they fall to their earth againe Here you must teach your children that whē all we euen al the nations of the world were in the hole of Adams side and as yet vncut out God gaue vnto Adam and so vnto vs being in his loines a law with two conditions the lawe was this that wee should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill standing in the middest of the garden of Eden as we may read Gen. 2. The conditions of this law were these the one life euerlasting if we would keepe this law figured out vnto vs by the tree of life of which it was lawfull for vs to eate euery hower the second was that in the same daye wherein wee shoulde breake this law we should dye the death It was not long after this lawe was made but Adam broke it as we may read in 3. chapter of Genesis and so death presently seazed vpon Adam and al vs his posteritie being yet in his loynes according vnto Gods word who said in the same day that thou shalt eate of it thou shalt dye the death and as it is saide 1. Cor. 15. In Adam all di and as it is said Rom. 5. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sin and so death went ouer all in whom all men haue sinned So that now if wee would looke vnto our fountaine and to our original pit from which we were first digged we should soone see our miserable estate which is nothing els but deadly And now that we might come to the bottom of this pit that so wee might the more fully and cleerely see all our miserie to humble vs vnder the mightie hand of God I must shewe you howe death hath entred vpon vs and howe it hath killed vs and giuen vs the deadly wounde euen while wee liue and yet wee perceiue it not This death hath first seazed vpon our reason and vnderstanding and put out the light of it so that nowe wee bee as blinde as a stocke to beholde anie heauenly thing For Saint Iohn sayth in his first chapter of the Gospell The light shineth in the darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not that is Gods word shineth into our minds and yet wee cannot see it so blinde are wee of our selues Now if we cannot see the light it selfe though it shineth into vs which light is the cause why all other things are seene as the Apostle sheweth Ephesi 5. For it is light that maketh all thinges manifest then much lesse can wee truely beholde any other thing else And whereas the Apostle here calleth our reason and vnderstanding darknes which is all the light of our soules if it were light then howe great is our darkenesse Our Sauiour sayth in the fift of Matthew The light of the bodie is the eye wherefore if the light that is in thee be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse so wee may here say if our reason and vnderstanding which is the eye of the soule bee darkenes how great is this darkenes oh death hath killed vs it hath put out all our light in heauenly things Secondly our miserie which hath fallen vpon vs through this death is so much the greater for that though all our light be put out yet we thinke we see and therefore we doe not with the two blind men in the gospell crie out vnto our Sauiour O Lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs. For the whole hath no need of the phisition and so we walke in blindnes all our dayes to our destruction and goe on without anie mistrust euen as the sheep that are driuen vnto the slaughter vntill we fall from the darknes of this life vnto that vtter darknes in the life to come where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh great misery A demonstration of this doctrine wee haue in the ninth chapter of the gospell after Saint Iohn where our Sauiour saith I am come vnto iudgment into this worlde that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blind Then some of the Pharisies saide are we blind also They could not beleeue that they were blinde and therefore our Sauiour there telleth them that their sinne remained And thus much to shew you how death hath taken the possession of the minde and reason of man in so much that it hath spoyled it of al light in heauenly vnderstanding Secondly this death hath passed from the vnderstanding and reason and hath entred vpon the will and affections and giuen them also the deadly blow so that now we cannot will or affect any thing that good is and profitable to life eternall no more then a stone that is without life vntill such time as Gods preuenting grace repaireth vs and giueth vs a new power from heauen And therefore our Sauiour saith in the sixt of Iohn No man can come to me except the father which hath sent mee drawe him And Saint Augustine vpon these words saith Non trahimus nisi nolentem Wee doe not drawe any thing but that which is vnwilling So that now we hauing lost the life of our will we must be haled and drawen by Gods grace euen as men hale and drawe a logge that hath no moouing in it or else we can neuer come to heauen This doctrine is confirmed by the saying of the Apostle Rom. 7. where hee speaketh of the same thing Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death as if hee should haue saide all is dead euerie part and member of it Moreouer this death hath not onely made the will vncapable of all good things but also it hath so disturbed it that it is become like a furious or mad man repugning and striuing against all reason and therefore the Apostle sayth Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirite against the flesh and these are contrarie one to another so that yee cannot doe the same things that ye would And againe Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed cā be 3. This death hath not rested in the reason will but it hath gone further takē hold on the body also euery member of the body and strooken them all out of frame so that now our eares are the eares of folly our eies are the eies of vanity our hands are the hands of strife our mouth is a mouth of cursing our lippes are full of poyson our throate is an open Sepulchre and our feete are swift to shed bloud and generallie al our members are the instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Roman 6. euery one being captiues to sinne and standing fighting against God and our owne saluation so that now if the Lord shold streightly marke what were amisse in vs Oh Lorde who shall stande 4. This death hath not onlie
the rose the worme to the apple and the caterpillar to the leafe so the common spoyle to all youth is the contrarie to this yoke which is idlenes Therefore S. Bernard worthily calleth idlenes the mother of all euils and stepdame of all vertues The Prophet Ezechiel in his sixteenth chapter teacheth that idlenes was one of the principall sinnes of Sodome which pulled downe fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads this idlenes is the diuels confederate for euen as the trayterous seruant while his maister is a sleepe and all things at rest setteth open the dore for the theefe to enter in vpon him and spoyle him at his pleasure so idlenes while wee are not aware lying soft vpon the pillowes of security openeth the dore for y e diuell to enter into vs with full swing to the destruction both of body soule Saint Matthew saith chapter 13 that while men slept the enemie came and sowed tares among the wheate so the fittest time that the diuell can finde to worke vpon vs is when we are idle for that is the sleep of the soule In the 11. chapter of the 2. Sam. Wee reade that while Dauid tarried idly at home in the beginning of the yeare when Kings vsed to goe forth to battell hee was soone ouertaken with those two foule sinnes of adulterie and manslaughter Oh that men saw to how many vices and euils they shut the dore when they cease to be idle and giue themselues to honest labours So long as Sampson warred with the Philistines hee could neuer be taken or ouercome but after that he gaue himselfe to idlenes and pleasure hee not onely committed fornication with the strumpet Dalilah but also was takē of his enemies and had his eyes miserably put out If these two which were such excellent men indued of God with singular giftes the one of prophecie and the other of strength and such as no labour or trouble could ouercome were notwithstanding ouerthrowne and fallen into grieuous sinnes by yeelding for a short time to ease then what crimes what mischiefes and inconueniences are not to bee feared of them who all their life long giue themselues to idlenes and loytering But such hath alwaies been the peruerse incredulitie of mans heart as Haymo repeateth out of Origen that they will not beleeue that other men haue perished vntil they themselues perish also If we be vtterly voyde of vnderstanding let vs goe to the brute creatures which want those helpes of reason and gouernemēt that man hath and learne of them Goe to the Pismire O sluggard saith Salomon beholde her waies and bee wise for shee hauing no guide nor ruler prepareth her meate in the summer and gathereth her foode in the haruest Let vs set before our eyes the looking glasse of all creatures the birdes flye the fishes swim the wormes creepe the heauens turne the elements moue yea the earth it selfe which is the most brute and senseles creature of all other neuer ceaseth her working bringing forth her burden in summer and labouring inwardly all the winter concocting and digesting her nourishment for the next spring What should I speake of the strange operation of stones and mettals and herbes whereof one is called the Load stone and the Magnet stone of his mighty force and working God who is the first mouer of all things seeing all excellencie to lye in mouing being of himselfe infinite good cannot but create all things good and as the nature of the efficient cause is to make his effect like vnto himselfe so God being excellent in motion and working hath made all his creatures indued with this bonitie of nature Now seeing God hath made all his creatures in this perfection and seeing himselfe is the continuall mouer of al things as the Apostle saith Actes 17.28 In him we liue and moue and haue our being then there can nothing bee more contrarie to Gods working and mans perfection then the priuation thereof which is idlenes God beloued sustaineth and vpholdeth the whole frame of the world by his dayly and continuall working and if he should draw his hand backe but one minute all creatures would presently fall to nothing from whence they first came Why doe wee not then see that idlenes is the ruine and destruction of all things and how can we perswade our selues that we are the sons of God when by our idle life wee shew our selues most contrarie vnto him who is alwaies in working The perfection and excellencie of euery creature is his working and therefore the wise Grecians call the soule of man which the prophet Dauid calleth his glorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a continuall working yea so excellent a thing is it and so fit to set foorth Gods glorie that hee hath ordained most forcible meanes to stirre vp and thrust forward man vnto it as all manner of wants and necessities For what is the great glorie of God but his omnipotencie and power and how is his power seene but by working and how should wee see Gods working and how should we come to the vnderstanding of his omnipotencie except wee sawe it in his creatures for the Apostle sayth that the inuisible things of God as his eternall power and God-head are seene by the creation of he worlde being considered in his workes and therefore when I see so many millions of thousands in the worlde moouing vpon the face of the earth and all occupied in such varietie of trades one this way another that way when I consider the straunge monuments of warre the mightie works of peace the curious inuentions of Arts and the manifolde chaunges of gouernment disposition and actions from age to age I must needes acknowledge that there is an high and supreme power which is called omnipotencie which worketh all in all these things and that that mā which is the greatest imitator of God in honest and vertuous working commeth neerest vnto the diuine nature most setteth forth Gods glorie and shall haue the greatest reward both in this life in the life to come but the idle and slugglish soule who hath receiued power of God and vseth it not in some honest labour he obscureth Gods glorie hee oppresseth as in him lieth his omnipotencie and power and in that wherein I compare him he is worse then the diuell for hee neuer ceaseth compassing the world Iob. 2.1 Pet. 5. Wherefore thou good parent if thy desire be to haue thy sonne to bee Gods sonne and to follow his working and to haue him brought vp in al good nurture and instruction and if it bee the death of thy heart to see thy deare child drowned before thine eies in that deadly lake of all filthie vices in the hardnes of his heart in stubbornes in rebellion in Atheisme in whoredome and other impietie then now while thou hast time lay the yoke vpon his necke lay it vpon him while hee is young and tender for now he will
as occupie not their owne place but are in Christ stead vnto vs 2. Cor. 5. in terming our parents fathers after his own name therfore now we will reuerence thē not sleightly or for fashiō sake but for Gods sake for his holy ordinance sake though they be not worthy of it And this is taught in many places of S. Pauls Epistles Submit your selues one to another in the feare of God Eph. 5.2.1 in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. Eph. 6.5 with good will seruing the Lord and not men vers 7. And whatsoeuer yee doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Oh if all our duties were done as vnto the Lord what lights should we bee vnto the world shining in all honest and godly conuersation but now we looke only vpon men and therefore Gods ordinance is neglected and our dueties peruerted Thus haue I drawne before your eyes as in a faire table the liuely picture of good maners the which if we would imitate we shold lead such a comely life before others as that euery man would be glad of our cōpany we should then bee looking glasses for the ruder sort to dresse themselues by and we should beautifie Gods Church euen to the eye of the world For as y e material sanctuary had his outward ornaments as gold siluer pretious stones silke purple fine linnen and such like so the spiritual sanctuary which now consisteth not of wood and stone but of the soules of christiās besides religion which is the inward beautie it must haue also the outward ornaments which are good manners and comely behauiour that nothing may be wanting vnto the due honour and dignitie thereof Now by Gods blessing we are come to the third and last part of the childs way which is the chiefest and highest of all the rest wherein that I might instruct parents with more facilitie profitable application I haue made choise of this text Psal. 130.3.4 If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand But mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared THe partes of this text are three and so y e summe of al diuinity is threefold too The first is to teach vs our miserie in our selues contained in these wordes If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second is to shew vs a meane how wee may escape out of this miserie and this meane is the only mercie of God in his sonne Christ Iesus expressed in these wordes But mercie is with thee The third part is to teach vs what wee ought to doe when we are deliuered frō our miserie that is to feare God vnder which word is cōprehended the whole seruice of God and all that thankefulnesse which is required at our hands for our saluation redemption this is conteined in the last words of this text that thou maiest be feared For whom wee feare him wee would not offend and whom we would not offend his will we would obey and whose wil we obey him we honor serue and worship Now the literall plaine sense of the first part of this text is this O Lorde if thou shouldest deale with vs according to iustice and the streightnes of thy lawe no man that liueth were able to stand before thee but hee must needes fall vnder thy reuenging hand the tortures of thy iudgements This lesson euery parēt must