A Memento to Young and Old, Treatise 2

A Memento to Young and Old · Treatise 2

p. 127Pious Fathers, the Glory of Children, &c.

Proverbs, 17. 6.

Childrens Children are the Crown of old men, and the Glory of Children are their Fathers.

CHAP. I.

THE Proverbs are like Manna scattered upon the ground by Solomon, which his Servants gathered up, and put into the Pot for the benefit of Gods people. It is labour in vain to seek the dependance of them one upon another; for they do not (like Jacob and Esau) catch one another by the heel. The Text therefore being an independent Proposition, I will first open the words, then draw some doctrinal conclusions from them.

Children.] To have Children, is every way in Scripture commended for a great blessing, Psal. 127. 3. Lo, Children are an p. 138Heritage of the Lord, &c.] Lo, being prefixed, implyeth, that a numerous posterity is an admirable blessing. Worldlings look upon many Children as a great Charge, not as a temporal blessing. Children are an Heritage of the Lord.] Implying they do descend from God, as an Inheritance from the Father to the Child. The word implyeth a free gracious blessing.

Childrens Children] Here is blessing upon blessing. That thou art a Father of a Child is a blessing: and that thy Child is a Father of Children is a superadded blessing. This was the blessing of Rebecca by her friends at her departure. Grow into thousand thousands, Gen. 24. 60. Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of Children, saith the Psalmist. When the Lord would shew the manner of his blessing to the Jews after their return from captivity, he thus describes it. The streets of the City shall be full of Boyes and Girls, Zech. 8. 5. It is not only a reward and blessing to the rich to be full of Children, but it is specified as a blessing upon the p…or; that the Lord will make him a family like a flock of sheep, Psal. 107. 4….

Are the Crown of old men.] That is, it is the honour of old men: or, posterity is a crown of honour. Then the 3d generation is a treble p. 139Crown of honour. Joseph saw Ephraims Children, of the third generation: the Children also of Machir, the Son of Manasseh, were born upon Joseph's knees, Gen. 50, 23. Of the Lord's blessing the last daies of Job more than the first; it is said that Job had seven Sons, and three Daughters; and that after this Job lived an hundred and forty years, and saw his Sons, and his Son's Sons, even four generations, Job 42. 13, 16.

And the glory of Children are their Fathers. As the Children are the ornament and honour of old age: so the aged Fathers are to be an honour of their dear Posterity. Honour descendeth from Father to Children, and ascendeth from Children to Fathers.

CHAP. II.

Obs. HEre we may observe that Fathers are, and ought to be the honour and glory of their Children. Or, Fathers ought so to live, that they may be the glory of their Children. I shall only insist upon the last clause of my Text. The glory of Children are their Fathers. Children are not alwayes the glory of old men, no.] foolish Children, of the Tribe of B…lial, a riotous, drunken, wan…on, blaspemous, and irreligious posterity; or Children are a reproach to their Father, p. 140and a shame to their Mother: such crosses as do embitter all their worldly comforts, and bring down their gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Therefore the words are not to be understood de foreign, of a numerous posterity, of having many Children: for the more wicked Children men have, the greater reproach and sorrow. Neither are the words to be understood de foreign, of fair, comely, witty Children: for though these be outward ornaments, yet they may be wantons, drunkards, very fools, and so a reproach to their Fathers. Absalom was a fair and proper man, but Davids heavy cross. Esau was a strong man, but Isaac's cross; the Spirit of God calleth him profane Esau, Hebr. 12. But the words are meant de pia posteritate, of a godly posterity, of pious and religious Children: they, and only they are the glory of old men, the joy, hope, comfort, and support of their aged Parents. Such Chldren are called Olive Plants and Arrows: Olive branches for cheerfulness, and Arrows for strength and protection. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate, Psal. 127. 4, 5.

So again, the words are not to be taken for all Fathers, for there are Fathers that be p. 141disparagements, a shame, a reproach to their Children, Atheistical, drunken, blasphemous, adulterous, oppressing Fathers are the stinking reproaches of their surviving posterity; they are not the glory of their Children: so the words are not to be meant of their descent. Many glory, that they are descended of such a noble and honourable Stock, from such wealthy or antient Families. It is an extrinsecal honour and priviledge, and indeed it is the great Diana of the world. But this is nothing, if their Fathers were drunkards, whoremongers, blasphemers, persecutors, hereticks; these foul vices (like the Plague of Leprosie in the wall) make such extrinsecal priviledges to be vile and base. As it was said of Naaman the Syrian, Captain of the Host of the King of Syria, that he was a great man with his master, and honourable, he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a Lepper, 2 Kings 5. 1. So for any one to say, that such a Gentleman's Father was a drunkard, or a swearer, or an ungodly man, or the like; is a reproach, and no honour to his posterity. But it is meant of godly, wise, religious Fathers, they are a glory of their Children.

p. 142CHAP. III.

GOdly Fathers are said to be a glory of their Children in these following respects.

I. Their very graces are their own and their Childrens glory, Prov. 16. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Their very silver hairs are their crowns. It behooveth the young to reverence them for their age. Hoary hair is a Crown set upon the heads of godly men by God himself, therefore we ought to reverence them. Then a…e their silver hairs true crowns of glory, when they are found in a way of righteousness. Grace is the Crown of old age. The holiness, heavenly-mindedness, gracious counsels, pious instructions, and godly conversations of aged persons, winneth honour and reverence. To see aged men to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience: and the aged women likewise to be in behaviour as becometh holy women, to be teachers of good things, to be discreet, chast, &c. this is a Crown of glory to them. Otherwise, though men and women live long, and are found in the way of sin, they are a cursed people, Isai. 65. 20. The sinner being an hundred years old, shall be p. 143accursed. An old drunkard, an old swearer, an old whoremonger, an old profane worldling is a wicked wretch. Diogenls being asked, what was the saddest spectacle in the world, answered, an old man in misery. But an old man in misery, is not so vile an object, as an old man in his sins. To see an old man durunk; to hear oaths, curses, revilings, ribauldry, come from the mouths of aged persons, is a most lamentable thing. Poor wretches! they lie under the evil of Age which is burdensom; and they have the evil of Sin upon them, which is intolerable; and may daily expect, when their gray hairs shall be brought down with sorrow to the grave, yea, to the pit of Hell.

