with others as you reade them Stand therefore in strength serue with comfort slippe not from your calling for want of rewarde if other abilitie serue to continue The Lords worde is past him his promise is out he wil consider and recompence all true seruants feare it not doubt it not but cleaue to the Lord and when euer anie snubbes and checkes in worde or countenaunce vndeserued arise say in your heart with Dauid chéerefully Psalm 84. O Lord blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee Que. What say you of parentes in respect of benefites Ans I must néedes say they are greatlie to bee honoured and truely loued agayne whose loue and affection hath broken out in fruites to vs ward· For ingratitude before God and man is hatefull Proueb 17 1â— And hee that rewardeth euill for good euill shall neuer depart from his house saith Salomon Que. Howe prooue you that vnder the title of Father and Mother old men and olde women be meant and to bee honoured Ans The wordes of Paul to Timothie teacheth it 1. Tim. 5.2 For rebuke not an elder saith hee but exhort him as a Father and the elder women as mothers Leuit. 19.32 And touching the honouring of them the lawe is plaine Thou shalt rise vp before the horeheade and honour the person of the olde man and dreade thy God I am the Lorde Iob. 32.6 And in Elihu wee sée the practise who stayed his speach that his auncients might speake before him Que. Let all towne officers consider this and become parents not spoilers of the towne Howe then may we conclude this matter Ans Thus for this thing we may note end That if the scripture to Magistrates ministers maisters such like superiors haue giuen the name of parents theÌ„ ought they al and euerie one of them in heart affection and action be aunswerable to the same Que. Nowe then to proceede heere is a promise added to the keepers of this commaundement that their dayes shall bee long in the land Ephe. 6. And to the Ephesians it is saide that this is the first commaundement which is a promise yet was there one added to the seconde if you looke on it howe then aunswere wee this Ans We aunswer ethat the promise annexed to the seconde commaundement belonged to all but this belongeth particularlie to this and therefore it is the first with anie speciall promise Que. What might be the reason of this promise Ans This may séeme to bee some reason of it Naturall parentes are the instrumentes of life other parentes as Magistrates Ministers and benefactors are the instrumentes of good and comfortable life Nowe it pleased the Lord to giue them for a blessing long life who duetifullie behaue themselues to the instruments of life Que Why but is long life such a blessing Ans Surely mans life is full of trouble and griefe it can not bee denied Yet I answere first that notwithstanding euen to liue and haue a béeing is of it selfe a mercie of the Lords yet to continue liuing to serue and praise the Lorde to increase his kingdome by anie abilitie in vs is a greater mercie For a good nature reioyceth in oportunitie giuen to shewe himselfe thankefull though it he to his trouble and cost and so must we Secondlie I answere that al these miseries of mans life haue come of man himselfe and not of God and therefore we ought no lesse to accompt of Gods blessing for the thing which we ourselues haue béene cause of Thirdlie it may be answered the god doth not promise barelie long life in this place but good with it also either in respect of outward prosperitie or inwarde comfort Que. Howe prooue you that Ans By hauing recourse to Pauls wordes who repeating this blessing vpon them that honour Father and Mother doth not say onely that thou maist liue long on earth but that it may bee well with thee and thou maist liue long vpon earth Therfore though mans life be full of miseries yet as God promiseth continuance of it it is a blessing a great blessing Que. Howe can this promise respect vs seeing it nameth particularly Canaan saying that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee meaning it Ans Paul againe doth answere this who boldly putteth for those wordes these on the earth therefore by his interpretation it is not to bee restrayned to Canaan onely Que. Doe alwayes they that honour Parentes liue long and contrariwise againe Ans Wée may not say so For all thinges fall out alike to the good and euill iust and vniust saith Salomon meaning of outwarde thinges as life is and it is the wisedome of the Lord it shoulde bee so that good things as wee call them may not be too gréedilie sought for because they are common to the wicked neither euill thinges be vnlawfullie eschewed because they are incident to the good Que. Howe then is God true in his promises Ans So farre as long life may be a benefite to his children so farre hee euer giueth it but if in wisedome he knowe it better for them to be gathered to their fathers then hee taketh them away and recompenceth want of temporall life with eternall Que. Yea but that is not his promise then for his promise is long lyfe heere Ans He that promiseth monie and giueth golde breaketh not his promise hee that promiseth little and giueth much breaketh not his promise but so doeth the Lorde with vs and therefore who is hee that vnthankefully pleadeth against his mercie Que. What fruitfull notes nowe gather you of thâ—se wordes Ans First wee may note that