to Christian Parents That you may the better act your part 't is fit for you when you call your selves to an account about your Lives and Conversations to make enquiry particularly how you perform the Duties of Parents towards your Children as to their Souls their Bodies and Outward Concerns And if upon serious enquiry you find that you sincerely endeavour to do whatever you know your selves to be bound to do for them then bless and praise God who gives you both to will and to do according to his good Pleasure Beg his pardon for those Imperfections and Defects that attend all Humane Actions Resolve to go on and not to grow weary in your Duty towards them that so they may be as happy in all respects as is possible for you by the help of God to make them But if upon inquiry you find that you have been very negligent in your duty towards your Children that you have done very little good for their Souls and not what you should and might have done for their Bodies and outward Estate and that perhaps you have done them a great deal of hurt by your Evil Counsel and Prophane and Wretched Example that you have led them on in the Broad Way which leads to the Chambers of Death that you have robbed God who bestowed them on you of their Service and Obedience and have made them the Servants of Sin that you have contributed to the making them Heirs of Wrath and Children of Disobedience who were made by their Baptism Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven that you have done what tended to destroy eternally those Souls and Bodies which God intrusted with you that you might take care of them and do what you could to make them happy If I say upon enquiry into your hearts and lives you find your selves guilty of those things how great reason have you to be in bitterness and grief of Heart to weep and lament to abhor your selves in Dust and Ashes to confess and acknowledge your Sins with great Humility and Contrition to implore the Divine Mercy and Forgiveness with all earnestness for the sake of his dear Son to resolve and purpose sincerely to amend your ways and doings to beg Grace from God that he would assist you that he would compass you about with his Salvation and never leave you nor forsake you that he would give you his Holy Spirit to sanctifie you to wash and cleanse you to lead and guide you to support and strengthen you to revive and quicken you to carry you from strength to strength and from Grace to Grace till you come and appear before him in Sion Consider the particular things wherein you have hurt the Souls of your Children and failed in your Duty to them as to their Bodies and Outward Concerns And the more you find you have done amiss resolve so much the more to be zealous to do them good to double your diligence in promoting the welfare and happiness both of their Souls and Bodies Tell them so far as is meet what you now see and feel let them know that you have been out of the way that you have misled them and brought both your selves and them in danger of being undone and ruined Eternally Tell them what you resolve to do and what you and they ought to do and must do or else that you will certainly perish Delay not to do this one moment fly like a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler Your Souls lie at the stake and therefore do what Men use to do to save their Lives Skin for Skin and all that a Man hath will be give for his Life Men are ready to part with any thing to save their Lives They 'l part with House and Lands with Silver and Gold with their whole Estate and Substance to save their Bodies alive which must die at last and for ought they know may die within a very few days or hours How much more ought you that you may save your own Souls and the Souls of your Children to part with your â—ile and unruly Lusts and Passions your vain foolish Habits and Customs which are your reproach and dishonour which are the worst things in the World which can do you no good if you hold them still but will certainly do you a great deal of mischief They will prove the cause of your destruction they will deprive you of all that is good and excellent they will cut you off from the favour of God the Love of Christ and the fellowship of the Blessed Spirit they will likewise deprive you of the Assistance and Ministry of the Holy Angels and the Comfortable Society of the Saints departed they will exclude you for ever from the Kingdom of Heaven the Crown of Righteousness the Peace the Joy the Love and Glory of the future State All this your sins will deprive you of and instead thereof they will expose you to the Wrath of God to the devouring fire to Everlasting Burnings to blackness of darkness to weeping and gnashing of Teeth to the wretched and cursed Company of Devils and damned Souls to the Worm which never dieth which will gnaw you and torment you for ever And will you chuse all this rather than part with your Lusts that you may be for ever happy and have fulness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore Will you be so mad as to prefer Hell and Death everlasting Misery and Woe to Heaven and Everlasting Life to Blessedness and Glory And will you still continue to be so cruel to your poor Children as to draw them along with you to the bottomless Pit Now is the time for you to become either happy or miserable if you repent and amend and act the part of Wise and Religious Parents you may be happy for God will have Mercy upon you Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts And let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Follow therefore the Example of the Psalmist Psal. 119. 59 60. I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Resolve without delay to forsake your wicked Customs and Practices Begin in earnest to work out your own Salvation and do all that lies in your power to make your Children wise and good But if instead of this you continue in your sin and folly setting at naught God's Counsels and despising his Reproofs putting the Evil day far from you promising your selves peace and safety tho' you walk after your own Hearts Lusts making a mock at Sin and laughing at all that is sacred and serious and by your wicked Example destroying the Souls and Bodies of your poor Children then assure your selves God will not be mocked he will at last whet his Sword and bend his Bow and make ready his Arrows against his
