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A12100 Lectures or readings vpon the 6. verse of the 22. chapter of the Prouerbs concerning the vertuous education of youth: a treatise very necessary for all parents in this corrupt and declining age of the world. Shelford, Robert, 1562 or 3-1627. 1602 (1602) STC 22401; ESTC S114782 69,487 141

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art that wilt bee a good souldier of Christ Iesus and doe him true and faithfull seruice because he hath raunsomed thee from the tyrannie of the diuel thou must renounce and denie from thy heart all vngodlines and that is all that prophanenes of mind wherein before thou diddest liue whē thou regardedst not God nor religion and all worldly lustes that is all the lustes of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as Saint Iohn teacheth vs 1. Epist. 2.16 all which are the verie armes ensignes which the deuill the prince of darknes beareth against thy deere Sauiour and redeemer Now after that thou hast washed thy hands from all vncleanenes and renounced the deuill with all his adherents the world the flesh art now become embāded in the Lords troups now thou must next learne how to stand in Gods aray what is the whole duety seruice which he requireth at thy handes This consisteth in these three parts as we are here taught in this text first in liuing soberlie to our selues secondly in liuing righteouslie to our neighbours and thirdly in liuing holily or godly towards god In these three points wholy standeth the seruice of God so much as of man is required The first second parts are contained in the second table of Gods law the third is contained in the first Now in the first part of Gods seruice following the order of our text beginning at our selues and rising as it were by steps from the lowest to the highest is to liue soberly towards our selues this is to gouern our own bodies and persons in such measure and comely behauiour as that the Lord who is the continuall beholder of all our actions as well priuate as publike and as well secrete as open bee not offended at vs. Wherefore here euery man must learne to temperate and moderate himselfe in his speech in his gesture in meate and drinke in apparell in pleasures in paines and labors and generally in whatsoeuer concerneth a mans owne person and in all his lawfull liberties so that our speech may not be too rough nor too ridiculous our gesture may not be too light nor too lowring our meate and drinke neither too much nor too delicate our apparell not too gay nor too sluttish our pleasures neither too long nor in bad causes our sorrowes not for euery vain losse nor in any defect or excesse and our labours such as may rather preserue life then quench it in all which we must alwaies hold this rule to consider not what we are able to doe but what is most meete to bee done agreeable with our estate wherein wee may not flatter our selues and seemelie both before God and man This sweete sobrietie is the honest grace and flower of our life which whosoeuer wanteth hee commeth too short of that duetie which God requireth at his handes being vnthankefull to God who hath redeemed him to liue in such an honorable estate offensiue to men and angels and hurtfull to his owne soule and body For what is the cause why our soules corrupt and stinke in the filthie lustes and pleasures of the flesh in al manner of excesse riotous kind of liuing but because they want this sale of sobriety wherby they shold be kept sweet why canst thou not endure to beare the labours of Gods seruice why dooest thou waxe faint in prayer why doest thou thinke it long to heare why doest thou thinke much to streine thy heart vnto God in the zeale of thankesgiuing and why canst thou not away to carie patiētly the easie yoke of Christ Iesus why thou hast not beene acquainted with sobrietie which is as it were the yoke to holde all men within their religious and vertuous endeuours Againe let vs come to the duties of the second table and aske what is the cause why wee cannot liue within the compasse of them Why doe some lift vp the heele against their gouernours like the vntamed horse why doe others liue in continual contentions and fightings like the sauage wolues and Tygers Why do some wast their strength in pleasures as the flame which consumeth the tallowe and why doe other neglecting the tender budde of their decaying stocke draw all through their owne throats while their wife and children starue for hunger and why doe other enuying the age to come gape vpon all things present like Behemoth as though they would make an end of the world with themselues and why do other some kindle such discord amongst their neighbours by that fire of the tongue as Saint Iames calleth it that it can neuer after bee quenched vnto the death and why is hell let loose within our selues to disturbe all the powers and sences about vs with wicked thoughtes lusts why this vertue of sobriety is absent from vs. So that take away sobriety and you vndoe all Religion Wherefore you good parentes you which haue a care of the posteritie and of the Church of God to come and you which thinke nothing too deere for the redemption of your own soules and the soules of your children shewe your thankefulnes vnto GOD in instructing your houshold teach them holines towards God and righteousnes towardes men and teach them not onely holines and righteousnes towardes God and men but also traine them vp in sobrietie towards themselues for this is the locke and key