Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 6 · Section 50 – Section 51
§. 50. Of Parents care in prouiding fit callings for their children.
Hauing laid downe ſuch duties of parents as eſpecially reſpect the childhood of children, I proceed to lay forth ſuch as hauehave reſpect to their riper yeeres wherein they are to be placed forth.
| Here we are to note | 1. The kindes of thoſe duties. |
| 2. The meanes of performing them. |
The kindes may be drawne to two heads.
1. Prouiding fit places and callings for them to exerciſe their gifts.
2. Prouiding fit mariages for them.
We heard *§. 31.before how children were to be trained vp, and fitted to ſome good calling euen in their childhood. Now further, when by vertue of good education they are inabled to diſcharge the functions and duties of a calling, and by yeeres they are well growne vp, ſo as it is time they ſhould be ſet to ſome particular calling:
Parents ought to prouide fit callings for their children, and fit Fit callings to be prouided.places for them to exerciſe the gifts which by nature or education they hauehave gotten. For example, If children hauehave beene brought vp in learning, parents muſt vſe what lawfull and honeſt meanes they can to ſettle them in ſuch a place and courſe as they may profeſſe and exerciſe their gifts, according to their ſeuerall kindes, be it Diuinitie, Law, Phyſicke, or the like: or if they hauehave beene brought vp in any trade, to prouide that they may ſet vp (as we ſpeake) and exerciſe their trade. The two firſt children that euer were borne of woman, aGen. 4. 2.Cain and Abel, were placed forth in ſeuerall callings; and without doubt their places were ſo ordered by their parents. The like may be gathered out of theſe phraſes, b& 25. 27.Eſau was a man of the field, and Iaakob dwelt intents. c1 Sam. 8. 1.It is noted of Samuel, that he made his two ſonnes Iudges. Had they beene as faithfull in well vſing their places, as their father was carefull in prouiding them, they might hauehave liued well themſelues, and done much good to others. Iſhai hauing many ſonnes, had a care hereof: for d1 Sam. 17. 13.he ſent his three eldeſt ſonnes to the war; and placed them in a ſouldiers courſe of life: e&. 16. 11.his youngeſt he made a ſhepheard, which was in thoſe daies and places a calling of greater reckoning then now it is with vsus.
1. Thus ſhall they make vſe of that abilitie whereunto by The benefits of a fit calling.their parents prouidence, and their owne diligence they hauehave attained: otherwiſe that abilitie may ſoone be loſt. Doth not daily experience ſhew that many who hauehave beene well trained vp by their parents in learning, ſo farre as they hauehave beene fit to hauehave entred into the miniſterie, for want of place and imploiment, hauehave in time ſo forgotten all, as if they had neuer beene trained vp in learning: and ſo in other ſciences.
2. Thus come they to doe much more good in Church or Common-wealth: till men be placed in diſtinct callings, they are but fitting and preparing for future times. I denie not but that both Church and Common-wealth may reape much benefit by the paines and labour of the younger ſort, who are trained vp vnderunder others: but moſt properly are they counted members of the Church and Common-wealth, and actuall inſtruments of the good thereof, who hauehave ſome particular diſtinct calling, whereby they doe good to others.
3. Thus they come to liue of themſelues, and to be able to releeue others alſo. All the time of their education, they are commonly at the charge of others: at leaſt, though by their paines they may gaine much, yet the gaine returnes to others: they themſelues for the moſt part hauehave but a bare maintenance, meat, drinke and cloth (as we ſay:) little hauehave they to lay vp for themſelues for the time to come, or to giuegive to others for the preſent.
4. They thus come to traine vp others againſt after times, as they themſelues hauehave beene trained vp: whereby a continuall and perpetuall ſucceſſion of all kindes of callings, is from time to time preſerued: and thus Family, Church, and Common-wealth vpheld and maintained. In ſhort time would all callings and functions vtterly decay, if a continuall ſupplie were not thus made.
§. 51. Direction for parents in prouiding callings for their children.
Two eſpeciall cautions are to be obſerued by parents in Cautions in prouiding callings.prouiding callings for their children.
1. That ſuch callings be prouided as their children hauehave beene trained vp vntounto, and are in ſome meaſure fitted and enabled to performe the duties thereof: as to prouide a Miniſters place for him that hath beene brought vp in learning and ſtudied diuinity: ſo in other callings ſuch, as their children may be their crafts-maſters therein. Thus ſhall their children doe the more good therein, both to others and themſelues. Bezaleel and Aholiab were choſen to build the tabernacle becauſe they were filled with wiſdome to worke all manner of worke: likewiſe Exod. 35. 35.the ſeruants of Hirom were choſen to hew Cedar trees for the temple, becauſe among the Iewes there were not any that 1 King. 5. 6.could skill to hew timber, like vntounto the Sidonians. Pharaoh was carefull to hauehave men of actiuity rulers ouer his cattell.Gen. 47. 6.
2. That ſuch meanes be vſed for prouiding a calling as parents in vſing them may with faith call vponupon God for his bleſſing. They that by lawfull meanes are brought into a calling whereunto they are fitted, are ſet therein by God, as is implied by this phraſe, as God hath called eueryevery one, &c. A lawfull entrance into a calling is a matter of great moment: he that ſo entreth may in a right vſe thereof caſt himſelfe vponupon Gods bleſſing, and with ſtrong confidence expect the ſame, ſaying as the Prophet did, Lord I hauehave not thruſt in my ſelfe thou Ier. 17. 16.knoweſt.