Senacheribs sons did it as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his God they smote him with the sword 2 King 19. 37. Surely the Law even all the Curses and Judgments of the Law must needs be the portion of such Paricides 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who so ill requite their tender-hearted Parents and causes of their lives A second use serveth for exhortation 1. To 2. Use of exhortation Parents Do you what lieth in you to further and look 1. To parents to further this gratitude in their Children 1. By leaving them the choycer blessings of God that you no way do any thing to hinder your children in this duty of gratefull recompencing of Parents for which end 1. Take speciall care to leave your children the good blessings of God respecting their souls welfare for this will lie as a strong ingagement upon your childrens hearts the rather gratefully to recompence you their Parents Thus God required of them of old that they should so carry it that they might leave the Land of Canaan a Type of blessings of an higher nature for an inheritance to their Children for ever The like is charged 2 Chron. 28. 8. This was the gratious care of the Fathers of the two tribes and half to detain their children in the way of Gods worship and fear and to prevent whatsoever might hinder or discourage their posterity from the same Josh 22. 25 26 27 28. And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing saying in time to come your children might speak to our Children saying what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel yee have no part in the Lord So shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore we said let us now prepare to build us an altar not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifice but that it may be a witnesse between us and you and our generations after us that we might do the service of the Lord before him c. This was Joshuah's care also for his Josh 24. 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord And this was Abrahams care Gen. 28. 29. I know him saith the Lord that he will command his Children and household after him and they shall walk in his waies that God may bring upon Abraham namely in his posterity what he hath promised him 2. Use all lawfull meanes industry and providence to leave your Children in such places and 2. By leaving them inabling meanes and wayes for it in such callings and if it may be with such portions that they may not alone be the more ingaged but inabled also in an ordinary way of providence to discharge such a duty of filial recompence to the utmost Thus Jacobs care was to provide for his house Gen. 30. 30. and he had children solicitous and industrious to provide for him in his straits in that time of famine witness their journeyes for that end into Egypt Gen. 42. and 43 and 44. But in a most eminent way it was seen in his Son Ioseph whose great care was that way Gen. 45. 9. Thus saith thy Son Joseph Come down to me and tarry not and vers 10. Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen and thou shalt be near to me thou and thy Children and thy Childrens Children and thy flocks and herds and all that thou hast vers 22. and there will I nourish thee for yet there are five years of Famine lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty 3. By distilling into Children principles of gratitude to others and curbing the contrary in them 3. Distil into your children principles of gratitude to others especially unto progenitors So did Ruth into Obed her Son whence that prophetical speech of good women present at Obeds birth which they spake to his Grandmother Naomi Ruth 4. 15. He shall be to thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thy old age for thy Daughter-in-law which loveth thee and therefore will be instructing him that way hath born him And if Parents perceive any expressions of an ungratefull Spirit in their Children though towards others let them be sure to rebuke their children for it and seasonably to root up such sprouts of so bad a Spirit So did good Jethro in his Daughters when they told him what kindness Moses had done to them Exod. 2. 19 20. saith he to his Daughters and where is he why is it that ye left the man call him that he may eat bread 4. Be you exemplary to your Children in this 4. By being examples thereof to Children gratefull recompence of your Parents Hence also their Argument concerning Obed that he would prove such a pious child to his Grandmother Naomi Ruth 4. 15. He will be a nourisher of thy old age For thy Daughter which loveth thee which is better to thee then seaven sons and in her exemplary piety towards thee hath born him If children are continually taught by Parents examples of piety to their parents as well as by their Instructions to be thus pious they will assuredly learn as Pauls phrase is 1 Tim. 5. 4. to shew piety at home and to requite their Parents 5. Be it far from you to be so ungracious towards 5. By avoiding any thing favouring of unnaturalness to them your godly children as not to shield off blowes from them what in you lieth like the Father and Mother of the blind man leave him to shift for himself with He is of years let him answer for himself John 9. 21 22. So did not Joash who in that honest cause of his son Gideon stood in his defence Iudg. 6. 31. Joash said to all that stood by him against his Son will you plead for Baal will you save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whilest it is yet morning if he be a God let him plead for himself because one hath cast down his Altar But much less let any Parent requite good children so ill as themselves to undermine their childrens safety or liberty Luke 21. 16. Yee shall be betrayed by Parents c. 2. It is of exhottation to children 2. Exhortation to Children gratefully to recompence Parents Motives to it Be you stirred up to piety and gratefull recompence to your Parents And that you may be stirred up hereunto besides that it is honourable in the sight of God Angels and Men so to do whence such Records kept of gratefull Children in honorem as of Joseph and others Consider 1. That by the very light of nature it hath been 1. Naturall light strongly urged and exemplarily practised as we have hinted before Plato in his 8. Book de Republica sheweth that a Child oweth to the Father all things respecting his outward maintainance and comfort as a recompence for his Birth and Education and Tully saith We are not born for our selves but partly for our Country partly for
that Isaiah made account that for the sins whereby those degenerate ones brake Gods everlasting Covenant Isa 24. 3. The earth should reel to and fro like a Drunkard and that the trangression thereof shall be heavy upon it vers 20. Now if such Covenant-breaking sins of degenerate ones be such as they are a burthen too heavy for the very earth to bear and such as maketh the very earth to stagger under it like a Drunkard me thinks the burthen of such a sin should make your backs and hearts ake and crack and even reel under it if it do not so now yet let all degenerate ones know that God will one day awaken your consciences when you shall say with that terrified Apostate degenerate Cain My punishment or my sin is greater than I can bear 3. Hereby you become grosly unfaithfull yea 3. It is unfaithfulness and treachery to God Ancestours posterity and the whole Church treacherous to your God to your Ancestours to your Parents to posterity to the whole Church God made you his Trustees and so did Ancestours and Parents make you their spirituall Trustees under God to hold up Religion Truth the Worship Waies and Goverment of Christ when they should be gathered to their Fathers they look at and leave you their Children to be a seed of the Church to be as plants to hold up Gods Orchards as Churches are called Cant. 4. 12 13. and as lesser sets and slips to maintain the Lords Gardens of which Cant. 8. 12 to be the Lords hand and theirs also to receive his Truth Worship and Government from them under God and faithfully and intirely to deliver the same to your posterity and so to help to propagate the same to such as come after you Psal 78. 5. The Lord established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children vers 6. That the generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children vers 7. That they might set their hope in God The like course of continuation and propagation of his wayes and truth among the Gentiles doth the Lord pitch upon Psal 22. 30 31. A seed shall serve him It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation they shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this hence that twofold censure of God upon the two houses of Israel and Judah Hos 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull to the Saints namely past present and to come that Tribe was more faithfull in the matter of Gods charge left with them and they were faithfull to their godly Ancestors or Parents who left also the things of God to them and they were therein also more faithfull to posterity who would come to be spirituall gainers thereby hitherto Abijahs speech is appliable also 2 Chro. 13. 11. We of Judah keep the charge of the Lord our Ged but yee Israelites have for saken him hence that degenerate generation in Deut. 32. 20. are said to be Children in whom is no faith or fidelity or trustiness and truth in the matter of their holy charge delivered to them and truly if it were no more for a sprinkling of a better generation here and there of the godly than for such as you are what in an ordinary way would become of the way of God of religion of Church within a few years And such as you are do what in you lyeth to break and ruine posterity and the succession of Churches It s true indeed if all such fail as Matth. 