not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy sâ—ednor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever This is a large and long-lasting charter God Spirits within his children and the owning of his name in their lips and this for ever What can godly Parents desire more Whether this Spirit import a Spirit of Prophecy or a Spirit of Sanctification surely it 's a rich kindness that it shall run in this straight line and channel to many generations that the name of God as well as your name may be kept up in your Family perpetually when you are dead and gone Oh happy Parents that have such Children Happy Children that had such Parents and blessed be God that embraceth both in the bosom of the Covenant That 's a Soul-supporting word in Hag. 2.5 According to the word that I covenanted with your Fathers yea with you when you came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth among you Fear ye not be not daunted there were as many and great obstructions in the way of mercy then as now yet grace overcame them and I have not taken away my Spirit from you notwithstanding your multiplied provocations this 2000. years but still it is among you and shall continue to many generations May not faith triumph in this promise 8. That great observations shall be made of and remarks upon the Children of godly Parents Isa 61.8 9. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and their seed shall be among the gentiles i. e. Gentile Churches and their off-spring among the People all that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Men shall speak to each other Do not you see the faithful child of such a believing Father Oh how many a precious day have we had with such an ones Father Mother or Grandfather this is the Pious Child of a Zealous father you see it 's not in vain to seek and serve God I remember the prayers and tears poured out for his Child and I see the blessed fruit thereof God is a prayer-hearing God of some Children we may say as Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grand-mother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also His Grandmothers name was Lois which signifies better his Mothers name Eunice signifying victor and Timothy is the fear of God If Parents chuse the better part God will give them victory over the World Sin and Satan yea they shall have power with God and obtain God-fearing Children which others will observe and admire the grace of God in 9. Childrens Children to many generations are remembered with Covenant-kindness So in the second Commandment Exod. 20.6 Shewing mercy unto thousands i. e. of generations of them that love me and keeep my Commandments Deut. 7.9 This is transcendent mercy punishment extending but to three or four of them ver 5. you 'll say mercy and justice are Gods two Arms is the one longer than the other Answer no they are equally infinite but he maketh his Church to feel more of his mercy then of his justice with the Lord there is mercy why so Because with him is plenteous Redemption Psal 130.7 It is a Covenant of Grace and Christ interposeth as Mediator of it Oh! the overflowings of Free-grace to many generations Psal 103.17 18. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto Childrens Children Mark it it 's called righteousness to shew it is a discharge of his obligation by which he hath in some sort bound himself to Parents to do good to their Posterity Mic. 7.20 for it was mercy to Abraham to make a Covenant but it is truth and faithfulness to perform it to Jacob. and his rising seed many years after for 't is founded in his Eternal purpose and continues to Eternity and this is the reason of our hopes of the calling the Jews because they are beloved for their Fathers sake or rather because of God's Covenant with their Ancestors Rom. 11.27 28. Oh what incouragement is this to Parents that God will not utterly cast off their seed but will resume thoughts of love to them at last 10. That God will reduce the wandring Children of his People by seasonable and sanctified correction Psal 89.29 35. 2 Sam. 7.14 15. If his Children for sake my Law and walk not in my judgments i. e. if they forfeit the Priviledges promised by non-performance of the conditions then will I visit their transgression with a Rod and their iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail God hath adopted Affliction to be a branch of Covenant affection Psa l. 119.75 ' It s a promise I will visit not so much a threatning for in faithfulness he afflicts his Children he will not take so much pains with a slave as with a Son he will make his Children thank God for a whipping Lord saith a godly Parent bring home my Child though it be by weeping cross starve my prodigal son or feed him with husks that he may reflect on his Fathers plenteous Table oh break his Leg or Arm rather than damn his Soul cast him on a sick bed rather than cast