Christian Commonwealth, Part 3

Christian Commonwealth · Part 3

The duty of Parents.

The Eleauenth Chapter.

THis duty of Parents The duty of Parents I hauehave deuided into two part…I hauehave deuided into two maine or principall poynts, the one the education and gouerning of Children in the time of their youth, and the other what Parents ought to doe vntounto their Children when they are come to bee of a more riper age.

And for the firſt, for the bringing vp of Children in the time p. 98of their youth, it will be thoughtThe firſt, the bringing vp of Children in the time of their youth. to bee but to ſmall purpoſe to ſpend my time in ſuch a buſines, and that I had more need to wright of the other then of this, conſidering that we ſee dayly in this our age with griefe, that whē many Parents hauehave broughtThe ſecond, what they ought to doe wben they be of riper age. vp their Children a long time with great care, coſts and charges, and hoping that then they ſhall bee euen paſt the worſt, and ſo they to receiue ſome comf… by them for their long care and paynes taking with them, to ſay plainely and truly of them▪ … many of them are then euen paſt the beſt, ſo that if counſaile in this caſe may bee had, it might ſeeme very well giuen, and the paines taken in ſuch a caſe well beſtowed.

But for gouerning and bringing vp of them in their Childhood p. 99or yonger yeares, it may be obiected as I ſayd before, to bee a needleſſe thing, conſidering that nature it ſelfe doth teach the very bruit beaſts to nouriſh, cheriſh, and comfort their young, and therefore men and women whom God hath endued with ſo many excellent gifts, as knowledge, vnderſtanding, wiſedome and the reſt, farre aboue all the reſt of his creatures beſides, cannot erre in this poynt of duty.

And againe, another reaſon may be alleaged, that there hath been ſo much and ſo long teaching to this effect, that men and women in theſe our dayes for the moſt part of them, hauehave been inſtructed in theſe things themſelues euen from their youthes, and every priuate mans houſe is furniſhed with Bibles & Bookes to this effect: ſo that eueryevery man p. 100may bee his owne Schoolemaſter herein, & will it be thought then that Parents cannot inſtruct their Children in theſe things … ſurely no.

Indeed I doe confeſſe this inWhat a great bleſſing wee inioy more then our forefathers did, through the plenteous and publique teaching of the Goſpel, wherby we learne both how to gouerne our ſelues and others. ſome ſort to bee true, and bleſſe the Lord for this his worke, ye… be he for euer bleſſed for this his great mercy towards vsus, for that we liue in ſuch and ſo happie a time, wherin the word of God is ſo plentiful and openly taught vsus, & eueryevery man that wil may enioy the ſame at home with him, to the comfort of him and his: Our Fathers had not this priueledge, they might mumble on their beades, but not matter on their Bibles, on payne of curſings, but if they did, they fryed for it, and therefore bleſſed are your eyes in that they ſee, and your eares in that they heare, & p. 101happy are you in whoſe harts theſe things are ſowne, which carefully and zealouſly bring forth fruit hereby, to the glory of God & the diſcharge of your owne duties herein, of which number I doubt not but that God hath plenty amongſt vsus, which doe carefully labour in the diſcharge of theſe things, as well as hee had in the dayes of Eliah Seauen Thouſand more1. King. 19.1 Kgs 19 then hee knew of, that neuer honoured Ball.

But giuegive mee leaue a little I pray you, and I will but entreate you to take a view as in a glaſſe, of the abuſes both of the Parents and the Children of our time, and you ſhall ſee with griefe many that doe it not, and too may that know not whether they hauehave a duty to performe herein, or no, and too many that p. 102know it, and neuer regard to practiſe it, for ſee we not that the Lapwing is not more forward in going before ſhe can caſt off her ſhell, then the Impes of our time are in ſpeaking euill before they can well ſpeake? I ſpeake not of ſpeaking well, but of ſpeakingChildren forward to ſpeak euill before they can ſcarce ſpeake. plaine, for doth not the child call his owne mother drab and queane, and his father foole and knaue and ſuch like, and yet the fooliſh Parents reioyce to heare them chat thus, nay, I would they did not teach them ſuch things themſelues: but hereof it commeth as a iuſt plague for their follies, that before they can well goe from their hands, they heare them curſe them to their face.

