ΠΑΤΡῸΣ ΚΆΤΟΠΤΡΑ ΚΑῚ ΠΑΙΔῸΣ ΓΟÎΥΚΛΙΣΊΑ THE Father's Spectacles TO Behold his CHILD by AND The Child's Cushion TO Kneel before his Parents By a Lover of Parental and Filial Unity For I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 In the last days perilous times shall come some shall be proud disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affections 2 Tim. 3.2 Pater adversus filium filius adversus patrem LONDON Printed by John Astwood for the Author 1695. To all Parents of Children and Children of Parents True Grace be multiplied in Christ Jesus BE it known unto you Oh ye Children of men that the signs of Christs second coming soundeth daily in our ears how often have we seen wonders in the heavens above us and how hath the earth trembled and quaked beneath us how many false Prophets have there been that own no other Christ but the light within them how great is the apostatizing from the truth how is Antichrist getting up to his height how doth the noise of Wars sound aloud in our ears how many thousands hath the pestilence swept away in a moment how have the Saints been afflicted and persecuted of whom the World was not worthy how much treachery and deceit is there in every corner how much hatred and malice meerly for professing Religion how many deceivers have spread themselves abroad in the world how doth iniquity abound in every village how cold is love grown in all persons how doth drunkenness and gluttony surpass ages past and famine succeed in many places how great are the variances that are in Nations Churches and Families nay among own Relations they are directly opposite one to the other among these sixteen signs of Christs coming this is none of the least for Satan hath but a short season and therefore he is the more busie to keep people ignorant of their duty that they may be employed to serve sin to hinder him in his purpose about the breach of Amity is my main design for at present it is my purpose to let you know what amity has been and ought to be between near Relations that so we may arrive at that ever lasting amity and felicity which we all aim at Many there are that have tuned a string or two on this subject but I at present never saw nor heard of any that have played a whole lesson on it and therefore I who am induced to this task for the Honour of God and the grace of Religion have cast my small mite into the great and rich treasury of Knowledge though I know this Learned Critical Penetrating Eagle-eyed Age may look on my lines and censure them or me as not being Rhetorically adorned and Logically digested and drawn out in the flourishes of the times but let them know that the manner of the ancient times was to be plain 1 Cor. 1.27 The Subject matter plain Scripture Language Acts 17.2 The method and style according to the capacity of the persons spoken to John 16.12 My intent is to stir the dull and ignorant to their duty and not to teach them that know enough but yet there be some that know and do not practise their duty these lines may reach them a rap it is the doer of the Law is justified Rom. 2.13 I have taken notice of the evil carriage of some parents to their children which has been against nature and the plain words of the Scriptures and the abominable wickedness of some children who regard not their parents at all as to appearance in no sence nor kind I wish I could be instrumental to reform the one and convert the other and that going in this tract some other which is more expert in knowledge better read in Scripture having more endowments of the Spirit and of a larger capacity than I am would undertake this task to perfect this work which I have now in a short figure but as it were but a little begun which if any good shall come by this or any be perswaded to parental or filial affections by it and those that shall by this be perswaded to make a larger discovery in this kind I have my end and hope the Lord will be glorified in it that the curse may be taken off from the land of the living Mat. 15.4 Levit. 20.9 Malachi 4.6 He that liketh these lines let him receive and practise them and he that liketh them not let him sit down and take his Bible and Pen as I did and produce better I am content that in this I have done part of my duty do you do all yours and then sit down to rest but do not rest with the foolish Virgins without oyl in your vessels least Christs coming be to your terror which is the desire of him who is a Lover of your Souls Eternal Consolation Vale. I Our duty from the Scriptures have noted O And to confirm it have some Authors quoted Hence you may learn what duty you do owe How unto God and to your Neighbours too Come learn this Lesson and do not gainsay Ought that is in it but always obey What God commands do not give a deaf ear Prepare thy Heart the Lord always to fear Ever remember thy own frail condition Regard thy conscience peace and souls submission Offend not God nor Man in heart nor deed 〈◊〉 from thy sin the Lord thy soul has freed Serve God Instruct thy Child and him correct And always pray the Lord may thee direct Let Parents speak and Children hold their tongue 〈◊〉 in mild speeches let them shew their wrong Here is a blessing if in love you live And Christ his Peace unto you he will give Remember then thy duty and still obey Serve God always and do not go astray Till he by death do call you all away In ignorance many live and also do 〈◊〉 get the way in which they ought to go Some Parents scarce their duties ever know Uncircumcis'd in ears and heart they grow O spend each day and time in contemplation Search out Gods will and mind thy souls salvation Ever to the most High O let thy Spirit sing Xanto like his High Praises Everlasting A short TABLE of the General Heads 1. THe Text opened in six Considerations 2. Five Doctrines in which four parties are concerned 1st The Lord is concerned in his love and care Doct. 5. 2ly The Minister is concerned to inform all of their duty 3ly Parents are concerned in their general Duties 4ly Children are concerned in honour love and obedience Sixteen ways Parents may provoke their Children Ten Motives to move Parents to love their Children Thirteen Reasons to prove the first Doctrine Forty Rules to direct Parents to their Duty Eleven Rules for Christian Correction The acts and effects of the light within twelve ways Prayer spiritual shewed in ten heads Christs love universal proved by thirteen reasons Seven things ensue
each other in Election and three in Reprobation 〈◊〉 ten Commandments how they are broken Seven causes how justification is wrought 2d Doct. by two reasons and the 3d. by five proved 4th Doctrine proved by thirteen Reasons Forty Rules to direct Children in their duty The twelve Articles of the Nicene Creed proved Four principal Motives to move all to their duty The Conclusion with the fifth Doctrine THE Father's Spectacles c. EPHES. VI. 4. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to Wrath but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. THe Holy Apostle writing to those that were Gentiles by nature knowing that they were naturally subject to may failings might violate natures bounds by being induced by corrupt nature to sin which they were formerly dead in he exhorts them to general rules of Christianity as Humility Long-suffering Unity Peace and Holiness of Life First In Mortification by putting off Lying Anger Malice and corrupt Communication and the like Secondly By having no Society with Evil Company but to live in Brotherly Love and to be diligent in their callings and to submit themselves one to another as also to know all their duties as they stand related one to the other which he discourseth at large And then he setteth forth very excellently the great and wonderful work of their Redemption by Jesus Christ Also he shews them their undone state by Nature without a Christ and that Humility and true Faith is the true way of attaining true Peace And that the right way of retaining of it is by perseverance First To search into and to know the love of Christ Chap. 3.19 Secondly To keep in unity and to walk worthy of that Vocation in which they were called Chap. 4.1 to 6. Thirdly To be firm and stedfast Chap. 4.14 Fourthly To let their Conversation be suitable to their profession Chap. 4 22 to 29. Fifthly To put on the whole Armour of God not to flinch or draw back for there is never a Backpiece See Chap. 6.11 to 18. Sixthly The Duties of Honour Respect Service Obedience to Superiors and Familiarity and true Love to each other partâ—cularly that so their Christian work may be throughly accomplished Lastly It appears that the many failings and neglects of duties in the last age foreseen by the Apostle occasions him to write thus unto this Church c. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Words being thus read here is First The Person speaking Paul Secondly The Persons spoken to Fathers Leigh in his Critica Sacra saith is of a large extent than the Male kind it properly setteth forth natural Parents implying as well Mothers as Fathers as the usual method of the Spirit is to include both Sex in one Expression Gen. 5.2 1 Cor. 11.28 Thirdly The Duty enforced by a positive Command negatively expressed Provoke not c. Fourthly Here are the Persons not to be provoked viz. Children Such as are under the care and tution of Parents This Negative Precept may possibly extend it self so high as Kings to their Subjects 2 Kings 5.13 1 Chron. 28.2 Isa 22.21 Judges 5.7 17 10 11. And also to Judges and Magistrates to those that cry to them for Right Equity and Justice Deut. 20.5 to 11. Numb 11. 