grandmother Lois and then in her Daughter Eunice and then in her young Son Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 5. This holy Parentall industry in such instructions and education of their Children it is Gods own ordinance Eph. 6. 4. and Prov. 22. 6. and therefore one of Gods ordinary waies and means to effect saving good in Children therefore in an ordinary way his Blessing is upon it as upon any other Ordinance of his Hence that engagement of God Train up a Child in the way he shall go Parents do you instruct and educate your Children well and through my Blessing it shall come about that they shall not alone be towardly for a time but in their old age it will stick by them they will not apostatize nor degenerate therefrom Hence that ingagement of the Lord touching Abrahams faithfull care and endeavour with his Children Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord that God might bring upon Abraham that which he hath promised And here give me leave a little to clear up that place in Gen. 14. 14. He armed his trained servants born in his house trained servants namely to his religion not to warlike affaires onely or chiefly so in the Margen of your greater Bibles it is well rendred instructed it is the same Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used there as is used in Prov. 22. 6. Train up a Child c. Or as the Geneva notes have it there Train up a Child virtuously when he is young Nor is that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his trained ones Gen. 14. 14. is taken ever used so farr as I can find in Scripture but in a religious sense it is used for dedicating a thing to holy use Numb 7. 10 11 84 88. 1 King 8. 63. 2 Chron. 7. 5 9. Ezra 6. 16 17. Nehem. 12. 27. Deut. 20. 5. Psalm 30. Title It is used in Dan. 3. 23. for the consecrating of that Idoll which though an abuse yet still the word noteth a religious sense of it and possibly godly Jared the Father of Enoch did therefore call his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a dedicated a devoted one one to be trained up and initiated from a very Child to the Lord and to his use as it seemed he was proved a very worthy man one that walked long with God himself Gen. 5. and was of publick good use to others as Judg. 11. sheweth I have the more largely insisted upon these passages respecting Abraham and his Family 1. Because Abraham hath his name to be a Father of all believers Gen. 17. 5. Who amongst them have that blessing amongst others to be accomplished which is mentioned Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed which as in the first place it looketh to Christ comming out of Abrahams Loins in whom they should all be blessed so in a second place in and through Christ it is fulfilled in all and each of Abrahams beleeving seed who becoming Fathers Mothers of Families shall also become by the blessing of grace upon their Covenant-interests Prayers and holy diligence in matters of education Blessings to their respected Families throughout all the earth So that hence also godly Parents may be incouraged to take paines in Vertuous and Religious education of their Children in that it is a Covenant-blessing to them in their Father Abrahams Charter for them that they shall become Blessings to their Families Hence also in one tespect among others Christ sayed This day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also Zacheus is become a Child of Abraham Lu. 19. 9. Hence also that Act. 16. 31. Beleeve in the Lord Jesus thou shalt be saved thy house 2. That it might appear what a Family-church Abraham had in his house the adult circumcised ones were all proselited and such as from very Childhood gave pledges of fearing God through their good education for they were Sons of his house or born there most of them Gen. 14. 14. with 17. Gen. 23. He circumcised all that were born in his house Such as Eliezer is said to be Gen. 15. 3. A Son of his house or born there and how godly a man he was let his works declare Gen. 24. 2 9 12 15 21 26 27 33 42 43 44 45 48 49 52 56. and how godly the rest were may be gathered by their conscionable obedience to Abraham who therefore could undertake that on all their behalf mentioned Gen. 14. 23. The Angel spake also of Abraham by experience of what was already when he sayed Gen. 18. 19. I have found him such an one by experience That he will command his Children and household after him they shall keep his way he that had so done will do so and indeed beeing most of them Sons of his house or born there therefore faithfull Abraham must needs see them so educated from their very Childhood that they might walk in Gods wayes 3. That it may be seen in our Father Abrahams Church how exactly carefull God was that the Children of godly proselites and members of the Church might be admitted to the seal of the covenant of the righteousness of faith as it is called Gen. 17. 