Nay, looke wee further and ſee we not many that whe… they hauehave but learned to ſpeake and p. 103goe, they ſtraight fall to pilfering and ſtealing, and yet euen theſe things are wincked at, yea & defended too many leand parents, for their proffits ſake as they thinke, as if the every were good husbandry: but looke yet farther vntounto them which bee of more yeares, that one would thinke ſhould hauehave ſome knowledge of God & of his lawes, & do we not dayly heare thē as we paſſe almoſt in eueryevery place, blaſpheming the holy name of God with great oathes, and ſinging of moſt lewd and filthy ſongs, full of moſt odious ſpeeches to theThe leaudnes of Children is the ill guiding of the Parents. griefe of any good heart or chaſt care: doth not this ſhew the bad and negligent guiding and gouerning them in the prime of their youth, yes ſurely, this is the very cauſe hereof, & therefore if writing or ſpeaking will p. 104or may doe any good in this caſe, here is cauſe both to wrigh… and ſpeake too, & it is high time to doe it. Theſe thinges when I had with griefe conſidered, I could not keepe my penne from wrighting, for euen for Sions ſake I will not hold my tongue, & forEſay. 62.Isa 62 Ieruſalems ſake I will not reſt.

Moſes the great Prophet and choſen ſervant of God beingParents ought to teach their children the lawes of God. directed frō the mouth of God himſelfe, how to teach and inſtruct his people whom hee had choſen, the Children of Iſrael… among other principalles of their duty, this is one chiefeDeu. 11.Deut 11 thing wherin he often inſtructedDeu. 31.Deut 31 them, that they ſhould teach their Childrē the lawes of God, ſee here then thy duty, what or whomſoeuer thou bee, if thou be a father thou art commanded to teach thy Children, and t… p. 105muſt teach thē the lawes of God,Deut. …. for this was not ſpoken to the Prieſts or to the elders or the rulersDeu. 6.Deut 6 of the people onelyonly, but vntounto al the people in generall, both high and low, rich and poore, aſwell the meaneſt as the greateſt▪ No man exempted from doing this, but all muſt doe it.aſwell the vnlearned as the learned, for none are here exempted, eueryevery man muſt teach his Children the lawes of God, his Commandements, his will, his word, for ſo the Prophet Dauid plainely ſheweth, ſettingPſalme. 78.Ps 78 downe to what end thou muſt do this, to the intent that whē they come vp, they might ſhew their Children the ſame, that they might put their truſt in God, and not to forget the workes of God, but to keepe his Commandements.

This then is the duty which thou ar… commanded to doe, and th… muſt not … the doing p. 98duplicate page p. 99duplicate page p. 100duplicate page p. 101duplicate page p. 102duplicate page p. 103duplicate page p. 104duplicate page p. 105duplicate page p. 106of it neyther, thou muſt not taryParents ought not to deferre the teaching of their children in their youth til they bee men and women and ſo as thou thinkeſt come then to the capacity of vnderſtanding, no thou muſt teach it thy Children while they be children, and thy wiſedome muſt giuegive them helpe to vnderſtand it, that ſo it may be grounded into them in the time of their youth, for look with what the veſſell is firſt ſeaſoned with of that it wil alwaies beare the taſt.