the Lorde ioyning a promise of mercie to this commaundement and not dealing so with anie thing which he liketh not greatlie pleasing out of question in his sight is the kéeping of this law namelie when euerie man doeth dutie where dutie is due and in loue we allow cherish and maintaine one an other Secondlie if long life bee a blessing promised to such as obey their parents and this obedience procéedeth greatly of good education then they that careleslie and vngodlily neglect the same in their children doe asmuch as lyeth in them shorten the dayes of their posterâ—tie Lastlie wee also in this promise annexed note that if long life be a gift of God then commeth it not by nature or good constitution of body further or longer than it pleaseth the same GOD to blesse the meanes and graunt it And thus much briefely of this commaundement The Application NOwe remaineth it to applie these thinges to our selues euerie one disclosing his life and inward thoughtes before the Lord and before our selues as néere as we can to the ende that sight of sin if it be fouÌ„d in vs may bring foorth sorowe and giuen grace in some strength to stande if wee can finde we haue had it may increase our thankes to the Lord our God who did so assist
when the Father and Sonne came to him about a matter the Sonne being a Magistrate and the Father none that the Father should sit downe vpon that one stoole that he had till the question was disputed whether of them ought of right to haue it Que. And are the children onelie bounde Ans No in déede but there is a duetie aswell of the Parents to their children as of the children to their Parentes Que. And what is that I pray you Ans In generalitie this it is If Parentes looke for at their childrens handes honour that is reuerence obedience and maintenaunce if they néede according to abilitie then is it questionlesse their dueties so to behaue themselues towarde their Children as that these things may be dewe vnto them Que. In particularitie what procureth reuerence to them Parents behauiour Ans First and formest if Parentes will bréede this in their children let them in any wise carefully looke to their lyfe and behauiour before them For truely graue modest and vertuous behauiour striketh the heartes of both children seruauntes and all other beholders with a reuerent conceite of such persons and contrariwise light behauiour looseth the same Que. What especiall things can you name that in deede loose Parentes and superiors this reuerence Ans Neglect of Religion Drunkennesse incontinencie of lyfe vncomely talke wanton behauiour swearing with such like and which may not be forgotten brawles iarres and vnkindnesse betwixt man and wife before their children and seruants Que. What else breedeth reuerence Ans Good bringing vp a duetie which the Parentes doe owe to their children as farre as their power will reache and which in déede maketh the children performe to them their dueties the better Que. How prooue you that parentes are bound to this Ans The Apostle giueth an expresse commaundement of it saying Ephes 6.4 Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lorde And the neglect of this bringing vp maketh many Parentes want good behauiour in their children For verie great is the force of it to good or euill as that Heathen man Lycurgus by his two whelpes verie liuelily set out the storie whereof is this Lycurgus desiring to let the Lacedemonians sée the force of Education brought forth on a day to them two whelpes The force of Education which he had diuersly brought vp the one he had accustomed to the fielde the other kept euer at home and with them he brought out also an hare and a pot of potage which when hee had set downe the one according to his vse of bringing vp tooke presentlye to the Hare and the other vtterlie neglecting what euen nature shoulde haue wrought a regard in him of as presently betooke himselfe to the potte of Potage Sée then sayeth Lycurgus O yée Lacedemonians what bringing vp is in verie brute and vnreasonable creatures howe much more must it néedes bee effectuall to good or euill in your children And the example mooued them much But in howe manie moe examples out of good writings may wee plentifully sée howe carefull euer all godly Parentes haue béene that in the fruite of their bodyes the Lorde shoulde be honoured and his true religion planted and placed in their posteritie for verie well knewe they that which experience taught both them and others that as vertuous and godly fruite is a speciall blessing of the Lord so an vngratious and froward ofspring is a crosse that next after sense of Gods wrath against themselues doeth sting most bitterly the heart of godly Parentes And againe they knew that which wee also cannot bee ignoraunt of that by nature neyther theirs were nor ours are borne so pure as that they néeded not the industrie of their Parentes to reforme them For both then was it and nowe is it most true which the spirit of wisedome saieth Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a childe Prou. 22.15 but the rodde of correction shall driue it away from him And in another place The verie imagination of mans heart is altogether euill from his childhoode Gen. 8. Wonderfull hath the care of heathens bin therefore in this respect as partly you haue heard and might most largely haue laid further before