Children have nothing to give Parents to be a temptation to bribe their affections to them nor are they of any power to curb them any way to enforce respects to them and so they are more pure Whereas in both these regards Childrens respects to Parents may be leavened Yea Parents as Parents are instruments in Gods hands of their Childrens Souls being in their bodies and so of the faculties of their Souls and so of their naturall affections in them and of that affection of love and fear amongst the rest and therefore they may well chalenge the honourable improvement of them to themselves so far as God alloweth the same To conclude Children will never honour Parents with the honour of Reverence Obedience or Recompence or the like unlesse they give the honour of respect love due to them therefore give them this their due Now that Children may be helped and furthered in doing this Helps to it 1 Dread of the vile sin of unnaturalnesse 1. Possesse your hearts with a deep sense and dread of the heinous nature of the sin of unnaturalness which is wont to be accompanied with the vilest sins against God and Man as by comparing Rom. 2. 28 29 30 31 32. and 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4. may be discerned Such persons who are without naturall affections commonly proving Blasphemous against God ingrateful to God and men unholy truce and Covenant-breakers whisperers back-biters false accusers of others they are commonly given to uncleanness and wantonness they are fierce and furious of a cruell Salvage unmercifull implacable spirit they are despisers of those that are good they are even haters of God they are haters of other men of a spightfull malicious quarrelsome and envious Spirit in a word They are full of all unrighteousnesse and deceit themselves and inventors of evill things evill opinions evill practises ringleaders in sin authors of sin to others If sundry of these scandalous persons in old and new England were closely search'd into they would be found to be persons who have been are unnaturall to their Parents 2. Take heed of any leading causes which breed and feed unnaturalness and undermine naturall 2. Avoiding causes of unnaturalnesse of affection as 1. Ignorance affection to Parents such as are 1. Ignorance of God and of his word and of the matters of Religion Rom 1. 31. without understanding without naturall affection if without understanding what wonder if without naturall affection 2. Self-love for they that are so full of self-love 2. Self-love have never a due proportion of love left for God or man for Parents or others 2 Tim. 3. 2. For men shall be lovers of themselves and verse 3. without naturall affection 3. A worldly covetous Spirit ibid. Covetous 3. Covetousnesse without naturall affection a Spirit of the love of the world will eat out as the love of the Father of our Spirits John 2. 15. so that of the Father of our flesh also whose Fatherhood is an Image of that in God Such if they shew respect to Parents it is but for their own advantage and gaine and if the respect to them may not stand with their gain or must be to their outward losse then adieu respect to Parents 4. A proud Spirit 2 Tim. 3. 3 4. Without naturall affection high-minded Absolom who was so Pride high-minded what wonder is it if he prove so unnaturall to his Father 5. A Voluptuous Spirit ibid. Without naturall affection lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Voluptuousnesse They that respect their pleasures so much they never respect God as they shold nor their parents Esaus inordinatenesse of affection to his hunting brings him to that Gen. 25. that he despiseth his birth-right as his Fathers eldest Son and therein virtually despiseth his Father and his voluptuous desires after the Canaanitish women make him carelesse of grieving his Father and Mother and so far unnaturall to them Gen. 26. 3. Getting their hearts truly turned to the Lord. 3. Labour to get your hearts turned to God effectually and in love with him as a Father and then whatsoever alienations of heart there were in you from your Parents before yet then Childrens hearts will be also turned fully to your good Parents Ma. 4. 6. Jo. Baptist its said by the blessing of grace upon his Ministry turning persons to the Lord to the faith to the wisedome of the Just as Luke hath said it Luk. 1. 17. he shall turn the hearts of the Children to their good Fathers which whilest the Children were wicked they could not well abide to be controuled reproved curbed and corrected as they were by them and so their good Fathers also whose hearts were much taken off from those Children for their vilenesse should be turned towards their Children or as some say the unnaturall distances bred betwixt Parents and Children by many sects and opinions too rife among the Jewes when by sound doctrine they were brought to rights and to the truth those alienations should be healed Only Cautions about Childrens love to Parents 1. Not such as to approve sin in Parents in the love of Children to Parents let these cautions be observed 1. Look that it be not such as to approve of the evill saiyings principles or practises of your ungodly or of your seducing or seduced Parents It s blamed in them Psal 40. 13. their posterity approve their sayings Jer. 7. 18. The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle a fire and the women knead the dough to make Cakes to the Queen of heaven 2 King 15. 13. Asaph loved his Mother well as his Mother but he hateth her Idol he destroyeth and burneth it Abraham loveth his Father Terah well but will not go after his way of Idol-worship Josh 24. 2 3. God commendeth it in the Son who seeth all his fathers sins and considereth and doth not such like Ezek. 18. 14. 2. Let it not be such as to follow their evill Of 2. Such as to follow their sinfull Counsell Counsel in any thing as Ahaziah who walked in the waies of Ahab for his Mother was his Consellour 2 Chron. 22. 3. And as Herodias who being before instructed of her Mother said to Herod give me here John Baptists head in a charger Mat. 14. 8. 3. Let it not be so as to keep their dangerous Or 3. Such as to keep their sinfull Counsel and wicked Counsel in any way of wickednesse but rather seasonably to reveal it Michol Sauls Daughter did well in this to tell her husband David of her Fathers Sauls bloody design against him so that he escaped 1 Sam. 19. 11 12. The like did Jonathan to David Cap. 20 3 4. 4. That it be not so as when you are called of Or 4. Not to bear seasonable witness against their evils God to it then not to bear seasonable witnesse against their sin as in case of Parents seducing Children from the Lord and his
