matter be good and right As if he were very sollicitous of Right twixt man and man but withall telleth them there is none deputed by the King to hear thee Now he beginneth closely to scatter seeds of prejudice and discontent in the subjects against the present government set over them then vers 4. wisheth in their hearing Oh that I were Judge in the Land that every man which hath any sute or cause might come to me and I would do him Justice now he speaketh a good word for himself to be thought of and put in some chief place in the state and vers 5. every subject that cometh near him must have his hand he must take him he must imbrace him and kiss him and no wonder that now he hath as v. 6. even stollen away the hearts of the men of Israel Oh thinketh every one what a worthy and hopefull Prince is this how sollicitous that every man do right and have right done him how marvellous kind and condescending to the meanest subject he would surely make us in time a very good King c. Now Absolom hath plaid his game well thus far it remaineth onely that Absolom in pretence at least give his Father the Honour of going by his leave to Hebron a place fittest to hatch the Treason against his Father which he hath been all that while brooding and where that fire may flame out best which he hath been kindling this leave is easily gained from his Father vers 7 8 9. he hath 200 men to attend him to Hebron and when thither come Achitophel is sent for the conspiracy is ripened and numbers of Associates daily increase and good David soon perceiveth his mistake in his Sons pretended submission and obeisance Yea but the fifth Commandment would cut off all such Attractives to selfish Honour of Parents and therefore saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother namely poor or rich high or low as well I that hath nothing to give and leave thee as that hath never so much hence when Christ would shew upon what as upon their bottome and basis all the commands of God either respecting God or men do hang and depend he saith Matth. 22. 37 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all tby heart this is the first and great Commandement and vers 39. the second is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self and vers 40. On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets those are the two wel-springs of all obedience to the Law and word of God and therefore all the particulars are reducible to those two heads if the Honour of respect reverence or obedience which we give to God be not from love to our selves or to our own ends but to himself then it is honouring of God indeed so if our honour which we give to our Parents be not from love to our selves but it is from intire love to them that we shew forth such respect or reverence or obedience or thankfulness to them now it is Honour of Parents indeed Again as it must not be Honour of Parents from self-love as opposed to intire love of Parents so it must not be from self-love as opposed to love of God the love of whom especially should put Children upon Honouring the Image of his Father-hood in their Parents hence in that Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and Father why so I am the Lord thy God and so thy Father in Covenant and Covenant-mercies and priviledges a Father of mercies promised and offered to them c. therefore out of love to me Honour every one of you his Parents And as Childrens honour of Parents must not be selfish in reference to love of self-profit and preferment or the like so neither in reference to love of self-ease or meer immunity from punishments or corrections in any contrary way of dishonour whether from Parents privately or the civil Magistrate publickly if Childrens Honour of reverence and obedience which they outwardly hold forth should be extracted chiefly from the force of Parents austere carriage or threats or blows or the dread of the correction from civill Authority or the like it is a slavish and not a filiall Honouring of them when Paul would express in a word that Timothy served with him in the Gospel neither formally nor feignedly nor selfishly nor slavishly nor forcedly but freely sincerely and regularly he expresseth it thus Phil. 2. 22. As the Son with the Father he hath served with me in the Gospel the Honour then of a Son to the Father is or should be neither feigned formall selfish nor slavish 2 In an affirmative way we say the Honour Honour of Parents must be 1. Cordiall of Parents 1. It must be cordiall not alone God as a Father must have each of his Childrens hearts in all the Honour they give him as his Sons and Daughters but Solomon as a Father may groundedly say as Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy heart namely as that which must crown all the Honour which thou my Son must give me as thy Father thus Timothy serveth with Paul in the Gospel as with his Father by grace as an ingenious Son with his Father at any other work namely with all his heart Phil. 2. 22. 2. It must be constant as long as the relation 2. Constant holdeth firm twixt Parent and Child which is as long as they Coexist in this world and till one of the Relates are taken away by death Parents from Children or Children from Parents they must obey this morall precept which bindeth semper ad semper alwaies and to all times Honour thy Father and Mother hath no prefixed time set to it It is not Honour thy Father and Mother whil'st a little one whil'st a youth whil'st so or so old whil'st in a single condition or with the like limitations no but it is without restraint and limitation to ages sexes conditions places relations callings imployments it is for term of life and that to which each one Male or Female younger or elder married or unmarried learned or unlearned godly or ungodly high or low Prince or Peasant rich or poor is bound unto hence also that Prov. 23. 