curteous towards their equals to be gentle and lowly to their inferiours and louing and kind to all This is another part of the trade of childrens way and this is no lesse needfull for youth then their meate and their drinke And if this trade and way of nurture bee not taught our children while they bee young when they be old they shall be found so head-strong that they will not bee gouerned but this consequent must needes follow that all order shall bee taken away and then confusion must needes insue For if nurture be neglected then our elders and gouernours shall not be reuerenced if they be not reuerenced they will not be regarded if they be not regarded they will not bee obeyed and if they be not obeyed then steps in rebellion and euery one will doe what he lusteth Now is fulfilled that heauie curse which the Prophet Esay threatned against the children of Israel The people shall be oppressed one of another and euery one by his neighbour the children shall presume against the ancient and the vile against the honorable now the bandes of the Common-wealth are broken and now is such a nation subiect to be rooted out to bee ouerrun of euery enemie or to bee destroyed of it selfe For whence comes warres whence comes seditions enuies braules quarrels fightings whence comes strife and lawings whence comes all manner of loosenes of life and whence comes it that one neighbour can not liue quietly by another but he pineth away and is the worse euery time he seeth his brother All this mischiefe springeth from the neglect of this duetie for that the hearts of such people were not broken and brideled while they were yong by good nurture Now one neighbour like a cur dogge leapeth in the face of another whereas if he had beene trained vp in ciuilitie and good manners though he neither feared God nor loued mā yet euen very shame would hold him from committing this follie Oh beloued good nurture and manners they are the cords and bands of the Common-wealth they are the nurserie of sweete loue and concord they are the preparation to religion it selfe For nurture a child wel breake his affections and teach him awfulnes at home and when hee commeth to Church and heareth the preacher denouncing the heauie threatnings of God against sinne he will by and by beginne to tremble he wil lay it to his heart and feare least he fall afterwards into the same danger whereas the childe that is not thus prepared and manured before when he commeth he careth not whether hee heareth or no but is readie to toy and play with euery bable that runneth in his eye and though at sometimes whether he will or no the word beateth vpon his eares and he must needes heare yet it goeth in at one doore and out at another he careth not for it but goeth away as lewd and reachles as he came and why because hee hath not bin trained vp in awfulnes hath not been so much as instructed and gouerned in ciuill dueties Againe hereof springeth an other mischiefe that euen those which haue imbraced christianitie for want of this good education doe not liue so louingly together as becommeth For when one neglecteth dutie and reuerence towards another by and by there arise dislikings dislikings breede contempt and contempt stirs vp bitter hatred and dissensions So that what is the cause why euen the best professors many times fall out amongst themselues they embrace a religion which is not diuided but one they all thinke one thing and speake one thing but this clownish rudenes and want of ciuilitie will not suffer them long to agree together So that take away good nurture and ciuilitie and there will be no quiet and orderly liuing either in the Church of God or Common-wealth And therefore the Apostle diligently calleth vpon this dutie In giuing honour goe one before another As if he should haue sayd studie and striue who may bee most dutifull For hee which is most dutifull excelleth others and is most honourable Againe S. Peter sayth worthily honour all men where the Apostle by the wisedome of the holy spirit taketh away a double obiection This first is made in the person of the honorable What doe I owe duetie to those that are so farre my inferiours they are to honour mee and I am not to honour them The holy Ghost here steppeth in and sayth honour all men There are degrees in honour and he is most vnworthie which receiueth much and cannot bee content to returne some part backe againe neither is there any kinde of men so base which retaine the least part of Gods image for in the image of God made hee man but they are worthie of some honor for the image sake The second obiection is made in the person of the common people labouring together in poore estate and base trades What must we honour one another it is enough for vs to reuerence our betters small duetie will serue among vs. The holy Ghost here againe replieth honour all men As if he should haue sayd in more words let there be no degree or societie of men so barbarous as to contemne and auoyd all reuerence honor all men honour thy poore equals and thy poore inferiours But now adaies when neighbours meet there is no curteous salutatiō there is no preuenting of