to religion it is the yoke of our life it is the salt of our soules it is the grace of all our actions O you good youth I call to you which loue the Lorde I call to you which honour all those which giue you good instruction and I call to you who had rather dye an honest and godly death while you are young then to liue in the filthie pleasures of sinne for a season and in the ende to bee cast awaye eternallie embrace this noble vertue of sobrietie if there bee anie vnderstanding if anie loue of vertue if anie zeale of chastitie if anie courage for good thinges fulfill my desires in the Lorde who loue your soules so deerely and God almightie raine downe a blessing vpon you 2. The second part of Gods seruice is to liue righteously towardes men and that is to giue euery man his due and right Giue to euerie man his due saith the Apostle Rom. 13. Tribute to whome yee owe tribute custome to whom custome feare to whome feare honour to whome vee owe honour Owe nothing to anie man but to loue one another for hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Nowe this whole duetie of louing our brethren and in giuing euery one his due we may generally comprehende in this diuision First in honouring and obeying our superiours and gouernours secondly in relieuing our inferiors and all such as stand in neede of our helpe and thirdly in being kinde to our equalles and louing to all For the dueties towardes our superiours the subiect must honour his magistrate with obedience
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
If they see them poore or sicke they sorrow and sigh but though they see them sinne they sorrow not And in this they shew that they brought foorth the bodies of their children but not their soules 3. The third vice is committed of such poore parents which make no great choise with what masters dames they place their children so they haue meate and drinke enough and wages thereto competent and are neither backe beaten nor belly beaten as they say Alas such poore children while they serue for their bellies they may lose their soules because they want godly masters and dames to giue them holesome instruction to hold them in by good example and to gouerne them continually in the feare of the Lord. Wherefore here let all parents learne that it is their duetie to make choise of such masters and dames for their children as are godly and religious wise hearted such as are both able well disposed to traine vp youth in all good nurture Gods seruice and not onely this for the greatest care of al lieth vpon the parent but also they must so often as conueniently they may repaire vnto them and see how they profit and hold them vp by their good counsell be carefull to entreate those which haue the gouernmēt of them to be good vnto them in this chiefe point aboue the rest For as Salomon saith Life and death is in the power of the tongue So wee may well say life and death is in the education of our children If they be well brought vp it shal be life vnto them but if it be otherwise they are trained vp to euerlasting death 4. The fourth vice is the fault of many masters dames who make no further reckoning of their seruants then they doe of their brute beasts For so long as their worke and busines bee well done by them they care for no more and they will teach them no further then may serue for their owne turne and benefit that is to be a profitable seruant vnto them Such masters make their seruants drudges to the world and the diuell and the life of such youth dieth while it shooteth vp All these sinne and trespasse against this commandement of the heauenly father because they are contrarie to good nurture and godly instruction Now hauing shewed what parents and all other gouernours of youth are to shunne in the education of children and seruants wee must come to the second poynt which is to shew wherein this carefull and diligent instruction is to bee executed and this is contained in these words in the trade of his way I will not trouble you with the idiome of the originall the words are faithfully translated and significant enough Vnder these words are contained three diuers instructions in all which the Lord here commaundeth parents to bring vp their children The first is that which we commonly call an occupation or profession of life and this is either mechanicall which wee call handicraft or liberall which is the learning of Schooles and the end of this is either to get his liuing honestly and in Gods ordinance or else if he wanteth no maintenance to applie his profession and trade of life to the benefit of the Common-wealth No childe of what birth and stocke soeuer he be of ought to want this instruction and bringing vp If thou saiest my childe hath no neede of any trade yet the Common-wealth and Gods Church hath need of him and the very Heathen Philosophers will teach thee that no mā is borne for himselfe but his friends will require one part his kindred another and his coūtrie the third And if handicrafts like thee not thou hast the Liberall Sciences of which no man euer was yet ashamed but many haue made them their crowne of glorie Mithridates the great King of Pontus was trained vp in Phisicke and hath left vnto all posterities that worthie confection which is called of his own name Mithridate a treasure more worth then Princes Crownes Iustinian the Romane Emperour was that great Lawyer which by his owne industrie gaue perfection to the law of Nations Quintus Cincinnatus was called from the plow to beare that high office