teach his children to vnderstande and confesse For vntill they knowe howe much they are endangered to God and in what a fearefull estate they stand by reason of their sins and vntill they knowe what a great God the Lord is so mightie in power that he is able to cast all the world downe headlong into hell and that hee will doe so indeede except they craue mercie at his handes turne vnto him seeke his fauour and indeuour to please him before I say they knowe this and this knowledge be deeply setled in their harts they will neuer seek after god but dwel stil in their old estate because they thinke it is good enough vntill death set vpon thē vnawares they be cast away eternally Wherefore here the first thing that parents are to beate into the heads of their children is the greatnes of God his infinite power and fearefulnes insomuch that seeing hee hath made all mankinde of the claye of the earth as the potter doth his pottes and when hee hath done so hee may breake them all to peeces againe and who shall saye what doest thou euen so if God after he hath made vs shall condemne vs all to hell which hee may doe if it please him which of vs all dare open his mouth against him If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand O Lord if wee had offended but an earthly maiestie or if we had transgressed but a temporall lawe or if wee were brought but before the barre of one of the monarches of the earth we would not so much tremble and quake though our cause were capitall for they can doe no more but kill the bodie but thou if thou wilt canst kill both soule and bodye in hell oh who would not feare thee If thou takest displeasure against vs who shal turne thee to mercy Yet he is of one mind saith Iob who can turne him yea he doeth what his minde desireth And againe in the ninth chapter hee saith If wee would dispute with him wee could not answere him one thing of a thousand For though I were iust yet could I not answere but I would make supplication to my iudge If we speake of strength behold he is strong if wee speake of iudgement who shall bring me in to pleade If I washe my selfe with snow water and purge mine handes most cleane yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit and mine owne cloathes shall make mee filthie Wherefore here teach al your children to cry out when they make their humble prayers and supplications vnto God If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second thing which the parent must teach his childe is to know his miserable estate in Adam The Lorde in the 51. chapter of the prophecie of Esay saith vnto the children of Israel Looke vnto the rocke whence yee are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence yee are digged so you must call vpon your children to looke vpon Adam their great grandfather out of whose loynes all nations and people of the earth are digged And here first in that the Lord vseth a metaphor of a rocke a pit and digging you must teach your children that they are no better then the dust of the earth as wee may reade in the creation of man Gen. 2.5 and that their hearts naturally are as hard as any flint to receiue grace and being but dust and voide of all goodnes so soone as euer the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them
our text I will shew you why the holy Ghost here rather vseth the word feare then the word seruice saying that thou maiest be feared rather then that thou maiest be serued This is for that the Lorde thereby might the better prepare vs vnto his seruice and being prepared might continue and hold vs in the same as it were with a bridle from running out And therfore we see in holy Scripture that when the Lord would make any man fit for his seruice he as it were manureth him first by his feare as we may see first in the Prophet Esay as wee may reade in his 6. chapter where when the Lord called him to beare his hard message vnto the children of Israel he appeared vnto him in a fearfull vision sitting on his throne of maiestie to the ende that this sight might strike so deepe an impression into his heart that neuer after hee might forget the bounds of his calling Woe is me sayth hee for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes for mine eyes haue seene the King and Lord of hostes Againe in the calling of Ezechiel as we may reade in his first chapter wee may see what a fearefull vision hee had so that he fell downe vpon his face before the Lord and could not stand vp any more vntill Gods spirite had entred into him and helde him vp And againe in the 19. of the first book of the Kings when the Lord called his seruant Eliah to go about a dangerous and hard peece of seruice which was to annoynt two Kings and both against his Lord and soueraigne Achab to be auenged of him and his bloudie wife Iezebel for destroying his Prophets y t he might not at any time flye out from his charge as Ionah did the Lord prepared him before with fearefull signes first he sent a mightie strong wind which rent y e mountaines brake y e rockes before him 2. after the wind he sent an earthquake after the earthquake there came a fire after the fire whē Eliah was now sufficiētly humbled prepared came a still and a soft voice then he receiued his message In like māner also whē the Lord gaue the law of this his seruice vnto his people vpō moūt Horeb what fearefull signes did he send before there were