seeing and therefore since he hath pronounced death to be the reward of that sin 't is not unreasonable to expect he may himself inflict it that they who watch for the death of their Parents may untimely meet with their own The fifth Commandment promiseth long life as the reward of honouring the Parent to which 't is very agreeable that untimely death be the punishment of the contrary and sure there is nothing more highly contrary to that duty then this we are now speaking of the cursing our Parents 14. The third duty we owe to them is obedience This is not onely contained in the fifth Commandment but expresly injoined in other places of Scripture Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right and again Col. 3. 20. Children obey your Parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord. We owe them an obedience in all things unless where their commands are contrary to the commands of God for in that case our duty to God must be preferred and therefore if any Parent shall be so wicked as to require his child to steal to lye or to do any unlawful thing the child then offends not against his duty though he disobey that command nay he must disobey or else he offend against a higher duty even that he owes to God his Heavenly Father Yet when 't is thus necessary to refuse obedience he should take care to do it in such a modest and respectful manner that it may appear 't is conscience onely and not stubborness moves him to it But in case of all lawful commands that is when the thing commanded is either good or not evil when it hath nothing in it contrary to our duty to God there the child is bound to obey be the command in a weightier or lighter matter How little this duty is regarded is too manifest every where in the world where Parents generally have their children no longer under command then they are under the rod when they are once grown up they think themselves free from all obedience to them or if some do continue to pay it yet let the motive of it be examined and 't will in too many be found onely worldly prudence They fear to displease their Parents lest they should shorten their hand toward them and so they shall loose somewhat by it but how few are there that obey purely upon conscience of duty This sin of disobedience to Parents was by the Law of Moses punishable with death as you may read Deut 21. 18. but if Parents now a dayes should proceed so with their children many might soon make themselves chidless 15. But of all acts of disobedience that of marrying against the consent of the Parent is one of the highest Children are so much the goods the possessions of the Parent that they cannot without a kind of theft give away themselves without the allowance of those that have the right in them and therefore we see under the Law the Maid that had made any vow was not suffered to perform it without the consent of the Parent Num. 30. 5. the right of the Parent was thought of force enough to cancel and make void the Obligation even of a vow and therefore surely it ought to be so much considered by us as to keep us from making any such whereby that right is infringed 16. A fourth duty to the Parent is to assist and minister to them in all their wants of what kind soever whether weakness and sickness of body decayedness of understanding or poverty and lowness of estate in all these the child is bound according to his ability to relieve and assist them for the two former weakness of body and infirmity of mind none can doubt of the duty when they remember how every child did in his infancy receive the very same benefit from the Parent the child had then no strength to support no understanding to guide it self the care of the Parents was fain to supply both these to it and therefore in common gratitude whenever either of these becomes the Parents case as sometimes by great age or some accident both do the child is to perform the same offices back again to them As for that of relieving their poverty there is the very same Obligation to that with the former it being but just to sustain thy Parent who has formerly sustained thee but besides this Christ himself teaches us that thâ—s is contained within their precept of honouring the Parents for when Mar. 7. 13. he accuses the Pharisees of rejecting the Commandment of God to cleave to their own traditions he instances in this particular concerning the relieving of Parents whereby 't is manifest that this is a part of that duty which is injoined in the fifth Commandment as you may see at large in the Text and such a duty it is that no pretence can absolve or acquit us of it How then shall those answer it that deny relief to their poor Parents that cannot part with their own excesses and superfluities which are indeed their sins to satisfie the necessities of those to whom they owe their being Nay some there are yet worse who out of pride scorn to own their Parents in ther poverty Thus it often happens when the child is advanced to dignity or wealth they think it a disparagement to them to look on their Parents that remain in a low condition it being the betraying as they think to the world the meanness of their birth and so the poor Parent fares the worse for the prosperity of his child This is such a pride and unnaturalness together as will surely find a sharp vengeance from God for if Solomon observe of pride alone that it is the fore-runner of destruction Prov. 16. 18. we may much rather conclude so of it when it is thus accompanied 17. To this that hath been said of the duty of children to theâ—r Parents I shall add onely this That no unkindness no fault of the Parent can acquit the child of this duty but as St. Peter tels servants 1 Pet. 2. 18. that they must be subject not onely to the good and gentle masters but also to the froward so certainly it belongs to children to perform duty not onely to the kind and vertuous but even to the harshest and wicked'st Parent For though the gratitude due to a kind Parent be a very forcible motive to make the child pay his duty yet that is not the onely nor chiefest ground of it That is laid in the Command of God who requires us thus to honour our Parents and therefore though we should suppose a Parent so unnatural as never to have done any thing to oblige the child which can hardly be imagined yet still the Command of God continues in force and we are in conscience of that to perform that duty to our Parents though none of the other tye of gratitude should lye on
ECCLESIA ANGLICANA Read Pray The WHOLE DUTY of MAN Plainly layd down for the use of the meanest Reader with PRAYERS 〈…〉 Take heed and beware of false Prophets Matt. 7. The Practice of Christian Graces OR The WHOLE Duty OF Man LAID DOWN In a Plaine and Familiar WAY for the Use of All but especially the MEANEST READER Divided into XVII CHAPTERS ONE whereof being read every LORDS DAY the Whole may be read over THRICE in the YEAR WITH PRIVATE DEVOTIONS For Several OCCASIONS Viz. For MORNING EVENING SACRAMENT The SICK c. Times of PUB CALAMITIES London Printed by â— Maxwell for T. Garthwait at the little North door of S. Pauls 1658. Mr. GARTHVVAIT YOu needed not any Intercession to recommend this task to me which brought its Invitations and Reward with it I very willingly Read over all the sheets both of the Discourse and the Devotions annext and find great cause to bless God for both not discerning what is wanting in any part of either to render it with Gods blessing most sufficient and proper to the great End designed the Spiritual supplies and advantages of all those that shall be exercised therein The subject matter of it is indeed what the Title undertakes The whole Duty of Man Set down in all the Branches with those advantages of brevity and Partitions to invite and support and engage the Reader That Condescension to the meanest capacities but with all That weight of Spiritual Arguments wherein the best proficients will be glad to be assisted that it seems to me equally fitted for both sorts of Readers which shall bring with them a sincere desire of their own either present or future advantages The Devotion part in the conclusion is no way inferior being a most seasonable aid to every mans infirmities and hath extended it self very particularly to all our principal concernments The Introduction hath supplyed the place of a Preface which you seem to desire from me and leaves me no more to add but my Prayers to God That the Author which hath taken care to conveigh so liberal an Alms to the Corban so secretly may not miss to be rewarded openly in the visible power and benefit of this work on the hearts of the whole Nation which was never in more need of such supplies as are here afforded That His Allsufficient Grace will bless the seed sown and give an abundant encrease is the humblest request of March 7. 