of the Dictatorship in Rome Saul was annointed King while he was seeking his fathers Asses and Dauid was taken from the sheepfold to feed with his wisedome and gouerne with his prudence that honourable people of the children of Israel And againe we reade that those two famous Prophets Elisha and Amos the one was called from the plow and the other from keeping of beasts Which examples do plainly teach vs that the great and reuerend God despiseth no honest trade of life bee it neuer so meane but crowneth it with his blessing to drawe all good minds to his holy ordinance But now adaies such is the pride of our hearts a thing to bee lamēted through all our land that our gentle mens children may not be brought vp in any trade oh it is too base beggerly for thē they must liue of their lands they must maintaine their gentrie a small learning will serue their turne but while this ordinance of God is neglected what miserie from hence ensueth who are the wasters of patrimonies who are the robbers and reuers in the Common-wealth who are the deflowrers of maidens who are the defilers of matrons who are y e corrupters of youth and to speake in one word who are the seedes men of all mischiefe in our countrie but these children of gentlemen who haue not beene taught and trained vp in the trade of their way while they were young For euen as a weede if it grow in a ranke soyle will waxe out of measure noysome so these children comming of honorable parents brought vp in ease and pampered with the delights of gentrie they waxe immeasurably vitious and who may keepe them vnder neither lawes nor Magistrates nor any other good meane Wherefore here the Lord that he might hold all youth vnder his obedience which otherwise would runne out into all maner of extremities he streightly commaundeth all parents whosoeuer 〈◊〉 bring vp their children in some honest 〈◊〉 and profession of life that so thereby they might bee kept from committing much euil and that when they be come to yeares of gouernment God might bee glorified by them and the Common-wealth in which they liue receiue the common mutuall duetie Now then you plainly see here what God requireth none must liue idly but all must bee taught to benefit Gods Church and the common-wealth and such a one is not worthy to liue in any wel ordered and good Common-wealth which cannot one way or other discharge the common duetie thereof The second thing which the Lord requireth at the hands of parents towards their children vnder the name of the trade of their way is that they should teach thē good manners and ciuill behauiour to rise vp to their betters to vncouer the head to make obeisance to be
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
expressed in the 6. verse of the first chapter And his father would not displease him from his childhood to say why hast thou done so And here I cannot but iustly finde fault with most parents who though they bee somewhat carefull for their children while they be tender yet when they beecome to some yeares of discretion as to fifteene or sixteene which time is most fit for reprehension because then by all reason it should soonest enter and which time againe is most dangerous because then our affections are most strong in vs oh then they bee growne to mens and womens estate they may not bee reprehended they may not bee disgraced But knowe thou O wise parent that so long as thou hast a childe so long thou art a parent and so long as thou art a parent so long thou must carrie a fatherlie authoritie and power ouer him 5. The fift adiunct or helpe is chastisement and it may well bee called a helpe because where reprehension will not serue that must helpe and this must bee vsed in order and method as the Phisitian worketh for as the skilfull Phisitian will not giue his strong and bitter pill before his preparatiue least the working of it should bee hindred by the stubborne and indurate obstructions so the wise parent in curing his sonnes vices must not strike before he hath reprehended or premonished least either hee bee too much cast downe and discouraged or waxe obstinate This kinde of Phisick as it is more strong then the former so it hath a more forcible and excellent working The Councell of Turon saith worthily Magna est in ipsa seueritate pietas per quam tollitur peccandi facultas Great is the godlines in that seueritie by which the power of sinning is taken away And againe Salomon in the 22. of the Prouerbes saith more worthily Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe but the rodde of correction shall driue it away And againe in the 13. chapter Hee which spareth the rodde hateth his sonne that is he is an enemie vnto him Wherefore know thou this O thou father that when thou seest thy sonne dangerously sicke with the disease of sinne and doest not vse this helpe and remedy which God in his holy word hath prescribed vnto thee thou art accessarie to thy childes death as an enemie and his blood shall be required at thy hands because that where thou mightest haue saued him thou hast wilfully cast him away for Gods loue good parents looke to your children Oh that parents had lesse naturall affection or more wisdome for euery parent is blinde in his owne children oh is it not a pitifull thing that parents should themselues make graues for their owne children and burie them quick without all compassion and think they do well in it And is it not a folly aboue all follies that while the parent layeth his hand vpon his childes mouth to keepe away the colde