beating children doth And I have heard Mr C say it hath done his Hurt and if it were to do Again he would Never do it let Preachers say what they please Min. I shall please to say this for him He that will learn of none but himself is like to have but a Fool for his Master No wonder if he slight a Minister for he will defie the Almighty and charge Infinite Wisdom with Folly viz To appoint to no purpose To command Correction to Cure and Mend children which makes them Worse Shall any teach GOD knowledge †Job 21.22 God is so wise he Cannot be taught by Men. Some are so Unwise they cannot be taught by men And Mr C is so wise he Will not be taught by men He will neglect Correction till a Child is Hardened Then under Provocation fall on in a Passion To which Correction God cleaves his Curse And then Mr C will cast it Quite off for he sees no good it does Because he may not do it in the Devils way he will not do it at all This Pest is so provoking I Passe it as not fit to be spoken to with Patience Fath. I suppose there are as wise men Object 8 who do not so strictly Instruct and Correct their Children as there are that do Min. Tell not me of their Wisdom if the Word of the Only Wise God was never their Rule Or if they have left Off to take heed to the Lord * Ho. 4.10 The Wise men have rejected the Word of the Lord and What Wisdom is in them Heb the wisdom of What Thing †Jer. 8.9 not of the Stork Turtle Crane Swallow they know their appointed Times but such people know not the Judgment of the Lord * Ver. 7. Nor of the Oxe or Asse That knows his Owner This his Masters Crib but Israel doth not Know †Isa 1.3 poor silly Ant the pitifull Pi smire is preferred before Such wise men * Pro. 6.6 Vain man Heb Empty man would be Wise ie counted so though man be born like the Wild Asses Colt †Job 11.12 Man is so much a Beast that he knows not he is a Beast till God hath taught him And he Never learns to be a Man till he learns to know he is a Beast Ignorance is a Great enemie to Knowledge but there is one Greater ie Self-Conceitednesse Seest thou a man Wise in his own Conceit more hope of a Fool than of him * Pro. 26.12 They are the Wisest and Best Men who Best know they are Beasts †Psal 73.22 Pro. 30.2 Object 9. Fath. But we must not take Gods work out of his hand Min. No but we must take Our work into Our hand and not suffer Satan to take it Out of our hand Your words I once heard fall from a Ministers mouth but it was to me a Hateful Morsel When a Parent is expressing his desire to do his duty to his Children then for a Preacher to reply So so we must not take Gods work out of his hand Thus for him who should Provoke a parent to his work to Obstruct him in it O Hateful Sottish Sensuall Satanical Saying Fath. I have heard Mr. C. say Object 10 he beat one of his Boys and he Ran away and Never heard more of him to this Day It shall be an Item for Me. Min. SO Cursed correction There is Correction with an Execration and No Benediction and the parent punished by way of Retaliation His disobedience to GOD in not giving his son due Correction is punished by his sons disobedience to Him not counting Correction worthy of Acceptation The Father ran away from GOD the Son ran away from the Father Never heard of him more He may hear of him too Soon viz that he hath broken into some House or is turned High-way-man and taken to be both Hanged and Damned in One Day And for his fathers neglect to Howl for ever in Hell At which his father if not hardened may Howl in a Hell upon Earth And was his Father to be at his Sons Execution it 's probable he would desire to be Revenged on him for letting him come to Such an End As that Boy did who when he was going up the Ladder required to Kisse his Mother but to be Revenged on her Bit off her Nose saying Mr N. If you had given me Due Correction I had Never come to This. Let not your Lads laugh at it He would have Bit off her Head and Pulled out her Heart had it been in his Power If Parents be without Natural Affection for their Children Children will be without Natural Affection for their Parents Witnesse that Wicked Boys reply to his Wicked Mother who complained at Stake she was exceeding Dry viz Mr N. No Matter Mother you will Burn the Better Fath. One Story and another is enough to Distract a man You tell me of a Boy that was hanged because Not corrected Another tells me of a Man that was hanged because his boy Was corrected viz He beat his Son so that he died and then was Hanged for him It would make a man afraid to beat Children I think Min. That Man or Monster I knew and see Hanged in Cambridge Castle-Yard What then was it Due Correction that killed him God commands Parents to beat children From death not To death Had he used such a Rod as I have directed you to use and used it by the Rule of Gods Good Word he had done his child no Hurt But he with his Club Law regarded No such rule Devilish correction but was Ruled by his Passion and his Parent the DEVIL with whom it 's to be feared he is now in Hell Fire Fath. I suppose it 's the safest way Object 12 to erre on the Right Hand when all is done Min. I wish you knew the Right Hand from the Left in this matter To avoid One Extream you will run into Another Both Extreams are Bad and of two evils you will chuse the Worst I have exhorted you to use the Rod in Love And I exhort you to do All in Love But Fond affection Sinfull indulgence and Unseasonable smiles I dehort you From and charge you before God to beware Of as Vitious and Perilous And lest you Wink at this Warning Hear some of the Sad Effects of such Parental Vices of which a sew Instances ¶ 1 Adonijah His father David had not displeased him at ANY Time Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his dayes Junius Nunquam Never displeased him in saying Why hast thou done so †1 Kin. 1.6 And what is the fruit of this fond affection even Adonijah's Self-Exaltation to his Own Destruction He exalts himself saying I will be King †ver 5. and that brings him home by the horns of the Altar where he hardly escapes * Ver. 50. Then to bring it about he must have Abishag to wife and that brings him Quite to
English Reader The most Necessary of all which to know are These c et caetera and the rest or and so forth Sc scilicet to wit Viz Videlicet to wit or that is to say i e id est that is e g exempli gratiâ as for example q d quasi dicat as if he should say And the same q d serves for as if She should say as if You should say as if They should say as if I or We should say It is easily understood in Reading N B Nota Bene Mark this well O T Old Testament N T New Testament Q Question A Answer Ob Objection Sol Solution D Doctrine R Reason U Use For you to Learn these Lessons Three As easie is as A B C. Which you may Learn with little Leasure Then Read with Knowledge Profit Pleasure As for Hebrew Greek and Latine Words which I lay in your Way they will be no Stumbling-block except you will Make them so For you have it in English which you may Read on without Stumble or Stop And I desire you may So Read as to Reap much Good Fruit by the Labour of Your Loving Friend J W. London May 26. 1681. The General Contents of the First Dialogue A Salutation and Preambulation to the Education of Children Parents equally concern'd in Education Education reduced to two General Heads viz. Instruction and Correction First Instruction The word opened 1 Gen. Head Instruction by Doctrine and Example 1 By Doctrine The word Doctrine opened What D to instruct Children in Twenty Documents for Instruction by D. The Scripture to be Searched for more Any thing in the Bible Vseful even the words of wicked men Devils Proper Names 2 Instruction by Example Word opened Example by Works and Words Circumstances of Education Seven Direction if Children Will or Will not hear The Parent Corrected for Carnal Language The Second General Head viz. Correction 2 Gen. Head Correction twofold viz. with Word and Rod. 1 Correction with Word Six Directions for Word Correction 2 Correction with the Rod Scriptural Account of Rod fourfold The Parallel of Rod and Staff Seven Directions for Rod Correction Fourteen Ob against Rod Correction Answ Two ways great wasters of Time and many more wicked ways Witnessed against Advice of a Civil Secular Concern delivered in 12. Documents The danger of Riches discoursed Counsel concerning Childrens Children PRAYER for a Blessing on Education Prayer For and With Children 1 Prayer For them in Private Ten great effects of Prayer consider'd to encourage to Prayer Time and Times in a day for Private Prayers 2 Prayer With Children in Family Ten directions for Family Duty Objections against Family Duty Answ Parents to take their Children into their Closets and Pray with them there Parents to teach Children to Pray Objections against that Answer'd Parents to procure the Prayers of Praying Persons for their Children Ten Corollaries to quicken Parents to their Whole Duty contained in this Conference THE PARENTS PRIMER AND THE MOTHERS LOOKING-GLASSE In a Dialogue between A MINISTER and a FATHER Minister GOd Save you Sir with your good Wife Whither are you walking this way this morning Father To See Mr. C. What News Sir Min. News I said in my heart what I should have When will this Common Question be out of use Since the Popes Plot appeared the Protestants have spent more Time in Talking of it than All the Papists in England are worth And you living so near us are like our London Christians and they Too like the Athenians who spent their time in Nothing else but to Tell or to Hear some New Thing And if there be no New we talk over the Old without End And every Day is alike If this was the way to do our work viz Self-Examination Humiliation and Reformation for the Sins that provoke God to suffer this Bloody Beast thus to Push at us I would not Oppose it But it 's the way to Hinder Every good work in Heart and Life And to render us Ridiculous to the DEVIL and the POPE to see what a Talking Trade we drive and how we spend our Dayes while Death lies at our Doors Fath. I confess we spend Too much Time that way Min. Confession without Reformation Preambulation is to Poor Purpose Are these two little Lads which follow you Your Children Fath. Yes they are both mine Min. Can you tell me any Good News of Them Fath. They are Pretty good Boys when they Please Min. They had need be made Better to which end I pray what Good Discourse have you had with them by the way for you are now come a Mile from Home Fath. OH HO I have told them the name of yonder Church Steeple And of That I point at with my Cane And of yonder High Brick House with abundance of Chimneys Min. And is this the Best Discourse you have had Fath. The Best yes truly What Discourse should a man have with Children Min. What Discourse Godly Discourse Fath. What with Children Min. Yes with