3. 9. God is able out of stones to raise up Children unto Abraham by unlikely wayes and means to raise up another seed of the Church but yet in regard of second causes and Gods ordinary way of dispensation if all such plants and nurceries fail Gods Orchard and Garden-Churches must fail 4. It is going a whoring from God 4. Hereby you go a whoring from God Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God saith God to those degenerate ones Hos 9. 1. You are by Covenant as married to God as God spake of that Apostate degenerate posterity when he would quicken them up to return to him Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back-sliding Children saith the Lord for I am married to you yea but in respect of you that marriage Covenant is broken as by spirtuall whoredome of which Jam. 4. 4. Speaking of professors and members of Churches that yet were turned aside from God Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses saith the Lord. Now how odious a sin is Adultery with men and surely this spirituall whordome is very heinous in Gods sight and deeply provoking hence that Psal 73. 27. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee 5. Hereby you become stumbling blocks to others 5. It occasioneth much sin in others and occasion in them both evils of commission and omission Oh it s an Attractive a load-stone to draw company of other youngsters why there will be such and such a members a Ministers an Elders Son or Daughter there It hardens others in their evill why I drank not I plaid not such a Lords day or the like alone such and such members Elders Sons or Daughters did so as well as I. I wear not such long hair alone I go not in such and such fashions alone I hold not such and such opinions which you Judge corrupt alone but such and such Church Members and their Children do as much 1 Sam. 2. 17. The sin of Elies Sons it s said was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 6. Hereby you not alone cross what in you 6. It is a crossing even of God's expectation lyeth the Churches the Churches Officers your Parents your godly instructors and friends expectations but you do in a sense also cross the Lords expectations touching you like that degenerate posterity Esay 63. 8. God said of them surely they are my people Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour ves 10. but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit So Esay 5. 3 4. Wherefore when I looked for grapes did it bring forth wild grapes God maketh account speaking after the manner of men and according to the way of his generall will and to second causes and the like that surely they would be trusty to him and his truth and way and they would be fruitfull but they proved otherwise so may God say of such as we are now speaking of but as that was most grievous in them before God severely punished in them so is this in these degenerate ones your crime is heinous your punishment will be most dreadfull if you speedily repent not Now
then to be acting in all the holy exercises of the day according to their understandings as in reading discourse about good things prayer singing of Psalms blessing their meat and such like Leviticus 19. 3. every one without limitation is charged you shall every man fear his Father and every man his Mother and as a fruit and pledge of it keep my Sabbaths See more Deut. 31. 11 12. Joshua 8. 35. Deut. 16. 10 11 16. It was the devill in Pharaoh who would not have had the Israelites Children to have gone with them to sacrifise in the wilderness but to have stayed in Egypt the while their parents went about it Exod. 5. 3. with 10. 11. and no doubt he was too busie with Christs own Disciples when they would have hindred the good peoples Children from their neer approaches to Christ Mark 10. 13 14. and it s from Sathan that some now adays would not have Children whilest Children taught the ways or things of God Catechistically or practically as to pray or the like contrary to the very grain of that Scripture Prov. 22. 6. 7. Let them be trained up to some honest callings especially to the Ministry if of parts that way 7. let parents look well to it that none of their Children whilest young live idly but that they be trained up to some honest and laudable callings and imployments Adam trained up his sons to husbandry Gen. 4. 1 2 3 4. and such of your Children as may be men capable of learning let parents set them apart for learning David had his Tutors for his sons 1 Chro. 27. 32. Such capacity and dispositions in youth for Scholastick indouments and imployments they also are Talents of God bestowed upon children would not be buried in the earth and oftentimes as it fareth with lustier soil being not answerably husbandred it brings forth more weeds than other ground So in Children of good naturall parts and not well ordered and imployed in learning and arts they often prove the worse yea albeit such naturall parts should not be abused thus but better imployed yet as Prov. 16. 21. the sweetness of the lips ability of sweetness aptness and elegancy of expression it addeth an ornament and grace and force to what is spoken it increaseth learning and indeed in an ordinary way of common prudence and providence although parents in some conditions may strain hard to bring up their sons to be Scholars it is in it self a far better portion than barely to leave them such a portion of mony or goods or Lands God himself accounts such liberal sciences among the number of his chiefer gifts Dan. 1. 17. speaking of Daniel and his three companions as for these four Children God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdome It s spoken in the commendation of Moses by Stephen Acts 1. 7. 22. that he had skill in all learning of the Aegyptians verily it was well for the Church in Moses his time and for the Church in Daniels time that Daniel and Moses when they were young were so well educated and gifted with skill in all learning and wisdome God will reward good parents also as well as bad according to the fruit of their doings John 17. 10. if by the fruit of your education blessing of God upon the education of your Children to learning they come to do much more good either in Church or common-wealth all that good will be partly put upon the good parents account also as well as added to the good Childes score and in particular the more to incourage Christian parents to educate and sequester their Children which have good naturall parts unto learning in reference to the ministry in speciall sort let me adde a word or two let such remember Hannahs example who in setting apart her son Samuel presently upon his comming to be trained up under Elies tuition for the Ministry she is sayed herein to lend him to the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 24 28. compared and cap. 2. 20 21. it appeareth that she lost nothing by this loan Remember also what a favour and wonder of bounty and faithfulness of God is extended to you that God will take any of your children for such an imployment of his and of his Church namely for the Ministry amongst three of the most notable acts that God did for Israel next to that of bringing them up out of Egypt to that of destroying the Canaanites for them Amos 2. 9 10. this is reckoned one I raised up of your sons for Prophets to conclude remember also what an honour God putteth upon your Children and what favour he sheweth them therein 1 Tim. 1. 12. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord saith Paul who enabled me for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministry when God would honour Phinehas he putteth this upon him as by a perpetuall Covenant that he and his children shall be the Lords Priests Numb 25. it was the honour also that God put upon the tribe of Levi that for Levies zeal in that business at Massah and Meribah his Vrim and Thummim his Priestly indowments and ornaments of Priestly imployments should be upon him Deut. 33. 8 9. it was the honour at first put upon Israels first-born only to be the Lords and for the Lords Ministeriall service whence Exod. 24. 5. and he sent the young men of the Children of Israel their first born who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of Oxen unto the Lord afterwards indeed in honour of the Levits the Levits were taken to be the Lords or for the Lords Ministeriall service and bestowed upon Aaron and his sons who successively were to be Gods high Priests 3 Numb 12. 41. and cap. 8. 16 19. compared it must needs be an honour to the ministers calling and such as are therein conscionably imployed that the blessed God in his counsels respecting the souls welfare of his people which in themselves and by nature were rebellious to the intent that by his blessing upon the Ministry in their hearts God might come to dwell amongst them he ordered it thus that Christ dying and rising again should ascend into heaven and there receive from his father as an honourable boon of favour gifts for men even for his people in themselves Rebellious that God might by his blessing thereupon dwell amongst them Psalm 68. 18. upon his actual ascension as Paul expresseth it Eph. 4. 8 11 12 13. He gave those gifts so received to men to his people and Church That is as the Apostle expoundeth those gifts to be vers 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and a perfect man c. No greater honour surely than this to be given as a Coronation-mercy to Christ ascending and from Christ given back again as