1657. Your assured Friend H. HAMMOND A TABLE Of the CONTENTS of the several CHAPTERS or PARTITIOâ—S in this Book Which according to this Division by Reading one of these Chapters every Lords Day the whole may be Read over Thrice in the year PARTITION 1. OF the Duty of Man by the light of Nature by the light of Scripture Of Faith the Promises of Hope of Love c. page 1. PARTITION 2. Of Humility of Submission to Gods Will in respect of Obedience of Patience in all sorts of Sufferings and of Honour due to God in several wayes in his House Possessions His Day Word Sacraments c. page 34. PARTITION 3. Of the Lords Supper Of Preparation before Receiving of Duties to be done at the Receiving and afterwards c. page 67. PARTITION 4. Honour due to Gods Name Of Sinning against it Blasphemy Swearing Assertory Oaths Promissory Oaths Vnlawful Oaths Of Perjury Of Vain Oaths and the Sin of them c. page 98. PARTITION 5. Of Worship due to Gods Name Of Prayer and its several parts Of Publick Prayers iâ— the Church in the Family Of Private Prayâ—er Of Repentance c. Of Fâ—sting page 109 PARTITION 6. Of Duties to our Selves Of Sobriety Humility The great Sin of Pride the Danger the Folly of this Sin Of Vain-Glory the Danger Folly Means to prevent it Oâ— Meekness the Means to obtain it c. page 136 PARTITION 7. Of Contentedness and the Contraries tâ— it Murmuring Ambition Covetoâ—sness Envy Helps to Contentedness Of Dutie which concern our Bodies Of Chastity Helpâ— to it Temperance Rules of Temperance iâ— Eating c. page 158. PARTITION 8. Of Temperance in Drinking False Ends oâ— Drinking viz. Good fellowship Putting away Cares c. page 177. PARTITION 9. Temperance in Sleep The Rule of it c. Of Recreation of Apparel page 197 PARTITION 10. Of Duties to our Neighbours Of Justice Negative and Positive Of the Sin of Murâ—her Of the Hainousness of it The Punishments of it And the Strange Discoveries thereof Of Maiming Wounds and stripes page 206. PARTITION 11. Of Justice about the Possessions of our Neighbour Against Injuring him as Concerning his Wife His Goods Of Malice Covetousness Oppression Theft Of Paying Debts c. page 226. PARTITION 12. Of Theft Stealing the Goods of our Neighbour Of Deceit in Trust in Traffick Of Restitution c. page 238. PARTITION 13. Of False Reports False Witness Slanders Whisperings Of Despising and Scoffing for Infirmities Calamities Sins c. Of Positive Justice Speaking the Truth Of Lying Of Humility and Pride Of Envy Detraction Of Gratitude c. page 251. PARTITION 14. Of Duty to Parents Magistrates Pastors c. Of the Duty of Parents to Children c. page 278. PARTITION 15. Of Duty to our Brethren and Relations Husband Wife Friends Masters Servants page 305. PARTITION 16. Other Branches of our Duty to our Neighbour Of Charity to Mens Souls Bodiesâ— Goods c. page 329. PARTITION 17. Of Charity Alms-giving c. Of Charity in respect of our Neighbours Credit Of Peace-making Of going to Law Of Charity to our Enemies c. Christian Duties both Possible and pleasant page 358. A TABLE of the PRAYERS Prayers for Morning 562 Prayers for Night 570 Collects for several Graces 577 A Paraphrase on the Lords Prayer 591 Pious Ejaculations out of the Book of Psalms 594 Brief heads of Examination before the Sacrament 598 Prayers before the Sacrament 613 Ejaculations at the Lords Table c 619 Prayers after the Sacrament 621 Prayers for the Sick 631 Ejaculations for the Sick 63â— Prayers for Publick Calamities 644 A PREFACE To the ensuing TREATISE Shewing the Necessity of Caring for the Soul § 1. THE only intent of this ensuing Treatise is to be a short plain direction to the very meanest Readers to behave themselves so in this world that they may be happy for ever in the next But because 't is in vain to tell men their duties till they be perswaded of the necessity of performing it I shall before I proceed to the particulars required of every Christian endeavour to win them to the practice of one general duty preparatory to all the rest and that is the consideration and care of their own Souls without which they will never think themselves much concern'd in the other 2. Man We know is made up of two parts a body and a soul The body only the husk or shell of the soul a lump of flesh subject to many diseases and pains while it lives and at last to death it self and
if they be ignorant but because all children should be so instructed that it should be impossible for them to be ignorant when they come to years And it neerly concerns every Parent as they will free themselve from the guilt of their childrens eternal undoing that they be careful to see them instructed in all necessary things to which purpose it will be fit early to teach then some short Catechism of which sort none so fit as the Church-Catechism yet are they not to rest on these endeavours of their own but also to call in the Ministers help that he may build them up farther in Christian Knowledg 27. But alas it is too sure that parents have very much neglected this duty and by that means it is that such multitudes of men and women that are called Christians know no more of Christ or any thing that concerns their own soules then the mearest heathen 28. But although it were their Parents fault that they were not instructed when they were young yet it is now their own if they remain still ignorant and it is sure it will be their own ruine and misery if they willfully continue so Therefore whoever it be of what age or condition soever that is in this ignorant estate or in any such degree of it that he wants any part of necessary saving knowledg let him as he loves his soul as ever he would escape eternal damnation seek out for instruction let no fear of shame keep any from it for first it is certain the shame belongs only to the wilful continuing in ignorance to which the desire of learning is directly contrary and is so far from a shameful that it is a most commendable thing and will be sure to be so accounted by all wise and good men But Secondly suppose some prophane senseless people should deride it yet sure that shame were in all reason to be undergon joyfully rather then venture on that confusion of face which will at the day of judgment befal those who to avoidalittle false shame amongst men have gone on in a wilful ignorance of their duty which ignorance wil be so far from excusing any sins they shall commit that it adds one great heavy sin to all the rest even the dispising that knowledg which is offered to them How hainous a sin that is you may learn in the First Chapter of the Proverbs where hating knowledg ver 29. is said to be the thing that draws down those sad vengeances forementioned even Gods forsaking men laughing at their calamity in stead of helping them which is of all other conditions in the world the most miserable surely they are madly desperat that will run themselves into it 29. As for those who have already this foundation laid by the knowledg of the grounds of Christian Religon there is yet for them a farther help provided by Preaching And it is no more then needs for God knows those that understand their duty well enough are too apt to forget it nay sometimes by the violence of their own lusts to transgress it even when they do remember it and therefore it is very useful we should often be put in mind of it to prevent our forgetting and also often exhorted and assisted to withstand those lusts which draw us to those transgressions And to these purposes preaching is intended First to warn us to be upon our guard against our spiritual enemy and then to furnish us with weapons for the fight that is such means and helps as may best enable us to beat off temptations and get the victory over them 30. Since therefore this is the end of preaching we must not think we have done our duty when we have heard a Sermon though never so attentively but we must lay up in our hearts those instructions and advices we there meet with use them faithfully to that end of overcoming our sins Therefore when ever thou comest to the Physician of thy soul do as thou wouldst with the Physician of thy body thou comest to him not only to hear him talk and tell thee what will cure thee but also to do according to his directions and if thou dost not so here thou art as vain as he that expects a bare receipt from his Doctor shall cure him though he never make use of it Nay thou art much more vain and ridiculous for that though it do him no good will do him no harmâ— he shall be never the worse for having bin taught a medicine though he use it not but in these spiritual receipts it is otherwise if we use them not to our good they will do us a great deal of harm they will rise up in judgment against us and make our condemnation so much the heavier Beware therefore not to bring that danger upon thy self but when thou hast heard a Sermon consider with thy self what directions there were in it for enabling thee to eschew evil or to do good And if there were any thing especially concern'd thine own boâ—ome sin lay that close to thy heart and all the week after make it matter of meditâ—tion think of it even whilst thou art at thy work if thou wantest other time and not only think of it but â—et to the practice of it do what thou wert advised to for the subduing sins and quickning grace in thee Finally look carefully to practice the counsel of the Apostle Ia. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word not hearers only deceiving your own soules to hope for good from the word without doing of it is it seems nothing but a deceiving our selves Let us never therefore measure our godliness by the number of Sermons which we hear as if the hearing many were a certain mark of a good Christian but by the store of fruit we bring forth by them without which all our hearing will serve but to bring us in that heavier portion of stripes which belongs to him that knows his Masters will and does it not Lu. 12. 47. But this reverence which is due to preaching we must not pay to all that is now a dayes called so for God knows there are many false Prophets gone out into the world as the Apostle speaks 1 Jo. 4 1. And now if ever is that advice of his necessary to trie the Spirits whether they be of God But what I have sayed I mean only of the preaching of those who first have a lawfull calling to the Office and secondly frame their doctrine according to the right rule the written word of God But if any man say he is not able to judg whether the doctrine be according to the Word or no let him at least try it by the common known rules of duty which he doth understand and if he find it a doctrine giving men liberty to commit those things which are by all acknowledged sins such as rebellion injustice unmercifulness uncleanness or the like he may conclude it is utterly contrary to God and