Children to Choose Fath. What Reason is there for That Min. There is Great Reason for it which I shall not Now Render but one thing I shall Render which is Greater than Reason Fath. What is that I pray Min. God's Solemn Command And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Heart Deu. 6.6 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine House and when thou walkest by the Way and when thou liest Down and when thou risest Vp Fath. I believe Few Fathers or Mothers do so Min. In that you believe Truth but it 's Sad Truth to believe yet Too True I may well say For of othis I have made Much Observation for Many Years in Many Countries in Professing Families without number After all which Observation I may say with Solomon There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun Ecl. 6.1 and it is Common among men Such men have Many a Day been to me an Amazing Consideration viz That ever Persons professing Faith in gods Word of Truth which testifieth the Misery of ALL Mankind that their Children are in a Sad Condition is one part of their Profession who have been Sensible of their Own Misery and Instruments to bring Poor Children into a Miserable World in a Miserable Condition and yet so Careless to bring them Out of this Condition And so little concerned for a Safe passage Out of this World over Hell to the desired Haven Ezek. 19.14 this is a Lamentation and Shall be for a Lamentation Fath. But some Count that this Command was given to the Jews only Min. Read and Compare these two Texts * Deut. 4.10 Ch. 6.7 and you will see it is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments that Parents are Commanded to teach their Children To say This Law belongs to the Jews only is plainly to say We Gentiles are Lawlesse And may
Children or else you do nothing Some parents think if they whip a way their Own Anger though not the Childs Humour the work is Done There is a little Pleasure for the parents Passion performed Read and the poor child Put into a Passion †Eph. 6.4 in both which some Service for SATAN is done and That is all So much for this Rank of Directions Now If you have any Objections against Rod Correction bring them Forth Fath. I perceive by these two Last Directions Object 1 against Rod Correction if my Children commit Great Faults they must be Sorely Whipt But I have such a tender Love and Pitie to my Children that I cannot sind in my heart so to whip them I know not what miserie they may endure when I am Dead and I do not intend to Torment them while I Live Min. I like not such Love I am not pleased with such Pitie Love Pitie do you call it Fath. Yes What else should I call it Min. Hatred and Cruelty Fath. That is Very Strange Min. And it is Very True Fath. I believe not Such Truth Min. Will you refer it to the GOD of Truth and believe Him Fath. God forbid I should refuse that Min. Then hear the Answer of GOD. Jehovah He that spareth the Rod Hateth his Son but he that Loveth him chasteneth him Betimes †Pro. 13.24 Min. So now I hope you will believe it's Truth Fath. I dare not deny it but I understand not how it's hatred and Cruetly Min. The Proverb will partly prove it viz Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child Foolish Pitie spoils the Citie By sparing the Rod you choose rather to have your Child howl for ever in Hell under Gods Wrath than to cry a little under a mans Rod. This pitiful Pity to the Body is Cruelty both to Body and Soul And it makes a Man rather a Paricide than a Parent Fath. But may not I forbear when my child cryes Grievously Object 2 and Grieves me Min. No no Let not thy soul spare for his Crying * Pro. 19.19 The Rod signifies Nothing without Smart Your love is such that you would fain deal ill with your Child and ill requite your Father also N B God did not spare his Only Son for his Strong Crying and Tears viz O my Father if it be Possible let this cup passe from me †Mat. 26.39 Father Save me from this hour * Joh. 12.27 From which he delivered him Not but delivered him Up to the Crused Death of the Crosse for your sake And you will not Whip Your Son with a Rod that cuts not Skin Deep for his sake They that will not Correct a son at Gods Command are very unlike to Kill a son at Gods Command †Gen. 22. as Abraham offer'd to do his Son his Only Son Isaac whom he loved Fath. When I go to whip my child for a fault he Cries and Begs Object 3 and Promises to do so no More and then I think I do well to spare him Min. And does he keep his promises Fath. I consesse he fails me in that Min. Why do you trust him then Fath. Because I hope he will be better next Time Min. Now you turn Child This is a very Cheat. And what a Shame is it for a Man to be Cheated by a Child and by his Own whom he Knows hath Deceived him This will encourage a child to do Any thing for he will think it's but Crying a little when the Rod comes and promising to do so no More and my Father will Spare me and I shall come off Clear And this will learn a Child to set Light by his Father and So will he come under that Curse †Deu. 27.16 Faith If I whip my Children Object 4 it makes them take Gods name in Vain by crying O Lord Lord O God so I think I had better let them alone Min. That Cry is an Accident and not your Intent And you leave Off because they give you cause to go On for they are to be whipt for that Cry And it is a sign they want good government But take heed you do not pretend Piety when you intend foolish Pity or pretend Conscience when you intend Negligence Faith But one of my children hath such Passions Object 5 and Fits when Crossed or Whipt that I fear it will die Quite away Min. Fear not its Dying in doing your Duty But let us hear the Answer of GOD to this Critical Case Jehovah Withhold not Correction from the Child for if thou beat him with the Rod he shall not Die * Pro. 23.13 Min. So I hope That fear is removed Fath. But how may I understand this he shall not die Min. Thus. 1 He shall not die under the Rod Correction shall not Kill 2 He shall not die as a Malefactor by the hand of the Magistrate For want of the Parents Rod some come to the Magistrates Sword i e the Gallows 3 He shall not die an Eternal Death Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell †Pro. 23.14 Through Gods blessing Correction shall Issue in the Childs Conversion Fath. A man cannot Convert a child by all the Instruction Object 6 and Correction in the World Min. By the same Argument all Ministers Living may leave Preaching But who would be thus deceive by SATAN To make men Proud he will suggest great matters by Doing To make men neglect their Duty Satans deceit he will suggest their Doing will come All to Nothing All the Education in the World cannot Save a child But when by Neglect a child is Lost the same Satan will suggest if the Parents Duty had been Performed the Child had been Savewd 2 Though You cannot Convert your children GOD can Convert them By you And make you Instruments in their Regeneration as well as in their Generation In their Second Birth as well as in the First If you Will not be Instruments in Gods hand Tell him so If you Will Do your Part and leave God to do His. The endeavour and Care belongs to You the Cure belongs to GOD. 3 Though you cannot Convert vert them you can Restrain them For want of This god threatned to Judge Eli's house for Ever 4 this Restraint will prevent much Trouble if God convert them by Other means Trouble for Sin at Conversion from it accords with the Measure of-Sin in the Commission of it The Greater sin Before conversion the Greater sorrow At and After conversion the Parent blames the Preacher for the Childs Terrour when the fault is in the Father and Mother 5 If your Children should Never be Converted but for Ever Damned this Restraint will prevent much Torment 6 And God will be Glorified by your Service You will be Instruments of his glory And shall be Rewarded though Israel be not Gathered * Isa 49.3 4 5. Fath. But I see no good Object 7 whipping and
a father may be a Motive to duty The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A father comes of the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he willed desired of the fathers affection to his children which doth Naturally descend to them with desire after their welfare If not Thus a man deserves not the Name of a father They who have been instruments to bring children into a State of Condemnation and care not to bring them into a State of Salvation are these Parents shall Paul travail in birth till Christ be formed in Christians * Gal. 4.19 and be so concerned as to wish himself accursed from Christ for his Kindred †Rom. 9.3 shall Ministers do their utmost to Save children shall the Devil do his utmost to Damn them and shall their own father that Begat them and their mother that Bare them carry it as if they care not whether they are brought forth for a Saviour or a Murderer and are these Parents Monstrum Horrendum NB. Neglect of duty to a Child to humour an angry Wife had like to cost Moses his Life for the Lord sought to Kill him * Exo. 4.24 Let carelesse parents have a Care God do not kill them Quite And let Parents hear themselves spoken to in these Texts Keep this man if by any means he be missing then thy Life shall be for his Life †I K. 20.39 If he Die in his iniquity his Blood will I require at thy hand * Ezek. 3.18 They that are under Such words abroad without Shelter and do not hear it Thunder are very Dull of hearing Second The childs tears at it's Birth Coroll 2. Childs Tears may he a Motive for parents to Pity and Duty These tears seem to Presage its Sorrow The poor child seems to cry to see into what a Stormy Sea it is Lanched in danger to be Swallowed up Soul and Body at once Or to see upon what a Shore of trouble it's Landed to wander in a wildernesse of Wo among wild beasts of Prey Yea so Cruel are the Devils Creatures that poor children are in danger of their Death before their Birth Cruel cruelty The cruel Claws of these wild Beasts sometimes tare the Young out of the Womb before they are Born * Am. 1.13 and the Old out of the Tomb after they are Buried †Ch. 2.1 Third Coroll 3. Childs Dead state The dead condemned State children are Born in and are in till Born again It is a Dead Life between the first and second Birth One passing by the house of a Sinful Sluggard said Here lies not lives Such a One. A natural life is a kind of a Lifelesse Worthlesse life The old youngman A strange Epitaph An old man converted a little before his Death would have this Epitaph on his Tomb Here lies a very Old Man of 3 years old Barlaam being asked how old he was said 45. Said the other Thou seemest to be 70. Yea said Barlaam if you reckon ever since I was Born but I do not Count the time I spent in Sin Lay this Dead Life to Heart Suppose you had a child condemned to Die yet so as there remains a possibility to procure a Pardon The execution hour is concealed in the Kings own breast It may be the child hath Ten Dayes to live it may be not Two Hours How would you bestir you in Such Case how restlesse Night and Day till your poor childs Pardon is procured except Jehoram-like you were bereav'd of Bowels †2 Chron. 