you if it were néedefull An ancient saying it was and common amongst them Nil dictu foedum visuue haec limina tangant Intra quae puer est That is Let neuer any thing vndecent to bee said or seene enter into the house where a child is within Cato that wise Counseller of Rome thrust Manlius from the Senate because on the day time his daughter being by he kissed his wife Plutarch in his booke of this matter singularly discourseth of this care how great it ought to be and euer hath béen in good men and he maketh a comparison betwixt Education and other matters which men much estéeme preferring it before them all Natalium splendor saieth he res est praeclara at bonum a Maioribus profectum c. That is Birth and Parentage is a notable thing but yet descending to vs frō others Riches are highly regarded yet sodenly taken from them that haue them and giuen to them that looked not for them and euer common to the bad aswell as to the good Glorie is a thing in mans eyes honorable yet euer most variable Beautie much wished for yet not to be kept any long time with all the wyshes wisedome in the world Onely one thing saith he there is the benefite whereof neuer fayleth but with life and that is the singular fruite of good bringing vp Lycurgus the Rhetorician when it was obiected to him that he wasted too much vpon the teachers of his children aunswered most wisely that to a man that in déede would vndertake to better his children to his desire he would not onely giue that wages but euen the halfe of all that euer he possessed Such a care had this Heathen of that which Christians professing God can be so carelesse of in these dangerous and infectiue daies Aristotle could say that looke how much better it is to be well than to be so much more bound are those children to their parents that receiue by them good bringing vp thā they which receiue but their bare existence in the world An other in Plutarch againe saith very pretily that if he could Crates he would get him to the toppe of the highest hill that any where he might finde and with all his power from whence he might furthest be heard crie out vpon the monstruous madnesse of thousands of Parents that take such intollerable and vncessaunt paines to leaue much vnto their children and yet neuer any care at all in comparison what maner of men or women they shal be to whom so much must be left As though that earthlie pelfe either wholly made a man or else must of necessitie with worldly credite cōtinue his posteritie vpon earth when want of bringing vp maketh want
of his father and mother and they haue chastened him and hee would not hearken vnto them then shall his father and mother take him and bring him vnto the elders of the Citie and vnto the gate of that same place and say vnto the Elders of the Citie this our sonne is stubborne and disobedient and will not hearken vnto our voice he is a riotour and a drunkard and all the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones to death and thou shalt put euill away from thee and all Israell shall heare and feare Que. But howe farre must a childe obey Ans If we passe ouer the discourse of Philosophers touching this matter and come to the scriptures the Apostle Paul determineth it thus Colos 3.20 That children must obey their parentes in all thinges Que. Why but shall we thinke Paule would haue a childe in deede obey his Parentes in all thinges as the woordes sounde What if they commaund a wicked thing Ans No indéede wee may not take Paules wordes so generally but wee must expounde that place by an other place of Paule to the Ephesians Ephes 6 where he biddeth children as you hearde aboue obey their parentes in the Lorde And by the wordes of Mathewe where it is sayde Matth. 10. Hee that loueth father or mother more than me is not worthie of me Que. And howe then conclude you touching my question Ans Thus I conclude that a child is bounde to obey his parentes in all thinges in the Lorde that is so farre as his obedience may stande with the dutie which he oweth to his God and with such circumstances touching his owne person as both reason and pietie woulde shoulde bee regarded Which conclusion compriseth assuredlie their obedience as touching mariage Que. What begetteth this obedience in children Ans When parentes desire obedience they must knowe that it is their duties to commaund thinges lawfull in respect of God This excludeth forcing to marrie against all likeing and conuenient in regarde of their children Que. What is the thirde and last part of this honour Ans Maintainance of our parentes if néede be Que. What meane you by this maintenaunce Ans It is a thankfull sustayning of the want of our parents either by our riches counsell strength or any other thing which God hath blessed vs withall and they haue not Que. But how dare we interpret the commaundement thus Honor thy Parentes that is maintaine them as thou art able and they haue neede Ans Surely first very reason telleth vs that this is as due as either reuerence or obedience but to let that passe wee haue apparant scriptures where by honor is meant maintenance As namely in the Apostles spéech to Timothie Honour widowes 1. Timoth. 