of it more wayes than one Oh that children would think of it and do like service of love for them then would there never be such grumbling with children as there is with too many as if every thing were too much or too harsh which they are put to do for supply of parents wants Parents never needed urging or forcing no nor their childrens calling upon them to be doing for them and their good let children do like for like let none parents or others need to urge you with many arguments or compel you by blowes or mulcts to be doing this compensatory service but let it be as a very naturall fruit arising freely from an innate principle and root within Parents needed no eye of man of their children or of others to look after them and see that they were diligent in their service of love for their children no when none were by as well as when any were present still they plied it hard for the supply of their childrens wants for their childrens welfare let children do like for like very servants to Masters should not do eye service Col. 3. 22. and it would be a shamefull and loathsome thing most of all in children to do eye service for parents 3. Parents were constant and unwearied in Constantly and unweariedly their labours for their childrens good they thought nothing they did or could do too much or scarce enough for their childrens good Oh that children would but give like for like to parents then would there never be such counting upon so much and so much which children have done for parents Many a poor honest parent hath even worn out themselves and wasted and exhausted their very strength in their service of love for their children and it would be a monstrous thing if children should not now do all that ever they can to maintain these their decayed decrepit exhausted parents I had almost said servants 4 Parents in their service of love on behalf of their children condescended to meanest offices and imployments such indeed they were especially when their children were little were diseased or many wayes bodily distempered and ill at ease that none else but tender hearted parents Fathers and Mothers would have done for them let children do like for like for parents as they may have use or stand in need of them As in the parable oft made use of in this discourse the Son when come to rights he was willing to be as his Fathers servant yea the meanest of servants as his hired servant Luke 15. 17 18 19. 2. In being a comfort to them in their sorrows and sufferings A second way of such grateful recompencing of parents is by being a comfort to them against their sorrows and sufferings As when parents meet with any sad losses crosses reproaches persecutions for Christs sake when exiled imprisoned or the like let children cheer them up all they can Gen. 5. 29. Lamech called his Sons name Noah saying this Son shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed Let children be as so many Noahs comforts and comforters against whatsoever miseries or calamities which may befall their parents Ruth 4. 15. this shall be a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thy old age the grand-child Boaz must be his grand-mothers cherisher succourer and supporter under God against all her faintings sinkings and troubles of her elder times when that sad news of Josephs supposed death came to Jacobs eares All his Sons and daughters rose up to comfort him Children are branches of their Parents as of a Vine Psal 128. 3. thy wife shall be as the fruitfull Vine by thy house side whose branches yeeld such grapes such fruit from which choycest wine is made whereby mans heart is cheared quickned and inlarged let children then yeeld such chearing quickening strengthning and inlarging fruit to their parents when sad when their Spirits are ready to fail and sink within them through troubles inward or outward As other wine or fruit of the Vine is for those that are of a heavy heart Prov. 31. 6. So children as children as receiving a being from their parents as of the Vine of which they came are to yeeld comforting fruit especially to their sorrowfull parents children should carry it so and be such to sad and suffering parents as they may make up many other losses and crosses to them As it was said of Ruth whose story is often occasionally made use of in this discourse Ruth 4. 15. for thy daughter-in-Law which loveth thee which is more to thee than seven Sons hath born him Naomi had lost her two dear Sons yea but Ruth is such a succourer and supporter and comforter to her that she is instead of many Sons that way to her Eve loseth her hopefull Son Abel and her wound is the greater in that his brother Cain murthered him yea but Seth is given her as one appointed of God to be another seed to her instead of Abel whom his brother Cain slew Gen. 4. 25. she looketh for all that good and comfort from him which Abel might have ministred to her and so doubtless she found it made good to her children in this also must vicem rependere pay and give in like for like Ah the bowels of parents towards children when any evill or calamity befalleth them when any way ill at ease when sad through-outward or inward troubles or pressures they put their souls in their souls stead they would not suffer them to lie grieving and wasting themselves with grief if with all their wisdom and grace and ability they had inward or outward they could redress the same when their children were litle such comforts and cordials were parents unto them and when their children are adult they were the same to them let children then repay like for like to their grieved afflicted parents If to him that is melting away with trouble as that Hebrew word in Job 6. 14. signifieth such expressions of sympathy should be shewed from a friend to his friend much more from a child to a parent if a brother be born for adversity Prov. 17. 17. Is it not one end of a childs being born from his parents to be a help and succour to them in adversity Children should be as eyes to their dim-sighted parents as strength to them when weak Feet to them when lame nourishers to them when in need of meat and refreshment sweet melody to them to make their very hearts dance within them and a very flaffe to their age as it is said that Scipio Africanus was unto his Father If Christ himself account so of each of his Disciples who do the will of his Father to be his Brother Sister and Mother not alone in the faithfull respects and service of the love of such to him-ward but in respect of his own respects and services of love succour and sympathy towards them as of a