Life Lord be Gracious to all Mankind pity those who are in a State of Ignorance and Barbarity and send the glad tidings of Salvation to them Grant that they who have this Blessed Light of the Gospel may walk honestly as in the Day that others seeing their good Works may glorifie thee our Heavenly Father Lord cleanse thy Church from the many and great Sins which abound in her Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity Have Mercy on these Sinful Lands Give Repentance to all sorts of Persons amongst us that all of us may search and try our ways and turn again to thee Lord turn us that we may be turned and draw us that we may run after thee and follow thee fully Be Gracious to our King and Queen direct and prosper them in all their good Designs make them the happy Instruments of promoting Religion amongst us Bless the rest of the Royal Family Guide ouâ— Judges and Magistrates Grant that they may Execute Justice without Respect of Persons Sanctifie and assist all thy Ministers make them Diligent and Faithful grant that their Endeavours for the good of Souls may be attended with great Success Raise up many Faithful Pastors to feed thy Flock with Wisdom and Vnderstanding Shew thy Pity upon all who are any ways afflicted or distressed in Mind Body or Estate Sanctifie their Afflictions unto them give them Patience under them and a Happy Issue out of them Let thy Blessing be upon this Family let no harm come near our Dwelling this Night or at any time Lord bless our Children take them into thy Gracious Protection give them a Heart to Fear and Love thee cause them to Remember thee their Creator in the days of their Youth possess them with a deep sense of thy Infinite Power Wisdom Faithfulness and Love that they may walk before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all their Days Be thou their God and Guide and Portion for ever Bless all others for whom we are obliged to pray to thee bless them and us in our Souls and Bodies and in all our Interests and Concerns Blessed be thy Name for bringing us safely through the past Day for preserving us from a great many Dangers and for bestowing upon us innumerable Mercies Preserve in us an Affectionate and Grateful Remembrance of all thy undeserved kindness to us Lord watch over us this Night refresh us with comfortable Rest and Sleep defend us from all the Powers of Darkness save us from all vain and sinful thoughts from all sad accidents and from every evil thing When thou seest fit to remove us out of this vain World translate us into that Blessed and Happy State which thou hast prepared for thy Ransomed Ones And if thou art pleased to prolong our time grant that we may spend it to good purpose in such Designs Words and Actions as may tend to thy Honour and Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose Blessed Name and Words we continue to pray as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A short Prayer for the Morning or Evening when through Extraordinary Occasions there is not time for the other O Lord our God look down with an Eye of Pity upon us thy unworthy Servants this Morning Pardon us the many Sins whereof we are Guilty before thee in our Thoughts Words and Deeds Have Mercy upon us and be reconciled to us through Jesus Christ thy dear Son Sanctifie and assist us by thy Holy Spirit that for the time to come we may do thy Will and seek thy Glory We bless thy Name for all thy Mercies especially for thy wonderful Love in Christ Jesus whom thou hast sent into the World to die for us to purchase for us an Everlasting Kingdom Give us Grace firmly to believe in him heartily to love him and constantly to obey him Grant that it may be our sincere Endeavour to follow his Blessed Example in all Lowliness and Self-Denyal in Meekness and Patience in Charity and Compassion in Sincerity and Vprightness in Temperance and Soberness in Thankfulness and Contentedness in Purity and Holiness in Watchfulness and Circumspectness and in fervent and prudent Zeal for thy Honour and Glory O Lord we bless thee for bringing us safely through the last Night Watch over us this Day Keep us mindful of thy All-seeing Eye that we may avoid every thing that is displeasing to thee Be Gracious to all Mankind Have Mercy on these Lands Bless and Guide our Rulers and all thy Ministers Be near to all who are in trouble and Sanctifie their Afflictions to them Be with our Friends and Relations every where Bless them and us with all things needful for our Souls and Bodies Make us sensible of our Frailty and Mortality give us Grace so to number our Days that we may apply our Hearts to Wisdom When this vain and short Life is at an end make us Partakers of Everlasting Life and Happiness through Jesus Christ our Lord who hath taught us when we pray to say Our Father c. SOME FORMS OF PRAYER WHICH Parents may teach their Children according to their Age. A Morning Prayer to be taught Children when they begin to speak O Lord I praise thee for all thy Mercies and for thy Care of me this Night Watch over me this Day Forgive me all my sins and make me thy Child for Jesus Christ's sake This Prayer may be used likewise at Night only changing that Petition watch over me this Day into watch over me this Night When Children come to be four or five years old the following Prayer may be used O Lord my God what shall I render unto thee for all thy Mercies I bless thee for giving me Life and all things needful to keep me alive But above all I bless thee for sending Christ to dye for me that he might wash me with his Blood and make me fit for the Kingdom of Heaven For his sake have mercy upon me and forgive me all my sinful thoughts words and deeds Give me Grace to serve thee as I ought to do that I may not do nor say a naughty thing lest thou be angry with me and cast me into Hell fire Lord bless and preserve my Father and Mother and all my Friends and Relations I praise thee O God for preserving me this Night watch over me this day save me from every evil thing Good Lord hear me and grant me whatever thou knowest to be best for me for Jesus Christ's sake in whose holy Name and Words I pray Our Father c. This Prayer may be likewise used at Night by changing only two words and saying instead of preserving me this night preserving me this day and instead of watch over me this day watch over me this night A Morning Prayer for Children when they come to twelve or fourteen years of Age sooner or later according to the ripeness of their understanding LORD teach and assist me by thy