him into Hell let his Purgatory be here and his Heaven hereafter now our gracious God answers his Childrens Prayers good Hezekiah's Prayers for his extravagant Son Manasseh were answered by Gods taking him among the Thorns binding him with Fetters carrying him to Babylon till he had humbled him to purpose and made him know that Jehovah was God 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. doubtless the natural as well as the spiritual Father of the Prodigal will welcome home the Child tho' broken on the Wheel 11. The Covenant ingageth for a blessing on Parents instruction and correction of their erring Children this is of great use 1. For instruction Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go There 's the Parents Duty do thy duty to set him right in the beginning of his way so some read it and when he is old he will not depart from it i. e. not easily ordinarily q. d. if thou that art the Father wilt do thy duty faithfully I will undertake to do my part set thou their faces in the right road and I will keep them in it ordinarily I will bless thy instructions admonitions counsels examples see Gen. 18.19 God saith of Abraham I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him you 'll say what is he better for that they 'll chuse whether they 'll obey or no nay saith God but I will undertake for them And they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment His labour shall not be in
vain I live saith God to make his words take impression on his surviving Children when he is dead For correction you have a notable promise in Prov. 23.13 14. With-hold not correction from the Child for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye I will take care of him thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shall deliver his Soul from Hell O blessed whipping surely such a scourge as fetcheth blood is easier than hell-torments but my benediction shall be upon that correction that 's a cruel Parent that will rather see his Child a flaming Faggot in the scorching fire than try to whip folly out of him that 's cruel pity better he should cry here then roar hereafter yea and curse thee for ever that wouldst not speak a word or give him a tap to prevent these intolerable torments Oh the good that seasonable correction may do if thou prevail not to make thy Child good yet thou wilt have comfort in the discharge of thy duty there 's good hopes of both by the blessing of God Prov. 29.17 Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul yet take this caution that these promises must not be understood absolutely necessarily and universally producing this effect but ordinarily so it is and this is sufficient motive to Parents to do their duty and incouragement therein 12. The last incouragement to Parents from the Covenant of God for their surviving Children is that God will take care of their outward concerns in the World Prov. 20.7 the just man walketh in his integrity his Children are blessed after him if their Father hath not heaped up riches by cunning and covetous devices and so leaves them but little in the World yet he hath left them in the hands of a good Father who will take care of them when their earthly Parents are gone for this blessed Covenant is not confined to the persons of the Godly but entailed on their Posterity Psal 112.1 2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed answerable to this I call to mind a passage told me by a Reverend Minister in London who knew a poor and pious Preacher in Wiltshire who had many Children and little to maintain them one askt him how he thought they could shift when he was gone he answered I am not at all afraid of that I am more afraid of them when they shall ride up and down London streets in their Coaches which came to pass for some of them came to be Aldermen of that Famous City our frequent experience confirms this truth what care God takes of his upright-hearted Servants Seed when they are laid in the dust let us take holy David's Experiment Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread If there have been some few exceptions these yet do not destroy the truth of a general proposition howbeit temporal promises were more express and positive to the Jews of old than to christians in Gospel-times which consists more in spirituals But this will remain a truth that Children of Godly Parents are usually provided for comfortably even in things that concern this life if it tends to Gods glory and their good and if God see it good in his Infinite Wisdom which limitations must always be annexed to temporal promises but if they be poor defamed sick in prisons banished yet all these work together for their good Rom. 8.28 CHAP. VI. An Answer to an Objection against the premises THE third general head in the Doctrinal part is an answer to a main objection which is this Object You have produced many promises as branches