22. despise not thy Mother when she is old when she was young yea when she was middle aged or the like thou prisedst and respectedst and didst reverence and obey her do it as well when she is old hold on doing of it to the last Age may wear and waste a Mothers beauty strength parts senses limbs estate c. but her relation of a Mother is as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might for the ever of this life that is alwayes in its meridian and knoweth no evening the person may be gray-headed but her Motherly relation is ever in its flourish It may be Autumn yea Winter with the woman but with the Mother as a Mother it is alwayes Spring Look as that
A FRUITFULL AND USEFULL DISCOURSE TOVCHING The Honour due from Children to Parents and the duty of Parents towards their Children WHEREIN Both the Respective duties of Children to Parents and of Parents to Children are cleared from Scripture together with what may either further or hinder the same And the failings and sins of either against the other together with the manifold causes thereof are discovered which are accordingly applyed and pressed By Thomas Cobbet Minister of the Word at Lyn in New-England Ephes 6 2 Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandement with promise Vers 3. That it may be well with thee and that thou maist live long upon the earth Vers 4. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and every man his Father LONDON Printed by S. G. for John Rothwell at the Bear and Fountain in Cheap-side 1656. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader THis discourse was at first intended onely for the private use of our own Congregation but by the request of some it is now comming into publique view and so to thy hand When the seed was first sown here the Lord was pleased to give a blessed hansell of his grace and some sprinklings of first fruits thereof may he now please to bless the produce of that seed which now is scattering in a large field with a more plentifull harvest-blessing in thy heart in speciall and in hearts of many others by thy means the unworthy seeds-man shall account himself well appayed and abundantly rewarded According as the subject persons firstly concerned in the discourse are all sorts of persons standing in the relation of children and so children in years also as well as persons of riper Age so the stile and phrase is familiar and plain children needing no such high-flown quaint new-coyned words as are even too much in use now adayes both in Press and Pulpit but rather the plainest expressions and easiest to be understood Onely remember also Courteous Reader that under the notion of children in the discourse are understood all such as are in the relation of children whether Adult persons or children in Age thou maiest also Christian Reader frequently meet with the very same Scriptures quoted in the discourse but let not that offend thee since for thy benefit those rich veines of spirituall mine are but further searched into to find out yet more and more treasure according as there is various need and vse thereof and those lively Oracles of God are often consulted withall to see what further of the Lords mind they hold forth in variety of Cases The main heads also of the discourse they are obvious to every eye touched upon by divers expositors upon the Commandements and hinted also in many worthy Catechises but neither let this be any stumbling block to thee but peruse this discourse also and read it over with a teachable heart and thou maiest find I trust through grace some peculiar blessing superadded by the Lord even upon this discourse also Who knoweth not that mans dull and deceitfull heart will not oftimes be moved with generals and common heads of holy doctrine or practice lightly touched upon but when drawn out into particulars and those being distinctly handled wisely applyed and strongly urged and pressed upon the conscience the strong holds of sin and Satan in man come to be thrown down through the power of God accompanying the same every deceitfull reasoning of mans heart is met withall and refuted and every high thing in man which did formerly exalt it self against Christ is by grace captivated and subdued Surely if the plain matters herein discoursed of may have that privilege in reference to the soul which meats of more common and ordinary use have in respect to the body namely to nourish most and to breed the best blood the discourse will attain one speciall end thereof The subject of this discourse Christian Reader it is in the naturo thereof Oeconomicall respecting the Family specially but in the consequences and concernments thereof it may not be unfitly termed Politicall yea Ecclesiasticall as that namely which very nearly respecteth and concerneth the welfare of State and Church The glorious creator of all things having abundance of Spirit he could at first and at once have made millions of people who might presently have constituted civill states and Churches also but he chose that course rather to lay the foundations both of State and Church in a family making that the Mother Hive out of which both those swarms of State and Church issued forth And as he begun both State and Church Entitative and Essentiall in Adams Family so when God himself would institute a more compleat and Organick Church and Common-wealth he laid the foundations of both in the Family of Abraham and Isaac especially of Jacob the Originall Family of all consisting of Parents and Children firstly then of Masters and Servants nextly The originall then of State and Church being the Family they are both in that respect concerned in it yea as the Family is an Originall to States and Churches in their Essentials so also in their Morals in their manners As that Nursery is better or worse and the plants thereof of more or less worth so are both the Orchards of State and Church Cantic 4. 