worship In case of grosse Idolatry or the like then zealous Levi saith to his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him Deut. 33. 9. And Asaph an highest Civill Ruler called to do justice without respect of persons he removeth Maacha his Idolatrous Mother from her Regency 1 King 15. 13. 5. That it be not so as when you are called Or 5. Such as for them to neglect just respects to others to maried conditions then for Parents sakes to neglect just respects to your spouses and regard to your Families welfare Gen. 30. 30. in that case Jacob will say to Laban his Father-in-Law when shall I provide for my house and that Law Gen. 2. 24. taketh here place for this cause shall a man forsake Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife 2. Of exhortation to Parents to carry it so 2. To Parents to carry it so as may win respect as may even win and gain such respect and love from your Children which is due from them as for instance 1. Be frequently instructing your Children in the best things in their Soul-matters this won Solomons heart the more to his Father David insomuch that he keepeth a honourable record of his Fathers instructions Prov. 4 4 5 6 c. The bond of love is doubled when natural Fathers by Gods blessing upon their instructions and admonitions become spirituall Fathers of their Children and a twofold cord is not easily broken 2. Be ever and anon incouraging your Children 1. By incouraging them in good in any good thing hence that Allusion Isa 66. 13. as on whom his Mother comforteth which as they are more abundantly encouraged by them so enlarged also in affections to them Famous is the example of William Hunters Mother as he was leading to the stake for Christ Son William saith she I think thee as well bestowed as ever any Mr. Fox Acts and Mon. Child that I bare in my womb and that example of the Mother of that little Child which was Martyred with Romanus who stood by incouraging her Child and when all others almost wept to see the Childs tortures she stood by rejoycing and when that fatall act of cruelly was to be done upon the Child to take away its Head after she had taken her Child and kissed it she stood by singing All laud and praise with heart and voice O Lord we yield to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know most dear to be bidding the Child also to remember the children of Bethlehem who were martyr'd for Christ 3. Be ready to defend and vindicate Children 3. By defending them in a just cause in any just cause as Joash did his Son Gedeon against those that complained of him for throwing down Baals Altar Judg. 6. 29 30 31. and Joash said to them will yee plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death if he be a God let him plead for himself the blind-mans Parents did not thus who out of a base fear put off all to their Son he is old enough let him answer for himself John 9. 21. yea let Parents vindicate their children from unjust slanders as the Father of the wronged Damsel was to do Deut. 22. 13. to 9. this must needs win love 4. Be conscionable sollicitous of your childrens 4. By care of their outward weal. outward welfare as was Jacob of his Sons Ge. 37. 14. and Jesse of his Son 1 Sam. 17. 17. this also much gaineth upon childrens hearts 5. Carry it towards your children with much 5. By Compassionatness toward them tenderness and bowels as need and prudence requireth Numb 11. 12. Carry them in thy bosom as a nursing Father the sucking child Psal 103. 13. as a Father patieth his children Mal. 3. 17. as a Father spareth his Son that serveth him this as it breaketh every way-ward heart of a child so it winneth the Son as it is in the fruit of Gods bowels expressed to his children so in mens to theirs CHAP. IV. Of Honour of Reverence due from children to Parents WE have handled that first branch of Honour of Parents in a direct way we now proceed to the second which is the Honour of Reverence for so Honour is taken as we shewed in the 1. Chapter Observe then as a second branch of the generall point that Children are to Honour their Parents with the Honour of Reverence Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear Honour of Reverence due to Parents every man his Mother and every man his Father Heb. 12. 9. the Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them due reverence For the better handling of this part of Childrens duty we shall first shew wherein this Reverence of Parents consisteth and is expressed and 2. Make use of it Touching the first we say this Reverence due to Parents is either outward or inward 1. Then outward Reverence is due from children 1. Outward as to Parents and so 1. Children are to rise up and to stand bare before their Parents when they come to them or speak to them for if of Fathers in age God saith Rise up before the hoary head and Honour the face of the old man Levit. 19. 31. Rising to Parents he surely requireth it of children to their own Parents Henre the excuse of Rachel though a married woman from unavoidable necessity as reason why she rose not up to her Father Laban Gen. 31. 35. And Rachel said to her Father Let it not displease my Lord that I cannot rise up before thee for the custome of women is upon me it must be some avoidable necessity that must be a just reason that children rise not up before their Parents else Parents have just reason to be displeased when Achsah daughter to Caleb is to request a thing of her Father she keepeth not her posture of sitting in which she was before but lighteth off the beast she rode upon and then speaketh her mind to her Father Judg. 1. 13 14 15. It stands not with Parents Honour for children to sit and speak but rather they should stand up when they speak to Parents 2. If Parents be comming towards children they 2. To meet parents comming are to prevent them and meet them 1 Kings 2. 19. Bathsheba went to Salomon to speak for Adonijah and the King rose up to meet her 3. They are to bow to them so Salomon 1 Kings 3. To bow to them 2. 19. he bowed himself to his Mother So Joseph Gen. 48. 12. and Joseph brought them out from between his Fathers knees and he bowed himself with his face to the earth So Moses to his Father-in-Law did obey sance and all these their Sons were great men yet not too great or high to stoop in way of Honour of Reverence to Parents 4. They must speak Reverently both to their 4. To speak to them and of them reverently Parents and of them
