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 childe 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 this is contained within the precept of honouring their Parents for when Mar. 7. 13. he accuses the Pharisees of rejecting the Commandement 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 injoyned in the fifth Commandement 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 Na some there are yet worse who out of pride scorn to own their parents in their 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 finde 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 their Parents I shall adde only this That no unkindness no fault of the Parent can acquit the childe of this duty but as S. Peter tells servants 1 Peter 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 only to the kinde and vertuous but even to the harshest and wicked'st Parent For though the gratitude due to a kinde Parent be a very forcible motive to make the child pay his duty yet that is not the only 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 childe 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 thouâ—h none of the other tye of gratitude should lye on us But as this is due from the childe to the Parents so on the other side there are other things also due from the Parents to the Childe 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 savage beasts have a great care and tendernesse 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 Childe 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 only 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 childe 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 only are the grounds of â—oâ—bearing 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 childe there is another which should begin near 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 childe they must as Solomon speaks Proverbs 22. 6. Train up the childe 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 favour 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 will 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 and a hatred of vice that so when the temptations come they may be armed against them This surely is above all things the duty
and our duty And therefore to this Word of his we are to bear a wonderful respect to look upon it as the rules by which we must frame all the actions of our life and to that end to study it much to read in it as often as we can if it may be never to let a day pass us without reading or hearing some part of it read 23. But then that is not all We must not only read but we must mark what we read we must diligently observe what duties there are which God commands us to perform what faults they are which God there charges us not to commit together with the rewards promised to the one and the punishment threatned to the other When we have thus marked we must lay them up in our memory not so loosely and carelesly that they shall presently drop out again but we must so fasten them there by often thinking and meditating on them that we may have them ready for our use Now that use is the directing of our lives and therefore when ever we are tempted to the committing of any evil we are then to call to minde this is the thing which in such a Scripture is forbidden by God and all his vengeances threatned against it and so in like manner when any opportunity is offered us of doing good to remember this is the duty which I was exhorted to in such a Scripture and such glorious rewards promised to the doing of it and by these considerations strengthen our selves for resisting of the evil and performance of the good 24. But besides this of the written Word it hath pleased God to provide yet further for our instruction by his Ministers whose Office it is to teach us Gods Will not by saying any thing contrary to the written Word for whatsoever is so can never be Gods Will but by Explaining it and making it easier to our understandings and then applying it to our particular occasions and exhorting and stirring us up to the practice of it all which is the end at which first their Catechizing and then their Preaching aimeth And to this we are to bear also a due respect by giving diligent heed thereto not only being present at Gatechizings and Sermons and either sleep out the time or think of somewhat else but carefully marking what is said to us And surely if we did but rightly consider how much it concerns us we should conclude it very reasonable for us to do so 25. For First as to that of Catechizing it is the laying the foundation upon which all Christian practice must be built for that is the teaching us our duty without which it is impossible for us to perform it And though it is true that the Scriptures are the Fountains from whence this knowledge of duty must be fetched yet there are many who are not able to draw it from this Fountain themselves and therefore it is absolutely necessary it should be thus brought to them by others 26. This Catechizing is generally look't on as a thing belonging only to the youth and so indeed it ought not because the oldest are not to learn 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 concernes every Parent as they will free themselves from the guilt of their childrens eternall undoing that they be carefull to see them instructed in all necessary things to which purpose it will be fit early to teach them 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 knowledge 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 bristians know no more of Christ or any thing that concerns their own Souls then the meerest 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 wilfully 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 knowledge let him as he loves his soul as ever he would escape eternal damnation seek out for instruction and 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 undergone joyfully rather then venture on that confusion of face which will at the day of iudgement befal those who to avoid a little false shame amongst men have gone on in a wilful ignorance of their duty which ignorance will be so far from excusing any sins they shall commit that it adds one great and heavy sin to all the rest even the despising that knowledge which is offered to them How haâ—nous a sin that is you may learn in the first Chapter of the Proverbs where hating knowledge v. 