II. It is Children's glory, that they are descended from such gracious and aged Parents. We see how the world esteemeth of descent from men of noble birth, from antient Stocks and Families. But this is nothing, if Children do degenerate from their generous and noble Ancestors. In this respect, if any glory be due, it is due to the Parents, not to the Children, unless they tread in the steps of their worthy Parents: which gave occasion to Cicero, to reprehend Cateline, by comparing the antiquity of his blood, with the vitiosity of his manners; who saith of him, That he p. 144was not more famous by the Nobility of his Parents, than ignominious by his own notorious Vices. It is a vanity for men to derive their Pedigrees from antient Houses, and to carry themselves unworthy such Ancestors: surely the Nobility and goodness of their Progenitors cannot so much credit them, as their own badness and wickedness will discredit them: But if nobility of blood be joyned with grace and vertue, it is highly to be esteemed. Now if men account it an honour to them to be nobly descended: surely much greater honour it is to descend from godly Parents; grace and godliness being much better than all outward wealth, riches, honour and greatness. This was the glory and boast of the Children of Israel, that they had Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for their Fathers. We have Abraham to be our Father, said the Jews, Matth. 3. 9. Our Father Jacob.] said the woman of Samaria, Jo…. 4. 12. and St. Paul speaking of the priviledges of the Jews, puts in this for a great priviledge, Rom. 9. 5. Of whom are the Fathers. So it is the glory and crown of Children, when they have believing Fathers; when it can be said of them, as of our Saviour, Who was the Son of Enos, which was the Son of Seth, which was the Son of Adam, which was the Son of God, Luk. 3. p. 14538. So it is spoken to the honour of such a Child, when it is said, He is the Son of such a godly Father, and such a godly Mother; who were, and are the Sons and Daughters of God. Solomon sets it down as an honour to him, that he was the Son of David, Prov. 1. 1. The Proverbs of Solomon, the Son of David, King of Israel. It might well be an honour to Solomon to have the Title, which was afterwards given to Jesus Christ, Mat. 1. 1. It was an honour to young Timothy, that the unfeigned Faith that was in him, dwelt first in his Grand-Mother Lois, and in his Mother Eunice, 2 Tim. 1. 5.

III. It is their glory and Crown, in that they can glory in this, that God was, and is the Father of their Fathers. It is a frequent title in Scripture given to God [The God of our Fathers.] It is that wherein the faithfull boast. Except the God of my Father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, saith Jacob to Laban: that is, that God whom his Father Isaac feared, or worshipped, Genes. 31. 42. God himself glorieth in this title. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Israel. The Lord appeared unto Isaac at Beer-sheba, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy Father, Genes. 26. 24. So the Lord said unto Jacob, p. 146I am God, the God of thy Father, Genes. 46. 3. So the Lord said unto Moses, I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, Exod. 3. 6. And when he sent Moses to the Children of Israel, he said unto him, Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel, The Lord God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my Name for ever, and my Memorial unto all Generations, ver. 15. This is a memorial of my faithfulness, of my truth and constancy in my promises made with your Fathers, that all succeeding Generations may see, and acknowledge me to be a God keeping Truth and Covenant for ever. The glorious God is not ashamed to be called the Father of his people; neither is Christ ashamed to be called their Brother. Now that their believing Parents are thus allyed to God, to Jesus Christ, to all the company of Angels and Saints, what an honour and crown of glory is this unto the Children?

IV. The Parents being in Covenant, maketh their Children holy, this is a glory to their Children. 1 Cor. 7. 14. because they come of a believing Parent, they are federally holy; for God covenanteth with believing p. 147Parents, that he will be the God of them, and of their seed. So the Apostle, Rom, 11. 16. If the first-fruits be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. The Apostle proveth there, that the Children of believing Parents are within the Covenant of God; because the Parents, the Children too. Therefore that the seed of the Jews are not finally rejected, for they be the seed of faithfull Abraham, they spring from that holy root. That which he made an Argument for the Children of faithful Abraham, is a good Argument for the Children of all faithfull Parents. The Parents being within the Covenant, so are the Children: for the Children are as the branches, the Parents as the root: Children as the lump, Parents as the first-fruits. It is the ground why Christian Parents bring their Children to Baptisme, to receive the Seal of the Covenant, because the Children are comprehended in that Covenant, Act. 2. 38, 39. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, &c. (saith Peter to his hearers) for the Promise is to you, and unto your Children. God owneth such for his people, for his Sons and Daughters, who are in Covenant with him. Other people are called by the name of that p. 148Idol-god which they worshipped; as the Moabites. were called the people of Chemosh, because they worshipped an Idol so called, Jerem. 48. 46. So likewise the Ammonites are called the people of Milcom, because they worshipped an Idol so called. And Euripides calleth the Athenians the people of Minerva, because they worshipped that Goddess: by this you may gather that those whom God owns for his people, are in Covenant; for to be the people of God is a Covenant-stile: and this the Children of all believing Parents are.

V. Godly Parents are a glory and honour to their Children, in that for their sakes the blessing of the Lord falls upon their Children, Prov. 20. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity, his Children are blessed after him. The Hebrew word denoteth one that walketh in all godliness constantly to the end, foreign beat itudines, blessings shall be upon his Children. God hath graciously promised, that he will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him, and keep his Commandements. What a motive should this be to Parents, to stir up Parents to labour after godliness. Ye would have your Children to be rich, and many men do adventure the loss of their immortal Souls to advance their posterity, p. 149now the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with it. God doth sometimes divert his anger from the Children of Godly Parents, and give them special mercies. It is a frequent passage in Scripture, nevertheless for my servant David's sake, &c. So God saith of Solomon, I will make him Prince all the daies of my life, for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, &c. 1. Kings 10. 34. So in the daies of Abijam, it is said, Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a Lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his Son after him, …nd to establish Jerusalem, 1 Kings 15. 4. God ten saith, that he remembreth the Covena…t that he made with their … shew how faithfull God is in his promise… to his believing servants.

VI. It is a glory to a Child, that his Father dies a servant of the Lord: his death is precious in the sight of the Lord, and in the sight of man. It is the highest commendation that can be given of any one, that he died the servant of the Lord, Moses my servant is dead, said God to Josua, Jos. 1. 2… Such a one is dead that was the servant of the Lord, what greater commendation than this can be given to any? Worldlings will say, such a one died worth so many hundreds by p. 150the year, worth so many thousands of pounds; poor creatures! did not the fool in the Gospel die rich? Did not the glutton die rich? What commendation is it to say of such a one, he was rich, but a glutton, a fool, an adulterer, an oppressour, a covetous unjust dealer? What honour is this to the Children of such a man enjoying his wealth and riches? And as his death is precious, so the memorial of a good man after his death is precious. The memory of the just shall endure, but the name of the wicked shall rot.

CHAP. IV.

IN the next place I shall also shew, how Children are the glory of their Fathers.