the Jewes who taught the Sons who had Fathers and Mothers living and needing their help that yet they needed not to relieve them or to give ought to them but instead thereof either to give somthing to the Corban or treasury for temple-uses and that would exempt them and excuse them from the other work of relieving their Parents and so teaching them to deny to their Parents the Honour of recompence due to them they made the 5 th Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother void and of no force and Authority or place as Christ reasoneth Mark 7. 9. to 14. There are too many such like corrupters of Children not aloue amongst Papists who hold forth the same in substance which is there instanced in as might be shewed in their Principles who would have men give away their whole estates to Religious uses as they call them and so dis-enable themselves to relieve their Parents in what need soever they may stand thereof they would also have young Men and Women without Parents Consent to become their Votaries and when once such no way to Minister to their Parents any more though sick or otherwise needing their Childrens help but I fear there are too many other petty Antichristian Spirits in these daies who by other erronious tenents wherein they pretend to be for Christ but are indeed against Christ they leaven their Disciples and such as they can subtilly draw after them with a Spirit of Alienation even from their own good Parents if they will not be of their corrupt Judgments and opinions but as those seducers among the Jewes notwithstanding their goodly pretences to Religion are branded by Christ to be Hypocrites according to that of Solomon Prov. 11. 9. The Hypocrite with his mouth or the corrupt principles and perswasions uttered by his mouth destroyeth his Neighbour And as Christ charged them to be such bold and high-minded sinners as by those corrupt speeches of theirs did what in them lay make void the Commands of God so doubtless are such like seducers to be justly charged with the like guilt of prevailing and ruling Hypocrisie and rebellion against the Lord. And Jesus Christ who when on earth did doctrinally charge and impeach them in such sort will assuredly at the last day Judicially sentence men and Angels for the same wickednesse if they seasonably seriously and sincerely repent not of the same As for others who by their Counsels as well as scandalous examples are Corrupters as of others so of youth also and as in other matters so in this which respecteth the honour which they ow to their Parents these shew themselves to be the Children of Belial or of the very Devill as of one who is amongst all yoaks in Church or State or Familie they were Children of Belial in 1 Sam. 10. 26 27. who despised Saul that Father of the Common-wealth of Israel and they are no better who act or teach contempt of Fathers of Families As Elies Sons those ring-leaders in such wayes of dishonour of Fathers of Families 1 Sam. 2. 25. they are called men of Belial vers 12. Such Corruptors of youth in the matter of Honour due to Parents be their profession of Religion what it may be or give they never such good hopes of the truth thereof as one while Achitophel did who was Davids equall all one heart with him as he thought his guide his most intimate acquaintance one with whome he took sweet Counsell in sacred as well as Civill things and walked to the house of God in Company with him Psal 55. 13 14 Yet if a Counsellour to Absolom a Son in way of high dishonour to David his own Father as he was in that Counsel he gave Absolom to defile his Fathers bed 2 Sam. 17. 20 21 22 23. and to seek his Fathers very life as well as throne 2 Sam. 17. 1 2 3 4 21. I say such a vile Counsellour of Children any way to dishonour their Parents he is no doubt a desperate Apostate ripe for the very Imprecation of a godly Parents as in Davids case 2 Sam. 15. 31. Lord turn the Counsel of Achitophel into foolishnesse Such Corrupters of youth also as well of others you are surely impenitent obdurate persons persons of a seared Conscience past hope of good and refuse persons in Gods sight Jer. 6. 28 29 30. They are Brass and Iron they are all corrupters the bellowes are burnt the Led is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them You are soul-murtherers Prov. 12. 5 6. The Counsels of the wicked are deceit The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood even the very souls of men Prov. 11. 9. An Hypocrite with his mouth or with the words Counsels and principles uttered by his mouth destroyeth his Neighbour even his Neighbours soul also and shall such bloody and deceitfull men such crafty soul-murtherers escape no Assuredly If sowing discord amongst brethren be singled out from the rest as one speciall thing which is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 6. 16 19. compared O how abominable is this unto the Lord for you by your vile corrupting speeches tenents or Counsels to lay the seeds of Alienation of Childrens hearts from their own dear Parents As the City or civill polity and society is too oft overthrown by the mouth or corrupt speeches principles and Counsels uttered by the mouth of the wicked Prov. 11. 11. So is the Family also And shall such enemies to mankind escape unpunished no assuredly Prov. 17. 20. He that hath a perverse tongue to give such like or any other perverse Counsel falleth into mischief Prov. 13. 2. As a man a good man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth or by the good words principles or Counsels proceeding from his mouth so by way of opposition the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence they shall be paid in their own coin and reap the fruit of all the cursed speeches or Counsels which proceeded from their mouths Prov. 10. 31. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdome namely in those whom they instruct rebuke perswade or Counsel but the froward tongue which uttereth naughty counsels and tenents c. shall be cut out And commonly such bad Counsellours of Sons or Daughters unto any waies of dishonour to their Parents they come to dishonourable and vile if not desperate ends as did that bad Counsellour Achitophel who dyed by a halter but which was worst of all he was his own hangman 2 Sam. 17. 23. And O! that all bad Counsellours of Children against their Parents might in time take warning by that and many other dreadfull examples mentioned in Histories of the sad ends of such like Counsellours A second use of the point may serve for examinaon whether any have or do rightly Honour their Parents This is the rather to be considered in that there is a