17 18. And to Executors Trustees and Governors of Orphans to Officers in Towns Liberties and Cities In a word to all that are in Authority to teach instruct rule and govern any persons whatsoever Heb. 13.17 Fifthly Here is the true nature of the defined subsequent or that inveterate exasperated passion that is prohibited set forth viz. Wrath. Sixthly Here is an absolute Direction 1st To educate them in good discipline as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 2dly To instruct them in divine knowledge Thus much by way of Explication I now come to the Doctrinal conclusions that do naturally arise from this Text Which are these which follow 1 Doct. That Parents should take all care possible to avoid all Occasions of Provocations as not to give any just Offence whereby their Children are exasperated or so far provoked as to offend the Lord or disobey their Parents 2 Doct. That if Parents have real affections for their children they will use the best means possible to keep them from sin 3 Doct. They that are true Christians indeed have such tender love to their Childrens Souls that they will use all means possible to nurture them up in the right way of the Lord. 4 Doct. That Children ought to yield obedience to all their Parents Commands in the Lord with holy Reverence Honour and Zeal 5 Doct. That the Lord doth take great care for the eternal good of those that cannot any ways take care for themselves But to the first Doctrine That Parents should avoid all occasions of Provocations c. First Here I shall shew you what may be properly called Provocations that so Parents may take them out of the way that they do not cause their Children to stumble fall and be broken to pieces Which are these sixteen as followeth First When Parents will not teach and instruct their Children and slight and abuse them if they do not learn This is a hard Lesson if the Lord should deal so with the Sons of Men who of them but would fall immediately into the gulf of Despair among all the Children of men can we expect to reap where we never sowed If I had not known such a thing as this to be I could hardly have conceived that ever any should be so very austere and unnatural or ever had been to the fruit of their own bowels The wise man's Counsel to Fathers is Prov. 23.12 Apply thine heart to instruction it should be part of thy every days meditation to consider how thou shouldest instruct teach and train up thy Child in all things uppertaining to this Life and that which is to come Train up a Child saith Solomon in the way he should go Prov. 22.6 which is rightly done by mild and gentle instructions and not by causeless slighting Reflections A Second Provocation is when Parents shall never give their Children a good Word nor a good Look though the Child do whatever it possibly can to please them if the Lord should always frown upon thee and ever speak to thee with an angry Countenance and Words how couldest thou be able to stand before him consider it is a mild carriage and loving speech that doth win the heart It was St. Paul's way 1 Thes 2.7 't was by gentle words and carriage that Abigal overcome David though he was in great wrath 1 Sam. 25.24 Love is a special winning grace 1 Cor. 13.5 It doth not behave it self unseemly soft words will stop sin in its course Prov. 15.1 Mild Speeches become good Men My Son faith Abraham God will provide c. Read Isaac's manner of Speech to his Sons Gen. 27. Chap. 28.1 When
should so far violate the Bounds of Nature and so wilfully and willingly destroy his natural Issue David though his Son Absolom were his mortal Enemy yet he took great care and gave a strict charge for his preservation 2 Sam. 18.5 Parents should think thus with themselves the Lord is our Father even as we would he should do unto us even so should we do to our Children and if thus I am sure no Parents will give any just cause of Provocation to them 2d Reason Why Parents should not give their Children any just Occasion of Provocation is Because their Children be of their own Substance Who is so mad as to cut his own Flesh how doth it cut the Child even to the very heart that it makes it weary of its life to be under continual provocation it is a Pain intollerable a Disease incurable but as Scorpions Blood will best cure its own stinging so no salve to heal the Childs wound but its parents true love and real affections what a sacred Bond of Unity is there in the Firmament what natural union is there among the Birds of the Air and Beasts of the Field no dissolving it but by inducements to Hatred Love and Concord continues still then why should not Men be taught by natural things to have and continue natural affections to their Children and learn of the Lord who doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of Men Lament 3.33 But bemoans their conditions and wills them to turn from iniquity Hosea 11.8 And is very pittyful and of tender mercy James 5.11 So should all Godly Parents be 3d. Reason is Because the Lord doth highly esteem of all such Parents as are godly that be careful for and tender of their Children Shall I saith the Lord hide from Abraham the thing that I do why because he will command his Children and Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.17 19. The Lord commends Job for a perfect and upright Man whose work it feems was daily to offer Sacrifice for his Children Job 1.5 8. For fear they had sinned against the Lord by this Parents should learn to pray with and for their Children every day the just man walketh in his integrity his Children are blessed after him Prov. 20.7 It is the Character of a Godly Bishop to have his Children in subjection 1 Tim. 3.4 with all gravity The Lord did make Israel to hear and fear that they might teach their Children after them Deut. 4.10 Ch. 6.7 Ch. 31.13 The Lord was so well pleased with King Jehu that he saith His Children shall sit on the Throne of Israel to the fourth Generation 2 Kings 10.30 The Lord hath established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children that the Generations to come might know them even the Children which would be born who should arise and declare them to their Children that they might set their Hope in God and not forget the Works of God but keep his Commandments at all times Psal 78.5 6 7. Deut. 4.9 which truly being performed takes off all just occasion of Provocation 4th Reason is because Provocation is the high road to Childrens Disobedience and an evil instrumental means to cause them to break the fifth Commandment which saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother Exod. 20.12 Provocation disputes a Child into Fude and Anger and what will you do to quench that flame what will you call him then but a furious turbulent outragious Monster no ways then to be disputed with Wrath carrieth down all before it and cares not if he dash himself in a thousand pieces he carries the Blood of Revenge in his Face and his Eyes sparkle like Fire his Hair stands an end and his Teeth gnash one against another his Countenance is fierce and his Voice thundereth without sence or reason his Brows are knit in fury and the motion of his Head declares his destruction his Hands strike one against another and falleth with violence on his own Breast he stampeth and teareth his Cloaths and if it were possible his Flesh from his Bones he hath detestation in his mind and Firebrands in one Hand with a drawn Sword in the other yelling and houling with hideous Outcries saying I will ruine all for I am undone Wrath and Anger defaceth the Image of God in Man and casteth a mist before the Eyes it stops the Ears that he will not hear Instruction and hinders his Understanding from receiving Counsel it is an Obstruction of the Judgment and Reason the Senses and Conscience are dulled and blinded by it and it causeth the heart to be continually stubborn and subject to much evil and what not O then Parents provoke not Children to Anger for in that condition you will hardly perswade them to the Duty of Honour learn patience and be kind to them and what great quiet of Conscience can you have whilst you see your Children ruined before your Eyes by your folly and madness would you have your Child hate you who begat him and be your Enemy because you shew your self an Enemy to him or to her besides if the cause of your anger to your Child cannot now be prevented as if it be in the Case of Marriage it can't what aggravation of Folly and Shame is that in you would you be feared and not loved and strive for that sweet Harmony of Love and Fear together regard your Honour but joyn with it Parental Affections between such Parents and Children that live as they ought what a sweet Harmony is there James 1.4 Rom. 12.16 Ephes 4.32 Col. 3.13 23. 5th Reason is Because when Children are provoked they are in the fittest posture for Satan to work upon them by his Temptations Satan delighteth to fish in troubled Waters the terrible smoak of Fury that doth ascend occasioned by Provocation it so far darkeneth the Eyes of the Mind that now any Temptation suits and the Party being blinded cannot discover it without the special grace of God The Astronomers tell us that the Inferior Orbs are restrained in their motion by the primum mobile or else they would set all the World on fire So if the Grace of God and true Religion do not keep Persons in due Order Satan hath too much combustible matter to work upon in the Soul to set the whole course of Nature on fire by his manifold Evil and Subtil Temptations therefore Parents take heed of giving Satan an Inch least he when he hath gotten a little footing on them instead of an Inch he take an Ell Ephes 4.27 James 4.7 6th Reason Because the very Evils that do attend Provocation is or ought to be a sufficient Argument against it A Person under Provocation may be fitly compared to a bed of Serpents when the wind blows cold they lye still but when they are stirred or chafed with heat let every body look to themselves