I. Their filial obedience to their just and lawful commands is an honor to their Parents. Therefore in the fifth Commandement it is said, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that is out of reverential obedience to them. St. Paul saith, Eph. 6. 2. That it is the first Commandement with promise. But it may be said, Is not the second Commandement with promise? The answer is two-fold. There is a double Commandement, affirmative, and negative: This is the first affirmative Commandement: or rather, it is the first Commandement in the second Table, to shew, p. 151that next after the care of Religion, our duty to Parents must be regarded.Diis & Parentibus nunquam satis fit. Aristot. Aristotle could say, God and Parents cannot be sufficiently required. The Heathen punished injuries to God, and Parents alike. Valer. lib. 1. Qui dubitat utrum oporteat Deos revereri, aut Parentes, non indiget natione, sed pari poenâ. Arist. Topic. lib. 8. He that doubteth whether God or Parents be to be reverenced, needs not to be confuted by reason, but by the same punishment. Now stubbornness in a Child is a reproach to his Father. Who so keepeth the law, is a wise Son, but he that is a companion of riotous men, shameth his Father, Prov. 28. 7. God ordained a Law, that such Children should be stoned to death, and the Parents should be the first that should throw a stone upon them, to shew, how hainous a sin stubbornness is in Children, Deut. 21. 20, 21. The sins of Riot and Drunkenness were not by Moses's Law punishable by death: this punishment therefore was inflicted upon a riotous Son, in respect of his disobedience to his Parents, which greatly aggravated his sin, and for which he was to die, when other Drunkards escaped with lighter punishment. The Rechabites were p. 152an honour to their Father, in that they kept the Commandement of Jonadab, the Son of Rechab their Father.

II. When they shall give pliable attention to the godly instructions, and admonitions of their Fathers. A wise Son heareth the instructions of his Father; but a scorner heareth not rebuke, Prov. 13. 1. It is an high point of folly and contempt when the Father is wisely charming, and the Son stoppeth his ear against the voice of the charmer. Hear ye Children the instruction of a Father, and attend to know understanding, Prov. 4. 1. Children are sluggish, & had need to be often called upon to hearken to pious instruction. None can be more faithfull to give counsel to thee,Gregor. Epist. lib. 1. than he that loveth not thine, but thee, saith Gregory. Such indeed are Parents & therefore most worthy to be heard. Godly Parents take care of their own Souls, and therefore will not neglect the Souls of their Children. Therefore saith Gregory, Committe an…mam diligent: bu suam, commit thy Soul to them that love their own. Let not Children slight the sharp rebukes of faithfull Parents, seeing it is for the good of their S…uls. Quem enim se…ret, patrem si n…n ferret suum? Trent. For whom should p. 153a Child bear withall, if not with his own Father?

III. When Children walk in the holy steps of their godly Parents, and are followers of them, as they are of Christ. Such a one is an honour, and no shame to his Father. There cannot be a better resemblance between a Child and a Father, than this spir… tual resemblance in that which is good. This was ever the praise, or ignominious brand of the Kings of Israel, That those that were godly, they did walk after the Lord, as did David their Father: or who walked in the way of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin. So it is the high commendation of a Son, when it shall be said, he walketh in the same holy religious course, as did, as doth his Father. It is the reporach of both, when as they say of a Child, that he is a drunkard, or a swearer, his Father was so before him. How doth St. John honour the elect Lady in his Epistle to her, with a praiseful memorial, 2 Epist. Joh. 4. I rejoyced greatly, that I found of thy Children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

IV. A wise Son is an honour to a godly Father. A wise Son maketh a glad Father, Prov. 10. 1. So in Prov. 23. 15. My Son, if thine heart…le wise, my heart shall rejoyce, p. 154even mine. Such a Son is an honour to his Father while he liveth. My Son be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me, Prov. 27. 11. Men desire to leave memorials behind them: a wise and godly Son is a better Monument of a Father, than a stately Pallace left behind him. Absalom having no Son, he built him a Pillar, to keep his Name in remembrance, 2 Sam. 18. 18. A grave Divine tells us of an ancient Minister of good note in this Nation, who being unmarried himself, reasoned with a married Gentlewoman about the best Estate of the two, pleading his great freedom from family cares, and for his studies: She calleth a Child of hers, and catechizeth him before the Minister. Now Sir (said she) you had need serve God while you live, for he shall get no glory by you in this world when you are dead. This Child may honour God, when I am dead and gone, and others that may come from him to the worlds end. Godly Children, as they are an honour and comfort to their Parents while they live, so they honour the memory of their Parents, when they are dead. But as for foolish and wicked Children, they are like Peacocks, which uncover the house where they roost, or the Ivy, that pulls down the wall that holds it up.

p. 155V. Parents and Children, will be mutual crowns and glory to each other at the day of Judgement. When the Father shall present his godly Children before Christ, Lord, here are the Children whom thou hast given me; blessing and praising God for them; how will the Children bless God for such a Father, and bless the Father for his example, and pious instructions.

CHAP. V.

Use. I. THis may serve for a just reproof of those Fathers, who live in swearing, whoredom, drunkenness, oppression, and so are a shame and reproach to their Children: and regard not, though their Sons likewise to their sh…me and reproach, be a stinking generation and family, walking in their sins. Diogenes, when he saw a young man drunk, said, the reason was, because his Father begat him when he was drunk. In like manner when he saw a young man beating his Father, he said, he doth it because his Father did neglect his duty to him in bringing him up. The wicked lives and dissolute conversations of Fathers, is the cause of their Sons wickedness. Hearken to me all ye Parents, let me demand of you; Are not ye the propagators of original sin to your Children, p. 156which maketh them Children of wrath, and heirs of damnation? Will not ye rest there, but must you needs by your wicked and licencious conversation make them twofold more the Children of Hell, Hast not thou sins enough to answer for? but thou must have their sins upon thy score too? Ye wicked Parents, that sin in the sight of your Children, you draw them to sin as you do: a Parents sin committed in the sight of a Child, is a double sin. It is said of a corrupt generation, Hos. 2. 3, 4. Their Mother plaid the Harlot, and they are the Children of whoredoms. The Holy Ghost seemeth to give in this as the reason why the Children are the Children of whoredoms, viz. Because their Mother plaid the Harlot: so that there was a succession of wickedness among them. Take heed therefore O ye Parents, of breathing infection upon your Children, to make them like your selves in wickedness, and the guilt of your sins, and to bring them to partake of God's Judgements together with your selves. The Switzers foresaw this, who enacted a Law, that if a Child were condemned to die, the Father should execute him; because that usually the neglect and evil carriage of Parents, is the fountain of all misery and wickedness in their Children. p. 157Oh, what cruel Parents are they to their Children! that will lie, swear, curse, in the hearing of their Children, that will teach them to lie, to game, to steal, to use deceit, to break the Sabbath, as if they would have them to learn the Devils Carechism without book? Thou that art a Father of Children, consider thou, that at the resurrection day, thy Children, whose damnation thou didst further by thy wicked example, will curse thee to thy face. Cursed be that Father that begat me, and the Womb that bare me, and the Paps that gave me suck: Oh! that there had been news brought to my Father, that a Toad, or a Snake had been born to him, when it was said, there is a man-child born. Then will the Son cry out in Hell-torments, I had never come into this place of torment, had not my Father been; had he given me good instruction, a good example, I had not been cast into this dark dungeon. I learnt to curse and blaspheme from that cursed blasphemous Father. I learn'd to be drunk from that drunken Father. I learn'd to mock at piety and holiness, to scoff at the wayes and people of God, of that scoffing Father. I learn'd to prophane the Sabbath, I neglected Prayers in my family, I neglected the hearing of the Word, for my Father did so before me: he p. 158was an Atheist, and so was I. Oh, that I had been his currish Dog, his filthy Hog, rather than his beloved Son. As they in Rome said of Nero, because of his cruelty, it were better be Nero's Hog than his Son. Oh, how will such Children be ready to cast fire-brands in the faces of such wicked Parents, when they are in Hell-flames together.