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 and surely they are madly desperate that will run themselves into it 29. As for those who have already this foundation laid by the knowledge of the grounds of Christian Religion 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 be put in minde 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 it up in our hearts those
portion of every mans increase to the use of the poor a tenth every third year which is all one with a thirtieth part every year Deut. 14. 28. 29. And this was to be paid not as a charity or liberality but as a debt they were unjust if they withheld it And surely we have no reason to think that Christian justice is sunk so much below the Jewish that either nothing at all or a less proportion is now required of us I wish our practise were but at all answerable to our obligation in this point and then surely we should not see so many Lazarus's lie unrelieved at our doors they having a better right to our superfluities then we our selves have and then what is it but arrant robbery to bestow that upon our vanities nay our sins which should be their portion 32. In all the foregoing cases he that hath ability is to look upon himself as Gods steward who hath put it into his hands to distribute to them that want and therefore not to do it is the same injustice and fraud that it would be in any steward to purse up that money for his private benefit which was intrusted to him for the maintainance of the family and he that shall do thus hath just reason to expect the doom of the unjust steward Luke 16. to be put out of the stewardship to have those abilities taken from him which he hath so unfaithfully imployed And as for all the rest so particularly for that of wealth 't is very commonly to be observed that it is withdrawn from those that thus defraud the poor of their parts the griping miser coming often by strange undiscernable wayes to poverty and no wonder he having no title to Gods blessing on his heap who does not consecrate a part to him in his poor members And therefore we see the Israelites before they could make that challenge of Gods promise to bless them Deut. 26. 15. Look down from thy holy habitation and bless thy people Israel c. they were first to pay the poor mans tithes ver 12. without which they could lay no claim to it This withholding more then is meet as Solomon sayes Prov. 11. 24. tends to poverty and therefore as thou wouldst play the good husband for thy self be careful to perform this justice according to thy ability to all that are in want 33. The third qualification is that of Relation and of that there may be divers sorts arising from divers grounds and duties answerable to each of them There is first a relation of a Debter to a Creditor and he that stands in that relation to any whether by vertue of bargain loan or promise 't is his duty to pay justly what he owes if he be able as on the otherside if he be not 't is the Creditors to deal charitably and Christianly with him and not to exact of him beyond his ability But I need not insist on this having already by shewing you the sin of withholding debts informed you of this duty 34. There is also a relation of an obliged 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 acknowledgement 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 turns 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 â—â—a 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 curtesies 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 lookt on as our prime and Greatest Benefactors But alas how few are there that can finde gratitude shall I say nay patience for such a courtesie Go about to admonish a man of a fault or tell him of an Errour he presently looks on you as his enemy you are as S. 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 fly 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 Prov. 12. 1. He that hateth reproof is bruitish There cannot be in the world a more unhappy 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 Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth 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 danger and to that purpose puts himself upon a very uneasie 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 causless 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 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 of 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 Supream Magistrate who by a just right possesses the Throne in a Nation This