homo respiratio ejus interscinditur A man is made as one that is broken-winded your parents many a time have carried you in their Arms and born the burthens of your educations and the like and will you now break the very back of their hearts and spirits which should help sustain and bear up all other burthens by your continuall grieving of them Prov. 12. 25. heaviness in the heart maketh it stoop as an heavy load weigheth down the body now the spirit of a man is that which sustaineth his infirmity Prov. 18. 14. and how do you dis-inable poor parents to hold up head and heart under other burthens of theirs your dear Mother underwent sorrows in her conceiving you and bearing you in her womb and in your birth and both Father and Mother met with many sorrows in your bringing up from the womb to your ripe age and will you now make them go sorrowing to their graves by your lewdness or by your vile courses carriages and speeches bring their gray haires with sorrow to their graves shall they pay so dearly for your pleasures your gaines your merry bouts your excess and riot c doth it not suffice the drunkard to drink so much of the blood of the grape and the spirits of the vine but he must also swallow down so many drams of the blood and spirits of his dear Father and tender-hearted Mother whil'st you as disolute Children are making your beds as you suppose with Roses in your voluptuous and vile courses you are filling your Fathers beds with Bryers and stuffing their pillows with thorns and what restless nights must your poor parents have that while Children should be restorers of their parents lives Ruth 4. 15. he shall be to thee a restorer of thy life and will any of you be so inhumane and brutish as by such grief which you cause to your parents to shorten their dayes impair their lives and hasten their going out of the world well let me tell such that this is a degree of paricide God who in the 6th Commandement saith thou shalt not kill requireth to save life to preserve and cherish life and if not to save life be to kill Mar. 3. 4. then not to cherish parents so as to help to preserve their lives is to kill them he that forbiddeth also killing another forbiddeth all means tending to shorten anothers dayes as its evident heart griefs do Prov. 12. 25. and 5. 13. and 17. 22. Surely then you that by your vile courses cause such grief to your parents as dryeth their bones maketh their hearts stoop breaketh their very spirits you are so far forth guilty of paricide and shall Murtherers of Fathers and Murtherers 2. Such as minister not suitably and seasonably to parents wants of Mothers escape surely no 1 Tim. 1. 9. the Law and all the punishments and curses thereof are for such in speciall sort 2. It serveth to abase such among you as minister not suitably and seasonably to parents wants or the like when they need succour and help in age in poverty in sickness in lameness or the like now not to guide them not to help them not to take them as it were by the hand as that phrase is in Esay 51. 18. It s most loathsome in you If God would not have them Esay 58. 7. to hide themselves from their own flesh brethren of the same stock of Israel surely much less to hide themselves from them that gave them their flesh and blood and lives if the Brother fallen into decay with an Israelite he must relieve him yea though he be a stranger or a sojorner that he may live with him Levit. 25. 35. much more must be done to a parent by a childe and if who so hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up this bowels of compassion from him the love of God dwelleth not in him 1 Joh. 3. 17. surely much less can there be any love of God in that Childe that so ingratefully shall neglect his needy parent 1 Tim. 5. 8. who so provideth not for his own c. is worse than an Infidell which as was said is to be referred to Childrens neglect of providing answerable supplies unto parents needs and so such are worse than Infidels Notable is that example which Valerius Maximus in his 5th Book and Chap. 4th mentioneth A certain grave woman condemned to die by the Roman Praetor and delivered to one of the Triumviri that she might be strangled in the Prison the Keeper of the Prison moved with pitty to the woman deferred her strangling and thought to let her die of famine rather suffered her daughter to visit her sometimes onely searched her that she brought no food with her for her Mother but wondering at length that the grave Matron lived so long and watching more narrowly at length espied the yong woman suckling her Mother with her breasts and examining her about it she confessed she had so done all the while her Mother had been a Prisoner whereupon the Keeper acquainting the Triumvir and he the Praetor and he the Consulls the condemned Matron was pardoned and so escaped death whereupon saith Valerius Maximus Quo non penetrat aut quid non excogitat pietas where will not piety towards parents make entrance and what will not that invent which can find out a new way to preserve the life of a Mother in Prison and the like story he hath there of the like course that a young woman took to preserve the life of her Father Cimon condemned to a like end Saith Tully it is a most hainous thing not to nourish parents Solon made a Law that he that doth not nourish his parents let him be infamous yea such are worse than the brute creatures the Storks as Pliny and other natural Historians report they carry their old ones betwixt two of them and feed them by turns whence the Law amongst the very heathens for nourishing of parents is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of piety after the manner of Storks and in the Hebrew phrase the Stork hath his name of piety Jer. 8. 7. Psal 104. 17. The Hebrew word for Stork is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pious gracious kind bountifull c. the very Dormise as Pliny telleth us in his Nat Hist lib. 9. Chap. 57. they also nourish up the old ones when spent with age and shiftless besides in professed Christians it s to deny the faith which men hold forth and profess not thus to provide for their own for the faith which they profess to believe the doctrine of piety teacheth them otherwise tho they hereby deny to practise it and the faith whereby they believe at least profess so that assuredly would teach otherwise hence that Emphasis in the Apostles exhortation to piety towards parents 1 Tim. 5. 16. If a man or woman that believeth hath widdows and Mothers by his own or wives
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
in the way of wisdome namely instructively I have led thee in the right paths namely exemplarily the like holy advantage did they make of that counsel and doctrine of their Fathers Psalm 144. 1. and David likewise maketh advantage of his Mothers interest in God Psalm 86. 16. and Psalm 116. 18. Now if this be a talent it must be accounted for one day and Children had need look that they make answerable returnes Parentall nurture and admonition and Christian education is an holy advantage to such Children above others that want the same As being Gods ordinance for Childrens best welfare as was shewed before When Solomon had charged his Son to keep his Fathers command and not to forsake the Law of his Mother Prov. 6. 20. verse 23. he addeth this reason for the commandement even of a godly Father is a lamp and the Law even of a godly Mother is light and reproofs of instruction given by Parents also to Children are the way of life Prov. 29. 11. The rod and reproof give wisdome namely as Gods appointed means in the use whereof he will give it to Children Godly examples are also very forcible and helpfull hence the godly are said to be blessings in all places where they are cast Isa 19. 