unnatural as to send it out of Doors so soon as it was born not regarding it as though it were none of her own as some Women do who are worse to their young than the savage beasts of the field that will not take care to nurse preserve and protect their young ones it is looked on as a judgment by the Prophet Hosea 9.14 What saith he wilt thou them give a miscarrying womb and dry breasts most Women are much troubled if they cannot bare Children then why not much more if they do not let them suck of that Milk which nature has provided for the Childs nourishment it is a small sign of remorse when they are not troubled for that which is their own proper faults Fouthly All Children do naturally love those Parents most whom they sucked to take care for assist and help in their necessities when old if there be a kind of an Affection in Nurses to those they nurse and a peculiar love in the Child to the Nurse whom it sucked till death much more the Natural Affections of a Child to its Natural Parents who bore it and nourished it with their own milk what other Benefits arise thereby I leave it to your Experience to witness in length of time Nurse your Children your selves do not as t is said of the Deer that they repulse and separate those that are impotent do not turn your Children out of doors least they in time have the same Opportunity and you your selves share of the like fare from them 't is the sin of the last times to be without natural Affections therefore take away the cause that the effect may cease 3 Direction is Dedicate your Children to the most High offer them up in your Prayers Wishes and Desires to the Lords omnipotent Care and Protection Hannah dedicated Samuel unto the Lord 1 Sam. 1.28 Every First born was to be offered to the Lord Exod. 13.12 O that Ishmael might live before thee saith Abraham Gen. 17.18 How excellently did Zathariah yield up John to the Service of the Lord Luke 1.76 So Parents should do and pray continually with good Job for their Conversion and offer daily Sacrifice for them do not forget to offer your Souls in Prayer with and for them that they may be sensible how great care you have of their Souls eternal well-being Job 1.5 4 Direction Parents be sure you agree together in your Commads Let not the Father command one thing and the Mother presently contradict it before the Child this will harden them in Disobedience the first Precept to the Woman after the transgression was to be subject to her Husband and he should rule over her Gen. 3.16 But that Woman is very impudent that is so far from obeying her Husband that she will Lord it over him by contradicting his Authority in just commands and more especially when so much evil attends it as in this case Parents should both take great care not to oppose each other before their Children but chiefly when it is about their Childrens duty but to take another fit Opportunity in cool Blood in Love and in their Childrens absence to dispute the lawfulness of the matter 5 Direction Keep your Children in due subjection before they be too stubborn He that spareth the rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chastneth him betimes Prov. 13.24 Chasten thy son while there is hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19.18 Rods and Reproof give Wisdom but a Child left to himself brings his Mother to shame Prov. 29.15 Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest and delight unto thy soul Prov. 29.17 A Bishop is commanded to have his Children in subjection with all gravity 1 Tim. 3.4 6 Direction Let your Children be your chiefest joy in this World Rejoyce in them as they are the gift of the Lord but do not idolize them good Job took delight enough in his Children as himself expresseth Job 19.17 Chap. 29.5 Yea when the Lord hath permitted their death by a great wind he seems to rejoyce that as the Lord gave them so he hath now taken them away and saith he blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.19 without sorrow repining and murmuring he seems to joy in this affliction hopeing they were gone to a better Father All the Patriarchs did take delight in their Sons and Daughters except when they sinned Gen. 34.30 7 Direction You must reprove and rebuke your Children if they sin This Work must not be done to halves as Old Eli did 1 Sam. 3.13 If they sin against the Lord and no Reproof nor Rebuke will prevent them they must be restrained with due severity Folly is bound up in the heart of a Child but the rod of Correction driveth it away Prov. 22.15 Withhold not Correction from thy Child for if thou beatest him with rods he shall not die Prov. 23.13 St. Paul saith We had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence Heb. 13.9 This Duty must 1st be done with Love because it is God Ordinance to restrain them from iniquity Deut. 8.5 2dly You must shew them their sin for which you rebuke or correct them Saying with the holy God O Do not this abominable thing which I bate Jer. 44.4 3dly Tell them that thou dost correct them out of Conscience to God and Love to their precious souls Prov. 11.30 4thly Reprove and Corect them with pitty telling them if good Words would have restrained them you would not have used Blows Psal 103.13 5thly Shew them by some place of Scripture How much the Lord is offended with them for this their sin Deut. 29.20 6thly Keep them from evil Company that are the Inducements to sin 1 Cor. 15.33 7thly Correct them not in anger but with fair and loving words as it were with severity according to the Fact but all in a Cool Blood Jer. 30.11 8thly Be often in Prayer with and for them that if all other means fail that this may work upon them for their Souls eternal good thus rebuke and correction may be rightly performed and the Child not provoked to anger but love 1 Thes 5.17 9thly Be sure that the Sin that thou correct thy Child for be not an evil which he has seen thee often guilty of then 't is to be feared that thy Correction will do no good 1 John 3.20 10thly Forbear many chiding Words and Threatning Expressions Ephes 6.9 11thly Smile not on them in their sin nor use no shew of approbation towards them in it for this will harden them Solomon saith a flattering Tongue worketh ruin Prov. 26.28 12thly Do not rail on them nor miscall them when you correct them This does not become a Servant of Christ 1 Pet. 3.9 8 Direction is Be sure look well to it that at all times your Children obey your lawful Commands do not let them run at full length of Reins See that they speedily and duely perform what you order
consciences by stirring them up to avoid all sin and to live to God in all holy duties Conscience is like a closet being locked up none sees what is in it but the Owners conscience may like Jonah in the Ship lye fast asleep in the midst of the greatest dangers till it be rouzed up but being awakened 't will shew the danger of their condition It is the Candle of the Lord in man Prov. 20.27 Psal 18.28 Job 21.17 While it is shut up none sees its light but expose it and then it is splendent to keep out the cold and wholsom Diet is healthful for the Body and so to keep sin out of the conscience and feed it with the wholesome food of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 This is the best Medicine for Souls health but withall remember that conscience or the light within is not the only means of Salvation if we heed it never so much as that fond People called Quakers do imagine or dote upon calling Conscience or the Light within God Christ and the Holy Spirit Know this that conscience is a principle in every man of Knowledge Wisdom Justice and Purity it is common to all all are endowed with it by the Lord it is like the weight of a clock the which being down all the wheels stop so conscience lyeth quiet in man till the Lord by his Goodness Justice Mercy or Threatnings of Judgment and by his Word and Spirit doth â—ouze it up and then 't is in quick motion and the Tongue confesseth sin to the Lord the Eyes weep the Hands wring the Knees smite together the Heart acheth the Voice crieth to the Lord all parts are moving no part can be at ease 1st It s Office is when by knowledge man's eyes are opened to cheek and reprove for all sin John 8.9 2dly Being purged of sin it will excuse a man that he may look God in the Face through a Mediator Acts 23.1 Chap. 24.17 3dly Being sanctified it is said to be good such was St. Paul's conscience which was void of Offence Acts 24.16 4thly It will bear witness to our Actions both to God and Man Rom. 9.1 5thly It will accuse a man when he knows by the word he has not done well Rom. 2.15 6thly Yet know that it may be defiled with sin Tit. 1.15 7thly Being made truly sensible that man continueth in sin it will as it were fly in his face and convict him John 8.9 8thly The power of sin is such that by it some have mortified conscience so that it has lain in them as it were dead which the Apostle calls putting away a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 Sin hath such powerful dominion over it if yielded unto that it will become altogether without the sence of feeling of Gods Goodness Justice Mercies or Judgments having their conscience seared with an hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 9thly It is of that uncertain nature in it self that it may be led and guided in a wrong way and yet a man may believe think and be perswaded by his conscience that he is right when he is in the midst of a Sea of Superstition Sedition Errors and Heresies 1 Cor. 10.28 29. 