Rom. 1.17 you must enter personally into Covenant with God repent obey the Gospel your selves or else if thou be a breaker of this Gospel-Law Rom. 2.25 thy Circumcision becomes Vncircumcision i. e. thy Priviledges are made void insignificant So God reckons uncircumcised in Heart with uncircumcised in flesh Jer. 9.26 And saith they are as the Children of the Aethiopians unto him Amo. 9.7 and in the Gospel it is repeated again and again 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the commandments of God Gal. 5.6.6.15 but faith which worketh by love but a new Creature You boast of your pious Parents as the Jews once did and bear up big with being Abrahams seed alas you may be a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 8 9. as John Baptist tells them and of your Father the Devil as our Lord saith Joh. 8.33 44. except you have the Faith and do the works of Abraham A famous Family will avail nothing without personal piety Without holiness in your hearts and lives you cannot be saved think not that God is bound and you loose the Covenant is mutual reciprocal you cannot expect the Priviledges without performing the Conditions 3. It 's an awful observation and often proves too true that if the Children of God's People turn Apostates they become the worst of men and run deeper into sin and further from God then many yea any others The Sons of good old Eli run into unparalleled wickedness 1 Sam. 2. 13 22. We have many sad instances of Cain Cham Ishmael Esau Ammon Absolom yea Solomon Rehoboam Manasseh and few recovered and with great difficulty The Tribe of Dan Jacobs Son turned Idolaters and scarce ever returned to God therefore are not reckoned amongst the Sealed ones Rom. 7. 5 8. Because they set up Micahs graven Image and it 's observable that Jonathan the Son of Gershom Moses Grandson was Priest to the Tribe of Dan and his Sons after him until the day of the captivity of the land Judg. 18.30 31. But the Heathens observe that though this Jonathan was Moses Natural Grandson by generation yet he is called Grandchild of Manasseh whom he imitated in forgetting God not of Moses as appears by lifing up a letter in the Hebrew to make it no Moses but Manasseh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had so far degenerated that his Godly Grandfather must not be named with him Jer. 5.28 Thus Israelites are said to overpass the deeds of the wicked i. e. of Heathens Ezek. 16.47 Ezek. 5.6 yea they go beyond Sodom and her Daughters and change Gods judgments more than the Heathen The reason is clear because these sin against more Light Love Helps Means Convictions Godly Examples Good Education and therefore are justly forsaken of God and left to greater abominations Oh tremble lest this be your case 4. The Children of Godly Parents may be cast into Eternal Torments Abraham the Father of the Faithful may have an houling Son in Hell Torment Luk. 16.24 25. Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth they that would not weep penitently here must weep despairingly hereafter they that scorned rebukes from Parents must have dreadful rebukes from God and Conscience their Education was with Saints their conclusion with Devils There 's many gone to Hell with Baptismal Water on their Face Baptized Magus Act. 8.13 20 23. is like to perish with his money he was in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity that dragg'd him to Hell Yea the damnation of such Caitiffs will be endorst with more vengeance than others the Worm of Conscience will bite harder being fed with more materials to strengthen her the Flame will be hotter having more fewel the higher men are exalted towards Heaven Mat. 11.23 and reach it not the lower do they fall to Hell and in Hell if they plead their birth-right as he that pleaded he was a Gentleman the Judge told him he should therefore have an higher Gallows or as Lord Sturton that was hanged for Murder in a silken Halter so must these well-bred persons be dealt with Luk. 12.47 the more they know of their Masters Will the more stripes are laid on them the more they glory in their priviledges the more misery in their loss and the higher their hopes the greater their disappointment these are both hypocrites and apostates whose sin and shame is more aggravated and augmented than others Mat. 24.51 Oh what flaming Faggots and scorching Oil will Parents Prayers Tears Councils Admonitions Exhortations be to dissolute young men when they shall see Parents glorified themselves condemned read Prov. 5.11 12 13. CHAP. VIII An Vse of Exhortation or Instruction THere are four sorts of persons concerned in this Text and Doctrine that may be instructed in their respective duties from it Viz. 1. Children of Uncovenanted Parents 2. Children of Covenanted Parents 3. Persons married without Children 4 Persons that have a Posterity An hint and but an hint to all these 1. There are some Children attending on God in Ordinances whose immediate Parents were not in Covenant knew not God you may lay it to heart and lament it as your infelicity but this is no bar to your entertainment with God for how can you tell but some of your remote Ancestours might be godly and if not Grace is free those that come unto him he will in no wise cast off Joh. 6.37 you may and must venture sinners of the Gentiles are grafted into the true Olive Rom. 11.24 Jud. 11.1 2 27 28. even contrary to nature that were Wild by nature so may'st thou be Jâ—phthah was a Bastard thrust out by his Brethren but received by God Be not discouraged though thou be bad Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 and Parents bad yet God is no respecter of Persons Barbarian Scythian all 's one in Christ Jesus Grace makes but regards no difference And if the Grace of God hath leapt over others heads to touch your hearts 1. Adore the Soveraign actings of Free-grace give God glory discriminating Grace shall have the Crown set upon its head I was doubly polluted in my Birth from first and immediate Parents Oh that God should dispense with his ancient law Deut. 23.2 that a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord yet God hath entertained me amongst his Saints on Earth and gives me hopes of Heaven oh wonder of Grace 2. Be humble all your days and cast down in your own eyes Young professors are apt to be proud but it ill becomes you of all persons to be proud whom God hath lifted from the Dunghill to sit with Princes the Kings Children read and apply 2 Sam. 7.18 19 20. 3. Make up your Parents defect with your own diligence what time was lost in your child-hood and youth now redeem it the more ignorant your Parents
of Judicature such persons as were not careful in Educating their Children Cicero laid this to the charge of Verres that he had debauched his Son by Intemperance Riot Wantonness it seems it was actionable among Heathens and it were well if it were punished among pretended Christians Wo be to that Town where the Springs are poisoned sad is the case of that Church and State where Academies and Inns of Court are corrupted yea corrupters Isa 1.4 Hos 5.7 where strange Children are begot and brought up no reformation can be expected till publick Schools be reformed It 's said of Protagoras he lived 60 years and spent 40 years in corrupting youth if not only Old Trees in an Orchard be rotten but young also what fruit can be expected It s fit they be digged up by this we may Divine what will become of a Church or Kingdom 10. The consequence is sad of Parents neglect of their Childrens due education a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame Pro. 29.15 throw the Reines on the Childs Neck and whither will he not run A foolish Son is the heavinéss of his Mother Prov. 10.1 Pro. 19.15 Pro. 17.21 the calamity of his Father neither Father nor Mother have joy in a wicked Child and usually they may thank themselves for it the Switzers had a law that if a Child was condemned to dye the Parent should execute him because it 's neglect in Parents that is usually the rack of their Children it 's true a godly Man may have a bad Son but this is most ordinary Oh what shame will cover the Face and horrour fill the Conscience of a bad Father or a good Father conscious of guilt when he shall see his Child running hell-wards or roaring in those unquenchable Torments I advise you therefore to a timely care to prevent these dreadful consequences Quest What course should Parents take to restrain sin in Children principle them with Grace and bring them within the Covenant of God I answer this is a large and ordinary subject that I cannot now insist on practical Divines lay four great duties before Parents for the Education of their Children 1. Provision 2. Correction 3. Instruction 4. Prayer Supplication 1. Providing Food Rayment a Calling This though a great duty I pass as not pertinent to our case only I find this remarkable passage that the Athenians ordered in their laws