This duty did old Abraham well know, although he liued almoſt a Thouſand yeares before the Law was giuen vntounto the people of Iſrael, for ſo God himſelfe teſtifieth of him ſaying, That hee knew that hee would command his Sonnes to keepe the waies of the Lord, note the place I pray you, for it is worth the noting, ſee how familiar God himſelfe is with Abraham, p. 107hee vouchſafeth to talkeGen. 18.Gen 18 with him familiarly as one manHow dearely God loueth them which teach and inſtruct their Children and Family his Commandements. doth with another, nay, as one friend doth with another, for he openeth his very ſecrets vntounto him: what greater ſigne of louelove can be? ſhall I (ſaith God) hide from Abraham the thing which I do, ſeeing that Abraham ſhall bee indeed a great and a mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in him, and here followeth the reaſon of all: For I know him ſayth God, that he will command his ſonnes & his houſhould after him, that they keepe the waies of the Lord, nowWhat the duty of Parents is. you ſee what the duty of a Father or Mother is, namely to teach their Children the Commandements of God, but hee hath not done with thee yet, God goeth further with thee ſtil, becauſe thou ſhalt hauehave no excuſe in not doing it, moſt graciouſly p. 108hee doth vochſafe to teach vsus alſo how wee ſhall performeWhen they ought to teach them. this Commandement, namely thus: Thou muſt teach them theſe thinges, when thou ſitteſt in thine houſe, when thou walkeſt by the way, when thou lyeſt downe, & when thou riſeſt vp, thou muſt doe this, and thou muſt not dare to neglect or leaue this vndone neither.

For God threateneth hisDeu. 28. Leui. 26. Ier. 48. and 49Deut 28Jer 48 owne choſen people, not onelyonly to puniſh them with grieuous puniſhments, but euen their land alſo if they diſobey his Commandements, & wee hauehave many places in Scripture to approue this vntounto vsus, but let me tell thee one thing by the way, if thou beThe man which knoweth not his duty, how can he teach it his Children. not well inſtructed in this duty thy ſelfe, thou canſt neuer teach it vntounto thy Children, for how can a man teach another man, or his ſonne or ſeruant, any art, myſterie p. 109or trade, wherein he himſelfe hath no knowledge, therefore ſee thou bee able to teach them thy ſelfe, it will not ſerue thy turne to ſet them to ſchoole and to appoynt them Maiſters & Tutors to teach them, and yet theſe be good men for it, and it is thy duty ſo to doe, but it is not ſufficient.

Thou muſt alſo teach them thy ſelfe, and be a principall teacher of them, for thou muſt teach them at al times, & in al places, as thou ſeeſt in Deu. 6. when thou Deut. 6.Deut 6walkeſt, and when thou ſitteſt, when thou riſeſt in the morning, and in the euening before thou goe to bed, thou muſt not take thine owne eaſe, nor refreſh thy ſelfe with ſleepe vntill thou haſt performed this thy duty vntounto God.

The Twelueth Chapter.

BVt it may bee thou wilt goe about to excuſe thy ſelfe in this caſe as many doe in theſe dayes, and ſay would you hauehave mee performe theſe thinges, I am not bookiſh, I cannot reade, therefore how ſhould I teach them theſe things being an ignorant man? but deceiue not thy ſelfe whomſoeuer thou be, father or mother, for I tell thee ignorance ſhall be no excuſe vntounto thee, the ſervant that doth not the will of his Maiſter ſhall be beaten for it, yea, although he knew it not, and why? becauſe it is the duty of eueryevery ſeruant to ſeeke euen with p. 111diligence to know the will of his Maiſter, and to doe it.

Nay, thou canſt not pleade ignorance though thou wouldeſt, for none can doe it, for Moſes tellethDeu. 30.Deut 30 thee, that this Commandement is not hidden from thee, it is not in heauen that thou ſhouldeſt ſay who ſhall goe vp to bring it vsus, and cauſe vsus to heare it that wee may doe it, neither is it beyond the ſea, that thou ſhouldeſt ſay, who ſhall goe fetch it vsus and ſo cauſe vsus to doe it, but it is very neere vntounto thee, euen in thy mouth, and in thy heart for to doe it, and Saint Paule telleth vsusRom. 10.Rom 10 plainely, this is the very ſame which we preach vntounto you.

