Addresses to Old Men Young Men and Little Children, Doctrine 3

Addresses to Old Men Young Men and Little Children · Doctrine 3

p. 96DOCTRINE. It is the particular priviledge of gracious Little CHILDREN, to Know the Almighty God, as an Heavenly Father to them.

Let the Ensuing Propositions give Right Thoughts about this matter to us.

Propositin I.

The God of Heaven is a Father to gratious p. 97little Children. Religious Children when they are sitting perhaps upon the knee of an Ear…hly Father, may remember that there is another Father, whom they belong unto; namely, A Father which is in Heaven.

But in what Respects may gracious little Children call God, Their Father.

First, Gracious little Children may look upon God as their Father, in respect of Creation; for indeed asl Creatures thus have Him, for their Father. 'Tis intimated in Job 38.28. He is the Father of the Rain, and of the Dew. But he is especially thus a Father unto all Spirits; it is said, in Heb. 12.9. He is the Father of Spirits; and thus the Angels, are styled, The Sons of God. Hence man also, every man may say unto God, our Father; we all owe unto God, our Production and Original; and, as the Apostle Paul speaks in the words of the Greek Poet, Aratus, in Acts 17.18. We are his Offspring. Thus, little Children should betimes be sensible of this, I am newly come out of the hands of the great God; it is God tbat made me, and shap'd me, and bestow'd my life and my Being on me.

Secondly, Gracious little Children may loo… upon God as their Father, in respect of Susception; He undertaketh for them. God owns a Paternity unto gracious little Children, by undertaking of their Patronage. Indeed, there is a contract and a consent of them concerning it; they desire of God, that he would Undertake the Office p. 98of a Father for them; and they say to him, as in Isa. 63.17. Doubtless, thou art our Father. They see that their natural Fathers cannot Relieve all their wants, and Remove all their woes, and prevent all their fears; and hence the glorious God, upon an humble Request of theirs, becomes concerned as a Father for them. 'Tis thus especially, when they have no other fathers to look after them; 'tis said of God, in Psal. 69.5. He is a father of the fatherless. When gracious little Children are left as Orphans in a wide and a wild world, they may assure themselves. My best father is yet alive; tho my father do forsake me, yet the Lord will take me up.

Thirdly, Gracious little Children may look upon God as their Father, in respect of Adoption. God in his free grace, accounts them his Children, through the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ; & thus, as 'tis said in Joh. 1.11. They have power to be called the Sons of God. Gracious little Children are united unto Him that is the Saviour of the World. As young as they are, the Almighty Lord of Lords, and King of Kings counts them old enough to be married unto Himself. In the Ancient, Eternal, Well-ordered Covenant of Redemption, the Lord Jesus Christ was made a publick person, representing of all his chosen Ones; he was thus constituted by an Eternal Agreement between God and Him; and gracious little Children say their Amen, to that Agreement; those little Chickens put themselves under the wing of p. 99the Lord Jesus Christ, and cry unto him, O be our Surety for good. Now Christ and they are one; the Reck'ning of God from all Eternity, and the Spirit of God in fulness of Time, hath made them so; and thus these little Children become the Children of the great God. For the Name of God is, The Father of our Lord Jesu… Christ; the Word of God is, He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father. It now follows that all gracious little Children arrive unto that Advancement, in Rom 8.16, 17, Children of God, and joint Heirs with Christ. Now they have a New Name upon them, and the Lord Jesus now speaks unto them in such Heart-breaking terms as those, My Father is your Father, and my God is your God.

Fourthly, Gracious little Children may look upon God as their Father, in respect of Regeneration. 'Tis the preheminence of all Converted persons; that they are Born again by the Word of God. But who is their Father? We are told in John 1.13. They that believe, are born of God; and there are some little Children to be found among true Believers. These are not by generation the Children of God; for thus God is a Father only to the Lord Jesus Christ. But they are by Regeneration so. The Almighty God says to the Lord Jesus Christ as Jacob to Joseph of old, Thy Sons shall be mine. But as for little Children that are brought home to God, by the Renewing of the Holy Ghost, these are the Children of the Lord Jesus Christ; they are call'd in Isa. 53.10. The Seed of that Lord; p. 100they are born of him, and born twice perhaps within one seven years.