that if Parents had not brought up their Children in a lawful calling they should not be bound to keep their Parents thus all were set to Trades 2. For correction I shall not inlarge on that only observe it to be done seasonably Prov. 19.18 Chasten thy Son while there is hope some put it off till he become too stubborn do it with self-reflection humiliation moderation prayer instructing them in their fault and the way to mend it I pass this also 3. Instruction this I chiefly aimed at if I had leasure an hint of 1. The Matter 2. The Manner of performing this duty 1. For Matter instruct your Children in the main fundamental principles of our Christian Religion as that there is a God concerning his nature properties persons of the God-head the creation of the World of Man the Immortality of the Soul the Nature of Sin the fall of Adam the sad fruits thereof the Remedy by Christ his Humiliation Offices Exaltation the Duty of Man the nature of a Church priviledges properties of Believers the Ordinances the state of all men after death Rewards and Punishments c. You are likewise to instruct them in the Covenant of Grace the nature use ends of it the difference betwixt this and the old Covenant of Works the Mediator of it the terms properties and conditions thereof the seals of it Baptism and the Lords Supper the priviledge and necessity of Souls being within it press them with Arguments to enter into it give directions about it 2. For the Manner of your instructing your Children you must do it 1. Isa 28.9 Timously as soon as they are capable but drawn from the breasts 2 Tim. 3.15 ab incunabulis that they may suck in knowledge with there mothers milk as Timothy 2. Frequently once is not enough but you must inculcate truths on them whet them as you go oft with the Knife upon the Whet-stone Deut. 6.7 so the word signifies 3. Experimentally not by rote hear-say work things on your hearts Eph. 4.21 learn and speak the truth as it is in Jesus speak feelingly from the Heart as one that believes thy self 4. Wisely Jud. 22.23 Col. 3.21 observe the tempers of your Children some must be drawn others driven provoke not tender-hearted to fretting discontent 5. Seasonably observe candida tempora proper melting seasons Eccl. 8.5 Psa 14.10 as a good humour affliction conviction speak to them words upon the Wheel or in some nick of time when they will be best taken 6. Lovingly winningly meekly not in passion but draw with cords of love Hos 11.3 oil them with kindness and they will go down glibly even bitter Pills rolled in Sugar will be well taken 7. Plainly familiarly not in high flown language but use similitudes speak as they are able to bear it Isa 28.10 11. come on gradually guttatim by drops here a little there a little into these narrow mouth'd vessels 8. Faithfully search the wound do not skin it over a fair hand makes a foul wound Luk. 19.22 a weak dose rather stirs than purgeth out bad humours rebuke sharply Tit. 1.14 9. Scripturally bring your authority along with you shew them chapter and verse Act. 18.24 28. Gods authority joined with yours may prevail much ◠Cor. 10. ◠5. these are Spiritual Weapons 10. Rom. 10.1 Prayingly pray solemnly before an instruction by Ejaculation in speaking it 's not your work but Gods to make it successful Be sensible that all is lost if God give it not the setting on and strike with the great hammer CHAP. X. Directions to Parents and encouragements in their pleading for their Children 4. THE last Exhortation to Parents on the behalf of their surviving Children is prayer and supplication this is a natural duty and catholick relief to the aking hearts of Godly Parents not only to obtain Children as Hanna but for Grace in Children when they go astray hence it was that holy Abraham to whom this Covenant was first made breaths out his longing Soul in a short Ejaculation for his wild Son Oh that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 q. d. I thank God for Isaac but I am not satisfied with Isaac only I must beg Spiritual and Eternal Life for my extravagant Son Ishmael though he be not the Son of the Promise yet let him be a Son of Promise if Isaac must have the Earthly Canaan let not Ishmael be excluded out of the heavenly Thus must you plead with the Lord for Children To assist you herein I shall subjoyn
not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy sâ—ednor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever This is a large and long-lasting charter God Spirits within his children and the owning of his name in their lips and this for ever What can godly Parents desire more Whether this Spirit import a Spirit of Prophecy or a Spirit of Sanctification surely it 's a rich kindness that it shall run in this straight line and channel to many generations that the name of God as well as your name may be kept up in your Family perpetually when you are dead and gone Oh happy Parents that have such Children Happy Children that had such Parents and blessed be God that embraceth both in the bosom of the Covenant That 's a Soul-supporting word in Hag. 2.5 According to the word that I covenanted with your Fathers yea with you when you came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth among you Fear ye not be not daunted there were as many and great obstructions in the way of mercy then as now yet grace overcame them and I have not taken away my Spirit from you notwithstanding your multiplied provocations this 2000. years but still it is among you and shall continue to many generations May not faith triumph in this promise 8. That great observations shall be made of and remarks upon the Children of godly Parents Isa 61.8 9. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and their seed shall be among the gentiles i. e. Gentile Churches and their off-spring among the People all that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Men shall speak to each other Do not you see the faithful child of such a believing Father Oh how many a precious day have we had with such an ones Father Mother or Grandfather this is the Pious Child of a Zealous father you see it 's not in vain to seek and serve God I remember the prayers and tears poured out for his Child and I see the blessed fruit thereof God is a prayer-hearing God of some Children we may say as Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grand-mother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also His Grandmothers name was Lois which signifies better his Mothers name Eunice signifying victor and Timothy is the fear of God If Parents chuse the better part God will give them victory over the World Sin and Satan yea they shall have power with God and obtain God-fearing Children which others will observe and admire the grace of God in 9. Childrens Children to many generations are remembered with Covenant-kindness So in the second Commandment Exod. 20.6 Shewing mercy unto thousands i. e. of generations of them that love me and keeep my Commandments Deut. 7.9 This is transcendent mercy punishment extending but to three or four of them ver 5. you 'll say mercy and justice are Gods two Arms is the one longer than the other Answer no they are equally infinite but he maketh his Church to feel more of his mercy then of his justice with the Lord there is mercy why so Because with him is plenteous Redemption Psal 130.7 It is a Covenant of Grace and Christ interposeth as Mediator of it Oh! the overflowings of Free-grace to many generations Psal 103.17 18. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto Childrens Children Mark it it 's called righteousness to shew it is a discharge of his obligation by which he hath in some sort bound himself to Parents to do good to their Posterity Mic. 7.20 for it was mercy to Abraham to make a Covenant but it is truth and faithfulness to perform it to Jacob. and his rising seed many years after for 't is founded in his Eternal purpose and continues to Eternity and this is the reason of our hopes of the calling the Jews because they are beloved for their Fathers sake or rather because of God's Covenant with their Ancestors Rom. 11.27 28. Oh what incouragement is this to Parents that God will not utterly cast off their seed but will resume thoughts of love to them at last 10. That God will reduce the wandring Children of his People by seasonable and sanctified correction Psal 89.29 35. 