from a great many vain and unnecessary Actions As to their Abstinence from Food on such days there 's no Rule can be given to serve all Persons if they can fast one Meal or two it is well if not then they may eat less at a time and of such things as are less apt to be a hinderance to their Devotion That is to be done that serves most to render them fit for Prayer and Meditation It will be convenient in order to their doing this to good purpose to be directed to a method that so their thoughts may not wander and be unfixed For which end it will be of good use to have the direction of their Minister if he be a discreet and good man or of some other prâ—dent serious Christian Friend Or you may recommend to them some plain and easie short Treatise on this Subject such as you shall find written discreetly with due moderation of Spirit There is not any one method can be prescribed for all Persons nor fit for all times But in general upon such days it 's fit for them to begin with Prayer to God humbly begging the Divine Assistance and Direction that he would open their Eyes to see their Sin and Folly and to discover his Mercy and Kindness his long Suffering and Patience towards them that they may be thereby led to Repentance They may next enquire particularly and strictly into their ways and doings which they may do by considering what have been their Thoughts their Words and Deeds each of which they are to examine according to the Rule of God's Word Or which comes to the same thing they may go over the Commandments and see wherein they have broken any of them Wherein they find themselves Guilty they are with unfeigned Sorrow and inward Contrition to confess it to mourn for it and earnestly to beg Forgiveness of God resolving with full purpose of Heart to do so no more but to cease from Evil and to learn to do well They are to consider what Temptations they are most in danger of that they may avoid them They are also to consider what course they must take and what Christian methods they must use to overcome their Evil Inclinations and â—oolish and bad Customs and they are to resolve to govern themselves accordingly and sincerely to endeavour to go on unto Perfection After this they may reflect on the kind Providences they have met with that their Souls may be filled with a grateful Sense thereof that they may return all Praise and Thanks to God for his Mercy and Love and may be excited for the time to come to trust more firmly in him and to depend upon him They may particularly consider wherein God hath been pleased to answer their Prayers and to grant them the good things they have asked of him for their Souls and Bodies for themselves or for others that their Piety and Love to God may be thereby the more kindled and their Devotion excited that their Faith and Hope may be made more strong and lively They may take notice likewise of the Corrections and Chastisements wherewith God hath thought fit to exercise them that thereby they may be awakened from Sin and made wiser and better for the time to come It will be very useful for them to have a Note in Writing of those various particulars that they may on such days review them and with the more ease make such Reflections on them as tend to their Improvement in real Piety Besides these Acts of Devotion which concern themselves immediately it will be fit on such days to make earnest and hearty Prayers to God for all Mankind For the Conversion of Jews Turks and Pagans For the Reformation of those Christian Countries that are corrupted with Superstition and Idolatry For Union amongst those that are divided in their Opinions about lesser matters For deliverance to those who are persecuted for Righteousness sake and for these Lands that God may inspire us with a Spirit of Peace of Love and of true Piety For our King and Queen For all Judges and Magistrates For all the Ministers of the Gospel For all their Friends and Relations For all their Enemies and for all who desire their Prayers of whom it is not unfit to keep a particular Note in Writing that this Christian Office may be performed towards them with all Faithfulness and Kindness They are next to consider what may be done by them for the Honour of God and the good of Men and are to resolve to do some Act or other of Piety or Charity which may be of real Advantage to Mens Souls or Bodies One thing more I shall mention which may be very useful on such days and that is That they consider what are the things wherein they desire more earnestly the Divine Assistance and Direction which they may write down distinctly that they may renew their Petitions therein every day And thereafter especially on such Days as they appoint for more Solemn Reflection and Humiliation they may consider what Answers God has been pleased to afford them These are a few General Heads on this Subject which may be of great advantage in Order to the promoting of true Devotion But the designed brevity of this Treatise does not permit the enlarging upon them 10. Duty to observe what Providences they meet with and to acquaint them therewith in due time as also with some of the most remarkable Providences which either they to wit the Parents themselves or others have met with Lastly Consider what Providences they meet with what signal Mercies and Favours their Merciful Father bestoweth upon them what Dangers and Hazards they have escaped wherein God's Kindness and Mighty Power has appeared towards them in preserving them and keeping them alive Keep a Note thereof in Writing that so when they come to Age you may acquaint them therewith that they may therein read the loving Kindness and tender Mercies of the Lord and his wonderful Goodness and Favour towards them and may be excited to be thankful and to put their Trust and Confidence in him whose Mercies are over all his Works But alas How far are most Parents from doing this Very few do any such thing for themselves the Mercies of God are renewed to them every Morning they live at his cost and charge he gives them richly all things to enjoy all their good things are from him alone But how little do they consider and take notice of the Hand of God in those many and great Benefits he loads them with every hour and moment they do not reflect upon the great and marvellous things that he does for them they live as if they were altogether insensible of God's Mercies and loving Kindnesses and no wonder if they take little thought to possess their Children with any Impressions of that whereof they have no sense themfelves But if Parents did as they ought acquaint their Children with God's Providences towards them in their