10thly It is of that lenity and facility to be wrought upon that by the grace of God and true Faith in his word it may be purged from dead works Heb. 9.14 1 Tim. 3.9 Acts 15.9 11thly It is unconstant sometimes quiet 1 Pet. 3.4 sometimes stirred and troubled Job 3.26 sometimes doubtful Rom. 14.23 sometimes erroneous 1 Tim. 6.21 sometimes wounded Prov. 18.14 sometimes evil Heb. 10.22 and sometimes good 1 Tim. 1.5 But how this faculty which is so uncertain unsettled and unconstant in man that may be led to this to day and to that to morrow and a third the next day can be called God Christ or the Holy Spirit or a sure Guide I see not but shall leave it to the men that refuse the Law and Testament to be their Guide to call conscience or the light within what they please but the day of the general Judgment after the resurrection of our Bodies out of the Graves of the Earth will awaken these Mens consciences and testifie to them the whole Truth of the matter whom at present I do fear and believe that they are now in a wide wilderness of gross and blasphemous Errors and Heresies But Parents for all this you must not neglect to stir your children up to keep the light within alive and quicken them in their duties so far as it is guided by the Scriptures of Truth and not one step short or beyond that 22. Direction You must and ought in conscience to god and love to your children make your daily Prayers for them you are to pray for a blessing on them in spirituals and temporals as also by your godly Exhortations Informations and Loving Instructions together with your protecting care of them and bowels of kindness towards them in all Godly Examples and it will be a blessing to them when you are dead and gone Isaac blessed Jacob Gen. 27.27 Laban Jacob's Children Gen. 31.55 Jacob blessed his Sons Gen. 49.28 Be as good Patterns to your Children and the most High will bless both them and you 23 Direction Sweeten all your carriages to your children with true love and bowels of affection The Apostle saith Teach your young Women to be sober and to love their Children Tit. 2.4 It seems by this Exhortation that some Parents may want love to their natural children Love is that oyl that sets all the wheels in a free posture and motion for by it Parents will be moved to nourish educate instruct direct exhort perswade dehort restrain protect correct and continually pray for and endeavour after their conversion and holy walking before the Lord and what not 24 Direction is As you must pray for them so you must daily also pray with them Be careful for nothing saith the Apostle but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God Phil. 4.6 Praying always with all prayers and supplications in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverence and supplication Ephes 6.18 Every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 Pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 Pray one for another James 5.16 Daniel prayed three times a day Dan. 6.10 Evening Morning and at Noon I will pray and cry aloud saith David Psal 55.17 Paul seems to exhort to it as a family Exercise Continue in prayer Col. 4.2 Though there be no positive rule to go by in this Gospel dispensation yet the Lords Prayer intimates to us that it is and ought to be our daily Exercise from these words Luke 11.3 Give us day by day our daily Bread Implying that this duty should be still performed day by day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panem necessitatis nostrae Our necessary bread or every day bread which doth imply that we should pray with our family dayly
Commentary called Chazkuni We read saith he Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 Honour thy Father and thy Mother Exod. 20.12 The Lord is honoured if thou relieve thy Father and thy Mother If thou hast nothing thou art bound to beg for them in their great need 4thly They take care to seek after thee when thou goest astray or art lost 1 Sam. 9.5 5thly To be dutiful is a comely ornament to Christianity and as Chains about thy neck Prov. 1.9 6thly The Lord hath very often inflicted immediate Judgments on those that rebel against their Parents as on Absalom 2 Sam. 14.9 Hophni and Phinchas 1 Sam. 2.25 the Fourty two Children 2 Kings 2.25 7thly Doing thy duty to thy Parents is well pleasing lunto the Lord Coloss 3.20 8thly The Lord reproveth Israels rebellion by the good example of the Rechabites obedience to their Parents Jer. 35. the whole Chapter 9thly This duty is a righteous thing Ephes 6.1 2. 10thly Children ought to follow the good example of all such as have been in the exercise of this duty as there be many Examples in Scripture 11thly This duty is commanded Exod. 20.12 Deut. 5.16 12thly Those that are faithful in this duty are under a promise Ephes 6.2 Let these Twelve Reasons though out of due place suffice for the proof and confirmation of the Doctrine 8th You must obey their just and lawful Commands saith the Apostle St. Paul Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord Coloss 3.10 If any Parents be so wicked as to command their Children to lye steal cousin and cheat or do any thing that is forbidden by the Lord in his Word they must not obey their Parents in that for the word all things intends all things that the Scriptures or rather God allows as lawful for the Child to obey his Parents in but here mind to do it in modesty meekness and a good and clear Conscience as in fear to offend the Lord and disobey his Word and not to act in stubbornness and rebellion against thy Parents for this is not well-pleasing to the Lord nor approved of by men and was of old to be punished by death Deut. 21.21 Isaac obeyed Abraham in going to the place of sacrifice Gen. 22.5 Jacob obeyed his Father and Mother and fled from Esau to Padam Aram Gen. 28.7 Joseph obeyed Jacobs command in visiting his brethren when they sold him into Egypt Gen. 37.14 Israel is reproved by the good Example of the Rechabites in obeying their Fathers Jer. 35.8 to the 14th Christ our good and holy Pattern is said after he was twelve years of age to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.42.51 The Scripture is full of Examples of this kind as Moses Samuel Saul David Jephthah's Daughter Esther and many others who were all obedient to their Parents 1 Sam. 17.17 Exod. 18.24 Judges 11.26 1 Sam. 1.28 9th You must have an honourable esteem of your Parents in hearty affections actions and words you must abhor and detest the doing of any thing that you may dishonour vex grieve or disquiet your Parents by also you must carry your selves with an aw and respect and must most gladly do those things in kindness and hearty affections which may bring much joy peace and comfort to your parents since you can never pay that debt which is due to them for their care and pains for you when young you must call upon the Lord for his help both for your Pareuts in their need and for your selves for assistance to supply their wants In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God Phil. 4.6 10th You must be ready and willing to suffer any hardship travel service and care for your Parents without grieving murmuring and repining What a great and good pattern was that good Woman Ruth in this case who said to Naomi though but a Mother-in-Law Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy People shall be my People and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried Ruth 1 16 17. Here is a lesson of Honour indeed tho' but a poor alienated Moabitish young Woman and the Lord remembred her and was always with her in all her undertakings Ruth 2.8 chap. 4.13 11th Be often speaking in their praise and taking your Parents parts in all companies and places The Children of Israel spake very honourably to Joseph of their Father Gen. 43.28 44.24 The Daughters of Zelophehad spake in their Fathers praise justifying him that he did not cause others to sin as Korah did but had only his own sins to answer for Numb 27.3 Children had better not to speak at all concerning their Parents words or deeds if they cannot speak in the behalf of their Parents Praise to augment their dignity or honour let thy parents be either godly or wicked thou must not 〈◊〉 diminish one jot or tittle of their honour for they are thy Parents still let them be never so vile but still labour to let thy good and Christian-like carriage be that which may win their hearts to Christ and then how happy will it be for Parents if they be converted by the fruit of their own bowels 12th Let thy Parents be thy chiefest joy and glory in this World Childrens Children are the crown of old men and the glory of Children are their Fathers Prov. 17.6 Her children call her blessed Prov. 31.28 What should we joy in and talk most of but of the original fountain from whence we sprang and this will put us in mind of our duty to God also who made us and gives us our life and being and all things necessary for this life and that which is to come Acts 17.26 28. 13th Hearken to your Parents instruction and observe to do and believe so far as it is agreeable to the Scripture it is said Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him 2 Kings 12.2 A wise Son heareth his Fathers instruction Prov. 13.1 My Son hear thou the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the law of thy Mother Prov. 1.8 He is a fool that despiseth his Fathers instruction Prov. 15.5 Reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6.23 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser Prov. 9.9 If thy Parents do instruct thee in the Articles of the Christian Faith as it is expressed in the Nicene Creed all which is confirmed by plain Scripture as you may observe in this ensuing Discourse thou must obey Article the First I Believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah An eternal Self Being a most powerful and Spiritual Substance the Maker and