formall Pharisaicall Honour of Parents there is an Honour of Parents common not alone to Hypocrites but to very Pagans also who from meer naturall principles have done much this way in Honour of Parents and have been very eminent and famous therein But to passe them by at present and instance in others Paul before his conversion was an exact Moralist touching the letter of the Law and so of the 5th Commandement he was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. So that young man in his sense had kept all and o the 5th Commandment according to the letter of it Mark 10. 19 20. Yet a meer unregenerate person Now if persons in the relation of Children rightly honour their Parents it may be discerned Marks of due honour of Parents by such markes as these 1. If Conscience to God and to his command 1. If from a good conscience hath the greatest stroak in the Honour given to Parents by their Children If rightly honoured they are honoured in the Lord as in that branch of this Honour it is said Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. So it is true in Honour in generall or in any other particular of Honour due to Parents they must be respected reverenced and recompenced c. in the Lord. Or so as it be from a good Conscience and may stand with a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. the end or scope of the Commandement even of the whole Law specially that of the second Table and particularly this of the fifth Commandement also is Love to whom Matth. 22. 37 38 39 40. all the duties of the Law are referred as to their head out of a pure heart and a good Conscience and faith unfeighned True it is the Law of nature and Nations also may and must have a strong hand in the Honour of Parents by their Children but must not have the chief hand therein respect may and must also be had to the blessing of life and that it may be well with us Eph. 6. 2 3. Honour thy Father and Mother that thou maist live long and that it may be well with thee We may and must aime at this that it may be well with us in our souls bodies estates names occasions relations changes prosperity adversity life death and after death but yet conscience to God and his command together with chief respect had to the glory of God must be the great wheel which carrieth us on in this good way Paul thought to gain eternall life by his Morall Righteousness that set him so hard to this and other works of the Law Ph. 3. 6 7. The yong mans question intimateth what was uppermost in his heart in all his keepings of the Law namely the getting of eternall life onely Mark 10. 17 19 20. And therefore these were notright in any of their acts of obedience to this fifth Commandement or to any of the rest of the ten Commandements Now if this Honour to Parents be indeed from a good conscience it will be also from faith unfeigned This is discerned if from Faith for they are joyned 1 Tim. 1. 5. When the interest which children have in the Lord and in his gracious covenant and promises is a main ground of the Honour of Reverence or of any other Honour which persons as in the Relation of Children do give unto their Mother or to their Father this is suitable to Gods mind Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and every man his Father why so or what should move them to that it followeth I am the Lord your God Because they believe him to be their blessed Covenant Father in the Messiah they are therefore the rather to put all the Honour they can upon the Image of his Father-hood in their Parents Now it is as God would have it So when persons as in If from love of God the relation of Children do respect prise and love their Christian Parents the more because they love the Lord who requireth this at their hand now it is well a so or when an holy fear attendeth them lest not alone their good Parents hearts If from fear of Sin but lest the Lord also and his Spirit should any way be grieved or displeased by their expressing or carrying it towards them in any way contrary to due Honour of Parents they are afraid to carry it irreverently disobediently disrespectfully or ingratefully towards them even when some way tempted thereto lest the eyes of Gods glory should thereby be provoked now also it is well Or when at any time they espie any dishonourable If kindly broken and Abased when the contrary in them is discerned thought or stirring in their minds or spirits or take notice of some speech or carriage of theirs savouring of dishonour to Father or Mother and this melteth their hearts kindly before the Lord and maketh them ready to confess the same ingenuously to living Parents as well as to the Lord and that in all the aggravations thereof yea when a very shadow of such dishonour of Parents or the remembrance of any passages savouring thereof though past long ago and possibly before God touched their hearts effectually as well as since that these also are matters of heart Abasings breakings and bitter complaints before the Lord this argueth a good conscience in this particular also When they also do watch their spirits and hearts to keep them to the Rule as well as over If watching over their spirits also so that end their speeches gestures and actions to keep them as close as may be to that rule Honour thy Father and thy Mother this also argueth Honour of Father If there be no outward thing frighting or chiefly drawing to it and Mother from a good conscience In a word when there is no other thing of an inferiour nature either to affright and force them to it or on the other hand to bribe them to it as say riches preferments patrimony or the like humane Attractives and yet they are inwardly moved and strongly and prevailingly carryed out in a way of Honour of Parents All these do undoubtedly evince that now at least there is a blessed Spirit and habit of Honour of Parents wrought in such Children by the speciall efficacy of the Holy Ghost from which such do now at least Act in matters respecting their Parents Honour and that now at least a good conscience and conscience to God and to his Command doth set them about this blessed work The clearing of this first mark which indeed is the main of all might satisfie us but for further help in this discovery let us adde three or four marks of Honour rightly given to Parents A second mark then hereof is when Children 2. If holding up Parents Honour when aged and decayed are conscientiously carefull to hold up Parents Honour when they are Aged yea and when through infirmity Parents some way miscary As Sem and Japhet were cordially