use of them likewise and if they do not serve the turn then try the Rod Chasten thy Son says Solomon Prov. 19. 18. while there is hope and let not thy Soul spare for his crying And Ch. 13. 24. he saith He that spareth his Rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him Chasteneth him betimes But let this be always the last Remedy after you have in vain attempted their Reformation by milder and gentler Methods And when you use Severity do it with due moderation not exceeding the Quality of the Fault Beware of using great Severity when the Fault is very small and inconsiderable Respect must also be had to the Age Temper and Disposition of your Children if they are very young and tender your Correction must be the more gentle and moderate and if they are of a flexible and Ingenuous Temper you must be the more Favourable towards them Beware of correcting them when you find your Anger very hot for then you are apt to do more hurt than good Your Passion will hurry you if you restrain it not into somewhat or other very wicked as well as indiscreet it will make you do and say a great many things very unworthy of a Christian. Always therefore be careful that your Reason and not your Passion direct you in so important a matter as this is â—f once you fall into the rough severe and violent Method of dealing with your Children there are a great many Disadvantages will attend it First You discourage your Children you break their Spirits you make them unfit for any useful thing you tempt them to do such things as are hurtful to themselves and may prove grievous to you If Oppression makes a wise Man mad 't is no wonder if a Child or young Person is sadly disordered and made half mad by cruel and tyrannâ—câ—l usage Tho' it be a Fault in Children to be so yet Parents ought to be careful not to provoke them overmuch to wrath by a severe unmerciful carriage towards them 'T is not the less important and true because it is a common Observation to wit That a tender Sprig which grows crooked may be made straight by little and little if you bend it and handle it gently but if you bend it with great Force and Violence you may quickly break it Thus it is with Children generally who discover very early somewhat of crookedness in their Nature which is increased by evil Example if you use mild and gentle Methods to reform them temper'd now and then as need shall require with a little severity there is hopes that by degrees they will be reformed and made straight but if instead of this moderate course you use cruel Methods and deal rigidly and unmercifully with them you cannot expect any other but that their Spirits should be broken or hardened and so lose all sense of Ingenuity Secondly You kindle your own Passions you disorder your minds and accustom your selves to a fiery Temper you become fierce barbarous and savage whereby you turn one of your great Temporal Comforts into a grievous Cross and heavy Burden Thirdly You hereby likewise teach your Children through your Example to be of a passionate and violent Spirit and so you do them more hurt than all your Corrections and Instructions can do them good Never think to cure them of their Faults by your committing as bad your selves You must not do evil that good may come of it The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God Fourthly You make your Children care less for your Corrections than otherwise they would do When you are always beating them in your Passion and tormenting them they must needs think that you do so not so much for any Fault they are guilty of as because you are very passionate and therefore must give your Passion a vent one way or other If therefore you would chasten your Children to good purpose do it when your Spirits are cool when your Reason is at hand to direct you and to keep you within bounds and not when you have lost your selves by being under the Power of a violent Passion If you are careful to follow this Christian Method you may then expect that God's kind Providence will second you in your Endeavours for reforming your Children Either they will grow better or however you will find Peace and Comfort when in this manner you govern your selves by the Laws of Religion and are not led by your unruly Passion That Parents may the better perform their Duty in correcting their Children they ought to observe and imitate the Example of our Heavenly Father who tho' whom he loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12. 6. yet he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. Lam. 3. 33. He does not make use of the Rod but when it is necessary when his Mercy and Kindness do not prevail And when he does correct in the midst of Wrath he remembreth Mercy When he visits the Transgressions of his Children with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes Nevertheless his loving Kindness he does not take utterly from them nor suffer his Faithfulness to fail Ps. 89. 32 33. He is always ready to receive his penitent Children to have Mercy upon them He does not keep his Anger for ever A due Consideration of these things will direct Parents how to correct their Children both as to Time and Measure To what hath been said it will not be unfit to add That to render Reproof and Correction the more effectual it is necessary that both Parents concur therein not as if it were proper for them both together or one after another to reprove or chasten their Children for the same Fault for this would be rather very improper for the most part But when one of the Parents chides of corrects their Children the other ought so far to concur as to approve what is done and shew their displeasure towards those Children who have done that which deserves Chastisement They must not oppose one another in this matter when one reproves the other must not approve and commend when one condemns the other must not justifie when one endeavours to correct the other must not hinder it Otherwise the Children will be lost for it is not likely they will amend their Faults if they see that either of their Parents is their Patron to encourage and defend them or to excuse and extenuate what they do amiss They who are wise Parents ought to be so far from doing this that tho' one of them should happen to reprove or chasten a Child when there is no very great necessity for so doing yet the other Parent whether Father or Mother ought to conceal their present thoughts and wait a fit occasion to discourse the matter together that such unnecessary Reproofs and Chastisements may be prevented for the future If Parents do not carefully observe this Rule their Children will be sure to take notice of their Indiscretion and to make