sollicitous to hold up their Aged and miscarrying Father Noahs Honour yea though tempted by their brother Chams derisive tale about their Father to have disrespected him yet see their conscientious care of maintaining their respect and reverence to their Father in avoyding any occasion as sight of his nakedness which might have drawn on contempt of him in them Gen. 9. 22. And Ham the Father of Canaan saw his Fathers nakedness and told his two brethren without vers 23. And Shem and Japhet took a garment and laid it upon their shoulders and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their Father and their faces were backward and they saw not their Fathers nakedness 3. When good Children do even thirst after 3. If Children thirst after Parents souls welfare their carnall Parents souls welfare and peace above others and are ever and anon contriving which way to help on that also Thus did Abraham what in him lay to help out his Idolatrous Father Terah from his course and way as might be shewed by comparing Acts 7. 3 4. with Gen. 11. end and 12. 1. and John 24. 2 3. 4. When they are as willing and joyfull to Honour 4. If as willing to Honour them as to be Honoured or rewarded by others Parents all the just wayes of Honour of them as they are to partake of any benefit of their parentall respects or bounty as they are to have it be well with them here or hereafter as they are to live long upon the earth or as they are to have the like due honor put upon them by children which they already have or may come to have themselvs 5. When they do not so soon forget their Parents after they are dead and gone Sarah was 90. years old when she bare Isaac Gen. 17. 17. And lived 37. years after For she died when she was 127. years old Gen. 23. 1. then Isaac was 37. years old he was 40. years old when he maried Rebeckah Gen. 25. 20. Which was three years after his Mothers death and when he married or took Rebeckah to wife then it was that Isaac was comforted after his Mothers death Gen. 24. 67. For three years space then this pious Son was ever and anon mourning in thoughts of his good Mothers death and God made this his sweet companion Rebeckah a speciall comfort to him against that trouble about his Mothers death A third use is of exhortation and that to Parents 3. Use Of exhortation 1. To Parents to further this their due Honour 1. By preventing their being either corrupted or dismayed in matters of Religion to indeavour what in you lieth to help forward your Children in their Conscionable performance of this their duty of Honour of Parents and for this end 1. Take very speciall care to prevent whatsoever either may corrupt them or any wayes discourage them in the matter of the Honour of God himself or of his word For if they grosly fail in the matter of the Honour of God of his word they will as grosly fail in the matter of Honour of Parents As we see in Elies Sons who were vilely corrupt in the matters of Religion as those of common honesty 1 Sam. 2. 12 13 14 15 16 17 22. and vers 25. they were as vile transgressours against the fifth Commandement requiring Honour to Parents they hearkened not to the voice of their Father Imitable therefore is that care of the Godly Fathers of the two Tribes and half to remove occasions of discouraging their Children from the fear or worship of God Josh 22. 25 26 27 28. And if we have not rather done it built this Altar of witness saying in time to come your children say they to the Fathers of the ten Tribes there met may say to our Children what have you to do with the God of Israel ye have no part in the Lord so shall your Children make our Children cease or be discouraged and Apostatise from fearing or worshiping the Lord. Oh! that Christian Parents would the rather keep out Anabaptistical principles and doctrines as from their own hearts so as much as may be from the eares and minds of their Children lest being told thereby that they have nothing to do with the God of Israel and they have no part in the Lord they are made thereby to cease or be discouraged from the fear or worship of the Lord but that by the way 2. Redress what in you lyeth if you did not 2. By redressing disorders in them one towards another prevent disorderly carriages of your Children towards one another for if they are inured to carry it badly one toward another they will also carry it dishonourably towards Parents Gen. 37. 23 24. Jacobs Sons who before their conversion carried it so unworthily towards Joseph they carried it as malepertly towards their Father Gen. 34. When vers 30. their sorrowfull Father had expressed his fears of the ruine of him and of his house which might be occasioned by his Sons Murther of the Shechemites they saucily answer vers 31. Should he deal with our Sister as with an Harlot Absolom that will carry it so cruelly and perfidiously towards his brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 28 29. He proved as very a perfidious and cruel wretch towards his own Father not many years after Cap. 15. Rebeckah's care therefore was imitable to prevent or remove the continuall discords and jarrs and mischiefs which might arise from that heart-grudge between Esau and Jacob which because she could not heal she sends away Jacob from Esaus company Gen. 27. 42 43 44 45. 3. Labour to be fearers and honourers of God your selves as an heavenly Father and then you 3. By being fearers of God themselves have the advantages of the promises of God that your Children shall be blessed also and consequently furnished with this spirituall blessing a spirit of Honour of Parents Psal 112. 2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed that they shall be a comfort to you as Vine-branches issuing from the wombs of your wives yielding in time grapes of Consolation to Parents in the wayes of due honour to God or Parents c. Psal 128. 1. Blessed is every one that feareth God c. And vers 2. happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee And vers 3. Thy wife shall be as a fruitfull Vine by the sides of thine house thy Children as Olive-plants round about thy Table which is not barely a promise that their wives shall have Children or many Children as if that made them so peculiarly happy as is promised they should be for ungodly persons are full of Children Ps 17. 14. They send forth their Children like a flock Job 21. 11. No but it s a promise of making the fearer of God happy in the qualification of his Children that they shall be such as shall yield wine of consolation to them in what they shall be to God and to their Parents and to
Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and Recompence to Fathers of our flesh and such carrying of it so by Children as it redoundeth to parents honour as we have largely declared O what Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and holy Recompence to him and what manner of carrying of it so as may redound to his Honour doth God expect from you his Chldren to whom he is not only a Father of your Spirit or Soul as he is to all others but a Covenant-Father If God require that to Parents from their Children upon pain of life and death he much more requireth this from you his Covenant and Church-Children upon pain of loss of eternal life and undergoing eternal death But is that the Honour of Respect which you who are degenerate Children give to this your Father to have no desire of the knowledge of his wayes As it is said of that degenerate generation in Job 21. 14 15. whether those in Jobs own time or those before the floud of whom Job 22. 15 16 17 18. but to wish rather what those wretches there mentioned that God might depart from you in respect of any such motions which he maketh and convictions and restraints upon your Spirits which sometimes you meet with and to take no delight at all in God in his word worship wayes daies government Saints and Servants Or is this the honour of Reverence which you give him to be awless fearless of his presence when you are in his house when at Prayer with your Parents or the like and to be constantly fearless of his displeasure or of sinning against him Or is this the Honour of Obedience which you give him to obey the motions of your own hearts lusts of your Companions of Seducers and of the very Divell himself but as for Gods charge or Commands you make light of them So that God may say of you as he did of that degenerate generation of old and speak of it as inter horrenda Hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished Children and they have rebelled against me the Oxe knoweth his owner the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinfull Nation Children that are corruptors they have forsaken the holy one they are gone away backward Isa 1. 2 3 4. And as Isa 30. 9. This is a rebellious people lying Children Children that will not hear the law of the Lord. Or is this the honour of holy Recompence which you should have rendered to him for all his benefits towards you to depart from him to vex and provoke his holy Spirit which is striving with you as he was with that degenerate generation in Gen. 6. 2 3. to corrupt your selves as did that other generation mentioned Deut. 32. 5. whose spot was not the spot of Children or of right-bred children of God who were a crooked and perverse generation Surely God may and doth say to you as he did by Moses to them vers 6. Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath not he made and established thee finally is this your being an honour to God your heavenly father to cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of for your sakes as it may be said of you which was said of those degenerate Jewes Rom. 2. 