[1.] The children of such, without any scruple, are to be accounted children of the covenant, and belonging to the church, till they do actually declare the contrary: Rom. xi. 16, ' For if the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holy ; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.' They are a covenant stock ; the apostle usetli two comparisons, of the first-fruits, and of the root : 1 Cor. vii. 14, ' Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy.'
[2.] That in their infancy they are seasoned with good education, and the sprouts of sin are cut off betimes, before they come to be har- dened and strengthened by custom. Though education cannot kill sin, yet it hindereth the growth of sin ; the ve.'^sel is seasoned betimes. Letters graven in the bark of a tree grow with a tree ; a little scratch will come to be a deep dent or gap ; this is hindered. And this is to be supposed of all godly parents : Gen. xviii. 19, ' I know Abraham that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.' You hinder the impressions of sin at least, if God's blesksing give not more.
VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 407
[3.] There God usually chooseth and bestowetb his special grace, though he be not absolutely tied. The grace of the covenant runneth most kindly in the channel of the covenant ; tliese are the natural branches : Eoni. xi. 24, ' How much more shall those that be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive-tree?' The apostle thence eviuceth the Jews conversion.
And this was Joseph's case ; when he was young in his tender years, he was seasoned with good education ; and though he was sold into Egypt, and a long time lived among idolaters ; yet the grace of God findeth him out, and followeth him, because of his father's cove- nant. He seemed to be cast off and lost, yet still God looketh on him as a branch of the covenant — ' By faith Joseph, when he died,' &c.
Use 1. AVell then, you see how hurtful the wickedness of those that have children is, they hurt not only their own souls, but as much as in them lietli they destroy their children too, and so are not only 2^cii'>'es, but peremptores, as Bernard called them ; they murder their own posterity.
Use 2. And hence is the wickedness a^ravated of those that are born of godly parents, that were seasoned with good education, yet have broken out ; none sin as they do, they sin against preventing grace, against privileges and warnings. If there be a hotter place in hell, they shall have it.
Use 3. It is some plea to say, I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid. God delighteth to be owned as our father's friend : Ps. cxvi. 15, ' 0 Lord, truly I am thy servant ; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid.' As David showed kindness to Mephibo- shethfor Jonathan's sake, 2 Sam. ix. 11.
2. Let us look upon Joseph as a great courtier in Egypt, as a man that had run through various conditions, but was now well settled, counted a father in the country. But all that wealth, delight, and hon- our, which he enjoyed there, could not induce a forgetfulness or neglect of the promise, nor entice his heart to be set on Egypt ; it was another country to Joseph. It was better with him there than at home, yet he telleth them of their departure ; and to show his affection to the land of promise, he would not have a bone left there. Note, That honour and riches do not hurt faith in themselves, where there is a gracious heart to manage them. In themselves they are God's gifts, and must be improved to his glory.
[1.] I shall show that the rich are not excluded from the exercise of faith : Ps. xxii. 26, ' The meek shall eat and be satisfied ; ' and ver. 29, 'All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship.' The rich and the poor have the same ransom : 1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in the world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.' God will choose men of all conditions ; not all poor, lest religion should be trodden underfoot ; not all rich, lest it should seem to be supported by a secular arm, and lest there be a disparagement of the blessings of his providence. Dantur honis, ne putentur mala, &c. — They are given to good men, lest they be thought not to be good
408 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. liVL
things, and to wicked men, lest tliey be esteemed to be the chiefest p:ood.
[2.] There is as much faith seen, yea more, in moderating the affec- tions in a full estate, as in depending upon God for supplies ; to learn to abound is a hard lesson, to see the love of God in all, and to keep from settling here : Ps. Ixii. 10, ' If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.' To be thankful and to be useful. The poor have not such temptations as the rich. Diseases tiiat arise from plenty are most usual, though diseases that arise from v^^ant are most dangerous ; so that a fidl estate hath most temptations. Joseph's brethren had their temptations, yet they had not such temptations as Joseph had. Men that have nothing are as it were driven to it, beaten to dependence upon God ; but here there is more of choice, when they are full and well. If Joseph had liked the pomp of Egypt, he might have had enough there.