a very bad use of it so as to despise their reproofs and chastenings when they are more just and necessary Fourthly When it pleaseth God to visit them with sickness or any other adversity be sure to do all that you can to bear in upon their minds a sense of those things you are most desirous to have them touched with and which in time of their health they made but very little account of Affliction is the time in which God useth to work upon the hearts of People most powerfully and effectually then he awakeneth them and convinceth them of their sad and dangerous state he casts them down that being made sensible of their sin and danger he may again raise them up and speak comfortably to them I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably to her Hos. 2. 4. Therefore all they who sincerely desire to reclaim their Children or others from their bad and foolish courses ought to take the opportunity of their Sickness their Pain and Grief their Losses and Disappointments and of any other sorts of Troubles and Afflictions wherein they are that then they may suggest to them such counsels and advices as are proper for their Instruction their conviction and amendment At other times there are a great many things which are apt to hinder good Counsel from entring into the mind or from making any deep impression thereon Pleasures and Vanities are apt to choak the good Seed But when they are afflicted and humbled a little by some outward pressure or bodily distemper they are thereby somewhat better disposed to hear Friendly Admonitions and Counsels and to think a little more seriously of their ways and doings It is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth He sitteth alone and keepeth silence c. Lam. 3. 27 28. When it hath pleased God to restore your Children to health or to deliver them from any other Affliction fail not to put them in mind of their afflicted Estate and of God's goodness towards them when they were in adversity Endeavour to make them sensible for what end God hath been so kind to them to wit that they may amend their Lives and bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Strive to keep them mindful of their Purposes and Resolutions and press them to the fulfilling of them Stir them up to be thankful to God for his Mercy and to be very watchful lest Satan prevail over them any more Fifthly Be earnest in your Prayers to God daily for them that he would make them what he requires them to be his dutiful and obedient Children and Servants that he would give them his Holy Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse them to enlighten and direct them and to assist and strengthen them that he would season their Hearts with his Fear and Love that he would turn them from Sin and Folly and incline their Hearts to keep his Precepts always even unto the end that he would hold up their goings in his Paths that their footsteps may not slide that he would be their God and Guide their Sun and Shield and their Portion for ever that he would give every one of them those things which be best and most needful for them that he would Sanctifie every State and Condition of Life wherein his Providence doth place them If they are in a healthful and prosperous State pray to God to make them sensible of and thankful for his undeserved goodness and that he would preserve them from the snares and dangers to which Prosperity does expose them You see what was Job's constant course at the end of his Childrens Feasting Job 1. 5. He sent and Sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and Offered burnt Offerings according to the number of them all For he said it may be my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts c. Again if they are in Sickness or any other Adversity beg of God to Sanctifie their Afflictions to make them blessed and happy means of their Reformation or of their Improvement in true Piety When you are about to instruct to admonish to reprove or to correct your Children pray to God to direct you by his good Spirit to do your Duty in an acceptable manner and that he would incline and dispose them to their Duty and make them Gainers by what you do or say for their good 'T is not always necessary for you in every particular Admonition or Reproof c. which you use towards your Children to make a Solemn Prayer by retiring into your Closet this ought to be done upon extraordinary Occasions but ordinarily it will suffice if you lift up your Hearts unto God in a short and fervent Ejaculation for his Direction and Blessing in what you are to do or say to your Children You have great encouragement to do this because you are assured that God heareth Prayer he hath said Every one that asketh receiveth So that either he will grant your Children what you beg for them or if they render themselves unworthy of the Mercy and Kindness of God by their perverseness and stubbornness yet you are sure of one thing that your Prayers are not lost they shall return into your Bosom God will plentifully reward your Piety your Charity and Zeal with more Grace here and Glory hereafter Now if it be the Duty of Parents in this manner to pray for their Children what shall be said of those who instead of praying for their Children curse them and use fearful Imprecations against them How dreadful a thing is it for those to whom it belongs to bless their Children instead of doing this to curse them How unnatural a thing is it instead of contributing to their Happiness to do their utmost to make them Eternally miserable 'T is true some Children are very perverse and wicked guilty of great stubbornness and disobedience and of great contempt aud neglect of their Parents But yet for all this Parents ought never to give over praying for them and if at any time their Passion and discontent occasion in their minds any thing that looks like a tendency to evil wishes or Imprecations against their Children let them with as great care endeavour to be delivered therefrom as they would from Fire if it broke forth in their Houses And indeed if they who have the worst Children did but consider what woful Effects do often attend such rash curses they would beware of using them though never so much provoked It is very observable that God often in his wrath and Vengeance heareth such Imprecations when uttered by Parents whereby he sheweth his just Displeasure and Indignation both against them and their Children From what hath been said Parents may see what they must do to render their Admonitions and all their other endeavours effectual for the good of their Children Some Motives to excite Parents to do these things Now to stir you up to