Proposition II.

Gracious little Children endeavour to Know God, as thus an Heavenly Father to them.

But what is implied in this Knowledge?

First, Gracious little Children would not be without the saving and sincere Knowledge of God. They know the truth of that in Joh. 17 3. This is Life Eternal, to know the only true God; they know the truth of that in Prov. 19.2. For the Soul to be without knowledge, it is not good. And this awakens them to seek the Knowledge of God, wiih such cares and cries as the Wise man in the Proverbs advised his Children unto. Gracious little Children complain of themselves, as he did of old, in Prov. 30.3. I have not the knowledge of the Holy; and so they become willing to learn; they are willing to learn what God is, what His Three Persons and what His Infinite Perfections are; they are willing to learn what He does in the World, as Creating and Preserving of all things, and as Redeeming his Elect; they are willing to learn what He says in the Word, what Mysteries, what Histories, what Commandments, what Promises, and Threatnings He has therein set before us. They think that without some Knowledge of these things they must grind like Sampson with his Eyes put out by Hellish Philistines; p. 101and they tr…mble at such a Doom as that, in Isa. 27.11. It is a people of no Ʋnderstanding; whe…efore he that made them, will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no Favour. There is no need of whipping them to their Catech…sms; to be learning of them, is as Pleasant and welcome an Exercise unto these Children, as any that they can be put upon.

Secondly, Gracious little Children would not be without an assured Knowledge, that in the furthest and the sweetest sense, God is indeed a Father to them; they would have an Assurance of their being Adopted and Regenerated by the Lord: They look upon God, as the best Father in the World; and as the son of Jesse sometimes could say, in 1 Sam. 18.23. Seemeth it unto you a light thing to be a Kings Son-in-law? So 'tis not a light thing in the Opinion of these, to become the Children of that God, who is a great King, and whose Name is Dreadful. Gracious little Children are sensible, that they have been the children of wrath, and the Children of Hell, and that while they were in their sins they have had the Devil for their father; but when they read the eighth Chapter to the Romans, they count it a thing of inexpressible importance for them, to get into the liberty of the Sons of God. It affects them to see how the children of men are divided, in 1 Joh. 3.10. Either the children of God, or the children of the Devil; and they can by no means bear to continue the children of so black a father as the Devil p. 102is. Hence they do most heartily, readily, cheerfully close with the motions which the Son of God makes unto them; and as it is said in Gal. 3.26. Ye are all the children of God, by faith in Jesus Christ; so, these Children do by faith accept of the Lord Jesus Christ as offered unto them in the Gospel; 'tis the language of their Souls, Blessed Lord Jesus, be thou mine, and let me be Thine; do thou bestow Righteousness, and grace, and life upon me; and let me be for Thee and not for another.

Thirdly, Gracious little Children study to pay unto God the Acknowledgements which are due unto a Father, yea, unto an Heavenly Father. The Carriage of Children to a father is imitated in their Deportment before the Lord. And,

First, They place on God, the Affection which is due unto a father. A father, is a Name all made up of love. As the fatherly love of God unto gracious little Children is very marvellous; for thus 'tis said in 1 Joh 3.1. Behold, what manner of love, the Father has bestow'd upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God! So the Filial Love of these Children unto God, is likewise, Behold, what manner of love! They love none so much as God, but tho' they love their fathers more than all Creatures, yet they love their God with greater out-goings of their little Souls.