CHAP. VI.

II. This may reprove those Parents, who labour more to make their Children rich, great, glorious in the eye of the world, than to make them gracious and glorious in the eye of God, who care not by what unjust means they scrape their wealth together, to leave behind them a rich posterity, and care not that their Children be enriched with grace; that drown themselves in perdition and destruction, for their Childrens greatness in the world. Salvian hath an excellent Meditation upon the rich man in the Gospel,B…nis suis aliis praeparat beatitudinom, sibi miseriam; aliis gaudia, sibi lachrymas; aliis voluptatem brevem, sibi ignem perpetuum. Salvian. that laid up much riches together. With his goods (saith Salvian) he prepareth happiness for others, misery for himself: mirth and jollity for others, tears and sorrow for himself; a short pleasure for p. 159others, everlasting torment for himself. His heirs that possessed his wealth and substance, did game, take their ease, eat, drink, and were merry: and this poor covetous wretch was howling and roaring, weeping and wailing in Hell. Oh, what fools are those Parents, that labour more for temporal riches for their Children, than for grace and godliness! God usually crosseth such Parents in their plots and purposes: their Children after them usually do prodigally spend that wealth which the Parents wickedly scraped together: and the Parents are tormented in Hell, whiles their prodigal Children are merry and jovial upon earth: Graceless Children are drinking and gaming and drabbing, spending their daies in mirth and pleasure, whiles the wretched covetous Father is houling, roaring, and tormented in Hell. Now if thy everlasting confusion, be either thine, or thy Childrens glory, much good may it do thee. Such Parents are the most deadly enemies their to own Children. Many wicked men (like Ahab) kill, and take possession of the Vineyards and Inheritances of poor Innocents, and settle them upon their Children, as firm as firm as Law can make them, to them and to their Heris for ever: But after all this, if such Parents would but cast up their Bargains, p. 160they would see, they had damned themselves to enrich their Children: and enriched their Children to undo them: they had brought the curse of God upon their own Souls, to leave their Children that, which should undo them and theirs. How politick was Jeroboam to entail the Kingdom of Israel to his own line! and therefore sets up two golden Calves, the one at Dan, the other at Bethel, to hinder the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship, where King Rehoboham was. But that very course of his, by making Israel to sin, was the ruine of him and his house. The Lord swept away the remnant of his house, as a man sweepeth away dung, till all be gone, 1 Kings 14. 16.

Ye that are Parents, ye can love your selves in your own persons, and in the images of your nature, and in those that are the supports of your families, the Children which God hath given you. Therefore when you commit great sins, or leave great estates to your Children wickedly gotten, what do ye but represent the future estate of your Children, and as it were slay them with your own inhumane and barbarous hands! Oh, how vile a person is that Father or Mother, who for a little money gotten by usury, extortion, or oppression, will leave an Estate to their p. 161Children, and the curse of God with it, and become parricides, and embrue their hands in the blood and ruine of their own Children! Many men think no course amiss, so they may set their nests on high, and make their seed great on earth, Habbak. 2. 9. But in this they are utterly deceived, for this is the very next way to bring the curse of God upon their Children. How often is that snatch'd away by others, which men provided for their own Children, and that of Solomon is verified. The Riches of the sinner is laid up for the just, Prov. 13. 22. Thus the Estate of Haman was given unto Mordecai. Solomon speaking of an oppressour, saith, That he begets a Son in whose hand is nothing, Eccles. 5. 14. Wo be to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house. There hangs a judgement over the heads of the Children, for the Fathers covetousness, as rain in the clouds, which perhaps in their Sons, or in their Grand-childs dayes may come down as a mighty flood upon their House, Habak. 2. 9. Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy Soul: for the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the Timber shall answer thee, ver. 10. Such Parents are no glory of their Children.

p. 162CHAP. VII.

Use II. LEt this serve therefore for exhortation to Parents, when they have ridings that a Child is born unto them; Take the mercy, but remember your duty, lest this or that Child be not one day thy greatest shame and reproach, which is at present thy joy and comfort, for according to thy fatherly duties, so will thy comfort, or thy sorrows be. Do ye desire your Children may be your joy, and not your sorrows; your glory and crown, and not your reproach and shame, then walk wisely towards them, and before them: be thou a glory to them, so may they prove thy glory and crown. Now that you and they may be crowns and honours to each other, consider these following duties.

I. Give a good example of an holy life to your Children: be frequent in the exercise of holy duties and graces before them. Thus David did, Psal. 101. 2. He would walk within his house with a perfect heart,Let thy little Children keep thee from sin, said the Poet Juvenal. and behave himself wisely in a perfect way: that i… godly, in a perfect way of godliness before his Children and Servants. Examples of Parents have a strong influence into the manners of p. 163their Children. Personal sins are usually derived from Parents to Children by their bad lives: for a Father to lie, to swear, to be drunk, to neglect holy duties, this hath a great influence upon the Children. A Son may inherit the Father's sin by imitation, by following his example, and doing the same sin, and the proverb is, The young birds will do, as they see the old ones do before them. We read that more than forty Children were destroyed by two she-bears for mocking the Prophet Elisha, 2 Kings 2. 23, 24. One hath this Query upon it, Why did the Prophet call for revenge upon the Children, who scarce understood what they did, much less did act any thing upon design? He answereth;Martyr in 2 Reg. cap. 2.2 Kgs 2 Though we might suppose that they were of such a tender age, that they were ignorant of the evil of this action, yet having learn'd this from their Parents, God sent this judgement upon them to punish the Children and the Parents at once: for doubtless they had learn'd that mocking Language from their Parents, at least by hearing them say so to the Prophet Elisha, Go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head, if they had not taught them to say so. Which scoff they cast upon p. 164Elisha, in allusion to the rapture, or carrying up of Elijah to Heaven. As if they had said, Go thou up also to Heaven as Elijah did that we may be rid of thee, as we are of him. Children are apt to imitate their Parents i… every thing, and are best at imitating them in the worst. It is written of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin; so it may be spoken of wicked Parents, that they cause their Children to sin. It is said of Abijan the Son of Rehoboam, that he walked in all the sins of his Father, which he had done before him, 1 Kings 15. 3. Ye that give ill examples to your Children, you shall answer both for your own sins, and the sins of yo… Children, occasioned by your bad example.