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God vers 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you when such as you are by your vile speeches carriages opinions or courses of life shall occasion the prophaner sort or enemies to God and his Church Ironically to say as they of old did of those degenerate Jewes Ezech. 36. 20. These are the people of the Lord So by your meanes others now a daies to say of you Yea these are your younger generation of the Church these are those that are in the Covenant of grace these are your Church-members these are they which in their Infant-Baptism were devoted to the faith and worship of Father Son and Holy Ghost these are the brood of such Puritan Ministers and other precise followers and the like blasphemous sarcasmes wherin the Lords precious name together with his Truth Covenant Saints and Servants are also vilely reproached Again as such Children are Gods Servants and Children so they are by externall calling Covenant and Church Interest his subjects also Of them is Gods kingdome Luk. 18. 16 17. Now for His Subjects such as you are who are the subjects of the Lord thus to break your Oath or Covenant of Allegiance and to reject his goverment over you by his Word Spirit or Discipline like those degenerate Jewes who said of the promised Messiah Jesus Christ We will not have this man to rule over us Luke 19. 27. Hereby you do but rebel against your Lord and Soveraign and what is rebellion but as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. even a hellish execrable and damnable crime But to proceed to the other branches of the evill of sin in this degeneration of such Children In which we shall be more brief 2. Hereby you become breakers of Covenant 2. It is a breach of Covenant with God with God with whom you are confederate Yea you hereby tear off the very seal of the Covenant even your Baptism Thus God when telling Moses how that people would degenerate he saith Deut. 31. 20. They would break his Covenant so Isaiah charging the degenerate generation in his daies also with their sin he saith Isa 24. 5. They have transgressed the Lawes they have broken the everlasting Covenant And as for invalidating after a sort of the Covenant-seal thereby you may see it in those degenerate ones mentioned even now Rom. 2. 25. If thou be a breaker of the law thy Circumcision which to them was the seal of the Covenant and of the righteousness of faith as Baptism is to us Gen. 10. 11 13. Rom. 4. 11. is made uncicumcision and so ineffectuall It is as it were torn off and trampled under foot through that sin of theirs Now if this be so heinous a thing with men to break Covenant with Princes to tear off tread under foot their broad seals how evill is this in Gods sight and if that breach of a Covenant made before God even with a tyrant by Zedechiah were so grievous to God that as Ezech. 17. 15 16 17. he saith Shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break Covenant and be delivered So I may say here to these degenerate Children of the godly shall such as you are escape the fiery displeasure of God that do such things or shall you that break Gods Covenant be delivered from wrath to come no assuredly unlesse the Lord give you repentance unto life And consider of it in the fear of God
hath spoken so bad of me Plutarch surely he knoweth cause enough to do so else he would not have done it an imitable example of an heathen but ingenious Child to his Father 5. Improve choycer seasons of getting good 5. Improve seasons of soul-good that you may come to be true Honourers of God and then no doubt but you will be Honourers of Parents make God only to be your God first worship him aright and sanctifie his name c. and then you will Honour Father and Mother Levit. â—9 2. Be ye holy saith God as I am holy and then vers 3. chargeth fear yea every man his Father and his Mother be pious to God-wards and you will be pious towards Parents the fear of God is the beginning of such wisdome also Prov. 10. 5. As he that sleepeth in harvest the season of reaping good soul-good also is a Son that causeth shame to Parents also so by rule of opposition he that gathereth in summer is a wise Son or one that will cause Honour to Parents as well as himself or others 6. Set often before your eyes studdy much and 6. Eye good examples this way make utmost improvement of choycer Scripture examples of persons eminen t for honor of parents as that of Shem Abraham Isaack Jacob Joseph yea Jesse himself Luke 2. 51. 7. Inure your selves betimes to Honour Fathers and Mothers without Authority as Aged persons 7. Honour aged persons Levit. 19. 32. Honour the face of the Old man Teleuchus being asked why at Sparte the younger Plut arch sort use to rise up before the aged answered that by giving Honour to others they might learn to Honour their own Parents CHAP. III. Of Honour in speciall due to Parents and that in a direct way and therein of Honour of respect and love due to Parents HAving spoken of Honour in generall required by the 5. Commandement from Children to Parents we come now to speak of Honour in speciall due to them first of that which is in a direct way and therein according to the Method propounded in the first Chapter 1. Of Honour of respect and love due to Parents that Honour is so taken in Scripture we there gave Scripture instances That honour of respect to Parents is due proved and need not now repeat them we may then note as a branch of the general point That Children are bound to Honour their Parents with the Honour of choycest respect and love Honour thy Father and Mother saith Exod. 20. 12. But having them in choycest respect and love is Honouring of them say other Scriptures therfore Children must most highly respect and love their Parents For our better handling of this branch of Honour let us only shew wherein this commanded respect and love to Parents doth consist or what is required of Children in this that they are required so highly to respect and love their Parents and then afterwards apply it by way of use To the former we answer that Children 1. They are to be delighted greatly in their This respect consisteth 1. In delighting Parents Fathers presence to be much affected with the very sight of a Father or Mother See how Joseph plotteth to have his Father near him when he could not be so near his Father Gen. 45. 10. Thou shalt be near to me c. And when he commeth to the sight of his Father after some years inforced absence of his from his Father he 's even overjoy'd as we say to see him He is as one transported for he falleth on his Fathers neck having first humbly presented himself to him Gen. 46. 29. And he wept for very extasie of joy on his neck a good while his heart was so overcome with strength of affections that for a good space he can silently weep but not utter a word that we read of till afterwards till his good old Father first brake that deep silence vers 30. and then Joseph also speaketh vers 31. As Children are to their Parents the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds their Sons and their Daughters Ezek. 24. 25. So should Parents be to Children Jacob had enough if his Son Joseph be alive and well he is content to die if God so pleased Gen. 46. 30. Let the sight of absent long absent Parents be to Children even as dear and precious and delighting as their very lives if not more as it is in that precedentall love and respect of the genuine Children of the Father of Spirits Oh the sight of his face the injoyment of his presence especially after some space of the want of his blessed presence what is it not to such Childrens hearts Such for the nature at least of our respect and love should be Childrens love to their Parents 2. They are not forward to part with 2. Backwardnesse to paâ—â— wâ—â—h them their Parents but as urged in a sort forced by any speciall call or providence of God and if sometimes called to be absent from them for a time yet to be longing in a moderate and regular way after their Company againe Both these paticulars are clear in instances the former in Ruth when her Sister Orpha left her Mother with tears in her eyes Ruth 1. 14. And they lift up their voice and wept again and Orpha kissed her Mother in Law but Ruth clave to her yea when urged by Naomi to return after her Sister-in-Law vers 15. Yet saith she vers 19. Intreat me not to leave thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodged I will lodge She will share with her in wealth and woe and nothing but death shall part them vers 17. 2 King 19. 20. Elisha must needs go and kiss his Father and Mother and then he will foolow Elijah God will have the poore captive Woman when her Master liketh her for his Wife yet to bewaile her Father and Mother for a Moneth Deut. 21. 13. Such loathness God will have Children to express to part with dear Parents as Parents are wonderous loath to part with their Children living or dying unless urged by Gods Call like good old Jacob first Gen. 42. 38. My Son saith he of Benjamin shall not go down with you for his Brother is dead and he is left alone if mischief befall him by the way ye go then shall ye bring down my gray haires with sorrow to the grave and Cap. 43. 22 c. And their Father Israel said if it must needs be so then do this c. So should Children not part with their Parents till they must needs till God some way calleth them from them as the genuine Children of God such is their love to him that it is as death to part with him though but for a time Oh if it might be their Fathers pleasure they would never be from him nor have him from them So in the nature of our love to Parents should it be expressed
