with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of Life These words import not only our belief of a crucified Saviour who dyed and was buried for sin to save us from it but also our Repentance whereby we renounce sin as dead and buried to it for the time to come The general Design of this Sacrament being sufficiently plain and clear from these and other Scriptures it is to little purpose and oftentimes it proves to very ill purpose to enquire any further as to particulars for by so doing a great many persons judging of divine things by their own weak and foolish apprehensions have reasoned themselves if I may so speak both out of their Reason and Religion 2. Duty to season their Minds betimes with good Impressions Secondly When Children begin to speak and to discover some dawnings of Reason it is fit to season their Minds with some good Thoughts with some divine Impressions that Religion betimes may catch hold of their tender and innocent Minds before they are corrupted and defiled with bad Principles and vain unreasonable Opinions which they are apt to learn too soon from evil Company Teach them who made them who dyed for them for what end they were made whither good Children go when they dye and whither naughty Children go what a place Heaven is and Hell c. These and such like plain and easie things are to be told them which they can understand and which may make some impression on their minds In teaching Children such matters it is necessary to condescend to their weak capacity It is not fit to ask them such Questions at all times nor yet to say too much to them at any one time Such Instructions are to be dropt into their minds softly and leisurely so as not to oppress them but to recreate them not to be a burden to them but a pleasure It cannot be expressed how great Advantages attend such early Instructions these are the Seeds of Virtue which take root insensibly and spring up sometimes very unexpectedly the Impressions which they make continue a great while as Earthen Vessels retain the savour of that Liquor which was first put into them a long time after So powerful are these first Instructions that they are able to conquer even Nature it self The famous Lycurgus made this appear by bringing into the Market-place two Dogs of one Litter and presenting before them a Pot of Pottage and a Hare one of them which was trained up in Hunting run after the Hare and the other which was brought up in the House fell to the Pottage What a wonderful power may we daily observe in those early impressions which are made on mens minds Thereby it comes to pass that the most absurd and extravagant Opinions which have been suck'd in when one was young can hardly be removed by the clearest and strongest Reasonings 3. Duty to teach them to pray Thirdly Teach them so soon as may be to pray to God Morning and Evening To say after you or others whom you appoint for that purpose two or three short Petitions which are easie to be understood and as their Understanding and Capacity increaseth teach them the Lord's Prayer and after that some larger Form of Prayer which they may say after you till they can read it themselves or get it by heart You are to have a special care that they perform their Devotions in as grave and serious a manner as their years can admit You are to keep them from all sorts of indecent Actions and Postures when they say their Prayers For this end you are to teach them who it is they speak to when they pray and what these things mean which they pray for Chuse the fittest times for them wherein to say their Prayers as in the Morning when-ever they arise while their Spirits are most vigorous and their Thoughts most free At Night let them say their Prayers rather before Supper than after because after Supper they are more apt to be very dull and sleepy and thereby less fit for such a performance God is not to be served with the refuse of our thoughts and with sluggish sleepy desires but with our best and most lively affections and with the strength and fervour of our desires You are to prevent their omitting their Prayers at any one time because doing so once or twice they are apt to neglect them wholly or to return to them with great aversness Whereas Custom and Constancy in performing their Devotions will make them much more easie and pleasant to them When they are possessed with more perfect and solid thoughts about Religion with stronger and more lively impressions of Divine things and are able without great difficulty to express the sense of their Souls They may do what they find does serve best the great purposes of Devotion If praying without restraining themselves to any particular Form of Words contribute more to their fervency and elevation of mind in Prayer let them pray without using a Form But if they find that their Minds are more stayed and fixed and their fervency and devotion greater in the use of a Form than without it let them do that which they find best When they pray for outward and temporal things teach them to do it with an entire submission to the Will of God who hath promised perishing things conditionally that is so far as he sees the bestowing of them will be for his Glory and the good of his Children Therefore they must not be vehement and importunate in their desires and Prayers for such things but ought to pray for them with great humility and resignation to the Divine Will As for spiritual Blessings to wit the pardon of Sin the direction and assistance of the Spirit of God his Grace to help them in time of need power and strength to fight against the Devil the World and the Flesh c. These things are to be prayed for with all the importunity and earnestness that is possible The more vehement and fervent their desires and Prayers are for such things the more acceptable are they to God and the more likely to obtain from him the desires of their Souls for he hath promised to satisfie the longing Soul with good things 4. Duty to observe carefully their temper and disposition and to endeavour to reform what is amiss therein Fourthly Observe carefully their Temper and Disposition what Vices they are most inclined to If they are sturdy and proud peevish and passionate cunning given to lying flattery and dissimulation if they are conceited rash and unadvised c. Endeavour all you can to bend their minds another way For Example if they are sturdy and proud strive to humble them and break them to tame their proud Spirits accustom them to the doing acts of humility do not gratifie them in those things that are apt