thunderings lightnings y e earth quaked vnder thē the ayre was rent aboue thē by reason of the horrible noise of the trumpet of God and fearefull thundercracks and before their eyes all was of a smoake and burning fire in so much that Moses himselfe though hee was a man very well acquainted with God and accustomed with wonders yet he also feared and quaked as the author to the Hebrewes sayth and all the people fled back Thus then you now see euen by the Lords owne methode and proceeding how necessarie the feare of God is for his true and faithfull seruice yea so necessarie is it that without it there is no seruing of God aright The wise man Salomon in the first chapter of the Prouerbes sayth The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and the Hebrue phrase saith it is the head of knowledge which signifieth not onely the beginning but also the chiefe and principall parte thereof from whose fountaine the very life of all good vnderstanding is deriued euen as the head giueth continuall sense and mouing to all the members of the bodie 2. Secondly this feare of God is not only the beginning of Gods seruice but it is also the continuer and conseruer of it holding vs alwaies within our limites who like wilde horse are readie at euery step to runne out of the way For this cause Moses after the giuing of the law as wee may see in the 20. chap. of Exodus teacheth the Israelites the true vse of those fearefull sightes which they had seene which was that Gods feare might continue with them to be euer after a bridle vnto them to withhold them from sin and that his feare may be before you that you sin not So that now take away gods feare from before our eies presently we wil fal into sin break off gods seruice though we haue made neuer so good an entrance The force of this bond of feare when Iacob behelde hee toulde his vncle Laban plainelie Genesis 31. that except the feare of Isaac had beene with him meaning the feare of God who was Isaacs feare hee would haue sent him away empty and euen so beloued it is with vs all except Gods feare remaine and continue with vs though the Lorde hath deserued neuer so much at our handes yet wee like vnthankefull Labans would send him emptie away and robbe him of the praise of all his blessings and graces bestowed vpon vs. Moreouer this feare of God was of such account amongst the holy Patriarches that it was taken then to be the onely bonde in the worlde and therefore when Ioseph would perswade his brethren before they knew him to leaue one of them behinde in prison till they had cleared themselues of suspition which was obiected against them as wee may reade Genesis 42. he also to giue them to vnderstande of faithfulnes on his part vsed this onely reason vnto them For sayth hee I feare God as if hee should haue saide I dare not doe to the contrarie Againe in the 50. chap. of Gen. when Iacob their father was dead Iosephs brethren fearing then that hee might seeke to bee reuenged of them for their vnkinde and inhumane handling of him they came to make supplication vnto him prostrating themselues before him desiring him to forgiue them their offence to whome hee answered Feare not for am not I vnder God as if he should haue said I feare God and therfore you neede not feare me 3. The feare of God is not onely the beginning of Gods seruice and the continuance of Gods seruice but also it is the end of Gods seruice and endureth for euer as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 19. The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer and our text sayth that thou maiest bee feared Againe Salomon in the 14. chapter of the Prouerbes extolling the excellencie of the feare of God sayth The feare of the Lord is as a well spring of life to auoid the snares of death Here then is the fountaine from whence all the streames of Gods seruice and euerie parte of his worship are first fetched And againe in the 16. chapter hee saith By the feare of the Lord we depart from euill So that now as you see all goodnes commeth by Gods feare it is the beginning of Gods seruice it is the continuance and conseruation of Gods seruice it is the end of Gods seruice it is the walles of Gods seruice whereby both the enemie is kept from vs and we from running to the enemie and what shall I saye more it is the irons and boltes wherewith
honorable and heauenly deseruings at our hands wee cannot doe it If our gracious Prince to shew her puissance against a forraine power should call forth one or two of her subiects who are most beholding vnto her to iust and turnie in her presence for her honour would they not straine all their strength in this seruice yea and their liues too Now shall wee doe more for our Prince then we would for God Hath not our God called vs out by name to fight for his honour to bee a chosen and peculiar people vnto himselfe to stand on his parts to shew foorth his vertues and to bee zealous of good workes yea and that wee might the better performe this seruice hee hath furnished vs with his owne armour and weapons yea and his owne hand is with vs too though all men see it not and shall not we now doe valiantly for our God and shall not wee nowe endeuour our best to answere the expectation of our heauenly King O my deare brethren see the ende of your calling You are not called to shewe your owne strength or your owne vertues or your own holines but