Earthly parents may sometimes be so indigent that they cannot, and sometimes so unkind that they will not, relieve their children, at least in such a proportion as their necessities require. But the Most high God is the possessor of heaven_and_earth*, and his goodness is as extensive as his dominion; we may therefore conclude, that He will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish+. There is not one parent in ten thousand so unnatural, as that he should stand by, and see his child perish for hunger, while it was in the power of his hand to relieve him. Now our Lord hath taught us to argue thus, If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things unto them that ask him? God has the estates, and the hearts of all in his hands; and therefore can, with the utmost ease, raise up friends to us in the most abandoned circumstances, who shall act the part of parents to us, and do more for us than they could have done. And it is farther to be remembered, that the bounties of God are far more excellent than those of any mortal friend could possibly be. Their bounty, be it ever so great, cannot reach beyond the grave; but It is our Father's good pleasure to give us a kingdoms, incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away: In the believing, though distant views of which, we are rich amidst the extremest poverty, and happy in the most miserable circumstances that can be consistent with such a hope. You see then, on the whole, how much more the good man may find in God, than he can possibly lose in the most valuable earthly parents, It only remains, that I conclude the discourse with a few reflections on this second observation. 1. Let us thankfully acknowledge the gracious provision, which God has made to support his people under the loss of parents and friends, We should bless his name, that he does not leave us to sink under the burthen, or at best to collect some uncertain comfort from the precarious conclusions of our unassisted reason; but that, through the blood and righteousness of his Son, he has given his plain and express promise, for the encouragement of such inconsiderable and undeserving creatures. You, whose parents are living, ought to be thankful, that Gen. xiv, 19. + Prov. x. 3. Mat. vii 11. § Luke xii. 32. || 1 Pet. i. 4: you are satisfied with his paternal care, and how cheerfully you can refer yourselves to his wise and gracious disposal. Our Lord intimates, that we may use such a holy boldness with God, when he teaches us to say, Our Father, which art in heaven *; and the apostle farther expresses it, when he speaks of The spirit of adoption, as teaching us to cry, Abba, Fathert. 4. Could your earthly parents have pitied your sorrows and complaints? The like compassions may you expect from God, if you apply to him under the character of a Father. It is natural for a child, when any thing grieves it, to go to its parents, and complain to them; and if they cannot redress the grievance, at least they will be ready to condole it. Now we are expressly told in the word of God, that, Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. And how much more valuable are the compassions of God, than those of our earthly parents could possibly have been! In many cases theirs was only a mourning pity, and all, that they could often do for our relief, was to sit down and weep over us; to afflict themselves with us, and to give us their company in distress: But the compassions of an almighty God can redress the grievances which he commisserates. Be our afflictions ever so many or ever so great; in sickness and in pain; in the agonies of conscience, or the agonies of death; when parents and other friends are but Miserable comforters§, he alone can support the soul; can soothe it into serenity and peace; and can exalt it to the most triumphant joy. 5. Could your earthly parents have supplied your wants, and have made provision for your future subsistence? God is infinitely more able and ready to do it for his children. In our years of infancy, though we had hardly any thing we could call our own, we made ourselves easy in this, that our parents would take care of us; and sometimes the circumstances of families are such, that their care is almost all that the children have to depend upon. When this is the case, none can wonder, that it is considered as a great aggravation of the loss. But surely when God proclaims himself A Father to the fatherless, he intends to suggest some encouragement to such helpless orphans as these; and it becomes them to take the comfort of it. • Mat, vi. 9. † Rom, viii. 15. ‡ Psal, ciii. 15. § Job xvi. 2. 1 Psal. lxviii. 5. Earthly parents may sometimes be so indigent that they cannot, and sometimes so unkind that they will not, relieve their children, at least in such a proportion as their necessities require. But the Most high God is the possessor of heaven and earth*, and his goodness is as extensive as his dominion; we may therefore conclude, that He will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish+. There is not one parent in ten thousand so unnatural, as that he should stand by, and see his child perish for hunger, while it was in the power of his hand, to relieve him. Now our Lord hath taught us to argue thus, If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things unto them that ask him? God has the estates, and the hearts of all in his hands; and therefore can, with the utmost ease, raise up friends to us in the most abandoned circumstances, who shall act the part of parents to us, and do more for us than they could have done. And it is farther to be remembered, that the bounties of God are far more excellent than those of any mortal friend could possibly be. Their bounty, be it ever so great, cannot reach beyond the grave; but It is our Father's good pleasure to give us a kingdoms, incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away: In the believing, though distant views of which, we are rich amidst the extremest poverty, and happy in the most miserable circumstances that can be consistent with such a hope. You see then, on the whole, how much more the good man may find in God, than he can possibly lose in the most valuable earthly parents. It only remains, that I conclude the discourse with a few reflections on this second observation. 