2 Sam. 7.14 15. If his Children for sake my Law and walk not in my judgments i. e. if they forfeit the Priviledges promised by non-performance of the conditions then will I visit their transgression with a Rod and their iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail God hath adopted Affliction to be a branch of Covenant affection Psa l. 119.75 ' It s a promise I will visit not so much a threatning for in faithfulness he afflicts his Children he will not take so much pains with a slave as with a Son he will make his Children thank God for a whipping Lord saith a godly Parent bring home my Child though it be by weeping cross starve my prodigal son or feed him with husks that he may reflect on his Fathers plenteous Table oh break his Leg or Arm rather than damn his Soul cast him on a sick bed rather than cast him into Hell let his Purgatory be here and his Heaven hereafter now our gracious God answers his Childrens Prayers good Hezekiah's Prayers for his extravagant Son Manasseh were answered by Gods taking him among the Thorns binding him with Fetters carrying him to Babylon till he had humbled him to purpose and made him know that Jehovah was God 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. doubtless the natural as well as the spiritual Father of the Prodigal will welcome home the Child tho' broken on the Wheel 11. The Covenant ingageth for a blessing on Parents instruction and correction of their erring Children this is of great use 1. For instruction Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go There 's the Parents Duty do thy duty to set him right in the beginning of his way so some read it and when he is old he will not depart from it i. e. not easily ordinarily q. d. if thou that art the Father wilt do thy duty faithfully I will undertake to do my part set thou their faces in the right road and I will keep them in it ordinarily I will bless thy instructions admonitions counsels examples see Gen. 18.19 God saith of Abraham I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him you 'll say what is he better for that they 'll chuse whether they 'll obey or no nay saith God but I will undertake for them And they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment His labour shall not be in
vain I live saith God to make his words take impression on his surviving Children when he is dead For correction you have a notable promise in Prov. 23.13 14. With-hold not correction from the Child for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye I will take care of him thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shall deliver his Soul from Hell O blessed whipping surely such a scourge as fetcheth blood is easier than hell-torments but my benediction shall be upon that correction that 's a cruel Parent that will rather see his Child a flaming Faggot in the scorching fire than try to whip folly out of him that 's cruel pity better he should cry here then roar hereafter yea and curse thee for ever that wouldst not speak a word or give him a tap to prevent these intolerable torments Oh the good that seasonable correction may do if thou prevail not to make thy Child good yet thou wilt have comfort in the discharge of thy duty there 's good hopes of both by the blessing of God Prov. 29.17 Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul yet take this caution that these promises must not be understood absolutely necessarily and universally producing this effect but ordinarily so it is and this is sufficient motive to Parents to do their duty and incouragement therein 12. The last incouragement to Parents from the Covenant of God for their surviving Children is that God will take care of their outward concerns in the World Prov. 20.7 the just man walketh in his integrity his Children are blessed after him if their Father hath not heaped up riches by cunning and covetous devices and so leaves them but little in the World yet he hath left them in the hands of a good Father who will take care of them when their earthly Parents are gone for this blessed Covenant is not confined to the persons of the Godly but entailed on their Posterity Psal 112.1 2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed answerable to this I call to mind a passage told me by a Reverend Minister in London who knew a poor and pious Preacher in Wiltshire who had many Children and little to maintain them one askt him how he thought they could shift when he was gone he answered I am not at all afraid of that I am more afraid of them when they shall ride up and down London streets in their Coaches which came to pass for some of them came to be Aldermen of that Famous City our frequent experience confirms this truth what care God takes of his upright-hearted Servants Seed when they are laid in the dust let us take holy David's Experiment Psal 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread If there have been some few exceptions these yet do not destroy the truth of a general proposition howbeit temporal promises were more express and positive to the Jews of old than to christians in Gospel-times which consists more in spirituals But this will remain a truth that Children of Godly Parents are usually provided for comfortably even in things that concern this life if it tends to Gods glory and their good and if God see it good in his Infinite Wisdom which limitations must always be annexed to temporal promises but if they be poor defamed sick in prisons banished yet all these work together for their good Rom. 8.28 CHAP. VI. An Answer to an Objection against the premises THE third general head in the Doctrinal part is an answer to a main objection which is this Object You have produced many promises as branches of the Gospel-covenant that the children of godly Parents shall have converting Grace that God the Father Son and Holy Ghost shall be theirs are heirs of Gospel Priviledges shall be sanctified be useful instruments in the Church shall own their profession with an holy conversation if they wander God will reduce them bless Parents instructions corrections take care of their outward concerns c. Now do we not see by daily observation the clean contrary to all these how many worthy Ministers have had worthless sons how many worthless Children are there of gracious Parents nay do we not see some Children of Godly Parents miscarry more than others of their carnal civil neighbours more proud scorners of Godliness companions of Drunkards Swearers Debaucht persons that have proved a great dishonour to God scandal to Religion grief to Godly and Heart-breaking to their Parents yea have so prejudiced the Spirits of wicked men that they say this Religion is but a fancy praying so much is needless and what 's become of the Covenant you so much boast of Nay have we not seen some Children of Godly Parents live and dye visibly graceless under tokens of Gods Wrath yea hastning their death by intemperance and overmuch wickedness How is this consistent with all that you have spoken How is God true to his Covenant This is a sad truth and cannot be denied and an awful consideration and possibly hath staggered the Faith of some and strengthened the hands of some wicked against the power of Godliness and is too palpable an observation to be denied But yet I hope to clear this tremendous providence from the holy Scriptures by propounding these seven considerations 1. Some of the Children of Gods People can set their seal to Gods faithfulness in the Covenant made to their Parents and their Seed this clears Gods truth and the goodness of Religion I doubt not but some Children of the Covenant can speak the language of Solomon in 1 Kin. 8.23 24. Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart who hast kept with thy Servant David my Father that thou promisedst him thou spakest also with thy mouth and hast fulfill'd it with thine hand as it is this day will not some stand forth and say I bless God for Godly Parents my Soul hath found the benefit of their Prayers and fruit of Gods Promise I prefer this charter to all earthly priviledges let others say their pleasure I will for ever adore Free-grace that brought me forth under so good a Covenant it 's better to me than to be born of a Royal Race and being Heir to a Crown he is my God Exod. 15.2 and I will prepare him an habitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him and cannot some Parents say 2 Sam. 7.19 God hath spoken well of his servants house for a great while to come behold I see the buds of Grace in this or that Child and a saving growing work in another blessed be Free-grace I can hold forth this token for good against all the