II. Ye that are Parent…, be often deho… ing your Children from sin and vain company. The Book of the Proverbs is full of sus… pious dehortations. My Son, saith Solomn, enter not into the path of the wicked, and g… not inot the way of evil men, avoid it, pass … by it, turn from it, and pass away. What most affectionate dehortation is that of Solomon's Mother unto him, Prov. 31. 2. Who my Son! and what, the Son of my womb! … what, the Son of my vowes! Give not … strength unto women, nor thy wayes to th… which destroyeth Kings. It is not for King p. 165O Lemuel, to drink wine, nor for Princes strong drink, lest they drink, and forget the Law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted, ver. 3, 4, 5. Parents should often tell their Children, that such and such ungodly courses will be their reproach; bring down the gray hairs of their Parents with sorrow to the grave, and their own Souls down into the pit of everlasting destruction.

III. Instruct them in the worship, word, and way of God and godliness, ye Fathers, bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6. 4, in the nurture, foreign, it signifies it the Childhood. Beza renders it in the doctrine of the Lord: and foreign, that is, in admonition drawn from the word of God. Henoch had his name, as one taught from his Youth, and consecrate unto God. God commanded his people, Deut. 6, 7. Thou shalt rehearse these words continually unto thy Children. The word is, Thou shalt whet them continually upon thy Children: as when an Arrow, or other Instrument is sharpened, that it may pierce the deeper. It implyeth two duties, 1. That the Parent make his Instructions delivered, plain and piercing, by perspicuity giving it an edge, that it may the more easily enter into the dull heads, and p. 166pierce the hard hearts of his Children. 2. That he repeat it again and again, going often over the same thing, as the Knife goeth often over the whet-stone, as the beast in chewing the Cud. Abraham is highly commended of God for instructing his Family. I know Abraham will command his Sons, and his houshold after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, Genes. 18. 19. He taught them the substance of the Law, in commanding them to do Righteousness and Judgement: and the substance of the Gospel, in declaring unto them the tenour of the Evangelical promises: that in him, or his seed, that is in Christ (the promised seed, who was to come of his loins) all the Nations of the earth should be blessed: as also the meaning of Circumcision. Genes. 17. 23. Joshua professed, that he and his house would serve the Lord, Jes. 24. 15. Intimating, that he would instruct his Family in the true knowledge, and right manner of the worship of God, without which they could not perform any acceptable service unto him. David taught his Son Solomon, and laid this Charge upon him, And thou Solomon my Son, know the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, 1 Chron. 28: 9. So others, Psal. 34. p. 16711. Come ye Children, hearken to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Thus Solomon instructeth his Son Rehoboam in the beginning of the Book of the Proverbs. Hezekiah professeth as much of himself. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The Father to the Son shall declare thy truth, Isai. 38. 19. He 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, that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandements, and might not be as their Fathers, a stubborn, and rebellious generation, &c.

IV. Have a watchful eye over the duties, practices and conversations of your Children. David would not suffer a worker of deceit to dwell in his house, nor a teller of lies to carry in his sight, Psal. 101. 7. Oh, take heed of countenancing or allowing your Children in any sin. Their sins, and thy neglect of godly reproof, will make thee stink in the Land as Simeon and Levi made Jacob their Father to stink, his name to stink among the people of the Land. Take heed of cockering, and over-much indulging your Children. It is observed, that usually p. 168that Child which the Parent cockereth most, regardeth the Parent least; and many times proveth the heaviest cross unto it: making him to speak in bitterness of Soul, Why died it not from the womb? Job 3. 11. One saith,Bolton's Direct. p. 19. That the bloody knife of Parents unconscionable and cruel neglect in training up their Children religiously, doth stick full deep in their Souls. We have read and heard of some Children that have been loosely trained up, who have pierced their Parents hearts with sorrow, yea and their throats too, who have stuck the knife in the bowels of their Parents. A certain fond Mother must not have her Child corrected at School when he deserved correction.Woodw. Child's Patrim. Not long after the Child angred the Mother, and the Mother struck the Child: he runs to the fire, and up with the fire-fork, and at the Mother he makes, threatning what he would do. The Mother would not have her Child struck with a rod, to let out his folly, and the Child offers to strike the Mother with the fire-fork. Then the Mother hastens to the School-master, as much displeased with the Child, as ever before she was pleased with it. Another Parent so doted upon her Child, that she could not endure it p. 169out of her sight: but at last he proved so dissolute, that she would have sent this Son to the remorest Islands: any where, so he were on ship-board (that would keep him in compass, which a Prison did not) or out of her sight. That Child which the Parent so cockereth, that it must not be out of his sight, is the Child that is most like to be an eye-sore, and heart-grief to the Parent, to whom the Parent is most like to say, Stand out of my sight, thou art a burden to me. S. Augustine gives us a sad relation of one Cyrillus, a man mighty both in word and work,Agust. Serm. 33. ad Fratres in Eremo. but a very fond and indulgent Father. One Son he had, and but one, and because but one, he must have his will; he must not feel the rod, he must not be crossed. He might have what he would, and do what he listed; he might go forth, and return when he pleased; he gave no account either of his purse or time: we read in the story, that this Child brought his Mother to shame; nay, more than so. This Child came home drunk, and in the day time he violently and shamefully abused his Mother great with Child, he killed his Father out-right, and mortally wounded two Sisters. Hereupon a great Assembly was called, that all Parents hearing p. 170so sad and lamentable a Tragedy, might for ever beware of this loose and sottish indulgence, which brings woe to the Parent, and ruine to the Child.

