nature, is refined,and reformed,and made ftnooth by grace. Ifhmael
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