21.19 and had not the least Pity left in you This is your childrens Case if unconverted As after the Sentence a malefactor is a Dead man so before the Second birth a child is a Dead child i e Sentenced and Condemned to be Hanged and Burned and Racked in Hell And peradventure you are driving on designs to procure Portions and not Pardons OH Miserable man to morrow may be thy Son or thy Daughters Damning day And if Once the secret set time be Out the poor child is Haled away into Endlesse Wo. Fourth Your condemned child Coroll 4. Supposed sad sense is also to be supposed under a Sad Sense of it's condemned condition Suppose you should Act as if as Insensible of it as a parent is of a childs Soul condemned state And at your Return in the evening after all the trifling Turns you take in a day your poor child should Quaere with a Sad Countenance Father where have you Been to day Here and There about This and That OH Father what have you not been with the King to day and do not know but I may be Hanged to morrow And as you sit Idleing Sleeping or Smoking in the house GOOD Lord father will you sit Thus and let me be Hanged What a Cutting consideration is This OH how Common is it for children to be in a Soul-condemned condition and will parents who professe to believe it Pipe and Pot and Prate away their time while their children stand on the brink of Everlasting Burnings will they take their Recreation while their children are under Condemnation near that execution and End to perish for Ever the Plague of Pharoh is upon such parents hearts WHAT Faith have such in Gods word what Life is in their faith the faith of DEVILS exceeds a Dead faith * Jam. 2.19 Fath. It is very Sad to consider a child in such Case Min. Very SAD in so saying you say Nothing It 's most Deplorable and Lamentable enough to make a mercifull man wish his head Waters and his eyes a fountain of Tears to weep Day and Night for children so Dismally miserable †Jer. 9.1 And its matter of mourning to think how Few Tears fall into Gods Bottle upon this account Fift Coroll 5. The inhumanity and cruelty of such carelesse parents Cruelty They are said to be more Savage than Sea-Monsters for even They draw out the breast and give such to their Young * Lam. 4.3 but these Men-Monsters are like the Ostriches in the wildernesse with a 7-fold Similitude 1 The Ostrich is between an unclean hatefull Bird and a Beast hath part of Both Ostrich defined but No part of Man as the Meraid hath A sad Character for a father 2 Faith outwardly with feathers †Job 39.13 So is a foul Pharisaical father 3 She is Proud What time she lifteth up her self on High she Scorneth the Horse and his Rider * Ver. 18. 4 She is Foolish because God hath deprived her of wisdom †Ver. 17. In danger she hides her Head and then thinks No body sees Her because She sees no body Man thinks he is Safe because he sees not God Man Cannot see he Will not see and then sayes God Shall not see * Psal 94.7 5 She is forgetfull of the great concern She leaveth her egges in the earth and forgetteth that the foot may Crush them or that the wild
the Fathers My Son hear the Instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother * Pro. 1.8 My Son keep thy Fathers Commandments and forsake not the Low of thy Mother †Ch. 6.20 The Law of GOD is called the Law of the Mother And she commanding her Child according to that Law Her Law is the Law of GOD. Of the neglect of which Duty let the Mother take heed lest there come a time when torment makes her Tare the Hair off her Head Ninth Doc 9. Of Faith Teach them to know the Necessity of True Faith Learn them to know it is the Gift of GOD. And the Work of GOD. And that God makes Preparation for Faith by a threefold Conviction of Unbelief 1 Of the utter Deficiency of Faith 2 Of the absolute Necessity of Faith 3 Of the utter Impossibility of Faith in ones Own Power Acquaint them with a threefold Effect of Faith where it s wrought 1 It makes the Heart Pure †Act. 15.9 2 The Conscience Peaceable * Ro. 15.13 3 It makes Christ Precious †1 Pet. 2.7 This Faith is an One thing necessary For by a Fair Profession without Faith a Soul may seem to be Not Far from the Kingdom of Heaven and yet Never the near Civility gilds Fair sets Off a Man Grace only makes a Golden Chris-ti-an Tenth Doc 10. Of Repentance Teach them the necessity of Speedy Repentance That it s not a Work to be put Off for a Year a Month or a Day Let them know its the Gift of CHRIST †Act. 5.31 And that a Sinner can No more Repent himself than he can Pardon himselfe Putting off Repentance proves that the Sinner thinks he can Repent at his Pleasure Like him who put off Faith till Death And being reproved for his Loose Life replyed It 's but believing in Christ at Last But at Last when Dying he lay ROARING OH I have made a Plaister but I cannot make it Stick Shew your Children how the Devil Steals away a Sinners Dayes by a Day at once Should Satan suggest Thus Come Sinner serve me to the Death Live and Die in my sweet service Without Repentance At this a Sinner would Startle q d Satans Subtiltie So I may go to Hell No but Come serve me a Day more Next morning Away without Prayer to pleasure to Day it s but a Day This is easily granted And so on to the End And when the Last Day of life begins Come go on it s but a Day By and by Down drops the Soul into the Dungeon of Hell And then it will be Cold Comfort to hear Satan say Come be quiet thou hast but an Eternitie to spend in Repenting thy daily delay of Repentance in time N B. Without True and Timely Repentance For Sin and From Sin there is Nothing to be expected but a Certain Fearfull Intolerable and Eternal Damning for Sin Eleventh Doc 11. Of Truth Teach them the Excellency of Truth in Tongue i e Truth in Word that hath Truth in Heart for its Root and Truth in Deed for its Fruit. Though this Truth be not the Original Cause of Salvation yet such Shall be Saved And God hath left you Winning Words to entice them to Truth in Tongue Surely they are my People Children that will not Lie so he was their Saviour * Isa 63.8 The lip of Truth shall be established for Ever †Pro. 12.19 The rest read at leasure * Psal 34.12 N B. The good government of the Tongue is a Great Task And that you had need begin to Guide 1 Pet. 3.10 as soon as it begins to Go. 2 Jo. 4. For if long neglected you may more easily weild a Wild Horse or a Weighty Ship driven with Fierce Winds †Ja. 3.2 to 10. Augustus gave a Schollar this Lesson I said I would take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my Tongue * Ps 39.1 And bid him go and learn that Lesson and come again for another His Scholar goes A hard task and comes again 19 years after and Complains of his Lesson viz that it was So Hard he had not well learned it Yet There are Many Christians in Citie and Country of more than 19 years Standing who have this Lesson still to learn Twelth Doc 12. Of Early Piety Teach them the Excellency of Early Piety Of being Quickly Converted and made good Betimes The Lesse time between the First and Second Birth the Better 1 Tell them Such are under that Sweet Promise They that seek me early shall Find me †Pro. 8.17 2 Of Such God hath a Sweet Remembrance viz I remember Thee the kindnesse of thy Youth * Jer. 2.2 3 Such have not that Mountainous Temptation to clime which Old Converts hardly Ever get Over viz You come too Late 4 It s the way to be Eminent with God and Prevalent in Prayer eg The Child Samuel Ministred unto the Lord * 1 Sam. 3.1 MOSES and AARON and SAMUEL among them that call upon his name they called upon the Lord and he answered Them †Psal 99.6 Though MOSES and SAMVEL stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this People * Jer. 15.1 q d If any Persons in the World prevail with Me They are the Men. And how Lamentable is the Losse of Such When all the Congregation saw that Aaron was Dead they mourned for Aaron 30 dayes even ALL the house of Israel †Nu. 20.29 The Children of Israel wept for Moses 30 dayes * Deu. 34.8 They Murmur against them while they Live but Mourn for them when they are Dead Samuel died and All Israel gathered together and lamented him †1 Sa. 25.1 Jeremiah lamented for good young Josiah and All the Singing Men and Singing Women spake of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day * 2 Chro. 35.25 The First ripe Fruits were Precious to God †Exo. 22.29 And they were so to man * Micha 7.1 The Devil in his Old Enmity against Early Piety hath Tipt the Tongues of some with this Taunt A young Saint and an old Devil Which Satanical Saying and Pestilent Proverb I shall not ask Satan leave to turn thus A young Saint and an old ANGEL Let Satan say his Worst to be Good betimes is Best Mistake me not it 's Being good and not Knowing good only that I plead for One may Know good and Be evil One may Know evil and Be good It s not ones Knowing Good or Evil that makes one Good or Evil but it s ones Loving of Good or Evil which proves one Good or Evil. If a man would know what City he belongs to Zion or Babilon and whether he is going to Heaven or Hell let him ask his love Thirteenth Doc 13. Of Gods eye Teach them to Know that they are Alway under the Open Eye and Open Ear of God Tell
affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To repeat which signifies the Word Cuts and Pierces by Frequent Repition An Edge-Tool is Whet by many Motions and Rubs upon the Whet-Stone and the Stone made Bright thereby So is the Word Sharpened Simile and the Heart Brighten'd and Quickned by Frequent Repition But this requires Discretion i e so to whet as to set an Edge On and not whet it Off again in which work wisdom is profitable to direct †Ecl. 10.10 She openeth her mouth with Wisdom and in her tongue is the Law of Kindnesse * Pro. 31.26 A law hath Force and Power to prevail So words spoken with Wisdome The words of the Wise are as Goads †Ecl. 12.11 they will Prick and as Nails fastened then is a Word well Driven when it Nails the Heart to God Do not Do and Undo as you will if you Overdo Children must not be over-Driven Let my Lord pass over before and I will lead on Softly as the Children be able to endure * Gen. 33.14 Then shall the Lambs feed after their Manner †Isa 5.17 N B. Children well educated have Two Titles in the Bible to teach Parents the Necessity of Frequent Instruction with Discretion 1 Arrows * Psal 127.4 Will a Knotty Crooked Stick be made a Straight Arrow with ease without Work and Art 2 Pollished Stones †Psa 144.12 Will Rough Rocky Cragged Stones become Smooth Pollished Stones sit for a Princes Palace without Pains and Skill in Paring and Hewing No nor some With it neither who after Hewn are Slain as fit for nothing but Slaughter * Ho. 6.5 It s sad when the sword comes to contemn the Rod †Ezrk. 22.13 The Rod is to Convert and Save The Sword to Kill and Damn When the sword does it's Work it contemns the Rod because that did not Do it's Work But Frequent Instructions are Frequently Effectual The waters wear the Stones * Job 14.19 How so If a Flood fall on a Flint at Once it wears it not but it's falling by a Drop at once Does it Gutta cavat lapidem The soft drop hollows the hard Stone i e by falling from the Eaves of an House off the End of a Straw Thus words Frequently falling from Parents Mouths upon Childrens Hearts Smal Acts continued will produce Great Effects Seventh Circum 7. The End to Which Children are Educated viz That Children may be Converted and Saved Soul and Body from Hell to Heaven That Parents may be Satisfied and Comforted in them in Life and Death That God may be Served and Glorified by them And They Glorified with GOD for Evermore So much of the Circumstances of Education Fath. If my Children be willing to hear and learn Instruction how shall I Carry it to them Min. If your Children deserve Praise Pray let them have it i e So much as will encourage them to Be and Do better Not too Much I pray Praise may soon Spoil Caution As the fining pot for Silver and the furnace for Gold so is a man to his Praise †Pro. 27.21 i e so is a mans Praise to Him The fining pot and furnace Try the silver and Gold Simile and discover the Drosse so a mans Praise will Try what mettal he is made of it will discover his drosse i e Pride Vanity Levity A man can neither be too Worthy nor too Wary of Praise Fath. How if All the good Instruction I can give them hath No good Operation upon them Min. If Words will not Work try what Tears will do Go King Edwards way to Work viz K. Edw. the 6th When he could not prevail against Cranmer and Ridley with Arguments he Wept he fell a Crying and then they were overcome Tears are Crying Words Crying Words heard as High as Heaven the Lord hath heard the voice of my Weeping * Psal 6.8 Tears have Piercing Tongues One would think the Tears of a Father should break a Heart of Flint Fath. How if Crying Words will not work on the Hearts of my Children Min. Then try what Dying Words will do when That Day Comes Dying Words Leave Dying Words behind you to work when You are Dead Dying Words may be Living Words by which you may speak when Dead as Abel Did †Heb. 11.4 Gather your Children about you Death-Bed as Jacob did Jacob called unto his Sons and said Gather your selves and hear ye sons of Jacob and hearken to Israel your Father * Gen 49.1 q d Come my Dear Children Hear the words of your Dying Father But Do not defer any one Dayes Duty till your Dying Day A Dying Dayes work is a Great Dayes work of it Self without any work that layes Behind It 's the Greatest Dayes work of All the Dayes of a mans Life Die a little word a great work The Word Die is but Small but the Work Die is Great Besides should you defer your Duty till you come to Die your Children will think you want Sleep and and are Light-Headed your talk being unusual and strange and so will not regard your words Do your Duty Daily while you Live that when you come to Die you may say to your Children as Mr. Bolton said to his when he was Dying viz None of you will Dare to meet me out of Christ in the Judgement Day Now let us come to the Second General Head viz Correction But Do you not See One of your Sons hath given us the Slip. Pray Recall him quickly Fath. HO Sirrah Whither go You Come again quick I charge you Come not near that Coach there You Jackanapes will you Offer it I would fain see that Ay Do I would you Durst Min. OH Good Lord have merey on these Poor Children Parent corrected What words are here from a Father to a Child Sirrah Jackanapes Atat Papae Apage OH Alas Out upon it I would fain see that Do I would you Durst What is the Childs Disobedience desirable to the Father Consequently the Childs Damnation in Hell is desirable Under the Law the disobedient Child was stoned to Death under the Gospel is Damned to Hell Now I come to Direct you to Correct your Children it appears you need Correction your Self Fath. Why does he Anger me then I use to speak so in my Anger I cannot Help it I mean him no Hurt Min. Why does he Anger me I thought I had been Speaking to a Man all this while Because your Son is a Child You will be So too Because He angers You You will anger GOD. I use to speak so OH How do you Accuse your self by this Excuse By this Reply when a man is Accused of a Sin he Accuses himself of a Thousand more to clear One and all that Aggravates that One. If I should ask such a man Friend why do you Swear I am used to it I cannot Help it it 's an old Custom from my Cradle This
†Ex. 4.3 But when he handled it in Faith and Obedience it ceased to be a Serpent to Slay him and became a Rod to Stay him 4 The Fathers Rod If he use it Well it will be his Staff Correct thy Son and he shall give thee Rest * Pro. 29.17 If the Rod be So used as to fetch Folly out of the childs Heart and make it Wise what then My Son if thine Heart be Wise my Heart shall rejoyce even mine * Pro. 23.15 Thus if Good Successe But if No good successe yet if the Parent perform his Part it will be his Stay though the Child falls Down into Hell Fire Fath. Now give me some Direction in this Rod Correction Min. I will so 1 Direct for Rod Correction The first Direction shall be by way of Caution with respect to the Original Signification of the word Rod viz A Staff Hence you are in NO wise to imagine that you may beat a Child with a Staff as if you were to beat a Bull or a Bear in so doing the Child may reply as the Philistine to David Am I a Dog NO but with a Rodof small Twigs or such like which will Smart but not Hurt ¶ 2 Do it Timely Chasten thy son while there is hope * Pro. 19.18 q d 2 Direct There will be No hope if hardened by long neglect So heart hardening is Sin that some Children under the Rod have reply'd to their Parents Ay Kill me if you will I will Never yield Childrens corruptions are the Cords by which Satan binds them to the Stake to be Burned and draws them down to hell to be Damned If you will cut these Cords do it Early and you do it Easily But while you neglect your Duty Behold a Double Miserie viz Satan is both Softening your Childrens Hears for his own Suggestions and Hardening them against your Instruction and Correction So that the Heart will be as Soft Wax to Satans Temptation to receive the Least Impresson and as a Hard Flint to GODS Word a Mans Rod. Past Cure Till at length it may be to as much Purpose to correct a Child as to whip a Post or a Wild Beast ¶ 3 Do it Tenderly 3 Direct Lovingly Pitifully Patiently Not Passionately Wrathfully or Angerly It was a Sweet Saying of Plato to his provoking Scholar Parent learn of Plato I could find in my heart to Beat thee but that I am Angry with thee Parents put Children to pain for Satans pleasure Some parents will not correct their Children till Provocation hath put them into a Passion He that is moved by Passion to Correction obeyeth not GOD but the DEVIL and Passion and God will not Blesse but Curse such correction N B God corrects His Children in Love to learn you to correct Your Children in Love Make it manifest to your childrens Consciences and Capacities that you correct them in Obedience to GOD and in Love to their Souls and the it 's like to have Good Successe ¶ 4 Do it Secretly 4 Direct Put not a poor Child to Publick Shame Let not a child be Corrected as if a man was to be Executed i e upon a Stage but have it into the House of Correction i e some close Corner or Chamber If your Childrens Faults are offensive to your Neighbours or Publick it 's convenient to let them Know of Correction for good Example Sake and lest they think you Wink at Wickednesse ¶ 5 Do it Unanimously 5 Direct Let Father and Mother remember the Insitution Conjunction Injunction of God for their Union from the Beginning They shall be One †Gen. 2.24 Did he not make One and wherefore One to seek a Godly Seed Heb a seed of God * Mal. 2.15 God is speaking against Unlawfull Marriage and Disunion in Life N B Marriage according to Gods Institution accompanied with a Godly Conversation and Union in the Education of Children is an Excellent way of Good Successe in seeking a Godly Seed But if Disunited in this Deed if there be a Disunion in Correction the Faulty Child flees from one to the other for Shelter And thinks the Child of the next evil Act I will Venture for my Mother will save me from my Fathers Rod. This Hardens and Spoils and makes a child Love one and Hate the other and love that parent Most that Least deserves it Note the Fruit of this Parental Diversity of Education by this Text. A Wise Son makes a Glad Father * Pro. 10.1 Why not a glad Mother too It 's when the sons Wisdom is a fruit of the fathers Wise godly education But a Foolish Son is the heavinesse of his Mother Why not of his Father too It 's when the sons Folly is a fruit of the mothers Fondnesse which serves to make children Fools which folly she must Feed on as the bitter fruit of her doings It ' Strange yet True viz That Mothers had need Learn to Love their Own Children * Tit. 2.4 If they do not they are like to Love them so as to learn God to Loath them and so as to Shelter them from the Rod that should Save them Parents must not one Oppose another But let Both agree and Both be present and Acquiesce in this Act of Rod Correction Vis unita fortior ¶ 6 Do it Proportionably to the Fault 6 Direct And that must be sometimes Softly and sometime Sharply If God will Plague David and Spare Doeg it is the Lord let him do as he will Gods Will is his Rule Gods Word is Mans Rule by which Word the offender is to be beaten according to his Fault by a certain number of stripes †Deu. 25.2 To which the Law of the N T is Consonant * Lu. 12.47 And Laws of Justice among Christians and Heathens for even some of These have been Excellent in their love To and exercise Of Justice Consider what Circumstances of a childs Fault do Aggravate it e g Such a Time Sabbath Day and in Sermon Time Often Warned of it Little Tempted to it Done with Delight Sweet Meat must have Sowre Sauce Consider what may Lessen the Fault e g Much Temptation to it Little Warning of it Ignorance of the Evil of the Act. He that knows and yet does evil shall be beaten with Many stripes †Lu. 12.47 He that knows not with Few stripes Much Correction for Little Transgression is not Equity but Cruelty Little Correction for Much Transgression is Impiety Foolish Pity Both Unjust Unsuitable Unprofitable next to Nothing if not Worse than Nought ¶ 7 Do it Effectually 7 Direct To which end it must sometime be done Smartly A Rod is such a Plaister for a childs Sore as will not Cure without Smart Let it Smart till the child Submit Let not the Rod Go till the Child do kindly Kisse it away God will do thus by His Children and you must do thus by Your