1. Let us thankfully acknowledge the gracious provision, which God has made to support his people under the loss of parents and friends, We should bless his name, that he does not leave us to sink under the burthen, or at best to collect some uncertain comfort from the precarious conclusions of our unassisted reason; but that, through the blood and righteousness of his Son, he has given his plain and express promise, for the encouragement of such inconsiderable and undeserving creatures. You, whose parents are living, ought to be thankful, that Gen. xiv. 19. + Prov. x. 3. Mat. vii 11. § Luke xii. 32. || 1 Pet. i. 4: you are satisfied with his paternal care, and how cheerfully you can refer yourselves to his wise and gracious disposal. Our Lord intimates, that we may use such a holy boldness with God, when he teaches us to say, Our Father, which art in heaven *; and the apostle farther expresses it, when he speaks of The spirit of adoption, as teaching us to cry, Abba, Fathert. 4. Could your earthly parents have pitied your sorrows and complaints? The like compassions may you expect from God, if you apply to him under the character of a Father. It is natural for a child, when any thing grieves it, to go to its parents, and complain to them; and if they cannot redress the grievance, at least they will be ready to condole it. Now we are expressly told in the word of God, that, Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. And how much more valuable are the compassions of God, than those of our earthly parents could possibly have been! In many cases theirs was only a mourning pity, and all, that they could often do for our relief, was to sit down and weep over us; to afflict themselves with us, and to give us their company in distress: But the compassions of an almighty God can redress the grievances which he commisserates. Be our afflictions ever so many or ever so great; in sickness and in pain; in the agonies of conscience, or the agonies of death; when parents and other friends are but Miserable comforters, he alone can support the soul; can soothe it into serenity and peace; and can exalt it to the most triumphant joy. 5. Could your earthly parents have supplied your wants, and have made provision for your future subsistence? God is infinitely more able and ready to do it for his children. In our years of infancy, though we had hardly any thing we could call our own, we made ourselves easy in this, that our parents would take care of us; and sometimes the circumstances of families are such, that their care is almost all that the children have to depend upon. When this is the case, none can wonder, that it is considered as a great aggravation of the loss. But surely when God proclaims himself A Father to the fatherless, he intends to suggest some encouragement to such helpless orphans as these; and it becomes them to take the comfort of it. • Mat, vi. 9. † Rom, viii. 15. ‡ Psal, ciii. 13. § Job xvi. 2. 1 Psal. lxviii. 5 Earthly parents may sometimes be so indigent that they cannot, and sometimes so unkind that they will not, relieve their children, at least in such a proportion as their necessities require. But the Most high God is the possessor of heaven and earth*, and his goodness is as extensive as his dominion; we may therefore conclude, that He will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish+. There is not one parent in ten thousand so unnatural, as that he should stand by, and see his child perish for hunger, while it was in the power of his hand to relieve him. Now our Lord hath taught us to argue thus, If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things unto them that ask him? God has the estates, and the hearts of all in his hands; and therefore can, with the utmost ease, raise up friends to us in the most abandoned circumstances, who shall act the part of parents to us, and do more for us than they could have done. And it is farther to be remembered, that the bounties of God are far more excellent than those of any mortal friend could possibly be. Their bounty, be it ever so great, cannot reach beyond the grave; but It is our Father's good pleasure to give us a kingdoms, incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away: In the believing, though distant views of which, we are rich amidst the extremest poverty, and happy in the most miserable circumstances that can be consistent with such a hope. You see then, on the whole, how much more the good man may find in God, than he can possibly lose in the most valuable earthly parents, It only remains, that I conclude the discourse with a few reflections on this second observation. 1. Let us thankfully acknowledge the gracious provision, which God has made to support his people under the loss of parents and friends, We should bless his name, that he does not leave us to sink under the burthen, or at best to collect some uncertain comfort from the precarious conclusions of our unassisted reason; but that, through the blood and righteousness of his Son, he has given his plain and express promise, for the encouragement of such inconsiderable and undeserving creatures. You, whose parents are living, ought to be thankful, that * Gen. xiv. 19. + Prov. x. 3. Mat. vii. 11. § Luke xii. 32. || 1 Pet. i. 4: |