to his Hurt How to his Hurt Silver is not Sin Pearls are not Poyson No but for mans Sin the Ground out of which they come is Cursed * Gen. 3.17 Ground is comprehensive All cursed to the wicked Simile As Paint proves not one to be of a good Complexion Prosperity proves not one to be in a good Condtion That Gingle God hath blessed such a man with a Great estate The sound of a London Cymbal hath made my Ears to Tingle For in Truth he being Carnal God hath Cursed such a man with a Great estate To say The man is grown Rich is too Plain for our Fashionable Professors therefore the Speech must be Adorned with God hath Blessed And then this Fine Phrase for mans Ornament and Gods Honour is a taking the Lords name in Vain and a Very Lie Whether or no the Person be blessed is not by such considered But if I will know whether the Estate be blessed I must know whether the Person be blessed If a Person be cursed his Estate is cursed both Personal and Real and All to his Hurt The fault is not in a mans good Goods Land or House but in his bad Heart The mischief lyes not in the Lump of riches but in the Love of riches If the Lump of riches gets into the House the Love of riches gets into the Heart If a man love the World he loves not God †1 Jo. 2.15 What a man loves not is not his god his Goods are his gods then no wonder if God do Curse him and his gods together ¶ 2 Nor was a wiser than Solomon of your opinion viz Jesus Verily I say unto you that a Rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And again I say unto you It is Easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God * Mat. 19.23 24. At this the Disciples were so Amazed that I suppose if great estates had then been Offered to them they durst not have Owned them They seem to Faint under the Fear of being Rich. A rare fear Strange men Many fear Poverty Few fear Plenty Many fear they shall be Poor but who is afraid he shall be Rich this is the most Dangerous condition the Mean is most Desireable Give me neither Poverty nor Riches †Pro. 30.8 ¶ 3 Nor was that Person of your opinion who gave away his Goods that he might be the Lighter to climb up Jacob's Ladder i e Crates's conclusion with his Coin into Heaven ¶ 4 Nor was Crates of your mind who took his Money and threw it into the Sea saying I will destroy Thee lest thou destroy Me. But he was much of your mind who being at Sea in a Sinking Ship suddenly fills his Pockets and Bosom with Silver and Gold as fast as he could And thus in a few minutes he made himself Very Rich. The Rich poor wretch But steeping out of the Sinking Ship into the Swimming Boat he was so Weighty with his Wealth that he stept Short and Sank into the Sea and was Never seen more If not money yet the Love of money is the Root of All evil * 1 Tim. 6.10 an Expression as if spoken of the Devil If no hurt in the Love of money there is no hurt in the DEVIL nor any hurt in Hell Fath. HA OH Master Min. Madam Maiden is it Meet To set thy Heart where Beasts do set their Feet It 's not untruly Said if you be Told You dig for Drosse with Mattocks made of Gold Affections are too Precious to bestow Upon the New-things No-things here below The Eagle Scorns to fall down from on High The Proverb saith to catch the silly Fly And can a Christian leave the love of GOD To love the Ground and cleave unto a Clod. Like him at Sea who did his Cabbin Sweep When All was going Down into the Deep Or like the silly Bird that to her nest Is carrying Mosse and never is at rest Till feather'd well it be but doth not See The Ax below that 's hewing down the Tree Twelfth If it shall please God to blesse Education for Conversion docu 12. Concerning Marriage or to convert your children by other means Give not a child in Marriage to one that is Wicked or without a work of Grace Marriage is a very Solemn thing in which Parents should be very Serious Abraham was old and he said to his servant that ruled his house Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and I will make thee swear by the LORD the God of Heaven and the God of the Earth that thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son of the daughters of the Canaanites †Gen. 24.1 It 's probable Abraham remembred the Ruin unlawfull marriages brought upon the Old World The sons of God * Gen. 6.2 i e which were of the Church of God the posterity of Seth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put in Abel's stead whom Cain slew †Ch. 4.25 Saw the daughters of men i e Cain's posterity They took them and forthwith are called Flesh * Ch. 6.3 threatned with a Flood to destroy all flesh And it 's probable the sons of men took the daughters of God too and so made the greater mixture and more Apostates as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giants signifies coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To fall †Ver. 4. See what an End the son of the Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian came to She learn'd him to Speak he learn'd him to Blasheme for which he is Stoned to Death * Lev. 24.10 The Jews married wives of Ashdod †Neh. 13.23 and their children spake Half in the speech of Ashdod * Ver. 24. Their father 's learn'd them to speak like Jews and Hebrews and their mothers learn'd them to speak like Heathens i e to Swear and Curse for which their parents were Cursed †Ver. 25. What an unparallel'd wicked person is a Husband sometime by reason of a wicked Wife There was None like Ahab who did sell himself to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord whom Jezebel his wife stirred up * 1 Kin. 21.25 Jehoram slew all his brethren with the Sword and slew the Princes of Israel †2 Chro. 21.4 and wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord for he had the daughter of Ahab to Wife * Ver. 6. These kinds of Contracts are called Treachery their seed called Strange children †Ho. 5.7 and the Parents appointed to Perish Judah hath dealt treacherously hath married the daughter of a strange god the Lord will Cut Off the man that doth this * Mal. 2.11 12. And if you say What is this to us in England they were Heathens Paul provides you an answer Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers †2 Cor. 6.14 If unbelievers it