them they shall not return to you Now what a folly is it for Men to consume to disquiet and to torment themselves where it is to no purpose at all to do so And not only do you thereby no good at all to your selves but you do your selves a great deal of mischief and prejudice You provoke God to anger against you to bring upon you yet heavier and more grievous punishments and to deprive you of other Mercies and Comforts which you still enjoy You do thereby no small hurt to your Bodies you bring upon your selves very dangerous distempers which will make you unfit for the actions of Life and the Duties of your Calling You likewise do unspeakable mischief to your Souls you deprive your selves of that vigour and chearfulness of Spirit that is needful to make you fit to serve God acceptably You thereby weaken your Memory and darken and disorder your Reason and Understanding and so expose your selves to all the sad consequences of a disordered and distracted Mind Your Example does also a great deal of hurt to others Your impatience and immoderate sorrow and mourning teacheth others to do so upon the like occasion Hereby you bring no small reproach upon our holy Religion as if it were not sufficient to support and fortifie us against our crosses and afflictions and to comfort us amidst the uneasie things which God sees fit to exercise us with in this World What an excellent Example is David unto you in this matter When God struck his Child so that it was very sick he fasted and prayed but when the Child died he arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and câ—me unto the House of the Lord and worshipped Then he came to his own House and when he required they 〈◊〉 Bread before him and he did eat Then said his Servants unto him What thing is this that thou hast done Thou didst fast and weep for the Child while it was alive but when the Child was dead thou didst rise and eat Bread And he said While the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said Who can tell whether God will be gracious unto me that the Child may live But now he is dead Wherefore should I fast Can I bring him again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12. 15 16 c. Thus ought all Parents to do who fear God When the Lord layeth his hand upon your Children you ought to pray to God for them and to use all lawful means for their recovery But when he â—ees fit to take them away by death you ought patiently to submit to his Will This is your wisest course It is the way to make your selves happy and to enjoy comfort and satisfaction of mind under your crosses This is the likeliest and readiest way to obtain new Mercies and Favours from the Lord instead of those you are deprived of Thus you see the Lord dealt with Job Jam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord That the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy And Job 42. 12 13. The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning And vers 16 17. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years and saw his Sons and his Sons Sons even four Generations So Job dyed being old and full of days But if God see it more fit to withhold from you the blessings of the Womb and to bestow no more Children upon you he can and will make up this want with much greater and better Blessings What you want in Temporals you shall have in Spirituals As Elkanah said to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 8. He will be better to you than ten Sons He will give you a Name better than of Sons and Daughters even an everlasting Name that shall not be cut off Isa. 56. 5. The Duty of Parents On their Death-Bed The shortness and great uncertainty of your Time ought to make you very careful while you are in Health to improve as well as you can the present opportunities of doing good to your Children both as to their Spiritual and Temporal concerns There can be no greater Folly than to delay the doing whatever is needful for your Childrens real Happiness and welfare meerly out of a vain Expectation of having time enough to do every thing of this kind when you lie upon your Death-Bed 'T is strange that Men who daily see the Casualties which others do meet with and who have power to consider the great Dangers their own Lives have been exposed to should notwithstanding flatter themselves with such Thoughts and be so far bewitched thereby as to neglect any Duty of Importance and Necessity which now they have sufficient opportunity to do And therefore while you are in Health fail not to do all the good you can to your Children both for their Souls and Bodies and for their outward Estate But if it shall please God to afford you time and leisure upon your Death-Bed to do any thing for their Benefit neglect not at such a time to do whatever your Weakness and Sickness will permit Particularly 1 st Give them your best Advice Direct them according to their Capacities Consider what their faults and defects most commonly have been and suggest to them such things as God shall bring into your mind to make them sensible of their faults and to rescue them from their evil Habits Consider what those things are whereby they are most likely to be endangered and strive to fortifie their Minds with such wholesom Precepts and Maxims as may tend to preserve them for the time to come Consider what good thing does appear in any of them and endeavour to stablish their Minds in Virtue and Goodness in the Fear and Love of God Amongst other things 't is 〈◊〉 to recommend to them Unity and Concord that they Love one another heartily and be ready to assist and serve one another to the utmost of their power that they be friendly Monitors to One another and take it kindly and thankfully when they are so deale with Then likewise you may advise them to endeavour as much as is possible to live peaceably with all Men to be careful not to wrong any body by Word or Deed but on the contrary to seek the welfare of others to strive to do all the good they can in the World and to make it as their necessary Food to glorifie God David's Example is worthy of the imitation of all Religious Parents at such a time of whom 't is said 1 King 2. 1 2 3 4. He charged Solomon his Son saying I go the way of all the Earth Be thou strong therefore and shew thy self a Man And keep the Charge of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways to keep his Statutes and his Commandments and his Judgments and his Testimonies as it is written in the