the habitations of thy throne Psal 97.2 7. Yet for all this Religion must be owned and vindicated God is good to the Soul that seeks him Isa 45.9 to the Soul that waits for him He never said to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Lam. 3.25 If God never shew mercy to any of my seed yet I will never justifie the wicked by saying It 's in vain to serve God Mal. 3.14 No God forbid Il wil never say that prayerless Families are as good as praying Families my own experience and thousands more besides the infallible verity of the faithful God Psal 19.11 will contradict that Atheistical Maxim in the keeping Gods commandments I have found great reward Yea I have found that the miscarriage of my Child which is the greatest cross that ever I met with hath been blessed for the good of my Soul as the good Woman said bearing my Children and my crosses have cost me dear but I could not be without either it 's not fit I should chuse my affliction and what God lays on is welcome and I will like Christ no worse for his Cross for I find these bitter Waters most medicinal and the sweetest fruit grows on this bitter Tree the badness of my Child hath helpt to make me better this heart-breaking hath proved an heart melting it 's true wicked men are hardened by seeing the Children of the Covenant thus miscarry even as divisions Mat. 10.34 35. 2 Cor. 2.14 and offences amongst Gods people are occasions of their ruine yea the Gospel-preaching is the savour of Death to some but as God is just therein to them so my Soul hath cause to bless the Physitian of Souls that so tempers this poison as to make it wholesome Physick to my poor Soul my crosses are better than their comforts I will commend Religion though I mourn over my irreligious Child Godliness is gain though I gain not Grace for my Child by it CHAP. VII An Vse of Conviction and Humiliation ALL the improvement I shall make of this point shall be 1. Of Conviction 2. Exhortation 1. Of Conviction if this be true that notwithstanding the sins and sufferings in a godly mans family which occasion much grief to his Spirit yet he is comforted and satisfied in Gods gracious Gospel-covenant Then it follows by the rule of contraries that those Families that have no right to this Gospel-covenant are in a woful state have no grounds of comfort satisfaction no hopes of Salvation so remaining they are not under a blessing but under a curse Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked the Plague is in that house set a cross on that door and say Lord have mercy upon it wicked families read your doom and train of curses in Deut. 28.15 16 17 18 19. you make great reckoning of your estates alas there 's no Covenant blessing in any thing you have they are in themselves great blessings of God but to you they are cursed Mat. 2.2 If you will not hear and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart it 's a dreadful flaming text against impenitent inconsiderate sinners not only their persons but all their domestick concerns are under a curse your meat money houses wives children garments imployments injoyments all that you do all that you have shall be accursed this is an heavy case a grounded curse by man lyes long and lights sadly upon Successors Noah pronounced a curse on Cham's off-spring Gen. 9.25 which never left them till it rooted out the Canaanites by Shem's Posterity The subject is large and astonishing I shall say something 1. To Irreligious Parents 2. To Irreligious Children 1. There are some Parents within the bounds of the visible Church that 1. Understand not this Covenant never set themselves to consider it they bring their Infants to be baptized in a custom because others do so and it would be a shame not to have them Christened Neighbours would cry out against them but they neither know the meaning of Baptism nor Covenant nor have they any mind to know them 2. Take no pains to get their own Souls interested in this Covenant Eph. 2.12 but are strangers from the Covenants of Promise and so have no hope for themselves or seed we find great fault with prodigal Parents that imbezel and alienate their Ancestors Inheritance that should have descended to their Children but it 's a thousand times worse for Parents to cut off this blessed entail of the Gospel-covenant 3. Most are negligent in doing their duty to Children alas how few will take pains to instruct them in the principles of Religion the nature use ends of the Seals of the Covenant in praying for them as if there were no such text in the Bible or they had never made such a promise Eph. 6.4 to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Ah! wretched Father Mother out of your own mouth are you condemned that promise what you never intend to perform how notoriously do you falsifie your promise betray your trust 4. There are too too many Parents that are scandalous prophane atheistical and teach their young ones to lye swear be drunk unclean by the evil example they set before them A Child brought up with Plato coming home hearing his father in a furious passion could say I never saw or heard the like in Plato Alas sirs you lessen your esteem with your Children by sinful courses you bring guilt upon your family yea you do your endeavour to root out your family The seed of the wicked shall be cut off Psal 37.28 The whole Psalm and daily experience testifies the same Hab. 2.10 Ah sinner thou hast consulted shame to thy house and some generations hence may reap the fruits of thy folly The text saith he will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him Exod. 20.5 There are some hereditary sins and some hereditary punishments bequeathed as an heritage to their Children Divines vindicate Gods Justice in proving that God may righteously punish sins of Relations in their correlates Filij sunt res Parentum for Children say some are portions of Parents as people are the riches and good of Princes yea they have in them aliquid parentis something of the Parent they are pieces of them So David was punished in his Childs death But I shall not spend more time in this point because somuch is said by many others How can you see your Children damned in Hell through your default How can you hear their cries and see their torments in that Infernal Lake gnashing their Teeth and roaring with Flames about their Ears saying
upon you and make your Accounts streight against that great reckoning day and be sure you put on Christ and improve him as your Advocate that he may Answer for you at that day These things I do but touch for my great design is the quickening and incouraging of Parents on the behalf of their Posterity some whereof are left to themselves by the Lord to go astray which occasioned Mr. Lawrence's excellent Treatise of Parents Groans nor is it his case only but many others also some particular instances are fresh in memory which have brought some Godly Parents gray hairs with Sorrow to their Graves some well known Servants of God having never seen any hopeful symptoms of Grace upon some or all ther Children in their Life time and had some sad temptations to question the truth of of God in his Covenant yet even in the very pangs of Death reacht to and claspt hard this Blessed Word dying in the hopes of its Efficacy for themselves and theirs and the subject being recommended to me was accordingly treated on in a Funeral Discourse which upon request I was willing to transcribe for the incouragement of Poor afflicted Parents that are bowed down with heart-grief for their offending Children I confess the subject is novel and singular and such as I have not seen any Treatise upon and having walked in an untrodden path I hope I may obtain a pardon from God and Man of some Erratick motion whilst the tendency is Gods Glory and the good of Souls I hope none will reject this Treatise because it seems a limited Subject as if they were not concerned in it for as 't is handled it is extensive to all Parents Children yea such as have no Children are dealt with in this small Treatise for their Instruction and Consolation such as it is I commend to Believing Praying Parents following it with my poor Prayers that all the Children of the Covenant may be Covenanted Souls and that Parents may be comforted in the Grace of God in their Posterity and both may meet in Glory and if any reap and receive any advantage I have my reward and do humbly beg the Incessant Prayers of all that can Pray For The poor Servant of Christ and the Church O. H. A General Scheme or view of the Chief Contents of this Treatise Chap. 1. The Context cleared the Text explained 10 Doctrines briefly hinted Page 1. Ch. 2. The main Doctrin Propounded Cleared Explained by some things premised 9. Ch. 3. What this Covenant is and who are concerned in it 16. Ch. 4. Six grounds of hope which Parents have from the Covenant for their Children 24. Ch. 5. Six other grounds of Incouragement to Parents for their surviving Children 32. Ch. 6. An Answer to a great objection in seven particular Considerations 39. Ch. 7. An use of Conviction to Irreligious Parents and graceless Children 48. Ch. 8. An use of Exhortation to Children both of Vncovenanted and Covenanted Parents and to such as have no Children 59. Ch. 9. Another branch of Exhortation to all Parents that have Children ten motives to do their utmost to leave them within the Covenant what means to be used 69. Ch. 10. The last mean to be used for Childrens good is Earnest Prayer for them Twelve several Pleas and Arguments helping Parents in Prayers Some Cases of Conscience answered 79. These Books Written and Published by Mr. Oliver Heywood are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside THE Sure Mercies of David being the fruits of some Meditations from Isa 55.3 Christ displayed as the choicest gift and best Master from Joh. 4. â—0 And Joh. 13.13 Written by Mr. Nath. Heywood and published by Mr. Oliver Heywood Israels Lamentation after the Lord Being some Meditations upon 1 Sam. 7.2 The Holy Life and Happy Death of Mr. John Angier Closet Prayer Or a Christians Duty from Mat. 6.6 Baptismal Bonds renewed On Psal 50.5 Meetness for Heaven upon Colos 1.12 designed for a Funeral Legacy Advice to an only Child or excellent Counsel to all Young Persons containing the Sum and Substance of Experimental and Practical Divinity Written by an Eminent and Judicious Divine for the Private use of an only Child now made publick for the Benefit of all Published by Mr. Oliver Heywood Dying Parent 's Living Hopes for their surviving Children c. 