V. Pray for your Children, that they may glorifie God▪ and so be your glory and crown, this was Job's practice, Job 1. 5. Job sent, and sanctified his Children, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all. Whiles his Children were feasting, he was fasting: while they were merry, he was mourning and sacrificing, lest his Sons should blaspheme and dishonour God. A godly Father's Prayers do fly to Heaven, and return into the bosom of his posterity with rich and pretious blessings. If these rules I have propounded here, were well and conscionably observed, Parents and Children would be a crown and glory to one another: and God would set an incorruptible crown of glory upon the heads both of Parents and Children.

CHAP. VIII.

SECT. I.

THis in the next place may serve for a just conviction of those whose Fathers lived in gross errours, and wicked practices, & think it no dishonor to them to live and do as their Fathers did before them. When Hezekiah p. 171sent the Posts from City to City through the Countries of Ephraim and Manasseh with this Message, that he would have a Reformation according to the first Institution and pattern, and would not have them abide any longer in the wayes of their Fathers, it is said, 2 Chron. 29. 10. They laughed the Messengers to scorn. They mock'd them, what, must we be wiser than our Fathers? See what answer is given to them, Be not ye like your Fathers, which trespassed against the Lord God of your Fathers, ver. 7. They that will erre by their Fathers Copy, may also perish by their Fathers example. In the beginning of King James his Reign in England, the Papists made a Supplication to that King of happy memory: one branch whereof was this. We request no more favour at your Graces hands, than that we may securely profess that Catholick Religion, which all your happy Predecessors professed, from Donaldus, the first converted, unto your Majesties Peerless Mother. And to this purpose doth Dr. Kellison recite unto that King, a long Catalogue of his noble Predecessors, to encline him (if possible) to embrace the Popish Religion.

Many of our Fathers lived in times of ignorance: had they lived in the light which p. 172we do, it is not probable they would have lived in such gross errours and superstitions as they did. Therefore we are not hand over head to follow all that our Fathers did, but try them, and follow the best. When Frederick the IV. Elector of the Roman Empire, and Count Palatine of the Rhine, was by a certain Prince advised, for his Religion to follow the example of his Father Lewes, his answer was, In Religione, non Parentum, non majorum exempla sequenda, sed tantum voluntas Dei. In matters of Religion, we must neither follow the examples of Parents, nor Ancestors, but the will of God only is to be regarded. And for this resolution, he alledged the testimony of the Lord out of Ezek. 20. Walk ye not in the Statutes of your Fathers, nor observe their Judgements, nor defile your selves with their Idols: I am the Lord, walk ye in my Statutes, vers. 18, 19. Therefore it was a good Confession of the Church, Psal. 106. 6. We have erred with our Fathers. S. Hierom once desired of S. Augustine, that he might have leave to erre with seven Fathers whom he found of his opinion. I should not crave that leave, nor envy any one the priviledge. The Fathers are but Children when they erre: and they who will erre with their Fathers, are more foolish than Children.

p. 173SECT. II.

THere are many others that make the manners of their Fathers, the rule of their life and conversation. The Children of idle Beggars take up the same wandring course of life as their Fathers did before them. And it is commonly seen (for the most part) that whole Families are tainted with the same vices of their Stock. John Baptis… … of a generation of Vipers. So if we look abroad into the world, we shall see generations of Swearers, generations of Drunkards, generations of Idolaters, of Worldlings, of unclean persons. Ahab was a very none such in wickedness: and all that come from him, are like him in evil manners. It is said of his Son Ahaziah, that next succeeded him in the Kingdom of Israel, 1 Kings 22. 25. That he walked in the way of his Father, and in the way of his Mother: in the way of wicked Ahab, and cursed Jezebel. There was annother Ahaziah, King of Judah; the Grand-child of Jehosophat by the Fathers side, and of Ahab by the Mothers side: He drew poison from the Mother, and so trod in the paths of Ahab. The Scripture saith expresly of him, 2 Reg. 8. 27. That he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and p. 174did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab, for he was the Son in Law of the house of Ahab. Oh what mischief cometh to many a man, and his whole stock, by joyning himself in affinity with a wicked Family!

See the wilful resolution of a generation of Idolaters, Jerem. 44. 17, 18, 19. We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth of our own mouth, to burn Incense to the Queen of Heav… and to pour out Drink-offerings to her, as wo…ave done: we and our Fathers, our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: For then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink-offerings to her, have we wanted all things, and have been consumed by the Sword and by Famine. How doth our Saviour complain of the Pharisees, Matth. 23. 32, 33, 35. Wherefore ye be witnesses to your selves, that ye are the Children of them that killed the Prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your sins, ye Serpents, ye generation of Vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell?

p. 175CHAP. IX.

SECT. I.

IT becometh every one of us therefore to confess our own sins, & the sins of our Fathers, Nehem. 9. 2. The seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood, and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their Fathers. So in vers. 16. But they, and our Fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and harkened not to thy Commandements. And vers. 33. 34. Speaking of the Judgements of God, that came upon them for their sins, they say, How be it thou art just in all that is brought upon us: for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly: neither have our Kings, our Princes, our Priests, nor our Fathers, kept thy Law, nor hearkened to thy Commandements, and thy Testimonies, wherewith thou didst testifie against them. Moreover, it is worth observing, that the Holy Ghost doth not record their sins which they confessed, as their own present abounding sins, but recordeth the sins of their Fathers, which they confessed before God, as appeareth from the ninth to the 30th. verse. It is not recorded, we dealt proudly, p. 176we hardened our necks, we refused to obey, we were disobedient and rebellious. No question, this was their own carriage towards God. But it is said [They] meaning their Fathers: They dealt proudly, they hardened their necks, &c. Furthermore observe, they did not insist upon the sins of their immediate Progeni…ors, but upon the sins and rebellions of their Fathers that came out of the Land of Egypt, and first inhabited Canaan. They make mention of their Fathers sins, as if all their m…sery came upon them chiefly for their Fathers Sins, rather than for their own Sins.

What reason can there be assigned, why the Holy Ghost makes such a record of their Confession of their Fathers Sins, rather than of their own, if it be not to convince, and shew what we ought to do, viz. Not only to lay our own sins to heart, and to confess them before God, but also the sins of our Fathers: as also to shew us, that the iniquities of our Fathers do bring the dreadful Judgements of God like a flood upon us, as well as our own sins, Jerem. 3. 25. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our Fathers, from our Youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the Voice of the Lord p. 177our God: And Jerem. 16. 19. The Prophet cries out thus to God. O Lord, my strength and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, surely our Fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit, Lam. 5. 7. The Church cries out: Our Fathers have sinned, and are not, and we have born their iniquities.

SECT. II.