spend their Time in Foming out Fume to smoke the Air where they Sit Walk Ride or lay in Bed As if men were Born to take Tabacco Should it please God to raise a man from the Dead who died Anno 1580 and say Come I will send thee to see the Exercise of England the man would Wonder what men are Doing This Smoking Trade at Every Turn would be as great a Wonder to Him as his Rising from the Dead would be to Them It 's bewitching ¶ 3 It is a Venity which hath a bewitching Faculty It works on the Will and makes men Willing to be bewitched with it It takes away appetite from Bread the Staffe of Life and begets an impetuous appetite after it Self And so brings a man under it's power which Paul in All Points resolve against All things are Lawful but all things are not Expedient all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the Power of any †1 Cor. 6.12 ¶ 4 It 's an Epidemical Infectious Contagious Vice where is it's like under the Sun Both Sexes Men and Women All Degrees of Men from the DUKE to the Dray-man on the Dung-hill All Sects in point of profession of Religion In a word All Men some few excepted are more or lesse Vitiously addicted to it ¶ 5 This bewitching weed this Indian Henbane Hot Henbane is Hot and Dry in a High Degree It Dries away the Juice and Moisture of the Body till it be like a Bottle in the Smoke It inflames the Blood It distempers and intoxicates the Brain And doth the whole Man much hurt Physical ¶ 6 It 's strongly Physical therefore not fit for Food nor Fashion Too much of the Best Food will Soon fit a man for the Worms Too much of the Best Physick will Send a man to the Same Place Tabacco is a Physical Herb. To take Physick at every turn both Full and Fasting At every meals meat in Conclusion a Potion Another in Bed As oft as men Meet on Any Occasion to take a Potion And abroad in the Cold Air to open the Veins and Pores of the Body to let in Death This is a MAD TRADE An ill master ¶ 7 Where Tabacco hath got the Mastery it is a great Enemy And the more a man Loves it and keeps it Company as if it were a Friend The more it is an Enemy And he that is under this Slavery is not at Liberty to order either Body or Soul as he should Nor does he seem to Care what becomes of one or the other Let such beware lest they lose Both by the Love of Tabacco Let such take heed they do not So smoke away their Time as to smoke to Eternity in the sulpherous smoke of Fire and Brimstone which ascends up for Ever and Ever †Rev. 14.10 11. Caution And let them that Preach Down any one Vice in their Pulpits take heed they do not Set Up this unparallel'd Vice for another in their Practice And the same I say of All Professors of godliness ¶ 8 The time may come when if they Had it and that would Do Prodigal Parents would give Rivers of Oyl and Sack-fulls of Silver and Gold for the Golden hours they suffer to Swim Down these Two Streams and will not use them for the Education of their poor perishing children Job was very Officious for his Children he Sent to them he Sanctified them he Sacrificed for them he rose up Early to do it he did it according to the number of them All i e he did his duty to Every one for Job said It May be my sons have Sinned * Job 1.5 How many do know Certainly their sons have sinned Notoriously and yet let it passe unpardoned Thus did Job continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the dayes †Ver. 5. as long as they lived And yet when Dead what a Doleful Ditie doth he makes with his Elegie * Ch. 29.2 5. If So how may Carelesse Parents Howl if by Sudden death their Children Fall Fath. Pray did you never take Tabacco Min. Take it Yes truly and that took Me too into Custody and Slavery But having got Liberty it shall Never take me more nor I That by the help of God in whose Fear I forsook it Fath. I will never take Tabacco again as I have done Two Pipes a day shall be All. The good lawfull convenient use of it you allow Min. True but that respects him that can So use it Who can have Himself and It at Command make it his Servant not his Master Take it and Leave it as he List which Few can do In these three words Good Lawfull Convenient are implyed two more viz UndersTanding Thanksgiving What you take of this Physick you must Understand to be Proper for your Distemper and take no more than does you Good and for which you may with Boldness and Acceptance to God give Thanks †1 Tim. 4.4 Far be it from you to take it for Fashion-sake Or to p lease the Palate Or to shew that piece of Breeding so called which every Clown hath so long since learn'd And as to your Two Pipes because I doubt you cannot Command it I conclude it 's your Safest way to cast it Quite off For if it be not a Servant in Subjection it will be a Mast er in Dominion It 's like an encroaching Parasite give him an Inch he will take an Ell. It 's like the Pope of Rome Simile He must Up or Down now in England And if with you all England would Expell this Vanity as I pray they may do Popery it would be a Thousand times better for where it does a Grain of Good it does a Masse of Mischief Were Englands Wealth well Ordered England would live Well If what the Rich Wast in this bewitching Weed was given to the Poor provided they leave Wasting it would make them all Rich. And the Rich not the Poorer but the Richer i e with the Reward they shall receive of the Lord who lend to Him by relieving the Poor * Pro. 19.17 But if men have Smoked away their Senses it 's in vain to say Lo how Black is this Crow or how White is this Snow Well So or So it gives me some Content that I have thus far cast Contempt upon the Abominable Abuse of this Honourable Creature Tabacco which hath almost England at Command beside Other Countries And whether I call this a Testimony for God against this Vanity of Vanities or No yet Take it SO. ¶ Sir in pleading against Sin Vanity Carnality I plead for GOD against whom it is Enmity And whether You or Others will Hear or Forbear †Ezek. 3.11 yet I will endeavour to deliver my Soul * Ver. 19. For Gods hand is taking hold of Judgment In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup it is full of mixture †Psal 75.8 i e of Judgments without mixture
Double destruction Body and Soul both at once An evil Counseller As evil as the Devil will speak Death in at the Ear as the DEVIL at first did Evil Counsel is enough to bring the KING of a Nation to Confusion and Destruction I have read of a king A Kings Confession who confessed at his Execution that such Evil Instruments brought him to the Block Evil discourse Infects How oft is Death Blown into Souls by an Infectious Breath Seventh Docu 7. Restraint Take heed of allowing them too much Liberty to wander abroad upon Pleasure Dinah must go Gadding to see the daughters of the Land and she comes home Deslowed †Gen. 34.1 And much more mischief follows Simeon and Levi in their cursed anger Kill their Confederates whom they had Coozened into a Covenant * Ver. 25. And it was a wonder that Damsels walk did not end in the Destruction of Jacob and his House as he feared †Ver. 30. I may say to you as Paul bid the Colossians say to Archippus viz Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it * Col. 4.17 Every parent is an Archippus who hath received a Ministry of the Lord in Charge for children Archippus is a Greek word which signifies A governour of horses Children are Wild Colts †Job 11.12 who when grown Head-strong will not regard the crying of the driver * Job 39.7 ¶ Sir you should seriously consider what a Roaring Lyon the Devil is †1 Pet. 5.8 and how diligently he deviseth to Devour your children And that it 's not your Own conversion that will prove their preservation from Temporal or Eternal destruction but Their godly education God hath sworn that Noah Daniel and Job shall deliver neither Son nor Daughter by their Own righteousnesse * Ezek. 14.20 It 's not parents imputative righteousnesse for Justification nor inherent righteousnesse for Sanctification that will Save their children But it 's their righteousnesse in Conversation viz Godly Education by which they must become their Saviours It 's not the Conversion of a Father nor of an Emperour that can secure a poor child from Satan the Devourer And therefore a Child was he who cryed out for joy at the Emperours conversion O! the Emperour is a Christian q d Emperour Now we shall have Halcion dayes a Heaven upon Earth To whom a wiser person thus replyed But the DEVIL is not a Christian yet And so long as he is not Converted nor Confined to the bottomlesse pit Christians must look for No lesse mischief then he can do Them and Theirs too He will go to the End of his Bounds to a Hairs Breadth 〈◊〉 And here let me adde this Caution Caution 〈◊〉 â—hen your children are under Convictions enquire into Satans Temptations For if once the children be come to the Birth it will be on the Devils part a day of Rebuke and Blasphemy †2 Kin. 19.3 Rebuke to Conviction Convertion Faith Hope Prayer q d It 's too Soon thou art too Young or too Good to need such a Change Or it s too Late thou art too Old and too Wicked to be saved Blasphemy by such suggestions from SATAN against GOD CHRIST the Spirit of grace that the foul may think Unpardonable The Sum of all which is 1 to make a soul Secure and Presume on salvation Without conversion or 2 to drive a soul to Despair of salvation With conversion Eight Docu 8. Examination Take an Acount of your childrens Practices Purposes Pretences Even a Child is known by his Doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right * Pto. 20.11 The neglect of this Duty had like to lost David's Life Absalom intends Rebellion and he pretends Religion I pray thee let me go and pay my Vow which I Vowed to the Lord in Hebron †2 Sam. 15.7 And the King said Go in peace * Ver. 9. Poor David Ah pitifull reply David should have Sifted the businesse about q d How now what Vow a Vow to the Lord and defer to pay it for 40 Years †Ver. 7. what fiery Fit is this you are fallen into how comes it to passe you are Now so conscionable who have been So long carelesse Had David been Considerate Absaloms design had been Frusâ—â—â—â—â— But David makes No more to do Go in peace q d Absalom is in a Very good mind I hope he will Now be a Comfort to me A way goes Absalom to make War with his father This turns David's Tune his Harp into mourning * Job 30.31 Behold my Son which came forth of my bowels seeks my Life †2 Sam. 16 11. And besides Absalom's Death and David's Dolorous Grief this causes a Slaughter of Twenty Thousand men That