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire although he make it not to grow CHAP. I. The Context cleared the Text explained Doctrines raised THese words contain dying Davids living comfort the Covenant was the only Cordial to his fainting Spirits when the World lookt black about him here 's light ariseth out of obscurity just as it was with Oecolampadius dying and clapping his hand on his Breast cried hic sat lucis here 's light enough so David and a Believing Soul looking above sees all good in the Covenant looking within sees the countervain of it saith here here alone is light Job 29.3 by his light I walk through darkness This shall be my vade mecum or companion through this Pilgrimage of the World and this only shall be my viand and viaticum support and supply when I pass through the Valley of the Shadow of Death Farewel empty filthy World welcome the immediate presence of my Covenanted God I am going from a Prison to a Pallace from sorrow to solace from Sin to sweet Injoyment of God and the only foundation of my hopes is this Gospel Covenant A sad and sorry dying Miser ready to breath out his sensual senseless Soul got a Jacobus piece of Gold clapt it to his Breast saying Some wiser than others but I will dye with this Cordial at my Heart but at last pluckt it away saying it will not do alas it will not do Gold it self is no Cordial it cannot disarm death nor arm against it it hath lost its vertue nothing but Gods Covenant will stand in stead the dying Child of God is like a Standard bearer who when the battel is lost wraps himself in his Colours and therein is safe marching triumphantly through Armies of Enemies untoucht into his Fathers Pallace Oh happy Soul that injoys and improves this Covenant The Context tells us that these be the last words of David not absolutely as though he breathed his last after he had uttered them for there are several expressions and transactions after but comparatively they were uttered towards the latter end of David's Life Now the dying words of Pious men are gracious serious ponderous they use not to spend their breath about trifles In the Context we have 1. The Porch or Introduction 2. The Temple and excellency of the Gospel Covenant In the Porch or Introduction we have these two things 1. The Penman instrument or Amanuensis who spoke these words David 2. The Authour
1. A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the heaviness of his Mother Yea 17. 25 he frequently repeats it other afflictions lye on the back this goes to the heart see Rom. 9.1 2 3. 3. Consciousness in Parents of their own guilt makes Childrens Miscarriages more uneasie and afflictive O I read my sin in my Childs folly alas omission of due instruction admonition correction hath brought my Child to this I may thank my self I have taught the young ones by my bad Example I have not watcht over them pray'd for them been so jealous of them to offer Sacrifice for them continually as I find Job did chap. 1. 5 3 25. who can tell but if I had been faithful I might have prevented all this Oh my Childs sin brings my youthful vanities to my remembrance thus I dealt with my Father to this pitch I arrived God punisheth my sin with my Childs I am verily guilty this cuts deep Jer. 4.18 4. The affliction is heavier because it doth in some sort weaken Parents confidence in the Covenant and endanger their faith in the Promise Godly Parents are ready to say when a Child is born and baptized as Samuel of Eliab 1 Sam. 16.6 surely the Lords anointed is before him this is a lovely child I hope this may honour God in his day but the child grows up and degenerates answers not expectations but grows debaucht and hopeless old in sin though young in years and now the Godly Parents hopes are dasht and daunted he is put to a stand and knows not what to think or say but concludes sadly with the two disciples in another case we trusted that it had been he this Child Luk. 24.21 that should have been an honour to God a comfort to me and a good instrument in the Church but oh how am I disappointed he proves the greatest affliction I have oh what 's become of the Covenant have I not some reason to question either Gods faithfulness or mine own interest This was the temptation of holy David with whom the Covenant was made expresly and immediately Psal 89.20 yea God gives him all the assurances imaginable his word his oath ver 34 35. yet ver 49. he saith Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses which thou sworest unto David in thy truth A sad expostulation as if God kept not touch with David why what 's the matter the reason was because Providences run counter to Promises crosses seemed to make void Gods Covenant ver 38. to 46. but thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast been wroth with thine anointed c. Alas David where 's thy Faith But so it is that sense prevails in the best Saints above Faith at some seasons but most of all in this case when the Children of the Covenant cross the Ends of the Covenant and no doubt this becomes a great grief of heart to a godly Soul when he is thus sadly non plust till the light of the Covenant rightly understood unriddle this mystery the poor Christian is in great perplexity David had a promise by Samuel that he should be King yet saith in his heart 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Why so why his present danger seemed to supersede the performance of that promise Psal 116.11 and though he said in his haste all men are liars yet when he came to himself certainly he would fret and vex himself that he should so wrong himself and Samuel yea and cast such an unworthy reflection upon God himself as though he were unfaithful to his promise thus will the Godly Soul do at last but at present he is upon a strange rack tortured betwixt hope and fear CHAP. III. What this Covenant is and what is in it to support the Christian IT would be superfluous to say much of the nature of a Covenant yet take this short description of it A Covenant is a voluntary mutual compact between two parties containing benefits to be injoyed and duties to be performed 1. It 's a compact between two parties for though a single person may make a promise yet a covenant is betwixt two or more and of parties formerly at distance this is the case betwixt God and Man so Gen. 26.28 2. It 's a mutual reciprocal compact both parties must be ingaged therefore it 's called the Bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20.87 because though they were free before yet now they are become bond 3. It 's a voluntary compact both parties were free before they were obliged by covenant covenanting is an Elective act God is a free Agent nothing but pure love induced him to covenant with Man Deut. 77 8. and though man was not absolutely free being Gods Creature and so bound to his Creator yet his actual entring into Covenant is a voluntary act Psal 110.3 Thy People shall be willing or Volunteers in the day of thy Power 4. Betwixt Covenanters there is mutual obligation to conferring of benefits and performing of duties called the habenda and the agenda things to be conferred by God and received by man and duties on mans part if he expect any benefits from God Isa 1.19 If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the Land Yet in the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and Man there are two things peculiar 1. That there is an interposing Mediator our blessed Jesus the days-man that lays his hand upon both now saith the Apostle a mediator is not of one but God is one Job 9.55 Gal. 3.20 i. e. his business is to reconcile parties not only distinct but different 2. This Mediator is also surety or sponsor to be a susceptor or undertaker for both parties i. e. to perform what is necessary both what concerns conferring of benefits on Gods part not formally and performing conditions on mans part as though Christ believes and repents for us to save us a labour of repenting or believing but meritoriously purchasing these Graces for us and efficiently working them in us thus Jesus is made a surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 on Gods part he brings in everlasting righteousness and makes God friends with us and all his attributes amicable to us imploy'd for us on our part working gracious dispositions and actings which are the conditions of the Covenant so the whole lyes upon Christ Col. 3.11 and he is all in all he is responsible for God and Man being only able and capable as God and Man to fulfill necessary terms on both parts thus God promiseth what he requires and gives what he promiseth Jer. 3.19 But I said how shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant land a goodly heritage of the Host of Nations And I said thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turn away from me Thou shalt there 's Gods undertaking to give filial disposition and perseverance Oh infinite contrivance of Divine Wisdom and Free grace