thought Parents in many respects denyed themselves for their childrens sakes fared the harder that they might have food enough sometimes spared it from their own bellies that their children might have it they went meanly and coarsely clad that the children might have the better apparel especially those little children that were more shiftless that the rest they should be sure to have of the best they could get for them Let children also in many respects deny themselves for their more shiftless parents sake It was not cost their parents stood upon according to their abilities and ranck they would willingly sequester of the best of their estates so their children might have what was fit for them for back or belly for their education to literature or other imployments as they were thereof more capable let children repay like for like in this to spare no cost for them and to let parents partake of the best of what God giveth them and not of the refuse thereof for their supply It was an ingenious Act of Reuben who finding a thing better than ordinary a Mandrake he bringeth and giveth it to his Mother Leah Gen. 30. 14. And Sampson if he meet with hony and hony-combe his Father and Mother shall have part of it Judg. 14. 9 And Joseph sendeth his Father not of the refuse but of the good things or better sort of things of Egypt Gen. 45. 23. And when he commeth to Egypt he doth not put him into some wast building or into some blind and old hole and barren out-corner of the Land but he procureth him and his houshold to be placed in Goshen in the best part of Egypt Gen. 45. 13. compared with Chap. 47. 6. And what though children should be fain to spare somewhat from themselves for such like needfull supplies of their parents out of their best things yet they must do like for like their parents having done as much and more for them as we said even now It is a good speech of Aristotle Ethic. l. 9. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children seem in speciall fort to be bound as debtors to supply their parents with things necessary for their provision And it is more comely to supply necessaries to the causes of our being than to our selves And then he addeth that speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we must give honour to them even as it were to Gods see in what a plentifull way by the light of nature this heathen Philosopher seeth children ought to minister to their parents even in all things they stand need of and in what a self-denying way Judging it meetest for children to prefer their parents in such supplies before themselves and in what an honourable awfull and conscientious way as I may call it all should be carryed even as if they were offering some Sacrifice to God himself And how justly all this is due from children to parents it s not a matter left to their own curtesie and will whether they will do it or not do it nor is it a matter of meer charity as alms to other poor but children are bound thereto as debtors and no wonder he saith its meeter we provide for the causes of our being than for our selves For he maketh children and that rightly parents debtors as he doth else-where in his Ethicks and debtors we know must in case take care to pay their Creditors and to Live of the rest as the Prophet advised her 2 Kings 4. So must children in case spare it from their own selves that parents may Reasons why recompence is due to parents are taken 1. from Childrens state as Children being Gods rewards be supplyed Now let us briefly give some reasons of this duty The 1. Reason may be taken from the Condition and state of children as children they are or should be made up of recompence be all recompence they are given of God to their godly parents as rewards Psal 128. 3. The fruit of the womb is his reward God intends them as rewards if they prove otherwise than such every way they do what in them lyeth to frustrate Gods ends so are they an heritage of the Lord Ibid. Not alone such as God will improve for his own honour and possess for his own use but such as should by the blessing of God Minister a blessed income of comfort succour support and supply to their parents as from the Lord by them according as they may stand in need thereof 2. Reason may be taken from the nature of such 2. From the nature of such recompence it is piety gratefull recompence it is counted and called of God by the name of piety 1 Tim. 5. 4. Let them learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exercise piety towards their own house or to requite their parents In some cases it is preferred before giving to religious uses as to the Corban for Temple uses Mark 7. 10 11 12 13. Christ condemneth the giving to the Corban that which should have been rather sequestred for parents supply by their Children 3. Reason from the justice and equity of it 3. From the justice and equity of it children have received their very essence and existence instrumentally from parents and that is more than all that which children can Minister to them as Christ said in another case Is not the life more than meat and the body than rayment and so I might say here and what then can children return to parents in lieu thereof besides all the cares fears exercises and troubles of parents in behalf of their Childrens outward and inward welfare for which children can never make them amends 4. From the benefits comming by parents 4. Reason may be taken from that blessed fruit which children of good parents reap even in outward blessings by their Prayers blessing covenant-interests and the like A good man leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children respecting the outward as well as the inward man Prov. 20. 7. the just mans children are blessed after him in outward matters so far as is good for them as well as in spirituall things Psal 112. 1 2 3. The seed of fearers of God have Gods promise of becomming mighty upon the earth and the generation of the upright shall be blessed blessed indefinitely and so every way blessed blessed in their bodies blessed in their spirits blessed in their names in their labours in their estates in their relations in their undertakings in their choices and changes blessed in their protections provisions plenty and the like And surely children are then bound in regard of so much good which commeth by their parents to communicate to them in all the good blessings of God which for their sakes they the rather received Let us now make some use and application of what hath been said the use serveth Use 1. For reproof and conviction to all Use of reproof 1. To ingratefull Children children who are ungratefull to your parents to be unthankfull to any