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 despising 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 real 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 judge the love of that childe to be but a moderate return for them This love is to be exprest several ways fiâ—st in all kindness of behaviour carrying our selves not only with an awe and respect but with kindness and affection and thâ—refore 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 childe owes 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 dâ—yly experience tells us 't is not only possible but common even this of uttering curses But 't is to be fâ—ared there is another yet more common that is the wishing cuâ—ses thâ—ugh 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 slâ—ly 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 seeing and therfore 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 injoyned in other places of Scripture Ephes. 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 childe to steal to lie or to do any unlawful thing the childe then offends not against his duty though he disobey that command nay he must disobey or else he offends 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 stubbornness 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 childe 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 only Worldly Prudence They fear to displease their Parents least they should shorten their hand toward them and so they shall lose 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 childless 15. But of all the 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 Numb 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 in 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 minde none can doubt of the duty when they remember how every child did in his infancy receive the very same benefit from the
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 childe but alas that is 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 conscionably perform this duty is too apparant 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 only a fearful misery they bring upon their poor children but also a horrible guilt upon themselves For as God sayes to the careless watchmen Ezek. 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 watchmen 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 Devil 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 Encouragement is first to be tryed we should endeavour to make children in love with duty by offering them rewards and invitations and when ever 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 S. Paul forewarns 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 fair 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 befal the childe 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 stubbornness 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 lie to steal without ever so much as rebuking them nay perhaps please themselves to see the witty shifts of the childe 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 childe Thirdly it must not be given in rage if it be it will not only be in danger of being immoderate but it will lose its effect upon the childe 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 childe as sensible of the fault as of the smart without which he will never be throughly amended 21. Thirdly after children are grown up and 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 practise those precepts which are given them in their education and accordingly to exhort incourage or reprove as they finde 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 as 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 affection 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 temptation can excuse in a childe yet 't is also a great fault in a Parent to give that temptation Secondly 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 first occasion cease and therefore Parents ought to beware how they run them upon those hazards Besides the Parents 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 doth but cheat and deceive him makes him believe he has left him wealth but has withal 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 truth 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 nay '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 Solomon Prov. 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 infinitly beyond that of precept especially 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 childe that sees his father drunk will sure think he may be so too as well as his father So he that hears 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 childes Soul then his own as to forbid him the things which himself practises 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 lays a most strict tie upon all Parents to live Christianly for otherwise they do not only 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 Scriptures 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 stiff-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 inâ—quities 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 arrear of Manasseh his grand father 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 entail 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 authority but in all things of weight to consider the real good of their children and to press 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 repair There are two things which Parents ought especially to consider in the matching 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
c. of Fasting pag 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 Meâ—ns to prevent it Of Meekness the Means to obtain it c. pag. 136. PARTITION 7. Of Contentedness and the Contraries to it Murmuring Ambiâ—ion Covetousness Envy Helps to Contentedness Of Duties which concern our Bodies Of Chastity Helps to it Temperance Rules of Temperance in Eating c. pag. 158. PARTITION 8. Of Temperance in Drinking False Ends of Drinking viz. Good fellowship Putting away Cares Passing away time preventing reproach Bargaining c. pag. 177. PARTITION 9. Temperance in Sleep The Rule of it c. Of Recreation of Apparel and of the ends for which cloathing should be used pag. 197. PARTITION 10. Of DUTIES to our NEIGHBOURS Of Justice Negative and Positive Of the Sin of Murther Of the Hainousness of it the Punishments of it and the Strange Discoveries thereof of Maiming Wounds and stripes pag. 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. pag. 226. PARTITION 12. Of Theft Stealing the Goods of our Neighbour Of Deceit in Trust in Traffick Of Restitution and the Necessity thereof c. pag. 