Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	child_n	ephes_n	parent_n	1,205	5	9.1418	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03695	Life and death Foure sermons. The first two, of our preparation to death; and expectation of death. The last two, of place, and the iudgement after death. Also points of instruction for the ignorant, with an examination before our comming to the Lords table, and a short direction for spending of time well. By Robert Horne. Auspice Christo.	Horne, Robert, 1565-1640.; Horne, Robert, 1565-1640. Points of instruction for the ignorant. aut	1613 (1613)	STC 13822.5; ESTC S118515	156,767	464

That they that are negligent or prophane commers to the Lords table doe detract from the perfection of Christs body and seuer themselues from the society of his Church So much for our guifts what doe we receiue at the Lords table That which wee receiue there concerneth our selues alone or our selues with others What is that that concerneth our selues alone The strengthning of our faith and memory by the reuerent and right vse of that holy action 1. Cor. 11.24 10.16.17 How is our faith strengthned memory holpen by it By seeing that in the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.26 Galat. 3.1 1. Iohn 1.1 which we do but heare of in the word namely the particular offering and receiuing of Christ in his body and sauing blood by all beleeuing communicants Somuch for that which cōcerneth our selues alone what is that that concerneth our selues with others It concerneth our growing vp with Christ and our communion with our brethren How doe we receiue our growing vp with Christ Wee receiue it with Christ by spirituall eating and drinking 1. Cor. 10.3.4 and by a more full partaking with him and his graces through faith increased and that vse of his ordinance blessed vnto vs. How doe wee receiue our communion with our brethren By testifying our mutuall agreement 1. Cor. 10.17 inasmuch as wee eate all of one bread and drinke all of one cup. How else By feeding all of the same food bodily and spiritually 1. Cor. 10.4 12.13 Ephes 4.15 and by drawing all life from the same fountaine as the life of grace which heere we receiue and the life of glory which in heauen we shall be partakers of Amen So much for our examination before the Sacrament Prou. 23.1 When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee A short direction for spending of time well HOw doe you diuide the daies of mans life Into the daies of labour and daies of holinesse What say you of the daies of labour These concerne the workes of our calling or workes of helpe vnto them What be the works of our calling The workes of that trade of life in which God hath placed vs. 1. Cor. 7.10 Ephes 4.1 What must a man doe in these By offering them to God Coloss 3.17 Gen. 24.12.13.14.13 Ephes 4 28. Rom. 12.7 1. Thess 4.11 Genes 5.22 Hee must walke in them neither slackly nor deceitfully but with Christian diligence good conscience following his own businesse with quietnesse and walking with God Then euery one must haue some speciall calling and trade of life to liue in Yea verily Gen. 3 19. Matth. 20.6 2. Th. 3.10 11 12 Rom. 12 4 or he is no sound member of the Christian common wealth but a rotten member in the body of the same that deserueth a cutting off So much for the workes of our callings what say you of the workes of helpe vnto them They concerne duties to be done before the work or that day after What must we do in the morning before our worke Praise God for his mercy the night past Psal 59.16 88.13 Gen. 24 12. and pray vnto him for his further mercy and blessing the day present How shall we praise God By giuing him thanks Ephes 5.20 Coloss 1.10 and by shewing our thankefulnesse How is our thankefulnes shewed Inwardly or outwardly How inwardly By pleasing God in our vnderstanding thoughts desire Prou. 23 26 Col. 1 10 affections and will How outwardly By pleasing him in our words and deedes How in our words When they be gracious alway Col. 4 6. Ephes 4.29 What things hurt this grace of speech Lying Ephes 4.25 Jam. 5.12 Eph. 4.31 5.4 Coloss 3.8 Prou. 26.21 swearing brawling filthy speaking foolish talking iesting that is not comely wrath that causeth strife How in our deedes These are in the duties of our generall callings Rom. 12.4 as we are Christians or our particular trades of life wherein some are Magistrats some Masters and seruants some Marchants Artificers Husbandmen and the like What are our duties as wee bee Christians These concerne God Acts 24.16 or man What are they that concerne God They are in the foure commandements of the first Table Tit. 2.12 called godlinesse What are they that concerne Man They concerne our selues Tit. 2.12 or our neighbour What is that that concerneth our selues Sobriety which is inward Rom. 