of the Gospel-covenant that the children of godly Parents shall have converting Grace that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost shall be theirs are heirs of Gospel Priviledges shall be sanctified be useful instruments in the Church shall own their profession with an holy conversation if they wander God will reduce them bless Parents instructions corrections take care of their outward concerns c. Now do we not see by daily observation the clean contrary to all these how many worthy Ministers have had worthless sons how many worthless Children are there of gracious Parents nay do we not see some Children of Godly Parents miscarry more than others of their carnal civil neighbours more proud scorners of Godliness companions of Drunkards Swearers Debaucht persons that have proved a great dishonour to God scandal to Religion grief to Godly and Heart-breaking to their Parents yea have so prejudiced the Spirits of wicked men that they say this Religion is but a fancy praying so much is needless and what 's become of the Covenant you so much boast of Nay have we not seen some Children of Godly Parents live and dye visibly graceless under tokens of Gods Wrath yea hastning their death by intemperance and overmuch wickedness How is this consistent with all that you have spoken How is God true to his Covenant This is a sad truth and cannot be denied and an awful consideration and possibly hath staggered the Faith of some and strengthened the hands of some wicked against the power of Godliness and is too palpable an observation to be denied But yet I hope to clear this tremendous providence from the holy Scriptures by propounding these seven considerations 1. Some of the Children of Gods People can set their seal to Gods faithfulness in the Covenant made to their Parents and their Seed this clears Gods truth and the goodness of Religion I doubt not but some Children of the Covenant can speak the language of Solomon in 1 Kin. 8.23 24. Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart who hast kept with thy Servant David my Father that thou promisedst him thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfill'd it with thine hand as it is this day will not some stand forth and say I bless God for Godly Parents my Soul hath found the benefit of their Prayers and fruit of Gods Promise I prefer this charter to all earthly priviledges let others say their pleasure I will for ever adore Free-grace that brought me forth under so good a Covenant it 's better to me than to be born of a Royal Race and being Heir to a Crown he is my God Exod. 15.2 and I will prepare him an habitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him and cannot some Parents say 2 Sam. 7.19 God hath spoken well of his servants house for a great while to come behold I see the buds of Grace in this or that Child and a saving growing work in another blessed be Free-grace I can hold forth this token for good against all the
and take no care of their precious Souls and know not when they Dye whether he that comes after them shall be a Wise man or a Fool Eccl. 21.9 if he be a wise man a little will serve him with Gods blessing if wicked he puts a Sword into the hand of a Fool to do himself and others a greater mischief Oh how much better is it for their own peace and their Childrens profit to plead the Covenant to Instruct Correct Admonish Counsel Comfort and incourage their Children in the ways of God and use their utmost Endeavour to make them Gods Children an Ancient thus writes Sabrian ad Eccles cath lib. 3. p. 441. Disciplinam parentes deus jubet thesaurisare filijs non pecuniam perennia praecipit non peritura conferre God commands Parents to hoard up Disciplin not Money for their Children things of a perpetual not perishing nature what a base and sordid thing is it to prefer a Swine to a Son to provide for a Beast and cast out a Child and yet most Parents bestow more care of their Cattel than of their Childrens Souls they give their Children nature but deny them nurture Yea they propagate corruption to them but do not travel over them till Christ be formed in them they glory in being Fathers of their Flesh but cry not to the Father of Spirits for the best life in their Childrens dead Souls they promise at their Baptism to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord but know not what that meaneth and have no heart to learn that they may teach Oh what account will these perjured Parents give another day Remember God will call you to account what Answer will you give when he shall Say where is the Childs Soul that I committed to thy trust what care hast thou taken of it where are thy Tears Prayers Groanings Earnings of Bowels for thine own Bowels didst thou not know that thy Child had a Soul that its Soul was polluted with Sin that it must be born again not only of Water but of the Spirit or could not be Saved