is Let your eye be towards your Parents Abilities in all that you request of them and ask no more of them then you well know that they can give you without too much impoverishing of themselves You must bear a share of all burthens with them And be content with such things as ye have Heb. 13.5 Having Food and Raiment if it be not so voluptuous and gaudy as pleaseth you yet you must be therewith content 1 Tim. 6.8 If the Angels which kept not their first state but were discontented therewith and left their own habitation are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day Jude 6.2 Pet. 2.4 Job 4.18 What dost thou think will become of thee if thou art not contented with they lot and portion that thy Parents can conveniently bestow on thee in this world If thou art discontented with one Talent the Lord may justly take it from thee and leave thee none it were an happy and good lesson if you could truly say with Paul I have learned in whatsoever state I am in therewith to be content Phil. 4.11 19th Direction is Receive all whatsoever your Parents in love bestow upon you with hearts filled with thankfulness both to the Lord and them It is a sign of true Grace Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful Col. 3.15 Ingratitude is reckoned by the Apostle such a capital sin that it is the Original for which the Lord let man fall into great and notorious sins as you may read Rom. 1.21 to 32.2 Tim. 3.2 20th Direction is So far esteem thy Parents above all others as to let them be always thy chief Subject in thy petitions St. Paul exhorts that Prayer and Supplication c. be made for all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 Thou needest not at all to fear so long as thou art in thy duty that the Lord will forget thy works and labour of love Heb. 6.10 21th Direction is Thou must not affront thy Pareuts in speaking that in their presence which is unseemly or that which they allow not of or blame thee for 1st Thou must not speak any unsavoury words Phil. 1.27 2ly Thou must not parrot at them when they speak to thee or when they command thee in any thing Titus 2.9 3ly Thou must not use swearing nor cursing Mat. 5.34 4ly Thou must not go swelling about or fling away in a rage when they speak to thee Prov. 14.16 5ly Thou must know that if thou dost not with patience hearken to thy Parents Commands thou art a Transgressor of the Law Hear thy Fathers Instruction Prov. 1.8 Chap. 4.1 Chap. 7.1 to 5. Hearken to Israel your Father Gen. 49.2 Prov. 7.24 8.32 Thou must be like Job's Princes to refrain thy talking and lay thy Hand upon thy Mouth in thy parents presence when they speak Job 29.9 10. 22th Direction is Thou must arm thy self with much patience in all thy Duties towards thy Parents 1st Quietly to submit thy neck under that yoke and not to shew violence if they reprove instruct correct or direct thee yea if they be bitter to thee thou must bear it patiently they ought to shew severity if thou sin Old Eli his too much lenity and mildness in restraining his Sons from sin was that for which the Lord was greatly offended with him 1 Sam. 3.13 2ly If the thing for which thou art reproved and corrected be not true that is that which thou didst not do but it was done by another if thou consentedst to it thou art guilty Psal 50.18 If thou art altogether innocent thou must arm thy self with patience and overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 3ly Thou must lay Aside all Obstinacy Disdain Ambition Stoutness Stubbornness Lowring and Swelling with all heart-burning against thy Parents together with all malice 1 Pet. 2.1 and let true affections overcome all 4ly If Love and Patience be wanting in thee all Instructions Reproofs and Corrections will be spent in vain Reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6.23 But it is to them which receive it with patience and a good resolution to an amendment of life and then the Rod and Reproof will give Wisdom Prov. 29.15 to 17. 23th Direction is Be always humble and meek before and towards thy Parents The Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 Know this that God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble James 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Prov. 3.34 24th Direction is Do not grudge or murmur nor any ways do not be in any unseemly posture in the doing thy duty When Children have disdained their Parents commands and muttered and murmured raged and raved fretted and fumed against their Parents and despised and hated them in their hearts they are not one jot bettered by it but are in the high road to Hell and Destruction and the Lord will meet with the obstinate stubborn and rebellious Child at the last Prov. 30.17 25th Direction is Avoid if possible the least shew of any arrogant Carriage towards thy Parents Know this that the Lord hateth a proud look Prov. 6.17 Yea much more a froward arrogant Carriage Prov. 8.13 26th Direction is If it it be possible when thou partest from thy parents either into any calling or into the state of Marriage Be sure first to get thy Parents consent to it how canst thou expect a blessing from the Lord if thou livest in rebellion against thy Parents Yea and against the Lord too who commands thee to fear reverence obey and honour thy Parents Levit. 13.3 Heb. 12.9 Col. 3.20 Deut. 5.16 He that stealeth a Virgin unknown to her Parents who is more dear to them than any of their worldly goods he is a breaker of the eighth Commandment and no less is she that freely yieldeth her self to such a fact 27th Direction is When thy Parents have ended this life be sure take care that they be decently buried according to their Degrees and Qualities Be not too peevish in their Funeral expences nor yet too over-lavish prodigal and sumptuous as to make such a Solemnity a Feast for Gluttons and Drunkards but let it be solemnized decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 29th Direction is You must so far esteem your Parents credit as to pay all their just due debts when they are dead So far as that Estate they left will Permit and not to let them when they are dead be numbered among the wicked who borrow and pay not again Plal. 37.21 29th Direction is When Children shall hear their Parents evil spoken of when dead they ought to put a check and stop to it if possible It is one of the last duties they can do in honour to their Parents those that favour ill reports of their Parents are a generation that curse their Father and do not bless their Mother Prov. 30.11 Such as
them to do without neglect or â—â—â—ness or truanting away their time if they get once into such an ill Custome it will be very hard work to break them off from it it will be easier to break a rough Colt than to make it bow to your Precepts when once they have had a long time an evil Habit in running in their own ways you ought not only to have eyes to see that they duly and truly obey you but to let your whole heart to the observance thereof See what the Lord saith Deut. 32.46 And he said unto them set your heart unto all the Words which I testifie among you this day which ye shall command your Children to observe to do all the words of this Law The neglect of this duty brings all the curses upon thy self and thy Children Deut. 28.15 20. Remember to obey is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 In their Disobedience they will be too apt to make up their Excuses with vain stories bad put offs and many times with lyes which thing the Lord hates Prov. 6.16 to 19. Chap. 12.22 9 Direction is Keep your Children if possible from foolish Covenants and Contracts If a Child in its Nonage make a Covenant and Contract by Promise or Vow and the Parents know nothing of it the Parents have power by the Law of God to disanul it Numb 30.5 But if they do know of it and hold their peace and do not disanul it oppose it and disown it at the first knowledge it stands and they cannot afterwards disanul it in any kind but by consent 10 Direction is You must inform your Childrens Judgments Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently least thou forget the things which thine Eyes have seen and least they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life but thou shalt teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Deut. 4.9 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest in the way and when thou lieft down and when rifest up Deut. 6.7 Chap. 11.18 20. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which ye shall command your Children to observe to do all the words of this Law Deut. 32.46 As our Text saith Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord nourish your Children with the sincere milk of the Word 1 Cor. 3.2 1 Pet. 2.2 11 Direction Always give your Children godly Counsel David saith to Solomon My son keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his Commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou mayest prosper in all that thou dost and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 1 Kings 2.3 And Joshua said unto Achan My son give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him Joshua 7.19 Saith David and thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou for sake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 20. Saith the Wise man My son fear thou the Lord Prov. 24.21 Be wise Prov. 27.11 Despise not the Chastening of the Lord Prov. 3.11 Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Heb. 12.5 Follow the Examples of these and other godly Patterns and give your Children Godly Counsel at all times that they may always learn to fear the Lord and honour their Superiors and the Lord will be with you always Isa 41.10 12 Direction is Give your Children pertinent Answers to their Godly Questions When your Children shall ask you in time to come saring what meaneth these twelve stones then you shall let your Children know saying Israel came over this Jordan on dry land Joshua 4.21 22. And it shall come to pass when your Children shall say unto you what mean you by this service ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords passover who passed over the House of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians Exod. 12.26 27. So when our Children shall ask us why Christ was born dyed was buried and rose again We must answer them Because Man had sinned away his happiness and by no other means could be brought again but by a glorious Sacrifice for as the whole lump of Mankind by Adam's Sin were brought under Death and Condemnation so also by the death of the second Adam viz. Christ a door of Salvation is set open to all that believe to obtain Eternal Salvation through him John 3.16 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 1 John 2.2 2 Cor. 5.14 15. 