12.13 and and teacheth vs not to presume aboue that which is meete and outward in our apparell diet outward members and senses What must our apparell be Such as becommeth those that professe the feare of God 1. Tim. 2.10 What call you sobriety in diet That grace of temperance that consisteth in the moderate vse of meats drinkes sleepe Luke 21.34 Rom. 13 13 1. Thess 5.16 and such outward things What sobriety is that which you call sobriety of sense and the outward members Sobriety of sense is a watchfulnes in it 1. Tim. 4 16 Ioh. 31.1 1. Cor. 6.15 and sobriety of the members a chastitie in them So much for the generall duty that concerneth our selues called sobriety what is that that concerneth our neighbour It is contained in the sixe last commandements Rom. 13. ● 9 Matth. 19.18.19 Tit. 2.12 being commandements of the second Table called righteousnesse So much for our generall duties as we be Christians what say you of our particular duties or duties of our trade of life These reach vnto all callings in the Church and common wealth but to our purpose in a family they concerne the husband or wife Parents or their children the Master and his seruants What is the Husbands dutie To dwell with his wife 1. Pet. 3.7 Ephes 5.28.29 as a Man of knowledge by instructing her and by obseruing for her better incouragement the good parts that are in her and to loue her as his owne flesh What is the Wiues dutie To helpe her husband in the duties of the family Gen. 2 18. 1 Pet. 3.2 Ephes 5.22.24 also to feare and to be subiect to him What be the Parents duties They concerne the father and mother iointly or by themselues What bee their ioint duties to their children In their tender yeeres they must instruct them plainely Prou. 22 6 Ephes 6 4. Prou. 23 13 and season them with good things young giuing them due correction Genes 4.2 1. Cor. 7.36.37 2. Cor. 12.14 1. Cor. 7.39 and at more yeeres fit them for some honest calling and when time serues laying vp something for them giue them in Marriage onely in the Lord. So much for the Parents ioint duties what is the Fathers more speciall duty To prouide for his children 1. Tim. 5.2 specially to haue a speciall eye to the sons of his house as the mother must to her daughters What is the mothers special duty To nurse vp her children Gen. 21.7 1. Tim. 5.10 if God haue giuen

her ability thereunto What be the childrens duties They bee such as they owe to their Parents or one to another What duties doe they owe to their Parents They owe them reuerence in their hearts obedience Leuit. 19.3 Ephes 6 1 1. Tim. 5 4 Gen. 47 12 in their deedes and when their parents shall be in yeeres and neede it is their dutie if they haue wherewith to nourish them What duties doe they owe one to another To loue as brethren and not to fall out Psal 133.1 Gen. 45.24 What duties doe Masters owe They concerue Religion Genes 18.19 Coloss 4.1 1. Tim. 5.8 Prou. 31 15 and so they must help them to God by their instruction and the care of their soules or they respect their life heere and so paying them their wages iustly they must make honest prouision for them What duties do seruants owe In singlenesse of heart Ephes 6 6 Tit. 2 9 14 1. Pet. 2.18 and all good faithfulnesse they must doe their masters worke be true vnto him and seeke to please him though he be froward So much for our thankefulnes to God expressed in our words deeds for our duties the morning before our work in praier and praises what duties doe we owe that day after They be duties such as are between or after our work at night What must we do between our work It concerneth our refreshings or recreation What must we do at our refreshings Pray before meat for Gods blessing 1. Tim. 4 4 5 giue thanks after Coloss 3.17 1. Cor. 10.31 Math. 16.30 Act. 10.10 Luke 21.34 Exod. 32.6 for Gods blessings vsing the same for strength or honest delight and no way for excesse or drunkennes What must we obserue in our recreation That our company be good Ephes 5.7.11 Phil. 4 8. 1 Thess 5.22 Ephes 5.16 sports of good report remēbring that time must be redeemed When be our sports of good report When they be lawful for the nature of them Rom. 14.16 1. Cor. 6.12 Coloss 3 2 1. Thess 5 16 17. necessary for the vse not hindring better duties So much for the duties as are betweene our worke what must we doe after it Examine our selues Ier. 8.6 Psalm 4.4.8 as vpon an accompt what we haue done the day past and prepare our sleepe that it may be comfortable How shall we by such preparation make our sleepe comfortable By committing our selues to God soules and bodies 1 Pet. 4.19 Psal 4 8 55 16.17 121.4 5 7. 