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. pag. 251. PARTITION 14. Of Duty to Parents Magistrates Pastors c. Of the Duty of Parents to Children c. Reverence Love Obedience especially in their Marriage Ministring to their wants of the Duty of Parents to their Children pag. 278. PARTITION 15. Of Duty to our Brethren and Relations Husband Wife Friends Masters Servants c. pag. 305. PARTITION 16. Other Branches of our Duty to our Neighbour Of Charity to Mens Souls Bodies Goods Credit c. pag. 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 pag. 358. A TABLE of the PRAYERS PRayers for Morning page 3. Prayers for Night 11. Collects for several Graces 17. A Paraphrase on the Lords Prayer 31. Pious Ejaculations out of the Book of Psalms 34. Brief heads of Examination before the Sacrament 37. Prayers before the Sacrament 50. Ejaculations at the Lords Table c. 55. Prayers after the Sacrament 56. Prayers for the Sick 65. Ejaculations for the Sick 74. Prayers in times of Publick Calamities 79. A Prayer for this Church 82. A Prayer for the Peace of the Church 84. Books Printed and Sold by T. Garthwait at the little North door of St. Pauls B. Chappels Methodus Concionandi 12o. Notes upon 103. Psalm being a Praxis upon that Method 8o. A Commentary on the 5 Books of Moses or Pentâ—â—euch by J. Trap. 4o. Remains of Mr. Geo Herbert late Orator of the University of Cambridge Reliquiae Woâ—tonianae A Collection of the incomparable pieces of that great Master of Language and Art Sr. Henry Wotton Knight Provost of Eton c. 12o. The Works of that profound Divine Dr. The. Jackson Pres. of Corp. Chr. Coll. Oxon. in folio in 3 Volumns Dr. Cosins Scholastical History of the Canon of the Scripture 4o. Dr. Waltons Introduction to the Oriental Languages in 12o. The Conversion of Rigep Dandulo a Turk to the Christian Faith by Mr. Gunning 8o. The Rationale on the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England wherein is proved that that Service is Agreeable to the Primitive Usages and so not Novel that it is a Reasonable Service and so not Superstitious by Mr. A. Sparrow 12o. Mr. Joseph Mead his Dissertationum Triga 4o. Dr. Dees Actions and Conferences with Spirits c Set out by Dr. Casauâ—â—n against Athiestâ— and Enthusiasts in folio School Books Mr. Wâ—â—kers Treatise of English Particles 8o. Mr. Busbies Horat. Castigat  Juvenal   Pâ—rsius  In usum Schola Westmonaster Books newly Published Mary Magdalens Tears wipt off or the voice of Peace to an unquiet Conscience Wherein are resolved sundry Cases of Conscience incident to a Deserted Condition first writ to a Lady of Quality in 8. Dr. Stewards excellent Serion at Paris of Hezâ—kiâ—hs Reformation justifying the Church of England against the Papists and being a full Answer to Mr. Baxters imputation of Cassandrian Poptry and the Grotian Religion in 12o. The worth of the Soul The misery of loosing the Soul The danger the Soul is in The first Covenant That our Care will not be in vain The second Covenant Of the Light of NATURE The light of SCRIPTURES The Three great branches of MANS DUTY Duty to God Acknowledging him to be God FAITH Of his Affirmations Commands Threatnings Promises HOPE Presumption Despair Love its Motives Gods excellency His Kindness to us Fruit of Love Desire of pleasing Desire of Enjoying FEAR The folly of fearing Men more then God TRVST In all spiritual dangers In all Temporal Not seek to deliver our selves by any Sin In all wants spiritual Temporal wants The benefit of trusting on God HUMILITY Submission to Gods will in respects of obedience The great distance between God and us The unworthiness of our best work Submission in respect of Patience Thankfulness for Gods Corrections Fruitfulnes under them In all sorts of sufferings Submission to Gods Wisdome In his Commands In his Disposals HONOVR Several wayes of honouring God In his House His possessions The great sin of Sacriledge The punishment The times for his service Lords day The Feasts of the Church The Fasts Gods Word The holy Scriptures Catechizing Preaching The Sacraments Of Baptism The vow of Baptism The strict obligation of this vow of Baptism The Lords Supper Things to be done before receiving Examination Sins Several sorts Humiliation Contrition Confession Faith Resolutions of Obedience Of the means Present renouncing of sin Imbracing vertue Quickning of graces Charity Devotion Necessity of these graces The usefulness of a spiritual guide Not to be ashamed to discover our selves to one As necessary to the confident as to the doubtful At the time of receiving Meditation of thy unworthiness The sufferings of Christ. The aâ—onement wrought by them The thankfulness owing for them The great love of Christ in them The benefits of the New Covenant sealed in the Sacrament Upon receiving give thanks Pray After the acrament Private Prayer and â—hanksgivâ—â—g â—t preâ—ntly to fall wordly fairs To keep thy resolutions still in memory The danger of breaking them Making God thy enemy Thy own conscience Gods former pardons no incouragement to sin The obligation of this vow perpetual Yet often to be renewed Honour due to Gods Name Sins against it Blasphemy Swearing