person to his benefactor that is one that hath done him good of what kind soever whether spiritual or corporal and the duty of that person is first thankfulness that is a ready and hearty acknowledgment of the courtesie received secondly prayer for Gods blessings and rewards upon him and thirdly an endeavour as opportunity and ability serves to make returns of kindness by doing good turnes back again This duty of gratitude to benefactors is so generally acknowledged by all even the most barbarous and savagest of men that he must have put off much of his humane nature that refuses to perform it The very Publicans and sinners as our Saviour sayes do good to those that do good to them 35. Yet how many of us fail even in this how frequent is it to see men not only neglect to repay courtesies but return injuries in stead of them It is too observable in many particulars but in none more then in the case of advice and admonition which is of all others the most precious part of kindness the reallest good turn that can be done from one man to another And therefore those that do this to us should be look't on as our prime and greatest benefactors But alas how few are there that can find gratitude shall I say nay patience for such a courtesie Go about to admonish a man of a fault or tell him of an error he presently looks on you as his enemy you are as St. Paul tells the Galatians Chap. 4. 16. become his enemy because you tell him the truth such a pride there is in mens hearts that they must not be told of any thing amiss though it be with no other intent but that they may amend it A strange madness this is the same that it would be in a sick man to flie in the face of him that comes to cure him on a fancy that he disparaged him in supposing him sick so that we may well say with the wise man Pro. 12. 1. He that hateth reproofe is brutish There cannot be in the world a more happy temper for it fortifies a man in his sins raises such mounts and bulwarks about them that no man can come to assault them and if we may believe Solomon destruction will not fail to attend it Pro. 29. 1. He that being of ten reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy But then again in respect of the admonisher 't is the greatest injustice I may say cruelty that can be he comes in tenderness and compassion to rescue thee from a danger and to that purpose puts himself upon a very uneasy task for such the general impatience men have to admonition hath now made it and what a defeat what a grief is it to him to find that in stead of reforming the first fault thou art run into a second to wit that of causeless displeasure against him This is one of the worst and yet I doubt the commonest sort of unthankfulness to benefactors and so a great failing in that duty we owe to that sort of relation But perhaps these will be look't on as remote relations yet 't is sure they are such as challenge all that duty I have assigned to them I shall in the next place proceed to those relations which are by all acknowledged to be of the greatest neerness PARTITION XIV Of DUTY to PARENTS Magistrates Pastors c. Of the DUTY of PARENTS to Children c. § 1. THE first of those neerer sorts of relations is that of a Parent And here it will be necessary to consider the several sorts of Parents according to which the duty to them is to be measured Those are these three the Civil the Spiritual the Natural 2. The Civil Parent is he whom God hath establisht the Supreme Magistrate who by a just right possesses the throne in a Nation This is the common Father of all those that are under his authority The duty we owe to this Parent is first Honour and Reverence looking on him as upon one on whom God hath stamped much of his own power and authority and therefore paying him all honour and esteem never daring upon any pretence whatsoever to speak evil of the ruler of our people Acts 23. 5. 3. Secondly Paying Tribute This is expresly commanded by the Apostle Rom. 13. 6. Pay ye tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing God has set them apart as Ministers for the common good of the people and therefore 't is all justice they should be maintained and supported by them And indeed when it is considered what are the cares and troubles of that high calling how many thorns are plated in every Crown we have very little reason to envy them these dues and it may truly be said there is none of their poor labouring subjects that earns their living so hardly 4. Thirdly We are to pray for them this is also expresly commanded by the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 2. to be done for Kings and for all that are in authority The businesses of that calling are so weighty the dangers and hazards of it so great that they of all others need prayers for Gods direction assistance and blessing and the prayers that are thus poured out for them will return into our own bosomes for the blessings they receive from God tend to the good of the people to their living a quiet and peaceable life as it is in the close of the verse forementioned 5. Fourthly We are to pay them Obedience This is likewise strictly charged by the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as those that are sent by him We owe such an obedience to the Supreme power that whoever is authorised by him we are to submit to and St. Paul likewise is most full to this purpose Rom. 13. 1. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers and again ver 2. Whosoever resisteth the pouers resisteth the Ordinance of God And 't is observable that these precepts were given at a time when those powers were Heathens and cruel persecutors of Christianity to shew us that no pretence of the wickedness of our rulers can free us of this duty An obedience we must pay either active or passive the active in the case of all lawful commands That is whenever the Magistrate commands something which is not contrary to some Command of God we are then bound to act according to that command of the Magistrate to do the thing he requires But when he injoins any thing contrary to what God hath Commanded we are not then to pay him this active obedience we may nay we must refuse thus to act yet here we must be very well assured that the thing is so contrary and not pretend conscience for a cloak of stubborness we are in
us But as this is due from the child to the Parents so on the other side there are other things also due from the Parents to the child and that throughout the several states and ages of it 18. First There is the care of nourishing and sustaining it which begins from the very birth and continues a duty from the Parent till the child be able to perform it to himself This is a duty which nature teaches even the savages beasts have a great care and tenderness in nourishing their young and therefore may serve to reproach and condemn all Parents who shall be so unnatural as to neglect this I shall not here enter into the question whether the mother be obliged to give the child its first nourishment by giving it suck her self because 't will not be possible to affirm universally in the case there being many circumstances which may alter it and make it not onely lawful but best not to do it all I shall say is that where no impediment of sickness weakness or the like does happen 't is surely best for the mother her self to perform this office there being many advantages to the child by it which a good Mother ought so far to consider as not to sell them to her own sloth or niceness or any such unworthy motive for where such onely are the grounds of forbearing it they will never be able to justifie the omission they being themselves unjustifiable But besides this first care which belongs to the body of the child there is another which should begin neer as early which belongs to their Souls and that is the bringing them to the Sacrament of Baptism thereby to procure them an early right to all those precious advantages which that Sacrament conveyes to them This is a duty the Parents ought not to delay it being most reasonable that they who have been instruments to convey the stain and pollution of sin to the poor Infant should be very earnest and industrious to have it washt off as soon as may be Besides the life of so tender a creature is but a blast and many times gone in a moment and though we are not to despair of Gods mercy to those poor children who dye without Baptism yet surely those Parents commit a great fault by whose neglect it is that they want it 19. Secondly The Parents must provide for the education of the child they must as Solomon speaks Prov. 22. 6. Train up the child in the way he should go As soon therefore as children come to the use of reason they are to be instructed and that first in those things which concern their eternal well-being they are by little and little to be taught all those things which God hath Commanded them as their duty to perform as also what glorious rewards he hath provided for them if they do it and what grievous and eternal punishments if they do it not These things ought as early as is possible to be instilled into the minds of children which like new vessels do usually keep the savour of that which is first put into them and therefore it neerly concerns all parents to look they be at first thus seasoned with Vertue and Religion 'T is sure if this be neglected there is one ready at hand to fill them with the contrary the devil wil be diligent enough to instil into them all wickedness and vice even from their cradles and there being also in all our natures so much the greater aptness to evil then to good there is need of great care and watchfulness to prevent those endeavours of that enemy of Souls which can no way be but by possessing them at first with good things breeding in them a love to vertue a hatred of vice that so when the temptations come they may be armed against them This surely is above all things the duty of Parents to look after and the neglect of it is a horrible cruelty We justly look upon those Parents as most unnatural wretches that take away the life of their child but alas that his mercy and tenderness compared to this of neglecting his education for by that he ruines his Soul makes him miserable eternally and God knowes multitudes of such cruel Parents there are in the world that thus give up their children to be possest by the Devil for want of an early acquainting them with the wayes of God nay indeed how few there are that do conscionable perform this duty is too apparent by the strange rudeness and ignorance that is generally among youth the children of those who call themselves Christians being frequently as ignorant of God and Christ as the meerest Heathens But whoever they are that thus neglect this great duty let them know that it is not onely a fearful misery they bring upon their poor children but also a horrible guilt upon themselves For as God sayes to the careless watchmen Ezeck 3. 