Senacheribs sons did it as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his God they smote him with the sword 2 King 19. 37. Surely the Law even all the Curses and Judgments of the Law must needs be the portion of such Paricides 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who so ill requite their tender-hearted Parents and causes of their lives A second use serveth for exhortation 1. To 2. Use of exhortation Parents Do you what lieth in you to further and look 1. To parents to further this gratitude in their Children 1. By leaving them the choycer blessings of God that you no way do any thing to hinder your children in this duty of gratefull recompencing of Parents for which end 1. Take speciall care to leave your children the good blessings of God respecting their souls welfare for this will lie as a strong ingagement upon your childrens hearts the rather gratefully to recompence you their Parents Thus God required of them of old that they should so carry it that they might leave the Land of Canaan a Type of blessings of an higher nature for an inheritance to their Children for ever The like is charged 2 Chron. 28. 8. This was the gratious care of the Fathers of the two tribes and half to detain their children in the way of Gods worship and fear and to prevent whatsoever might hinder or discourage their posterity from the same Josh 22. 25 26 27 28. And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing saying in time to come your children might speak to our Children saying what have you to do with the Lord God of Israel yee have no part in the Lord So shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore we said let us now prepare to build us an altar not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifice but that it may be a witnesse between us and you and our generations after us that we might do the service of the Lord before him c. This was Joshuah's care also for his Josh 24. 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord And this was Abrahams care Gen. 28. 29. I know him saith the Lord that he will command his Children and household after him and they shall walk in his waies that God may bring upon Abraham namely in his posterity what he hath promised him 2. Use all lawfull meanes industry and providence to leave your Children in such places and 2. By leaving them inabling meanes and wayes for it in such callings and if it may be with such portions that they may not alone be the more ingaged but inabled also in an ordinary way of providence to discharge such a duty of filial recompence to the utmost Thus Jacobs care was to provide for his house Gen. 30. 30. and he had children solicitous and industrious to provide for him in his straits in that time of famine witness their journeyes for that end into Egypt Gen. 42. and 43 and 44. But in a most eminent way it was seen in his Son Ioseph whose great care was that way Gen. 45. 9. Thus saith thy Son Joseph Come down to me and tarry not and vers 10. Thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen and thou shalt be near to me thou and thy Children and thy Childrens Children and thy flocks and herds and all that thou hast vers 22. and there will I nourish thee for yet there are five years of Famine lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty 3. By distilling into Children principles of gratitude to others and curbing the contrary in them 3. Distil into your children principles of gratitude to others especially unto progenitors So did Ruth into Obed her Son whence that prophetical speech of good women present at Obeds birth which they spake to his Grandmother Naomi Ruth 4. 15. He shall be to thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thy old age for thy Daughter-in-law which loveth thee and therefore will be instructing him that way hath born him And if Parents perceive any expressions of an ungratefull Spirit in their Children though towards others let them be sure to rebuke their children for it and seasonably to root up such sprouts of so bad a Spirit So did good Jethro in his Daughters when they told him what kindness Moses had done to them Exod. 2. 19 20. saith he to his Daughters and where is he why is it that ye left the man call him that he may eat bread 4. Be you exemplary to your Children in this 4. By being examples thereof to Children gratefull recompence of your Parents Hence also their Argument concerning Obed that he would prove such a pious child to his Grandmother Naomi Ruth 4. 15. He will be a nourisher of thy old age For thy Daughter which loveth thee which is better to thee then seaven sons and in her exemplary piety towards thee hath born him If children are continually taught by Parents examples of piety to their parents as well as by their Instructions to be thus pious they will assuredly learn as Pauls phrase is 1 Tim. 5. 4. to shew piety at home and to requite their Parents 5. Be it far from you to be so ungracious towards 5. By avoiding any thing favouring of unnaturalness to them your godly children as not to shield off blowes from them what in you lieth like the Father and Mother of the blind man leave him to shift for himself with He is of years let him answer for himself John 9. 21 22. So did not Joash who in that honest cause of his son Gideon stood in his defence Iudg. 6. 31. Joash said to all that stood by him against his Son will you plead for Baal will you save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whilest it is yet morning if he be a God let him plead for himself because one hath cast down his Altar But much less let any Parent requite good children so ill as themselves to undermine their childrens safety or liberty Luke 21. 16. Yee shall be betrayed by Parents c. 2. It is of exhottation to children 2. Exhortation to Children gratefully to recompence Parents Motives to it Be you stirred up to piety and gratefull recompence to your Parents And that you may be stirred up hereunto besides that it is honourable in the sight of God Angels and Men so to do whence such Records kept of gratefull Children in honorem as of Joseph and others Consider 1. That by the very light of nature it hath been 1. Naturall light strongly urged and exemplarily practised as we have hinted before Plato in his 8. Book de Republica sheweth that a Child oweth to the Father all things respecting his outward maintainance and comfort as a recompence for his Birth and Education and Tully saith We are not born for our selves but partly for our Country partly for