winde hee presseth it downe so hard that he strangleth him therewith Thus many a father and mother in the world haue killed their deare ones by their inordinate loue and cockering of them and thus many poore infants must still be murdered because parents will not bee warned Wherfore now I wil lament with the Prophet Ieremie my soule shall mourne in silence and mine eyes shall cast forth riuers of waters while I walke solitarie because I see the destruction that is to come vpon the children of my people for want of good education and gouernmēt The yoke is too heauie breaking is violent chiding discourageth the rod maketh bluenes therefore while wee contemne the Lords helpes death breaketh in vpon vs. Now let vs fall downe before the Lorde and beseech his pittifulnes that hee would euen without meanes saue some of those poore infants which knowe not the right hand from the left and whom the inordinate loue and blind folly of cursed parentes haue destinate to destruction c. Onely let your conuersation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ. Phil. 1.27 Now hauing finished the first parte of the trade of childrens way wee are come to the second to teach good manners Wherein I minde not to trouble you with courte fashions and new fangles and toyes of curious heades but onely to teach such nourture and seemely behauiour as Gods word commendeth and well becommeth the Gospell of Christ Iesus The duties of nurture in which parentes are to bring vp their children are either priuate to themselues or common to all The dutie which the parent must teach his childe priuate to himselfe is vnfayned obedience without any semblance of disliking in all things that hee shall commaunde him not being contrarie to the worde of GOD yea though hee seeth no reason of the thing commaunded as Isaack went obedientlie with his father to the altar though hee sawe no burnt offering nay though his owne reason goeth against it For the parent should giue his childe to vnderstand that God himselfe hath so disposed of him in his holy ordinance that hee shoulde not growe vp in his owne will and gouernement but bee subiect vnto them in all things And this is commaunded Colossians 3.20 Children obeye your Parentes in all thinges for that is well pleasing vnto the Lorde And here Parentes must remember to chastise and banish awaye from their children all murmuring and reasoning of the matter or answering againe for this is the breach of good manners and forbidden of the Lord Phil. 2. Doe all things without murmurings and reasonings There must bee no grumbling and there must bee no debatings or delayes as why may not hee goe why may not shee doe it this is a foule and a shamefull hearing but euery one so soone as hee is commaunded must goe or bee made to goe without any more adoe This is good nurture and Gods commaundement and example of this wee haue in the seruants of that worthie Centurion whose praise is in the Gospell and I saye vnto one goe and hee goeth and to another come and he commeth and to my seruant do this and he doth it Now the rest of the duties which parents must teach their children not onely towards themselues but also towards others consist in reuerence and courtesie and this is to bee shewed in these two heads either in speech or gesture Againe the duties of our speech are to be diuided into other two heads which are fayre speech and conference 1. The first dutie of fayre speech is to call our betters by an honorable name And thus we reade that Abigaile called Dauid Lorde at euery worde yea fourteene times together in that small speech 1. Samuel 25. And thus againe wee reade in the tenth of Marke that that ciuill and well nourtured ruler vsed this courteous speech vnto our sauiour where hee sayth Good Master what shall I doe that I may possesse eternall life And when hee made answere againe hee saide Master all
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
taken the possession of all the parts about vs of al the powers and faculties of euery part but also it hath brought forth infinite fruites in vs to eternall condemnation Whereupon the prophet Dauid in his 19. Psa. cryeth out Who can vnderstand his faults O clense me from my secret sins Now beloued if our sins wicked transgressions be so many that we cānot number them nor vnderstand them all they be so hidden in heapes in euery mēber about vs the wages of euery one sin yea euen of the least that can bee cōmitted is death as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6. then again how great is this death which lieth vpon vs Here lieth the man that was trauailing betweene Ierusalem and Iericho bleeding by the high waies side hauing receiued his deadly wound and being already more then half dead wherefore except that good Samaritan Christ Iesus doth shortly powre in wine and oyle into our wounds me must needes perish eternally Fiftly that wee might yet the better and more cleerely see into our owne miserie we must goe vnto Gods lawe which is our looking glasse for that will shewe vs the very least moate of sinne that cleaueth vnto vs and when wee are come hither alasse this will cast vs all downe vpon our faces Oh sayth the Apostle Rom 7. I once was aliue without the lawe but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued Wee thinke that we are iolly fellowes and that we are in case good enough vntill wee looke our faces in Gods glasse and alas then we see nothing but death and then we crie out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death This teacheth