1 Cor. 8.11 So likewise when they shall ask you what the Sacrament of Baptism doth signifie You must answer them if you answer them truly and directly in Scripture Language 1st The going down into the Water Acts 8.38 signifieth Christ's carrying all our Sins down into the Grave John 1.29 He taketh away the sins of the World 2dly Being baptized in the Water doth signifie our dying to all our sins Rom. 6.2 3dly Coming up out of the Water Mark 1.10 signifieth our rising again to newness of life Rom. 6.4 Again if your Children shall ask you what doth the Sacrament of the Lords Supper signifie Mat. 26.26 You must answer them it signifieth the breaking of Christ's Body for us by Faith to feed on to share and partake of it and that as Christ's body was one before it was broken so every one feeding on Christ by Faith by it are made one entire body or Church and as Bread is the stay and staff of our Natural Lives so is Christ the bread of our souls or the stay and staff of our spiritual lives and as bread is first broken before we can eat of it so Christ was first broken before he could become proper food for our souls And as we must eat bread if we would live so we must by Faith feed on Christ receive Christ for Life Righteousness and Eternal Life if we would spiritually live and be saved So likewise the Blood of Christ or Wine in that Sacrament signifieth Redemption from and the remission of all our sins by Christs Blood shed For without blood there is no remission of sins Heb. 9.22 Revel 5.9 And as we drink down that Drink before we can receive any refreshment by it so by Faith we must apply or partake of the vertue of Christs Blood before we can receive any saving benefit thereby Now Parents let me desire you as you will answer it in the great day do not give your Children crabbed or churlish answers but answer their good Questions in mild and loving words that agree best with their Capacities that they may rightly understand you 13 Directon You must
have instructed many Job 4.3 It were well if only learned sober and christian-like religious Persons were sound in the exercise of this weighty Vocation 28 Directiom is Allow them those things that are necessary in their Condition That it be not a hindrance of their Advancement in Learning allow them suitable Books and other things so far as your ability will permit but let not your Money be bestowed upon Romances Plays Prophane Histories Ballads and Lying Pamphlets for they teach Youth Debauchery and Vice but not Truth and Piety Provide them things that are honest in the sight of all men Rom. 12.17 29 Direction is Be often visiting them and endeavour to know their condition in what capacity they are and how they profit in Learning Here you must encourage your children by loving perswasions or loving and heart-winning Letters and Invitations with supplying them with Moneys and such things as they stand in need of according to their degree and your own Abilities provided they are virtuous Let ours saith Paul also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful Tit. 3.14 As much as if he had said be diligent in an honest Employment to procure necessaries both for you and yours 30 Direction is You must study their Abilities and natural Condition If they are stubborn and will not yield you must give them due correction but not in anger for then perhaps you will correct them too immoderately and the child may then justly think that it is corrected to appease its Parents wrath and evil passion more than for the fault it has committed you should make your child as sensible of its fault by words to the purpose as of the smart by the rod of correction and then you may bow their stubborn heart Prov. 22.15 Also if they be dull and slow of capacity you must not be too fierce hasty and violent upon them it will hurry them beyond or out of themselves that they will be capable of just nothing at all if they be wild you must be fierce but if they be mild you must use all the lenity and mildness that is possible Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is gentleness 31 Direction is You must let them have some liberty not to tie them up altogether like a Horse in a Mill At School a quarter of an hours time in the Forenoon or Afternoon refresheth youth and they will be the better capable to go through their lesson when their veins are stirred and brains are quickned by far than they are to fit half a day congealed like Momes it does but hinder their Learning So likewise if you keep them at work from morning till night when young it dulls them much and especially if their Vocation be matter of art then a small Journey of a quarter of an hour on an Erand or some other little business will refresh quicken and do them abundance of good Moreover you ought to let them have some time to read and to pray if they be capable Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.7 But use not this liberty as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5.13 32 direction is You must if it be possible preserve and increase your estate that your children may have something to live on comfortably when you are dead and gone Saith the Wise Man A good man leaveth an inberitance to his Childrens children Prov. 13.22 St. Paul informs us That the children ought not to lay up for the parents but the parents for the children 2 Cor. 12.14 But they unparent themselves who give away their Estates from their children for want of love Such are destitute of true grace and others love their name better than their children who give their Estates from their daughters It is much better to obey the Lord and to give your Estates to your own children if Daughters than to give it to one that is no kin to you though they be of your name more especially if he should prove wicked that possesseth it it would be but a grand blot to your name and a perpetual stain for your wicked Act Their inward thoughts is that their houses shall continue for ever this their way is their folly Psal 49.11 13. 33 Direction is When your children are capable of holy Duty you ought to instruct them to pray with the spirit and with their understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 Humane Traditions are not always good Mat. 15.3 Nor yet a stinted form 2 Tim. 3.5 1st Stinted Forms made and imposed seems to put an affront upon the Dignity and Free-grace of the Almighty which freely giveth the gift of his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 If they ask in Faith 〈◊〉 teach them to pray John 14. 26. Rom. 8.15 16. Ephes 6.18 1 John 2.27 2dly It quencheth the Spirit contrary to 1 Thes 5.19 Man is sometimes sensible of his great wants and would pour forth his Soul to the Lord in a very vehement and large measure and manner But in a form his Wants it may be are not expressed or he knows not where to get a prayer suitable and if he doth yet 't is a doubt whether it agree with his Spirit in all cases and conditions and before he hath learned it the through sence of his wants which formerly he had are damped cold and flat that now the fiery zeal of his spirit and good desires are altogether quenched as fire is quenched by the want of fuel and the continual powring on of water 3ly We are commanded in every thing by prayer and supplication to let our request be made known to God Phil. 4.6 Now if this command to the Church of Philippi do extend to all persons I am apt to think that there is not one of an hundred that hath a memory to contain forms of Prayers that have Words in them suitable to pray for every thing so that this Precept cannot extend it self in any sence to the using of stinted forms of Prayers but altogether to the Exercise of Spiritual Prayer Tutius ex puro fonte bibuntur aquae Waters are drank more safely out of the purest fountain 4ly stinted Forms destroy Divine Meditation and the Study of our Wants and Conditions Divine Meditation made David fervent in holy duty Psal 63.6 7. 119.93 94. and St. Paul exhorts thereunto Phil. 4.8 Abimo omnia tecum peragere Choose to ponder all things well in thine own mind 5ly As our Wants are various and many so are the Temptations of Satan the World and our own Heats that it is impossible to have stinted forms suitable in all conditions of Mans life Ephes 6.11 Prov. 7.27 1 John 2.15 16 17. Ardua via virtutis the way to Vertue is very difficult painful and perilous 6ly Stinted Forms hinder those that daily use them from seeking after the help of the Spirit in this holy duty which the Apostle saith Helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom.