worship Idols Our being under this Law Asserted take Gods name in Vain prophane the SABBATH dishonour Parents Kill Steal commit Adultery and what the DEVIL and We will Fath. But we Gentiles are under the Gospel the grace of which teacheth us to Deny ungodlyness Min. There is none to Deny if there be no Law Proved by being Opposed But this Position of Mine We are Under the Law needs No more Proof then this Contradiction of Yours We are Under the Gospel N B. The preaching of the Gospel is the Proffer of a Pardon This plainly proves Persons under this Proffer to be Condemned They are Condemned by the Law They are Under it or could not be Condemned by it It 's for Sin which is the Transgression of the Law But where No Law is there is No Transgression And so no need of Remission N B. Under the Gospel a Person is either 1 In a Condemned State under the Proffer of a Pardon or 2 In a Justified State under the Priviledge of a Pardon In both States he is under the Law In the former its Clear he is under the Curse of the Law In the latter he is freed from the Curse and Condemning power of the Law but he is not freed from the Commanding power of the Law It 's to be his rule Of life Temporal and Spiritual that thereby God may be Glorified though not his rule For life Eternal that thereby he may be Justified Gal. 3.10 He that obeys the Law for Justification is under Condemnation And he that believes the Gospel for Justification without regard to the Law in his Conversation Jam. 2.20 is in the Same Condition The former expects Salvation by Dead Works without Faith The latter expects Salvation by a Dead Faith without Works Both in a Sad Dead Condition And what ever be the State yet Dead or Deeply Sleepy is the Soul of such a Parent who neglects his Children so contrary to this GREAT Command * DEU VI. VI VII Fath. I cannot deny your Doctrine And seeing you are disposed to enter into So Serious a Discourse about my Children I desire your Advice and Counsel in their Education And I will omit the Businesse I was going about for this is I see of Greater Concern Min. With a very good Will I like your motion Well But it will take up Much Time And therefore let us Seat our Selves in yonder Shaddow from the heat of the Sun as Abraham did Gen. 18.1 4. when the Lord appeared to him And if we spend our Time Well God will be with Us also Fath. We are come to the Place I see here are convenient Seats I am glad I met with you so Near it Min. Very convenient Come Sir Sit You Down with your Wife as one And with your leave let your Children Sit Down with us and hear our Discourse Fath. Let it be so We are all Seated I pray proceed Min. Seeing Providence hath placed us together upon this Account I am glad your Wife is present because so much concerned For by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parents in theh plural not two Fathers but a Father and a Mother is intended Joh. 9.2 e g. Master who did sin this man or his Parents And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Achild comes of the Root and Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies both To Beget and to Bare e g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath begotten me these * Isa 49.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Bare him with sorrow †1 Ch. 4.9 Mat. 19.5 Parents Parallels they twain shall be one Flesh Parents are Parallels Equally concerned When one is Dead the Care and Industry of the Living is to be Double But if one be Dead while Alive the Care of the Living is to be Trible For the Dead Parent will not Help but Hinder the Living Fath. We desire to hear our dutie Min. The Education of Children Education two Heads is a Greater Work than the Greatest part of Parents in the Whole World are aware of And that I may be as usefull to you in One Conference as I can I shall reduce my Advice and Discourse to these two General Heads viz Instruction and Correction Fath. What is Instruction Let me hear the word handled Min. Instructiō is a Latine word Instruction opened of Instruo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To set in order Instruction is a setting in Order for Children are Out of order both in Heart and Life e g. The Soul in Every Faculty is out of order The Imagination Deviseth evil The Memory Retains evil The Understanding is Dark and Misjudgeth evil and good The Will is Opposite to the Will of God The Affections Love evil and Hate good And this disordered Soul puts the Body out of order in Every Part. e g. The Eye Beholds vanity The Ear Hears it The Tongue Talks it The Hands Work it The Feet Follow it God set All in good order by Creation but the Devil put All out of order by Temptation and all into Confusion and Desolation And the simple verb Struo from whence comes Instruction signifies To build The Lord God formed Man * Gen. 2.7 The rib which the Lord God had taken from Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he Builded into a Woman †Ver. 22. This Stately Structure which God set up by Creation Satan hath pulled down by Temptation Now No Man can build upon That Foundation which God at first set ADAM upon There is no coming At it for the Flaming Sword But if you SO Instruct your Children as to bring them Unto and build them Upon Jesus Christ that Sure Foundation they shall be Safer than Ever was Adam in Innocencie in Paradise For the Gates of Hell shall Never prevail against them Fath. That is a Very desirable condition Indeed How shall I So Instruct my Children Min. By Word and Deed or by Doctrine and Example Instruction by D and Exam. Fath. How by Word or Doctrine Min. The Word Doctrine 1 By Doct. is derived of the Latine Word Doctrina Learning of Doceo To teach as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To receive for you must Receive it from GOD as you are desired to do Receive I pray thee the Law from his Mouth †Job 22.22 And your Children are to receive it from You. Hear O my Son and Receive my sayings * Pro. 4.10 Fath. What Doctrine am I to Instruct them in Min. The Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures Tit. 2.10 2 Jo. 9. Pro. 4.2 Tit. 2.1 Called The Doctrine of GOD The Doctrine of CHRIST Good Doctrine Sound Doctrine Fath. Draw me out some Documents and lay some Lessons before me to learn my Children Min. Take these twenty First Doc 1. Of God Teach them to know God Himself His Eternity in his
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