2. Thess 3 3● praying him to inspire the soule with good thoughts and to watch the body till the morning that no hurtfull thing breake in vpon it But some go to bed without praier Such sleepe in Satans lap haue him for their keeper who therefore maketh a thorow-fare in the thoughts of their heart sowing the tares of many vncleane concupiscenses lusts therein Math. 13.25.26 which sown in the night grow in the day What reason can you giue to proue the necessity of praier before we goe to rest That night for ought we know may be our long night and that sleepe our last sleepe Which if it bee and the Lord hath sealed no warrant to any that it shal not be must needes bring small hope to our vnpraying soule that it shall be glorified and as little comfort to our body laid downe in so brutish forgetfulnesse that it shal goe to God at our next rising What doe you conclude of this That those Masters are cruell to their seruants who sufter them to go to their beds Psal 19.5 as wild beasts to their dens without praier and do not better arme them against the feare of the night Somuch for the daies of labour what say you of the daies of holines On Gods Sabaths Mark 1 35 Exod. 20.8 we must first pray God to blesse the duties of them and so keepe them holy How must we keepe them holy By doing as little worldly work as may be Isa 58.13 Ier. 48.10 by doing Gods work religiously with all our might In doing of God worke what is to be considered That we doe the workes that sanctifie the Sabath and auoide the vnfruitful works that defile it What workes are required to the sanctifying of the Sabath To preuent or deferre Exod 16 23. Psal 92.1 2 32 5 Iob 1.5 Jam. 1.5 Ephes 6.19 Eccles 4.17 Psal 84 1 2 Acts. 10.33 13 15. 20 7 16.14 Deut. 11.18 and by rising earely to dispatch all businesses that would prophane it and by praying God to blesse his onwe ordinances to come with a spiritual forward mind to publik praier preaching Sacramēts What other works are required It is required further before we come to the assembly that wee pray read or heare somewhat read at home that may edifie between the times of publike exercise Luke 24 14. Deut. 6 7 that we meditate on that which hath been deliuered and after and between that we talke with others and examine our selues about it What is lastly required That we take a view of God in his works word Psal 92.5 Rom. 1 19 20 Psal 19.1 Acts 17 11. los 1 8 Cant. 8.13 Ps 14.4 Apoc. 1 3 to Deut. 17.19 Psa 92. in the title Col. 3.16 Eph. 5 19.1 Cor. 16.2 Eccles 7.15 pray reade and sing Psalmes priuately doe workes of mercy and consider Gods speciall workes of mercy iustice goodnesse and truth So much for the works to be done what are the vnfruitfull workes to be auoided The spēding of the day in sleepe Psal 92 2. Ex 32 6.1 Cor. 11.21 Isa 58.13 Exo. 20 10. Isa 29.13 play drinking worldly talke or businesse foolish communication and things that separate from God by a carnall heart Glorie be to God EPHE S. 5.15.16 Take beed therefore that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Redeeming the time for the daies are euil The sense and exposition of the ten Commandements in Engglish verse published long since by a godly Brother and in some points now altered GOD first doth charge me by his law to haue no Gods but one That is to loue to feare to pray and trust to him alone Next that I doe deuise no signe or image of the Lord Nor sweare by creatures rood or Masse but serue him by his word The third that both I thinke speake of him vvith reuerent feare And to his word his works and name like awe and reuerence beare The fourth the Sabath doth command religiously to spend In publike place and priuately from morning to daies end The fist all Parents to obey who rule me in Gods steede And I as Parent rule and teach my charge with carefull heede The sixth forbids my heart my hand and tongue to worke despight And biddes me saue by all these parts the life of euery wight The seuenth condemnes both thought and words of wanton life Commanding cleanesse and th●entire and deed chaste loue of man and wife The eight to shun the stelth of heart of hand and crafty deed To liue contented with my state and helpe my brothers neede The ninth all falshood doth forbid in witnesse talke or thought To speake ill or beleeue it till the truth to light be brought The tenth condemnes our stain of birth and first intent of sinne Though neither action nor consent 〈◊〉 no● liking passe therein A briefe rehearsall of the tenne Commandements for the vse of the weakest THou shalt haue no Gods b●t one And truly worship him alone Gods name in vaine thou shalt not take The seuenth day holy thou shalt make Honour thy Parents Murther flee A fornicator neuer be Thou shalt not steale False speech eschue And couet nor anothers due LVKE 10.28 This doe and thou shalt liue