Assertory Oathes Promissory Vnlawful Oaths God greatly dishonoured by Perjury The punishments of it Vain Oaths The sin of them They lead to Perjury No temptation to them Necessity of abstaining from them Means for it Sense of the guilt and danger Truth in speaking Forsaking the occasioâ— Reverence of God â—atchfulâ—â—ss Prayer What it is to honâ—r Gods Name WORSHIP Prayer its parts Confession Petitions For our Souls Bodies Deprecation Of Sin Of Punishment Intercession Thanksgiving Spiritual Mercies Temporal Publick prayer in the Church In the Family Private Prayer Frequency in Prayer The advantages of Prayer Honour Benefit Pleasantness Carnality one reason of its seeming otherwise Want of use another To ask nothing unlawful To ask in Faith In humility With attention Helps against wandring Consideration of Gods Majesty Our needs Prayer for Gods aid Watchfulness 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 revenge upon ourselvs Such revenges acceptable with God Yet no satisfaction for sins Times of fasting Second Branch of our Duty 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 â—â— Fortune The goods of grace Means of Humility Vain glory The sin The danger The Folly Helps against vain-glory MEEKNES Advantages fit Means of obtaining it CONSIDERATION Of our State The Rule by which to try our State The danger of Inconsideration Our Actions Before we do them After they are done â—requency of â—onsideraâ—â—â—n Danger of omitting it CONTENTEDNES â—ontrary to â—â—rmuring To Ambition To Covetousness Covetousness contrary to our duty to God To our Selves To our neighbours Contentedness contrary to envy Helps to conâ—edness DILIGENCE Watchfulness against sin Industry in improving gifts Of Nature Of Grace To improve good motions The danger of the contrary CHASTITY Uncleanness forbidden in the very lowest degrees The mischiefs of it To the Soul To the Body The Judgements of God a gainst it It shuts out from Heavâ— Helps to Chastity TEMPERANCE In Eating Ends of eating Preserving of life Of Health Rules of Temperance in Eating Means of it Temperance in Drinking False ends of drinking Good Fellowship Preserving of kindness Chearing the spirits Putting away cares 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 â—o considered Seeming â—â—â—essity of drink Want of imployment Perswasions and reproaches of men The means of resisting them Weigh the advantages with the hurt Reject the temptation at the very beginning The security of doing so The esficacy of these means if not hindred by love of the sin That love makes men loth to believe it dangerous Sleep The rule of Temperance therein The many Sins that follow the transgression of it Other mischiefs of sloth Temperance in Recreation Cautions to be observed in them Unlue End of Sports Temperance in Apparel Apparel designed for covering of shame Fencing from cold Distinction of persons Too much sparing a â—ault as well as excess DUTY to our NEIGHBOUR JUSTICE Negative To the Soul In the natural sence In the spiritual Drawing to in the greatest injury Direct means of it 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 wayes of being guilty of murder The hainousness of the sin The great punishments attending it The strange discoveries of it We must watch diligently against all approaches of this sin Maiming a 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 His Wife The enticing a mans wife the greatest injustice To the woman To the man The most irreparable His goods Malicious injustice Covetous injustice Oppression Gods vengeance against it Theft Not paying what we borrow What we are bound 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 injustice 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 witnes Publick slanders Whispering Several steps toward this sin Despising and scoffing For infirmities For calamities For sins Destroying the credit a great injury And irrepairable Yet every guilty person must do all he can to repair the injury Justice in the thoughts Positive Justice Speaking Truth a due to all men Lying expresly forbidden 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 insufferable 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 ranks and qualities Dues to those that are in any sort of want To the poor God withdraws those abilities which are not thus imployed Duties inspect of relation Gratitude to Benefactors The contrary too common Duty to Parents Duties to the Supream Magistrate Honour Tribute Prayers for them Obedience Duties to our Pastors Love Esteem Maintenance Obedience Prayers 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 of Parents Duty of Parents to Children To nourish them Bring them to Baptism Educate them Means towards the education 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 sympathize with them The wife owes to the husband obedience Fideâ—ty Love The faults of the husband acquits not from these duties The Husband owes â—o the Wife love Faithfulness Maintenance Instruction Husbands and Wives mutually to pray for and â—ssist each â—ther in all good The vertue of the person the chief consideration in Marriage Unlawful Marriages Friendship Its duties Faithfulness Assistance Admonition Prayer Constancy Servants owe to their Masters obedience Fidelity Submission to rebuke Diligence Masters owe to their Servants Justice Admonition Good example Means of Instruction Moderation in Command Encouragement in well doing Charity In the Affections To mens Souls To their Bodies Goods and Credit Effects of this Charity It casts ouâ— Envy Pride ensoriousss Dissembling Self-seeking Revenge This charity io be extended even to enemies Motives thereunto Command of Christ. Example of God The disproportion between our ofâ—ences against God and mens against us Pleasantness of this Duty â—f we forâ—ive not â—od will â—ot forgive â—s Gratitude â—o God â—e first â—ng of â—ncour to 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 â—mpoverish â—ng our â—lves by it â—ain and â—pious Give seasonably Prudently Charity in respect of the Credit The acts of Charity in some respects acts of Justice also The great rule of Charity Peace making He that undertake it must be peaceable himself Of going to Law This charity of the actions must reach to enemies Self-love an hindrance to this Charity Prayer â— means to procure it Christian duties both possible and pleasant Even when they expose us to outward sufferings The danger of delaying our turning to God Sunday I. Sunday II. Sunday III. Sunday IV. Sunday V. Sunday VI. Sunday VII â—unday VIII â—unday IX â—unday X. Sunday XI Sunday XII Sunday XIII Sunday XIV Sunday XV. Sunday XVI Sunday XVII