they sin altogether omitting an holy discipline in their families as keeping of their Children and Servants close in the attendance on the aforesaid duties 1 Tim. 3.4 Chap. 4.13 16ly Some break the Sabbath in going to false worship therefore let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 Here you had need to follow in the footsteps of the Apostles and all the primitive Churches in the New Testament as ye have them for example 1 Tim. 4.12 Phil. 3.17 1 Thes 1.7 to 10. All that preach any other Doctrine or Worship in any other way under the Gospel than that which was the practice of the Apostles and first Churches is for certain not the true worship Gal. 1.8 for they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and Truth John 4.24 17ly Some have broke the Sabbath in their often persecuting of Christian Assemblies Christians ought not to persecute one another for as all are to give an account to God for themselves Rom. 14.12 It is but reason that they themselves should choose that religion that they believe to be the Truth The Tares and the Wheat ought to grow together till the harvest Mat. 13.30 There are many reasons why Christians should not persecute one another As 1st The Apostles and first Churches did not persecute but often were persecuted 1 Cor. 4.12 They honestly confest that they had no dominion over the Churches Faith 2 Cor. 1.24 2ly 'T is a Mark of a false Church to persecute Mat. 10.16 Gal. 4.29 2 Tim. 3.13 3ly Christ would not have the Tares rooted out least the Wheat should be rooted out with them Mat. 13.30 4ly It is impossible that I can see with anothers eyes or believe with anothers Faith Mark 9.50 5ly They that persecute are not infallible they may err in their Doctrine as well as in their Discipline Rom. 3.23 6ly Christ commanded his Ministers to teach all Nations and preach the Gospel to every Creature Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.16 not a word of Persecution 7ly Persecution does make weak Christians that in time might have been good Christians to turn Apostates 8ly A Person that is an Heretick is to be excommunicated not persecuted but admonished as a Brother Tit. 3.10 2 Thes 3.15 9ly If you force persons to do things in religious Worship against the light of their own Consciences you force them to sin Rom. 14.13 10ly The strong ought to bear with the weak Rom. 14.1 to 14. 11ly All Persons ought to observe that good old Rule viz. To do to all Men as you would have they should do to you Mat. 7.12 Luke 6.31 and then all Persecution would quickly cease 12ly The Scripture forbids us to judge one another in matters of Religion Mat. 7.1 James 4.12 Rom. 2.1 to 3. If you may not must not judge one another in matters of Conscience and Religion surely you must not persecute them More especially to break the Sabbath in such a wicked act when that day they are in their religious Worship according to the best light of Knowledge that they have recieved of the Lord least over and above you should offend one of the little ones that beleive in Christ and then it were better that a Mill-stone were hanged about your neck and you cast into tâ—h depth of the Sea Mat. 18.6 Luke 17.2 18ly Some break the Sabbath by common War burning and destroying of Villages Towns and Cities Christ bids his Disciples pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath-day Mat. 24.20 Wars and Rumours of Wars is one of the signs of the last times Mat. 24.6 How Rapine and Murder and destruction of Towns and Cities is justifiable by the Scripture I cannot see and more especially on the Lords-day I must leave it to those that are the cause of the action to answer for it in the great day of account and say no more to it but remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day Exod. 20.8 5ly You must not disobey your Parents but do them all Service of Honour Luke 18.20 6ly Thou must not commit any kind of Murder either on thy self as King Saul Ahithophel and Judas did 2 Sam. 17.23 1 Sam. 31.4 5. Mat. 27.5 Nor on any other Person whatsoever secretly or openly thou must not thirst after the blood of any Man Prov. 29.10 No nor yet if it be possible let not the blood of any beast or fowl enter in at thy mouth as Food or Drink 1st Because the Lord hath positively forbid it to be eat in Noah's Time Gen. 9.4 As though the eating of blood were a grand inducement to move Frail Man to shed Mans Blood without a just cause 2ly In the Levetical Law the Lord saith whose eateth the blood of any manner of flesh shall be cut off Levit. 17.14 Here its use is not allowed but to be condemned by an immediate judgment 3ly In that first great Council and General Assembly at Jerusalem of the Apostles Elders and Brethren who drew up their result and confirmed that Canon by the approbation of the Holy Ghost Acts 15.28 They sent it to the Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia by the hands of Paul Barnabas Judas and Silas four chief Men the Substance of the Canon or Epistle is recorded in Acts 15.29 That ye abstain from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication from which if ye keep your selves ye shall do well St. James proposing this very Sentence to the Assembly in Acts 15.20 The Church at Jerusalem confirmed the Truth of the beforementioned Canon and express it verbatim Acts 21.25 From all which I must conclude that the Gentiles under the Gospel may as well commit Fornication as they may eat blood or things strangled the abstaining from all the four are injoyned in Acts 15.29 Seventhly You must not commit Adultery This Precept forbids all manner of filthiness of fleshly Vice as Fornication Uncleanness Eph. 5.3 Unnatural Filthiness Levit. 19.22 23. Chambering and Wantonness in Words Gesture or Attire Rom. 13.13 Prov. 7.10 to 22. 1 Pet. 2.11 So that Man had need with good Job make a Covenant with his eyes Job 31.1 For Christ himself in his first Sermon saith He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her he hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5.28 Incestuous Marriages Unjust Divorces Bigamy Polygamy and all Unchastity in Body and Mind is not to be allowed nor practised by any but every one ought to live in purity of Life and Conversation that every one possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour 1 Thes 4.4 Eighthly Thou must not steal That is Thou must not rob any one of their Goods neither publickly nor yet privately by cozening nor cheating by fraud nor by force nay thou must not rob thy Wife nor Children of their Dowre nor Birthright or of that which is given thee to maintain them to live comfortably in this world with which kind of
grand Occasion 2dly Carry your selves kindly to your children in word and deed This will be one means to prevent provocation to sin lastly To prevent their provocation to evil turn to those sixteen Demonstrations at the beginning of this book read them and so learn them that you may take all Obstacles out of your childrens way 18 Direction is Teach and Instruct your children in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures Christ blames the Sadduces because they erred the cause was because they did not know the Scripture Mat. 22.29 It seems that ignorance of the Scriptures is the first step to Error surely Christ did not speak in vain when he bid the Jews search the Scriptures John 5.39 For by them we obtain the knowledge of Christ The Bereans were called noble because they searched the Scriptures Acts 17.11 Philip preached out of the Scriptures Acts 8.32 35. Apollos is said to be mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 28. Paul his usual manner was to reason out of the Scriptures Acts 17.2 Rom. 1.2 Ch. 4.3 Ch. 11.2 Paul highly commends Timothy for his knowledge in the Scriptures For saith he they will make thee wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus They are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way saith the Psalmist but by taking heed thereunto according to thy word Psal 119.9 If you would have your children to be perfect and furnished to all good works then teach and instruct them in the knowledge of the Scriptures 18 Direction is You must not set too high an Esteem upon your children so as to idolize them Parents may as it appears by Christs words love their Sons and Daughters better than they love Christ Mat. 10.37 't is possible for a man to idolize any thing the Apostle calls Covetuousness Idolatry Colos 3.5 If Men shall love Riches so much as to bow down their Souls Affections Wit Memory Judgment Understanding and all their Faculties to it what can we call it less may we not say that some make their Honour their Pleasures of Eating and Drinking Phil. 3.19 Hunting and Hawking Carding and Dicing and what not their God therefore Parents look to it that you do not put too high a Value upon your children you ought to look up unto him first that gave them unto you who can as he did good Job's take them all away in a moment of Time Job 1.19 It seems as though David had too much love for his Son Absolom whom God left to murder his Brother Amnon and to rebel against his Father 2 Sam. 13.39 Ch. 18.33 The Lord permitted both these and also suffered him to be taken away possibly that David might see the vanity of his too much Toleration and fond Affection and Indulgence 19 Direction is Be often yea constantly exhorting them to walk in the way of God according to the best of your judgment to the Law and to the Testament saith Isaiah 8.20 Stand in the way and see ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls Jer. 6.16 saith Samuel God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and right way 1 Sam. 12.23 This is a sure Maxim that all the Ordinances that our Lord Jesus Christ appointed his Church to observe are by his true Church to be uphold contended for Jude 3. Both in