that though I was to be the Efficient cause yet thou must be the Instrument to begin and carry on this Work and hast thou struck one stroke in this work by faithfull endeavours or hast thou earnestly desired me to do that for thy Child that thou couldest not thou knowest thou hast done neither and therefore thy Childs Blood shall be reqiured at thy hands what Apology wilt thou then make for thy self Dost thou think to come off by Saying I sent him to School to learn or to the Minister to be Catechised this is more than some will do but is this all is not paternal care thy personal duty was not thou charged with thy Childs Soul may not God justly blast other teachers pains as a punishment of thy negligence and doth not thy bad Example at home unravel all that others teach them Wo Wo be to such wicked wretched Parents In the name of God I charge you as you will not have your Children accuse and curse you in Hell for ever concern your selves deeply about their Everlasting State think they can never do well if they do not well for another World they will never be dutifull to you till they be Obedient to God train them up for God and you consult at once Gods Glory the good of Church and Common-wealth your own Comfort and their Eternal felicity true Grace qualifys persons for every condition for he that is really good will be relatively good a good King and Subject Father and Child Master and Servant Heathens knew this that the way to form Persons into a due mould of civil Subjection is a literate and vertuous Education thus the King of Babylon conquering Judah ordered the Kings seed Dan. 1.3 4 and Princes to be trained up in the learning of of the Chaldeans and our own Historys tell us that when the Romans conquered this Island Julius Agricola brought Noble mens Sons to Rome and caused them to be educated in liberal Sciences whereby they gradually tamed the furious temper of the Brittains so that the Inhabitants here became of gentle spirit and peaceable Subjects much more will Christianity and true Piety bring persons into a regular conformity it expells Barbarity and produceth Civility Hospitality Frugality and yet a discreet liberality a divine Benediction is entailed upon Sincere Religion Godliness is profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come if your Children be Godly they will be fit for any thing and all things will conduce to their good And You Oh children suffer a word of Exhortation from one that hath had Experience of childhood Youth riper age and is arrived at old age and hath been a teacher of others above forty years and may say to you as Augustus did to his mutinous Army Audite me juvenes quem juvenem senes Audierunt Hear me Young men whom sometimes Old men have heard and obeyed God forbid you should be head-strong sons of Belial Yoakless and so run headlong into the pit of destruction Be not like the wild asses colt break not thro' Parents tears Prayers counsels and commands to Hell Alas that any young persons should desperatly contradict the perswasions of Ministers the motions of the Spirit the checks of their own consciences the sad warnings of their undone companions and the rods of God on their own backs and haste through all these to the pit and never stop till they be swallowed up in that Infernal Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone you will say what would you have us to do I answer Act as Rational Creatures inure your selves to Solemn consideration Consider that you are Creatures of an higher rank than Bruits that you have Immortal never dying Souls that God made you to Glorify and injoy him that he hath given you a rule to act by in order to another state in the other World that Sin hath depraved your natures hath diprived you of Gods Image brought you under his curse that Christ came to redeem Sinners that saving Faith doth interest Souls in Christ that Faith is the gift of God that in your Baptism you were ingaged to forsake the World Flesh and Devil Consider your sins since you were baptized confess them to God review and renew your Baptismal vow actualy renounce all other claimers and give up your Selves to the Lord understandingly Deliberately Vniversally and Perpetually improve Jesus Christ as the way the truth and the Life Espouse his interest joyn with Gods People Obey all his commands Attend on him in all his Ordinances Be sure you be sincere Exercise every Grace aim at Perfection keep a constant watch over your hearts and ways maintaining a dayly warfare against all Spiritual Enemies prepare for death and consider where you must lodg when the King of Terrours lays its cold hand of Arrest