If then it bee ſo, that wee may dayly heare it to our great comfort, euen at our doores in eueryevery Pariſh Church, how then can wee pleade ignorance, if the ſervant p. 112I tould you of ſhal be beaten which doth not the will of his Maiſter though hee know it not, how much ſhal he be beaten with many ſtripes, which doth refuſe to know his will, as too many in theſe dayes doe? and thus you ſee there can bee no excuſe thorough ignorance, ſo that eueryevery man muſt labour to bee ſo furniſhedEueryEvery man muſt labour to be furniſhed with knowledge, that hee may thereby inſtruct his Family. with knowledge, that hee may bee able thereby to inſtruct his owne Children and family: and becauſe it muſt be done continually, both in the morning & in the euening, both when thou ſitteſt at home, and when thou walkeſt abroad, beware that thou doe not as too many doe, which when they hauehave ſee their Children to ſay the Lords Prayer, & to rehearſe their beliefe and the Ten Cōmandements, doe thi…e that then they hauehave done enough p. 113for the whole day though neither themſelues, nor al the houſe beſides doe halfe ſo much.

O lamentable caſe! this muſt not bee, but when thou haſtIn what manner it ought to be done. taught them to pray, thou alſo muſt pray with them, calling thy whole Family together, and ſo make your ſelues a holy congregation vntounto God, by humble proſtrating your ſelues vntounto him, that ſo as ye all hauehave recieued of him your preſeruation and quiet reſt the night paſſed, euen ſo all of you may ioyne together in giuing him thankes for ſo great a bleſſing, and if thou wouldeſt that thy labours, and the labours of thy Children and Servants ſhould proſper the day following, then doe you ioyne together in Prayer vntounto Almighty God for it, for ſo it muſt be, for where 2. or 3. be gathered together in p. 114his name hee hath promiſed notMat. 18.Matt 18 onelyonly to be amongſt them, but alſo to grant their requeſts, hee will make thee plentious in eueryevery worke of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, thy Children ſhallDeut. 30.Deut 30 proſper alſo, and in the fruit of thy land for thy wealth, & what wouldeſt thou more deſire, and it muſt not be done now & then, when thou lyſteſt, but it muſt dayly bee done, for this is that morning and euening ſacrifice, which we muſt dayly offer vntounto the eares of Almighty God euen our humble harts by the caulnes of our lipes.

And ſeeing thou art commandedParents ought to take their children to Church with them, and examine them how they ſpend their time there. to teach thy Children at all times, both ſitting at home, and going abroad, ſee that thou neglect not to take them to the Church daily with thee to heare the word of God, and withall p. 115that they ſpend not their time there idlely nor vnprofitablely, but by a due examinatiō of them whē they come home, or as thou walkeſt abroad with them, know how they hauehave profited, that ſo God may bee glorified in the worke, your ſelues better inſtructed, and your dutyes diſcharged.

And now that we hauehave proued that there is a duty belonging vntounto Parents, and that they ſee their charge for the performāce thereof it will not bee greatly amiſſe if wee ſee how this charge is by them performed, but the conſideration of theſe thinges maketh mee euen with griefe toNothing more deare then time, and yet ſee how theſe times abuſe it. lament, to ſee how negligently idely and lewdly moſt men doe ſpend their time in theſe dayes, that time then which nothing is more deere and precious, nothing p. 116more ſlippery to hold, nor nothing more vnrecouerable being paſt, and for which they ſhall giuegive account, this time I ſay which they ſpend in idleneſſe, Dicing, Carding, and Bowling, in drunkenes & whoring, wherby they conſume both themſelues & the eſtate both of their wiues and children, for whereas God hath giuen them ſixe dayes for themſelues to labour in, and hath reſerued but one to be ſāctified to his owne vſe, all theſe be too little for many of them to ſpend in theſe wicked exerciſes aforenamed, and therefore they will lengthen out the time with the night two, but not an hower to ſerue God in of all this time.

