God's Fatherly Care of His Covenant Children

THIS Assembly do Appoint Roger Welcott, Esq & Capt Henry Allyn, to return the Thanks of this Assembly, to the Reverend Mr. Jonathan Marsh, for his Sermon which he Preached before the General Assembly on the 13th, Day of May, Instant; and desire a Copy thereof that it may be Printed.

George Wyllys, Secr.

p. 1An Election Sermon.

Like as a Father pitieth his Children, so the LORD pitieth them that Fear Him.

THIS Psalm is Entituled, A Psalm of David; in which he stirreth up himself and summoneth all his Powers, both of Body and Mind, to bless & praise the Name of GOD. The particular Reasons of it, are;

1. Special mercy shewn to him in forgiving his sins & healing his diseases, and in saving him from death when in imminent danger. See ver. 1. to 4. He shews his care thus, To relieve the Oppressed, ver. 5, 6. And then,

2. His Particular care for & over his Church, even for Israel, in giving his Law to them, and opening to them the mysteries of his Providence in their favour. ver. 7, 8, 9. So that if he corrects them for their Sins, as his chosen people; yet he limits & sets bounds to his Anger, as to the time and the measure of it. If he visits sore, yet not according to the demerit of their sins; but causes His Grace to Exert it self over their Unworthiness, ver. 10, 11. But 'tis in special p. 2to them that fear Him: He pardons their sins & does them all away. They are removed from them so far as the East and the West in their distances, ver. 12. This the Lord promises to do for the faithful, in the day of his gracious visitation, Jer. 31 34. And here, ver. 13. His gracious dealing is compared to that of a tender and compassionate Father in his dealing with his Children. Text, Like as a Father pitieth his Children, &c God is a Father to such; in the way of the New Covenant he owns them to be such, let them be Jew or Gentile, in the Gospel day, without distinction; and he treats them with like care and tenderness. And he is in special so tender and gracious in his dealings towards them that truly Fear him; i. e. the Seed of the Faithful; such as are Upright before him, and are under the influence of his Fear. so as to make it their care to please Him by keeping Covenant with him. Be it so they offend at times and break his Laws, He that knows their defects, will bear much with their froward tempers & peevish dispositions. He is not strict to mark their iniquities against them, for he knows their frame, ver. 14.

That GOD has a Fatherly Care for His Covenant Children; in special for them that Fear Him.

Here to shew,

p. 31. He has a Fatherly Care for his Covenant People in general. He has so for Israel, whilst a Nation or People in Covenant with him; and he has so for a People or Nation taken into Covenant in Gospel times.

And we may briefly hint it in several Instances, in which the Lord shews it.

1. In declaring them to be his Children and owning them as such. When God brings Israel into Covenant, he thus declares for Himself, and brings them thus to stipulate with him; or to 〈…〉. Here ◊s the mutual Engagement between them, Deut. 26.17, 18. So it is in Gospel Times, Heb. 8, 10. Again, He is said in terms, To be their Father; and they are said to be, His Sons & Daughters, 2 Cor. 6.18.

But will the Most High and holy GOD thus transact with Vile and Sinful men, that be as Worms of the dust? Yes, so tis; Oh! ineffable Grace and Condescention in him. The Psalmist therefore Expresses his Raised thoughts upon it, Psal. 8.4. What is man, that thou art thus mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou art pleased thus to visit him?

2. In taking them under his Fatherly Conduct & Directions Herein he acts the part of a Father. Parental care tends to this; To be sure for the Child while he is a Child, and wants skill and conduct to direct himself. Now the Father will keep him under his Eye, and not let him go p. 4far from him, or get out of his sight. The Lord has thus the wakeful Eye of his Providence over Israel night & day: The Pillar of the cloud by day, and that of fire by night, to guide them in the way they should go. This shews his particular care to guide them in the Wilderness, after he has brought them out of Egypt by a Mighty Hand and prevented them in their low Estate, Exod. 13.21, 22. So Moses speaks in his Divine Song concerning them, Deut. 32.10. Thus, When Israel is a child the Lord loves him, and calls his son out of Egypt, Hos. 11.1.

3. In the Provision he makes for them. 'Tis the care of a tender Father to provide for his Children; to be sure while they be young and not able to provide for themselves. The Lord has this care for men in general, to provide for them, He provides for Man and Beast; These are all his Creatures, and live upon his Bounty day by day. But he provides in special for Israel, as his People in Covenant; in the Wilderness, Psal. 78.26. He gives them bread from heaven, and water out of the rock.

p. 44. In taking them under his special Protection. A Father will do this as he is able for his Child, He will protect him from harm, if he be exposed by Enemies, or by Beasts of prey, &c. The Lord takes Israel, from the time of his coming up out of Egypt, down to Succeeding Times, under the wing of his Protection. He is tender p. 5of them, even as of the apple of his Eye, Deut. 32.10. If any touch them to do them harm, still they provoke Him to anger by their sins; and shall be sure to feel his Resentments for it, Psal. 105.13, 14, 15.