5. that be widowes in deede That is prouide for theÌ„ and let them be sustained Againe in the same place a litle after They that rule well are worthy of double honor 17. where by honour in part is meant maintaynance Lastlie in the gospell of S. Marke our Sauiour Christ notablie sheweth that the Scribes and Pharisies Marke 7. perswading children to giue to their vse that wherewith they shoulde haue helped their Parentes caused them to breake this commaundement in not honoring them as they should Where we euidently see Christ himselfe includeth in this honour maintaynaunce and these places as they warrant this interpretation so doe they also plainely prooue that children owe this dutie to their parentes Que. What further may be saide for the warranting of this that children ought to releeue their parentes wherein they can Ans Beside the testimonies of scripture nowe alledged to prooue it the spirite of God hath added reasons to vrge it and there are also examples to perswade it and fearefull experiences of Gods wrath vpon the contrarie to feare vs from it Que. What reasons Ans In the 6. to the Ephesians the 1. verse this reason is added because it is a iust thing or right And indéede so it is right both in respect of God that appointeth it and in respect of that which our parentes haue doone for vs before Que. What else Ans Againe in the 3. to the Colossians the 20. verse this reason is aledged because it is well pleasing to the Lorde Que. What examples Ans Valerius in his 5. booke and 4. chapter sheweth a notable example of a daughter that nourished her mother in prison with her brestes And if heathens by the lawe of nature knewe so much to be their dutie how much more christians hauing added thereunto the light of Gods worde Que. What else Ans It is also reade of the Storkes that when they are olde they kéepe continually the nest and their young birds prouide for them and feede them till they die Que. Well then yet what nowe if children refuse thus to behaue themselues to their parentes or neglect it Ans They are then to looke for the wrath of the Lorde in them sharpely with heauie hande punishing so foule a fault And to consider well that as others haue founde him so shall they vndoubtedly Cham Reuben Hophin and Phinees with a number others are before their eyes as experiences to be wise by if they haue grace And aboue all other Absolon that gracelesse man who like a disobedient childe to a good father sought greatly to dishonour him 2. Saâ—â— 18. and so horrible was this sinne that euen the earth was wearie of so wicked a burden and would carie him no longer The heauens also were ashamed of him and the wrath of God hanged him vp betwixt heauen and earth by the heire of his head till Ioab thrust him thorowe with thrée dartes beeing yet aliue A fearefull spectacle to all rebelles against their Prince or disobedient children against their Parentes Que. Breefely nowe whom doe you note to be comprehended heere vnder the title Parentes Ans First Parentes by nature secondly by dignitie and office thirdly by age and fourthly by benefit Generally they are all in steede of Parentes to vs by whome as by instrumentes the Lorde deriueth his mercies to vs. Que. Who be Parentes by dignitie or office Ans Magistrates ouer the people maisters ouer their seruauntes ministers ouer their charges and such like Que. For Magistrates what say you Ans I say their place and calling that portion aboue others which the Lorde hath giuen them of his authoritie maiestie and excellencie prooueth vnto vs that wee must reuerence them The increase and safetie of that which wee possesse through peace maintayned by them prooueth that we ought againe thankefullie to maintaine them their estate and gouernment by tribute taxes subsidies and such like and for obedience it is in a number of places commaunded as are also the former Therefore when as all the partes of honour are due vnto them as reuerence maintainaunce and obedience I may conclude Magistrates as Parentes are to be honored Que. There is no question of anie of these but now how
vs. Let euerie one wey their calling and estate sée what of them in this lawe the Lorde requireth and what of them in their places hath béene performed Children in dutie subiect to our parents we are or haue béene euery one of vs. Haue we then euer doone it or presently doe wee in the true testimonie of a féeling conscience reuerence in heart and by al outward ordinarie meanes those ordained instruments by the Lord of so great good vnto vs our naturall parentes Neuer haue our hearts harbored any light or vnworthie thought of them or against them Neuer haue wee failed in any outwarde gesture to testifie to the worlde our hidden loue and duetifull regarde of them Can we say in truth what of a child anie way ought to be or to mitigate the matter a litle what of vs possiblie could be performed in respect of age of strength of abilitie of time oportunitie with such like that of vs hath béene doone euer fullie and willinglie to them O conscience casting in our téethes our corruption thou accusest vs. These boyling harts not bearing iust reproofe vndutifullie haue often if we could remember it repined at their authoritie impatientlie fretted at their due correction and the most of vs out of question at one time or other if we haue not openlie thrown out a curse yet haue our heartes included a wish and wordes peraduenture vttered asmuch not consonant euerie way with our dueties Nay haue not euen outward violences béene offered to them by vs