oh cursed Parents that by your Soul-damning negligence have brought your selves and me into this lamentable state that would not speak a word to me nor plead the Covenant for me to prevent these Eternal Torments that saw me go on in sin and would not stop my course betimes by faithful admonition and sound correction nay that set me a bad Example and were content that I should perish with you cursed be the day that ever I should know such wretched Parents well had it been for me that I had never been born or had been brought forth a Beast without a rational Soul that I might have died like a Beast yea I had been comparatively happy if you my Parents had put me to death or as the Heathen Thracians lamenting my Birth buried me betimes and rejoyced at my death because of the miseries of humane life but Oh I am brought forth and fed up for the murderer the murderer of Souls I had but gone as a condemned person out of a dark prison to the place of Execution but now having lived thus long in the World I have fought against God and sunk my Soul deeper in Hell Oh wo is me that I lived under such cruel Tyrants and as the dying person said I am going to Hell and my wicked Mother must follow after And Oh the woful resentment of fellow damned Parents upon the hideous outcries of the fruit of their own bodies and bowels here neighbours fare is not good fare but the rich mans torments are aggravated by his fine brethrens coming into the same condemnation Every Screek of the Child will tear the heart of the self-condemning Father how easily might I have prevented these despairing groans by a faithful discharge of duty What if I had followed my wandring Child with sighs and tears to God and him while there was hope but now all too late all too late the guilt of my Childs blood is now required at my hands Had I whipt him so as to fetch blood at every lash it had not been so dreadful as the lashes of divine vengeance had I disinherited him for his faults it had not been so confounding as my own being banisht with him from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Oh! what is temporary punishment to Eternal torments Oh that God would strike the hearts of poor carnal Parents with bowels of pity towards their poor perishing off-spring 2. Graceless irreligious Children grown up 't is no excuse for you to be bad because your Parents are bad are you so wildly sociable as to go to Hell for company This is like the miserable Indians that leap into their Parents graves to be buried with them Or like that Italian visiting his Fathers Sepulcher washing all the parts of the Monument with lamentable tears Progenies viperarum nominat potius quam viperas ut toti ordini exprobret virulentam malitiam totum corpus damnare voluit Calv. in Harm Evan. in Mat. 3.7 1 Pet. 1.18 Jer. 6.16 fell down dead God may say who requires this at your hands But still it 's worse to follow their pernicious examples as too many Children do You may reverence your Ancestors yet examine their dictates by the word of truth and not be as the young Novice entring into a Monastery was advised tu et Asinus unum estote to be like an Ass swallow down all that comes No no you are redeemed from your vain Conversation received by tradition from your Fathers and therefore must enquire not simply for the old way but which is the good way It 's too much what Cicero the Heathen Orator thinks a commendable piece of Religion to live and die in the Religion of our Ancestors It rather becomes Children to take warning by their Fathers falls and faults to avoid them and the bad Consequences thereof Ezek. 18 14-18 So God saith If the Father beget a Son who seeth all his Fathers sins considereth turneth he shall not die for his Fathers Iniquity But if you follow their sinful courses you justifie them condemn Gods ways and damn your own Souls Yea you bring upon your selves the guilt of your Fathers sins besides your own wicked Parents are set before you as Sea-marks to avoid not as Land-marks to guide you The Heathen Orator said Parents are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as household Gods their words should be as Oracles but alas they are but men and may mistake and miscarry but God in his word is an unerring guide Follow the Lord and you cannot miss or miscarry but you may miscarry by following the best men you will certainly miscarry if you follow bad men The Woman of Samaria erroneously pleads the place of her Ancestors worship John 4.20 And Jeremiah confutes the foolish Jews fond plea from their Fathers practises Jer. 44.17 21. But I shall rather hint a few words of conviction to the irreligious Children of godly Parents Who degenerate from their Ancestors that it may be said as in Isa 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not i. e. as some take it if our godly Ancestors Abraham and Jacob were now alive or raised up from the dead they would not own us for their legitimate off-spring we are so unlike them I fear this is too true of the Children of godly Predecessors got to rest that tread not in their Fathers steps but take a contrary course their Fathers prayed in their families but Children have left off that trade Fathers frequent Religious Societies Children frequent Alehouses and naughty company Fathers walked closely with God Childern run away from God and his Institutions Wo Wo be to such Children 1. They are perjured faedifragous and forsworn wretches who in their Baptism ingaged to be the Lords Servants Subjects Souldiers and to fight under Christ's Banner against the World Flesh and the Devil and took Press-money but now have turned their backs on Christ and fight the Devils battles against Christ Wo be to such perfidious wretches what 's the doom of such as outrun their Colours but to be shot to Death Covenant breakers are ranked amonst the worst of Sinners Heathens Rom. 1.31 And such as make hard times in the later days 2 Tim. 3.3 If it were but a mans Covenant it 's a grand crime to disannul it much more this Gal. 3.15 Prov. 2.17 the Covenant of Marriage is in some sense the Covenant of God this more immediately and he will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant Lev. 26.25 Oh Sirs how dare you look God in the face whose Covenant ye have broken What have you to do to take his Covenant in your mouths Psal 50.16 when Conscience flies in your face 2. You have lost the benefit of your Infant-Priviledges Your Infant membership was but calculated for your Infant-State now you are grown up Adult-persons you must stand upon your own bottoms no longer on your Parents now you must live by your own faith
were the more knowledge do you lay in The further they were from God the nearer do you get to him The more disadvantages you have had the more pains must you take for your Souls seeing it 's of absolute necessity 4. If God have laid hold on your Hearts be more laborious for the good of your families you have had sad experience of the want of careful education let not your Children have the like but instruct them pray for them do what you can to bring them into Covenant with God give not them occasion to complain of your neglect also 2. Children of Covenanted Parents God forbid you should act contrary to your Baptismal Covenant-relation or contradict your obligations that Thorns should grow instead of Lillies or stinking Weeds where sweet smelling Flowers have been it 's dreadful that cursing should be heard where Prayers have been put up or idle wanton Songs where Hosanna's have been used to the King of Heaven 1. Review and Renew your Baptismal-covenant you were timely devoted to God in minority confirm it now at age you took press-money to be the Lords Souldiers to fight against Satan World Flesh Beg the Graces and priviledges exhibited and sealed in that ordinance Regeneration Adoption Mortification Union to Christ Tit. 3.5 Rom. 6.1 2. Gal. 3.26 Act. 22.16 Remission of Sin say Lord didst thou promise before I could ask them and now wilt thou not bestow them when I am become an humble suitor for them I here produce thy Charter the deed