ties you to this so Mercy doth likewise you know the poor Soul will fall into Endless and unspeakable Miseries if you continue to neglect it and then it will be too late to consider it The Last Refuge you can hope for is Gods mercy but that you have despised and abused And with what face can you in your greatest need beg for his mercy to your Souls when you would not afford them your own No not that common Charity of considering them of bestowing a few of those idle Hours you know not scarce how to pass away upon them 29. Lay this to your hearts and as ever you hope for Gods pity when you most want it be sure in time to Pity your selves by taking that due Care of your precious Souls which belongs to them 30. If what hath been said have perswaded you to this so necessary a Duty my next work will be to tell you how this Care must be imployed and that in a word is in the Doing of all those things which tend to the making the Soul Happy which is the end of our Care and what those are I come now to show 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 the 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'd upon our souls that we Naturally knew them that is we should have known them to be our Duty though we had never been told so by the Scripture That this is so we may see by those Heathens who having never heard of either Old or New Testament do yet acknowledge 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 things 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 hath set up in our Souls Therefore let 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. It is just matter of sadness to any Christian heart to see some in these dayes who profess much of Religion and yet live in such sins as a meer heathen would abhor men that pretending to higher degrees of Light and holiness then their brethren do yet practice contrary to all Rules of common honesty and make it part of their Christian liberty so to do of whose Seducement it concerns all that love their Souls to beware and for that purpose let this be laid as a Foundation That that Religion or Opinion cannot be of God which allows men in any wickedness 5. But though we must not put out this light which God hath thus put into our Souls yet this is not the onely way whereby God hath revealed his will and therefore we are not to rest here but proceed to the knowledg of those other things which God hath by other means revealed 6. The way for us to come to know them is by the SCRIPTURES wherein are set down those several commands of God which he hath given to be the Rule of our Duty 7. Of those some were given before Christ came into the world such are those precepts we finde scattered throughout the Old Testament but especially contained in the Ten Commandements and that excellent book of Deuteronomy others were given by Christ who added much both to the Law implanted in us by Nature and that of the Old Testament and those you shall find in the New Testament in the several precepts given by him and his Apostles but especially in that Divine Sermon on the Mount set down in the fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of S. Matthews Gospel 8. All these should be severally spoke to but because that would make the discourse very long and so lesse fit for the meaner sort of men for whose use alone it is intended I chuse to proceed in another manner By summing all these together and so as plainly as I can to lay down what is now the duty of every Christian. 9. This I find briefly contain'd in the words of the Apostle Tit. 2. 12. That we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world where the word Soberly contains our duty to our selves Righteously our duty to our neghbour and Godly our duty to God These therfore shall be the Heads of my discourse our DUTY to GOD our SELVES and our NEIGHBOUR I begin with that to God that being the best ground-work whereon to build both the other 10. There are many parts of our DUTY to GOD The two chief are these First to acknowledge him to be God Secondly to have no other under these are contained all those particulars which make up our whole duty to God which shall be shewed in their order 11. To acknowledge him to be God is to believe him to be an infinite glorious Spirit that was from everlasting without beginning and shall be to everlasting without end That he is our Creator Redeemer Sanctifier Father Son and Holy-Ghost one God blessed for ever That he is subject to no alterations but is Unchangeable that he is no bodily substance such as our eyes may behold but spiritual and invisible whom no man hath seen nor can see as the Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 3. 16. That He is Infinitely Great and Excellent beyond all that our wit or conceit can imagine that he hath received his being from none and gives being to all things 12. All this we are to believe of him in regard of his Essence and being But besides this he is set forth to us in the Scripture by several Excellencies as that he is of Infinite Goodness and Mercy Truth Justice Wisdom Power All-sufficiency Majesty That he disposes and governes all things by his Providence that he Knowes all things and is Present in all places these are by Divines called the Attributes of God