and no difference twixt parent and child yea too many there are who carry it proudly disdainfully and scornfully towards parents and it s well if their very parents escape their flouts but what the end of such graceless children will be we have shewed from Prov. 30. 17. Again how are many children ready to chop it with their parents and as we say to chop logick with them it may be so daring are they as to bid their very parents hold their tongue as some profaner ones have done or how ever if not going so high yet giving to parents very cross curt and curst answers As Jacobs sons did sometimes to him Gen. 34. 31. should he deal with our sister as with an Harlot like the elder son in the Parable who even chideth and checketh his Father for entertaining his younger brother better then him Luke 15. 29. Again how frowardly and discontentedly do many children carry it to their Parents no diet no clothing no lodging and the like which parents can provide for them will content them but as if parents were beholding to them or that they had wronged their children and must seek to please them if they knew how Like the Elder son in the Parable which findeth fault with his usage by his Father as so much below his serviceableness to him And are there not too many children who are ready to mutter and grumble at their parents counsels commands just threats rebukes or corrections yea will not some plainly contest and contend with their parents as Rebecka's daughters-in-Law who by such like unreverent carriages made her even weary of her life Gen. 26. 35. with 27. 46. they were a grief of mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the septnagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as did contend or were contentious or rebellious how little also do too many children dread their parents commands counsels prohibitions reproofs or corrections how little do they fear the loss of their favour or blessing or the incurring of their just displeasure or curse how little care they whether they be contented and comforted in them and in what they say or do or otherwise be troubled and discouraged and in all how shameless are they but all such as you are do proclame to all the world that there is no fear of God before your eyes as it is evident in Cain Hophni and Phinebas and other such graceless children whose just doome will be to be as Cain and as is threatned to graceless persons that they shall be in fear where no fear or cause of fear is Psal 53. 5. shall flee when none pursueth them Prov. 28. 1. and for the want of this due fear of parents if you repent not eternall dread and horrour will be your portion in another world 2. It serveth to reprove parents who any way 2. Of Parents undermining this their Honour 1. By contemptible carriages undermine this filial awe and Reverence which your children owe unto you and that 1. By carrying it any way contemptibly and unbeseeming your selves in your childrens sight as did Noah first by being drunk and then by uncovering his nakedness within view of others this gave occasion to Chams unreverent speeches of him unto his brethren Gen. 9. 21 22 23. C ham saw the nakedness of his Father in his tent and went and told his brethren without when parents are frothy slighty foolish or any way ridiculous in their gestures speeches or actions before their children this breedeth or feedeth contempt and irreverence in their children Look as the very conceit of unseemly behaviour in David that Father of the state made Michol despise him her heart and speak unreverently of him with her lips 2 Sam. 6. 16 20 21. How glorious saith she scoffingly was the King of Israel to day who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the hand-maids of his servants as one of the vain fellows shamelessely uncovereth himself the like will any reall discovery of morall or spirituall nakedness before the Family become an occasion to children and servants to despise the Father of the Family 2. By being too fond of your children or too familiar 2. By overmuch fondness and familiarity with them at sometimes at least not keeping constantly your due distance such fondness and familiarity breeds and causeth contempt irreverence in children Good Abraham was somewhat too fond of Ishmael as appeareth by his overlooking the promise of Isaac and going on to urge God that Ishmael might live in his sight Isaac was too fond of Esau when he loved him so for his venison Gen. 25. 28. David was too fond of his Absolom that when he was justly banished for his wilfull fratricide and deserved death rather for it yet Davids soul longed or was in a wasting plight as it is in the Hebrew to go forth unto Absolom 2 Sam. 13. 39. but what unreverent children all these proved to their Parents their stories shew 3. By complying too much with any vain motions 3. By sinfull compliance with children of your children this was a sin in the Mother of James and John who had so ambitious a motion to make to Christ Mark 10. 35. that she would move it for them Matth. 20. 20 21. she commeth desiring that her two Sons may sit one at his right hand the other at his left hand in his kingdome David would never cross Adonijah in his desires or doings he never displeased him at any time in saying why hast thou done so 1 Kings 1. 6 but Adonijah careth not to cross his Father in his mind of one to succeed him in his throne even Solomon and yet Adonijah knew well enough it had been publickly and sufficiently declared formerly as in 1 Chron. 23. 1. and 28. 5. yet 1 Kings 1. 5. he exalteth himself and saith I will be King and vers 7. he conferreth with Joab and Abiathar about it for their help therein 4. By reproachfull and reviling speeches to 4. By rayling upon children your children in rashness of anger and fury or by any other uncivill or unseemly expressions of rage against them as flinging things at them which might indanger life or limb or the like this provoked Jonathan to say and do somewhat savouring of unreverence to a Parent 1 Sam. 20. 30. thou son of the perverse and rebellious woman saith Saul his Father to him and v. 33. he cast a Javeling at him and v. 34. Jonathan arose from the Table in fierce anger some unwise Parents at some times will be over-familiar with their children and at other times as much too harsh and fiery against them and by such an unequall carriage come to be slighted by them The second use serveth for exhortation and 2. Use for exhortation 1. To children to Reverence Parents that 1. To children Do you then strive what in you lyeth to give this Honour of Reverence both outward and inward which is due to your Parents And for this end
consider 1. Of some Motives 2. Two or three helps Motives 1. It will breed and feed in you due Motives to it 1. It furthereth reverence to other superiours Reverence to all other superiours hence in the fifth Commandement Honour of Parents and therein Honour of Reverence of them is put for the like Honour of Magistrates Ministers and Masters from their subjects people and servants if the one be in persons in truth in the former relation it will be in them in the latter 2. It wil be a notable means to prevent many other 2. It preventeth other sins sins of yours which would be dishonourable to parents Moses having rehearsed many abominable practices of the Canaanites in Levit. 18. and in the last verse said ye shall not commit any of those abominable customes Chap. 19. 3. he chargeth them to fear every man his Mother and his Father and vers 4. also adjoyneth that they should not turn to Idols c. or apostatise from God and his worship Surely then that Reverence unto Parents is inserted as a help both against the former and against the later evils and scandals and wofull experience evinceth this that where this hedge of childrens Reverence and awe to Parents is broken down there is a free inlet of vilest and most scandalous 3. The power of Parents to bless or curse children courses 3. There is in your Parents some paternall power if justly used to bless and to curse you Gen. 49. is a record of Jacobs blessing of his Sons and in an ordinary way there is a proportion thereof in other Parents and therefore the rather Awe your Parents Helps this way may be such as these Helps to it 1. Awe of God 1. Labour for a filial awe of God as your Father and so of his Fatherly commands and consequently of this his command as his command and of his displeasure against you if it be not attended and observed 2. Labour you for more holiness of heart It 2. Holiness is profaness of heart God-ward which breedeth and feedeth irreverence to Parents and so contrariwise the more holy God-ward the more awfull of Parents Levit. 19. 2. be ye holy for I am holy and vers 3. yea shall fear every one his Mother c. 3. Present your Parents so to your minds as 3. Eye the Image of God in Parents bearing the Image of Gods Father-hood and that also will help on your filiall awe and Reverence to them 2. It serveth for exhortation to Parents to carry 2. Exhortation to Parents to further filial Reverence in their children 1. By your piety it so as may gain Reverence and awe from your children for which end 1. Carry it very piously in your places for that will gain awe in your inferiours children or others Job 29. 7. when I prepared my seat in the street saith holy Job the young men saw me and hid themselves vers 8. let but any other Godly man come suddainly where rude persons are met how doth the very sight of him oftentimes appale them as experience witnesseth the Image of Gods holiness in any is venerable 2. Season your children betime with principles 2. By right principling of them of religion of their duty to God to Parents to others so did Eve her Seth and Seth his Cainan and Cainan his Mahaleel c. and all of them proved well to God and man-ward 3. Bring them oft to Gods aweful and awing 3. By inuring them to holy Assemblies Assemblies where they will hear and learn Reverence to God or men Deut. 31. 