Phrase hath Too much foundation In nomine Domini incipit omne malum Ninth Docu 9. Partiality Take heed of fond Partiality It 's of evil Consequence It sets that Root which bears Gall * Deu. 29.18 And sets children together by the Ears And makes them Murder one another e g Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob †Gen. 29.28 Isaac called Esau HIS son * Ch. 27.1 and Rebekah spake to Jacob HER son †Ver. 6. Esau was Isaacs boy Jacob was Rebekahs boy What is the fruit of this parental partiality even Esau's Partiality and Enmity to his Father Mother and Brother Esau hated Jacob q d He hath All my mothers heart she hath None for Me and I will have as little for Her The dayes of mourning for my father are at hand then will I Slay my brother Jacob * Ver. 41. q d Not while my loving Father lives to grieve him but when he is Dead and my mother under Dolour I will Double it by my brothers Murder She thinks Birth-right and Blessing and All too little for him but he shall not Long enjoy it nor She him At Esau's threat Jacob flees for his Life yet takes not Warning but loves Joseph more than All his children †Gen. 37.3 For which Love his brethren Hate him conspire to Slay him and Sell him into Egypt to his fathers Sorrow And Gods Providence in this will not justifie Jacobs inordinate Affection nor his sons evil Action N B. Children can quarrell Too soon of their own Heads though parents set them not together by the Ears e g. Two Brothers walked abroad in a Star-light night Said A A Sad Story Would I had a Pasture as large as this Element Said B. Would I had as many Oxen as there be Stars Said A Mr Jer Burroughs and Camerarius Where would you feed them all Said B In your Pasture A What whether I will or no B Yes whether you will or no. A What in Spight of me B Yes in Spight of you And thus from Words to Blows till they Sheathed their Swords in each others
prayer †Col. 4.1 2 i e For them and With them Note these Phrases Cornelius prayed to God alway * Act. 10.2 Pray without ceasing †1 Thes 5.17 Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually * 2 Sa. 9.7 Was Mephibosheth such a Cormorant as to eat bread at David's table Day and Night is a man to do Nothing but Pray as if he was an Angel who hath no earthly trade to follow No the Sense of these Sayings Alway Direct 2. without Ceasing Continually is Do it Daily at Set Times ¶ 2 Choose the Fittest and Best part of these times i e Early in the morning and Early in the evening Then are you like to be Best disposed and your Service Best accepted They that seek me early shall find me †Pro. 8.17 Direct 3. ¶ 3 Choose the fittest Place Christ commends a close Closet to a Christan as a fit place for private prayer * Mat. 6.6 Such a place is also fittest for a Family which is freest from noise Distracting thoughts will come in too Soon though they be not sent in by Sounds and caused by Clamours abroad Direct 4. ¶ 4 Be not hindered by Trifles that is hatefull to God He that will not go to Heaven till there be nothing in the Way is Never like to come there Direct 5. ¶ 5 Lay all businesse By during the Time of the duty Order your Fire to be freed from that evil kind of Fore-cast of placing some Vessel upon it to be Stirred or Tended upon and took Off in prayer Cursed fore cast Some fore-cast is as good as Work but this is worse than Nought ¶ 6 Gather all your Family together Direct 6. to prayer Gather the people together Men and Women and Children and thy Stranger that is within thy gates that they may Hear and Learn and Fear the Lord †Deu. 31.12 All Judah stood before the Lord with their Little-ones their Wives and their Children * 2 Chro. 20.13 Both Young men and Maidens Old men and Children let them Praise the name of the Lord †Psal 148.12 13. Direct 7. ¶ 7 And Far be it from you for Ever to separate your children from Gods Service as some do who for a peaceable preparation for prayer Pack their children to Bed at 5 6 7 8 9 10 years of age with such a Salvo forsooth They will Cry or Sleep or Something and disquiet in duty Strange peace is This the way to train up a child in the way he should go is This the way to bring Up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord If they Cry or Sleep it 's the Parents fault Late prayer or some disorder is the Matter Serve GOD and the Soul before you serve the Body Go to prayer before Supper And make a Law viz They that Cry shall be Whipt and they that Sleep shall go Supperlesse to Bed And do not drive your children away before the Duty Odious Order as if they were Dogs and leave your Dogs in their room as if they were Christians as some do Both which are abominations I have heard of a Youth who was Converted by an expression in prayer It was because he heard it If he had been Packed to Bed that night before Prayer to the prevention of his conversion doubtlesse it had pleased the Devil to Purpose Direct 8 ¶ 8 Take heed of praying To persons Cauttion instead of praying For them i e by affected Phrases and tinkling Tones Hatefull is that prayer to GOD which is devised formed and phrased to please Man And No better are the Prayers of some persons The Devil is such a Chymist he can extract evil out of Good and Poyson a person with his Own Prayers by puffing him up with Pride in them Direct 9 ¶ 9 Precede Prayer with the Word The word and prayer are put together * 1 Tim. 4.5 Read a Chapter before Prayer And speak something to your Family from what you read Direct 10 ¶ 10 And let me commend the Annual reading over the Bible in a Family for a good Custom which may be thus performed There is in the O T Chapters 779. Psalms 150. Chapters and Psalms 929. In the N T Chapters 260. In both O T and N T Chapters 1039. In both O T and N T Chapters and Psalms in all 1189. There is in a Year 365 Dayes In Bissextile A Rule to read the Bible or Leap-Year 366. Read 3 Chapters a Day and read so many Psalms a Day when you are at them as to read them all in 20 Dayes in Bissextile and in 19 Dayes in another Year this reads the Bible through in a Year except One Chapter which is easily added to the last dayes Task Or if you have Bentley's Bible it hath 375 Leaves If you read one leafe a Day this does it except 9 leaves in Bissextile and 10 leaves in another Year which is not one leaf a Month more than one a Day In a word one quarter of an hour in 24 hours with a ready Reader reads the Blessed Bible in a Year And which of us does not trifle away Ten Times more Time than so Unworthy is that Person of the Name and far from the Nature of a Christians who thinks SO little time too Much to spend in Reading God's Precious Pure Blessed Word Thus far of Family Duty Fath. But hear me before you proceed any farther I am unfit for Family Duty because of my weaknesse to perform it Min. If you know what you say and be as Willing as Weak it is well for then you will venture on your Duty and trust to Gods Stregth which will carry you through what Ever he calls you to Sufficient for satisfaction is that One Promise as thy Dayes So shall thy Strength be †Deu. 33.25 Let the weak believe and say I am Strong * Joel 3.10 But tell me true is there not somewhat else at bottom Fath. Truly there is I am ashamed to pray in my Family among my Servants Min. Now you say Something though worse than Nothing The former was Weaknesse this is Wickednesse Ashamed to speak to GOD to serve GOD to be like GOD what ashamed of GOD OH dreadfull read this Text and Tremble Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father †Mar. 8.38 According to Christs glory will the shame of such be i e Infinite To see what a glorious Person is ashamed to Own them To see what a Master they have been ashamed to Serve To see shamefull Spewing upon their Glory * Hab. 2.16 Shame is the punishment prepared for Christs implacable enemies HIS enemies will I cloath with Shame †Psal 132.18 It s like clothes 1 They are Visible so is Shame Simile 2 Unseparable while the Person is visible Dissimile so
is Shame It 's unlike clothes they Cover nakednesse shame Discovers it for ever What shall I say if Shame be your Sin take heed Shame be not your Sorrow The Sin of shame and the Sorrow of shame are Both unspeakable It 's written of Ajax the great Grecian warriour Ajax's dying saying of Shame that he Died with Shame and cryed No death like it And Christs enemies who are ashamed of him at last are like to cry No damnation like it ¶ Sir I must tell you though you deferve not to be told that you are ashamed of your Glory Grace makes a man glorious Within and godlinesse makes a man glorious Without Your Duty is your Dignity Do it and God will Dignifie you For it Them that honour me I will-honour * 1 Sa. 2.30 If any man serve me him will my Father honour †Joh. 12.26 You count it an Honour to serve an Emperour what is it then to be served By an Emperour yet all this is Drosse to the Service of God To be a Servant of the great God is a greater Honour than to be a Master of all the men in the world And yet is not this All for he that serves God him will God serve God will shut the Door after his servant Noah * Gen. 7.16 God will make the Bed †Psal 41.3 and he will wash the Feet * Jo. 13.5 He that will wait on God on him will God wait †Isa 30.18 Even GOD who is King of Christans King of Nations King of Kings King of Heaven and King of Glory At whose Splendor Angels Wonder and each one covers his Face with two wings as with a double Vail * Isa 6.2 Fath. I will object no more against prayer Min. Then I will direct more For prayer ¶ Pray with your children not only in your Family but sometimes do You Pray with children in Closet sometime let their Mother sometime let both father and mother take their children into their Closet and pray with them There 1 In this way you may the more Freely confesse their bad Herts and Faults to God bewail their Condition and speak to God for them 2 This way will make it manifest to GOD that you are in good Earnest for their Good 3 It will make it manifest to your Children that you have more than a common care of them as in Common among your Servants for it will shew them you have a Special respect for them 4 And it will have a Good Effect upon them If the heart of the fathers be to their children the heart of the children will be to their fathers †Mal. 4.6 Your Children will see the difference of this duty and You will see it for it Will work and it will NOT be so well without it ¶ Teach your children a right way to pray for themselves To teach Children to pray Teach them not to call God Father in a state of Nature as some parents do who teach their children to Lie to the Lord and speak Blasphemy against God But put them into Such a way to pray as Such may use viz To pray for the life of their Parents And for their Own life And for mercies to maintain life as meat drink clothing protection from danger And to pray for life for their Souls For a Sight and Sense of Sin For a Saviour For Pardon For grace in the Heart For a new Birth That they may be the children of GOD. And be saved from the power of Sin and SATAN and Hell Fire And may go to Heaven and be happy both in Body and Soul for Ever Fath. If children be wicked they may not pray Object for the praying of the wicked is Sin Min. So is the Plowing of the wicked sin too * Pro. 21.4 By your argument the wicked must not Plough i e follow a Calling for a Living but Beg Steal or Starve 2 I grant whether the wicked Plough or Play or Pray they sin yet they must Plogh and Pray too or do worse for the Neglect is worse than the Act. If to pray is Sin not to pray is a Worse sin And of two evils it 's best to choose the Least and refuse the Greatest 3 The wicked are Created to pray †Act. 17.26 27. 