tremble to think of the issue of such speaking Symtomes of degeneration and Apostasie what for you now to be as he that confessed Prov. 5. 14. I was utmost in all wickedness in the middest of the Congregation or like those in Isaiah 26. 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn Righteousness in the Land of uprightness shall he deal unjustly and will not behold the majesty of God and will not this be bitterness to you in the latter end but that I may quit my hands and heart of the blood of the souls of any such and if blood must needs lye that it may lie upon the heads of your selves who are degenerate Children give me leave to do two things To represent somewhat first of the evill of sin in such degeneration of yours Secondly of the mischiefs attending the same And because we Evils of sin in the degenerating of the Children of the godly in generall propounded the use of Reproof as respecting first all degenerate Children in general Secondly such degenerate ones in speciall who have had their inward workings upon their Spirits seen much felt much promised much and given great hopes of comming to good we shall therefore begin with the former sort and then fall upon the latter sort Concerning degeneration 1. It is unsuitable to what God and his people may challenge from them of the posterity of the godly in generall I say That it is most cross and unsuitable to what God and his people also may challenge from you and therefore very evill and sinfull it may be said to you as it was to that degenerate generation Mica 2. 7. O thou that art named the house of Israel is the Spirit of the Lord straightned are these his doings do not my words do good too them that walk uprightly or as he said in another case Nehe. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flye so should such men and women as you of such and such Parents and interests be so and so degenerate or as he said to him in that case 2 Sam. 13. 4. Why art thou being the Kings Son so As by externall calling and covenant interest lean from day to day so here why are such and such of you being Sons and Daughters of spirituall Princes and Priests before God so declining so degenerating from day to day And that this your sin may even in this first respect further appear seriously consider 1. That such as you are you are in and through Holy and devoted to God your Parents an holy devoted and speciall people to God above others and should such be as bad or worse than others thus when God would disswade that generation of Abraham Isaac and Jacob from fellowship with the Canaanites persons or practices Deut. 7. 1 2 3 4 5. This is the Argument v. 6. For thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God thy God hath chosen thee to be a speciall people unto himself above all other people So Deut. 14. 1. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead heathenish and Idolatrous customes For vers 2. Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God So vers 21. Ye shall not eat any thing that dieth of it self c. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God c. 2. Such as you are are near unto God in Covenant Near unto God and Church respects how ever formerly in pagan Ancestors far off hence that speech to that degenerate posterity of Abraham Esay 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace peace to him that is far off namely to the gentile to him that is near namely to the Jewes which though in their sinfull and naturall estates as far off as the Gentile yet in Covenant and Church respects near to the Lord. Now should such as in some respects are so near God by their degenerate principles and practices remove your selves so far from God what a vile evill must this needs be hence that way of Gods Aggravation of the sin of that degenerate posterity of Jacob Esay 43. 21 22 23 24. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast caused me to serve with thy sins and wearied me with thine iniquities and Oh that God had not too just a cause to take up this heavy complaint against many of you that are the posterity of the godly in these dayes that though made for himself and formed for his praise yet you have not worshipped him or called upon him but have been weary of him flung off his yoke cast his words behind your back tyred out his patience in awaiting your return from your vain and sinfull principles and practices whil'st you have made God to wait the leasures and pleasures of your lusts if he look for any service at length from you 3. Such as you are by externall calling Gods His servants houshold servants as it s said of the like Levit. 25. 42 55. They and their Children are my servants saith the Lord. Now as Mal. 1. 6. a Servant honoureth his Master if I then am a Master saith God to that degenerate generation so to you where is my fear If Iob accounted that so grievous in his servants in way of commission and of omission Iob 19. 15 16. They that dwell in my house my Maids count me for a stranger I am an Alien in their sight I called to my servant but he gave me no answer I intreated him with my mouth O how ill doth God take this at your hands and how grievous and loathsome is it that such as dwell in his house in his Church count him for a stranger he is in your sight an Alien you will not come at this your blessed Master you will not come nigh him you will not understand what he saith to you though he call you beeing his servants by externall calling as he did that degenerate Apostatising generation Hos 11. 7. My people are bent to backsliding from me though they his Prophets called them to the most high none at all would exalt him namely by Repentance Faith and Obedience no more will any of you being servants of God by calling make God any such obedientiall Answer yea though the Lord instruct you with his mouth as it s said 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beseech you we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God yet how few of you regard these blessed beseechings and intreaties of the glorious and high God Besides you also are by externall calling Gods Children to whom God saith as to those degenerate ones in Malac. 1. 6. If I am a Father His Children where is my Honour And if the fifth Commandement require such