18. That if any soul perish by his negligence that soul shall be required at his hands so surely will it fare with all parents who have this office of watch-men intrusted to them by God over their own children A second part of education is the bringing them up to some imployment busying them in some honest exercise whereby they may avoid that great snare of the Divel Idleness and also be taught some useful art or trade whereby when they come to age they may become profitable to the Commonwealth and able to get an honest living to themselves 20. To this great duty of educating of children there is required as means first encouragement secondly correction incouragement is first to be tryed we should endeavour to make children in love with duty by offering them rewards and invitations and whenever they do well take notice of it and encourage them to go on It is an ill course some parents hold who think they must never appear to their children but with a face of sowreness and austerity this seems to be that which St. Paul forwarnes parents of when he bids fathers not to provoke their children to wrath Col. 3. 21. To be as harsh and unkind to them when they do well as if they do ill is the way to provoke them and then the Apostle tels us in the same verse what will be the issue of it they will be discouraged they will have no heart to go on in any good course when the parent affords them no countenance The second means is correction and this becomes seasonable when the former will do no good when all faire means perswasions and encouragements prevail not then there is a necessity of using sharper and let that be first tryed in words I mean not by railing and foul language but in sober yet sharp reproof but if that fail too then proceed to blowes and in this case as Solomon sayes he that spareth his rod hateth his son Prov. 13. 24. 'T is a cruel fondness that to spare
a few stripes at present will adventure him to those sad mischiefs which commonly befall the child that is left to himself But then this correction must be given in such a manner as may be likely to do good to which purpose it must first be given timely the child must not be suffered to run on in any ill till it have got a habit and a stubborness too This is a great error in many parents they will let their children alone for divers years to do what they list permit them to lye to steal without ever so much as rebuking them nay perhaps please themselves to see the witty shifts of the child and think it matters not what they do while they are little But alas all that while the vice gets root and that many times so deep a one that all they can do afterwards whether by words or blowes can never pluck it up Secondly correction must be moderate not exceeding the quality of the fault nor the tenderness of the child Thirdly it must not be given in rage if it be it wâ—ll not only be in danger of being immoderate but it will lose its effect upon the child who will think he is corrected not because he has done a fault but because his parent is angry and so will rather blame the parent then himself whereas on the contrary care should be taken to make the child as sensible of the fault as of the smart without which he will never be throughly amended 21. Thirdly after children are grown up are past the age of education there are yet other offices for the parent to perform to them the parent is still to watch over them in respect of their souls to observe how they practice those precepts which were given them in their education and accordingly to exhort incourage or reprove as they find occasion 22. So also for their outward estate they are to put them into some course of living in the world if God have blest the parents with wealth according to what he hath he must distribute to his children remembring that since he was the instrument of bringing them into the world he is according to his ability to provide for their comfortably living in it they are therefore to be look't on very unnatural parents who so they may have enough to spend in their own riots and excess care not what becomes of their children never think of providing for them Another fault is usual among parents in this business they defer all the provisions for them till themselves be dead heap up perhaps great matters for them against that time but in the mean time afford them not such a competency as may enable them to live in the world There are several mischiefs come from this first it lessens the childs action to his parent nay sometimes it proceeds so far as to make him wish his death which though it be such a fault as no temptâ—tion can excuse in a child yet ' tâ—s also a great fault in a parent to gâ—ve that temptation Sâ—condly it puts the child upon shifts and tricks many times dishonest ones to supply his necessities this is I doubt not a common effect of it the hardness of parents has often put men upon very unlawful courses which when they are once acquainted with perhaps they never leave though the fiâ—st occasion cease and therefore parents ought to beware how they run them upon those hazards Besides the parent loses that contentment which he might have in seeing his children live prosperously and comfortably which none but an arrant earth-worm would exchange for the vain imaginary pleasure of having money in his chest But in this business of providing for children there is yet another thing to be heeded and that is that the parent get that wealth honestly which he makes their portion else 't is very far from being a provision there is such a curse goes along with an ill-gotten estate that he that leaves such a one to his child do but cheat and deceive him makes him believe he has left him wealth but has withall put such a canker in the bowels of it that is sure to eat it out This is so common an observation that I need say nothing to confirm the truthâ— of it would God it were as generally laid to heart as it seems to be generally taken notice of Then surely parents would not account it a reasonable motive to unjust dealing that they may thereby provide for their children for this is not a way of providing for them nâ—y 't is the way to spoil them of whatever they have lawfully gathered for them the least mite of unlawful gain being of the nature of leaven which sowres the whole lump bringing down curses upon all a man possesseth Let all parents therefore satisfie themselves with such provisions for their children as God shall enable them honestly to make assuring themselves how little soever it be 't is a better portion then the greatest wealth unjustly gotten according to that of Solomom Pro. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness then great revenues without right 23. A fourth thing the parent owes to the child is good example he is not only to set him rules of vertue and godliness but he must himself give him a pattern in his own practice we see the force of example is infinitely beyond that of precept especiaâ—ly where the person is one to whom we bear a reverence or with whom we have a continual conversation both which usually meet in a Parent It is therefore a most necessary care in all Parents to behave themselves so before their children that their example may be a means of winning them to vertue But alas this age affords little of this care nay so far 't is from it that there are none more frequently the instruments of corrupting children then their own Parents And indeed how can it be otherwise while men give themselves liberty to all wickedness 't is not to be hoped but that the children which observe it will imitate it the child that sees his father drunk will sure think he may be so too as well as his father So he that bears him swear will do the like and so for all other vices and if any Parent that is thus wicked himself should happen to have so much more care of his childs Soul then his own as to forbid him the things which himself practices or correct him for the doing them 't is certain the child will account this a great injustice in his father to punish him for that which himself freely does and so he is never likely to be wrought upon by it This consideration layes a most strict tye upon all Parents to live Christianly for otherwise they do not onely hazard their own Souls but those of their children also and as it were purchase an estate of inheritance in Hell 24. A fifth duty of Parents is blessing their children