2. As Husbands may be wonne to God good while they behold the Godly and wise conversation of their wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. So may a child by the gracious example of godly Parents yea such children have the superadded advantage of their good Parents and Ancestours Covenant interest Prayers and blessing Gen. 49. 26. The blessings of thy Father saith Jacob to his Son Joseph have prevailed above the blessings of my Progenitors every godly Ancestour and Parent contributeth something to the Childs blessed stock besides the blessed advantage which such Children have to be an Honour to God and to their Parents by the very Entail of grace by Promise and Covenant of God from their Parents unto them Deut. 30. The Lord will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love him c. and Isa 59. 21. The word and spirit in the mouth of the Ancestours is promised to the suceeding Children let Children then of the Church of the godly look you husband this holy advantage the rather to Gods and godly Parents Honour 2. In that the posterity of Papists and Mahumetans will follow the tract of their parents instructions and examples and will by no means depart therefrom and shall not such children as you are much rather follow your godly teaching and leading Parents without departing from their blessed counsels and examples God forbid any should do otherwise 3. In that otherwise if you will not do thus to the honour of your godly parents verily then all the blessed words which your good parents have urged and charged and that as from God by their parentall authority upon you their children they will come in another day as evidences against you according to that phrase concerning Gods word delivered by Moses to the Israelites and by them to be commanded to their Children successively in case of their Apostacy it 's said this Song shall be Gods witness to testifie against them Deut. 31. 19 21 26. Touching the helps to further you in being such an honour to godly parents they may be such as these 1. Take heed of what tendeth to dishonourable degenerating and Apostacy from the gracious counsels and examples of your godly Parents and Ancestors and for this end take heed of 1. corrupt principles or practices in Religion for they tend to Apostacy hence the Apostacy of those hopefull beginners in 2 Pet. 2 19. 20. whil'st corrupt libertine principles are distilled into them and imbraced by them they are intangled again and fall off 2 Tim. 21. 16 17. Timothy must avoid such profane and vain bablings such the Apostle termeth their false doctrines because they tend to ungodliness and their word and doctrine like a Canker eateth out the heart and life of Religion where it taketh 2. A worldly spirit that causeth degenerating in hopefull persons that hopefull young man in Mark 10. 20 2â— was spoiled by it so was Saul Judas Ananias and Saphira Demas and all those professors which so far out-go those of the high way and stony hearers even those of the thorny soyl they come to be choaked by the thorny cares desires occasions and contentments of the world so that no fruit of theirs ever commeth to perfection 3. Pride this ushereth in even this fall also instead of him whose bea rt is lifted up in Hab. 2. 4. it is in Heb. 10. 35. if any man draw back the one ushereth in the other let Children hopefull ones specially beware of this 4. Wantonness under outward prosperity plenty peace liberty civill and sacred Deut. 32. 11. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked turned against God So those Nehem. 9. 22 26. Hence God warneth them then to take heed that when in Canaan they have all they can desire in a manner that then they forget not and forsake not the Lord Deut. 8. 10 11 12 13 14. let the posterity of the godly here and elsewhere take heed of this spirituall wantonness which ushereth in Apostacy 5. Bad matching this caused Jehoram good Jehoshaphats Son so vilely to degenerate namely his matching into wicked Ahabs stock 2 Chro. 21. 1 2. bad wives out-landish women caused even wise Solomon to sin and for a time to degenerate Nehem. 13. 26. let young persons especially take heed of this 2. Let such Children of the Church of the godly engage themselves personally in solemn wise before the Lord and his people also as well as privatly to walk according to God and those godly counsels and examples of their good Parents and Ancestors and by his strength and help never to turn away there from good Ruth did so privatly when she so solemnly vowed before God and her Mother-in-Law that she would go with her be with her partake in weal and woe with her own her God and people and only them for hers and nothing but death should hinder the same Ruth 1. 15 16. whither thou goest thither I will go thy God shall be my God and thy people my people God do so to me and more also if ought but death part me and thee she engages implicitly to all honour of her both direct to honour her with all honour of respects reverence obedience and recompence and reflectly to be an honour to her also all which may be very well gathered out of that speech of hers as I might particularly evince but I forbear Nehem. 10. 28 29. the Children of the Church there their sons and daughters that could understand as well as their Parents came publickly to enter into an oath and curse to walk in Gods Laws to observe and do all his Commandements and if Churches would call upon their Church Children who are of understanding personally to renew the Covenant of God made by their Parents on their behalf such a bond would the more engage and unite their hearts by the Lords blessing to the good wayes and things of God to his and their Parents Honour 3. Let such Children according as the Lord helpeth them eye and plead with God his own words undertaking this in effect that they shall walk after the blessed precepts and practices of their godly Parents and Ancestors and so be an honour to them this is held forth in that promise of God made with reference to his Kingdom and Church in all Nations amongst the Gentiles Psal 22. 27. with vers 30 31. their seed as the Geneva reads it shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation they shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this if God undertake that this seed of Gentile-believers shall hold up Religion after their Parents and convey it to their next generation what can godly Parents desire more for their Children or their children desire for themselves they shall hereby greatly honour God his truth wayes and government and greatly honour their godly Parents their instructions examples and prayers beside that good that will thereby come to themselves and their own souls and posterity also O let such children then intrench themselves within this and such like blessed strong holds and places of spirituall refuge And so at length we have dispatched our discourse about this so necessary a subject and the blessing of our gracious God be upon it FINIS Imprimatur Edm. Calamy 30. March 1655.