as for those degenerate ones in speciall which notwithstanding the hopefull working they Evils of sin in the degeneration of the more hopefull Children of the Godly have had formerly in their souls yet have degenerated to the dishonour as of God and themselves so of their godly Parents let such seriously weigh the evill thereof for besides those six particular aggravations which your sin in degenerating admitteth of in common with others and of which we even now spake there are some peculiar aggravations to be superadded to your sin in speciall for as it s said of Solomon the Son of David a man after Gods own heart when he was in that degenerating way 1 Kings 11. 9. The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel who had appeared to him twice so I may say in some respect to you God must needs be the more angry with you because he hath shewed so much of your hearts and of himself to you and so oft been dealing with your hearts so in the case of Rehoboam Solomons Son who as 2 Chron. 11. 17. for three years space was very hopefull and with the rest of those of Israel who repaired to him and those of Judah walked in the way of David his Father and in the first way of Solomon his Father but as 2 Chron. 12. 1. afterwards forsook the Lord and all Israel with him Joash how hopefull a young man was he when as it is said 2 Chron. 24. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord for the matter of it all the dayes of Jehoiadah the Priest but vers 17 18. upon occasion of the flattering Courtiers counsell the King hearkned to them and they left the house of the Lord God of their Fathers and the like is said of Vzziah a very hopefull young man 2 Chro. 26. 5. He sought God in the dayes of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God but v. 16. When he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction c. And how many such Children of good Parents are there now a dayes who divers years ago gave great hopes of their saving good to their Parents and Friends now how evill a thing is this in such as you are and how bitter will it prove to you in the end that thus leave off to be wise and to do good as it is said Psal 36. 2. And as he said in another case you begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Gal. 3. As if it were not as good alwayes to be zealously affected in a good thing as for a little spurt of time but that we may set this part of the admonition the closer upon the hearts of such Children who were sometimes so hopefull and now so much degenerated let me shew them the heinous nature of such a manner of degenerating or rather Apostatizing from such hopefull beginnings workings and practices 1. Your sin is against the Holy-Ghost albeit 1. It is a sin in special against Gods spirit not the sin the very unpardonable sin against the Holy-Ghost for you sin against him as inlightning your minds to see so much of your selves and wayes of God and Christ and his wayes as you did and in a sort drawing you from your youthfull lusts and delights and sinfull practices and bringing you on in the best things and wayes so far but now you have made head against him as did those degenerate ones of old of whom it is said Nehem. 9. 30. that they would not give ear to the Spirit speaking against their degenerate courses by his Prophets or as it is said of that degenerate brood Acts 7. 51. You have alwaies resisted the Holy-Ghost as your degenerate Fathers did so do yee this sin as it is a resisting so it is a rebelling against the Spirit as it is said there of whom then God said they are Children that will not lie Es 63. 5. But they degenerating it is said vers 10. But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit they therefore hereby rebelled against the Spirit and that did not barely grieve him but which is a high degree of distasting they vexed Gods Holy Spirit Now how vile is your sin thus to resist and rebell against and thereby so deeply to vex him and why should any of you vex your blessed inlightner and one that might and was willing to be your quickener converter sanctifier strengthner supporter and comforter had not you your selves been wanting to his motions and means which hee used God may say to you as he said to those degenerate ones with whom his Spirit had been tampering Mic. 2. 7. Oh thou that art named the house of Israel is the Spirit of the Lord â—â—raightned Could not he breath and shine more abundantly into your minds and hearts in the Ministry of the word but that you will be thus grieving and vexing of him but why do you sin against your own souls in sinning against him who alone must make them capable of all blessing grace and glory And is this your observance and owning of that Holy-Ghost unto whom in your Baptism you are devoted 2. This is a speciall sin against the grace of Jesus 2. It is a speciall sin against the grace of Jesus Christ Christ who in those workings and movings of yours was also sweetly calling and gathering you to himself for your souls welfare as he was dealing in like sort with that degenerate generation Matth. 23. 7. How often would I have gathered you as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not But where could you or can you find better soul-food than with that blessed Hen to which he likeneth himself there where can you meet with more soul-warmth than with Jesus Christ and under his blessed wings or where can you expect to partake of more sweetness and kindness of bowels and love than with the Motherly Hen yea do not you as much as in you lyeth at once contradict Christs word and the end of his comming of which Mal. 9. 13. I came to call sinners convinced sinners to Repentance You were indeed convinced sinners but have worn out your convictions and troubles and never went any further to a through work of Repentance but rather gone away further from God and good and would give in a manner the lie to Christ in that gracious speech of his 3. Is not this a breaking of that bond of Gods 3. It is a breaking the bond of Gods fear fear which should have kept you close to God and from starting aside from his truth word or way So he supposing that Job was degenerate said thou castest off fear thou restrainest Prayer Job 15. 4. And must not this needs be very grievous to the Lord 4. Is not this to cast off the Authority of an awakened Conscience as a vicegerent of God 4. It is a casting off the Authority of conscience