whereby we have provoked thee to Wrath against us We have not only sinned through Ignorance but have sinned also against Knowledge we have acted contrary to that light which thou hast made to shine upon us We have been very Inconstant in good Purposes and Resolutions We have often confessed our Sins and yet soon after returned to them O Lord have Mercy upon us and forgive us all our Sins for Jesus Christ's sake Thou who knowest the Deceitfulness and desperate Wickedness of our Hearts make us what thou requirest us to be put thy Spirit within us and cause us to walk in thy Statutes and to keep thy Judgments and do them Give us unfeigned Repentance for all our past Offences Work in us strong Resolutions to observe thy Laws for the time to come Make us Watchful and Circumspect in all our Words and Actions Lord watch thou over us for good and never leave us nor forsake us Make us sensible of thy Power and Faithfulness that we may put our Trust and Confidence in thee Acquaint us more and more with our own Hearts and Lives that the sense of our Weakness and Folly of our manifold and great Sins may make us very humble and careful to avoid those Temptations which do so often and easily prevail over us Fortifie us with great Measures of Meekness and Patience That we may bear and endure all those uneasie things which thou seest fit to exercise us with Possess us with a lively sense of thy wise and just Providence that in all things which befall us we may say Good is the Word of the Lord. Save us from the Immoderate Love of all Earthly things from all vain Hopes and groundless Fears Make us content and thankful in every condition of Life Faithful and Just in all our Dealings careful to do to others what we would have them do to us And as much as in us lieth to live peaceably with all Men. Set a Watch before our Lips that we offend not with our Tongues save us from Lying and Slandering from Foolish Talking and Sinful Jesting and from all manner of Corrupt Communication And grant that our words being seasoned with Salt may Minister Grace to the Hearers Keep us mindful of thy all-seeing Eye that we may be in thy Fear all the day long that whether we eat or drink or whatever else we do we may do all to thy Glory Lord be Merciful to the many Nations which sit in Darkness send the Light of the Gospel unto them Grant that all they upon whom this Glorious Light does shine may walk as Children of the Light and of the Day that they may put off the Works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light Bless all Rulers and Governours make them wise and good just and merciful Let it be their chiefest care to encourage Piety and to restrain whatever is dishonourable to thee the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Have mercy on these sinful Lands Bless and preserve our King and Queen and all the Royal Family Direct our Judges and Magistrates Sanctifie and assist all thy Ministers Be gracious to all our Friends every where and forgive those who wrong us by word or deed Let thy Blessing be on this Family Bless our Children make them thy Children put thy Fear within them Grant that as they grow in Years they may grow in Grace shed abroad thy Love in their Hearts that they may never depart from thee save them from every evil thing Be favourable O Lord to all others for whom we are bound to pray on any account whatsoever Bless them and us in our Souls and Bodies and in all our Affairs and Concerns We give thee our Hearty Thanks for preserving us and watching over us and our Habitation the last night for affording us quiet Repose and for raising us up in Health and Safety this Morning Be with us this Day Assist and direct us in all our ways Give thy Angels charge concerning us Lord make us ready to leave this vain World Let the sense of our Frailty stir us up to redeem our time and to give all dilligence to make our Calling and Election sure Grant that this day we may do somewhat worthy of Christians for thy Glory the Advantage of others and our own Everlasting Happiness and Comfort Let it be our constant Study and Endeavour to follow the Example of our Blessed Saviour who went about doing good In whose most Blessed Name and Words we conclude our Prayers Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for Parents or Masters of Families with their Family O Lord our God what shall we render unto thee for the many and great Favours which thou hast been pleased from Time to Time to bestow upon us We bless thee for giving us a Being for making us reasonable Creatures capable to know and love thee and to live for ever with thee for preserving us in the World and for affording us all things needful for our Support and Comfort But above all we bless thee for thy Love in Christ Jesus whom thou hast sent into the World to visit us to make his abode among us to dye for us That he might wash us from our Sins in his Blood Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of Man that thou doest in this gracious manner visit him Tho' thou hast bestowed innumerable Mercies upon us and hast visited us with this great Salvation yet we have been very unthankful and undutiful to thee We have abused thy Goodness and turned thy Grace into wantonness We have set at naught thy Counsels and despised thy Reproofs we have trampled under foot the Blood of our Saviour we have quenched the motions of thy good Spirit we have refused to obey thy Commands and to follow thy kind and gracious Invitations we have not regarded thy Promises nor been afraid of thy Threatnings we have been too often led by the sinful Examples and Manners of the World we have in many Things gratified our Lusts and Rassions We have drawn near to thee with our Mouth and Honoured thee with our Lips when our Hearts have been far from thee we have promised our selves Peace and Safety in the broad way that leads to Destruction O Lord We have destroyed our selves but in thee is our Help Our only Hopes are in thy infinite Mercy who hast hitherto spared us notwithstanding our manifold and crying Provocations Most Gracious God have Mercy upon us For Jesus Christ's sake pardon us all our sinful Thoughts Words and Deeds Renew and Sanctifie us by thy Holy Spirit that henceforth we may live thy faithful Servants and may be always ready to do or to endure whatever is thy Holy Will and Pleasure Thou knowest our Weakness and Inconstancy let thy Grace continually prevent and follow us that we may abhor that which is Evil and cleave to that which is Good Make us Faithful unto Death that at last we may obtain the Crown of