of gift under thine own hand thou didst in thy infancy confer a right give me now possession of it let me know the Seed was sown by the crop growing up that I may at last reap the blessed Harvest 2. Repent for your breach of Covenant alas I have not walkt up to my vow in Baptism I have failed by omission trangressed by commission my Conscience condemns me God may justly censure me for transgressing his Laws Isa 24.5 changing his Ordinances breaking the everlasting Covenants I have abused his kindness rejected his gracious offers neglected his Worship and God may justly draw up a black bill of indictment against me pass the Sentence upon me and execute it as against an Apostate but Lord heal my back slidings Hos 14.4 love me freely turn away thine anger from me and deal with me according to the tenour of this New Covenant 3. Plead your Fathers Covenant Prayers Practice The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers 1 Kin. 8.57 let him not leave us nor forsake us Psal 22.4 5. our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them they cried unto thee c. blessed be God the God of my Fathers that gave them a believing praying heart and sigsig experiences of answers of Prayer I will build on that Foundation and surely my Lord will not be worse to me than he was to them How strong a plea this hath been accounted see in David 1 Chron. 12.17 Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.6 thus may you plead Lord my Godly Father was in many straits and still he made thee his only refuge and thou didst not leave him Oh cut not off this blessed entail from me his Child be as good to me as thou wast to him 4. Walk in the steps of your godly Ancestors plead and practise as they did say as Moses Exod. 15.2 He is my God 1 Kin. 21.3 4. Pro. 27.10 and I will prepare him an habitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him God forbid that I should sell the Inheritance of my Fathers My Fathers Friend I will not forsake by sinning or apostatising he never gave me occasion to withdraw from him Jer. 2.5 What iniquity have my Fathers found in God Shall I disoblige an old Friend to gratifie an inveterate Enemy No God forbid Act. 24.14 I will own love and serve the God of my Fathers for ever the God of my Fathers help me to stick close to my dear Lord in duty 3. This Doctrine concerns persons that are married that yet have no Children to Pray and Care for or incourage themselves about for surviving Posterity and under this head I shall also rank unmarried persons both these may learn these four practical lessons 1. Be sure you lay hold of this Covenant for your own Souls Be concerned for your selves if you have none else to care for yet you have a great charge upon your hands You are either Gods or Devils to your selves aut Deus aut Demon either God or Satan is with us even when alone Yea every man is the worst Devil to himself quisque sibi Satan every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Jam. 1.14 Your business is therefore to secure your best interest whether you shall have Children or no and the only course is to lay hold on this Gospel-Covenant Isa 56.4 5. For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that please me and take hold of my Covenant Even unto them will I give in my House and within my Walls a place and a name better than of Sons and of Daughters Mark it you both secure your own Souls and your name How much is this better than Absoloms Pillar which became an Eternal shame You consult honour to your selves by embracing Covenant terms practising Covenant-duties improving Covenant-promises and Spirituallizing Covenant-seals believing in Christ the Mediator of the Covenant being sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant that you may enjoy Covenant-priviledges then shall your names be inrolled in the sacred Calendar Isa 4.3 and written among the living in Jerusalem God and good men will esteem and honour you yea your name shall be had in everlasting remembrance Your memory shall be blessed on Earth Prov. 10.7 and your Souls happy in Heaven Oh how much is this better than Sons to bear up your name That 's but a Temporal this a Spiritual mercy that Common to all this peculiar to Saints that uncertain this fixed that Temporary this Eternal Be sure of this and you are happy 2. Be humble and mortified You want Children they are an Earthly blessing Psal 127. Psal 128.3 4. 3 4 5. For Children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb is his reward as arrows are in the hands of a mighty man so are the children of Youth happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them These are not contemptible though temporal mercies you must not throw up the head and say tush I care not I have more ease and draw a light harrow I may take my pleasure and make even with my Estate for I have none to leave it to when I dye This is naughtily spoken God would have you humbled under the want of Children tho' but a temporal mercy Gods Servants have lookt on it as an Affliction You may hereby take occasion to
of God! I shall give some Motives and Directions 1. For Motives I beseech you consider Eph. 23. 1. That your Children are Children of wrath as well as others You begot them as Men not as Holy Men for Grace was adventitious Adam begot a Son in his own likeness Gen. 5.3 after his own Image not Gods which he had lost For Grace comes by spiritual regeneration not by natural generation You gave them a sinful and miserable being O study to give them an holy and happy being They are born in sin Travel over them till Christ be formed in them Gal. 4.19 If you cannot make them good yet lament that they are so bad You have done them a dis-kindness Labour to do them this kindness to plant Grace in them 2. Your Children are more inclined to Vice than Vertue they are born like the wild Asses Colt Job 11.12 with a byas Hell-wards and an antipathy in their nature to what is good For the carnal mind is enmity against good Rom. 8.7 Aelian tells of a Whore that boasted she could easily get Scholars away from Socrates but Socrates could get no Schollars from her Wrong is always before right naturally the left hand before the right Children need not be taught what is bad they learn that fast enough but you 'll find much ado to beat into them what is good 3 Yet they must learn Divine Truths and their Duty or never be happy One thing is needfull If they die as they are born Luke 10.4 with their backs on God they are undone for ever they are become like the beasts that perish But it 's better be a beast Eccl. 3.2 than to be a rational man like a beast The one goeth upwards to be judged by God and condemned to eternal torments but the Sensitive spirit of a beast goeth downwards to the Earth And however some think the Beast shall not lose its individuation yet it is not capable of Moral Evil and so of the Punishment of Hell as a rational but a graceless soul is Would you not have them far worse than Beasts Oh! take pains to work grace in them else no salvation Mat. 18.3 4. They are capable of Instruction For this end was the Book of Proverbs written Prov. 14. To give subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledg and discretion Aristotle indeed saith That a young man is not a fit hearer of Moral Philosophy or of Ethicks but he speaks of what is De facto non de eo quod fieri debet what is usually not what ought to be Children can learn Trades Toys why not Scriptures Catichisms It 's not enough to tell the capacity of many Children were they Idiots or Natural Fools destitute of Common Reason it were a lamentable judgment of God and a sore affliction to Parents But they have members of Body use of Reason Oh! do what you can to add Grace You are taken with their outward Feature wit Parts these qualifie them not for Heaven till Gods Image be super-induced 5. Parents have great advantage in beginning with their Children whilst young Now they are young and tender soonest reduced Like young twigs quickly bended or a young Horse easily broken or a young Hawk soonest brought to the lure Take them betimes before they be hardened in sin and you may most likely prevail but if they be let alone awhile they 'll be past dealing with Custom in sin makes them like the Aethiopian in his skin Jer. 13.23 or the Leopard spots Besides teach them betimes and they will more likely retain it It is an usual saying Liquidae sunt puerorum memoriae Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odoremtesta diu Childrens memories are soft and soonest take impression and clear or free from disturbance and so retain it longest Season a New Vessel and it will keep that favour long Let Cloath be died in Wooll and after in Cloath the colour will be most lively and durable The Application is easie 6. Parents are betrusted with their Childrens Souls as well as Bodies Ezek. 18.4 All Souls are mine saith God and he concredits them to the