It is used in Jonah 1. 5. For the Mariners lightning their ship by casting out the good wares in it as forced by a storm to do that which had they done in another case it had been manifest wrong and injustice to the owners of all others Parents should not be scanted and pinched and that by you their own Children of their just weight and measure but rather have it upheaped or pressed down or running over if God in other cases would have no unrighteousness in meteyards in weight or in measure but have just ballances just weights a just Ephah and a just Hin Levit. 19. 35 36. Much more would he have no unrighteousness in weight or measure here And if in other matters the scant measure be so abominable to God and good men Mic. 6. 10. Much more is a scant measure of filiall Honour But that we may the better meet with this sin in all sorts Here is to be reproved 1. Childrens slighting their Parents instructions 1. By slighting Parents instructions or rebukes directions reproofs or corrections this is made a black brand of a person yet unregenerate Prov. 15. 5. The Fool or unregenerate person despiseth his Fathers instruction Know it therefore who ever you are be your pretences to Religion whatsever they may be yet you are graceless persons who Honour not your Parents Counsels or instructions but slight and undervalue them this is made also the very trick of a scorner and that is somewhat worse Prov. 13. 1. a scorner heareth not rebuke-namely not of his own Father for it is opposed to that A wise son heareth his fathers instructions Yea this is made a very brutish sin Prov. 12. 1. he that hateth reproof is brutish And if the rejecting others just reproof be so inhumane so unreasonable a sin verily the contempt of parentall reproofs is so much rather I had almust said it is worse then brutish For the brute creatures as say young birds or beasts they do not sleight the hints which the old ones give them of what they should shun or what they should desist from or what way they should take or the like as experience witnesseth in many particulars I need not instance yea it is a deadly token of a person either already given up to hardness of heart and so to be ruined or of one that is at the brink of such a pit 1 Sam. 2. 25. It is said of Elias Sons whom he had even too gently reproved for their gross sins notwithstanding they harkned not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would destroy them such persons do but even despise their own souls and their peace and welfare here and hereafter Prov. 15. 32. he that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul which if true of refusing others much more of refusing Parents good instructions one may safely say to any such Son or Daughter surely thou carest not what becometh of thy soul but let all such despisers of Parents counsels instructions or reproofs especially in matters respecting their souls I say let all such know tremble to consider it that all those despised instructions and reproofs will one day be as so many stings of Adders in your hearts the venome wherof will even drink up your spirits they wil be as so many viols of oyl to the flame in your fired consciences here or in hell or both which will make your tormenting flames more raging lasting and tormenting See in Prov. 5. 11 12 13. in the deboist youngster that never cared a pin for any counsels or rebukes which Parents Friends Masters or Ministers gave to him when in his ruff of vanity but when under Gods dreadfull hand and his conscience withall awakened then this is that in speciall which galleth him that he hath not inclined his eares to them which instructed him and so not to his very Parents also And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed and say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them which instructed me 2. By slighting their Commands 2. It reproveth Childrens slighting Parents injunctions or commands Prov. 30. 17. The eye that despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out that is some suddain strange shamefull and remarkable Judgement of God in wayes and by means unlikely shall befall them and they that whil'st living would not honour Parents but despise them when they are dead they shall not be honoured as other men but like beasts rather then men they shall be cast out in contempt as not deserving the common Honour of rationall persons when dead to be buried As their sin is more unnatural and inhumane so shall their usage be when dead 3. It reproveth Childrens sleighting their Parents watch and government like the younger 3. By slighting their watch Son in the parable Luk. 15. 12 13. often made use of upon divers occasion in this discourse they must needs be for themselves and before they are fitted for it or called to it they will leave their Fathers but you may be reckoned with that prodigal to be persons that while besides your selves as the effect proved in him for he slighting his Fathers presence guidance and provision he was blasted in his way and soon took such loose courses as brought him low enough and the like will befall all such like youngsters in their way of flighting their Parents watch and government if Dinah paid so dearly for that little gadding fit of hers from her Fathers house as to fall under such sin and shame of being deflowred by a stranger Gen. 34. 1 2. What will be the sin and shame of such Sons or Daughters of whom we are now speaking It may be said of Children who out of some lust of pride or discontent will be leaving of Parents and forsaking their watch and tuition when they are not called to it 〈◊〉 in Prov. 27. 8. As a bird that wandreth from her neast so is a man that wandereth from his place the fittest best and safest place for the young bird is her neast where the old ones will be providing well for it and watching carefully of it that it come to no hurt but when the young bird before it be fitted to flie abroad with safety and strength to watch over it self or shift for it self yet will needs be hopping out of its neast and wandring thence it becommeth a prey to every bird of prey and commonly commeth by some means or other to ruine by it So if young persons will needs be leaving their Fathers house which is their neast and place before they are called to it or fitted for it mischief is commonly the issue of it As it is said of Cain in his case going out from his Fathers house that he went out from the presence of God so it may be said of Childrens leaving
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
unnaturall wretches as you are your ruine hasteth let unnaturall Absolom's end be a warning to all such 2. It serves to reprove Parents who by your 2. Of Parents some way occasioning alienation of Childrens hearts from them own sins lay stumbling blocks in your Childrens way to tempt them to unnaturallness in affection or alienation of affection or any abatement of that Honour of respect and love which they owe to you for though it be the Child 's great sin to be so alienated in affection to Parents yet you that are Parents may do too much to occasion the same as 1. By committing some heinous sin against God against your Parents or against others and 1 By some grosse sin of theirs against God so bring this as a curse upon your Children to be so unnaturall as we shewed in the unnaturall sins of the Canaanites mentioned Lev. 20. 9 12 c. to the 23. as a just fruit of the curse upon Canaan and upon Cham his Father It was unnaturallness in Absolom to take up the sword against his own Father and to defile his Father bed openly before all 2 Sam. 15. 16. but it is no more then God by Nathan threatned David with for his Murther and Adultery that he would raise up evill to him out of his own house 2 Sam. 12. 9 10 11. 