thee that if thou art but angrie with thy brother vnaduisedly thou art a murtherer this teacheth thee that if thou dost but looke vpon a woman to lust after her in thine heart thou art an adulterer this teacheth thee that if thou dooest but desire thy neighbours goodes though thou neuer layest handes vpon them yet thou art a theefe and a fellon and this telleth thee that though thou speakest a trueth by thy neighbour with a minde to discredite him thou art a slaunderer and this teacheth thee that euerie little wicked thought which ryseth vp in thy mind is sinne and so deserueth euerlasting death yea though thou neuer giuest consent vnto it So that if wee would examine our selues by this glasse wee must needes all of vs cast downe our selues at Gods feete and saye with the Prophet If thou O Lorde streightlie markest iniquities O Lorde who shall stand Now that which I haue here taught you I beseech you by the mercy of God by which onely you must bee saued teach it your children againe for this is the ende of all my labour to saue your childrens soules which are so deere vnto you Sixtly and lastlie after you haue beaten into their heades their miserable estate by reason of their falling from God and breach of his lawe then you must shew them the feareful punishments be longing vnto the same and bring them euen vnto the brinke of hel and bid them stand fast in Christ Iesus look in First you must bid thē behold the vnquēchable fire alwaies feeding vpon the soule and body of man neuer cōsuming the substance 2. You must shew them further the vtter darkenes which is as it were that irksome smoake which ariseth out of this horrible and infernall fire 3. You must point out vnto them where the worme of conscience lieth alwaies gnawing vpon the tender hart and soule of man with torments vnspeakable 4. You must shew them in this hideous place the feare and dreadfulnes of God wrapped about with his wrath which shaketh all the partes of soule and bodie from whence ariseth the gnashing of teeth And lastly here at once you must lay before their eies all the vnspeakable torments of hell which cause that intolerable noyse of howling and crying which is to bee heard in that place Here is y t Tophet which Esay speaketh of in his 30. chapter the burning thereof is fire and much woode and the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it Here lyeth Esau weeping for his birth-right there lyeth Ierusalem crying out because she knewe not the time of her visitation Here lyeth Caine for killing his brother there lyeth Iudas for betraying his master Here lyeth Iezabell torne of the dogges of hell for stoning of Naboth there lyeth Diues boyling in brimstone for not shewing compassion on poore Lazarus Here lye burning night and day the fiue Cities of Sodome because they burnt with vnnaturall lust while they liued here and there ly all the old world drowned with the sea of Gods wrath because they had corrupted euery man his way vpon earth O you good parentes take heede to your children and giue them good counsell that they come not into this place of tormēt Should you not crie out woe worth the day that euer you begate a childe for this place here euen vpon this pittes brinke stands euery mothers child as he is naturally borne into the world Wee are by nature the children of wrath saith the Apostle Ephesi 2. and wee haue al of vs euen from the conceptiō fought against God with our sinnes and prouoked the holy one to anger and therfore now here it were iust with God if hee should with his foote spurne vs all into hell Wherefore deere parents ere the Lordes anger be kindled against you and your children remoue them from hence drawe them out of this cursed estate for if God should here examine them O Lord which of them all should stand they were all no better then cast away for euer But with thee is mercie Hitherto we haue spoken of our own misery now we are come to the remedy which is Gods mercy Wherfore as the prophet Dauid in the 101. Psal. saith I will sing mercy and iudgment vnto thee O Lord so wee hauing already sung of iudgemēt now we wil come to sing of mercy These two as one of the fathers saith are as it were the two legs of god wherewith he walketh towards vs. If God should come towards vs with the legge of his iustice onely alas who might abide him and who should stand before him but now hee commeth with mercie also and therefore we will praise him All the pathes of the Lorde sayth the Prophet are mercie and truth vnto such as keepe his couenant This truth is Gods iustice whereby wee are humbled his mercie is the meane whereby we are raised vp againe This is the waye of Gods walking towardes vs which is most wise in the eies of the almighty For if God should come to vs only in iustice then we would not loue him againe if he should come onely in mercie so licentious are we that we would not feare him Wherefore sweet is this