ONe reason why we should be humbled for the sins of our Fathers, as well as for our own is, because God hath threatned, and accordingly hath visited the sins of the Fathers upon their Children. Their Idolatries have brought destruction on their posterity: the Fathers-adulteries have brought the Children to a morsel of bread. That God hath threatned to visit the sins of the Fathers on the Children, you find in the second Commandement [visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation.] So Exod. 34. 7. That God hath visited Children with Plagues for the Iniquities of their Fathers, there are manifold sad instances of it, Numb. 14. 32, 33. Ye may see a double punishment threatened.

… Against the Fathers who murmured. But p. 178as for you, your carkesses shall fall in this wilderness, vers. 32. 2. Against the Children, who certainly did not partake in that Sin; for many of them were Infants, vers. 33. And your Children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms untill your carkeisses be wasted in the wilderness, 1. Sam. 15. 3. The Lord commandeth Saul to go, and smite Amalek, and utterly to destroy all that they have, and spare them not: but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, oxe and sheep, camel and ass. Now see what reason the Lord renders, why Saul should put all the Amalakites to the sword, vers. 2. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now the Children must be destroyed for the sins of their Progenitors. So the Infants, and little Children of the Sodomites, perished by fire and brimstone for the horrid abominations which their Fathers had committed. What a dreadful Judgement did God inflict upon old Eli for his sin? So the Lord told David, that the Sword should never depart from his house, because of his sin, 2. Sam. 12. 9, 10. How did God visit Saul's perfidiousness to the Gibeonites, on his posterity? 2. Sam. 21. 1. There is a double p. 179Judgement, he visited the Kingdom with Famine for three years, vers. 1. and visited his Children with a cursed and shameful death, vers. 6. they were all hanged. How did our Saviour threaten the Jewes with all the blood which their Fathers had shed causelesly? Wherefore behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie, and some of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from City to City, That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, the Son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar, Matth. 23. 34, 35. And is not the blood of Christ upon the Children of the Jewes unto this day? I have brought the more Instances to shew the truth, how God doth punish the Children for the sins of their Fathers: to convince us, of what concernment it is for us to confess their sins before the Lord, as well as our own; and to deterr Fathers from sinning against God. Ye may see, that Fathers in sinning, do not only sin to their own destruction, but to the destruction of the Children that are yet unborn: ye lay up Estates and Portions for your Children, and God layes up wrath and vengeance, p. 180which shall consume both them and ther Estates.

CHAP. X.

NOw because there are objections, which perhaps may arise in your thoughts against this Doctrine, and they seem to be grounded on Scripture, I shall endeavour to remove them.

Object. But it is said, Ezek. 18. 4. The Soul that sinneth, it shall die, vers. 18. as for his Father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo even he shall die in his iniquity. So in Jerem. 31. 29, 30. In those dayes they shall say no more, the Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the Childrens teeth are set on edge, but every one shall die for his own iniquity: and every man that eateth the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. How can these Scriptures be reconciled with that in the second commandment, where God is said to visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth generation, &c. how can it agree with these dispensations of Judgements?

Sol. There are divers answers given hereunto.

I. Origen, and some others make an allegorical Interpretation, and say, that by the p. 181third and fourth generation is not meant Children, but so many degrees of sins, as if God would spare men for the first and second fault, and punish the third and fourth. But this is a false and foolish conceit, because God sometimes punisheth men for the first sin. God chastised David for one act of adultery.

II. Some answer it by distinction of civil and divine punishments. The Civil Law, which God made for the Common-wealth of Israel, did forbid to put the Child to death for the sin of the Father: as Deut. 24. 16. The Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children, nor shall the Children be put to death for the Fathers: Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. But God, who is the supreme Judge of the whole world, and is not tied to humane Law, punisheth Children for their Fathers sins. But this answer is not sufficient, for those places of Jerem. 31. and Ezek. 18. speak not of a civil, but of a divine punishment.

III▪ Others again answer it thus, that God punisheth the sins of Fathers on their Children, if they do such like sins as their Father. He will punish the Children for their Fathers Idolatry, if their Children are Idolaters also, and punish them that hate God, as their Fathers did before them.

p. 182If this were true, then those places in Jeremiah, and Ezekiel were answered with this exception. The Son shall not bear the iniquity of his Father, unless the Son be wicked too: the Childrens teeth shall not be set on edge unless they eat sowre grapes, as their Fathers did before them. But this answer is not to the purpose neither.

1. Because Children have been punished for their Fathers sins, which they never imitated, as the Children of the Sodomites were destroyed with the same destruction their Fathers were.

2. Sometimes the Children who have repented, have been outwardly miserable, because their Fathers were exceeding sinful.

3. Because then God did not punish the sins of their Fathers on them, so much as their own personal sins: not punish their Fathers Idolatry, but their own Idolatry; nor their Fathers Adultery, but their own.

4. The force of the threatning is taken away; for God brings that threatning of visiting their Idolatry upon their Children, to make Fathers to take heed of Idolatry. Then this would be the sense of it, according to their interpretation. Take heed, ye Fathers, of Idolatry, for I will punish your third and fourth generation if they be Idolaters. By p. 183these reasons it is evident, that this answer, that God punisheth Children for their Fathers sins, because Children follow their Fathers in their sins, is not sufficient.

IV. This answer may give full satisfaction. There is a three-fold evil of punishment, with which God visits sinners.

1. There is eternal damnation: so no Child is punished for his Fathers sins, but the Soul that sinneth, that shall die. Every man is damned for his own proper sins: only such as eat the sowre grapes of sin, they shall gnash their teeth in Hell.

2. There is malum morale, a moral evil. God his giving up the Children to follow their Fathers steps, is a punishment for their Fathers sins. But this God doth not inflict upon them as they are sins, but by denying grace to the Children of wicked Parents, upon which denial they fall into the like sins their Fathers did before them. God denying grace to the posterity of Idolaters, they commit Idolatry also.

3. There is malum naurae, evils of nature; as Losses, Crosses, Afflictions, Famine, Sword, Plague, temporal death. God oftentimes punisheth the Children for their Fathers sins with these temporal punishments: For Gehazi's Covetousness, his posterity p. 184shall be leprous, and for the mutiny of Dathan and Abiram, their Children perished with them. For David's Adultery, the Sword shall never depart from his house to all successions: So oftentimes it falls out, that for the riot, adulteries, or oppressions of Progenitors, Children are brought to a morsel of bread. The reason is, because God in punishing the Children, punisheth the Fathers also, Qui… Filii quaedam pars parentum, because Children are part of their Fathers, as branches are part of the tree: therefore the good that is bestowed on the Child, or the evil inflicted on him, is the good and evil of the Father.