2. By unnaturall carriages towards your 2. By too unnaturall carriages towards Children Children for there are too often too many of such also found even amongst professing Parents or too many Churlish harsh and strange carriages bitter and reviling speeches unmercifull and cruell correctings and punishings of them any of these are apt to sowr Childrens Spirits and to breed alienation of heart from you that are Pareets as Labans Daughters said of their Father Laban in some heat of Spirit Gen. 31. 14 15. Is there yet any portion in our Fathers house they care not how soon they are gon farther from him are we not counted of him strangers 3. By too much greedinesse after the world 3. By Covetous pinchings making thereby your Children more like slaves for your profits then Children as basely putting them off when you have serv'd your turns by thē this made Labans Daughters speak more harshly of their father took off their hearts somewhat from him Ge. 31. 14 15. He hath sold us say they hath quite devoured our money Prov. 15. 27. He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his own house this way also as well as other waies by breeding disturbances and distances even twixt them and their Children and their Children and themselves 4. By breaking just promises made respecting 4. By breaking just promises with Children your Children especially in matters of disposall of them in marriage as when Laban basely breaketh his promise of Rachel to Jacob Ge. 29 18 19 25. his daughters harts could not get clear of these old matters Ge. 31. 14 15. He that sold us c. what portiō have we in his house when children are crost in their just desires as when Merab Sauls daughter is promised to David 1 Sam. 28. 17. just when she was to have had him then she is given to Adriel v. 19. This must needs breed ill blood yea when Parents will force Children to break strongest engagements of love lawfully made to those they would have had as when Michal Sauls Daughter loveth David and is given to him 1 Sam. 18. 27 28. and yet afterward given to Phalti 1 Sam. 25. 44. or when Sampsons Wife is given away by his Father-in-Law to another Judg. 15. 2. this provoked him to seek revenge of that wrong vers 3. 6. Or when you that are Parents will be forcing of matches for sinister and low ends upon your Children crosse to the very bent of their minds as Saul to cause his Daughter Merab to have Adriel when she was to have had David sad have been the mischiefes of this in unnaturall acts of Children against very Parents stirred up therein by such cross acting of Parents One de Sales a French-man stifled his Father a grave Counsellour in Tholous in France because he would not consent to his marriage with one de la Hay So in Fidelia and Caelestina too Italian Ladies who crossed by their Father in their matching to their minds they conspire his death and got him murthered 5. By misplacing your respects upon unworthy 5. By mispleacing affections upon unworthy Children Children as Isaac upon Esau who proved one that little respected his Father witness his crosse matchings to the grief of his Fathers heart Gen. 25. 28. Isaac loved Esau because he eat of his venison Cap. 26. 34 35. Esau took Judith and Balhshema which were a grief of heart to Isaac and Rebeckah David misplaced his respect upon Absolom and loved him too well and more than other his Children and he proved the most unnaturall wretch to him of them all 2 Sam. 15. Cristina a Switzer she inordinately affected her Son Maurice would hardly believe any evill report against him though never so true and this Fellow afterward turned a paricide and by a wile drew his Mother to look into a deep wel and there threw her in where she perished Use 2. For exhortation A second use of this branch of the generall point is for exhortation 1. To Children to cherrish strengthen and inlarge 1 To Children to cherish naturall respects of love to Parents your respect and love to your Parents wherein I may say as Aristotle doth in his Ethicks l. 8. Cap. 16. speaking of the honour due to God and Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can give them the honour whereof they are worthy only he that to his utmost doth endeavour to give them highest respect he may be called pious Children are never able to aequalize Motives to it or match Parents love to their Children Parents love to Children is as to so many pieces of themselves but Childrens love to Parents is as of those who come from them So that Parents love to Children descendeth as from springs or Fountaines to the streames issuing from them and therefore runneth down more strongly freely and uncessantly but Childrens love to Parents is ascending therefore moveth more slowly and gently and needeth more help in its motion Aristotle observeth well that of which any thing is generated is by a greater and more forcible necessity nearly knit to that which is generated of it than that which is born and generated is to that which begot it Eth. l. 8. Cap. 14. Parents love also hath the start of time to that of their Childrens for Parents love their Children as soon as they are born but Children love their Parents and respect them when they come to understanding and are of some years Parents prevented Children in their love Children can never overtake them therein only must follow them as hard in the way of love as they can Children when little
shall be an ornament to a Sons head and as precious chaines about his neck a badg and pledg of honour in the eyes of his people Prov. 13. 18. He that hearkneth to reproof of a Parent especially shall be honoured Hence God causeth so honourable a Record to be kept in Scripture of the Acts of obedience to Parents in Isaac Jacob Joseph and others Memorable is that Jer. 35. 18 19. Where God chargeth Jeremiah to tell the Rechabites Because you have obeyed the commandement of Jonadab your Father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever namely so long as that state and Church of Judah should stand as they should not he rooted out as Jer 31. 36. There is the like phrase in a like sense so they should be be honourably imployed according to that phrase in a like sense Jer. 33. 17 18. 2. That the Lord sometimes taketh occasion 2. God manifesteth great things to such in such a way to manifest such speciall grace to children whilest in this way of filial obedience as either was not at all or not in that measure shewed to them before Observable is that in Jacob whose journey to Padan Aram is put upon the account of his filial obedience even by his malicious Brother Esau Gen. 28. 7. now as he in his obediential way journyed from Bershebah towards Haran v. 10 11. there he seeth the ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac thy Father the land whereon thou liest will I give it to thee and to thy seed v. 12 13. and vers 14. He promiseth to multiply his seed and that in him and his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed and vers 15. Behold I am with thee saith God and I will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again to this land for I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of and vers 16 17. Jacob awoke and said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not this is none other then the house of God this is the gate of heaven Never had Jacob that we finde before this time so glorious a manifestation of the promised Messiah to be God and man in one person as that one Ladder with its top reaching to heaven and its bottome on earth to be as a blessed Medium and Mediator by which God and Man heaven and earth should be joyned together as by a Ladder set on earth yet reaching up to heaven to be he by whom the Angels minister unto us and by whom all graces and spirituall blessings descend upon us and our hearts and spirits our prayers praises and other holy services yea and our whole persons one day ascend up to Heaven Never had Jacob such glorious promises of blessing upon him and his seed before Never was he in such a Corner of Heaven before And who then would not be incouraged to filial obedience and to be found in the way there of wherein others have found more of God and Christ than ever before 3. That Gods speciall presence and blessing 3. Gods special presence and blessing is with such is with you in a way of filial obedience to your parents so in this Scripture mentioned Jacob had Gods gracious promise of his presence with him and preservation of him in all places whither he went and that his seed with him should be blessed 4. Promises made to children with their parents come by that meanes to be fulfilled 4. That it tendeth to the ratification and accomplishment of the promises made to you in your godly parents As to Abrahams children in case of their obedience of his godly commands Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that he will command his Children and household after him And they in obedience to his command shall keep the way of the Lord that the Lord may bring upon Abraham even in his children after him that which he hath spoken of him even his promises respecting him and his seed Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day which you shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this Law vers 47. For this is not a vain thing for you because it is your life and through this thing you shall prolong your daies in the land which yee go to possess Albeit God had made so many promises of their injoyment of Canaan and many blessings of grace protection peace and the plenty there upon them and their posterity yet the meanes of accomplishment of all must be 1. That parents themselves must set themselves to obey all Gods Commands 2. They must lay their authority upon their Children to require of them also obedience to all Gods Commands 3. The Children in obedience to their parents commands under God they must observe to do all the words of that Law 1 King 2. 1 2 3. David chargeth his Son Solomon saying Keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in all his waies c. that by keeping this charge of God as given in charge by me thy Father according to God thou maiest prosper in all thou doest and vers 4. that the Lord may confirm his word which he spake concerning me namely in respect to my Children saying If thy Children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth with all their heart and soul there shall not fail thee said he a man on the throne of Israel 5. That your examples of filial obedience in 5. It will be a meanes of the like obedience in other Children you may be a meanes to work somewhat at least upon other Children yea even upon disobedient ones as Jacobs did upon Esau Gen. 28. 6 7 8. He never considered his disobedient course of matching with Canaanites against his parents minde But when he saw that Isaac his father had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take him a Wife from thence and not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and that Jacob obeyed his Father and Mother and was gone to Padan Aram and Esau seeing the Daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaack his father vers 9. Then went Esau to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams Son to wife Now he thought his matching thus unto the family of Abraham might better please his Father and so did it 6. In that else in a contrary way of dishonour 6. The contrary will expose the very place where they are to Gods curse of parents you will what in you lieth
man is made one of the carachters of a man who though he may have a form of godliness yet he denieth the power of it and from whom Churches should turn away have nothing to do with them if not reject them from them if any such be membors of them 2 Tim. 3. 2. 5. Vnthankfull having a form of godlinesse but denying the power of it from such turn away and if so with ungrateful persons to other men it s much The great evill of it and in it more so with ungratefull children It s noted as a vile part in that ungratefull Butler one upon whom Joseph had such compassion when he was sad of whose dream Joseph had given so good and effectuall an interpretation Gen. 40. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 21. that as v. 23. yet did not the chief Butler remember Joseph but forgate him how much viler a thing is this for children not to remember their afflicted parents when they themselves are inlarged The Prophet by way of allusion comparing the Church to a Mother and her members to Children bringeth it as a very monstrous thing Esay 51. 18. There is none to guide her among all the Sons she hath brought forth neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all that she hath brought up so that it were a very monstrous thing if a naturall Mother having many children should have none to become her guide her staffe and stay in her misery and afflicted estate what is a more cutting killing blow to your parents hearts than to see you their children prove ingratefull to them David made nothing of Shemies cursing him in comparison of Absolom a Son out of his own bowels to rise up against him 2 Sam. 16. 11. your parents groundedly expect it from you their children that surely you would be helpfull to them in their age sickness weakness wants and the like and if hope deferred maketh the heart sick Prov. 13. 12. what doth hope disappointed Oh it wounded Jobs heart when in his affliction it was as Job 19. 14. my kindred saith he failed me and my familiar friends forgat me vers 15. they that dwell in my house and my maidens count me for a stranger I am an Alien in their sight Vers 16. I called my servant and he gave me no answer I intreated him with my mouth vers 17. my breath is strange to my wife though I entreated for the childrens sake of my own body and what a gash would such like ingratitude in his children if they had been living have given unto his troubled spirit it was sad enough to the man to meet with so much trouble and affliction both inwardly and outwardly Psal 88. but that was as the very core in his wounds vers 16. that Lover and friend was put far from him and much more is this ingratitude in children an intollerable grievance to your afflicted parents as it is an abominable wickedness also in the children If he said of other ingratitude Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris call me unthankfull and call me any thing surely it may be much more verified here he that may justly be termed ungratefull to parents may be termed any thing that hath wickednesse in the notion of it he is one ingratefull to God ingratefull to man he is one that is unnaturall inhumane unfaithfull unmercifull hard-hearted proud covetous destitute of grace of a good conscience of godly wisdome and the knowledge of God of faith and hope in God of love of God and the fear of God each of which might be fully made good against such a one if I should enter that task but it shall suffice to name the same But to come to some particulars to be here reproved Let this abase such of you as have been and 1. It reproveth in speciall 1. Such as are a very grief to parents still are a very heart cut and grief to your parents by your lewd courses and carriages Like Esau and his wives of whom it s said Gen. 26. 35. they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Rebeckah namely by their vile speeches and carriages and the like hence also that speech of Rebeckah Gen. 27. 46. I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. Hence Prov. 10. 1. a foolish or ungratious Son saith Solomon is the heaviness of his Mother and Prov. 17. 25. A foolish or ungracious Son is a grief to his Father and bitterness to her The evill and vileness of this that bare him but as Moses said to those ungratefull Children of God of old Deut. 32. 6. So may I by way of allusion say to all such Children of men do you thus requite your parents O foolish Children and unwise you should be the joy of your parents and such as make their hearts glad Pro. 23. 25. And do you make them sad you should be as Vine branches Psal 128. 3. yeelding sweet cheering clusters of grapes and are your grapes as it is said of them Deut. 32. 