11 13. My Covenant in their flesh i seal of it Ro. 4. circumcision the seal of righteousnesse of faith Yâ—â— was Abrahams Church no Jewish Church all but Abraham and Sarah being not of Eber but of other Ancestors Nor was it a nationall Church for they were all one intire congregation in covenant with God and each other implicitly at least and meeting constantly in one place to wor-God together as 600 might very well do if that 300. Genesis 14. were doubled that the weight of such pious educating of Children may appear namely to be Gods appointed means of good of grace in Children as the meanes for the full effecting of the promises of grace as the end which promises are made to godly Parents with respect to their children namely that God will be a God to them c. Gen. 17. 7. and 18. 19. For so God saith to this Father and pattern believer He will command his Children and they shall walk in his waies that God may bring upon Abraham in his Children also what he hath spoken of him with respect also to his Children Hence David in his instructing of Solomon taketh up the like speech 1 King 23. 4. and keep the Charge of the Lord that God may confirm his word and that promise in the generall Gen. 17. 7. being not of an absolute but of a conditionall nature So that the greatest love and faithfulness which Parents as Covenanters can shew to God and to their Children who in and with themselves are joynt Covenanters with God is so to educate them that what in them lieth the conditions of the
Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and Recompence to Fathers of our flesh and such carrying of it so by Children as it redoundeth to parents honour as we have largely declared O what Honour of Respect Reverence Obedience and holy Recompence to him and what manner of carrying of it so as may redound to his Honour doth God expect from you his Chldren to whom he is not only a Father of your Spirit or Soul as he is to all others but a Covenant-Father If God require that to Parents from their Children upon pain of life and death he much more requireth this from you his Covenant and Church-Children upon pain of loss of eternal life and undergoing eternal death But is that the Honour of Respect which you who are degenerate Children give to this your Father to have no desire of the knowledge of his wayes As it is said of that degenerate generation in Job 21. 14 15. whether those in Jobs own time or those before the floud of whom Job 22. 15 16 17 18. but to wish rather what those wretches there mentioned that God might depart from you in respect of any such motions which he maketh and convictions and restraints upon your Spirits which sometimes you meet with and to take no delight at all in God in his word worship wayes daies government Saints and Servants Or is this the honour of Reverence which you give him to be awless fearless of his presence when you are in his house when at Prayer with your Parents or the like and to be constantly fearless of his displeasure or of sinning against him Or is this the Honour of Obedience which you give him to obey the motions of your own hearts lusts of your Companions of Seducers and of the very Divell himself but as for Gods charge or Commands you make light of them So that God may say of you as he did of that degenerate generation of old and speak of it as inter horrenda Hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished Children and they have rebelled against me the Oxe knoweth his owner the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinfull Nation Children that are corruptors they have forsaken the holy one they are gone away backward Isa 1. 2 3 4. And as Isa 30. 9. This is a rebellious people lying Children Children that will not hear the law of the Lord. Or is this the honour of holy Recompence which you should have rendered to him for all his benefits towards you to depart from him to vex and provoke his holy Spirit which is striving with you as he was with that degenerate generation in Gen. 6. 2 3. to corrupt your selves as did that other generation mentioned Deut. 32. 5. whose spot was not the spot of Children or of right-bred children of God who were a crooked and perverse generation Surely God may and doth say to you as he did by Moses to them vers 6. Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath not he made and established thee finally is this your being an honour to God your heavenly father to cause the name of God to be blasphemed and the way of truth to be evill spoken of for your sakes as it may be said of you which was said of those degenerate Jewes Rom. 2. 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God vers 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you when such as you are by your vile speeches carriages opinions or courses of life shall occasion the prophaner sort or enemies to God and his Church Ironically to say as they of old did of those degenerate Jewes Ezech. 36. 20. These are the people of the Lord So by your meanes others now a daies to say of you Yea these are your younger generation of the Church these are those that are in the Covenant of grace these are your Church-members these are they which in their Infant-Baptism were devoted to the faith and worship of Father Son and Holy Ghost these are the brood of such Puritan Ministers and other precise followers and the like blasphemous sarcasmes wherin the Lords precious name together with his Truth Covenant Saints and Servants are also vilely reproached Again as such Children are Gods Servants and Children so they are by externall calling Covenant and Church Interest his subjects also Of them is Gods kingdome Luk. 18. 