12. gather men women and children that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord thy God and observe to do all the words of this Law even this of the fifth Commandement also Honour Father and Mother with the Honour of Reverence 4 Correct them wisely and seasonably as for 4. By correcting irreverence in them other sins so for those which savour of irreverence to Parents this by the Lords blessing will help on filial Reverence hence those two joyned Heb. 12. 9. we had Fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we did them Reverence there is a great deal of folly and so a bundle of irreverence also in a childs heart naturally but God saith the rod of correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22. 5. Acquaint your Children ever and anon 5. By minding children oft of Gods judgements with Gods more awing and dreadfull providences especially respecting Children which gave not their Parents reverence as of Cham Absolom and others The punishment of a stubborn Son by mans hand must be so as all Israel may hear and fear Deut. 21. 21. So let all our Children hear of Gods hand this way that they may fear the sins of dishonour of Parents 6. Inure them to awfull subjection and obeysance 6. By inuring them to filiall subjection to you as Parents betimes early practising of filial Reverence will strengthen and stablish a very habit of it hence the requisit in Church officers or elders and deacons 1 Tim. 3. 4. 12. having their children in subjection with gravity or honesty they must see they be inur'd to reverence and seemly carriages towards them and before them and then others that come to their houses will find this to the Elders Honour CHAP. V. Of Honour of Obedience due to Parents NOw we come to the third branch of direct Honour of obedience due to parents Honour namely Honour of obedience for so Honour is taken in Scripture as we shewed before Observe then as a third branch of the generall point that children are to Honour their Parents with the Honour of obedience Honour thy Father and Mother saith Exod. 20. 12. but obeying them is Honouring of them say other Scriptures as we shewed Chap. 1. therefore children are bound to yield obedience to their Parents For the fuller handling of this particular we shall inquire 1. Wherein this Honour of filial obedience It consisteth consisteth 2. What manner of obedience it is which must be yielded 3. Why children must yeeld it 1. In childrens being content to be set about meanest imployments 4. What use is to be made of this branch of Honour of Parents To the first I answer that filial obedience consisteth 1. In childrens being content to be set about meanest imployments even as though they were servants their Parents so requiring it hence that Mal. 3. 17. his son which serveth him Neither Rebekah nor Rachel though of able Parents thought much to keep their Fathers sheep Gen. 24. and Chap. 29. neither did Christ himself refuse to be subject to his Parents in their meaner imployments Luke 2. 51. Matth. 13. 55. his reputed Father Joseph was a Carpenter of a very mean Trade hence that Is not this the Capenters Son but Mark 6. 3. these neighbours and Countreymen of Christ as man who had most cause to note his usuall imployments they
more provoketh and exciteth them to reject your authority even in lawfull commands such a parent was Laban who put Leah his daughter upon that unlawfull course of deceiving her sisters spouse of his expected conjugall communion and defiling her self and him by it Gen. 29. 23. such a Parent was Saul who would have his daughter break her conjugal covenant with David and betake her self to an adulterous bed with Phalti 1 Sam. 25. 44. such a parent was Herodias who enjoyneth her daughter to make that bloody salvage request for John Baptists head Matth. 14. 8. 2. By your own rebellion against Gods commands 2. By thelr rebellion against God for which God in judgement leaveth children to be rebellious against you as in the case of David Absalom 2 Sam. 12. 9. thou hast despised the Commandement of the Lord v. 10. Now therefore the sword shall not depart from thy house v. 11. I will raise up evill against thee out of thine house and fulfilled in Absaloms open rebellion 2 Sam. 13. 3. By being too indulgent to them when you 3. By sinfull indulgence perceive your children do not follow your charge in this or that particular This made Hophni and Phineas the worse that their Father Eli was so over indulgent to them 1 Sam. 2. Hence Eli is blamed for it ye have kicked at my sacrifice saith God to Eli Prov. 29. 15. the rod and reproof giveth wisdome but a child left to himself without seasonable reproof or correction for his faults bringeth his Mother to shame namely by his desperate folly and disobedience as the opposition of the later part of this proverb to the former sheweth A second use serveth for discovery whether A second use is for examination Marks of due obedience to parents 1. If in way of repenting for former disobedience children in that relation of children did or now do come up to that filial obedience required in the fifth Commandement which is known to be so 1. If in way of cordiall repenting for any former expressions of disobedience to Father or Mother you did or now do the rather and the more obey your Parents injunctions Like that Son in the Parable Maâ— 21. 29. who repenting of that stubborn answer to his Father in saying when he bade him go that he would not but after he repented and went and vers 31. this of the two Sons was he that did the will of his Father or like the Prodigall Son who in way of repenting of his sin against his Father and against heaven now offers his utmost service to him which he shall injoyn him and that in the meanest way of service Luk. 15. 18 19 21. The Son said to his Father Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired servants 2. If when you are tempted to disobey your parents 2. If obeying when tempted to the contrary commands yet you overcome the temptations obey your parents lawfull injunctions notwithstanding as the Rechabites though urged to drink wine by Jeremi the Prophet yet would not that in obedience to Rechabs command or because he had charged his Sons successively to look that they drank no wine Jer. 35. 5 6. 3. If doing it in matters unpleasing to the flesh 3. If you that are children in the relation of children obey your Parents command in matters unpleasing to flesh and blood and which cross you in matters of carnall delights preferments profits or ease and which rather tend to mortification of the lusts of youth to holy weanedness from the world c. thus it was with the injunctions first of Rechab to his next sons who observed his command themselves and left the same upon their next children and they again upon theirs successively unto the very time of Jeremiah that they should live like strangers and pilgrims in tents forbearing the use of carnall delights c. 4. If Children are habituated in a way of filial 4. If habituated in it obedience to your Parents lawfull commands It is not some single act that way nor some suddain pang and fit of obedience but like that of obedient Rechabites lasting all your dayes 5. If in that relation of children you do so wel relish 5. If propagating it to their children filial obedience that you endevour to propagate conscientious filiall obedience to your posterity when you are Parents So did these good Rechahites propagate filial obedience from Jehues time to Josiahs 6. If you are filially obedient to parents lawfull 6. If doing it â—o parents in meaner conditions injunctions when your parents are in a far meaner estate than you your selves are Gen. 47. 12. Jacob was as one nourished by his Son Joseph who was next to Pharaoh in place and honour yet Joseph is as obedient to his Fathers command as ever when at home under his Fathers tuition v. 31. swear now to me saith Jacob to Joseph and be sware to him Mordecai was to his cousen Hester as a Father to bring her up after her own Fathers death Est 2. 7. Ester is made great Ahasuerus his Queen v. 16. and v. 20. Ester did the commandement of Mordecai like as when she was brought up with him A third use is for exhortation 1. To Parents Third use of exhortation 1. To parents to further this due obedience as 1. By their own repentance and peace made with God Do you so carry it as that you may every way further this honour of obedience due to you from your children for which end 1. Make your peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ and exercise of repentance in regard of any former wayes of your disobedience to God or unto parents so far as you are privy and conscious to your selves thereof Job 22. 21. Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace with him thereby good shall come to thee what good it followeth v. 23. If thou return to the Almighty thou shall be built up not only stored with estate again but with children as Ruth 4. 11. Rachel and Leah built up Israels house or filled it with a numerous posterity and thou shalt put away iniquity from thy Tabernacle or houshold children or servants so Job 11. 14. Let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacle that is not alone with thy self in particular but not with any children or servants in thy house so that Job acquainting himself with God in the Mesiah and repenting shall not only have a numerous family of children restored to him but when he hath them shall remove the iniquity of children also in their relation as is disobedience and irreverence c. as well as that from himself in his or his servants as theirs 2. Be you exemplary in wayes of filial obedience 2. By being examples of filial obedience to parents and observance of your parents David did not alone teach Solomon