Oh wicked man! how dareſt thou thus abuſe the great patience of the good God, in thus conſuming thy time, and robbing p. 117thy children of their patrimony, by waſting thoſe thinges whereof thou art but a ſteward, and for which thou muſt be accountable vntounto him.

But here me thinkes one doth obiect againſt me and ſayth, I am too bold in my reproofes, and am in an error, for though (ſayth he) I doe ſpend, yet I ſpend but mine owne, & not my childrens: But I tell thee, thou art in an error thy ſelfe in doing thus, for what I hauehave ſpoken, I can & will approue to bee true by the word of God it ſelfe in his due place, where I ſhall hauehave more occaſion to ſpeake of this matter then hereWhat good inſtructions can thoſe men giuegive vntounto their Childrē, which doe dayly runne into all wickedneſſe themſelues. I hauehave: but what good inſtructions thinke you can theſe men giuegive vntounto their Children which doe themſelues dayly runne ſo dangerouſly euen with greedineſſe vntounto their owne deſtructions, p. 118for if ſault hauehave loſt his ſauour wherewith ſhall it bee ſalted,Mat. 5.Matt 5 and ſuch as the tree is, ſuch will be the fruit, if you bee rudeMat. 7.Matt 7 and vnciuell like the horſe and Mule which hauehave no vnderſtanding, what knowledge can your children hauehave then, & yet it cannot be denied but that the world is too full of ſuch.

The wiſe man forbiddeth fathers to play with their childrenEccle. 30.Sir 30 leaſt they bring them to heauideſſe, but now adaies parents wil not onelyonly play with their children, but run dayly from play to play, thinking it to be a good excerciſe for them to bring them to ſee ſtage playes & interludes, thus corrupting their young yeares with vices, and making themſelues actors in the diuells Comody: Solomon forbiddeth parents to bring vp their childrē p. 119delicately, & yet you poſſeſſe thē Parets ought not to poſſeſſe their children with pride.with ſo much pride in the time of their youth, that many times it is the overthrow both of them and your ſelues, yea, and your ſelues would after redreſſe it and cannot: Oh that you that be parents of children would be more circumſpect herein, and wiſe in your owne converſation, that you might be lanthornes of light and not of darkeneſſe vntounto them, for your ſelues are the cauſe ofParents the cauſe of the euills that are in children. all theſe euills which wee dayly ſee in youth, your euill example it is which dayly corrupteth your children, and you your ſelues will pay a deere price for it, if you amend it not.

Is not this a miſerable caſe, that Parents ſhould thus neglect ſo great a duty as this, which conſerneth both the good of themſelues and Children, little doe p. 120theſe men regard, that the ſoules of their Children are in their charge aſwell as their bodies, & yet Moſes doth not record of Iacob Gen. 46.Gen 46that he brought ſo many perſonsBoth Parents and governors of Families, are charged with the ſoules aſwell as the bodies of thoſe of whom they hauehave the governement. into Egypt, meaning their number, but he ſayth he brought ſo many ſoules thither, reckoning them by their better part, as of that which wee ſhould hauehave moſt care of, but what care hauehave thoſe Parents of their Childrens ſoules, which are thus careleſſe of their owne, and yet the very heathē Philoſophers can tell vsus, that though what manner of children ſhall bee borne vntounto a man, lieth not in his power, yet by right bringing them vp that they may proue good, lyeth in our power, therefore be you wiſe in looking to your owne waies.

The 13. Chapter.