in the good way young that they may sucke the milke of the Gospel with the milk of their Mother But to moue such to doe this dutie with more thankfulnesse let it be considered first that such instruction so giuen by Parents is more naturall and kindly then that which is giuen by strangers For as a tender plant will sooner take nourishment thriue better in the soile wherein it first grew and sprung vp then in any other ground because it liketh it owne soile best so tender children will sooner take instruction and good teaching from the Parents with whom they best agree as with their best and most naturall soile in whose loines they seeded and tooke their first roote then they can or are like to doe from strange Teachers when they shall be transplanted as it were into an other stocke and family or be exposed to grow vp in another soile of people then that in the which they had their first nature and sap of being Secondly who but Parents haue such as bee very young and tender vnder their charge and direction Now while they are yong one may work in their youth as in the day Ioh. 9.4 but when the night of their stubborne yeares commeth that season for good things is commonly lost Thirdly as Plants set in the Spring grow and prosper better then they which are set in Winter or Autumne so the instruction that is giuen in the spring of youth better prospereth and doth more edifie then that which is giuen in the Autumne of manhood or winter of gray haires Fourthly as Parents haue brought forth their children the children of wrath by nature So it concerneth them by the doctrine of Regeneration as by a second better nature in all good conscience to help to make them the sonnes and daughters of God by faith Fiftly Parents will betimes put their children forth to good trades And is there any trade of their life for honour delight or riches comparable to the trade and way of godlinesse Is the trade of wisdedome as other common trades which is a tree of Life to all that lay hold of it Prou. 2.18 The meaning is it increaseth strengthneth life where worldly trades if they be wel followed spend and diminish it and where other trades are vncertaine it hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come and where other trades are subiect to the course of this world being sometimes better and sometimes worse this is not so but alwaies good for God hath sealed vp his promise to it that it shall neuer faile which being so how carefull should Christian Parents be not to put off to put out their children carely and as it were at breake of day to such a profitable certaine and happie trade of life by which they shall be sure to liue euer with the Lord But if Parents will not betimes bind their youth by precept vpon precept Esay 28.10 as by Indenture and by Christian discipline as by Indenture sealed to so good a trade I beseech their Christian youth to offer themselues vnto it Sixtly Parents should remember that they help to build or pull downe the Christian world for in their children they beget and beare Parents to posteritie And if they learne no good while they be children how shall they teach it when they be fathers Seuenthly Parents are Gods Husbandmen and their children his seed and husbandrie 1. Cor. 3.9 as therefore in the husbandrie of this world the good Husband before he reape or inne one crop will plow and prepare for another yea and get the best and purest seede that at the time of haruest he may receiue some good increase So God hauing made religious Parents his husbandmen and their children his seede and husbandrie they should see that the haruest of Gods church be in some good proofe and well comming forward in their seede and posterity before their owne croppe be inned in their owne blessed death For Gods husbandrie must not die nor be giuen ouer till death bee vanquished which is the last enemy they must deale with Hee that hath or meaneth to haue and preserue a good Orchard will haue a nurserie also of young trees to feede it with and of these tender trees hee will be more carefull then of those elder in his Orchard of fruits The reason is they may sooner be bitten or nipped or the canker may sooner take them then the other trees God loueth and maketh much of the Orchard of his Church in the old store but hee is tender of it in the nurserie and new store that consisteth of babes in Christ growing to holinesse because the canker of euill things may soonest breed in them heards not of Beasts but of Diuels may soonest bite and nip them and so the Vineyard that God loueth so well may for want of supplies from the seminarie of young men and children begotten to the Gospell become desolate and wast for euer Now is God thus tender of his spirituall Nurserie and shall Christian Parents his husbandmen neglect it Doe they not know that the old trees cannot stand alwaies and that sooner or later they must be cut downe with the axe of death should they not then looke well to the nurserie of the younger