12. which are thence stored with Trees better or worse and their fruits more or less wholsome if that School be but well ordered and the lesser Scholars in it well principled and grounded Prov. 4. 4. those which afterwards come to be made use of for more eminent use and service in State and Church they will be the more precious ornaments to them both if that lesser Artillery Company of Trained Persons Gen. 14. 14. be but well looked after and mannaged the Commanders and File-leaders which issue thence into those greater Armies of State Job 29. 25. and of Church Cantic 6. 4. they commonly prove more famous in their Achievements and exploits As the waters at that wel-head of State and Church are more or less pure or wholsome bitter or sweet so are they usually of like sort in those streams of State and Church which borrow their Originall and supply from that spring Numb 24. 7. And Oh that the Lord would so far bless this discourse that it might become instrumentall to the healing of any naughty waters of any such springs as sometimes he did of that at Jericho by means of Elishas casting of Salt thereinto 2 Kings 2. 21 22. that there might be no more such spirituall death and barrenness as is chiefly occasioned in Church and State by corruptions in the Family in these declining and degenerating dayes Something no doubt is amiss in parents something in Children both may hence have healing if the Lord but speak the word with him therefore I leave this my poor
Children have nothing to give Parents to be a temptation to bribe their affections to them nor are they of any power to curb them any way to enforce respects to them and so they are more pure Whereas in both these regards Childrens respects to Parents may be leavened Yea Parents as Parents are instruments in Gods hands of their Childrens Souls being in their bodies and so of the faculties of their Souls and so of their naturall affections in them and of that affection of love and fear amongst the rest and therefore they may well chalenge the honourable improvement of them to themselves so far as God alloweth the same To conclude Children will never honour Parents with the honour of Reverence Obedience or Recompence or the like unlesse they give the honour of respect love due to them therefore give them this their due Now that Children may be helped and furthered in doing this Helps to it 1 Dread of the vile sin of unnaturalnesse 1. Possesse your hearts with a deep sense and dread of the heinous nature of the sin of unnaturalness which is wont to be accompanied with the vilest sins against God and Man as by comparing Rom. 2. 28 29 30 31 32. and 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4. may be discerned Such persons who are without naturall affections commonly proving Blasphemous against God ingrateful to God and men unholy truce and Covenant-breakers whisperers back-biters false accusers of others they are commonly given to uncleanness and wantonness they are fierce and furious of a cruell Salvage unmercifull implacable spirit they are despisers of those that are good they are even haters of God they are haters of other men of a spightfull malicious quarrelsome and envious Spirit in a word They are full of all unrighteousnesse and deceit themselves and inventors of evill things evill opinions evill practises ringleaders in sin authors of sin to others If sundry of these scandalous persons in old and new England were closely search'd into they would be found to be persons who have been are unnaturall to their Parents 2. Take heed of any leading causes which breed and feed unnaturalness and undermine naturall 2. Avoiding causes of unnaturalnesse of affection as 1. Ignorance affection to Parents such as are 1. Ignorance of God and of his word and of the matters of Religion Rom 1. 31. without understanding without naturall affection if without understanding what wonder if without naturall affection 2. Self-love for they that are so full of self-love 2. Self-love have never a due proportion of love left for God or man for Parents or others 2 Tim. 3. 2. For men shall be lovers of themselves and verse 3. without naturall affection 3. A worldly covetous Spirit ibid. Covetous 3. Covetousnesse without naturall affection a Spirit of the love of the world will eat out as the love of the Father of our Spirits John 2. 15. so that of the Father of our flesh also whose Fatherhood is an Image of that in God Such if they shew respect to Parents it is but for their own advantage and gaine and if the respect to them may not stand with their gain or must be to their outward losse then adieu respect to Parents 4. A proud Spirit 2 Tim. 3. 3 4. Without naturall affection high-minded Absolom who was so Pride high-minded what wonder is it if he prove so unnaturall to his Father 5. A Voluptuous Spirit ibid. Without naturall affection lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Voluptuousnesse They that respect their pleasures so much they never respect God as they shold nor their parents Esaus inordinatenesse of affection to his hunting brings him to that Gen. 25. that he despiseth his birth-right as his Fathers eldest Son and therein virtually despiseth his Father and his voluptuous desires after the Canaanitish women make him carelesse of grieving his Father and Mother and so far unnaturall to them Gen. 26. 