perfect and glorious freedom The consideration of these things should mitigate and asswage your sorrow and grief and fill you with unspeakable comfort and gladness But some are apt to say I should rejoyce if I thought that my Children who are dead were in Heaven But this I do not know As to this you are not to trouble your thoughts about it for God does not see fit to acquaint you with such things Secret things belong to God and things revealed to us and to our Children Deut. 29.29 If your Children while they were alive minded good things and if you did your part to instruct them and to make them what God requires them to be you are not to be any further solicitous about their everlasting state You are to hope that they are very happy and you are to comfort your selves with these thoughts But some are apt to say I am afraid that my Children are not in a happy state they did very bad things and used bad Company and therefore I have cause to fear and to be troubled about them now that they are dead As to such Parents who have had wretched Children they ought not to suffer their minds to be disordered and oppressed with grief and sorrow because their Children who died were wicked If they did their Duty to make them better if they advised and admonished them if they reproved them and as was fitting chastened them if they desired others to deal with them to see what they could do towards the reclaiming of them if they prayed to God for them and gave them a good Example they are not any further to be troubled and disquieted concerning them when God takes them into his own hand He is wise and good holy and just he does all things well for excellent and glorious ends and therefore Parents ought to leave them to his Disposal who is the Supreme Governour of the World and Judge of the whole Earth Whatever he does whether in Mercy or Justice is always best The Inhabitants of the other World who are translated into a state of heavenly Glory are not under the power of such passions and partialities as govern us here below The glorified Parents of damned Children are not under any uneasiness on that or any other account The Will of God and his Glory is their all they know that whatever he does is most perfectly just and good and for his honour and therefore all things afford them great pleasure and delight true and lasting joy and satisfaction of mind There 's nothing able to interrupt the happiness and joy of those in Glory They are perfectly and eternally delivered from all sort of evils both of sin and punishment They are placed above the reach of whatever may render them in the least uneasie But there is a third sort of those who are troubled not only because their Children were bad and prophane but because they were so through their example or neglect As for such I have already in general shewed them what they ought to do I shall only add That since they have been so faulty and defective in their Duty towards their deceased Children they ought to be the more careful of those who are yet alive and to do all that is possible to make them what God requires them to be As to those who have no more Children left them it would be very fit for them to take into their care one or more Children upon whom they may bestow all that pains care which they should have bestowed in the right Education of their own and endeavour by God's help to make them truly pious and religious and Patterns of all sorts of Virtue to others This is an office which will be very acceptable to God and one of the best demonstrations which Parents can make of the sincerity of their Repentance for their not having done their Duty to their own Children 4. They should consider that there will be a Resurrection Fourthly Consider That there will be a Resurrection of all those that are dead The mighty Power of God which made all things cut of nothing will also gather together the scattered dust of those who are deceased and will reform and rebuild as it were their bodies which are fallen down and consumed He will raise them up again in a more excellent perfect and glorious manner Then shall you meet with your Children and Friends who died in the Lord and behold them after another manner than you saw them here in this World Instead of weak and diseased bodies you shall see them strong vigorous and lively bodies Instead of frail and dying bodies you shall see immortal and incorruptible bodies Instead of filthy and vile bodies you shall see pure and glorious bodies And you shall see them so as to be with them for ever so as never any more to be separated from them by death or any other thing for you and they shall die no more 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. So also is the resurrection of the dead It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory It is sown in weakness it is raised in power It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body And vers 15 53. This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality How gladly would poor people part with their dearest Children if they could be assured of seeing them again in an honourable state and condition exalted to great Dignity and Honour And will not you who have the hopes of a glorious Resurrection be comforted in the absence of your Children when their merciful God and Father takes them away from you unto himself not to do them hurt but good to make them happy and blessed with himself for ever to bestow upon them what eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor which hath entred into the heart of man to conceive Consider the words of the Apostle to the Thessalonians 1 Epist 4.13 14. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 5. They should consider that their giving way to excessive Grief and Mourning can do no good but will certainly do a great deal of hurt Fifthly Your giving way to excessive Grief and Mourning can do you no good but will certainly do you a great deal of hurt and mischief in many respects It cannot bring back your Children that are dead Though you should break your Hearts into a thousand pieces by your weeping and mourning and waste and consume your years in constant heaviness and sorrow tho' you should never henceforth allow your selves one moment of relaxation of mind after all you must go to them they shall not return to you Now what a