you are called to shewe foorth the strength and the vertues and the holines of the almightie and to bee zealous of good workes But what is this zeale that we may know it and followe it This zeale as the Spouse in the last chapter of the Canticles teacheth vs is no small matter but a most ardent and burning loue vnspeakable ouercomming all the affections in man Loue is strong as death and zeale is cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame yea the flame of God as the Hebrew worde signifieth Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drowne it Now then beloued you see the end of your redemption and calling it is not only to do good works but to be zealous of good works you are called and redeemed to the heate and fire of good works you are called and redeemed to such a burning loue of them that nothing may quench it nay euen as death and the graue ouercome all things so this zeale in vs of good workes should ouercome and cast downe before vs all the lets and impediments which stand vp against vs in the seruice of our God for loue is strong as death zeale is cruell as the graue Wherefore O you redeemed of the Lorde not with golde and siluer as Saint Peter speaketh but with the pretious bloud of his owne sonne lay this vnto your hearts and stirre vp your selues vnto Gods seruice you that haue eares to heare heare and you that haue zeale within you bee inflamed for euery one cannot I call vpon you all as the Apostle Saint Iohn writeth I call vpon you little children because you are well acquainted with your fathers deare loue and tendernesse towards you I call vpon you young men because your affections are strong in you and you are best able to beare the Lordes burthen and I call vpon you olde men because you by reason of your long experience haue most knowledge of your dueties giue the Lorde his due and right and abound in all manner of good workes which he hath ordained for vs to walk in to the glorie of his holy name Teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is olde he shall not depart from it Pro. 22.6 When I began to read this verse vnto you I told you it consisted of two parts of a precept and the reason of the precept Hitherto I haue spoken of the precept and of the necessarie circumstances belonging vnto it and now I am come to speake of the reason of it that so I might stirre vp the life of the precept in his working in you And when he is olde he shall not depart from it that is if thou faithfully instructest him in his way while hee is young he shall haue the benefit of it all his life after But now that parents might bee compassed about with a cloude of exhortations I haue thought good here not onely to presse forth the principall scope of this text but also to sucke out of the bowels thereof the more hidden and abstruse collections and to gather the like arguments out of other scriptures because the whole scripture is one and lendeth hand to it selfe 1. The first reason which should moue parents to take in hand this dutie of instructing their children in this trade of their waye is drawne from the necessitie of the precept because euery child naturally is conceiued and borne out of the way as the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs Psal. 51.5 Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me And the Apostle Saint Paule sayth Ephes. 2. That we are by nature the children of wrath And Moses in the 6. chapter of Gen. teacheth vs that all the thoughts and imaginations of mans hart are continually euill and the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 2. that the naturall man cannot perceiue the thinges which are of the spirite of God And againe Rom. 8. hee telleth vs that the wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be Wherefore now you see plainely how euery mothers child is borne into the world blind in his vnderstanding froward in his will and affections corrupt in all the motions of his hart dead in the life of God wholy possessed with sin so that except now his nature be changed by good education hee cannot possibly applye himselfe vnto any good waye but hee must needs all his life long runne astray and in the end fall headlong into hell fire Wherefore O you parents as you haue giuen your children the worse so giue them the better also as you haue brought them forth the children of wrath and death so now teach them howe they may become the children of grace and life teach your children in the trade of their way they must needes bee taught for except their education and teaching bee better then their birth they are cast away for euer and they may curse their parents that euer they brought them into the world 2. The second reason to moue parents to this vertuous teaching of their children is taken from the oportunitie thereof For if euer they will doe their children good nowe they must doe it while they bee children The Smyth must strike wile the iron is hot and the Plowman must plowe while his ground will worke and the Sayler must saile when hee hath winde and tide and as you see euerie trade hath his proper oportunitie so this trade also of education hath childhood for his fittest time to worke vpon If you doe not teach your children and traine them vp in good nourture while they bee yong all your laboure shall bee but lost afterwardes you shall strike vpon the colde iron you shall plowe in the