duetie but some one bolde word or other cast out and as they meet with rudenes so they depart with clownishnes O if men would vse ciuilitie and curtesie one towards another regard it it would so linke their mindes together in friendship and good wil that no smal offence or dammage should breake them asunder But here let vs find out the cause why this disorderly rudenes so fast springeth vp amongst vs. Truely the onely cause is the negligence of parents in instructing their children And againe what is the cause of this negligence of parents but that either they themselues were brought vppe so rudely too so they teach their children no more because they knowe no better themselues or els this commeth of a muckish minde because the hearts of parents are so set vpon this world that so their busines be done by their children and seruants they care not what language they giue them nor how vnmannerly they stand before them they doe not teach them to honor thēselues at home and therefore there is no dutie and reuerence toward others abroad Wherefore you parents knowe your estate let not the drosse of this world so blind your eyes that you should forget your honour know that the Lord hath made you parents and giuen you to look for duetie and reuerence from your children and seruants and though you doe not regard this dutie your minds be so base that you look not after any reuerence yet for your childrēs sake require it that so they may bee brought vp in the knowledg of their duetie receiue the blessing
as occupie not their owne place but are in Christ stead vnto vs 2. Cor. 5. in terming our parents fathers after his own name therfore now we will reuerence thē not sleightly or for fashiō sake but for Gods sake for his holy ordinance sake though they be not worthy of it And this is taught in many places of S. Pauls Epistles Submit your selues one to another in the feare of God Eph. 5.2.1 in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. Eph. 6.5 with good will seruing the Lord and not men vers 7. And whatsoeuer yee doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Oh if all our duties were done as vnto the Lord what lights should we bee vnto the world shining in all honest and godly conuersation but now we looke only vpon men and therefore Gods ordinance is neglected and our dueties peruerted Thus haue I drawne before your eyes as in a faire table the liuely picture of good maners the which if we would imitate we shold lead such a comely life before others as that euery man would be glad of our cōpany we should then bee looking glasses for the ruder sort to dresse themselues by and we should beautifie Gods Church euen to the eye of the world For as y e material sanctuary had his outward ornaments as gold siluer pretious stones silke purple fine linnen and such like so the spiritual sanctuary which now consisteth not of wood and stone but of the soules of christiās besides religion which is the inward beautie it must haue also the outward ornaments which are good manners and comely behauiour that nothing may be wanting vnto the due honour and dignitie thereof Now by Gods blessing we are come to the third and last part of the childs way which is the chiefest and highest of all the rest wherein that I might instruct parents with more facilitie profitable application I haue made choise of this text Psal. 130.3.4 If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand But mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared THe partes of this text are three and so y e summe of al diuinity is threefold too The first is to teach vs our miserie in our selues contained in these wordes If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second is to shew vs a meane how wee may escape out of this miserie and this meane is the only mercie of God in his sonne Christ Iesus expressed in these wordes But mercie is with thee The third part is to teach vs what wee ought to doe when we are deliuered frō our miserie that is to feare God vnder which word is cōprehended the whole seruice of God and all that thankefulnesse which is required at our hands for our saluation redemption this is conteined in the last words of this text that thou maiest be feared For whom wee feare him wee would not offend and whom we would not offend his will we would obey and whose wil we obey him we honor serue and worship Now the literall plaine sense of the first part of this text is this O Lorde if thou shouldest deale with vs according to iustice and the streightnes of thy lawe no man that liueth were able to stand before thee but hee must needes fall vnder thy reuenging hand the tortures of thy iudgements This lesson euery parēt must teach his children to vnderstande and confesse For vntill they knowe howe much they are endangered to God and in what a fearefull estate they stand by reason of their sins and vntill they knowe what a great God the Lord is so mightie in power that he is able to cast all the world downe headlong into hell and that hee will doe so indeede except they craue mercie at his handes turne vnto him seeke his fauour and indeuour to please him before I say