which is this It is possible we may transgress against men and they not know it I may perhaps steal my neighbours goods or defile his wife and keep it so close that he shall not suspect me and so never bring me to punishment for it but this we cannot do with God he knows all things even the most secret thoughts of our hearts and therefore though we commit a sin never so closely he is sure to finde us and will as surely if we do not timely repent punish us eternally for it 48. And now surely it cannot but be confest that it is much safer displeasing men then God yet alas our practice is as if we believed the direct contrary there being nothing more ordinary with us then for the avoiding of some present danger we fear from men to rush our selves upon the indignation of God And thus it is with us when either to save our estates or credits or our very lives we commit any sin for that is plainly the chusing to provoke God rather then man 49. But God knowes this case of fear of men is not the only one wherein we venture to displease him for we commit many sins to which we have none of this temptation nor indeed any other as for instance that of Common Swearing to which there is nothing either of pleasure or profit to invite us Nay many times we who so fear the mischiefs that other men may do to us that we are ready to buy them off with the greatest sins do our selves bring all those very mischiefs upon us by sins of our own chusing Thus the careless Prodigal robs himself of his estate the Deceitful Dishoneft man or any that lives in open notorious sin deprives himself of his credit and the Drunkard Glutton brings diseases on himself to the shortning his life And can we think we do at all Fear God when that fear hath so little power over us that though it be backt with the many present mischiefs that attend upon sin it is not able to keep us from them surely such men are far from fearing God that they rather seem to defie him resolve to provoke him whatsoever it cost them either in this world or the next Yet so unreasonably partial are we to our selvs that even such as these will pretend to this fear you may examine multitudes of the most gross scandalous sinners before you shall meet with one that will acknowledge he fears not God It is strange it should be possible for men thus to cheat themselves but however it is certain we cannot deceive God he will not be mockt and therefore if we will not now so fear as to avoid sin we shall one day fear when it will be too late to avoid punishment 50. A Fift Duty to God that of TRUSTING in him that is depending and resting on him and that is First in all dangers Secondly in all wants We are to rest on him in all our dangers both Spiritual and Temporal Of the first sort are all those Temptations by which we are in danger to be drawn to sin And in this respect he hath promised that if we resist the Devil he shall flie from us Jam 4. 7. 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 combate 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 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 soules 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 Daniel 3. That of Daniel in the Lions Den Daniel 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 he dismayed for any thing that can be fall 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 and 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 dependence 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 Samuel 28. 7. to go to the Witch that is to the Devil 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 more 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 gained 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 Souls 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 plaied the good Husband in saving our Liberties or Estates or Lives themselves by a sin we have not saved them but madly overbought them laid 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 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
excess yet it is possible there may be one on the other hand men may deny their bodies 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 tells 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 covetous wretch sacrifices himself to his god Mammon whilest he often destroys his health his life yea finally his Soul too to save his purse I have now done with the second head of duty that to our selves contained by the Apostle under the word soberly PARTITION X. Of DUTIES to our NEIGHBOURS Of JUSTICE Negative Positive Of the sin of MURTHER Of the Hainousness of it the Punishments of it and the strange Discoveries thereof Of Maiming wounds and stripes § 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 to our neighbor and it is a piece of unrighteousness to defraud him out of it I shall therefore build all the particular duties we ow to our neighbor 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 yield them whatsoever appertains or is due unto them I shall first speak of the negative justice the not injuring or wronging any Now because a man is capable of receiving wrong in several respects this first part of justice extends it 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 negative justice lays a restraint on us in every of these That we do no wrong to any man in respect either of his Soul his body his possessions or credit 3. First This JUSTICE tyes us to do no hurt to his Soul and here my first work must be to examine what harm it is that the soul can receive it is we know an invisible substance which we cannot reach with our eye much less with our swords and weapons yet for all that it is capable of being hurt and wounded and that even to death 4. Now the Soul may be considered either in a natural or spiritual sense in the natural it signifies that which we usually call the mind of a man and this we all know may be wounded with gries or sadness as Solomon saith Prov. 15. 