the way of doing that is double first by their prayer they are by daily and earnest prayers to commend them to Gods protection and blessing both for their spiritual and temporal estate and secondly by their piety they are to be such persons themselves as that a blessing may descend from them upon their posterity This is often promised in Scipture to godly men that their seed shall be blessed Thus in the second commandment God promises to shew mercy to the thousand generation of them that love him and keep his commandments And it is very observable in the Jews that though they were a stiffe necked generation and had very grievously provoked God yet the godliness of their forefathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob did many times move God to save them from destruction on the other side we see that even good men have fared the worse for the iniquities of their fathers Thus when Josiah had destroyed idolatry restored Gods service and done good beyond all the Kings that were before him yet there was an old arreare of Manasseh his grandfather which all this piety of his would not blot out but he resolves to cast Judah also out of his sight as you may read at large 2 Kings 23. If therefore parents have any bowels any kindness towards their children any real desire of their prosperity let them take care by their own godly life to entaile a blessing upon them 25 Sixthly parents must take heed that they use their power over their children with equity and moderation not to oppress them with unreasonable commands only to exercise their own authorâ—ty but in all things of weight to consider the real good of their children and to presse them to nothing which may not consist with that This is a rule whereof parents may often have use but in none greater then in the business of marrying their children wherein many that otherwise are good parents have been to blame when out of an eagerness of bestowing them wealthily they force them to marry utterly against their own inclinations which is a great tyranny and that which frequently betrayes them to a multitude of mischiefs such as all the wealth in the world cannot repaire There are two things which parents ought especially to consider in the matching of their children the first how they may live Christianly and to that purpose to chuse a vertuous and pious person to link them with the second is how they may live cheerfully and comfortably in this world and to that end though a competency of estate may be necessary to be regarded yet surely abundance is no way requisite and therefore that should not be too vehemently sought after that which much more tends to the happiness of that state is the mutual kindness and liking of the parties without which marriage is of all other the most uncomfortable condition and therefore no parent ought to thrust a child into it I have now done with the first sort of relation that of a parent PARTITION XV. Of DUTY to our BRETHREN and Relations Husband Wife Friends Masters Servants § 1 THE second sort of relation is that of a brother now brotherhood may be two fold either natural or spiritual the natural may in the largest extent contain under it all mankind all that partake of the same nature but I shall not consider it so in this place having already mentioned those gegeneral duties which belong to all as such I now speak of that natural brother-hood that is between those that are the children of the same immediate parent and the duty of these is to have united hearts and affections This nature points out to them they partaking in a more especial manner of each others substance and therefore ought to have the greatest tenderness and kindness each to other thus we see Abraham make it an argument why there should be no contention between him and Let because they were brethren Gen. 13. 8. And though by brethren there is meant only cousins yet that helps the more strongly to conclude that this neerer relation is in reason to be a greater barr to strife as also that this kindness is in some degree to be extended to all that have any neerness of blood to us 2. This kindness and love between brethren and sisters ought to be very firmly grounded in their hearts if it be not they will be of all others in most danger of disagreeing for the continual conversation that is among them whilst they are at home in the fathers house will be apt to minister some occasion of jar Besides the equality that is among them in respect of birth often makes them inclinable to envy each other when one is in any respect advanced above the other Thus we see Josephs brethren envyed him because he had most of his fathers love and Rachel envyed her sister Leah because she was fruitful therefore for the preventing of such temptations let all who have brethren and sisters possesse their mind with a great and real kindness to them look on them as parts of themselves and then they wil never think fit either to quarrel with them or to envy them any advantage any more then one part of the body does another of the same body but will strive to advance and help forward the good of each other 3. The second kind of brotherhood is spiritual that contains all those who profess the same faith with us the Church in our baptism becomes a mother to each baptized person and then surely they that have the relation of children to her must have also the relation of brethren to each other and to this sort of brethren also we owe a great deal of tenderness and affection the spiritual bond of Religion should of all others the most closely unite our hearts This is the brotherhood which St. Peter exhorts us to love 1 Pet. 2. 17. And to it we are in an especial manner bound to do all good offices Do good saith the Apostle to all but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Our compassions are to be most melting towards them of all others in all their needs Christ tels us that whosoever gives but a cup of cold water to any in the name of a disciple shall not lose his reward Mat. 10. 42. From whence we may assure our selves that this peculiar love to Christians as Christians is very acceptable in his sight 4. Several duties there are required of us to these brethren one principal is the holding communion with them and that first in doctrine we are constantly to continue in the belief and profession of all those necessary truths by which we may be markt out as followers and disciples of Christ this is that faith which St. Jude speaks of which was once delivered to the Saints Iude 3. by keeping whereof we continue still united to this spiritual brotherhood in respect of profession
its parts Confession Petitions For our Souls Bodiâ—â— Deprâ—cation Of sin Of punishmâ—â—t Intercession Thankâ—â—â—ving Spiritual Mercies Temporal Publick Prayer in the Church In the family Private Prayer Frequency in Prayer The advantages of Prayer Honour Benefit Pleasantness Carnallity one reason of its seeming otherwise Want of one another To ask nothing unlawful To ask in Faith In humility With attention Helps against wandring 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Prayer for Gods aid Watchfulnesse With Zeal With purity To right ends Bodily worship Repentance A turning from sin to God Times for this Duty Daily At set times In the time of affliction At Death The danger of deferring it till then The disadvantages of a death-bed repentance The custom of sin Bodily pains Danger of unsincerity Fasting Fasting a a revenge upon our selves Such revenges acceptable with God Yet no satisfaction for sins Times of fasting Second branâ—h of our dâ—ty to God Inward Idolatry Duty to our selves Humility The great sin of pride The danger Drawing into other sins Frustrating of remedies Betraying to punishment The folly In respect of the goods of Nature The goods of fortune The goods of grace Means of Humility Vain glory The sin The danger The folly â—elps aâ—â—inst vain â—â—â—ry Meekness Advantages of it Means of obtaining it Consideration Of our state The rule by which to trie our state The danger of inconsideration Our actions Before we do them After they are done Frequency of consideration Danger of omitting it Contentedness Contrary to murmuring To ambition To covetâ—usness Covetousness contrary to our duty to God To our selves To our neighbourâ— Contentedness contrary to envy Helps to contentedness Diligence Watchfulness against sin Industry in improving gifts Of Nature Of Grace To improve good motions The dangâ—â— of the contrary Chastity Uncleanness forbidden in the very lowest degrees The mischiefs of it To the Soul To the Body The Iudgments of God against it It shuts out from Heaven Helps to chastity Temperance In Eating Ends of eating Preserving of life Of Health Ru'es of Temperance in eating Means of it Temperancâ— in Drinkâ—ing False ends of drinking Good fellowship Preserving of kindness Cheering the spirits Putting away cares Passing away time Preventing reproach Pleasure of the drink Bargaining Degrees of this sin The great guilt of the strong drinkers The great mischiefs of this sin Exhortation to forsake it The difficulties of doing so considered Seeming nâ—â—â—ssity of drink Want of imployment Perswasions and reproaches of men The means of resisting them Which the advantages 〈◊〉 the hurt Reject the temptationâ— at the veâ—â— beginning The seâ—urity of doing so The efficaâ—y of these means if not hindred by love of the sin That lovâ— makes mâ—â— loth to beâ—lieve it dangerouâ— Sleep The rule of temperance therein The many sins that fâ—â—lâ—w tâ—e transgressing of it Other mischiefs of sloth Temperance in Recreation Cautions tâ—he observeâ— in them Undue end of sports Temperance in Apparel Apparel designed foâ— covering of shame Fencing from cold Distinction of persons Too much sparing a fault as well as excess Duty to our Neighbour Iustice. Negative To the Soul In the natural sence In the spiritual Drawing to sin the greatest injury Direct means of Indirect Men sadly to consider whom they have thus injured Heartily to bewail it Endeavour to repair it Negative justice to the body In respect of the life Several ways of being guilty of murder The Hainousness of the sin The great punishments attending it The strange discoveries of it We must waâ—ch diligently aâ—gainst all approaches of this sin Maiming â— great injury That which every man dreads for himself Yet worse if the man be poor Necessity of making what satisfaction we can Wounds and stripes injuries also This cruelty to others the effect of pride His possession Hâ—s wife The enticing a mans wife the greatest injustice To the woman To the man The most irrepairable His goods Malicious injustice Covetous injustice Oppression Gods vengeance against it Theft Not paying what we borrow What we are bâ—und for What we have promised Stealing the goods of our neighbour Deceit In Trust. In Traffick The sellers concealing the faults of his ware His over-rating it Fraud in the Buyer Many Temptations to deceit in Traffick The commonness of injustiee a reproach to Christianity It is not the way to enrich a man It ruines the Soul Eternally The necessity of Restitution His credit False witness Publick