Secondly, They pay to God, the Reverence which is due unto a father. They dare not therefore be rude, sawcy, impudent, in the special presence p. 103of the Lord; nor Talk, nor Sport, nor Sleep, when they should be worshipping of Him. 'Tis the voice of God in Mal. 1.6. A son honoureth his father; if then I be a Father, where is my Honour? Gracious little Children give unto their God the Honour of a father; if they speak of God, it is in a most humble serious, awful strain; they will not say, O God, or, O Lord, or say, God bless me, and, Lord bless me, with a frothy, carnal, heedless interjection; if they speak to God, it is with an exceeding veneration: while they are at pra…er, they compose themselves unto a very diligent Attention and Intention of Soul; once more, if they hear from God, they set themselves as in the s…ght of him, who is greatly to be feared and had in Peverence; while they are in the Assemblies where the Word of God is Preach'd unto them, they would not use the least wildeness for a thousand worlds.

Thirdly, They yield to God the submission which is due unto a father. They will by no means dispute the will of God, but render a most full, profound, absolute Obedience thereunto. Our Lord Jesus could say unto God, as in Luc. 22.42. Father, not my will, but thine be done; and gracious little Children will herein say after that Holy Child Jesus. As for the will of God in his Precept, they are very ready to do it; they say, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do; and they do whatsoever they understand he does bid; they would fain do, The thing that good is, and what the Lord p. 104has required of them. As for the will of God in his Providence, they are very ready to bear it; they say The will of the Lord be done! and they bear what strokes, what pains, what sorrows, his Rod may lash them with; so they are subject unto the father of Spirits, and live.

Fourthly, They have a Dependance on God as Children on a Father. Gracious Children are praying Children, they won't easily let a day pass them without praying to God, and they go unto God as unto a father in their prayers. There was a very little Child whose prayers were so freq…ent and so fervent, that a Neighbour which discovered them cryed out, The prayers of that Child will sink me to the bottom of Hell. Gracious little Children will pray at such a rate as to condemn the prayerless lives of all the Neighbourhood.

But how is that? briefly,

Gracious little Children, will use to pray with Boldness. As a Child will go boldly to his Father upon all occasions; thus will these Children be e…er now and then coming to God, and as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 4.16. Come boldly to the Throne of Grace. When they see the infinite Majesty and Purity of God, they do with much fear approach unto Him; but when they see, that God is their father, this does again encourage them. They been't loth to go tell this father of theirs, what they all, in all of their Distresses; no, they go to God, and cry, Abba, father! and in all things make known Requests unto God.

p. 105Again, gracious little Children, will use to pray with Comfort. These Children are comfortably perswaded of success in their Cryes to God, as Children in theirs unto a Father; and they argue at that rate, in Mat. 7.11. If ye, be…ng Evil, know how to give good gifts unto your Children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven! As Luther would say, That word, my Father, used by a praying Saint, all the Rhetorick and Eloquence in the world could never equal it. Thus, these, when they say unto God, my father, they promise themselves that no good thing shall be deny'd unto them. Since God is their Father, they expect that their Father will Pity them, that their Father will counsel them, that their Father will supply them, and make them happy for-ever.