3. Getting their hearts truly turned to the Lord. 3. Labour to get your hearts turned to God effectually and in love with him as a Father and then whatsoever alienations of heart there were in you from your Parents before yet then Childrens hearts will be also turned fully to your good Parents Ma. 4. 6. Jo. Baptist its said by the blessing of grace upon his Ministry turning persons to the Lord to the faith to the wisedome of the Just as Luke hath said it Luk. 1. 17. he shall turn the hearts of the Children to their good Fathers which whilest the Children were wicked they could not well abide to be controuled reproved curbed and corrected as they were by them and so their good Fathers also whose hearts were much taken off from those Children for their vilenesse should be turned towards their Children or as some say the unnaturall distances bred betwixt Parents and Children by many sects and opinions too rife among the Jewes when by sound doctrine they were brought to rights and to the truth those alienations should be healed Only Cautions about Childrens love to Parents 1. Not such as to approve sin in Parents in the love of Children to Parents let these cautions be observed 1. Look that it be not such as to approve of the evill saiyings principles or practises of your ungodly or of your seducing or seduced Parents It s blamed in them Psal 40. 13. their posterity approve their sayings Jer. 7. 18. The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle a fire and the women knead the dough to make Cakes to the Queen of heaven 2 King 15. 13. Asaph loved his Mother well as his Mother but he hateth her Idol he destroyeth and burneth it Abraham loveth his Father Terah well but will not go after his way of Idol-worship Josh 24. 2 3. God commendeth it in the Son who seeth all his fathers sins and considereth and doth not such like Ezek. 18. 14. 2. Let it not be such as to follow their evill Of 2. Such as to follow their sinfull Counsell Counsel in any thing as Ahaziah who walked in the waies of Ahab for his Mother was his Consellour 2 Chron. 22. 3. And as Herodias who being before instructed of her Mother said to Herod give me here John Baptists head in a charger Mat. 14. 8. 3. Let it not be so as to keep their dangerous Or 3. Such as to keep their sinfull Counsel and wicked Counsel in any way of wickednesse but rather seasonably to reveal it Michol Sauls Daughter did well in this to tell her husband David of her Fathers Sauls bloody design against him so that he escaped 1 Sam. 19. 11 12. The like did Jonathan to David Cap. 20 3 4. 4. That it be not so as when you are called of Or 4. Not to bear seasonable witness against their evils God to it then not to bear seasonable witnesse against their sin as in case of Parents seducing Children from the Lord and his
to others To them thence those titles of Honour expressed in childrens speeches to Parents as in Rachels to Laban Gen. 31. 35. let not my Lord be displeased So in Isaac's to Abraham Gen. 22. 7. my Father c. So in Davids to Saul 1 Sam. 24. 11. moreover see my Father c. And cap. 26. 28. wherefore doth my Lord thus pursue after his Servant c. So in speaking of them Prov. 31. 28. her children rise up aad call her blessed 5. To attend duly to their counsells 5. They are to attend reverently to their counsels or instructions Prov. 4. 1. hear ye children he instruction of a Father and attend to know understanding and vers 20. My Son attend to my words 6. They must meekly and humbly subject 6. To subject to their Corrections themselves to their seasonable corrections Heb. â—2 9. if Fathers of our flesh correcting us we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits correcting of us and live 7. To express filial shame and blushing to Parents 7. To blush and be ashamed of faults upon occasion of faults and sins against them especially when Parents deal with children for the same the Greek word in Heb. 12. 9. we gave them reverence it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies we turned away our face by reason of shame Numb 22. 14. if her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed Hitherto belong humble confessions to Parents with shame and blushing of unworthy acts of children against them especially Like the Prodigall in the parable who Luke 15. 21. saith to his Father Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be call'd thy Son in this sense is the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Company not with them that they may be ashamed even outwardly also confess and take holy shame for their scandals So Tit. 2. 8. that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evill thing to say of you 2. Inward Reverence is due from Children to Or inward as inwardly to fear Parents Levit. 19. 3. ye shall fear every one his Mother and his Father and so Children 1. They are inwardly to own the very persons 1. Their persons and parentall relations and Authority of their Parents ye shall fear every man his Mother and Father that is their very persons relations and Authority 2. They are inwardly to awe the commandâ— 2. Their words reproofs threats and corrections of Parents thiâ— is filial and not slavish fear Jer. 35. 