16 17. Now for His Subjects such as you are who are the subjects of the Lord thus to break your Oath or Covenant of Allegiance and to reject his goverment over you by his Word Spirit or Discipline like those degenerate Jewes who said of the promised Messiah Jesus Christ We will not have this man to rule over us Luke 19. 27. Hereby you do but rebel against your Lord and Soveraign and what is rebellion but as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. even a hellish execrable and damnable crime But to proceed to the other branches of the evill of sin in this degeneration of such Children In which we shall be more brief 2. Hereby you become breakers of Covenant 2. It is a breach of Covenant with God with God with whom you are confederate Yea you hereby tear off the very seal of the Covenant even your Baptism Thus God when telling Moses how that people would degenerate he saith Deut. 31. 20. They would break his Covenant so Isaiah charging the degenerate generation in his daies also with their sin he saith Isa 24. 5. They have transgressed the Lawes they have broken the everlasting Covenant And as for invalidating after a sort of the Covenant-seal thereby you may see it in those degenerate ones mentioned even now Rom. 2. 25. If thou be a breaker of the law thy Circumcision which to them was the seal of the Covenant and of the righteousness of faith as Baptism is to us Gen. 10. 11 13. Rom. 4. 11. is made uncicumcision and so ineffectuall It is as it were torn off and trampled under foot through that sin of theirs Now if this be so heinous a thing with men to break Covenant with Princes to tear off tread under foot their broad seals how evill is this in Gods sight and if that breach of a Covenant made before God even with a tyrant by Zedechiah were so grievous to God that as Ezech. 17. 15 16 17. he saith Shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break Covenant and be delivered So I may say here to these degenerate Children of the godly shall such as you are escape the fiery displeasure of God that do such things or shall you that break Gods Covenant be delivered from wrath to come no assuredly unlesse the Lord give you repentance unto life And consider of it in the fear of God
relations so much in his way will not you honor them in your way Deu. 4. 2. Because he loved thy Fathers therefore he chose their seed after them to one and the same persons belong the glory and the Covenants Ro. 9. 4. to whom belong the glory the covenants if Gods the Churches covenant be long to Children the glory belongs to them take away Covenant church privileges ye take away their glory as the Israelites did when they would have dealt with the little ones of Judah as if they had rather been Pagans and out-Lawes than fellow-brethren in covenant-respects so they purposed to have kept sons their daughters under as bond-men women 2 Chro. 28. 8 9 10. They might only have of the heathen for bond-men and women Le. 25. 44. but not any of their brethren the Children of Israel they might not rule over them with rigour as over bond men and women v. 46. though waxen poor they must not be compelled to serve as bond-servants ver 39. Yea but for Israelites to take that course they intended was to make them as the heathen and so to take away their glory of Covenant and Church-privileges as Junius expounds that Mi. 2. 9. Of late my people are risen up as an enemy c. and from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever he referreth it in this way to that story 2 Chro. 28. 8 9 10. Now if by good Parents Children come to shame in such Honour and 3. Childrens lifts to their faith by means of good Parents glory they may well in way of gratefull retribution Honour their good Fathers and Mothers 3. In that Children have a mighty lift to their very faith in what ever concerneth their welfare outward or inward and that in all cases and charges from the covenant of God with their Parents therefore honor your Christian Parents hence Exod. 32. 13 14. In that almost desperate case of Israel Moses exerciseth his faith and thence pleadeth the Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob remember saith he Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. Mic. 7. 20. The Prophet setteth his faith on work for himself and people upon that Covenant Thou wilt saith he perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn to our Fathers from the dayes of old and this his faith therein was the ground of that which he believed vers 29. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast their sins into the depths of the Sea 2 Chro. 33. 12 13. Manasseth that notorious miscreant When in his affliction he besought the Lord his God viz. His God in the Covenant of his Father Hezekiah And humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers And prayed to live and he was intreated of him he then prayed in faith for hee prevailed with God but here was his hold and prop God was his God in the Covenant of his Father and Ancestors and therefore he will wrestle strongly with him for mercy even to surh a notorious sinner as he now seeth and feeleth himself to be Solomon's hold and bottome of his prayer in his case is this Let thy promise unto David my Father be established c. 2 Chro. 1. 9 10 11. So Kings 8. 25 26. And now Oh Lord God of Israel let thy word I pray thee be verified which thou spakest to thy servant David my Father David twise pleads his Mothers interest in God Psal 86. 16. Save the Son of thy handmaid Psal 116. 16. Truly Lord I am thy servant and the Son of thy hand-maid thou hast loosed my bonds Prov. 14. 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his Children viz. The Children of him that feareth God shall have place and refuge No case so sad or so bad which such Children of fearers of God whose eyes and hearts God openeth in some measure to see and be sensible thereof but they have an asylum to fly too they have the Covenant and promises made and ratified in Christ to their Godly Fathers and Mothers to repair too and to keep up their faith at the deadest lift lift up Parents then high in Honor by whose Covenant-interest your faith may in saddest cases have such lifts 4. In that Children are many waies blessed and bettered by occasion of their Parents 4. Blessings of Children by good Parents prayers pleas Covenant-interests c. therefore Honour them Gen. 49. 26. The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors Every godly Ancestour addeth something to the Common stock of blessings of grace laid up for their posterity the latter still superadding somewhat more than the former left Psal 115. 14. The Lord shall increase you more and more you your Children Psal 102. 1 2 3. The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 103. 17. Gods righteousnesse or faithfulness in his Covenanted mercies is unto Childrens Children Deut. 4. 40. Thou shalt therefore keep his Statutes that it may go well with thee and with thy Children after thee So cap. 12. 28. If God then Honour you with such blessings for your good Parents sakes you may well Honour your Parents yea sometimes the very worst Children who had been many a time debased as low as hell by the destroying judgements of God yet are not out of Gods respect to their Parents or Ancestors Covenant-interests God would not destroy the house of David in wicked Jehoram's time because of the Covenant which he had made with David 2 Chro. 21. 6 7. And so the very worst might be provoked to Honour their good Parents for had it not been for their sakes its likely such had been in the lowest hell ere this let children of good parents know that by grace through your Parents instrumentally you have God for your God if not rejecting your interest if having hearts to improve the same for your help to Honour God and them Gen. 17. 7. 5. In that it is the ready way for Children to be Honoured by others to Honour their Parents 5. Childrens honour from others thereby and therefore Honour them Ruth 4. 14 15. The good woemen say of Obed Ruth's Son that his name shall be famous in Israel and adde that as an incouraging Argument to Naomi his Grand-Mother and he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age a very observant and gratefull Grand-childe and no wonder then if his name would be so Honourable in Israel God records it in Scripture in honorem in the eyes of God Angels and men concerning Sem Japhet Joseph and others that they were such Honourers of Parents The very Pagan Grecians honoured Aeneas his piety to his aged Father so as that they honourably rewarded it with the gift of all his other estate which else was the Conquerers right 6. In that it is the ready way for Children to
Concerning the first such children especially are bound 1. To be observing minding prising and treasuring up such parents good speeches as so many oracles of God which will evidence to all that their Children honour them Job 15. 18. which wise men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it a sign then that those wise Children minded well and stored up their godly Fathers counsels so Psal 44. 1 2. We have heard with our ears Oh God our Fathers have told us what thou didst in their dayes c. So Psal 78. 2 3. I will utter mysterious sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us Prov. 4. 3 4. For I was my Fathers Son he taught me also and said to me retain my words keep my Commandements and live Get wisdome yet understanding c. To which purpose also children must in case of any difficulty or doubt arising to them repair firstly to their godly parents for counsell and resolution How oft is that mentioned when thy Son asketh thee in time to come saying what mean the Testimonies and the Statutes which the Lord our God hath Commanded you then thou shalt say thus and thus to thy Son c. Deut. 6. 20 21 22 23 24 25. So Exod. 13. 14. Josh 4. 