4 The wicked are Commanded to pray * Act. 8.22 5 Prayer is put up and recorded for Wrath to be poured out upon them because they Do not pray †Jer. 10.25 6 A precept for parents to teach children to Pray is Certainly implyed in these expresses for Education viz Train up a child in the way he should go * Pro. 22.6 Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord †Eph. 6.4 Fath. I have head a Professor say To teach children to Pray is the way to make them Hypocrites Min. He is not so sure of That as I am of This viz To let them go Prayerlesse is the way to harden them for Hell Fire OH what a Cutting Cry will this be One-day in Hell I am Damned because my parents did not teach me to Pray to be Saved He that forbids the wicked to Pray if he is not a wicked Man yet his is a wicked Act. And whatsoever be his Condition he is in that Point under Delusion Let such men say what they will I say teach your children to Pray And again I say Do it if in Dooms-day God do Blame you for it Caution Black Art I will be bound to bear it ¶ But Let not your children learn that Black Art of boldnesse by prayer viz To sin the more securely Like that Religious Beast I have paid my Vows therefore came I forth to meet thee come let us take our Fill of love * Pro. 7.14 15 18. Mr Tho Shephard Or like that London Monster who haunted Taverns Theatres Whore-houses all day but Durst not go out in the morning without prayer and Then so bold he durst bid the Devil do his Worst Or like such who serve God on the Sabbath day for a Licence to live licentiously all the Week after For if the Sacrifice of the wicked be Sin how much more when he brings it with a wicked mind †Pro. 21.27 Procure prayer ¶ Last Procure the prayers of Praying Persons for your children as much as may be and esteem of such Persons as Precious Had I an opportunity of Preaching to all the praying persons in England at Once I would exhort and beseech them All in general and Every One in particular to pray for ALL the children of the children of God Some have Observed and Asserted That the children of Many Prayers do Seldom miscarry So much concerning Prayer I shall come to a conclusion with Ten considerable Corollaries Te Corol. to quicken you to your Whole Duty contained in this Conference First 1. Coroll Fathers Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab. The very Name of
do no good now Alas said he I therefore weep because weeping will do on good And with the woman who was so busied in saving her Stuffe that her child in the Cradle was forgot till the house on fire was Down and the child Dead and then she remembred it Roaring O my child my child And with Jacob when he supposed Joseph was torn in pieces I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning thus his father wept for him * Gen. 37.35 If Joseph had been torn in pieces with a wild beast as Jacob supposed what had that been to a childs being torn by Devils in Hell to all Eternity Ninth Coroll 9. Dooms-day Dolour Consider the Dolefull out-cries of Damned children in Dooms-day against their carnal carelesse prophane Parents who have Lamentably lost Themselves and their Children too When poor children with Pale faces yet as Flames and hearts full Horrour shall ROAR out O Father Mother what have You done I must Burn for ever in Hell for the Sins you learned me to live in by your Sinfull example The oaths I have Sworn will Cursing of men God will Curse me for ever You set me to Work and let me Play on the Sabbath day I had no rest from Sin and now I must have no rest from Sorrow but Roar for ever Now Gods wrath will be Poured out upon me because I did not Pray To pray you would Never learn me except to say the Creed the 10 Commands and the Lords Prayer by which you learned me to Lie for which I must Lay in the Lake †Rev. 21.8 You learned me to neglect Salvation now I have Lost it You learned me to Mock the godly now God Mocks at my misery You led me after our Blind Guide who called us Christians and Gods children now we are in the ditch of Damnation together * Mat. 15.14 You let me Game away my time by which I have lost Heaven and won Hell I would have heard good Sermons which I heard folks Commend and say Sinners were Saved by them but you would not Suffer me but Shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against me OH that Dreadfull Judge will presently passe the Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire †Mat. 25.41 and then we shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever It will be a Hell to me to behold You in Hell you Cursed father and murderer And it will be a Hell to you to hear me Howl and Roar and Curse you to your Face for Ever And a Thousand such Dolorous ditties Ten thousand times more Terrible than tongue can tell Sir though it be not your Portion to perish with a child lost by your neglect yet is it nothing Now to think that when you are in Heaven you shall have a child to Howl in Hell and curse you there for Ever or will it be Nothing to you in the judgment Day seeing as the Scripture signifies some Saints shall then be subject to Shame Sorrow and saved so as by Fire * 1 Cor. 3.15 Last Coroll 10. Sweet fruit of good Successe Consider the comfortable joyfull effect and Sweet fruit of such godly Education as ends in Salvation and that both in Time and in Eternity It may be a comfort to you in Any condition on Earth to think your children are Heaven-born Pardoned Justified Sanctified and shall be Glorified If they should be Poor yet they are Rich and will be the Richer for their Poverty to all Eternity Whatsoever they Do or Suffer or Lose for God he will Richly reward them Whosoever is their Enemy God will be their Friend and will Never fail them If they be Sick or in any Adversity Still they are Happy If You be sick or in any trouble they will Pray for you If they Die while you live you may be more comforted in their Death than a man can be in a childs Birth or wicked Life If You die while they live you may Sweetly say with Jacob Behold I die but GOD shall be with you †Gen. 48.21 In the Judgment day how Sweet to stand at Jesus Right hand saying Behold I and the Children which God hath given me * Heb. 2.13 none Lost by my negligence all Saved by my diligence How sweet to be the Subjects of this Golden Sentence Come ye blessed of my Father O festus dies while others are the Subjects of that most Direfull Doom Depart ye Cursed How Sweet to be for Ever in Heaven to Trumpet out Eternal Praises and Sing Halelujahs for joy of Heart while others howl for Sorrow of Heart in Hell How Sweet for you and your children to be a Heaven in Heaven to each other while others shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever Yea how Sweet may this dayes Dialogue under this tree be to you in Eternity if it may Issue in what I aim at And what shall I more Say shall I Yet plead with you for pity to your Own Children if I was pleading with you for some small kindnesse for my self methinks I should prevail If I was pleading with you to pity an Enemy who is ready to Perish for want of a Penny me thinks I should prevail And shall I not prevail with you to pity your own poor perishing Children what is your Reply Fath. What shall one do who hath long neglected his duty to his Children till they be hardened in Sin Min. Bewail it to GOD. Implore his Pardon Confesse it to your Children with Sorrow that you are so far in their Debt Set upon your work with Shame If they reject your Counsel bear it patiently Lay their Disobedience at your Own Door And follow God with Petition and your children with Instruction till if possible you Prevail for their Conversion Fath. I hope I shall set about this Solemn Work of so Great Concern God grant I may for I am much troubled at my long neglect Min. I perceive what I have said shakes your Head but GOD knowes whether it shakes your Heart However I hope you will not spend your time in talking to your children of Church-Steeples and Brick Chimneys by the way back Conclusive Caution But Take heed you do not deceive Me nor your Self nor your Children God is not Mocked If you do indeed perform your part Parent-like to the Purpose then may these children here Present and the children which are yet Unborn arise up and Call you Blessed To which more might be added but it 's Time to Retire for I see the Sun is walked far into the West And so Sir I shall take my Leave of You and Yours wishing you all Well for this World and for that which is to Come Fath. Sir we wish You and Yours the like Welfare And we do give GOD and You thanks for this Godly Advice ΤΕΛΟΣ POST-SCRIPT IN the Epistle I direct to know Emphatical words by Capital letters and speak of beginning them