6. Jonadab's posterity even when tempted to do otherwise yet the awe of his commands made them not to dare to transgress them 3. They are inwardly to fear to lose parents favour 3. To lose their favour or to incur their just displeasure by giving them any just offence as Jacob Gen. â—7 12. My Father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing 4. They are to fear to cross any weighty intents 4. To cross their just intents purposes or desires of parents especially when in sacred matters so Jephtah his daughter Judg. 11. 36. and she said My Father if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth 5. They are to fear that trouble or heart-grief 5. To grieve them should be occasioned to parents if they can prevent it So Saul 1 Sam. 9. 5. Come let us return lest my Father leave caring for the Asses and take thought for us So Judah Gen. 44. 34. how shall I go to my Father and the Lad be not with me lest peradventure I see the evill that shall come upon my Father 6. They are to fear to fall short of their blessing 6. To fall short of their blessing and benefit of parents prayers and of their godly parentall wishes and Counsels hence when Joseph heard that his Father Jacob was so sick he made such haste to him carrying his sons with him that he and they might not miss of Jacobs blessing even rude Esau was amazed when he heard that his Father had blessed his brother instead of him Gen. 27. 34. hence that bitter cry Bless me even me also O my Father 7. They are also to be inwardly as well as outwardly 7. To be inwardly also ashamed of faults before them ashamed that parents have just cause of distaste against them at any time so giving reverence to parents Heb. 12. 9. may according to the Greek word used there be rendered being ashamed before them hence the derivative from that verb is used 1 Cor. 6. 5. and 15. 34. to signifie shame inward and outward as there I speak this to your shame even of heart also So here the Awfull childe like that prodigall occasioning just distaste in his Father against him he is inwardly ashamed of it and therefore confesseth his sin against his Father and unworthiness to be called his Son All which is clearly seen in the presidentiall filial fear of Gods children to their heavenly Father they inwardly fear his Fatherhood and Fatherly Authority his commands reproofs threats and corrections the loss of his favour and incurring of his displeasure by their offending of him at any time they are affraid to cross his mind in any thing or to grieve his Spirit themselves or that it should be grieved by others they are affraid to fall short of his Fatherly blessing and are inwardly ashamed and even confounded that at any time they offend displease grieve or provoke him The use of this branch of the point serveth Use 1. For reproof 1. Of childrens irreverence 1. For Reproof 1. Of Children for all that rudeness and irreverence of yours towards your parents as if you had forgotten that you were children or as if principles of piety yea of morality were extinct in you And this alas how common an evill is it in children even of professours how rudely do they sit before their parents and how irreverently do they carry it in their gestures before them how loud will too many be gabling laughing and flouting even in their parents presence how forward are they to prevent or interrupt their parents in speaking or to answer them again if rebuked by them whereas those in Job time even Princes and Nobles refrained talking in his presence or whil'st he as a civill Father of the state was speaking Job 29. 9 10. and vers 22. after his words they spake not again Elihu when in the presence of Fathers to him in Age is affraid to speak much more to interrupt them whil'st speaking Job 32. 4 6 7. And dare children word it so before their parents Again how over-familiar do too many children make themselves with their parents as if hail-fellow well met as they say
thought Parents in many respects denyed themselves for their childrens sakes fared the harder that they might have food enough sometimes spared it from their own bellies that their children might have it they went meanly and coarsely clad that the children might have the better apparel especially those little children that were more shiftless that the rest they should be sure to have of the best they could get for them Let children also in many respects deny themselves for their more shiftless parents sake It was not cost their parents stood upon according to their abilities and ranck they would willingly sequester of the best of their estates so their children might have what was fit for them for back or belly for their education to literature or other imployments as they were thereof more capable let children repay like for like in this to spare no cost for them and to let parents partake of the best of what God giveth them and not of the refuse thereof for their supply It was an ingenious Act of Reuben who finding a thing better than ordinary a Mandrake he bringeth and giveth it to his Mother Leah Gen. 30. 14. And Sampson if he meet with hony and hony-combe his Father and Mother shall have part of it Judg. 14. 9 And Joseph sendeth his Father not of the refuse but of the good things or better sort of things of Egypt Gen. 45. 23. And when he commeth to Egypt he doth not put him into some wast building or into some blind and old hole and barren out-corner of the Land but he procureth him and his houshold to be placed in Goshen in the best part of Egypt Gen. 45. 13. compared with Chap. 47. 6. And what though children should be fain to spare somewhat from themselves for such like needfull supplies of their parents out of their best things yet they must do like for like their parents having done as much and more for them as we said even now It is a good speech of Aristotle Ethic. l. 9. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children seem in speciall fort to be bound as debtors to supply their parents with things necessary for their provision And it is more comely to supply necessaries to the causes of our being than to our selves And then he addeth that speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we must give honour to them even as it were to Gods see in what a plentifull way by the light of nature this heathen Philosopher seeth children ought to minister to their parents even in all things they stand need of and in what a self-denying way Judging it meetest for children to prefer their parents in such supplies before themselves and in what an honourable awfull and conscientious way as I may call it all should be carryed even as if they were offering some Sacrifice to God himself And how justly all this is due from children to parents it s not a matter left to their own curtesie and will whether they will do it or not do it nor is it a matter of meer charity as alms to other poor but children are bound thereto as debtors and no wonder he saith its meeter we provide for the causes of our being than for our selves For he maketh children and that rightly parents debtors as he doth else-where in his Ethicks and debtors we know must in case take care to pay their Creditors and to Live of the rest as the Prophet advised her 2 Kings 4. So must children in case spare it from their own selves that parents may Reasons why recompence is due to parents are taken 1. from Childrens state as Children being Gods rewards be supplyed Now let us briefly give some reasons of this duty The 1. Reason may be taken from the Condition and state of children as children they are or should be made up of recompence be all recompence they are given of God to their godly parents as rewards Psal 128. 3. The fruit of the womb is his reward God intends them as rewards if they prove otherwise than such every way they do what in them lyeth to frustrate Gods ends so are they an heritage of the Lord Ibid. Not alone such as God will improve for his own honour and possess for his own use but such as should by the blessing of God Minister a blessed income of comfort succour support and supply to their parents as from the Lord by them according as they may stand in need thereof 2. Reason may be taken from the nature of such 2. From the nature of such recompence it is piety gratefull recompence it is counted and called of God by the name of piety 1 Tim. 5. 4. Let them learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exercise piety towards their own house or to requite their parents In some cases it is preferred before giving to religious uses as to the Corban for Temple uses Mark 7. 10 11 12 13. Christ condemneth the giving to the Corban that which should have been rather sequestred for parents supply by their Children 3. Reason from the justice and equity of it 3. From the justice and equity of it children have received their very essence and existence instrumentally from parents and that is more than all that which children can Minister to them as Christ said in another case Is not the life more than meat and the body than rayment and so I might say here and what then can children return to parents in lieu thereof besides all the cares fears exercises and troubles of parents in behalf of their Childrens outward and inward welfare for which children can never make them amends 4. From the benefits comming by parents 4. Reason may be taken from that blessed fruit which children of good parents reap even in outward blessings by their Prayers blessing covenant-interests and the like A good man leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children respecting the outward as well as the inward man Prov. 20. 7. the just mans children are blessed after him in outward matters so far as is good for them as well as in spirituall things Psal 112. 1 2 3. The seed of fearers of God have Gods promise of becomming mighty upon the earth and the generation of the upright shall be blessed blessed indefinitely and so every way blessed blessed in their bodies blessed in their spirits blessed in their names in their labours in their estates in their relations in their undertakings in their choices and changes blessed in their protections provisions plenty and the like And surely children are then bound in regard of so much good which commeth by their parents to communicate to them in all the good blessings of God which for their sakes they the rather received Let us now make some use and application of what hath been said the use serveth Use 1. For reproof and conviction to all Use of reproof 1. To ingratefull Children children who are ungratefull to your parents to be unthankfull to any
last saying how have I hated instruction It is the reproof he hath had but despised how hath my heart despised reproof it is the voyce of his teachers which he hath heard but not obeyed I have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers If one might lay ones ear in the other world at the mouth of the bottomless pit one should hear many such desperate moans and yellings out such complaints so that though poor Parents suffer by such wretches as you are at the present yet a time will come when you your selves shall thus clear them and condemn your selves 3. Such Children of Christian Parents who take to deboist company and take up any Ruffianly 3. For deboist company and courses customs or courses in your hair in your garb in your jovialling and rioting Prov. 17. 