Ioyfull were the speach to the Saintes in heauen if in trueth wee all coulde aunswere no. But God knowes a guiltie minde in manie a one doeth stoppe his speach and filthie fact to beate or wish to beate theÌ„ who brought him foorth doeth crie to God without repentaunce for a plague What shoulde I name what shoulde I feare to name so will it wring vs all the mocking of our Parentes Where is that childe that hath carefully couered to his power and euer borne withall in him selfe the wantes or infirmities whatsoeuer of his Parents No no the Lord hath not onelie something against vs in this behalfe but euen great and gréeuous hath béene our fault and still it remaineth in manie of vs. Wée laugh to sée our Parentes shame we smile at their wants wee publishe their infirmities we disdaine their ignoraunce wee loath their age and in manie a thing to our owne confusion if the Lorde giue not an amending repentance we bewray a robbed hart of that true reuereÌ„ce which ought to bee in children to their parentes Alas if God iudge vs for our obedience where are we what witles wil erecteth a kingdome in vs Howe cleaue wee to our selues in all matters and thinke our owne direction best Howe despise weâ— the counsell of our friendes and cast behinde vs their experience Euerie sonne and euerie daughter woulde rule their mariage wholie themselues And euen in euerie action alas what disobedience sheweth it selfe in vs vnto our parentes For mayntaynance which is the thirde braunch of 〈◊〉 euen that also accuseth manie a thiâ—â—â— before the Lorde Rare is the man that hath imployed euerie abilitie of his wit of wealth of knowledge of strength at euerie néede to his parentes comfort And therefore the Lord in 〈◊〉 not in furie deale with vs as wee are children Are we parents thâ—â— wâ—y and marke whether so wee haue alwayes behaued our selues as that thâ—se duties of our children might be 〈◊〉 vnto vs euen in regarde of our behauiour If not then haue wee pulled vpon vs the guilt of our childrens want of dutie being causes of the same and the Lorde is angry with vs. What life haue wee ledde before our children to bréede and continue these duties in them Hath it béene holy graue and modest and so remayneth as néere as we can séeking to hide from the eyes of their witlesse heades such wantes as we knowe our selues subiect vnto No no but carelesly and loosely euen in euery place parentes bewray neglect of religion they will goe to the Churches or good exercises when they list and that verie rarely they shewe no regarde of the dutie of Christians they carie no grauitie in their doinges no modestie often in their behauiour but liue most dissolutely and often incontinently they sweare fearefully without regarde speake prophanely not respecting the frailtie of the youth that heareth them father and mother let vnkinde spéeches passe from them one towardes an other in the presence of their children to the great impayring of their credite with them carelesse God knowes of their bringing vp and too full of foolish pitie when they should correct them All these are meanes to make the children faile in reuerence to their parentes and to tempt them to sinne And therefore let vs looke if we be parentes and gréeued with vnreuerent regarde in our children of vs whether wee our selues be not causers of the same Againe for their obedience it faileth oft by fault in vs. For if we be Parentes we lay great burdens vpon our children pressing them still with our authoritie we inioyne them what we list not weying well what they can like and not carefully considering aswell their natures as our owne desires aswell their comfort and conuenient beeing as our owne affection and will to haue it so what maruell if often GOD breake our heartes with their disobedience The like may be saide of that thankefull maintaynaunce that shoulde of children to their Parentes be performed The very vnnaturall and vnkinde dealing of Parentes with their children in their youth denying them reléefe and comfortable helpe maketh them often though it should not when they haue attayned to anie estate to deale as vndutifully with their néedie Parentes againe Consider therefore I say if wee be Parentes what cause we giue and compare it with the fruite wee finde in our seede Let sinne appeare if wee haue offended and let the lawe condemne vs if wee haue transgressed For surely what duties this lawe bindeth all children to perfourme it as straitely bindeth all parentes to deserue The Parentes euill excuseth not the childe but it maketh him guiltie of his childes offence Thus may the rest also descende into themselues Too apparant is contempt in our liues of Magistracie and authoritie Wee honour them not as Parentes but both in reuerence obedience and maintaynance of their state by retribution of some part of that wee haue got by them we bewray vngodlinesse and sinne against the Lorde and them very gréeuously For where is that heart that riseth vp in thankefulnesse for them to our God that obeyeth them secretly aswell as openly for conscience not for feare Nay O sin of ours if it be sought out by the Lorde in this respect euen growen assuredly vp to heauen For howe dare we and doe we defeate their lawes continually Howe set wee our shiftes against the wisedome and working of the Lorde by them We mocke the Lorde and swell in pride against him