Book II. G 0 D AN H 0 u s H 0 L D E R. 2 77 METAPHOR. Children and Servants, hides no– rhinofrom them that may be for ilieir Good ; lets his Servants know, that if they obey not, he will curn them om of Strvtce; and Children if they are di!obedient, they will not only be beaten, but al[odifpoifeifed of many Pnvrleges and Inheritances. XIX. A good Hocr/holder en– courages his Family by prefent Re– wards, and future Promtfes; he pays his Servants well for their "\Vork, gives his Children Promife of Reward, even an lnhemance. PARALLEL. DifobediC11ce, who are jeparated to Evil, and de– flroyed if they do wickedly : He that fins jha/1 die: If you remain difobedimt, he will not prevmt your Ruin : lie will not hear when you call, but laugh at )"OUr Calamities, and rejoice whm your Fear comes, Prov. i. XIX. God fuffers none to labor in vain, nor fend their Strength for nought in his Service. He doth good unto all; his tender Mercies are over all his Works : He makes one Day in his Courts, better than a 'fhoufand elfewhere. And the Church faid, it was better with her when /he abode under his Conduct, than when /he left it. He will give Grace and Glory, and no good 'fhing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. XX. A oood Houfholder gives XX. God in Love and Faithfulnefs doth corCorrcetion ~rSeafon forFaults comreet, rebuke, chafl:en, and af!li<'l: his People for mitted : Fathers after the Fle!h, therr Profit. f1z very Faithfulnefs hafl thou aiflifl– and :vla(ters, cha(\ife difobedient ed me. Whom he loves, he rebukes and chaflens, to Ones for Faults. make Partakers ofhis Holinifs: The Fruits whereof David exprelfeth, It was good for me that I was Pjflifled, Pfal. cxix. 71. Thus when Men arc in 1-leavinds through many Tempta– tions, the Rod drives out ill Difpofitions, and is a good Remedy to cure Folly, &c. X XI. A good Hou/holder is fo XXI. God renders not to any Man more than prudent, moderate, and gentle, in is right, that he (hould enrer into Judgment with his Adminillration of Severity, that God: He layeth Judgment to the Line, and Righ– there is no Caufe of Blame and teoufnifs to the Plummet ; extenuates to Offenders, Cenfure; his ~.quity and Authority rather gi ves lcfs than more: In the Midfl ofJudg– juttify his Vvays. ment he remembers Mercy. He debates in Meafure; and as to the J ufl:ice of the Caufe provok– ing, or meafure of Punifhments, he appeals ro ..rhe Jufl:ice of their own Minds: Are not my Ways equal, and yours unequal, Ezek. xvru. 30. XXII. A good and wife Houf. XXII. This hath been the common 'Nay of holder, when any are obfl:inate, God's dealing with Men, as well large Congrega– withdraws the Manifefl:ation of fortions, as particular Perfons; I will hide my Face mer Goodnefs, Favor, and Defrom this Generation, &c. 'fhou art a God that Jio-ht, for if after all good Means hidefl thyftlf, &c. God left Saul when obfl:inate, uled fruitlefsly, they will not be and would not be found of him in Difl:refs. When reclaimed, then he frowns on them, God leaves a People or Perfon, they lofe their and cannot !hew his Countenance Strength, and come to Shame and Mifery. Wa as at other Times. to him that is alone. XXIII. A wife and good HoufXXIII. God bath maintained the Lot of the holder Will maintain his own Rights Righteous throughout all Generations, kept up againfl: Invaders, and keep up his his Church from falling, contrived a Seed to ferve lnterefl: according to Law and him. He will not fuffer the Gates of Hell to Jufl:ice, and the Ufe of reafonable prevail, nor overthrow his Family. Means. XXIV. A wife and good Houf– holder brings all the Spoil taken from his Enemies, and all the Fruits of his Land, into his own Hou010ld; there are his Trophies, and the Fruits of his Labor found. XXIV. God brake the Head of Leviathan, gave it to be Meat to his People in the Wildernefs, cut Rahab, wounded the Dragon, overthrew great Kingdoms and Armies, &c. gained ViCtory over mighty Kings, and brought the Fruit of all his Works into his Church; there are his worthyAEts, Do<'l:rine, and Book of the ACts, and Examples of all his Servants, lleb. xi. XXV. A wife and good HoufXXV. God /hut Angels out of Heaven, to holder !huts all unruly Perfons out preferve Peace; fent Caiu to the Land of Nod; of Dmrs, to preferve Peace and !hut the Old World out of the Ark ; pur Saul out 4B cl
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