THe wiſe man would hauehave Parents to bee better inſtructed, to the end they may better governe their Children, and to that end hee plainely ſetteth downe by what inſtructions & diſſipline it muſt be done, for he telleth you, that an euill nurtered ſonne is the diſhonor Eccle. 22.Sir 22of his Father, & therefore would hauehave you bee carefull in gouerning them in the time of their youth, not giuing them any liberty, nor wincking at their follies, he ſayth, That he that loueth his ſonne, cauſeth him often to feele the rod, that he may hauehave ioy of him in the end: hee that chaſtiſeth p. 122his ſonne ſhall hauehave ioy of him, and ſhall reioyce of him among his acquaintance: Eccle. 30.Sir 30And hee that teacheth his ſonne greeveth the enemie, and before his friends hee ſhall reioyce of him, though his father die, yet hee is as if he weee not dead, for he hath left one behind him that is like him, in his life hee ſaw him, and had ioy in him, and was not ſorry in his death, neither was hee aſhamed before his enemies, he left behind him an avenger againſt his enemies, and one that ſhould ſhew fauour vntounto his friends: hee that flattereth his ſoone bindeth vp his wounds, and his heart is grieued at eueryevery cry: An vntamed horſe will be ſtubborne, and a wanton child will bee wilfull, if thou bring vp thy ſonne delicately, hee ſhall make thee affraid, and if thou play with him, he ſhall bring thee to heauineſſe, laugh not with him, leaſt thou bee ſorrie with him, and leaſt thou daſh thy p. 123teeth in the end, giuegive him no liberty Keepe thy child vnderunder in the time of his youth and ſo thou ſhalt hauehave ioy of him in the end.in his youth, and wincke not at his folly, bow downe his necke while hee is yong, and beate him on the ſides while he is a child, leaſt he waxe ſtubborne, and ſo bee diſobedient vntounto thee and ſo bring ſorrow vntounto thy heart: therefore chaſtiſe thy child and be diligent therein, withould not correction from thy child, for if thou Prou. 23.Prov 23ſmighteſt him with the rod, hee ſhall not die thereof, thou ſmigbtest him with the rod, but thou deliuereſt his ſoule from hell: and againe, if thou Eccle. 7.Eccl 7hauehave Daughters keepe their body, & ſhew not thy face chearefull towards them, marry thy daughter, and ſo ſhalt thou performe a waighty matter, Eccle. 42.Sir 42but giuegive her to a man of vnderſtanding: How a man ought to beſtowe his daughter.If thy daughter be a wanton keepe her ſtraightly, leaſt ſhee cauſe thine enemies to laugh thee to ſcorne, and the whole Citty to giuegive the an euill report, and ſo thou bee p. 124faine to heare thy ſhame of eueryevery Deut. 23.Deut 23man, thou ſhalt not hold thy daughter to whoredome that the land fall not to whoredome and waxefull of wickedneſſe: If thy daughter bee not ſhamefast, hould her ſtraightly, leaſt ſhee abuſe her ſelfe by ouermuch liberty, Deut. 23.Deut 23beware of the diſhoneſty of her eyes, there ſhall bee no whore among the daughters of Iſraell, nor whorekeepers among the ſonnes of Iſraell: A miſnurtered ſoone is the diſhonor of the Father, a fooliſh daughter ſhall be little regarded, and ſhe that commeth to diſhoneſty bringeth her father to heauineſſe, a daughter that is paſt ſhame, diſhonoreth both her Father and her Mother.