slanders Whispering Several steps towards this sin Despising and scoffing For infirmities For calamities Forsi â— Destroying the credit a great injury And irrepairable Yet every guilty person must do all he can to repaire the injury Iustice in the thoughts Positive Iustice. Speaking Truth a due to all men Lying expresly forbiden in Scripture The great commonness and folly of this sin Courteous behaviour a due to all men Not payed by the proud man Meekness a due to all men Brauling very inâ—ufferable It leads to that great sin of cursing Particular dues A respect due to men of extraordinary gifts We are not to envy them Nor detract from them The folly of both those sins A respect due to men in regard of their râ—nks and qualities Dues to those that are in any sort â—f want To the poor God withdraws those abilities which are not thus imployed Dues in respect of relations Gratitude to Benefactors The contrary too common Duty to Parents Dues to the Supreme Magistrate Honour Tribute Prayers for them Obedience Duties to our Pastors Love Esteem Maintenance Obedience Prayer for them Duties to our natural Parents Reverence Love Obedience Especially in their Marriage Ministring to their wants Duty to be paid even to the worst Parents Duty of Parents to children To Nourish them Bring them to Baptism Educate them Meane towards the educating of children The parent to watch over their souls even when they are grown up To provide for their subsistence To give them good example To bless them To give no unreasonable commands Dues to brethren Natural The necessity of love among brethren Spiritual brotherhood Our duty to hold communion with these brethren To bear with their infirmities To restore them after falls To sympathy with them The wife owes to the husband obedience Fidelity Love The faults of the Husband acquits not from these duties 〈…〉 Faithfulness Maintenance Instruction Husbands and Wâ—ves mutuâ—lly to pray for and assist each other in all good The vertue of the person the chief consideration in Marriage Unlawful Marriages Friendship It s dutiâ—â— Faithfulness Assistance Admonition Prayer Constancy Servantâ— owe to the Masters â—â—bedience Fidelity Submission to rebuke Diligence Masters owe to their Servants Iustice. Admonition Good example Means of Instruction Moderation in commandâ— Encouragement in well-doing Charity In the Affections To mens Souls To their Bodies Goods and Credit Effects of this Charity It casts out Envy Pride Censoriousness Dissembling Self-seeking Revenge Tâ—is charity to be extended even to enemies Motives thereunto Command of Christ. Example of God The disproportion between our offences against God and mens against us Pleasantness of this Duty Compared with the painfulness of the contrary If we forgive not God will not forgive us Gratitude to God The first riâ—ing of rancour to be supprest Charity in the Actions Towards the mind of our Neighbour His Soul Charity in respect of the Body Charity in respect of the Goods Towards the rich Towards the poor Motives of Alms-giving Manner of Alms giving Cheerfully The fear of impoverishing our selves by it vain and impious Give seasonably Of cruâ—lâ—y Prudâ—ntly Liberally Charity in respect of the Credit The acts of Charity in some respects acts of Iustice also The great rulâ— of Charity Peace Making He that undertakes it must be Peaceable himself Of going to Law This Chariâ—y of the Actions must reach to Enemies Self love 〈◊〉 hinderance to this Charity Prayer a means to procure is Christian duties both possible and pleasant Even when they expose us to outward sufferings The danger of delâ—ying our turning to God
bewailing and forsaking whatever we have formerly been guilty of it is then most certain that all the afore-mentioned benefits of Christ belongs to us 24. And now you see how little reason you have to cast off the care of your Souls upon a conceit they are past cure for that it is plain thâ—y are not Nay certainly they are in that very condition which of all others make them fittest for our care If they had not been thus REDEEMED by CHRIST they had been then so hopeless that care would have been in vain On the other side if his Redemption had been such that all men should be saved by it though they live as they list we should have thought it needless to take care for them because they were safe without it But it hath pleased God so to order it that our care must be the means by which they must receive the good even of all that Christ hath done for them 25. And now if after all that God hath done to save these souls of ours we will not bestow a little care on them our selves we very well deserve to perish If a Physician should undertake a patient that were in some desperate disease and by his skill bring him so far out of it that he were sure to recover if he would but take care of himself and observe those rules the Physician set him would you not think that man weary of his life that would refuse to do that So certainly that man is weary of his soul wilfully casts it away that will not consent to those easy conditions by which he may save it 26. You see how great kindness God hath to these souls of ours the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy-Ghost have all done their parts for them The Father gave his only Son The Son gave himself left his glory and endured the bitter death of the cross meerly to keep our souls from perishing The Holy-Ghost is become as it were our attendant waites upon us with continual offers of his grace to enable us to do that which may preserve them Nay he is so desirous we should accept thâ—se offers of his that he is said to be grieved when we refuse them Eph. 4. 30. Now what gâ—eater disgrace and affront can we put upon God then to dispise what he thus values that those souls of ours which Christ thought worth every drop of his blood we should not think worth any part of our care We use in things of the world to â—ate them according to the opinion of those who are best skilled in them now certainly God who made our souls â—ist knowes the worth of them and since he prizes them 〈◊〉 high let us if it be but in reverence to him be aâ—â—amed to neglect them Especially now that they are 〈◊〉 so hopeful a condition that nothing but our own â—arelesnesse can possibly destroy them 27. I have now briâ—fly gone over those four motives of care I at first proposed which are each of them such as â—â—â—ver misses to stir it up towards the things of this world and I have also shewed you how much more reasonable nay necessary it is they should do the like for the Soul And now what can I say more but conclude in the words of Isaiah 46. 8. Remember this and shew your selvs men That is deal with your Soul as your reason teaches you to do with all other things that concern you And sure this common Justice binds you to for the Soul is that which furnishes you with that reason which you exercise in all your worldly business and shall the Soul it self receive nâ— benefit from that reason which it affords you This is aâ— if the Master of a family who provides food for his servants should by them be kept from eating any himself and so remain the onely starved creature in his house 28. And as Justice tyes you to this so Mercy doth likewise you know the poor Soul will fall into endlesse and unspeakable miseries if you continue to neglect it and theâ— it will be too lâ—te to consider it The last refuge you caâ— hope for is Gods mercy but that you have despised and abused And with what face can you in your greatest neeâ— beg for his mercy to your Souls when you would not as ford them your own No not that common Charity 〈◊〉 considering them of bestowing a few of those idle hours you know not scarce how to passe away upon them 29. Lay this to your hearts and as ever you hope so Gods pity when you most want it be sure in time to pity your selves by taking that due care of your preciouâ— Souls which belongs to them 30. If what hath been said have perswaded you to 〈◊〉 so necessary a duty my next work will be to tell you 〈◊〉 this care must be imployed and that in a word is in thâ— doing of all thâ—se things which tend to the making 〈◊〉 Soul happy which is the end of our care and what thâ—â— are I come now to shew you PARTITION I. Of the DUTY of MAN by the Light of Nature by the Light of Scripture of FAITH the Promises of Hope of Love c. THe benefits purchased for us by Christ are such as will undoubtedly make the soul happy for eternal happiness it self is one of them but because these benefits belong not to us till we perform the Condition required of us whoever desires the happiness of his soul must set himself to the performing of that condition what that is I have already mentioned in General That it is the hearty honest endeavour of obeying the whole Will of God But then that Will of God containing under it many particulars It is necessary we should also know what those are That is what are the several things that God now requires of us our performance whereof will bring us to everlasting happiness and the neglect to endless misery 2. Of these things there are some which God hath so stamp't upon our souls that we Nâ—turally knew them that is we should have known them to be our duty though we had never bin told so by the Scripture That this is so we may see by those heathens who having never heard of either Old or New Testamâ—nt do yet acknowledg themselves bound to some General duties as to worship God to be just to honour their Parents and the like And as S. Paul saith Rom 2. 15. Their consciences do in those tbings accuse or excuse them That is tell them whether they have done what they should in those particulars or no. 3. Now though Christ have brought greater light into the world yet he never meant by it to put out any of that Natural light which God had set up in our souls Therefore lâ—t me here by the way advise you not to walk contrary even to this lesser light I mean not to venture on any of those Acts which meer natural conscience will tell you are sins 4.