2. A wise servant shall have rule over a Son that causeth shame a deboist Son who is not fit to be trusted with any business of his Fathers putteth shame even upon his Father and Family as well as upon himself Christians are spiritual Priests unto God 1 Pet. 2. 5. truly as it was of old Num 21. 9. the daughter of any Priest if she profane her self she profaneth her Father so it is here such profane Children as you are you do even profane your very good Parents Or as it is in the case of Elders of Churches it s put upon their account of blame if their Children be accused of Riot or are unruly and therefore it s said Tit. 1. 6 7. If he be blameless having Children not accused of riot or unruly for a Bishop must he blameless c. So is it true of other godly Parents some blemish and blame reflecteth upon them when their Children are so culpable such scandalous Children of the Church as you are It is no wonder that you get no good by your Education if given to such loose companions and their Counsels this is the cause of the other as it was in Rehoboam when those young blades gave him that boisterous counsell 2 Chron. 11. 4. He slighted the grave counsell of those Ancient Fathers of the State so it is here hang it will such companions say what needst thou care what the old man saith nor is it likely that ever such a Son should be better so long as knit to such comrades Prov. 9. 6. Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding yea but first those companions must be cashiered yea this also is the cause of the first branch of dishonour cast upon your Parents by deriding of their good Children Psal 1. 1. There is a gradation 1. A man walketh in the counsell of the ungodly 2. Then he standeth in the way of sinners then 3. He taketh up his chair he sitteth in the seat of the scorners such snares are there in the way of the froward to others as well as to themselves Prov. 22. 5. And so true is it that evill communication corrupteth good manners 4. Such Children as match dishonourably to 4. For matching dishonourably your Parents even to your Christian Parents profession and gracious interests so did that posterity of Seth the Children of the Church in matching with the posterity of out-cast Cain Gen. 6. 2. The Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all which they chose thus did Esau dishonour that blessed stock of which he came to match into the cursed brood and Family of Cham Gen. 26. 34 35. And Judah did too much this way Gen. 38. 2. and God put dishonour upon him in that vile brood which came of his Canaanitish wife Shuah even Er and Onan whose vile wickedness God immediately revenged Vers 7 9 10. And no wonder since he so much dishonoured his Father and Fathers house by that match and so mingled the holy seed with the people of the lands as it s called Ezra 9. 2. And they said truly though they spake it guilefully Gen. 34. 14. We cannot give our Sister to one that is uncircumcised for that were a reproach when such matches are made by your selves yet your Parents are supposed if not censured by others either to abuse their parentall Authority in way of Commission contrary to Gods Rules forbidding such unequall matchings or to neglect their Authority in way of sin of omission of duty for prevention of such an evill and so your Parents come hereby to suffet reproach besides by such unworthy matches vile practices come to arise which yet were more reflect upon your godly Parents Honour As was too evident in that posterity of the Sons of God and Daughters of men Gen. 6. 2 3 4 5. and in Judahs brood by Shuah now mentioned and in that mungrell generation which spake half the Jewes Language and half the Language of Ashdod This also tendeth to undermine those direct Acts of Honour due to your Parents such bad Husbands will be hindring the wives due respect to her good Parents or any due reverence to them or filiall obedience to them or any filiall recompence of them and the like mischief will a bad wife do in that way to her husband to withdraw him from giving due Honour to his good Father or Mother as too common experience maketh it good but God will pay such of you home either by laying you as low as hell in troubling and terrifying your consciences for such courses of which there are sometimes examples or if not that way yet by some notable judgements of his exposing you to contempt as he did those of the old world 5. Such persons are especially to be reproved 5. For degerating from the good precepts and practices of their godly parents and Ancestors who being Children of the Church Children of godly Parents and Ancestors yet walk not after the precepts which they often gave you nor in the blessed paths wherein they exemplary led you yea you steer a contrary course unto that of your gracious Fathers or Mothers Grand-fathers or Grand-mothers yea some of you who possibly have been convinced of the evill of your State by nature and have been so far wrought upon as to give good hops of the best things to bebegun in you yet you also come afterwards to degenerate like those Sons of God Sons of the Church Gen. 6. 2. who receive not so much as the Footsteps of any of the gracious wayes of their good Ancestors such a generation are spoken of Judg. 2. 7 10 12 17. And the people served God all the daies of Joshuah and all the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshuah And all that generation died and there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord. And they forsook the Lord God of their Fathers they turned quickly out of the way which their Fathers walked in obeying the Commandements of the Lord but they did not so Your Parents and Ancestors made conscience of reading and hearing the word of God