they knowe this and this knowledge be deeply setled in their harts they will neuer seek after god but dwel stil in their old estate because they thinke it is good enough vntill death set vpon thē vnawares they be cast away eternally Wherefore here the first thing that parents are to beate into the heads of their children is the greatnes of God his infinite power and fearefulnes insomuch that seeing hee hath made all mankinde of the claye of the earth as the potter doth his pottes and when hee hath done so hee may breake them all to peeces againe and who shall saye what doest thou euen so if God after he hath made vs shall condemne vs all to hell which hee may doe if it please him which of vs all dare open his mouth against him If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand O Lord if wee had offended but an earthly maiestie or if we had transgressed but a temporall lawe or if wee were brought but before the barre of one of the monarches of the earth we would not so much tremble and quake though our cause were capitall for they can doe no more but kill the bodie but thou if thou wilt canst kill both soule and bodye in hell oh who would not feare thee If thou takest displeasure against vs who shal turne thee to mercy Yet he is of one mind saith Iob who can turne him yea he doeth what his minde desireth And againe in the ninth chapter hee saith If wee would dispute with him wee could not answere him one thing of a thousand For though I were iust yet could I not answere but I would make supplication to my iudge If we speake of strength behold he is strong if wee speake of iudgement who shall bring me in to pleade If I washe my selfe with snow water and purge mine handes most cleane yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit and mine owne cloathes shall make mee filthie Wherefore here teach al your children to cry out when they make their humble prayers and supplications vnto God If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second thing which the parent must teach his childe is to know his miserable estate in Adam The Lorde in the 51. chapter of the prophecie of Esay saith vnto the children of Israel Looke vnto the rocke whence yee are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence yee are digged so you must call vpon your children to looke vpon Adam their great grandfather out of whose loynes all nations and people of the earth are digged And here first in that the Lord vseth a metaphor of a rocke a pit and digging you must teach your children that they are no better then the dust of the earth as wee may reade in the creation of man Gen. 2.5 and that their hearts naturally are as hard as any flint to receiue grace and being but dust and voide of all goodnes so soone as euer the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them
reuerence and common maintenance so the people must honour their pastour the child his parent the wife her husband and the seruant his master All these must bee honoured and obeyed of vs not sleightly but seriously and vnfeynedly euen as purposing to honor God in them for this also is a part of Gods seruice and the dueties which wee giue vnto them wee must giue as vnto God himselfe setting God alwaies before our eyes whome in all thinges wee ought to worship and reuerence And on the other side superiours must know so to carie themselues towardes their inferiours in gouerning teaching and defending of them in all wisedome and grauitie that they may seeme worthie of those honours which according to Gods ordinance are bestowed vpon them Secondly for the helping and relieuing of our brother wee must not doe it by halfes but fully as God himselfe hath commaunded We must not aide him in his bodie and hurt him in his goods and wee must not helpe him in his goodes and offend him in his name and lastly wee must not care for him in his bodie goodes and name and suffer his soule to perish by vs for want of our spirituall counsell and exhortation but wee must labour to vpholde and defend him in all these together but especially in his soule because this is more pretious then all the other For euen as one member of our own bodie is as deere vnto vs as another so should all our brothers things be vnto vs because we are all members of our deere Sauiour who hath loued vs all alike in giuing his whole selfe for vs all Thirdly and lastly so shoulde wee loue all men as well those which haue no neede of vs as those which stand in need that no offence being giuen on either side wee liuing as lightes in the worlde and shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his marueilous light as Saint Peter sayeth all men maye haue iust cause to praise GOD for vs and so God to be honored all in all 3. The third highest part of our seruice is to liue holily towardes God and this is to set vp and exalte the Lorde onelye in our heartes and to establish his kingdome and gouernement in our soules banishing and auoyding from within vs all forraine powers of the world the flesh and the diuell that so there may be but one sole and absolute regiment of Gods spirit within vs that hee onely may commaund forbid