6 21. This reflecteth much Honour upon parents wisdome and ability that they are able to give forth Gods mind to their children and upon their piety and fidelity that they make conscience to do it and upon their holy industry and vigilancy that they are ready to take all occasions to help on their Children in the things of God 2. To acquaint parents in the first place with 2. By acquainting them with their secrets all their Secrets which are of weight It s implyed in Sampsons speech speaking of his Riddle Judg. 14. 16. I have not told my Father nor my Mother and should I tell it thee This evidenceth that Children magnifie their parents wisdome and fidelity above others that their breasts shall be the only prime Cabinet of the Childrens Secrets 3. To ask leave of their parents at least whil'st 3 By asking their leave for what they do Children are under their tuition for what they do Ruth 2. 2. Let me go I pray thee saith Ruth to Naomi to glean in his field in whose eyes I shall find favour and she said go my Daughter Exod. 4. 18. Let me go saith Moses to Jethro and return to my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive and Jethro said to Moses go in peace 2 Sam. 13. 26. Let my brother Ammon go with us saith Absolom to David though out of a bad end and Chap. 15. 17. Let me go I pray thee and pay my vow unto the Lord in Hebron saith Absolom to his Father though out of a base end If Dinah as its probable did without leave from her parents go to see the daughters of the Country then was it no wonder that being out of her way she so miscarried as Genesis 34. 1 2. Shechem saw her took her and lay with her and defiled her This also redounds to the Honour of the Parents Authority that Children shew thereby that they dare not attempt any thing without their likings yea and their wisdome-fidelity is hereby honoured that they know better what is meet for Children to do than themselves and will order their wayes better than they can do themselves 4. To set forth to parents praise what is good in 4. By setting forth the praise worthiness in parents them as occasion requireth and to maintain their names even when they are dead all they can Prov. 31. 28. Her Children rise up and call her blessed 5. To vindicate any wrongs injury or dishonor 5. By vindicating parents wrongs done to parents so far as it lyeth in the compass of Childrens calls places thus Amaziah 2 Kings 14. 5. as soon as confirmed in his Kingdome he slew his servants who had slain Jehoash his Father 6. To do parents all the honour they can at 6. By honouring them at their death their death Genes 25. 9. Abrahams Sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave of Machpelah So Gen. 35. 29. Isaacs Sons Esau and Jacob buried him Gen. 50. 8. And Joseph went up to bury his Father and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh and all the Elders of his house and all the Elders of Egypt and all the house of Joseph and his Brethren and his Fathers house only they left their little ones their flocks and herds in the land of Goshen they and their wives also went so 7. By thankfull rendring notable mercies shewed to parents great a journey to solemnize the old Fathers Funerall and to do him Honour there 7. To maintain a thankfull remembrance of remarkable mercies extended to parents or Ancestors Esay 38. 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day saith Hezekiah when he recovered from so great a death the Father to the Children shall make known thy truth God would have them of old to perpetuate their Ancestors deliverance out of Egypts bondage Exod. 13. 8 9 10. From the slaughter of their first born there which to the succeeding posterity were also Fathers Exod. 12. 25 26 27. So Est 9. 21 22 23 24 26 27. Care was taken for the perpetuation of a thankfull remembrance succesfully for their Ancestors delivery from the mischiefs of Hammons bloody plot And if our Fathers had more Honour put upon them in our thankfull solemnizing the memoriall of their deliverance from the horrid mischief of that devilish Powder-plot in the year 1605. it might do well Surely it redoundeth to parents Honour if they are of so high esteem and respect in their Childrens eyes that any notable mercy extended to them shall be for ever kept in thankfull remembrance by their posterity 8. To improve godly persons interest in the 8. To make best improvement of the holy interests Lord and in his Covenant by faith and to plead them in their prayers this act of Children redoundeth exceedingly to parents Honour holding forth their parents to be persons so highly honoured of God as to be deeply interested in him in his Covenant and Grace and to be of such faith in God and in his Covenant thus did David twice Psalm 116. 16. Truly Lord I am thy servant the Son of thy handmaid Psal 86. 16. give thy strength to thy servant and save the Son of thy handmaid In the former he in a holy wise glorieth in his Mothers interest in the latter he pleadeth her interest in the Lord 1 Kings 8. 25 26. Therefore now Oh Lord God of Israel keep with thy servant David my Father that which thou promis'dst him So Jacob pleaded his Grand-Fathers and his Fathers interest Gen. 32. 5. And Jacob said Oh God of my Father Abram God of my Father Isaac c. 9. To imitate all