GOD METAPHOR. XIII. If a prudent Father grants not his Childrens Requelt, it is be– caufe he knows they ajk Thil,~s that are not good for them, but luch as would prove in Conclufion hurtful, and prejudicial. XIV. If a tender Parent fees his Children play wirh any hurtful Thing, or to be fon d of that which may wound, kill, or drflroy them, he takes it away from them. A FATHER. Book II. PARALLEL. XJIT. The Lord God knows what is beft for his Children, ~nd never fails to Jupply them, if tbey aJk zn Fazth.-He never refules, but when they ajk amifs.- Ye afk, and receive not, (fays the Apoftle Ja;nes) becaufe )'e ajk amifs, Luke vi. 40. John xvi. 23. Jame; i. 5, 6. and iv. 3· XIV. The heavenly Father when Ifrael would be gomg on rn a Courfe of Idolatry and Sin, tells them, He will hedge up tbeir Way with '!'horns and make a Wall, &c. that is, to ftop Ifrae/'s Pur: fuit, infomuch that foe jballnot overtake her Lovers Hof ii. 5· and vi. 7· See Burroughs on this Place: As the Lord has a Hedge of Proteftion to fecure his People from i<.vil, !fa. v. 5· Job i. 10. fo he has a Hedge of Af/liftion to keep them from Evil.-The Hedge of '!'horns is a Metaphor, and lignifies much Trouble and Difficulty of goirg over ir; and the W all, being a thicker Subftance, keeps them from palling through : His fore and heavy Alllictions, are but as a Hedge, in a Way of Mercy, to keep his Children from E~·il, the Purfuit of which would ruin them. XV. Fathers take Care of their X V. The L ord God in feemiug Abfence or DifChildren, and are mindful of their tance from his Children, mver forgets them, but Welfare, when arthe greatdt Dif. has them in continual Remembrance, as in the Cafe ranee. of Ephraim, !fa. xlix. 15· Jer. xxxi. 20. XVI. A Father overlooks the X VI. The heavenly Father overlooks the Frailcommon Weakneffes and Infirmities and Mifcan-iages of his Children through Chrijf, tics of his Children, and pardons for he accepts of a willing Mind, 2 Cor. viii. 12. them upon their humble ApplicaHeb. viii. 12 . and highly pri2es Sincerity.-He is tions for it. merciful to their Unrighteoufnefs, and their Sins and Iniquities will he remember no more, 1 John i. 8. Jcr. iii. 13· he is free to pardon the penitent and humble Confejfor, Pfal. xxxii. 5· XVll. A loving Father is nzt~ch XVII. What a lamenting Profopop(JJia does the grieved if his Childrm prove wicked L ord ufe by the Prophet-Hear, 0 Heavens, give and rebellious, and ufeth all gentle ear, 0 Earth-! have nourijhed and brought up and mild Ways to reclaim them. Children, and they have rebelled againfl me, !fa. i. 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. How great his Patience, Jer. iii. 7· is, and how gently he deals with them, Matt. xxiii. '37· and how frequent his Calls to Repentance are, the Scriptures clearly evidence, Rom. xv. 5· XVIII. If a mild f:~therly EnXVIII. God the heavenly Father(if his Chiltreaty, and gentle U!.rge will not dren be fiubborn and perverle) vi)its their Tranf– reclaim them, the Father ufes a grellion wah a R od, and their Iniquity with Rod, and chnflifes them, becaufe he Stripes, he takes not his loving Kindnefs from them, loves tbem, Pro·v. xxii. 15. and Micah vi. 13. Pfal. lxxxix. 31, 32. To be with· xxiii, 13. out Chatlifement, is a Note of Baflardy, Heb. xii. 8. and v. 6, 7· and to be correCted, is a cer– tain Sign of God's Love, for thofe whom he loves he chaflens, Rev. iii. '9· Prov. xi. XIX. A Farher correets his XIX. God the great Father does the like; Children, not that he delights in it, JI4Y Bowels (faith he) ar. troubled (for repenting but becaufe it is abfolutely necef Ephraim) I willfurely have A1erry upon him, Jer. fary; heproportionsthePunijhment xxxi. 18, 19, 20. lja. xxvii. 7· in all their Af– ro the Crime, his Bowels yearning fliflions he was af/lifled, Ifa. lxii. 9· he chaflens for upon them the while ; and when the our Profit, and correfts in MeClfu.re, Heb. xii. 10. Chaflifement has effected Its End, he executes not the Fmunefs of hts Anger to dejlroy he is ready with open Arms to reEphrarm, Jer. xxx. I 1. becaufe he is God, and not ceive them, as in the Cafe of the Man, Ho[ xi. 9· but in Love and Pity redeems (hi• Prodigal, Luke xv. 20. Saints,) &c. !fa. lxiii. 9· Rom. viii. 28. · XX. A Father provides a PorXX. God lays up for his Children: He not only tion for his Children, ar.d takes dijfributes plentifully of his good Things now, but Care of their future Maintenance has much more in Store and Reverjion for them. and Subfiftence, it being his Duty 0 bow great is thy Goodnefs (lays thePfaltnift) which to lay up for them, 2 Cor. xii. I+ thou haft laid up for them that fear thee! Pfal. · xxxi. '9· Henceforth (faith the Apoftle) is laid up for me a Crown of Rightcoufnefs, &c. 2 Tim. iv. 8. I. EARTHLY
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