Covenant may be attended by their Children and so the whole Covenant fully effected in the promised mercies of it also to them and to their Children Now this duty of good education of Children being so weighty and being a furtherance to the other duty in hand even Childrens beeing an honour Rules concerning good education of Children to their Parents every way besides former things occasionally hinted Let us here propound 1. Some few rules about it 2. Some motives to it As for Rules about education 1. Let Parents wisely observe and pry into the 1. Observe the genious bent and capacity of Children genius as I may call it and bent and capacity of their Children which way they are most biased in their spirits and of what they are most capable Prov. 20. 11. Even that Child is known by his doings whether his work be pure or whether it be right that is as is well noted in the Synod Bible Children shew betimes whether they be inclined to good waies or bad and must be dealt withall accordingly When Themistocles was a very boy Plutarch tells us that he would not play with the boys but compose their differences So Alexander the great when he was a boy at play with other boys and was asked whether he would wrestle after the manner of the Olympick games yes gladly saith he If I might wrestle with a King Such speaking signes gave they of an Heroick and Princely Spirit when they were little and so many others do no doubt in other things 2. When Parents by wise observations do perceive 2. Carry it wisely and suitably towards them as that their disposition requireth the bent and bias of their Children now let them carry it towards them accordingly If they be strongly bent to some vice more than others as Lying as it is said of some Psalm 58. 3. They go astray from their birth speaking lies admonish them betimes in the evill of it represent to them what God speaketh in especiall wise against it what sad examples and sequels in Scripture and otherwise both in poynt of sin and in point of judgements are found thereof after which course taken then watch them the more narrowly and spare them not for it if they fall into lying again and do the like in case of a slandering disposition or of a venerious or lustfull disposition or a proud spirit shewing its lofty bent after gay apparell great and high things in the world or a covetous spirit shewing it self in expressions of a greedy having and craving spirit in them when Children in a gripple and nigardly temper and the like or a scoffing spirit or a profane spirit or an intemperate spirit in matter of meat and drink or a whimficall brain-sick disposition even in their Childhood and youth spare no seasonable rebukes or correction whereby to curb such vile dispositions in them seasonably and thoroughly Prov. 23. 13 14. With-hold not correction from the child thou shalt beat him and save his soul from hell and 22. 15. folly is bound up in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him It 's Gods ordinance for the seasonable and true redress of such evill dispositions and the cure of such distempers of nature If Cham had curb'd that slandring disposition earlier in his Son Canaan it had been better for them both if Isaac had seasonably curb'd Esau's voluptuous disposition Gen. 25. 25. And David Amnons lustfull disposition that mischief had not fallen out in both their Families mentioned Gen. 26. 35. and 2 Sam. 13. 1 2 4 15 17. If the Jewes had curb'd those buddings out of their sons and daughters pride or Josiah had done so with that of his Children the whole Land had not so sinned and smarted by it as it did Esay 3. 5 16 17. and Zeph. 1. 8. If Absoloms aspiring spirit had been seasonably observed and crushed by David in his child-hood and youth It had never grown so impetuous and mischievous as is spoken 2 Sam. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 11 12 13 c. It was those Jew parents horrid sin that they were covetous themselves and so rather cherished than curbed a covetous spirit in their Children untill the Lord seeing them all from the greatest to the least eldest to the youngest given to covetousness he undertaketh the punishing thereof to their cost Jer. 6. 13 c. If those parents who might well enough have discerned a jeering spirit in those boyes before it brake out so far as afterwards had seasonably curbd it in them the wild bears of the wood had never been such executioners of the Prophets just curse against them for that flout of theirs come up thou bald-head come up thou bald-head 2 Kings 2. 23 24. And doubtless that was not the first time that the blasphemous Son of the Israelitish woman mentioned Levit. 24. 10 11. had declared the profaness of his Spirit which if timely corrected and curbed It had not broken out in so capitall a way as then it did And I might say the like of all other folly or foolish dispositions which are in Childrens hearts naturally which as they outwardly appear if duly corrected and curbed they would be removed or driven far away Prov. 22. 15. If Children either by common or saving influences of the Spirit are more ingenuous spirits and of better and more hopefull dispositions Oh let parents as they discern the same incourage the same all the prudent and pious wayes that may be thus wise and gracious Rebeccah perceiving in her Son Jacob the specimen and signall tokens of a plain honest single open-hearted spirit she expresseth and enlargeth her love far more to him than to her Eldest Son Esau whom she perceived to be of a more haughty and voluptuous spirit Gen. 25. 27 28. and amongst other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tokens by which to Judge and accordingly to incourage such laudable ingenuity and hopefull disposition of Children or youth mind and observe the nature and scope of their questions and how ready they shew themselves thereby to search and seek after and to understand the best things and of weightier concernment to their souls as a worldly covetous frame of heart is discovered by answerable questions whence that character given of worldlings there be many that say who will shew us any good even any worldly good Psal 4. 6. and as their graceless spirit is described by their omission of enquiries and asking after God Esay 65. 1. So an inquisitive disposition after soul-matters in Children as a better and more hopefull Omen in them is to be incouraged by parents Exod. 12. 26. and 13. 24. Josh 4. 21. when thy Son shall ask thee in time to come what meaneth this or that then you shall say the Lord did thus and thus so let parents mind and encourage some better speeches which sometimes beyond expectation will fall from very Children those rarer speeches and answers of