People under a C G. This covenant God made with Abraham viz To be a God to Him and his Seed †Gen. 17.7 And renewed it with Them Behold the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with YOV * EXO 24.8 The blood of the C W is a saying of a Strange Sound except you mean the blood of the Breach of that covenant i e the blood of the Offender which is Execution not Salvation I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat from between the two Cherubims of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel †Exo. 25.22 The faces of the Cherubims looked toward the Mercy Seat * Ver. 20. to signifie the desire of Angels to look into this mystery of Grace and Life for man †1 Pet. 1.12 after God that cannot Lie had said Man must die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This covenant Verbally was made with all Abraham's seed Indefinitely but Virtually and Efficaciously so as to secure life Eternally it respected a Secret Distinction and Vein of Election for they are not all Israel which are of Israel * Rom. 9.6 but the children of the Promise are counted for the Seed †Ver. 8. God is LORD of ALL * Mat. 11.25 but to These he is a GOD God is not the GOD of the Dead but of the Living †Ch. 22.32 They that did Beleeve were not under a C W and Cured but under a C G and Blessed with faithfull Abraham * Gal. 3.9 And the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was 430 years after cannot disanull †Ver. 17. To our purpose is the Preface to the Ten commandments viz I am the Lord thy God which cannot Be by a C W. It is not Do this and I will be thy God but I am thy God therefore Do this * Deu. 5.15 Fath. God saith If ye keep my Covenant Object 1 then ye shall be a Peculiar treasure unto me †Exo. 19.5 Min. So Jesus saith He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father * Joh. 14.21 In such sayings God speaks as a Father to children to draw to Duty q d Do So and I will Love thee The childs love is not the Cause but the Effect not the Root but the Fruit of the fathers love to the child we love Him because he first loved Vs †1 Joh. 4.19 To a people under a C G the Law on Mount Sinai was delivered as on Mount Sion in the hand of a Mediatour * Gal. 3.19 without whom God had nothing to speak to man but Death N B. From his Right hand i e where Christ sitteth and Then virtually sat went a fiery law Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fire of law For them not Against them and how Formidable and Fiery soever yet it was a fruit of Gods love yea he Loved the people †Deu. 33.2 3. Fath. Not against them say you Object 2 Paul saith it was against them and so took out of the way by Christ * Col. 2.14 Min. He speaks of the C L which to disobey was death †Lev. 23.29 30. The M L as a C W is against all men under it as well since Christ's death as before And as a C W it was taken away Before Christ's death as well as Since for them that beleeve And as a rule of life it never was against any man since nor before It was and is against Sin but it 's For man if God be for him Fath. You say the law on Mount Sinai was delivered as on Mount Sion Object 3 Paul opposeth them one to the other and speaketh of one as Dreadfull of the other as Comfortable * Heb. 12.18 22. Min. Paul sheweth what you See not viz that the ministry of the Gospel on Mount Sion is attended with more terrour than the Law on Mount Sinai was e g. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God 〈◊〉 * Ver. 15. lest there be any fornicatour or prophane person as Esau c †Ver. 16. why so for ye are not come to the mount that might be touched c * Ver. 18. which was very terrible but ye are come to Mount Sion c †Ver. 22. what then See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him who speaketh from Heaven * Ver. 25. Whose voice then shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth onely but also Heaven †Ver. 26. He that despised Moses law died without mercy of how much Sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God * Heb. 10.28 29. The Gospel is glad tidings it 's Season is a day of Salvation but yet attended with a day of Vengeance for disobedience †Isa 61.2 without which what dread is in the Law Fath. Surely the Law was delivered to the Jews Object 4 as a C W. Min. The Ten Commandments contain the Matter and Words of the C W. And they were to acquaint Them and are to acquaint Us with the C W that All by Nature are Under that men may know what it is and not trust to Death for Life The Jews had been so long in Egyptian darknesse that Religion was almost rooted out of Heart and Life †Jos 24.14 and so needed to have a Rowsing Lecture read in their Ears But that ever God did since mans fall deliver the Law as a C W for man to be Saved by it is Quite besides the Book contrary to the Gospel a Weaknesse and a Shame for a man who hath a Bible in his house once to Imagine Fath. God saith Object 5 Keep my Statutes which if a man Do he shall live in them * Lev. 18.5 Min. For one to think from any such Text that Ever man was saved by Works savours of Grosse ignorance of the C W. This covenant requires a man to be as perfectly Righteous as Jesus himself was and if a man Once sin though he Never sin more there is no More to be said he can Never be saved by that covenant If then Eternal life be in this Text intended †Lev. 18.5 the law of Faith is included by which a person must be justified to live Eternally And then by Evangelical obedience to the Law he shall live 1 Temporally for Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is * 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Spiritually for the Righteous shall flourish †Psal 92.12 as the Body by it's Food for God deals out his Heavenly bread in a way of Duty But by defect in Duty some die Temporally in Body * 1 Cor. 11.30 and many
alike in Christ none in the Christian N B A mans own personal righteousnesse for Justification is to be rejected and abhorred by Mr A's rule righteousnesse for Sanctification of heart and Holinesse of life is to be abhorred too Desperate Doctrine and not a Dram of grace suffered to be in the Soul What then is an Antinomian better than a Babylonian who is the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird †Rev. 18.2 The next time you see Mr A pray give him this short Sentence viz He that hath Justification without Sanctification shall surely have it without Salvation Fath. I told Mr A of his loose life and he said Faith was greater than Holinesse Min. Greater or lesser they are linked together the one is not without the other Faith without works is no more alive than the Body is alive without the Soul * Ja. 2.26 What does Mr A think to be saved by faith without fruit faith with froth and filth faith that makes void the Law weigh such faith and the faith of Devils together and you will soon see which is the lighter That faith which hath not obedience to the Law for its fruit I deny That gospel which is without Law a Lawlesse gospel I disown as another gospel the preacher of which I count accursed though he comes as an Angel from Heaven †Gal. 1.8 Fath. If I plead with Mr A for a holy life he tells me Faith can do that for me which Holinesse cannot do for me Min. And Holinesse can do that for you which Faith cannot do for you e g Suppose you have faith and fall into some sin what shall be your defence from the word of reproof and reproach which is as an arrow shot out * Ps 64.3 Jer. 9.8 will you say I have faith I believe in Christ your faith and you will be abhorred together But if you live holy and be faisely accused you have a Breast-plate of righteousnesse to defend you from these Darts †Eph. 6.14 N B. As faith justifies before God which works cannot do so works justifie before men which Faith cannot do Fath. If Mr A heard you he would count you ignorant of Christ and the Gospel Min. Mr A and Mr B too have their liberty to come and try whether they or I can produce and declare 1 The greatest sense of Sin Gods wrath Hell and Eternity 2 The clearest sight of the emptinesse of Self-righteousness 3 The greatest and sweetest comfort and assurance of Salvation by Christ Or 4 The greatest love to the Lord Jesus to his Person now in Heaven Fath. It seems you have not got Gospel-Notions without Convictions as Mr A hath But some Ministers which are not called Antinomians preach nothing but the Doctrine of Justification by believing I wonder at them Min. That you wonder at such is no wonder for such are Pieces of preachers if I saw a piece of a man in a pulpit I should wonder with you It seems by such that there are hundreds of Texts in the holy Scriptures which stand for Cyphers If a Minister tell men only what God hath done for them and not what they must do for God their neighbour and themselves how does he declare the whole councel of God * Act. 20 27. Is a man born to do nothing but believe what strange trade is this whether such workmen do half their work is a hard Question Such preachers and hearers are like to have their work to do in the grave where it will never be done †Ecl. 9.10 And how much Blood such Ministers will go Off under the guilt of God only knows for their not informing men of the C W which they are under by nature under the Gospel will I doubt not occasion the damnation of Thousands of Souls in this City Fath. They say The grace of God teacheth men to deny ungodlinesse * Tit. 2.12 Min. True it 's therefore a sign their single way of preaching the Gospel is not blessed for the reception of that grace seeing their hearers deny not ungodlinesse Fath. What may be the Reason why such Ministers do not preach the Law Min. 1 A foolish fond affection for the Title of a N T Minister Gospel Minister 1 R. Preacher of Free grace They are afraid of the Title Legal as if the word Law which God hath magnified and made so honourable would dishonour them ¶ 2 A man-pleasing spirit 2 R. loth to displease love of the praise of men more than the praise of God * Joh. 12.43 Men will praise them that please them with fine stories of Gods favour concealing his displeasure instead of shewing them their foul faces in the clear glasse of God's Law They like not to give occasion for this Reflection viz. What have I to do with thee O thou man of God art thou come to call my Sin to remembrance †1 Kin. 17.18 ¶ 9 Ignorance of the necessity of preaching Gospel Duty to the godly 3 R. Such preachers see not the Duty of the gospel as necessary to be preached as the Doctrine of the gospel They fill the Head with gospel Notions but doth Heart and Hand are empty of good Operations Some write whole Volumes of Notions to Blaze abroad their Notion which Occasionally will but treasure up wrath for Writer and Reader if Practice prevent not ALAS Alas the lamentable neglect of Duty and barrennesse of Life is not laid to Heart To inform Christians of their duty to direct excite provoke them to it is no small part of the work of a preacher by the want of which Christians are almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation * Pro. 5.14 ¶ 4. Ignorance of the necessity of a Law-ministry to awaken sleepy Sinners 4 R. and make them sound Saints by warning them to flee from the curse of the Law to Christ Such gospel Ministers understand not how many of their Hearers are asleep in their Sins under their gospel Sermons with all their Notions and what to be warned with Thunder and Lightning to flee from Hell whither they are hasting with a lie in their right hand †Isa 44.20 Fath. It seems by these Reasons the effects of neglect of preaching the Law are Sad. Min. SAD yes and very sinfull as for instance in each of the ten commandments It s because the First commandment is not preached that there is so much monstrous Idolatry among men Men make gods of Devils of Men of Beasts of Houses of Lands of Friends of Enemies of Themselves of their Bellies * Phil. 3.19 of their Wits of their Works of their Worship †Hab. 1.16 To which I may adde mens denying the very Being of God e g This last Sturbridge Fair Anno 1681 a Cambridge Scholar in discourse said I had it of him that heard it I do not