entercourse of gods mercy iudgement most healthfull to the soule of euery Christian. Mercie and trueth haue mette together righteousnes and peace haue kissed ech other Let all Christians reioyce at this happy meeting Let the sea make a noise and al that is therein let the flouds clappe their handes and reioyce their fill let the mountaines skip before the Lord like yong rammes and let euery mouth confesse vnto the Lord and sing mercy and iudgement Oh if Gods mercy had not met his iustice by the way and kissed and imbrased it wee had all of vs bin swept away with the whirlewinde of his wrath long ere this day but with thee is mercy saith the Prophet Gods mercy hath staied his iustice from dealing extremely with vs. Who can sufficiently praise this mercie of God The Lord is gratious righteous saith the prophet therfore will be teach sinners in the way Oh what a glory is it to the Lorde to saue poore soules that were wandring downe to hell and oh what cause haue we now aboue all creatures to sound out the praise of this mercifull God who were brought euen to deaths doore are nowe lifted vp againe by his grace this name gratious and mercifull is Gods sweete name and soundeth as much as Iesus whom y e church in the 1. of the Canticles describeth after this manner Thy name is as ointment poured out therefore the virgins loue thee because God hath mercie in store for poore sinfull creatures therefore wee will runne after him by the smell of his garments and remember his loue more then wine all our talking shal bee of him and his mercie and of his praise there shall be no ende Wherefore now you good parents you which are the Lords deputies sing mercie and iudgement to your families continually and sing not onely mercie but sing iudgement also and againe sing not iudgement alone but sing iudgement and mercie both together If you teach your children Gods iustice and iudgements only then they shal fall vpon the rockes of despaire and so goe mourning downe to hell Againe if you learne them onely Gods mercie then will they sinke in the sands of securitie and so bee cast away eternally Wherefore if your desire be to haue your children passe the dangerous sea of this world that so they may arriue in the quiet hauen of blessed rest you must teach them to saile both by Gods iustice and mercie And now hauing taught you out of the former verse the way by the streight line of Gods iustice now we are come to the calme and pleasant sea of his mercie But with thee is mercie Now then looke to your wounds for here is the baulme of Gilead whereby our soules are cured euen Gods mercie Is the candle of thy soule the light of thy mind put out through the darknes of sin so that thou canst not tel how to walke in the course of this life acceptably to God and inoffensiuely to thy neighbour here is Gods mercie in Christ Iesus readie to enlighten thee but with thee is mercie As if the Prophet should haue said with thee is Christ Iesus in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge With thee is mercie with thee is Christ Iesus who is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes With thee is mercie with thee is that light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day starre ariseth in our hearts With thee is mercie that is thou art hee which commanded the light to shine out darknes and thou art hee which shineth in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Christ Iesus And to conclude with thee is mercie that is thou art that louing God which doest counsell vs for our owne good to buy of thee eye salue and to annoynt our eyes therwith that the sight of our vnderstāding may recouer againe to beholde all thy wonderfull mysteries in thy sonne Christ Iesus the which the Angels desire to beholde And with thee is the well of life and in th light shall we see light 2. Secōdly are thy will affections out of frame so that thou hast no power of thy selfe to will desire any heauenly good behold Gods mercie is at hand againe to repaire thē and to put a new power and facultie in them as the Apostle teacheth Phil. 2. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do euen of his owne good pleasure 3. Thirdly are all thy members distempred with sinne by reason of that law of sinne and bodie of death which hath setled it self in euery part member about thee so that thou criest out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Christ Iesus the son of this merciful God being sent down from heauen by his mercifull father hath taken vpon him our whole nature euery power of our nature and hath sanctified it all for vs as the Apostle teacheth vs Heb. 2. For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren And againe in the same chapter For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell So that now if thou wile lay holde on Gods mercie and Christs merits which he once purchased for thee in thine owne nature the power of sinne shall euery day more and more dye in thee and thou shalt grow into the image of Christ thy Sauiour all thy members which before were the instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnes now they shall be chaunged into the instruments of righteousnes fight for God Now thine eyes shall beholde the thing which is right now thine eares shall be open to heare the word now thy hands shall make peace now thy lippes shall speak truth thy mouth shall blesse thy feete shall be swift to all goodnes and euery member shall bee sanctified vnto the Lord. Oh great is this mercie of God that hath giuen his son Christ Iesus to doe so great things for vs. 4. Fourthly doth the multitude of thy sins which thou hast brought forth out of this bodie of death lye boyling in thy conscience so that thou cāst take no rest neither night nor daye come againe hither to the mercie of God In that day saith the Prpohet Zachary there shall bee a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannes That day is this blessed time of the Gospell in which wee now liue hauing his pretious word sounding vnto vs on both eares this fountaine is that pure righteousnes and merits of his sonne Christ Iesus which he wrought for vs while he