controule chastize and direct in all his waies And secondly that as hee onely is wise to prescribe so wee should giue our selues wholy to serue him not as wee our selues thinke best but as hee commaundeth in his worde that is spiritually inwardly and vnfainedly and in such particulars as hee himselfe setteth downe vnto vs. And thirdly because hee is such a great GOD holding all the worlde vnder his obedience saying to the king as it is in Iob 34. Thou naughtie man and to the nobles you wicked men therefore now we should vse his name with all holy reuerence and neuer presume to speake of him but with titles of maiestie and honour And fourthly and lastly wee must performe all our homage and seruice vnto him in frequenting his courts diligently in hearing his word preached gladly in praying to him deuoutly in receiuing his holy Sacraments reuerently in casting our selues downe at his feete acknowledging all our possessions wealth honours priuiledges and whatsoeuer els wee enioy that good is all to bee held from his gracious hands most heartily thanking him for the continuance of them vnto vs and being readie whensoeuer hee shall call to surrender them vp vnto him againe In this present world Now in that the holy Apostle restraineth his exhortation to the time of this present world he teacheth vs that there is no longer deferring to serue God but wee must euen now at this present instant change our hearts and set vpon his worke for this present instant is a parte of this present world and so you see here that the Lord hath left vs no time in this life to serue our owne lustes and pleasures Secondly the Apostle here setteth foorth vnto vs the common stade of Gods seruice which is this present life This present life and this present world God hath appoynted out for seruice and that which is to come hee hath ordained for reward and rest Wherefore now if men will serue God they must serue him in this life or els they shall neuer serue him I know well that many could be content to serue God after they bee dead so they might enioy and follow their pleasures in this present world then they would liue soberly and righteously and holily but then it is too late For this present world as I sayd is the time of seruice and the next is the time of reward the reward of glorie and rest to such as haue serued God in this world and the reward of vengeance and torment to such as haue disobeied him Verse 13.14 Looking for that blessed hope and appearing of that glorie of that mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes NOw hauing taught you what the whole seruice of God is and what is required at our hands for our saluation redemption because our hearts are so heauie and sluggish that few of vs regard these things And againe such of vs as regard them can better talke of them then performe them and considering the lets of Christianitie to bee many I haue thought good here to vse such forcible motiues as I can best gather out of Gods worde whereby our colde zeale may bee enflamed and wee violnttlie thrust forward to laye hand vpon Gods busines 1. The first motiue which the holie Ghost here offereth vnto vs is the lifting vp of our eyes vnto the marke or reward which is set vp for vs at the ende of our race to drawe vs forward with all our might For as it is in the game of running which similitude the Scripture often vseth there is a marke or crowne of rewarde erected vppe on high on some pillar at the race end to the end it might be seene a far off and that it might bee alwayes in the eye of the runner like the load-stone to drawe him forward with all his might and power euen so vnto vs Christians which runne in the spirituall race of Gods seruice wherein the great God and his Angels are lookers on there is a great price set vppe for vs euen in the height of the heauens which is here called the blessed hope and the glorie of the mightie God which at that day shall breake forth as a floud of light from his owne glorious maiestie to glorifie all his saints And for the more efficacie of this motiue I will bring
parents thinke it to be the onely succouring and nourishing of their children to giue them meate and drinke to the fill and ease enough and to cocker them vnder their wing and thus in deede their bodies grow tall but their soules they suffer for want of spirituall instruction and good manners to dye and decay in them in the mean while whereby they shew as S. Chrysostome saith how that they brought forth the bodies of their children but not their soules This is not to keepe a nursery for Gods Church which is built of spirituall stones The Lord be thanked we our selues haue at the least some care to serue God oh let vs not leaue Gods Church in worse case then we finde it for then should we leaue our shame behinde vs when we are gone but it is to be feared beloued except we take better meanes in hand then we doe begin wee shall leaue behinde vs such a stinke to the great annoyance of Gods Church after vs that the ages to come shall be greatly infected with it For in very trueth and diligent watchfulnes I speake it I finde far lesse dutie in our youth who owe