cavils of prophane Spirits and against my own unbelieving fears 2. God never forsakes the Children of Godly Parents till they forsake him poor Children run away from God before he turn them off 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever If Solomon or any other Child or Children of a Godly Father put on a Cloak of Religion to please Parents or accomplish a carnal end while they live and cast off Religion and perversly turn their backs on God and embrace wicked ways without true Repentance they have discharged God of his performing promise because they have voluntarily descarded the condition on their part now at ripe age when they are fit to make a choice it 's a voluntary act proceeding from their own wilfulness John 5.40 You will not come unto me and then it becomes a judicial act in God to forsake them because they first forsook him and neither they nor their Parents can find fault with God for withdrawing from them that Grace they abused which he is not bound to give them 3. Parents have no reason to challenge God for non-performance of the terms of the Covenant but themselves for their neglect of duty to their Children this is ordinarily the reason of their Childrens miscarriage even godly Parents are too apt to miss it by over fondness and negligence in their education not admonishing counselling correcting them David had been too indulgent to Adonijah in not crossing him and doubtless his Conscience flew in his Face upon his Ambition this is a plain case good Eli honoured his sons above God 1 Sam. 2.29 by permitting them to dishonour him chusing rather to offend God by connivance at their sin than displease them by severe rebukes effectual restraints and severe punishments for as a Father and as a Magistrate he ought to have curbed them therefore God saith I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth of because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not Oh what privy nips do the Consciences of Parents give them when their Children grow up and take not good ways alas I sinned against God and now God leaves them to themselves I have no cause to censure God but condemn my self God is Righteous their sin is a Glass to see my own Lord humble me and convince them oh pardon my iniquity that I may pray believingly for my Seed 4. God may pass by the immediate off-spring of his faithful Children and work upon their more remote posterity Free grace sometimes runs under ground for a season and breaks out at a distance an immediate Son is bad but grace layes hold on a Grandson Jehoshaphat was a good man 2 Chron. 20.32 But Jehoram his Son proved bad 2 Chron. 21.6 Yea Ahaziah his Son walked in the ways of the house of Ahab 2 Chron. 22.3 4. Vzziah did right in the sight of the Lord 2 Chron. 26.4 And Jotham his Son 2 Chron. 27.2 6. But had a bad Son Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.1 2. Yet Electing love broke out again in good Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.2 But it lay dormant for a considerable time and laid not hold of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.2 Yea some think his forc'd Repentance was not sincere and saving however the grace of God withdrew from Amon his Son 2 Chron. 33.20 But laid hold on good Josiah his Son 2 Chron. 34.2 You see how grace skips and leaps over the head of one and lays its hand upon another yea sometimes it crosseth hands and as Jacob guided his hands wittingly laying his right hand on Ephraim and his left hand on Manasseh Gen. 48.14 20. setting the younger before the Elder contrary to Josephs desire and design Thus God crosseth our natural affections and expectations blessing such as we least thought of and leaving others that our hearts were most set upon to convince us of the freeness of his grace But thus his Covenant doth stand sure 5. Delays are no denials God hath his time to bring in the Prodigal Sons of pious Parents nullum tempus occurrit Regi the King of Heaven can take what time he pleaseth to work on hearts Saul shall long persecute the Church yet become a chosen vessel it 's worth observing that the Children of many godly Parents sowed their wild Oats in youth even godly Jacob was guilty of many faults stealing the blessing by a lye Several of Jacobs Sons had foul spots Ruben and Judah were guilty of Incest Simeon and Levi of rash Anger Treachery Murder yet all godly Patriarchs Several combining out of envy to sell Joseph Whereby they broke their Father Jacob's honest heart but let not godly Parents make too hasty conclusions He that believes makes not haste It may be God defers to hear because he loves your company and would make you an Errand to the throne of grace your Prayers are yet too cold he thinks fit to quicken importunity the Answer will come double loaden and pay for all your pains and patience give God the glory of his wisdom he knows how to husband your mercies better than you it 's worth observing that those Women in Sacred Writ that waited longest for Children had the best as Sarah Rebecca Rachel Hannah Manoahs Wife and Elizabeth Be not preposterous you may see Gods Salvation before you die 6. If God never shews mercy