impes in their charge by hedging with good nurture and discipline the young men and young women whom they meane to set as trees of righteousnesse in the Orchard of the Lords Church should they not water them with good teaching dresse them in good and due manner paring away their riot and superfluities of apparell of pleasures of play and prouide that no dangerous worme eat into them by any carely habit in euill vnmet with or if they shall despise or post of this so important a dutie what can we call them but prophane and such as leaue Gods Church in worse case then they found it The hope of the Church is in the youth that now haue being for if they be well brought vp they will be carefull that such as proceed from them shall haue good bringing vp also that age will commend this good education to another the next to them that follow and they to others by an inuiolable tradition till there be an end of all generations on Earth And as this is a lesson for all Parents so specially for Parents of great Families for the greater the ship is and the better merchandise it carrieth the more neede it hath of an expert and carefull Pilot. And so the greater a childe is by blood possessions the more need he shall haue of some speciall Ouerseer and one that greatly feareth God to be guide to his youth The contrarie carelesse nursing vp of such in vice and idlenesse is cause of these great wasts that wee find to be made so ordinarily in the best patrimonie of the common wealth for as the fattest soile bringeth forth the rankest weedes when it is not plowed so great houses not well

leasure to liue well but flit from sinne to sinne as the flye skippeth from dish to dish till they be taken with the sweet meate of sin in their mouth and there bee no place to repentan●● Let such consider that the custome of sinne causeth a hardning in sin For so the Apostle speaketh thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy self● wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and let them remember that custome will adde to nature and turne it vnto it selfe Which is the cause that a Preacher shall as soone take Nature from a man by his words as sinne to which hee is accustomed Besides Sathan is not easily cast our where hee hath long dwelt and if Sathan be in sinne will not be out if Sathan haue possession sinne that attends vpon him will not loose possession if one dwell in vs both as well as one wil and must dwell in vs. So much for the Wisemans exhortation his reasons follow Whiles the euill dayes come not c. These are the reasons for which Salomon would haue his young man not to put of in the age of youth which is most prime and teachable the remembrance spoken of And they are taken from the many infirmities and withdrawings that are to bee found in old age when youth is abused as much as if Salomon should haue said Well my sonne thou art now yong lustie and actiue of good apprehension and sharpe conceite indued with fresh and strong faculties of wit and remembrance thy feete are nimble thy sight is good and thy hearing perfect now therfore serue God whiles thou maist the time may come when thou wilt be old weake and sickely dull in apprehending and of bad capacitie and remembrance without a good legge to bring thee to church without a good eare to heare at Church and either without all eies or darke sighted and so not able to reade or not able to reade long nor a good letter but through spectacles then it will be too late to doe any good seruice to God thy Creator This I take to be the Wise 〈◊〉 meaning in these words and the doctrine from hence is Doctr. Old age is no fit time wherein to begin godlinesse when the gay and fresh age of youth hath beene consumed in vanities The Israelites are complained of by the Lord in Malachy That they offered the blind for sacrifice and the lame and sicke for a● hallowed thing Mal. 1.8 He that would not haue a beast that had no eyes in his seruice would haue the● whiles thou hast eyes to serue him The sicke and the lame were no good offerings then and bee they good ware now in the sicke and lame bodie of a man that hath desperately put off his turning to God till he can neither draw winde nor legge Moses knew this and therefore bore this burthen yong and while his legges were able to beare him For the Text saith That when he was come to age hee refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter that is would not liue in delicacies while he had strength to liue vnto God Heb. 11.24.25.26 Ioseph also in his beautie and faire person turned his back to his tempting Mistresse and his face to the Lord. Gen. 39.10.12 He would not put off to serue God till old age had made choppes to his beautifull face and till his skin was withered Iosiah a good King in the eight yeare of his raigne and sixteene