reuerence to their elders then in the elders themselues who ought to be reuerenced What is become of the ancient discipline of parents a few late yeares of ease and plentie haue made it to be forgotten as a lawe worne out of mind Wherefore good parents now lay to your hands before all run to ruine take vnto you the auncient bonds wherewith your selues were held when you were young receiue all the helpes of which I haue shewed you and teach your children the whole trade of their way that they may keepe it when they be old men and deliuer the same enlarged and perfected to their children againe that so Gods Church and his glorie may not dye but still be prouided for to the end of the world Al our hope is vpoÌ„ this youth now being for if they be well brought vp then they will also haue care of the posteritie following and the posteritie following shall againe commend this good education by eternall tradition to the day of doome Oh you parents cast your eyes vpon this present ofspring framed of God so comely as though they were destinate to some strange and singular reformation Consider with your selues how the world to come shall reioyce ouer vs and speake of this happie conuersion to all posterities and lastly lift vp your eyes to heauen and beholde the bridegroome Christ Iesus preparing for his second comming and prepare you also the world for him that so we being found faithfull stewards at his returne we may with our deare children and beloued posteritie enter with him into the Masters ioy which he grant that hath made vs all to whom be all honour and praise and euery good dutie world without end Amen FINIS Reasons Gen. 5.3 Deut. 4.9 Deut. 11.18.19 Esai 1.3 Ephes. 6.4 Psal. 78.5 Prou. 18.21 The first part of the trade of the way The second part of the trade of the way Esay 3.5 Rom. 12.10 1. Pet. 2.17 Gen. 1.27 Exod. 20.12 Ephes. 6.2 The third part of the trade of the way Prouer. 1.7 Prouer. 14.27 Prouer. 3.13 1. Tim. 4.8 Iustine lib. 12. Ezech. 16.49 Matth. 13.25 Iudges 19. Prou. 6.6 Rom. 1.20 Iob. 2.2 1. Pet. 5.8 Matth. 2.18 Iere. 31.15 Gen. 27.46 Matth. 11.29 Mark 6.3 Luke 2.51 Gen. 24.35 Gen. 31.38 The adiuncts of the yoke Prou. 11.20 Prou. 29.15 Eccles. 25.27 Prou. 31.15 Esay 14.12 Zeph. 1.8 Prou. 29.15 1. Kings 1. 1. Kings 1.6 Conc. Turon 2. in prolegom Prou. 22.15 Pro. 13.24 Good manners to Parents Coloss. 3.20 Phil. 2.14 Matth. 8.9 Good manners in speech 1. Sam. 25.24 Marke 10.17 Pro. 16.24 Ephes. 4 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 15.33 Iud. verse 8. Ephes. 4.23 1 Sam. 25.41 Luk. 1.28 Luke 1.40 1. King 1.47 Eccles. 29.16 Gen. 30.27 1. Sam. 25.23 Pro. 17.27 Iob. 32.4 Prou. 17.27 Prou. 29.20 Good manners in gesture Gen. 18.2 1. Kings 2.19 Leuit. 19.23 Eccles. 3.1 Deut. 33.9 Iohn 2.4 Gen. 18.8 Gen. 24.35 Mark 10.17 1. Kings 2.19 1. King 2.19 Luke 14.8 Prou. 16.18 and 15.33 Philip. 4.8 1. Cor. 14.40 Loue the soule of good manners Helpes Philip. 2.3 1. Sam. 25.41 Philip. 2.4 1. Cor. 4.7 Rom. 13.8 Psal. 82.1 1. Cor. 5.20 Ephes. 5.21 6.5.7 Coloss. 3.23 The first part of the Catechisme Iob. 23.13 Iob. 9.3.15.19.30 Easay 51.1 Gen. 2.17 Gen. 3.6 1. Cor. 15.22 Rom. 5.12 Iohn 1.5 Ephes. 5.13 Math. 6.22 Matth. 20.30 Iohn 9.39 Iohn 6.44 Rom. 7.24 Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8.7 Rom. 6.13.19 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.9 Rom. 7.24 Math. 5.22 Math. 5.28 Math. 15.19 2. Cor. 12.20 Rom. 7.7 Exod. 20.17 Ephes. 2.5 The second part of the Catechisme Psal. 101.1 Sanctus Bernardus in serm de S. Maria Magdalena Psal. 25.10 Psal. 85.10 Psal. 25.8 Cant. 1.2 Coloss. 2.3 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Pet. 1.19 2. Cor. 4.6 Apo. 3.18 Psalm 36.9 Phil. 2.13 Heb. 2.11.14 Zach. 13.1 Ephes. 1.7 Rom. 5.1 Ezech. 18.32 Esay 1.6 Ierem. 8.22 Rom. 11.26 1. Cor. 2.4 The meane to come by Gods mercie Habac. 2.4 2. Cor. 1.24 2. Cor. 5.7 The meanes of maintaining our faith The third part of the Catechisme Luk. 1.74 Mat. 10.22 Esay 6.5 Ezech. 1.29 and. 2.12 1. King 19.15 Heb. 12.21 Pro. 1.7 VVhat man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach the way that he shall choose Psal. 25.12 Exod. 20.20 Gen. 31.42 Gen. 42.18 Gen. 50.19 Eccles. 34.14 Who so feareth the Lord feareth no man neither is afraid for he is his hope Psalm 19.9 Prou. 14.27 Prou. 16.6 Philip. 2.12 1. Cor. 5.7 Acts 15.9 1. Ioh. 2.16 1. Cor. 11.10 Rom. 13.7.8 1. Pet. 2.9 Iob. 34.18 Translatio Tremelij Hebr. 12.2 Philip. 3.13.14 Apoc. 7.2 1. Pet. â— 4 Psal. 16.11 2. Tim. 4.8 Cantic 6.2 2. Cor. 5.15 Gal. 2.20 Acts 21.13 Acts 20.24 Philip. 2.7 Blessings past and present Rom. 8.32 Ierem. 2.21 Ierem. 2.32 Esay 1.2 Esay 5.4 Promises and reward to come Malac. 3.10 Esay 48.18 Psalm 92. 1. Pet. 2.9 Cantic 8.6 The necessitie of teaching Psalm 51.5 Ephes. 2.3 Gen. 6.5 1. Cor. 2.14 Rom. 7.8 The oportunitie of teaching Act. 22.3 2. Tim. 3.14 15. Dan. 1.12 The proper good of euery child The â—lessing of God vpon the parent for teaching Gen. 18.17 Gen. 12.2 Threatnings and punishments Pro. 17.21 Chap. 19.13 29.15 Pro. 20.20 Chap. 30.16 Iob. 27.14 Amos. 9.12 Luk. 16.27 The diuturnitie of the good of good education Psal. 78 5.6 1. Cor. 3.9