shall be an ornament to a Sons head and as precious chaines about his neck a badg and pledg of honour in the eyes of his people Prov. 13. 18. He that hearkneth to reproof of a Parent especially shall be honoured Hence God causeth so honourable a Record to be kept in Scripture of the Acts of obedience to Parents in Isaac Jacob Joseph and others Memorable is that Jer. 35. 18 19. Where God chargeth Jeremiah to tell the Rechabites Because you have obeyed the commandement of Jonadab your Father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever namely so long as that state and Church of Judah should stand as they should not he rooted out as Jer 31. 36. There is the like phrase in a like sense so they should be be honourably imployed according to that phrase in a like sense Jer. 33. 17 18. 2. That the Lord sometimes taketh occasion 2. God manifesteth great things to such in such a way to manifest such speciall grace to children whilest in this way of filial obedience as either was not at all or not in that measure shewed to them before Observable is that in Jacob whose journey to Padan Aram is put upon the account of his filial obedience even by his malicious Brother Esau Gen. 28. 7. now as he in his obediential way journyed from Bershebah towards Haran v. 10 11. there he seeth the ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac thy Father the land whereon thou liest will I give it to thee and to thy seed v. 12 13. and vers 14. He promiseth to multiply his seed and that in him and his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed and vers 15. Behold I am with thee saith God and I will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again to this land for I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of and vers 16 17. Jacob awoke and said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not this is none other then the house of God this is the gate of heaven Never had Jacob that we finde before this time so glorious a manifestation of the promised Messiah to be God and man in one person as that one Ladder with its top reaching to heaven and its bottome on earth to be as a blessed Medium and Mediator by which God and Man heaven and earth should be joyned together as by a Ladder set on earth yet reaching up to heaven to be he by whom the Angels minister unto us and by whom all graces and spirituall blessings descend upon us and our hearts and spirits our prayers praises and other holy services yea and our whole persons one day ascend up to Heaven Never had Jacob such glorious promises of blessing upon him and his seed before Never was he in such a Corner of Heaven before And who then would not be incouraged to filial obedience and to be found in the way there of wherein others have found more of God and Christ than ever before 3. That Gods speciall presence and blessing 3. Gods special presence and blessing is with such is with you in a way of filial obedience to your parents so in this Scripture mentioned Jacob had Gods gracious promise of his presence with him and preservation of him in all places whither he went and that his seed with him should be blessed 4. Promises made to children with their parents come by that meanes to be fulfilled 4. That it tendeth to the ratification and accomplishment of the promises made to you in your godly parents As to Abrahams children in case of their obedience of his godly commands Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his Children and household after him And they in obedience to his command shall keep the way of the Lord that the Lord may bring upon Abraham even in his children after him that which he hath spoken of him even his promises respecting him and his seed Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day which you shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this Law vers 47. For this is not a vain thing for you because it is your life and through this thing you shall prolong your daies in the land which yee go to possess Albeit God had made so many promises of their injoyment of Canaan and many blessings of grace protection peace and the plenty there upon them and their posterity yet the meanes of accomplishment of all must be 1. That parents themselves must set themselves to obey all Gods Commands 2. They must lay their authority upon their Children to require of them also obedience to all Gods Commands 3. The Children in obedience to their parents commands under God they must observe to do all the words of that Law 1 King 2. 1 2 3. David chargeth his Son Solomon saying Keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in all his waies c. that by keeping this charge of God as given in charge by me thy Father according to God thou maiest prosper in all thou doest and vers 4. that the Lord may confirm his word which he spake concerning me namely in respect to my Children saying If thy Children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth with all their heart and soul there shall not fail thee said he a man on the throne of Israel 5. That your examples of filial obedience in 5. It will be a meanes of the like obedience in other Children you may be a meanes to work somewhat at least upon other Children yea even upon disobedient ones as Jacobs did upon Esau Gen. 28. 6 7 8. He never considered his disobedient course of matching with Canaanites against his parents minde But when he saw that Isaac his father had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take him a Wife from thence and not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and that Jacob obeyed his Father and Mother and was gone to Padan Aram and Esau seeing the Daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaack his father vers 9. Then went Esau to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams Son to wife Now he thought his matching thus unto the family of Abraham might better please his Father and so did it 6. In that else in a contrary way of dishonour 6. The contrary will expose the very place where they are to Gods curse of parents you will what in you lieth
our Parents and partly for our Children c. 2. Consider that those that are not gratefull to 2. Else not gratefull to ones Country their Parents will never be grateful to their country or self-denying for its good Hence that also of Tully It conduceth much to the welfare of our country that Children be pious to their Parents 3. Consider that therefore the Lord inableth 3. Childrens abilities given for this end you the rather with bodily strength with gifts and parts with Estates with advantageous places and callings that you may be fit for such a service of gratefull recompence of your Parents That blessed man Joseph concludeth thus of all his great Preferments and Abilities which God brought him to in Egypt that it was all for this very end Gen. 45. 7 8 9 10 11. God sent me before your face saith he to his Brethren to preserve you a posterity in the earth c. So then it was not you that sent me hither but God and he hath made me a Father to Pharaoh and Lord of all his house and a Ruler throughout all the Land of Egypt Haste you and go up to my Father and say to him thus saith thy Son Joseph God hath made me Lord of all Egypt Come down to me and tarry not c. And there will I nourish them c. 4. Consider that there is nothing lost by what 4. Nothing is lost by it you do deny your selves in out of gratitude to your Parents but much gained every way thereby 2 Tim. 5. 4. And to requite their Parents for this is good and acceptable before God It s good with the goodness of advantage as well as honesty or honour before God It is acceptable before God and therefore surely most beneficiall from Helpes 1. Serious meditations of what Parents have done for them God to Children And for your helps this way It were good for you to think very much and often and that with much seriousness of intention of mind upon the many unexpressible invaluable irrecompensible benefits and kindnesses which you have from your Parents O when the people thought of that service of love of Jonathan to them all and should any discourtesie be offered to such a one no by no means 1 Sam. 14. 45. Shall Jonathan dye who hath wrought this great Salvation in Israel God forbid So in like sort the thoughts of what good Parents have been instruments of to Children they will crush temptations to ingratitude and provoke to gratitude Besides be you conscious in giving your Parents 2. Give their other honour of Respect Reverence Obedience their due honour of Respect Reverence and Obedience and then there is no doubt but you will be put upon it to give them this other part also of direct Honour even the Honour of Recompence Cautious Let it be with greatest 1. Bowels only look to it that what you do this way in gratefull Rccompence to Parents 1. That it be with greatest bowels and tenderness Parents did so in ministring to you what you wanted do you repay them like for like 2. That it be with greatest meekness and patience 2. Meekness bearing with frailties and waywardness of age as Parents did with waywardness in ministring to you in infancy and child-hood so repay them like for like 3. That it be with much humility stooping to the meanest offices of love for them as Parents did 3. Humility for you whil'st little do you herein repay them like for like To conclude Children may also discern their Marks of right doing it conscientious piety to Parents 1. If when you your selves are in disconsolate 1. If when Children in saddest conditions are cordially sollicitous of Parents help yea desolate conditions yet you are then very cordially carefull of your Parents outward welfare as David of his Parents safety with the King of Moab 2 Sam. 22. when himself is as an outlaw or as it was with the Son of David when upon the Crosse in all that sorrow and pain c. yet how carefull was he that his poor Mother be provided well for Joh. 19. 