of his age when he was yet a Child began to seeke after the God of Dauid his Father and in the twelfth yeare of his raigne and twentieth of his age made a famous reformation 2. Chro. 34.3.4.5.6 What so soone and so young So saith the Scripture and so it was without controuersie For Gods Children take the good daies of youth for good duties and not the euill of sickly and saplesse old age for them as commonly the worlds children doe Samuel serued God in his minoritie and grew in spirit as hee shotte vp in yeares Samuel was a good man and the better be●●●● a good yong man The reasons Repentance as it can neuer come too soone where sinne is gone before so it must needes with much adoe and not without some speciall worke of God ouertake so many sinnes of youth and manhood so farre and much before it Secondly old age is full of wearinesse and trouble and where wee haue elbow-roome in youth we cannot turne vs in old age Perhaps wee shall neither heare nor see nor go nor sit without paine and torment in all parts and is this a fit condition of life and age of time to serue God in Or doe we thinke seeing wee will not know God in youth that he wil know vs at these yeares and in this case and state A reproofe therefore to those who bestow on Sathan the beauty Vse 1 strength and freshnesse of youth and offer to God the wrinckles weakenesse and foule hue of old age Or when they haue giuen away the flower of their yong yeeres to Gods enemie offer to God who will haue the first and deserues the best the dregges and leauings To such I say if thou wilt not know God in thy youth hee will neuer know thee for ought thou knowest when thou art gray-headed If as hath been said thou wilt not giue him the yong and sound and that which is without blemish he will neuer take in good part the old and sicke and euill fauoured which no man will giue to his friend nor dare offer to his Prince If thou wilt not when thou art quick-witted when thou art come to yeares of dotage hee will not If thou wilt not beare him in his day thou shalt cry in thy day that is in the euill day and not be heard Prou. 1.28 It is too late to sowe when thy fruit should be in and no time to leaue sinne when sinne must leaue thee An instruction Vse 2 not to trust to the broken staffe of old age for being holy as wee are called to holinesse 1. Thess 4.7 but in the daies of our youth as the yeares of plentie to prouide with Ioseph in Egypt for a famine of hearing a famine that may come by infirmitie of yeares Gen. 41.49 For holinesse is a gift and the grace of holinesse is the gift of God Psal 51.10 Now a gift must bee taken when it is offered It is offered to day to day if you will heare his voice Psal 95.7 And therefore we may not come for it many yeares hence being promised to day What folly is it to challenge it thirty or forty yeares hereafter But if men haue neglected in their youth thus to remember God it is high time in their age to remember him Which would bee considered of those who haue already put foot within the dores of that age in the which the Almond tree flourisheth the haires are turned white to the haruest of death Eccl. 12.5 For is it not time for

voice or instrument or till it be too late to knocke when the Lords doore is made fast and their shall bee no more opening Eccles 12.3.4 Math. 25.10.12 And lest this young man should thinke the terme of his age which Salomon here calleth the euill day or time to be the most conuenient time and terme of beginning remembrance in the verses that follow he brings in the old man deafe and blind and lame and short winded and full of aches and sundrie diseases in his bodie trembling vpon his staffe his lips and hands shaking without memorie and almost robbed of sense as if He should say looke my Sonne Is this man fit to learne who can neither heare nor see nor speake nor goe nor remember Thus Salomon schooleth his young Man From whence this Doctrine may be gathered that it is good to beare the yoke young and betimes to arquaint our selues with the way and trade of godlinesse To this purpose the wisdome of God in one of the wise sayings which were Salomons speaking to Parents and Ouerseers of youth saith Teach 〈◊〉 child in the trade of his way and when he is old hee shall not depart from it Prou 22.6 where He speaketh of teaching not a Man but a Child and of a teaching fit for Children which is a teaching by little and little as it were by some few small droppes and not a powring in of hard doctrine as by showers So it is said to bee good for Man that is a happie thing for that Man that beareth the yoke or acquainteth himselfe with the nurture of the Law young Lam. 3.27 And Ephraim maketh this vnbridlednesse of coltish youth a great impediment of conuersion in himselfe and others for hee seemeth to say that because as an vnbroken Colt not handled of men He was suffered to goe at large so long and was not brought yong to the Lords furrow therefore he could do him no seruice at more yeares and when the Lord began to yoke him by his word he flung off all This standeth to be read vnder his owne confession the report whereof is taken and published by the Lord himselfe in these words I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe c. Ierem. 