Advice to Children, Section 6
6. Duty, to ſubmit to their Parents Reproofs and Chaſtenings.
6thly. They are meekly and patiently to ſubmit to their Reproofs, to their Chaſtenings and Corrections. It is a Power that God hath given Parents over their Children, to correct and chaſten them for their Faults: This is neceſſary for Childrens good; and therefore, when Parents do correct them, they ought not to be angry with them, or grumble at their ſeverity which they uſe for reforming of them; much leſs are they to reſiſt and rebel againſt them. Heb. 12.9. We have had Fathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them Reverence. Yea, tho' Parents ſometimes exceed the bounds of Prudence and Diſcretion in chaſtiſing their Children, tho' they indulge a little to their own Paſſion; yet Children are bound patiently to bear and ſuffer their Corrections: They are not to fly out into indecent and irreverent words and actions, but with all the ſubmiſſion and reſpect that's poſſible, ought to endeavour to mitigate the wrath and paſſion of their angry Parents; and afterwards they are to ſtudy all that ever they can, to prevent their anger and diſpleaſure, by a moſt humble, reverend, and dutiful carriage.
Againſt Rebellious Children.How much may this ſerve to reprove thoſe, who are ſo far from taking in good part their Parents correcting and chaſtening of them, that they refuſe to ſubmit thereto? They reſiſt them, and rebel againſt them. Can there be any thing more unnatural and monſtrous, than to ſee thoſe who owe their being to their Parents; who have been brought up by them; who have met with ſo many teſtimonies of a tender care, and of great kindneſs; to riſe up againſt them? To fly into the faces of thoſe who are the Authors of their being? to lift up their hand againſt them? This is a Sin of ſo crying a Nature, that he who was guilty thereof, was to be put to Death, by the Law of Moſes, Exod. 21.15. He that ſmiteth his Father or his Mother, ſhall be ſurely put to Death. So ſenſible were ſome amongſt the very Heathens of the greatneſs of this Sin, that to ſhew their abhorrence of it, they were wont to puniſh thoſe who were Guilty of it, in the following manner; They ſewed them in a Sack with a Dog, Cat, Viper and Ape, and ſo drown'd them all together. Hereby they ſingnified, that ſuch Perſons were not any longer to be accounted Men, or the Children of Men, but were to be reckoned with the vileſt and baſeſt of Beaſts and Vermine, and in that Quality were to be caſt out of the ſight of all living.
How greatly does it aggravate this Sin, when Children have met with no ſevere, nor unmerciful dealing from their Parents? But have been treated by them, with all that gentleneſs and kindneſs that was poſſible. And yet for ſuch Children to riſe up againſt their Parents, is a Crime of ſo black a Nature, that it is no wonder if the hand of God appear againſt them for it, in a very ſignal manner; as it did in the caſe of Abſalom, for whom his Father David had ſo great a fondneſs: This unthankful and unnatural Son roſe up againſt him, and endeavoured by force and violence to pull him from the Throne, and to uſurp the Royal Dignity. See how the hand of God appeared againſt him, 2 Sam. 18.9. And Abſalom met the Servants of David; and Abſalom rode upon a Mule, and the Mule went under the thick Boughs of a great Oak, and his Head caught hold of the Oak, and he was taken up between the Heaven and the Earth, and the Mule that was under him went away. And, ver. 14. it is ſaid, that Joab took three darts in his hand, and thruſt them through the heart of Abſalom, while he was yet alive in the midſt of the Oak. And, ver. 15. Ten young Men that bare Joab's Armour, compaſſed about, and ſmote Abſalom, and ſlew him. And, ver. 17. They took Abſalom and caſt him into a great Pit in the Wood, and laid a very great heap of Stones upon him. This was done as a laſting Monument of Abſalom's ſin and ſhame, and of God's righteous Judgment upon him.