to your seed you must not so much murmur at his Justice as adore his Soveraignty he is absolute disposer of his own grace such an act of Prerogative may be admired must not be questioned The Apostle Paul having waded as far as Scripture led him into the unfathomable Abyss of God's casting of the Covenanted seed of believing Abraham and adopting the forlorn and forsaken Gentiles stands on the bank of that Ocean and cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Ro. 11.33 how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out The immensity and ineffability of these counsels are such depths as he saith in Job 32.13 He giveth not account of any of his matters They are oft unaccountable but never unrighteous Kings have Arcana Imperij misteries of State not fit to be communicated to vulgar capacities And much more the infinit God Deut. 29.29 secret things belong to God It 's presumption to pry into Gods Ark our weak eyes cannot behold this glorious Sun poor sinner down on thy knees and say thus to God Lord I will rather adimire the riches of thy grace to my own Soul than quarrel with thee for not giving my Child grace It is an abstruse and inscrutable depth my humble Ignorance or nescience shall stop at thy pleasure my will shall be melted into thy will if my seed must glory in thy Justice I will acquiesce therein and say though clouds and darkness are round about thee yet righteousness and judgment are
Rom. 1.17 you must enter personally into Covenant with God repent obey the Gospel your selves or else if thou be a breaker of this Gospel-Law Rom. 2.25 thy Circumcision becomes Vncircumcision i. e. thy Priviledges are made void insignificant So God reckons uncircumcised in Heart with uncircumcised in flesh Jer. 9.26 And saith they are as the Children of the Aethiopians unto him Amo. 9.7 and in the Gospel it is repeated again and again 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the commandments of God Gal. 5.6.6.15 but faith which worketh by love but a new Creature You boast of your pious Parents as the Jews once did and bear up big with being Abrahams seed alas you may be a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 8 9. as John Baptist tells them and of your Father the Devil as our Lord saith Joh. 8.33 44. except you have the Faith and do the works of Abraham A famous Family will avail nothing without personal piety Without holiness in your hearts and lives you cannot be saved think not that God is bound and you loose the Covenant is mutual reciprocal you cannot expect the Priviledges without performing the Conditions 3. It 's an awful observation and often proves too true that if the Children of God's People turn Apostates they become the worst of men and run deeper into sin and further from God then many yea any others The Sons of good old Eli run into unparalleled wickedness 1 Sam. 2. 13 22. We have many sad instances of Cain Cham Ishmael Esau Ammon Absolom yea Solomon Rehoboam Manasseh and few recovered and with great difficulty The Tribe of Dan Jacobs Son turned Idolaters and scarce ever returned to God therefore are not reckoned amongst the Sealed ones Rom. 7. 5 8. Because they set up Micahs graven Image and it 's observable that Jonathan the Son of Gershom Moses Grandson was Priest to the Tribe of Dan and his Sons after him until the day of the captivity of the land Judg. 18.30 31. But the Heathens observe that though this Jonathan was Moses Natural Grandson by generation yet he is called Grandchild of Manasseh whom he imitated in forgetting God not of Moses as appears by lifing up a letter in the Hebrew to make it no Moses but Manasseh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had so far degenerated that his Godly Grandfather must not be named with him Jer. 5.28 Thus Israelites are said to overpass the deeds of the wicked i. e. of Heathens Ezek. 16.47 Ezek. 5.6 yea they go beyond Sodom and her Daughters and change Gods judgments more than the Heathen The reason is clear because these sin against more Light Love Helps Means Convictions Godly Examples Good Education and therefore are justly forsaken of God and left to greater abominations Oh tremble lest this be your case 4. The Children of Godly Parents may be cast into Eternal Torments Abraham the Father of the Faithful may have an houling Son in Hell Torment Luk. 16.24 25. Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth they that would not weep penitently here must weep despairingly hereafter they that scorned rebukes from Parents must have dreadful rebukes from God and Conscience their Education was with Saints their conclusion with Devils There 's many gone to Hell with Baptismal Water on their Face Baptized Magus Act. 8.13 20 23. is like to perish with his money he was in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity that dragg'd him to Hell Yea the damnation of such Caitiffs will be endorst with more vengeance than others the Worm of Conscience will bite harder being fed with more materials to strengthen her the Flame will be hotter having more fewel the higher men are exalted towards Heaven Mat. 11.23 and reach it not the lower do they fall to Hell and in Hell if they plead their birth-right as he that pleaded he was a Gentleman the Judge told him he should therefore have an higher Gallows or as Lord Sturton that was hanged for Murder in a silken Halter so must these well-bred persons be dealt with Luk. 12.47 the more they know of their Masters Will the more stripes are laid on them the more they glory in their priviledges the more misery in their loss and the higher their hopes the greater their disappointment these are both hypocrites and apostates whose sin and shame is more aggravated and augmented than others Mat. 24.51 Oh what flaming Faggots and scorching Oil will Parents Prayers Tears Councils Admonitions Exhortations be to dissolute young men when they shall see Parents glorified themselves condemned read Prov. 5.11 12 13. CHAP. VIII An Vse of Exhortation or Instruction THere are four sorts of persons concerned in this Text and Doctrine that may be instructed in their respective duties from it Viz. 1. Children of Uncovenanted Parents 2. Children of Covenanted Parents 3. Persons married without Children 4 Persons that have a Posterity An hint and but an hint to all these 1. There are some Children attending on God in Ordinances whose immediate Parents were not in Covenant knew not God you may lay it to heart and lament it as your infelicity but this is no bar to your entertainment with God for how can you tell but some of your remote Ancestours might be godly and if not Grace is free those that come unto him he will in no wise cast off Joh. 6.37 you may and must venture sinners of the Gentiles are grafted into the true Olive Rom. 11.24 Jud. 11.1 2 27 28. even contrary to nature that were Wild by nature so may'st thou be Jâ—phthah was a Bastard thrust out by his Brethren but received by God Be not discouraged though thou be bad Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 and Parents bad yet God is no respecter of Persons Barbarian Scythian all 's one in Christ Jesus Grace makes but regards no difference And if the Grace of God hath leapt over others heads to touch your hearts 1. Adore the Soveraign actings of Free-grace give God glory discriminating Grace shall have the Crown set upon its head I was doubly polluted in my Birth from first and immediate Parents Oh that God should dispense with his ancient law Deut. 23.2 that a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord yet God hath entertained me amongst his Saints on Earth and gives me hopes of Heaven oh wonder of Grace 2. Be humble all your days and cast down in your own eyes Young professors are apt to be proud but it ill becomes you of all persons to be proud whom God hath lifted from the Dunghill to sit with Princes the Kings Children read and apply 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. 3. Make up your Parents defect with your own diligence what time was lost in your child-hood and youth now redeem it the more ignorant your Parents
of Judicature such persons as were not careful in Educating their Children Cicero laid this to the charge of Verres that he had debauched his Son by Intemperance Riot Wantonness it seems it was actionable among Heathens and it were well if it were punished among pretended Christians Wo be to that Town where the Springs are poisoned sad is the case of that Church and State where Academies and Inns of Court are corrupted yea corrupters Isa 1.4 Hos 5.7 where strange Children are begot and brought up no reformation can be expected till publick Schools be reformed It 's said of Protagoras he lived 60 years and spent 40 years in corrupting youth if not only Old Trees in an Orchard be rotten but young also what fruit can be expected It s fit they be digged up by this we may Divine what will become of a Church or Kingdom 10. The consequence is sad of Parents neglect of their Childrens due education a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame Pro. 29.15 throw the Reines on the Childs Neck and whither will he not run A foolish Son is the heavinéss of his Mother Prov. 10.1 Pro. 19.15 Pro. 17.21 the calamity of his Father neither Father nor Mother have joy in a wicked Child and usually they may thank themselves for it the Switzers had a law that if a Child was condemned to dye the Parent should execute him because it 's neglect in Parents that is usually the rack of their Children it 's true a godly Man may have a bad Son but this is most ordinary Oh what shame will cover the Face and horrour fill the Conscience of a bad Father or a good Father conscious of guilt when he shall see his Child running hell-wards or roaring in those unquenchable Torments I advise you therefore