promised that if we resist the Divel he shall flie from us Iam. 47. Therefore our duty is first to pray earnestly for Gods grace to enable us to overcome the temptation and Secondly to set our selves manfully to combatâ— with it not yielding or giving consent to it in the least degree and whilst we do thus we are confidently to rest upon God that his grace will be sufficient for us that he will either remove the temptation or strengthen us to withstand it 51. Secondly in all outward and temporal dangers we are to rest upon him as knowing that he is able to deliver us and that he will do so if he see it best for us if we be such to whom he hath promised his protection that is such as truly fear him To this purpose we have many promises in Scripture Ps. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Ps. 34. 20. The Lord delivereth the souls of his Saints and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute and divers the like And also we have many examples as that of the three children in the furnace Dan. 3. That of Daniel in the Lions Den Dan. 6. And many others all which serve to teach us this one lesson that if we go on conscionably in performing our duty we need not be dismayd for any thing that can befall us for the God whom we serve is able to deliver us 52. Therefore in all dangers we are first humbly to pray for his aid and then to rest our selves cheerfully on him assuring our selves that he will give such an issue as shall be most for our good But above all things we must be sure to fix our dependance wholly on him and not to relie on the creatures for help much less must we seek to deliver our selves by any unlawful means that is by the committing of any sin for that is like Saul 1 Sam. 28. 7. To go to the witch that is to the Divel for help such courses do commonly deceive our hopes at the present and in stead of delivering us out of our streights plunge us in greater and those much mroe uncomfortable ones because then we want that which is the only support Gods favour and aid which we certainly forfeit when we thus seek to rescue our selves by any sinful means But supposing we could by such a way certainly free our selves from the present danger yet alas we are far from having gainâ—d safety by it we have only removed the danger from that which was less considerable and brought it upon the most precious part of us our soules like an unskilful Physician that to remove a pain from the finger strikes it to the heart we are therefore grosly mistaken when we think we have played the good husbands in saving our Liberties or Estates or Lives themselves by a sin we have not saved them but madly over-bought them layed out our very souls on them And Christ tells us how little we shall gain by such bargains Mat. 17. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Let us therefore resolve never to value any thing we can possess in this world at so high a rate as to keep it at the price of the least sin but when ever things are driven to such an issue that we must either part with some perhaps all our worldly possessions nay life it self or else commit a sin let us then remember that this is the season for us to perform that great and excellent duty of taking up the Cross which we can never so properly do as in this case for our bearing of that which we have no possible way of avoiding can at most be said to be but the carrying of the Cross but then only can we be said to take it up when having a means of escaping it by a sin we rather chuse to endure the Cross then commit the Sin for then it is not layed on us by any unavoidable necessity but we willingly chuse it and this is highly acceptable with God yet withall so strictly required by him that if we fail of performing it when we are put to the tryal we are not to be accounted followers of Christ for so himself hath expresly told us Mat. 16. 24. If any man come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me and so again Mar. 8. 34. It were therefore a good point of Spiritual Wisdom for us sometimes by some lower degrees of self-denyal to fit our selves for this greater when we shall be called to it we know he that expects to run a race will before-hand be often breathing himself that he may not be foiled when he comes to run for the prize in like manner 't wil be fit for us somtimes to abridg our selves somewhat of our lawful pleasure or ease or profit sothat we may get such a mastery over our selves as to be able to renounce al when our â—bedience to God requires it 53. And as we are thus to trust on God for dâ—liverance from danger so are we likewise for supply of our wants and those again are either spiritual or temporal our spiritual want is that of his grace to inable us to serve him without which we can do nothing and for this we are to depend on him provided we neglect not the means which are prayer and a careful using of what he hath already bestowed on us For then we have his promise for it he will give the holy spirit to them that ask it Luke 11. 15. And unto him that hath shall be given Mat. 25 29. that is To him that hath made a good use of that grace he hath already God will give more We are not therefore to affright our selves with the difficulty of those things God requires of us but remember he commands nothing which he will not enable us to perform if we be not wanting to our selves And therefore let us sincerely do our parts and confidently assure our selves God will not fail of his 54. But we have likewise temporal and bodily wants and for the supply of them we are likewise to relie on him And for this also we want not promises supposing us to be of the number of them to whom they are made that is Gods faithful Servants They that fear the Lord lack nothing Psal. 34. 9 v. 10. They that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Again Psa. 33. 18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their souls from death and to feed them in time of famine Examples also we have of this as we may see in the case of Eliah and the poor widdow 1 Kings 17. And many others 55. We are therefore to look up to him for the provision of all things
for which clothing should be used Those are especially these three First the hiding of nakedness This was the first occasion of apparel as you may read Gen. 3 21. and was the effect of the first sin and therefore when we remember this orâ—ginal clothes we have so little reason to be proud of them that on the contrary we have cause to be humbled and ashamed as having lost that innocency which was a much greater ornament then any the most glorious apparel can be From this end of clothing we are likewise eâ—gaged to have our apparel modest such as may answer this end of covering our shame And therefore all immodest fashions of apparel which may either argue the wantonness of the wearerâ— or provoke that of the beholder are to be avoided 9 A second end of apparel is the fencing the body from cold thereby to preserve the health thereof and this end we must likewise observe in our clothing we must wear such kind of habits as may keep us in that convenient warmth whâ—ch iâ— necessary to our healths And this is transgrest when out of the vanity of being in every phantastick fashion we put our selves in such clothing as either will not defend us from cold or is some other way so uneasy that it is rather a hurt then a benefit to our bodies to be so clod This is a most ridiculous folly and yet that which people that take a pride in their clothes are usually guilty of 10. A third end of apparel is the distinguishing or dâ—fferencing of persons and that first in respect of Sex Secondly in respect of qualities First clothes are to make difference of Sex this hath been observed by all Nations the habits of men and women have alwayes been divers And God himself expresly provided for it among the Iâ—ws by commanding that the man should not wear the apparel of the woman nor the woman of the man But then secondly there â—s also a distinction of qualities to be observed in apparel God hath placed some in a higher condition then others and in proportion to their condition it befits their clothing to be Gorgeous apparel our Saviour tels us is for Kings Coâ—â—ts Luk. 7. 25. Now this end of apparel should also be observed Men and women should content themselves with that sort of clothing which agrees to their Sex and condition not striving to exceed and equal that of a higher rank nor yet making it matter of envy among those of their own estate vying who shall be finest but let every man cloth himself in such sober atire as befits his place and calling and not think himself disparaged if another of his neighbours have better then he 11. And let all remember that cloths are things which add no true worth to any and therefore it is an intolerable vanity to spend any considerable part either of their thoughts time or wealth upon them or to value themselves ever the more for them or despise their poor brethren that want them But if they desire to adorn themselves let it be as St. Peter advises the women of his time 1 Pet. 3. 4. In the hidden man of the heart even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit Let them cloth themselves as richly as is possible with all Christian vertues and that is the raiment that will set them out lovely in Gods eyes yea and in mens tâ—o who unless they be fools and Idiots will more value thee for being good then fine and sure one plain Coat thâ—u puttest upon a poor mans back will better become thee then twenty rich ones thou shalt put upon thine own 12. I have now gone through the several parts of temperance I shall now in conclusion add this general caution that though in all these particulars I have taken notice only of the one fault of excess yet it is possible there may be one on the other hand men may deny theirbodies that which they necessarily require to their support and well being This is I believe a fault not so common as the other yet we sometimes see some very niggardly persons that are guilty of it that cannot find in their hearts to borrow so much from their chests as may feed their bellies or cloth their backs and that are so intent upon the world so moiling and drudging in it that they cannot afford themselves that competent time of sleep or recreation that is necessary If any that hath read the former part of this discourse be of this temper let him not comfort himself that he is not guilty of those excesses there complained of and therefore conclude himself a good Christian because he is not intemperate for whoever is this covetous creature his abstaining shall not be counted to him as the vertue of temperance for it is not the love of temperance but wealth that makes him refrain And that is so far from being praise worthy that it is that great sin which the Apostle tels us 1 Tim. 6. 10. is the root of all evil such a mans body will one day rise in judgement against him for defrauding it of its due portion those moderate refreshments and comforts which God hath allowed it This is an Idolatry beyond that of offering the children to Moloch Lev. 20. 3. they offered but their children but this coveâ—ous wretch sacrifices himself to his god Mâ—mmon whilest he often destroyes his health his life yea finally hâ—s â—oul too to save his purse I have now done wâ—th the second head of duty that to our selves contained by the Apostle under the word soberly PARTITION X. Of Dâ—TIES to our NEIGHBOURS Of JUSTICE Negative Positive Of the sin of MURTHER Of the Hâ—inousness of it the Punishmeâ—ts of it and the strange Discoveries thereof Of Maining wounds and stripâ—s § 1. I come now to the third part of duties those to our Neighbour which is by the Apostle summed up in gross in the word righteousness by which is meant not onely bare justice but all kind of charity also for that is now by the law of Christ become a debt â—o our neighbour it is a piece of unrigteousness to defraud him of it I shall therefore build all the particular duties we owe to our neighbour on those two general ones Justice and Charity 2. I begin with Justice whereof there are two parts the one negative the other positive the negative justice is to do no wrong or injury to any The positive justice is to do right to all that is to yeeld them wâ—â—at soever appertains or is due unto them I shall first speak of the negative justice the not injuriâ—g â—r wronging any Now because a man is capable of receiving wrong in several respects this first part of justice extends its self into several branches answerable to those capacities of injury A man may be injured either in his Soul his body his possessions or credit and therefore this duty of