matter and manner and to be truly and rightly maintained by all the true Servants of Christ in all ages by all Persons in all places and at all times to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 Who it was that gave men power to alter the subject of Baptism from a Believer to an Infant and the manner of doing of it from dipping to sprinkling except Pope Innocent the first and the Milevitan Council I know not this I know that the Cate chism of the Church of England confesseth that the persons that are to be baptized are such as have repentance whereby they forsake sin and have Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promise of God made to them in that Sacrament which no Infant of a day or two or a week old could ever perform also it confesseth that the manner is by dipping which they have since altered and thus express it Water wherein the person is baptized Also how they come to alter the Lords Supper from Night to Noon from breaking the Bread to cutting of it and from sitting at a Table to kneeling I say how this comes to be altered and kneeling one by one at Noon at the Altar and there to receive a peice of Bread cut square I leave the Criticks of our age to determine for certain Christ gave no Man power to alter his Sacraments neither in matter not form but they are to continue as they were first instituted to the end of the World or till Christs second coming 1 Cor. 11.26 It must needs be a nullity of the Sacraments if the right matter and manner be wanting may I be so bold to say with the Apostle This is not to eat the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 Plain it is that Paedorantism is not Christ's Ordinance of Baptism O 't is very dangerous to alter any thing in the worship of God Prov. 30.6 Deut. 4.2 Ch. 12.32 Revel 21.18 Nadab and Abihu did but take common fire and did not take it from the Altar according to the command Exod. 30.8 and the Lord slew them Lev. 10.2 Here they had the right matter fire but only they missed the right place where they should have taken it Also Dathan and Abiram who were not of that tribe which the Lord appointed to offer incense but rebelled against the Lord and they were swallowed up alive in the Earth Numb 16.1 3. Here was the wrong subject Moreover the Lord commanded that the Altar should be made of unhewed stone Exod. 20.25 Dent. 27.5 Joshua 8.31 But Israel sinned in making Altars of Brick Isa 65.3 And the Lord was provoked thereby their sin was in the false subject also the Lord commanded that the Offering should be offered at the door of the Tabernacle Levit. 17.9 but they offered in Groves 2 Kings 23.4 6 15. Here they missed the place and are charged with great guilt Isa 66.4 what shall I say more they that add to any of Christs commands or diminish from them in any kind the Lord will visit them in his anger Rev. 21.18 therefore teach your children to walk in the footsteps of the Church in its primitive Institutions as near as you can comprehend and understand it and as you find it recorded in the New-Testament And this is our only rule to walk by both for our children and our selves 21 Direction is Often awakening your Childrens
how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4.14 Therefore keep thine heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life Prov. 4.23 9ly Some break the Sabbath by counting the time of hearing a Burthen Such were they the Lord exclaims against saying When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell corn and when will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat making the Ephah small and the Shekel great Amos 8.5 The Word of the Lord is to them a reproach they have no delight in it Jer. 6.10 These do not take delight in approaching to God nor do they call the Sabbath a delight Isa 58.2 13. He that delighteth in the Law of the Lord is the blessed man Psal 1.1 2. 10ly Some break the Sabbath by their spend it in reading vain Books that do rather instigate their vile nature to sin than to shew them the way of Mortification Regeneration and Eternal Life which is contained in the Holy Scriptures which ought to be the only Book which a Christian should read and study St. Paul reasoned out of the Scriptures Acts 17.2 The Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures daily Acts 17.11 The Scripture is the most profitable Book in the World 2 Tim. 3.15 to 17. And therefore Christ bids the Jews search the Scriptures John 5.39 Yea the Apostles themselves were ravished with Christ's expounding of the Scriptures Luke 24.32 It were much better that they that have any vain books would do as the people of Ephesus did to burn them rather than to spend time on the Sabbath day to read them or any other time else Acts 19.19 11ly Some break the Sabbath in Drunkenness and Gluttony many will flock together in private Ale-houses and other private Houses and send for such things as their Hearts lusts after and fill themselves till they are overcharged with sufeiting and drunkenness which ought not to be Luke 21.34 And when Sermon is over they let their Reins run at random and take their fill without controul of any till they are under that woe Isa 5.11 These that count it pleasure to riot in the day time and have their eyes full of Adultery and cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.13 14. which St. Paul positively forbids Rom. 13.13 12ly Some break the Sabbath in sleeping in the time of Hearing of the Word preached These are totally without the sence of their eternal Happiness or Misery they are as it were men without Souls for they have no real Sence nor Knowledge of their future being they quite forget that hearing the Word is their Souls harvest Learn of the Ant O thou sluggard which gathereth her meat in the harvest Prov. 6.6 to 12. If thou dost not thy want shall come on thee as an armed Man Prov. 24.34 He that sleepeth in harvest is a Son that causeth shame Prov. 10.5 Sleepiness discovers a slothful heart Prov. 19.15 And too great want when it is too late will be the Issue as in the case of the five foolish Virgins Mat. 25.5 8. Such Sleepers ought to pray with good David unto the Lord To enlighten their eyes least they sleep the sleep of death Psal 13.3 Were these very people but hearing of a Tale told or any vain Discourse it is a great chance but they would be awake enough to laugh at it and perhaps to help it forward too all implying that they have no feeling in their hearts of a future being Ephes 4.18 19. 13ly Some break the Sabbath in letting or forcing of their Children Servants or Cattel to do any unnecessary business that day The Lord gave it in charge that the Children of Israel should do no servile work in the day of the Feast of unleavened bread Levit. 23.7 8. of the wave offering Levit. 23.21 in the convocation of blowing Trumpets Levit. 23.25 Numb 29.1 on the day of the passover Numb 28.18 in the days of fasting Levit. 23.28 Numb 29.7 on the week of the Feast of Tabernacles Numb 29.12 35. So they that are Governours of Families must neither command nor any ways suffer any thing that are under their power to break the Sabbath by labour That which the Lord alloweth to be done on the Sabbath the doing of it is no breach of the Commandment as First Works of Charity 1st Laying up for the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 2ly In pulling our Neighbours Cattel out of a pit Luke 14.5 Mat. 12.11 3ly Feeding or watering of Cattel to keep them alive Luke 13.15 4ly In giving to young children and sick persons such things as is for their health and comfort Christ himself healed on that day Luke 14.4 Mark 3.3 John 9.14 Luke 13.14 16. 5ly In taking care to preserve the life of mankind as in necessary food in taking pains and care for Women in Travel in keeping Children and others from fire and water and other eminent dangers Secondly In relation to the worship which the Lord appointed We are to go to the places of our Christian Assemblies and return to our own habitations with such convenient helps and supplies as are necessary Acts 11.26 Thirdly In the defence of our Persons Estates and Lives against Robbers and the Government of our Nation and Country to keep peace and to keep out forreign Enemies may be done by us on the Sabbath-day Jericho was taken on the Sabbath-day Joshua 6.15 20. Seven days Israel pitched over against the Syrians and on the Seventh Day Israel slew 120000 of the Syrians but in all remember that he that did wilfully break the Sabbath was to be put to death though I confess that is no law to us Christians and it serves to shew us that the Jewish Sabbath is not our Sabbath Exod. 31.15 Numb 15.32 to 36. But O do not work nor yet suffer any of thine so to do on the Lords day 14ly Some break the Sabbath in neglecting to hear the word They will sit at home and sleep or walk in the fields or take Physick to prevent the loss of a working day which is to rob God to serve our selves or give themselves over to some vain exercise to such the Apostle gives charge Not to for sake the Assembling of your selves as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 If you cannot find the Truth in a publick Oratory you may seek it from House to House Acts 5.42 For the true Church in the Apostles days met in houses Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 Philemon 2. You are commanded to give all diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 To prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Not to be slothful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 15ly Some break the Sabbath in neglecting of the general duties of the day When they are off from hearing the word they omit to pray in their families and neglect to instruct their Children and Servants and do not call them to read the Scriptures nor do they reprove rebuke or correct them if