Fifthly, They have a Resemblance of God, as Children of a Father: gracious Children are like their father, and are as the Apostolical expression has it, in Eph. 5.1. followers of God as dear Children. Yea, they are not meer Pictures, which may have something of the figure and feature in them, but they are Children that will talk and walk just like their father. Thus our Lord says in Luc. 6.35. Be and do like to God, and you shall be the children of the Highest. In short, what is grievous to God is grievous also to gracious little Children, that have his Image on them. These Children are grieved at their own sins, because God is grieved at them. When Caesar saw an intimate Acquaintance p. 106of his, amo…g the Murderers, that were assaulting of him, he most bitterly cry'd out, What, my child among them! Thus a Child who…e heart God has touched, thinks with himself, If such an one as I sin, it will be as if a Child should go to stab his Father; and so it stabs him at the heart indeed, when he sees how many sins he has Offended the great God withal. These Children are also grieved at the sins of others, because God is grieved at them. It is related of Croesus, that he had a dumb Son; which Son seeing a Souldier about killing of his Father, he was in such an Agony, that tho' he never spoke before, yet now he spoke, and shriek'd, O don't you kill my father! Thus, if a Child belonging to God, see any body profane and wicked, it is as if he saw one striking at his Father; he is in a just passion at it, and pleads, O don't serve my Eternal father so! If any perhaps, of his play-mates or school-mates, go to do any naughty thing, he will zealousl… rebuke them for it. In a word, These gracious Children, are loth to do any thing that may be displeasing to such a Father as the blessed God. If such a Child be tempted unto Sabbath-breaking he thinks, What shall I dishonour my father so as to take the Devil for my play-fellow! If he be tempted unto Cursing, Swearing, Lying, or the calling of wicked Names, he thinks, No, my Heavenly Father does cast Children into those flames where they shall not have a drop of water to cool their Tongues, for such crimes p. 107as these! He abhors all that is contrary to the thrice-Holy-God.

Proposition III.

It is the peculiar priviledge of gracious little Children thus to know the Almighty God.

These three things a…e to be affirmed.

First, There are some little Children, that have and own God, for their Father. Such a Child might Samuel be; of whom we find in 1 Sam. 3.1. that while he was a Child, he Ministred unto the Lord; he kept waiting on God, and serving of God, in his House continually; and had a most intimate Communion with him there. Such a Child might also David be; who was able to say in Psal. 22.9. Thou didst make me Hope when I was upon my Mothers Breasts; thou art my God from my Mothers Belly; he speaks, as if before he had bin weaned, there had been some hope and some faith on God, beginning to dawn in his little Soul. And such a Child seems Timothy to have been; unto whom 'twas said in 2 Tim. 3.15. From a Child thou hast known the Scriptures; he was in his very Infancy acquainted with the mind of the great God. The father of Orig… took him to be such a Child, when he would kiss the breast of the lovely youth while he lay asl…ep, as a young Temple to the Eternal Spirit of God. Some little Children have been so devoted unto God, as to prove the most Eminent Witnesses and Confessors p. 108for him; the bloody Papists butchered four hundred such precious Infants at once, among the Waldenses long ago. When the N…ble Romanus was Martyr'd, in one of the Primitive Persentions, a little Child but seven years old, bravely suffered with him▪ for asserting the Christian Religion, which (said the child, unto his furious Persecutors) I learnt of my christian Mother, with whose Milk I suck'd it in. Yea, many children then accompanied their courageous Parents, in receiving the Crown of M…rtyrdom. And certainly, those were very well disposed little children, who in the horrible Marian Dayes, came about the Martyr Lawrence; as he was dying in the flames, & cry'd out, Lord, strengthen thy servant & keep thy promise! Lord, strengthen thy servant, and keep thy Promise!

M…reover, some worthy men, have made Collections, of Histories, concerning little children, that ha…e given wonderful Instances of an Early Piety befo…e they left the world. The Excellent Janewa…, has done excellently well this way, in his T…kens for Ch…ld…n which little Books, I most affe…tionately Recommend unto the perusal of you all. He tells of one child admirably wrought upon by the grace of God, when between two and three years old. He writes of a Boy remarkable for Devotions, which dy'd at the age of twel…e years, and being, in his lingring sickness, told of a fair Estate which he might live to enjoy, bravely answered, I had rather have the Kingdom p. 109of Heaven, than a thousand such Inheritances! I desire to dy, that I may go to that. He writes of another, which having walked with God from the fourth to the twelfth year of his Age, then dy'd, professing, This is a most wicked world, it is indeed good to live with my Parents, but it is better to live in Heaven. He writes of a Girl also remarkable for Devotions, which being converted unto God, when eight or nine years old, not long after dy'd in the midst of incredible Raptures, wherein she cry'd out, Oh! If you knew what Christ were! Oh! If you had but one tast of his infinite sweetness, you would a thousand times rather go to Him, than stay in this wicked world. I would not for ten thousand and ten thousand worlds part with my Interest in him, or go back from the everlasting Joys which I am now near unto. He writes of another brought home to God, when between four or five years old, which would sometimes be thinking, O what are they doing, that are already in Heaven! and being at last smitten with the marks of the Plague breaking out upon her, she cryed out, Behold, God has marked me, for one of his own; the Lord has already told me, that I am one of his dear Children! And several other such Examples, have been Recorded; not only by that man of God, but also by Mr. White, Mr. Ness, Mr. Bidbank, and sundry other such holy Men.