tuition of Parents as a precious Talent or depositum saying as Pharoah's Daughter to Moses Mother Exod. 2.9 take this child away and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy Wages so saith God when the Child is Born and Baptized to Parents I devolve the charge of this child on thee look to it Ezek. 3.17 if it miscarry through thy default its blood will I require at thy hand thou must give an account of its Soul go then to God and say as Manoah concerning his Son Sampson Judges 13.12 how shall we order the Child And how shall we do unto him Fetch your instructions from God and assistance also for your Childrens good consider of a reckoning day 7. By this you will manifest your own sincerity or sinisterity your love to God and your Children or your hatred Remember no man is really good that is not Relatively good When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren saith our Lord i. e. Luk. 22.32 evidence the sincerity of thy conversion by endeavouring the good of others Grace is like Fire that turns what it toucheth into its own nature if you do not your endeavour to bring others especially your seed into covenant it 's a shrewd sign you are not your selves in Covenant with God then wo be to you Oh cursed Parents of cursed Children Are you so indifferent whether Christs Kingdom be reared and erected in your Family that you 'll scarce put up a prayer or speak a word to promote it Where is your love to Christ that loved Souls so dearly And where is your true love to your natural off-spring if a Beast be fallen in a Pit will you not help him out Hast thou more care of a Swine than the Soul of thy Child 8. Satan lyes at the catch for your Children that Fiend of Hell hunteth daily for the precious Soul of thy dear Child he got possession when thy Child came into the World and he makes it his business to keep possession and will do till Christ that 's stronger than he cast him out Luk. 11.22 and wilt thou see a Dog a Bear the Lion of Hell hurry away thy Child Man and not cry out to Heaven for aid O heard-hearted miscreant doth not nature teach the Hen to fly at the glade that would take her Chickens yea the Sheep to turn upon the Dog that would catch her Lamb And art thou so far degenerated as to cast of all pity to thine own bowels Oh Monster of Mankind hast thou laid aside Humanity as well as Christianity 9. The Church and Commonwealth require this office of love from you to your Children and if you neglect their Education you take a course to corrupt both It 's worth observing that the Heathen Romans sued in their Courts
draw out my heart to thee in vain when a Father bids his Child ask he designs to give thou wilt not let this blessed spirit breathe in vain in my soul Wilt thou inlarge my heart and not grant my request Psal 38.9.15 Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee In thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear me O Lord my God Thou hast raised my heart in Expectation wilt thou not give me the mercy I expect 8. Lord is not thy Glory concerned in this affair as well as my comfort And yet my comfort is something in thine eye For thou sayst Ps 118.15 The voyce of rejoycing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous And alas What joy can there be in a family when a foolish Son is heaviness both to Father and Mother Prov. 10.1 and a disturbance to the whole house But oh thy Name is dishonoured by my own flesh wicked men hardened some scandalized by the miscarrying of the Children of the Covenant But on the other hand if Covenant-grace be spread upon my childs heart by Converting-grace many will glorifie God Gal. 1.24 His own Soul will be the actual lively Trumpet of Divine Glory by confessing sin and turning to God thy Omniscience Grace and Omnipotency will be made glorious And who can tell how many may be won to God by his Example 1 Pet. 2 1â— 2 Thes 1 1â— and every Convert Glorifies God in the day of their visitation and at the great Day God will be glorified in his Saints Lord consult thy Glory 9. Lord thou hast given me some incouragement concerning this Child I am praying for When my Child was young he was very hopeful now he is grown up my hopes are dasht He hath now embraced the world or is fallen into bad company and courses the less are my hopes now because he is a woful Apostate and sins against more light than others and this daunts and damps my spirit however I will pray and wait still for what is a daunting to me Gen. 22.14 is rather an advantage to thee In the mount of the Lord it is seen When the knife is at Isaac's throat Hos 2.14 the valley of Achor is a door of hope When men say our bones are dryed our hope is lost Ezeck 37.11 12. we are cut off for our parts then the graves are opened and there 's life from the dead The case is mine I am saying as Jonah I am cast out of his sight yet will I look again toward thy holy Temple The other look may fetch the mercy There 's a may be in the case Can a Child of so many Prayers and Fears miscarry This brings to mind a passage in Melchior Adamus De vitis Theol. Germ. pag. 724. It is this The mother of Hunnius being with child of him had a Vision She thought she was in the Church and took up a Reed or a Straw or such a small thing While she held it in her Fingers it so increased that she was almost oppressed with its weight even to death She presently saw it turned into a Pillar of the Temple Then she was eased of her burden This was verified in her Son Hunnius who though religiously educated and hopeful in Childhood yet fell into bad Company and then into horrible Temptations and sad Apprehensions That he had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost but by Grace was recovered and proves an excellent instrument in the Church of God This may be of use to poor afflicted desponding Parents 10. Lord If thou deny my suit and glorifie thy Justice in the rejection and damnation of My child I must and will acquiesce in thy Soveraign righteous Will It 's hard to bring my heart to it but I will say Thy Will be done Rom. 11.33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! How unsearchable are thy judgments and thy ways past finding out I my self deserve to be forsaken and cast into Hell I have many a time told thee I must for ever justifie God with flames about mine ears if thy justice be glorified in my destruction for all my abominations And if thou deal thus with my beloved Off spring I will say The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Dan. 9.7 Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto me and mine confusion of faces I submit my all to thee and thank thee for grace in my own soul and hopes of Glory and if my wilful child may not bring a revenue of Glory to free Grace I will be content with thy raising up a revenue of Glory to thy Justice in his just condemnation Obj. But what tender-hearted Parent can be contented to see his Child damned Answ You must distinguish betwixt Nature and Grace Nature loves its own and cannot bear to see part of it self in misery Yea grace cannot but desire cannot but earnestly breathe after the spiritual and eternal good of our Children And 't is not only lawfull but duty to desire it Yet if God deny it Grace brings man's Will to a due submission to the Divine disposal for the more a Christian is like to God the more is his Will melted into God's Will and therefore will a Child of God rejoyce in the execution of Gods justice upon dearest carnal Relations at the great Day As sanctified Levi in the cause of God Deut. 33.9 said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen neither did he acknowledg his Brethren nor knew his own Children Nature will be in a sort swallowed by grace in Gods good pleasure That was a remarkable passage of a gracious Gentlewoman that had a vicious Son who fell into many debaucheries and into one hainous Act which sunk her tender spirit But recovering her self she said to him with some warmth Ah! my sinful Son thou hast cost me many a Tear Groan and bitter hour but a day is coming when I shall triumph in seeing the just vengeance of God excecuted upon thee this did so appall the young Gentleman that he laid it to heart repented and became a new man to the joy of his Godly Mother But 2. You must distinguish about Damnation and look on it as under a double notion 1. as a state of compleat Sinning Blaspheming and hating God to the utmost God calls you not to be content with this which is so directly contrary to the Grace of God in the Christian nor yet may you be content to have your Child separated from God the cheifest good which is the worst part of hell But 2. Hell may be considered as a place or state of torment and misery to the Rational Creature and upon this account you must not be contented simply to have your Child tormented which is abhorent to nature but your Souls must be so overr-uled with the Divine pleasure as where his will is