31.18 As if it had beene said I haue heard him attentiuely as it were with both eares Further God requiring the first borne for his offering and the first fruits for his seruice doth no doubt require the prime and maidenhead of euerie mans worke and that wee should serue him with our first and best meanes Exod. 13.2 Leuit. 23.10 It is for young men to beleeue and therefore the ordinary Creede which is both for young and old saith I doe beleeue In the Leuiticall temple there was a morning-offering as well as an euening sacrifice and when the Angell of the Couenant stirreth the poole that is offereth saluation not hee that is oldest but hee that steppeth in first yong or old is healed Ioh. 5.2 Some say youth must haue a time but Christians must redeeme the whole both of youth yeares Ephes 5.16 Col. 4.5 For here God will not bee satisfied with the first fruits as in the legall Priest-hood but must haue the whole croppe of time offered to him in his seruice and the performance of his commandements The reasons As men learne their trades young so in youth as in the fittest time wee should learne the science of all sciences the trade of our way for bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things 1. Tim. 4.8 Secondly early instruction perfecteth memory and that doth long continue that is taught in youth As therefore if Parents teach good things to their children whiles they be yong they will tast of them in their age so contrarily if they Nurse them vp in vice and wantonnesse the euill sent of the same will continue to gray haires For as their caskes are at first seasoned so they wil preserue lōg or corrupt soone the instructions that are put into them Thirdly yong yeares are as yong trees more pliable and sooner bended then the old are Fourthly long custome becommeth another Nature in matters and as wee see it to be a very hard matter to reclaime an old Sinner and inueterate Papist and as there is small hope that they who are deformed young will proue wel fauoured old So when the minde is planted in sinne and becommeth old in wickednesse there is small hope that with little adoe it should become vertuous or forget nature which with cordes of custome is thus tied vnto that which is vtterly naught and sinfull For if being to trie our strength but with one sinne that we are accustomed vnto wee finde our selues too weake for it and therefore vse to say It hath bin our vse and wee cannot leaue it how much lesse able shall we be to ouercome our selues in many and then specially when all our vices are become customes Fiftly the day of youth is as the day that was commended to yong Rehoboam 1. King 12.7 by his wifest counsell a day wherein to get fauour or to loose it and so a time wherein to bee euer good if it be taken or hardly euer good if it bee neglected For as the tree that buddeth not in the spring is dead all the yeare so commonly he that proueth not in youth doth with much ado beare the blossome of grace in the autumne of ripe affections and winter of age Wee haue a prouerbe That a ragged colt makes a good horse but we ill apply it when by it we goe about to proue that a curst boy will make a good Man For though it sometimes so fall out yet it is but sometimes and seldome and it oftner proueth otherwaies then so And therefore it is an euill speech that men haue so much and commonly in their mouthes while they say Yong Saints old Diuels For the contrary is rather true either yong Saint or old Diuell either good betimes or when good and at what time An instruction to Parents and other Ouerseers of youth Vse 1 to grast in the tender stocke of those yeares the beginning of wisedome the feare of the Lord. And here as Abraham rose earely to sacrifice his sonne Gen. 22.3 So for their sonnes and daughters and yong frie they should giue them to God in a sacrifice of earely instruction They should whet the commandements vpon them and write the Lawe in them euen in their hearts as in tables of long continuance Deut. 6.7 they should dedicate them from their tender age to God as Samuel was 1. Sa. 1.28 and sanctifie them that is by their prayers for them teaching of them see that they be sanctified from the wombe as Ieremie was Ier. 1.5 that they may serue God from their first breath to their last gasp For to say the truth who should offer this morning sacrifice but Parents who are bound to set their Children