said 142 The Contents OF The Discourse about the Right Way of Improving our Time THE Introduction 155 The Text explained 156 How Time is to be redeemed 1. Time is to be redeemed from sleep 158 2. It is to be redeemed from dressing and adorning the Body 162 3. It is to be redeemed from eating and drinking 165 4. It is to be redeemed from gaming 168 5. It is to be redeemed from visuing 172 6. Time is to be redeemed from worldly business 179 7. It is to be redeemed from idleness 183 8. It is to be redeemed in sacred and religious Performances by doing them in the best manner 186 Some Motives to Excite you to do these things 1. Motive from the shortness of your Time 197 2 Motive from the uncertainty of your Time 201 3. Motive from the greatness and difficulty of the work you have to do 209 4. Motive from the account you must give how you spend your Time 216 The Conclusion 223 ADVICE TO PARENTS PART I. IT has been always reckoned by the best and wisest men a thing absolutely necessary towards a Reformation in the World to begin with the Instruction and right Education of Children those of elder Years being ordinarily so rooted and hardned in their sinful habits that for the most part there 's very little can be done to reform them and make them better So sensible were some ancient States of this that they made particular Laws for educating Children thinking it too great a Trust to leave it altogether in the Power of Parents to train up their Children according to their Humour and Fancy Amongst Christians there are few restraints upon Parents in most Countries it being in their power to Educate their Children as they think good It is therefore of no small importance for them to know what their Duty is that they may approve themselves to God in doing whatever he requires towards their Children for their Souls their Bodies and their outward Estate The design of this Treatise is to furnish those who want such helps with some plain and easie directions that they may know how to act the part of Christian Parents While Children are yet in the Womb How Parents ought to be affected while Children are yet in the Womb. it is the Duty of Parents to endeavour to bring their mind to an indifferency as to the Sex which shall be born not to prescribe to God by their impatient desires and their bold asking of him a Child of this or that Sex but to leave it entirely to his Will and Pleasure to do what he thinks best The happiness of Parents does not consist in having Children of this or that Sex Sometimes Sons who are most desired ordinarily may prove useless in the World yea very hurtful in many regards they may occasion great grief of Heart and lasting Anguish and Vexation to their Parents by their mad and foolish Courses and wicked doings And on the other hand Daughters may prove great Blessings in the World great Comforts to their Parents and great Examples of Piety and of Zeal for the honour of God On which Accounts Parents ought to resign their will to God and be ready with all gratitude to accept whatever he bestows Secondly When a Child is born How they ought to be affected when their Children are born Parents ought with all thankfulness to return praise and thanks to God who hath bestowed such a Blessing on them giving them a living Child sound and perfect in all its parts and proportions without either defect of necessary parts or excess and deformity thereof This should make them admire and adore the Powerful and Wise Providence of God which appears in framing and fashioning their Infant so curiously and wonderfully in the Womb preserving it and making it grow up from a very small and imperfect beginning to such a bigness with all those comely shapes and proportions which they behold They ought to look upon their Children as given them of God to be taken care of both as to their Souls and Bodies to be bred up in his fear for his Honour and Glory to be made fit to serve him here and to live with him for ever hereafter The Soul being the chiefest part of the charge committed to Parents I shall first shew what they ought to do for their Childrens Souls The first Duty of Parents for the Souls of their Children is to consecrate them to God in Baptism First They ought to consecrate their Children to God in Baptism so soon as conveniently they can They cannot better express their gratitude to God for blessing them with Children than by presenting them to him again in this holy Ordinance that he may set his Seal upon them and admit them into his House and Family that he may bestow upon them the priviledges of his Children and give them a Right and Title to the Blessedness the Grace and Glory purchased by Jesus Christ It is for this End that Baptism is instituted not only to be a Ceremony of Admission into the Church but to seal unto us the pardon of our Sins to assure us of the Divine Favour to make us Members of Christ Heirs of God and Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven if we by wilful impeuitency and unbelief do not afterwards hinder and frustrate the Virtue thereof It is not necessary for Parents to enquire how such things are done by Baptism it is enough for them to know That Baptism is appointed for those Ends and we are sure that God appoints nothing in vain Our Saviour is said Eph. 5.26 To sanctify and cleanse his Church with the washing of water by the Word And Tit. 3.5 he is said to save us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And in the 22d of the Acts and 16. it is said by Ananias unto Paul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy Sins And says St. Peter 1 Epist 3.21 The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ And St. Paul tells us Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Which words import not only our owning and acknowledging him as the Saviour of the World who alone is able to wash and cleanse us with his Blood but also our professing our resolution to live holy lives to walk in newness of life according to his Example in token of which in the ancient Church they who were baptized were presently cloathed with White Rayment to testify their resolution to live in holiness and to put off the Old Man that is all their former wicked Deeds and Customs and filthy Practices Likewise Rom. 6.3 and 4. it is thus written Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried