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
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
hath spoken so bad of me Plutarch surely he knoweth cause enough to do so else he would not have done it an imitable example of an heathen but ingenious Child to his Father 5. Improve choycer seasons of getting good 5. Improve seasons of soul-good that you may come to be true Honourers of God and then no doubt but you will be Honourers of Parents make God only to be your God first worship him aright and sanctifie his name c. and then you will Honour Father and Mother Levit. â—9 2. Be ye holy saith God as I am holy and then vers 3. chargeth fear yea every man his Father and his Mother be pious to God-wards and you will be pious towards Parents the fear of God is the beginning of such wisdome also Prov. 10. 5. As he that sleepeth in harvest the season of reaping good soul-good also is a Son that causeth shame to Parents also so by rule of opposition he that gathereth in summer is a wise Son or one that will cause Honour to Parents as well as himself or others 6. Set often before your eyes studdy much and 6. Eye good examples this way make utmost improvement of choycer Scripture examples of persons eminen t for honor of parents as that of Shem Abraham Isaack Jacob Joseph yea Jesse himself Luke 2. 51. 7. Inure your selves betimes to Honour Fathers and Mothers without Authority as Aged persons 7. Honour aged persons Levit. 19. 32. Honour the face of the Old man Teleuchus being asked why at Sparte the younger Plut arch sort use to rise up before the aged answered that by giving Honour to others they might learn to Honour their own Parents CHAP. III. Of Honour in speciall due to Parents and that in a direct way and therein of Honour of respect and love due to Parents HAving spoken of Honour in generall required by the 5. Commandement from Children to Parents we come now to speak of Honour in speciall due to them first of that which is in a direct way and therein according to the Method propounded in the first Chapter 1. Of Honour of respect and love due to Parents that Honour is so taken in Scripture we there gave Scripture instances That honour of respect to Parents is due proved and need not now repeat them we may then note as a branch of the general point That Children are bound to Honour their Parents with the Honour of choycest respect and love Honour thy Father and Mother saith Exod. 20. 12. But having them in choycest respect and love is Honouring of them say other Scriptures therfore Children must most highly respect and love their Parents For our better handling of this branch of Honour let us only shew wherein this commanded respect and love to Parents doth consist or what is required of Children in this that they are required so highly to respect and love their Parents and then afterwards apply it by way of use To the former we answer that Children 1. They are to be delighted greatly in their This respect consisteth 1. In delighting Parents Fathers presence to be much affected with the very sight of a Father or Mother See how Joseph plotteth to have his Father near him when he could not be so near his Father Gen. 45. 10. Thou shalt be near to me c. And when he commeth to the sight of his Father after some years inforced absence of his from his Father he 's even overjoy'd as we say to see him He is as one transported for he falleth on his Fathers neck having first humbly presented himself to him Gen. 46. 29. And he wept for very extasie of joy on his neck a good while his heart was so overcome with strength of affections that for a good space he can silently weep but not utter a word that we read of till afterwards till his good old Father first brake that deep silence vers 30. and then Joseph also speaketh vers 31. As Children are to their Parents the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds their Sons and their Daughters Ezek. 24. 25. So should Parents be to Children Jacob had enough if his Son Joseph be alive and well he is content to die if God so pleased Gen. 46. 30. Let the sight of absent long absent Parents be to Children even as dear and precious and delighting as their very lives if not more as it is in that precedentall love and respect of the genuine Children of the Father of Spirits Oh the sight of his face the injoyment of his presence especially after some space of the want of his blessed presence what is it not to such Childrens hearts Such for the nature at least of our respect and love should be Childrens love to their Parents 2. They are not forward to part with 2. Backwardnesse to paâ—â— wâ—â—h them their Parents but as urged in a sort forced by any speciall call or providence of God and if sometimes called to be absent from them for a time yet to be longing in a moderate and regular way after their Company againe Both these paticulars are clear in instances the former in Ruth when her Sister Orpha left her Mother with tears in her eyes Ruth 1. 14. And they lift up their voice and wept again and Orpha kissed her Mother in Law but Ruth clave to her yea when urged by Naomi to return after her Sister-in-Law vers 15. Yet saith she vers 19. Intreat me not to leave thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodged I will lodge She will share with her in wealth and woe and nothing but death shall part them vers 17. 2 King 19. 20. Elisha must needs go and kiss his Father and Mother and then he will foolow Elijah God will have the poore captive Woman when her Master liketh her for his Wife yet to bewaile her Father and Mother for a Moneth Deut. 21. 13. Such loathness God will have Children to express to part with dear Parents as Parents are wonderous loath to part with their Children living or dying unless urged by Gods Call like good old Jacob first Gen. 42. 38. My Son saith he of Benjamin shall not go down with you for his Brother is dead and he is left alone if mischief befall him by the way ye go then shall ye bring down my gray haires with sorrow to the grave and Cap. 43. 22 c. And their Father Israel said if it must needs be so then do this c. So should Children not part with their Parents till they must needs till God some way calleth them from them as the genuine Children of God such is their love to him that it is as death to part with him though but for a time Oh if it might be their Fathers pleasure they would never be from him nor have him from them So in the nature of our love to Parents should it be expressed
to them if God should take them away from us yet our love should be expressed in our greatest trouble and grief for them as Isaacks was to his Mother for three years space after as was shewed from Gen. 24. 63. compared with other Scriptures When David would express his great grief for his very afflicted enemies as if his friends or Brethren I bowed down heavily saith he as one that mourneth for his Mother a Mother-Iess Childs mourning then for a deceased Mother is the saddest of mournings Hence it was of old a good Neighbourly Custome to give a consolatory Cup to such as mourned for Father or Mother as such whose grief was deemed so great that they needed some cheering hence the contrary threatned in judgment Jer. 16. 7. Edward the first having his Father Henry the 3. newly deceased and withall one young Prince his own Son dead also he made light of his Sons death in comparison of his Fathers saying He might come to have more Sons but he should never have any more Fathers now this was gon As for the other expression of Childrens love to Parents in longing after them we see it in Jacob witness that part of his plea Gen. 28. 21. So that I come again to my Fathers house in peace and Gen 31. 30. Laban took notice that Jacob longed sore after his Fathers house as in that pattern of love of Gods Children they shew in longing sore after him and of their Communion with him Psal 42. 1 2 3. and 62. 1 2 3 c. So it is in Childrens love to their Parents only this longing after them must not exceed the bounds of particular calls and callings or relations as of Husbands Wifes Servants Ministers Magistrates c. But in such a way and season as it may not break any other bonds of God 3. Children are many waies to deny themselves 3. In denying themselves for them for their Parents choise good any way as when Children in their Parents wants or weaknesses are called to be staies to their Parents allbeit it might be more to their outward advantage to be else where yet they must be willing to suffer and lose somewhat with them and for them rather then forsake them in such a case as Ruth seeing her aged Mother-in-law who had been full of outward blessings but now is empty and very poor she will not leave her though a younger Woman and likely to do better for the outward man other where Ruth 1. 16 c. she will work hard for her stoop low to become a poor gleaner to bring in supplies to her Mother-in-law Cap. 2. and how long did Jacobs Sons imploy themselves in the Managing their Fathers estate and outward affaires supplies not alone before their Marriage Gen. 30. 35. but after witness that Gen. 37. 12 14 42. 1 2 3. 43. 15. and 47. 1 2 3 c. Yea Children are to be willing to run very great hazards or hardships for their Parents sakes rather then to indanger them in their persons and names or the like Notable is that example of good Judah Gen. 44. 33 34. having said v. 30. That his Fathers life was bound up in the Lads life so that as v. 31. If he see not him return he will die and so they shal bring their Fathers gray haires with sorrow to the grave now therefore saith Judah let thy Servant abide instead of the Lad bond-man to my Lord and let the Lad go up with his Brethren for how shall I go up to my Father and the Lad be not with me lest paradventure I see the evill that shall come to my Father Judah had rather live and die a bond-man if thereby he might lengthen out his Fathers daies by Benjamins return or prevent his sorrowfull end by the detaining Benjamin in Egypt Memorable is that story recorded by Pausanias l. 10. writing of the Catanensiaus saith that when Catana a City bordering upon Aetna was set on fire by it they made nothing of their Silver or Gold but as they fled out one taketh up his Mother upon his shoulders another his Father but because they hasted not being so loaden the fire compassed them the flame suddenly passing on yet would they not lay down their Parents wherefore they report that the flames parted as in two and passed over both the young men and their Parents without mortall hurt of them whence in his time honourable memorials were assigned by them to the Catanenses God honoured those acts of high respect to Parents with a notable deliverance and men honoured them with honourable monuments thereof And indeed what did not the pattern of filial respect to his Father the Son of God hazard and undergo for his Fathers sake and honour and what will not any genuine Child of his by his help under go rather then hazard his name or cause and there is a proportion of the like in the Children of mens love to their Parents Parents many waies denyed and hazarded themselves for Children and they may well do as much for Parents 4. They are to be exceedingly affected with 4. In being affected with Parents favour or frownes their Parents true love to them or grounded and just displeasure against them in the speaking expressions of either of them Solomon kept the Records thereof in his case as that he took speciall notice of and was much affected with and God himself took it so well that he ordereth it to be a piece of Sacred Writ Prov. 4. 3. I was saith he my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother When Ruben saw that Joseph was missing in fear of his Father distast thereof saith Gen. 37. 30. The Child is not and I whither shall I go Absolom would be feigning a genuine filiall respect to his Father in this particular that his Fathers favour is all in all to him as a Son and his life doth him no good whilest under his displeasure 2 Sam. 14. 32. He would have Joab say on his behalf to the King his Father wherefore am I come up from Geshur now therefore let me see the Kings face and if there be any iniquity in me let him kill me but he was a very Counterfeit in this God himself alludeth to the case of the displeased Father in Miriams case Numb 12. 14. If her Father saith he had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seaven daies look as it was in Christs deep affections to the expressions of his Fathers love or anger or as it is with Gods other Children that nothing more affects them then the sense of their Fathers love one way or that of his displeasure the other way So it is with ingenuous Children in a like respect of affectionatnesse with Parentall favour or anger 5. They are to prize very much Parents good 5 In prizing Parents instructions and reproofs and savoury Counsels and instructions yea their very rebukes Carefully remembring and
recompence to be given to Parents proved thankful recompence Christ himself ratifieth this as commanded of God and as injoyned also virtually in the fifth Commandement and that if a Son do nothing for his Father and his Mother in their need they break that Commandement and such as are instruments to hinder them from it they make the word of God of none effect Mark 7. 10. Moses said honour thy Father and thy Mother vers 12. and ye suffer a man no more to do ought for his Father or Mother vers 13. making the word of God of none effect 1 Tim. 5. 4. But if any Widdow have Children or Nephewes let them that is the Adult Children of such ancient widdowes learn to shew piety or kindnesse at home and to requite their parents that this is the meaning is evident from the scope of the Apostle who is speaking of what Widdowes are to be honoured and owned by the Church imployed and maintained by the Church viz. such as are Widdowes indeed vers 3. namely as vers 5. expoundeth every way desolate not only in respect of want or deprivall of an husband to provide for her but of Children or near kindred to take care of her or minister supply to her As for any other Widdow as vers 4. expresseth who hath Children or Nephewes to provide for her the Apostle would not have the Church charged with them but injoyneth it from God as the Childrens duty if such be living or near kinsfolkes duty to shew piety or kindness to them and especially the Children they must learn to shew piety to them at home and to requite their parents And its observable that the Holy Ghost saith not let them only shew piety requite Parents but let them learn to do it there is an holy skill and art of doing it to know wherein and how and when and for what ends to do it every one knoweth not the right art of doing it And he that hath any holy skill that way may be a daily proficient in it there is some mystery in it and it would be learned by all every one must be teachable and willing and desirous to understand his duty this way and to know it more and more and the more each one practiseth according to the Rules of God this commendable art the better artist no doubt he will prove therein I shall endevour according to that small measure which I have received to give some few directions which may be of some use this way Let us then first consider wherein or in what way this filial gratefull recompence is to be made to Parents 2. Why it is to be made 3. Make such use of it as may both discover any thing contrary to it or any hinderance in it and likewise what may any way further either the Theorie or Practice of it In all which we shall make much use of that fundamentall notion as I may call it which the Holy Ghost giveth us for this end in the very phrase he useth to express the duty it self 1 Tim. 5. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vicem rependere as Beza and others render it parentibus or to progenitours as it is in the Greek whether next parents or Grand-Fathers and Grand-Mothers or the like there must be a thankful retaliation as much as may be though perfectly and fully it cannot be for parents have given their children their beings under God and their very life and existence which the children can never do to them but as much as may be they must repay them like for like Touching the first thing propounded in what way children must recompence parents I answer 1. In way of gratefull serving of them and It consisteth in childrens 1. Gratefull serving of their parents their good as thereunto called of God Paul alludeth to this in Phil. 2. 22. for as a Son with the Father hath he served with me in the Gospell Mal. 3. 17. his Son that serveth him In case especially of parents meanness as with us generally in New England there is need that some of their children at least should even work for them Jesus Christ when on earth he wrought hard with his reputed Father for the maintenance of his poor Mother Mark 6. 3. Is not this the Carpenter say they the Son of Mary And I say in way of grateful serving of parents they must do that in a way of gratitude which their parents in way of parentall love did for them they must vicem reddere as I said the phrase is in Tim. 5. 4. give like for like How did parents work and labour Working for them out of love to them for them Answ 1. They did it with much tender respect and affection to children for love of them rather than themselves they had many a bowel-pang and thought of their children carrying them on to and in their toyles and labours Alas thought they many and many a time if we take not such and such pains if we use not such and such diligence in our callings our poor helpless babes our poor children will want this and that for the back and for the belly c. As Jacob said Gen. 30. 30. when shall I be for mine own house also He looketh not so much to provide for himself as for his wives as an husband for his children as a Father children do you like for like If servants in some cases will continue serving their Masters because they love them whence that boring of such a servants ear Exod. 21. 5 6. then do you children much more out of respect to your parents this serving of parents and labouring for them and that out of respect to them is all but due debt on your part You have reason to look backward to what is past and lyeth already in banck on your parents part and what Bils or Bonds on their part which requir greater disbursments this way than ever you can make if you should serve them all your daies And if you pay in now a little and then a little as you are able and as your parents needs call for it yet may you very well have low thoughts of all such petty payments as yet are so exceedingly short of that vast sum of service and ministration which is due to your parents 2. Parents did what service of love they did for their children with a great deal of Alacrity With alacrity and freeness with heart and good will as we use to say Children do you the like for them even servants are to serve their Masters with good will Eph. 6. 7. and to do what they do for them ex animo heartily Col. 3. 23. Much more should children do so in what you do for your parents Farents good hearts they did nothing they did for children grudgingly though never so harsh to flesh and blood though very toilsome no it never deared them as we say knowing that their poor children should have the benefit