7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them Some Motives to excite Guardians to do these Things The first thing which should stir up Guardians to perform their Duty towards their Pupils is A Sense of Justice When they are chosen for this End if they have no mind to undertake such a Charge or if they cannot attend it they ought to declare so much and peremptorily to refuse it that so care may be taken to get some other Body who will undertake it But when once they have undertaken it they ought to make Conscience of it and to do all that is in their power for the Childrens welfare and happiness in every thing 'T is both their Duty and Interest to fulfill their Ingagement and to act that part which they have undertaken which if they perform wisely and faithfully then they may expect the Praise Love and Esteem of not only the Children themselves and of their Relations but likewise of all good and worthy Persons who see or hear of their Fidelity and Carefulness for the benefit of their Pupils If Care is not taken in this manner to fulfill what is undertaken to be done and if there is no respect had to Covenants Trusts and Ingagements then the very Foundation of the Happiness of Society is subverted If there is no regard to Truth and Justice what a miserable thing must it be to live in Society To be united by any civil â—yes to those whose Promises and Ingagements are worse than none at all 2. Does not A Sense of Honour oblige Guardians to be careful of their Pupils and true and faithful to them 'T was the Opinion of their kindness and faithfulness and of their fitness and worthiness for such a Charge which made them be chosen before others And therefore if they have any thing in them of true worth if they have any sense of Honour they must needs strive to answer the Expectation of those who have testified so great a value and esteem for them 3 dly Does not Charity oblige Guardians to do these things Orphans have always been reckoned amongst the greatest Objects of Charity especially when they are very Young and are not able either in respect of Body or Mind to do any thing for themselves So great is God's Compassion and Tenderness towards such Children that he has been Graciously pleased to declare himself to be The Father of the Fatherless 'T is therefore the Duty of All who are Followers of God as dear Children especially of those who are chosen to perform so Charitable an Office as this I say it is their Duty to omit nothing that is needful to be done for the benefit of Fatherless Children both in their Spiritual and Temporal concerns We see a very worthy President and Example in Mordecai Esth. 2. Esther's Father and Mother being dead Mordecai took her and she was to him as his own Daughter How careful was he both of her Soul and Body How well did he instruct her As may be easily gathered from her Wise and Pious Carriage and Behaviour And when she was taken from him we find he was still mindful of her for v. 11. 't is said Mordecai walked every day before the Court of the Womens House to know how Esther did and what should become of her We find him likewise from time to time giving her his best Advice how to carry her self and how to glorifie God in that Honourable State to which it had pleased him to raise her How worthy is such an excellent Pattern as this of the imitation of all those who are called to be the Guardians the Guides and Defenders of Fatherless Children And for their encouragement let them consider how richly God did reward the Charity and Piety of Mordecai not only in raising him up to great Honour by Esthers means but also by making her the Instrument of preserving his Life and the Lives of all the Jews who were in the Provinces belonging to Ahasuerus From what hath been said it appears how great Reason there is for Guardians to be true and faithful to the Interests of their Pupils and to do all that ever they can for their Spiritual and Temporal Advantage Now if it be their Duty to do so what shall be said of those who are not only careless of seeking their good but do likewise too successfully seek their hurt and ruine As to their Souls they corrupt and poyson them by their wicked Example and by Atheistical Principles which they instill into them they breed them up in all manner of Licentiousness As to their Bodies they either too far gratifie their vanity and folly or they are too niggardly towards them in withholding from them not only Conveniencies but Necessaries As to their outward Estate they either suffer them to live idly or they put them forth to some Trade or other very unfit and unsutable to them And when they are fit for Marriage they force them to Marry as they think good according as they see it will best serve their own private and worldly base and vile Interests without ever regarding the Happiness of their Pupils As for their Patrimony and Inheritance they are so far from improving it that they impair it wofully and sometimes quite consume and waste it they study a great many Arts and Wiles to ruine the poor Children whom they have got into their merciless hands Instead of proving their Guardians they prove their Robbers instead of being as Parents to them they prove betrayers of them and their most Dangerous and Cruel Enemies But shall they escape who do such things No They shall not He who is the helper of the Fatherless will plead their Cause and will avenge them of those Treacherous and Perfidious Persons For He beholdeth mischief to requite it Ps. 10. 14. I shall conclude this Advice with what is written Ex. 22. 22. c. Ye shall not afflict any fatherless Child If thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry And my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the Sword And your Wives shall be Widows and your Children Fatherless And Prov. 23. 10 11. Enter not into the fields of the Fatherless for their Redeemer is mighty He shall plead their Cause with thee PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES A Morning Prayer for Parents or Masters of Families with their Family O Most Gracious and Merciful Lord God who affords us thy unworthy Servants the Honour and Liberty of drawing near unto thee Assist us by thy good Spirit to Worship thee with sincere Devotion to lift up Holy Hands without wrath and doubting We acknowledge O Lord we deserve not to appear in thy sight for we are not only Vile and Sinful by Nature being the corrupt Posterity of Sinful Parents but likewise we are Guilty of a great many actual Transgressions in our Thoughts Words and Deeds