Quest. But how can the evils which Children suffer when their Fathers are dead, be a punishment to him that is deid? how can the evil which the fourth generation suffereth, be the evil of the Father, dead it may be many years before?

Resp. 1. I answer yes, they are evils to them, because God threatens them as punishments to them. Shall we think, that God would threaten this as an evil, if it were not? look as other evils threatned, which follow the wicked after they are dead, are a punishment: as the name of the wicked shall rot, shall stink when they are dead: They that p. 185pass by their graves shall say, Here lieth a beastly drunkard; here lieth a profane swearer, a cruel oppressour. These are curses, though they are not sensible of them. So, when God shall ruine the posterity of wicked men, it is a sore punishment to them. As now it is a mercy to just men, that their memory (when they are dead) shall be blessed, and that the seed of the Righteous shall be blessed on earth. Then on the contrary, if the seed of a man be cursed, it is a punishment to the Fathers.

2. We are not to judge of punishment only by our sense and feeling, as if it were no punishment, because dead men are not sensible of the miseries of their Children: but we are also to judge of punishment by the evil which is in it. Now it is a sore evil, when God shall for the sins of our Fathers bring ruine upon our estates, miseries upon our bodies, Plagues, Sword, or Famine upon us.

3. It is a punishment to the Fathers, though dead; because it is directly contrary to their wills and intentions. Fathers would have their Children, rich and happy after their death, and would have their Houses and Names to contiue for ever: but God in justice ruinates their Families, and cloatheth their Children or Childrens Children with misery as with a garment.

p. 186Object. But put the case, the posterity of wicked men are converted, and become godly, doth God punish such for the sins of … Fathers?

Sol. I answer yes, God sometimes may, and doth deprive such of their honours and estates, and takes them away with temporal death for the sins of their Fathers. But then the evils which such Children endure, are only parentum poenae, their Fathers punishment, and are filiorum probationes, medicinae, exercitia, the Childrens tryals, medicines, exercises. God in mercy turneth their afflictions into their spiritual advantage: God makes their death a passage to glory, and life eternal. And these afflictions, (though they are the punishments of their Fathers, yer shall work out for them a greater weight of glory. Here let me add these things.

1. We must hold this as an undeniable truth, that God is alwayes righteous in all his administrations of Judgements, whether in punishing Parents, or Children for Parents sake. Though the Judgements of God are sometime hidden, yet they are never unjust. There is no iniquity in the wayes of God, though we cannot see the equity of them.

2. There is a matter of condemnation in p. 187all Children, though God sometimes in punishing, doth not punish them with an immediate relation to their own sins.

3. When God visits Nations and Kingdoms, then usually he doth it for the sins of the present generation, as for the sins of our Fathers. Our sins, and the iniquities of our Fathers do joyn forces to bring down Plagues and devastations upon the Kingdom. The Jews were led into Captivity for their own sins, and their Fathers also. So Daniel in his Confession of sins acknowledgeth, We, our Kings, our Princes, our Fathers, and all Israel have sinned.

CHAP. XI.

GReat are the benefits, which may redound to Children sincerely confessing the iniquities of their Fathers, as well as their own sins. The Promise is made, Levit. 26. 40, 41, 42. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their Fathers, with their trespass which they have trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary to me, and that I have also walked contrary to them, &c. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, and also my Covenant with Isaac, and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the Land.

p. 1881. Sometime it procureth and obtaineth a delay, and putting off the pouring forth the wrath of God upon a Family, Person, or Nation. God oftentimes delayeth the punishments, not remitting the sins. As upon Ahab's humiliation, he delayed the punishment, but did not remit the sins of him and his house: yet for his humiliation, the punishment should be prorogued to his Son's daies, 2 Reg. 21. 29. Upon Moses his humiliation for Israels murmuring, he remitted the execution of his wrath, but remitted not their sin, Numb. 14. 18. ad 23. We have a clear Instance for this in Josiah, who humbled himself for the iniquities of his Fathers, and the sins of Israel: and the Lord put off the execution of his wrath, till he was laid in his grave, 2 Chron. 34. 21, 24, ad 28. Perhaps the second generation may die in peace; or it may be the third and the fourth generation shall bear the iniquities of their Fathers it is no small mercy that wrath breaks not in upon the first generation.

2. If it doth not keep off, and procure delay of execution, but wrath from the Lord breaks in upon u…, yet it may mitigate the wrath of God: so that God (though justly he might) yet proceeds not to a final devastation of Persons, Families and Kingdoms, but p. 189a remnant may, and shall escape, Jerem. 39. 16, 17, 18. Thus God bids Jeremy tell Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, that though he would bring his words upon the City of Jerusalem for evil; yet say thou to him, I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the Sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee, because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. And that God made them not as Sodom and Gomorrha, but left a remnant, Ezra acknowledgeth in his confession, Ezra 9. 8. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. When people are generally stubborn and wicked, God sometimes makes a full end of them, when their determinate day of visitation is come upon them, he overthrows Families, as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, cutting down root and branch, and casting them into the fire.

3. Sometimes it procureth a shortening of the day of visitation, God will not lengthen out their judgement: will not (as justly he might) spin out their time of calamity. For mine elects sake these dayes of calamity shall be shortened. The day of Jerusalem's p. 190calamity should be shortened for his el…ct which were in it.

4. If God yet visit the iniquities of our Fathers upon us, he will change the nature of our punishments: though they be to the destruction of our estates and bodies, yet they shall be to the Salvation of our Souls in the day of the Lord Jesus: he will inflict them upon us as trials and fatherly chastisements, doing us good in the latter end; though in relation to the iniquities of our Fathers, they be sore punishments.

Moreover, we ought to be humbled for the sins of our Fathers, because God was dishonoured by them. Nehemiah was ashamed, and confounded for his Fathers sins, as well as his own. That God was dishonoured in former years, grieveth a godly heart, as well as in present times.

Besides—the sins of our Fathers are reproaches to us. That men should say of such a man, his Father before him was a drunkard, an oppressour, an idolater; so was his Grand-Father, his Great-Grand-Father before him; this is a reproach unto the Family: the best way to wipe off the reproach, is for the posterity to mourn for their Fathers sins: the godliness of Children will be some covering to their Fathers nakedness. p. 191But if our Fathers greatly provoked the Lord, and we are not humbled for their sins, but walk in the steps of our evil Progenitors; then hear what the Lord saith to such, Isai. 14. 20, 21, 22. The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned: prepare slaughter for his Children for the iniquity of their Fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the Land, nor fill the face of the world with Cities: for I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and cut off from Babylon the Name and Remnant, and Son and Nephew, saith the Lord.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Maynard, A Memento to Young and Old (1669)