Now you ſee what wiſe councounſell & golden precepts are here giuen to Parents for the gouerning of Children, ſo that more cannot well bee ſaid or at leaſt need not, but onelyonly this, p. 125aduiſing you not to bee negligent in the execution of theſe thinges, aſwell for the diſcharge of your owne duties, as for the good of your Children, but I hauehave heard ſome Parents ſo vnwiſe, which when their Children hauehave done amiſſe, and they hauehave beene aduiſed to giuegive them correction for it, they hauehave anſwered I cannot doe it, for I cannot abide to fight with my children, ſee what a ſilly anſwer was here made! and yet many ſuchHe that loueth his chi… maketh him often to feele the rod, and ſo preſerueth him from greater dangers. Pro. 23.Prov 23 fooles there be, calleſt thou this fighting, thou erreſt, I might hauehave ſaid thou lyeſt, for here are no enemies oppoſed one againſt another to endanger the life of either, but tender harted louelove from a good father or mother which ſeeketh by gentle correction of a rod to deliver the ſoule of the child from hell, wilt p. 126thou then not doe ſo, then thou art guilty of thy childs going to hell, & thou ſhalt follow it thither too, if thou amend not, thinkeſt thou it is enough for thee to chide thy Childe for his fault,That is not enough for Parents to chide their children, but they muſt vſe correction alſo. when hee doth amiſſe, I ſay nay, God will hauehave thee to vſe correction too, looke vponupon the heauie iudgement hee ſhewed vponupon old Elye and his Children, becaue he did not correct them for their faults, and that alone may ſerue to terrifie and teach you too, not to neglect ſo great a charge.

We finde that when the Lord did reveale himſelfe vntounto Samuell, the firſt thing which he made knowne vntounto him was, the euill hee would bring vponupon his maſter Elye, the words of God himſelfe are theſe, behald I will doe a thing in Iſraell, whereof whoſoeuer p. 127ſhall heare, his two eares ſhall tingle: 1. Sam. 2.1 Sam 2In that day I will raiſe vp against Elye, all thinges which I hauehave ſpoken concerning his houſe, when I beginne, I will alſo make an end, and I hauehave told him I will iudge his houſe for euer, for the inniquity which hee knoweth, becauſe his ſonne ran into a ſlaunder, and he ſtayd them not.

And in the next chapter following,An example or Parents not to deferre the correction of their children. we ſee the execution of Gods iuſtice in the performance of his word, for the Arke of God was taken from them by their enemies the Philistines, and the ſons ſo Elye, Hophne, & Phynias, were both ſlaine the ſame day, and old Elye being Eighty yeares of age, when hee heard1. Sam. 3.1 Sam 3 theſe tydings, fell backwardGods iuſtice ſhewed vponupon old Elye, for not correcting his ſonnes. from the ſeate he ſate vponupon, and ſo brake his necke, & his daughter in law, the wife of his ſonne Phineas, being with child, and p. 116duplicate page p. 117duplicate page p. 118duplicate page p. 119duplicate page p. 120duplicate page duplicate page p. 122duplicate page p. 123duplicate page p. 124duplicate page p. 125duplicate page p. 126duplicate page p. 127duplicate page p. 128neere the time of her deliuerance, ſhee hearing theſe heavie newes fell ſuddenly in trauell of her child-birth and ſo dyed.

The 14. Chapter.

YOu ſee what heauie iudgements God powred vponupon this man and his Children, becauſe hee did not correct them, and yet they being in the ſtate of manhood, & hee a very old man, you would hauehave thought hee had done enough when hee rebuked them with ſharpe words, telling them, and no doubt but that it was with griefe too, that all the people▪ reported euill of them, nay, wiſely he telleth them more p. 129that if one man doe ſinne againſt another, the iudge may iudge it, but none may pleade for him that ſinneth againſt the Lord, & yet becauſe hee did not more ſharpely and ſeuerely puniſh them, you ſee the Lord thus ſharpely doth puniſh both him and his.

Now what will you ſay to this example? I know what you would plade, you would faine excuſe your ſelues ſtill, and ſay, that though when they bee children you then may gouerne thē, yet being paſt that ſtate, they areChildren when they be growne to mans eſtate are not then paſt governing of their Parents. growne paſt your gouerment, therefore then you cannot ſo well governe them, but you ſee here by theſe examples of Elyes ſonnes, they are not then free from your gouerment, nor you freed from gouerning them, yet it may bee you will ſay, they are p. 130growne ſtubborn & diſobedient; & will not be gouerned by you.