26 27. Man saith he to John behold thy Mother 2. If your effectuall care of your parents 2. When carefull this way in married conditions comfortable beeings be not alone in your single conditions whil'st unmarried but flourish when you are marryed So it did in Joseph in David in Ruth and others 3. If when you are in a very high and more honourable 3. When carefull this way in highest conditions place than parents then you be nourishers of them yea if you are perswaded in your very hearts that God the rather exalted you thus for your parents sakes that in their straights you might have abundantly and sufficiently to supply them withall and the rather do it Thus it was in Josephs case he thought that God made him a Lord in all the Land of Egypt to preserve his Father and his houshold alive in that time of famine and upon that ground sends to him to come to him promising to nourish him Gen. 45. 7 8 9 10 11. and accordingly he did it Gen. 47. 12. And Joseph nourished his Father and his brethren and all his Fathers houshold with bread according to their Families To conclude this with that memorable speech of Cyrus mentioned by Plutarch in his Apothegms he used to say and that which is the truth he is not fit to rule over others who is not profitable to his parents CHAP. VII Of Honour in a Reflect way due from Children unto Parents HAving dispatched the direct Acts and wayes of Honour of parents we come now to that Honour of Parents which is due to them in a Reflect way For so honouring another is taken in Scripture for being such or carrying it so towards another whom men are to Honour as it may make for such an ones Honour as we shewed in the 1. Chapter So here in the 5th Commandement this indefinite word Honour thy Father thy Mother taketh in Honouring of parents in a reflect way and bindeth Children to be such to their parents and to carry it so as may redound to their Honour especially being such parents as the covenant Jewes were in Church State and many of them godly to whom this Law of the 5th Commandement was first solemnly promulged and to whom it was more solemnly established Whence note That its the duty of children Children of good Parents especially bound to be such and to carry it so as maketh for their Parents Honour and that 1. By minding prising and storing up parents instructions especially the children of godly parents and such as are in covenant and Church-estate to be such and to carry it so as may redound to their parents honour Now here also let us shew 1. How this is to be done 2. Why it must be so And 3. Apply and make use of this so weighty a point
his Coronation Favour and Bounty to his Church for such high holy and honourable ends nor need I say more in honour of your children If becomming faithfull Ministers their Scripture titles do Emblazon that sufficiently Ministers being called Angels Rev. 2. 1. Embassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1. Watchmen Ezek. 3. 17. Co-workers with God 1 Cor. 3. And many other titles of honour which he is pleased to crown Ministers withall As for motives I will but name two or three Motives to good education of Children 1. They are the Lords more than ours 1. Our Children are more the Lords than ours by Covenant-right by our own act of devoting them to him in Baptism Matth. 28. 19. and many other waies Ezek. 16. 20. Let Parents therefore bring up their Children for God in the best way they can 2. Education will greatly difference our Children 2. That will honourably distinguish them from others from others not so well educated as Lycurgus when he would convince the Lacedaemonians of the benefit of education he taketh two whelpes of one litter the one he traineth up to Hunting the other not the one proved of use to the field the other was good for nothing but for a cur in the Kitchin and experience witnesseth that ordinarily persons well educated become of very publick and good use more waies than one where ever God casteth their habitation others not so educated are little serviceable in any matters of publick concernment Socrates used to say that many Mens Sons who were without education were like couragious Horses without well ordering and government becomming very Asses or as it might be added resty Iades I need not apply it it s easily understood 3. The honour of good education will be 3. Children also will have the honour of it the sin of the contrary will lie upon the Parents partly the Childs and will partly reflect honour upon the Parents As that of Augustus who so well educated his Sones that what they spake he would have them speak it openly and then have the Speech as matter of worth and note publickly recorded But in neglect of good education Childrens sins will be charged upon Parents As in Elies case of neglect of well educating and Fatherly watching over his Sons Hophni Phineas 1 Sam. 2. 29 30. he is charged with kicking at his sacrifices why have ye kicked at my sacrifices c. The very Heathens by natures light so took this hence the Lacedaemonian Ephori they punished a certain Father for suffering two of his Sons to fall out and to fight one with another 4. It may somewhat awaken and move Christian 4. Even Heathens have been much for good education Justin l. 3. Parents to a more conscionable care in this matter of well educating your Children to consider some of the Lawes Acts and speeches of the very Heathen about this very particular Lycur-the Spartan Law-giver commanded that Youth should be brought into the field not into the Markets that they should spend their first year not in Lxury but in work and Labours And the Spartans had another Law that if any of their Free-men neglected the discipline of youth he should be disenffranched Aelian also speaketh of another sore punishment which the conquering Mytilenesians imposed upon their revolting associates that their Children should not be trained up to the liberall Sciences Plato was wont to reprove this as a grosse evill in those of his times that men would bestow all their care and paines in getting Riches but took little or no care about their Children unto whom they were to leave their Riches When one answered Aristippus that for a thousand drachmes which he demandded to bring up his Son to Learning that he could buy a servant nay saith the Philosopher you shall have two servants to wit him that you buy and your own Son too Diogenes sometime said he had rather be a Ram or sheep of a Megarensian than his Son whereby he declared that the Megarenses took more diligent care of their Cattel than of their Children To conclude with one admonitory Item to some in these daies who are secret enemies to catechizing Children and bringing them up in Learning Let them tremble to think with how like a spirit they are acted to that of that notorious Apostate Julian who designing the extirpation of the Christian Religion thought no way better than to put down catechising and Schooles of Learning as for other Parents who would full gladly bring up some of their Sones who have naturall partes for Learning but through Idlenesse or Voluptuousnesse or the like they will not be drawn to attend it or to be trained up to it let then some other way punish them with suitable epressions of Parentall distast and displeasure Solons law this way was somewhat too harsh that if Sons would not be drawn by their Parents to Learning their Parents should deny them necessaries but yet Christian Parents would do somewhat this way that such Children should know themselves and sufficiently see cause to bewail their folly and errour I have been long in this first way of Parents furthering Children in being an honour to them because it is of great moment we shall be briefer in the rest 2. Then let Christian Parents as a help to the said end be sure to leave your Children under 2. By leaving Children under Gods ordinances and good government Gods ordinances purely powerfully dispensed in the Church and under good government in the civill state The Children of Israel would not leave one of their Children in Egypt Exod. 10. 9 10. Where God pure Religion was not nay where sacrifices to the Lord was an abomination Exod. 8. 27. and where the government of the state was tyrannicall these better-minded people of Israel when the godly Priests were put down by Jeroboam and removed to Judah under Rehoboham and when Jeroboam set up corrupt unworthy fellowes to be priests they also removed themselves and families to Jerusalem 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15 16. Hence that enquiry of the company of the godly Canticles 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou dwellest and where thou causest thy flock to rest at noon that parching time of enemies raging against the truth waies and people of Christ to which Christs answers vers 8. Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock the rest of my people and feed thy kids itttle ones by the shepheards godly Magistrates Ministers tents Alas for us and ours to go where Gods pure ordinances or goverment is not it is to expose our selves and them to to soul-ruines as David said in that case 1 Sam. 6. Cap. 16. They have cast me out this day from the Lords inheritance where his ordinances and Ministers and people are saying Go and serve other Gods their actions in driving me out amongst strangers to Gods pure Religion and Lawes do even as it were say Go