that case to obey God rather then man But even this is a season for the passive obedience we must patiently suffer what he inflicts on us for such refusal and not to secure our selves rise up against him For who can stretch his hand against the Lords anointed and be guilt less sayes David to Abishai 1 Sam. 26 9. and that at a time when David was under a great persecution from Saul nay had also the assurance of the Kingdom after him and St. Pauls sentence in this case is most heavy Rom. 13. 2. They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Here is very small incouragement to any to rise up against the lawful Magistrate for though they should so far prosper here as to secure themselves from him by this means yet there is a King of kings from whom no power can shelter them and this damnation in the close will prove a sad prize of their victories What is on the other side the duty of the Magistrate to the people will be vain to mention here none of that rank being like to read this treatise and it being very useless for the people to inquire what is the duty of their Supreme wherein the most are already much better read then in their own it may suffice them to know that whatsoever his duty is or however performed he is accountable to none but God and no failing of his paâ—t can warrant them to fail of theirs 6 The second sort of Parents are the spiritual That is the Ministers of the Word whether such as be Governours in the Church or others under them who are to perform the same Offices to our Souls that our natural Parents do to our bodies Thus St. Paul tels the Corinthians that in Christ Iesus he had begotten them through the Gospel 1 Cor 4. 15. and the Galatians chap. 4. 19. that he travels in birth of them till Christ he formed in them and again 1 Cor. 3. 2. He had fed them with milk that is such Doctrines as were agreeable to that infant state of Christianity they were then in but he had stronger meat for them of full age Heb. 5. 14. All these are the Offices of a Parent and therefore they that perform them to us may well be accounted as such 7. Our duty to these is first to love them to bear them that kindness which belongs to those who do us the greatest benefits This is required by St. Paul 1 Thes 5. 13. I beseech you brethren mark them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake The work is such as ought in all reason to procure them love it being of the highest advantage to us 8. Secondly 'T is our duty to value and esteem them as we see in the text now mentioned and surely this is most reasonable if we consider either the nature of their work or who it is that imployes them The nature of their work is of all others the most excellent we use to value other professions proportionably to the dignity and worth of the things they deal in Now surely there is no Merchandize of equal worth with a Soul and this is their Traffick rescuing precious Souls from perdition And if we consider further who it is that imployes them it yet adds to the reverence due to them They are Ambassadours for Châ—ist 2 Cor. 5. 20. and Ambassadours are by the Lawes of all Nations to be used with a respect answerable to the quality of those that send them Therefore Christ tels his disciples when he sends them out to preach He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. It seems there is more depends on the despising of Ministers then men ordinarily consider 't is the despising of God and Christ both Let those think of this who make it their pastime and sport to affront and deride this calling And let those also who dare presume to exercise the Offices of it without being lawfully called to it which is a most high presumption 'T is as if a man on his own head should go as an Ambassadour from his Prince the Apostle sayes of the Priests of the Law which yet are inferiour to those of the Gospel That no man taketh this honour to himself but he which was called of God Heb. 5 4. How shall then any man dare to assume this greater honour to himself that is not called to it Neither will it suffice to say they have the inward call of the spirit for since God hath establisht an order in the Church for the admitting men to this Office they that shall take it upon them without that authority resist that ordinance and are but of the number of those theeves and robbers as our Saviour speaks Jo. 10. which câ—me not in by the door Besides the sad experience of these times shew that many who pretend most to this inward call of the Spirit are called by some other spirit then that of God the doctrines they vâ—nt being usually directly contrary to that word of his on which all true Doctrines must be founded Such are to be lookt on as those seducers those false prophets whereof we are so often warned in the Epistles of the Apostles And whosoever countenances them or followes them partakes with them in their guilt It is recorded of Jereboam as a crying sin that he made of the meanest of the people Priests that is such as had by Gods institution no right to it and whoever hearkens to these uncalled preachers run into that very sin for without the incouragement of being followed they would not long continue in the course and therefore they that give them that incouragement have much to answer for and are certainly guilty of the sin of despising their true Pastors when they shall thus set up these false apostles against them This is a guilt this age is too much concerned in God in his mercy so timely convince us of it as may put a stop to that confusion and impiety which breaks in so fast upon us by it 9 Thirdly We owe to them maintenance but of this I have spoken already in the first part of this Book and shall not here repeat Fourthly We owe them obedience Obey them saith the Apostle that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls Heb. 13. 17. This obedience is to be paid them in spiritual things that is whatsoever they out of Gods word shall declare to us to be Gods Commands these we are diligently to obey remembring that it is not they but God requires it according to that of Christ he that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. And this whether it be delivered by the way of publick preaching or private exhortation for in both so long as they keep them to the rule which is Gods
Word they are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2. 7. This obedience the Apostle inforceth from a double motive one taken from their Ministry another from themselves They watch sayes he for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy an dt no with grief The people are by their obedience to enable their Pastors to give a comfortable account of their Souls and it is a most unkind return of all their care and labours to be put to grieve for the ill success of them But then in the second place 't is their own concernment also they may put their Ministers to the discomfort of seeing all their pains cast away but themselves are like to get little by it that sayes the Apostle Heb. 13. 17. will be unprofitable for you 't is your selves that will finally prove the loosers by it you loose all those glorious rewards which are offered as the crown of this obedience you get nothing but an addition to your sin punishment for as our Saviour tels the Pharisees If he had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin Jo. 15. 24 that is in comparison with what they then had so certainly they that never had the Gospel preached to them are much more innocent then they that have heard and resisted it And for the punishment what Christ told those to whom he had preached That it should be more tolerable for Tyre and Sydon which were Heathen Cities then for them the same undoubtedly we may conclude of our selves 10. Lastly We are to pray for them This St. Paul every where requires of his Spiritual children thus Eph. 6. 7 8. having commanded prayer for all Saints he adds And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel and so again Col 4. 3. And this remains still a duty to these Spiritual Fathers to pray for such assistances of Gods Spirit to them as may enable them rightly to discharge that Holy Calling I shall omit to set down here what is the duty of Ministers to the people upon the same consideration on which I forbare to mention the duty of Magistrates 11. The third sort of parent is the natural the fathers of our flesh as the Apostle calls them Heb. 12. 9. And to these we owe several duties as first we owe them reverence and respect we must behave our selves towards them with all humility and observance and must not upon any pretence of infirmity in them despise or contemn them either in outward behaviour or so much as inwardly in our hearts If indeed they have infirmities it must be our business to cover and conceal them like Shem and Japhet who while cursed Cham publisht and disclosed the nakedness of their father covered it Gen. 9. 23. and that in such a manner too as even themselves might not behold it We are as much as may be to keep our selves from looking on those nakedness of our parents which may tempt us to think irreverently of them This is very contrary to the practice of too many children who do not only publish and deride the infirmities of their parents but pretend they have those infirmities they have not there is ordinarily such a pride and headiness in youth that they cannot abide to submit to the counsels and directions of their Elders and therefore to shake them off are willing to have them pass for the effects of dotage when they are indeed the fruits of sobriety and experience To such the exhortation of Solomon is very necessary Pro. 23. 22. Hearken to thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when shee is old A multitude of texts more there are in that book to this purpose whâ—ch shews that the wisest of men thought it necessary for children to attend to the counsel of their parents But the youth of our age set up for wisdom the quite contrary way and think they then become wits when they are advanced to the dispising the counsel yea mocking the persons of their parents Let such if they will not practice the exhortations yet remember the threatning of the wise man Pro. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it A second duty to them is love we are to bear them a reall kindness such as may make us heartily desirous of all manner of good to them and abhor to do any thing that may grieve or disquiet them This will appear but common gratitude when 't is remembred what our parents have done for us how they were not only the instruments of first bringing us into the world but also of susteining and supporting us after and certainly they that rightly weigh the cares and fears that go to the bringing up of a child will judg the love of that child to be but a moderate return for them This love is to be exprest several ways first in all kindness of behaviour carrying our selves not only with an awe and respect but with kindness and affection and therefore most gladly and readily doing those things which may bring joy and comfort to them and carefully avoiding whatever may grieve and afflict them Secondly this love is to be exprest in praying for them The debt a child owe to a parent is so great that he can never hope himself to discharge it he is therefore to call in Gods aid to beg of him that he will reward all the good his parents have done for him by multiplying his blessings upon them what shall we then say to those children that in stead of calling to heaven for blessings on their parents ransack hell for curses on them and powre out the blackest execrations against them This is a thing so horrid that one would think there needed no perswasion against it because none could be so vile as to fall into it but we see God himself who best knows mens hearts saw it possible and therefore laid the heaviest punishment upon it He that curseth father or mother let him die the death Exod. 21. 17. And alas our daily experience tels us 't is not onely possible but common even this of uttering curses But 't is to be feared there is another yet more common that is the wishing curses though fear or shame keep them from speaking out How many children are there that either through impatience of the Government or greediness of the possessions of the Parents have wisht their deaths But whoever doth so let him remember that how stylie and fairly soever he carry it before men there is one that sees those secretest wishes of his heart and in his sight he assuredly passes for this hainous offender a curser of his Parents And then let it be considered that God hath as well the power of punishing as of