13. By sorrow of heart the spirit is broken Therefore whoever does causlesly afflict or grieve his neighbour he transgresses this part of justice and hurts and wrongs his soul. This sort of injury malicious and spiteful men are very often guilty of they will do things by which themselves reap no good nay often much harm onely that they may vex and grieve another This is a most savage inhumane humour thus to take pleasure in the sadness and afflictions of others and whoever harbours it in his heart may truly be said to be possest with a Devil for it is the nature only of those accursed spirits to delight in the miseries of men and till that be cast out they are fit onely to dwell as the possest person did Mar 5. 2. Among graves and tombs where there are none capable of receiving affliction by them 5. But the Soul may be considered also in the spiritual sense and so it signifies that immortal part of us which must live eternally either in bliss or woe in another world And the Soul thus understood is capable of two sorts of harm First That of sin Secondly That of Punishment the latter whereof is certainly the consequent of the former and therefore though God be the inflicter of punishment yet since it is but the effect of sin we may justly reckon that he that draws a man to sin is likewise the betrayer of him to punishment as he that gives a man a mortal wound is the cause of his death therefore under the evil of sin both are contained so that I need speak onely of that 6. And sure there cannot be a higher sort of wrong then the bringing this great evil upon the Soul sin is the disease and wound of the Soul as being the direct contray to Grace which is the health and soundness of it Now this wound we give to every Soul whom we do by any means whatsoever draw into sin 7. The wayes of doing that are divers I shall mention some of them whereof though some are more direct then others yet all tend to the same end Of the more direct ones there is first the commanding of sin that is when a person that hath power over another shall require him to do something which is unlawful an example of this we have in Nebuchadnezzars commanding the worship of the golden Image Dan. 3. 4. and his copy is imitated by any parent or master who shall require of his childe or servant to do any unlawful act Secondly there is counselling of sin when men advise and perswade others to any wickedness Thus Jobs wife counselled her husband to curse God Job 27. And Achitophel advised Absolom to go into his Fathers concubines 2 Sam. 16. 21. Thirdly there is enticing and alluring to sin by setting before men the pleasures or profits they shall reap by it Of this sort of enticement Solomon gives warning Prov. 1. 10. My son if sinners entice thee consent thou not if they say Come with us let us lay wait for blood let us lurk
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 platted in every Crown we have very little reason to envie 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 Peter 2. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as those that are sent by him We owe such an obedience to the supream power that whoever is authorized by him we are â—o submit to and S. Paul likewise is most full to this purpose Romans 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers And again Ver. 2. Whâ—soever resisteth the powers 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 when ever 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 things he requires But when he enjoyns 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 stubbornness we are in 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 guiltless sayes David to Abishai 1 Samuel 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 heavie Rom. 13. 2. They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Here is very small encouragement 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 Supream 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 part 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 S. Paul tells the Coâ—inthians that in Christ Jesus 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 be 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 S. Paul 1 Thess. 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 addes to the reverence due to them They are Ambassadours for Christ 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 tells 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 Luke 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 says 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 John 10. which come 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 vent 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 follows them partakes with them in their guilt It is recorded of Jeroboam as a crying sin that he made of the mâ—anest of the people priests that is such as had by Gods institution no right to it and whoever hearkens to these uncalled preachers runs 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 Luke 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 an account that they may do it with joy and not 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 unkinde 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 says the Apostle Heb. 13. 17. will be unprofitable for you 't is your selves that will finally prove the losers by it you lose all those glorious rewards which are offered as the crown of this obedience you get nothing but an addition to your sin and punishment for as our Saviour tells the Pharisees If he had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin John 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 Sidon 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 S. 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 nakednesses of our parents which may tempt us to think irreverently of them This is very contrary to the practise 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 Prov. 23. 22. Hearken to thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother when she is old A multitude of texts more there are in that book to this purpose which shews that the wisest of men thought it necessary for children to attend