I will tell you then how you yet ſhall governe them, looke in the 21. of Deut. and there youHow Parents ought to governe ſtubborne childrē in the ſtate of manhood. ſhall know what to do vntounto ſuch a ſtubborne & diſobedient child whom you your ſelues cannot rule, and the words are theſe:

If any man hauehave a ſonne that is ſtubborne and diſobedient, which will not harken vntounto the voyſe of his Father, Deu. 21.Deut 21and the voyce of his Mother, & they hauehave chaſtened him, and he would not obey them, then ſhall his Father and his mother take him and bring him to the elders of his Citty, & vntounto the gate of the place where he dwelleth, & ſhall ſay vntounto the Elders of his citty this our ſonne is ſtubborne & diſobedient, & he wil not obey our admonitiō, he is a royoter & a drunkard, then al the men in the citty ſhal ſtone him with ſtones to death.

p. 131Now you ſee what the law of God doth teach you concerning the gouerment of ſuch diſobedient Children whom you cannot gouerne, and this if old Elye had done, hee then had eſcaped that heavie iudgēent which fell vponupon him & his: & thus ſhould parents do vntounto ſuch leaud children, that ſo they may eſcape the in did nation of God againſt thēſelues, for he will hauehave ſuch wicked branchesHow Parents may eſcape the iudgements of G… by gover… their ſtubberne childrē, it their ſtate of manhood. cut off, leaſt they corrupt the whole body, therfore if they wil not be governed by thee, yet let not fooliſh pitty mooue thee to diſobey the Commandement of almighty God by keeping them from that puniſhmēt which they deſerue, but rather as thou art cōmanded, ſo diſcharge thy ſelfe by bringing thm… to the Maieſtrate, that hae according to the law may puniſh them, & ſo thou p. 132be guiltleſſe of their ſinne.

And as I hauehave here in ſome meaſure ſet downe the authority of a father, and how that by diſſiplineParents ought to geuerne their children with wiſedom aſwell as by inſtuction he ought to governe, ſo withall I muſt aduiſe Parents to take with them the counſaile of S. Paull, for hee would hauehave Parents to governe their Children with wiſedome, not alwaies vſing their authority, but mildly and gently according to their yeares & capaſities, his words are theſe.

Fathers, prouoke not you children Ep…e. 6.to anger, but bring them vp in instructions and information of the Lord: and againe, Fathers prouoke Colle. 3.not your Children vntounto anger, leaſt they be diſcouraged.

Yet meaneth hee not but that Parents may both chide and alſo correct their children when occaſion ſhall ſerue, but not rigorouſly p. 133and in their anger, not caring how or with what they doeParents muſt not be too ſharpe in their correction. ſtrike them, or being as many are, alwaies rating or chiding of them, this is it which withdraweth them from that natural louelove and obedience which they owe, and otherwiſe would ſhew vntounto their Parents: therefore let Fathers and Mothers be very carefull in this poynt, how and in what ſort they doe correct their Children.

And yet there be many which cannot bee drawne to correct their Children except it bee in the very inſtant when they hauehave done ſome offence, and then their mindes being thereby ſtirred vp vntounto anger, preſently they run vponupon them as wee vſe to ſay, without feare or witt, not caring (as I ſayd before) how or with what they doe correct them, ſo p. 134that ſome time in this nature or rather madneſſe, the child receiueth that from the hands of his cruell Parents, that of long time after, hee is not freed of, nay of ſome not to their dying day.

Therefore in any caſe let notParents ſhould vſe their diſſipline without anger this counſaile of Saint Paull bee forgotten, but wiſely, mildely, and with out anger vſe your correction, for when children bee come to ſome diſcretion, it will bee wiſedome to paſſe by many faults without ſeeming to take notice of them, and in any caſeDangerous to vſe to threaton children to correct them. not to vſe much threatnings of them, for many times the threatning of a puiſhment to come, although perhaps not meaning to be performed, yet ſo feareth and terefieth the hearts of younglings, that it often cauſeth thē or to do that which they ought not, otherwiſe would not doe.