to a timely care to prevent these dreadful consequences Quest What course should Parents take to restrain sin in Children principle them with Grace and bring them within the Covenant of God I answer this is a large and ordinary subject that I cannot now insist on practical Divines lay four great duties before Parents for the Education of their Children 1. Provision 2. Correction 3. Instruction 4. Prayer Supplication 1. Providing Food Rayment a Calling This though a great duty I pass as not pertinent to our case only I find this remarkable passage that the Athenians ordered in their laws that if Parents had not brought up their Children in a lawful calling they should not be bound to keep their Parents thus all were set to Trades 2. For correction I shall not inlarge on that only observe it to be done seasonably Prov. 19.18 Chasten thy Son while there is hope some put it off till he become too stubborn do it with self-reflection humiliation moderation prayer instructing them in their fault and the way to mend it I pass this also 3. Instruction this I chiefly aimed at if I had leasure an hint of 1. The Matter 2. The Manner of performing this duty 1. For Matter instruct your Children in the main fundamental principles of our Christian Religion as that there is a God concerning his nature properties persons of the God-head the creation of the World of Man the Immortality of the Soul the Nature of Sin the fall of Adam the sad fruits thereof the Remedy by Christ his Humiliation Offices Exaltation the Duty of Man the nature of a Church priviledges properties of Believers the Ordinances the state of all men after death Rewards and Punishments c. You are likewise to instruct them in the Covenant of Grace the nature use ends of it the difference betwixt this and the old Covenant of Works the Mediator of it the terms properties and conditions thereof the seals of it Baptism and the Lords Supper the priviledge and necessity of Souls being within it press them with Arguments to enter into it give directions about it 2. For the Manner of your instructing your Children you must do it 1. Isa 28.9 Timously as soon as they are capable but drawn from the breasts 2 Tim. 3.15 ab incunabulis that they may suck in knowledge with there mothers milk as Timothy 2. Frequently once is not enough but you must inculcate truths on them whet them as you go oft with the Knife upon the Whet-stone Deut. 6.7 so the word signifies 3. Experimentally not by rote hear-say work things on your hearts Eph. 4.21 learn and speak the truth as it is in Jesus speak feelingly from the Heart as one that believes thy self 4. Wisely Jud. 22.23 Col. 3.21 observe the tempers of your Children some must be drawn others driven provoke not tender-hearted to fretting discontent 5. Seasonably observe candida tempora proper melting seasons Eccl. 8.5 Psa 14.10 as a good humour affliction conviction speak to them words upon the Wheel or in some nick of time when they will be best taken 6. Lovingly winningly meekly not in passion but draw with cords of love Hos 11.3 oil them with kindness and they will go down glibly even bitter Pills rolled in Sugar will be well taken 7. Plainly familiarly not in high flown language but use similitudes speak as they are able to bear it Isa 28.10 11. come on gradually guttatim by drops here a little there a little into these narrow mouth'd vessels 8. Faithfully search the wound do not skin it over a fair hand makes a foul wound Luk. 19.22 a weak dose rather stirs than purgeth out bad humours rebuke sharply Tit. 1.14 9. Scripturally bring your authority along with you shew them chapter and verse Act. 18.24 28. Gods authority joined with yours may prevail much ◠Cor. 10. ◠5. these are Spiritual Weapons 10. Rom. 10.1 Prayingly pray solemnly before an instruction by Ejaculation in speaking it 's not your work but Gods to make it successful Be sensible that all is lost if God give it not the setting on and strike with the great hammer CHAP. X. Directions to Parents and encouragements in their pleading for their Children 4. THE last Exhortation to Parents on the behalf of their surviving Children is prayer and supplication this is a natural duty and catholick relief to the aking hearts of Godly Parents not only to obtain Children as Hanna but for Grace in Children when they go astray hence it was that holy Abraham to whom this Covenant was first made breaths out his longing Soul in a short Ejaculation for his wild Son Oh that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 q. d. I thank God for Isaac but I am not satisfied with Isaac only I must beg Spiritual and Eternal Life for my extravagant Son Ishmael though he be not the Son of the Promise yet let him be a Son of Promise if Isaac must have the Earthly Canaan let not Ishmael be excluded out of the heavenly Thus must you plead with the Lord for Children To assist you herein I shall subjoyn