32. grapes of gall and are your clusters bitter or as v. 33. Is your wine the poyson of Dragons and the cruell venim of Aspes manifestly indangering the very lives of your parents have your parents wept so oft for you when you were sick or in pain or any way ill at ease or in any supposed danger of limb or life and is this your requitall to draw yet more tears from their eyes and sighes from their grieved oppressed hearts by your miscarriages have they joyed so oft so much in your birth in your growth in your education expecting that you would have been Abshaloms your Fathers peace Cains your parents portions and are you rather Benonies your Mother and Fathers sorrows have not your parents enough otherwise to grieve them in respect of their many inward ayles and wants in respect of many temptations heart burthens in respect of outward cumbers and crosses persecutions reproaches c but must you be adding to their afflictions if God took that so ill from the heathen that when he was but a little displeased with his people they helped forward the affliction Zeph. 1. 15. will he not be sore displeased as he saith here with you who thus help forward your Parents afflictions Have your parents given marrow to your bones and will you thus dry up their bones Prov. 17. 22. A broken Spirit dryeth the bones they gave you breath and will you by such grief break their wind as I may say bring them to that pass as they cannot stir up staires or down as we say but they have almost lost their breath make them go up and down panting and blowing for want of breath scarce able to speak a few words to God or men but they must make pawses ever and anon to recover breath they are so spent Prov. 15. 13. by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken that is as Junius noteth upon that place Veluti Anhelus suspiriosus efficitur
that Isaiah made account that for the sins whereby those degenerate ones brake Gods everlasting Covenant Isa 24. 3. The earth should reel to and fro like a Drunkard and that the trangression thereof shall be heavy upon it vers 20. Now if such Covenant-breaking sins of degenerate ones be such as they are a burthen too heavy for the very earth to bear and such as maketh the very earth to stagger under it like a Drunkard me thinks the burthen of such a sin should make your backs and hearts ake and crack and even reel under it if it do not so now yet let all degenerate ones know that God will one day awaken your consciences when you shall say with that terrified Apostate degenerate Cain My punishment or my sin is greater than I can bear 3. Hereby you become grosly unfaithfull yea 3. It is unfaithfulness and treachery to God Ancestours posterity and the whole Church treacherous to your God to your Ancestours to your Parents to posterity to the whole Church God made you his Trustees and so did Ancestours and Parents make you their spirituall Trustees under God to hold up Religion Truth the Worship Waies and Goverment of Christ when they should be gathered to their Fathers they look at and leave you their Children to be a seed of the Church to be as plants to hold up Gods Orchards as Churches are called Cant. 4. 12 13. and as lesser sets and slips to maintain the Lords Gardens of which Cant. 8. 12 to be the Lords hand and theirs also to receive his Truth Worship and Government from them under God and faithfully and intirely to deliver the same to your posterity and so to help to propagate the same to such as come after you Psal 78. 5. The Lord established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children vers 6. That the generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children vers 7. That they might set their hope in God The like course of continuation and propagation of his wayes and truth among the Gentiles doth the Lord pitch upon Psal 22. 30 31. A seed shall serve him It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation they shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this hence that twofold censure of God upon the two houses of Israel and Judah Hos 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull to the Saints namely past present and to come that Tribe was more faithfull in the matter of Gods charge left with them and they were faithfull to their godly Ancestors or Parents who left also the things of God to them and they were therein also more faithfull to posterity who would come to be spirituall gainers thereby hitherto Abijahs speech is appliable also 2 Chro. 13. 11. We of Judah keep the charge of the Lord our Ged but yee Israelites have for saken him hence that degenerate generation in Deut. 32. 20. are said to be Children in whom is no faith or fidelity or trustiness and truth in the matter of their holy charge delivered to them and truly if it were no more for a sprinkling of a better generation here and there of the godly than for such as you are what in an ordinary way would become of the way of God of religion of Church within a few years And such as you are do what in you lyeth to break and ruine posterity and the succession of Churches It s true indeed if all such fail as Matth. 3. 9. God is able out of stones to raise up Children unto Abraham by unlikely wayes and means to raise up another seed of the Church but yet in regard of second causes and Gods ordinary way of dispensation if all such plants and nurceries fail Gods Orchard and Garden-Churches must fail 4. It is going a whoring from God 4. Hereby you go a whoring from God Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God saith God to those degenerate ones Hos 9. 1. You are by Covenant as married to God as God spake of that Apostate degenerate posterity when he would quicken them up to return to him Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back-sliding Children saith the Lord for I am married to you yea but in respect of you that marriage Covenant is broken as by spirtuall whoredome of which Jam. 4. 4. Speaking of professors and members of Churches that yet were turned aside from God Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses saith the Lord. Now how odious a sin is Adultery with men and surely this spirituall whordome is very heinous in Gods sight and deeply provoking hence that Psal 73. 27. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee 5. Hereby you become stumbling blocks to others 5. It occasioneth much sin in others and occasion in them both evils of commission and omission Oh it s an Attractive a load-stone to draw company of other youngsters why there will be such and such a members a Ministers an Elders Son or Daughter there It hardens others in their evill why I drank not I plaid not such a Lords day or the like alone such and such members Elders Sons or Daughters did so as well as I. I wear not such long hair alone I go not in such and such fashions alone I hold not such and such opinions which you Judge corrupt alone but such and such Church Members and their Children do as much 1 Sam. 2. 17. The sin of Elies Sons it s said was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 6. Hereby you not alone cross what in you 6. It is a crossing even of God's expectation lyeth the Churches the Churches Officers your Parents your godly instructors and friends expectations but you do in a sense also cross the Lords expectations touching you like that degenerate posterity Esay 63. 8. God said of them surely they are my people Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour ves 10. but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit So Esay 5. 3 4. Wherefore when I looked for grapes did it bring forth wild grapes God maketh account speaking after the manner of men and according to the way of his generall will and to second causes and the like that surely they would be trusty to him and his truth and way and they would be fruitfull but they proved otherwise so may God say of such as we are now speaking of but as that was most grievous in them before God severely punished in them so is this in these degenerate ones your crime is heinous your punishment will be most dreadfull if you speedily repent not Now