Yea, and the place where our selves do live, hath not been without such Examples; and those, of both Sexes. Unto such as have been already p. 110Published, it were easy to add many more.

To Male-children, I might particularly mention one who at the age of twelve years, among other expressions of an unusual seriousness and gravity, wrote from his Lodging at Camb…i…ge to his Father in Dorchester.—These very syllables. Tho I am thus well in my Body, yet I question whether my Soul do prosper as my Body doth; for I perceive yet to this very day, little growth in grace; and this makes me question, whether grace be in mine heart, or no. I feel also daily great unwillingness to good Duties, and the great ruling of Sin in my heart; and that God is angry with me, and gives me no Answer to my prayers, but many times he even throws them down as dust in my face; and he does not grant my continual Requests, for the spiritual blessing of the f…s…ning of my hard heart. And in all this, I could yet take some Comfort; but that it makes me to wonder, what God's secret Decree concerning me, may be. For I doubt whether God is ever wont to deny grace and me…cy to his chosen, (tho' uncal…ed) when they seek unto him by prayer for it; and therefore seeing he does thus deny it to me, I think that the reason of it is most like to be, b…cause I belong not to the Election of Grace. I desire you, that you would let me have your prayers, as I doubt not but I have them; and rest

your Son, Samuel Mather.

p. 111This was he, whom twenty years afterwards, all Ireland had a Blessing in; contradicting that Needless Proverb, soon ripe, soon rotten.

To Female Children, I might mention, Ann Greenough, the Daughter of Mr. William Greenough Deceased; who left the world, when she was but about five years old, and yet gave astonishing Discoveries of a Regard unto God and Christ & her own Soul, before she went away. When she heard any thing about the Lord Jesus Christ, she would be strangely transported and ravished in her Spirit at it; and had an unspeakable Delight in Catechising. She would put strange Questions about eternal things, and make Answers her self that were extreamly pertinent. Once particularlarly she asked, A…e not we dead in Sin? and presently added, But I will tak… this way, the Lord Jesus Ch…ist shall make me alive. She was very frequent and constant in secret prayer, and could not with any patience be interrupted in it. She told her gracious Mother, That she there prayed for her! and was covetous of being with her Mother, when she imagined such Duties to be going forward. When she fell sick at last of a Consumption, she would not by any sports be diverted from the Thoughts of Death, wherein she took such pleasure that she did not care to hear of any thing else. And if she were asked, whether she were willing to dy? she would still cheerfully Reply, Ay, by all means, that I may go to the Lord Jesus Christ.

p. 112Indeed sundry such little Children, have there been among us; but now, as he that heard a story of two faithful Friends, presently said, I would I were a third with them! So, I hope every one of the little Children that have seen these Examples, will say, O that I may be a third! O that I might be like one of these happy Children! But,

Secondly, There are few little Children, that have and own God for their Father. Indeed, those few little Children, that are descended of Believing Parents, have the same God that their Paren…s have chosen bo…h for themselves & theirs, until they are old enough to revoke or to renew the choice; the Children are included in what their Parents do, and have, until they can stand upon their own Legs; and at what age that is, our God has not, that I remember, expresly spoken; which ought therefore to hasten the cares of little Children, about their own Salvation. Hence we read concerning the children of Believers in 1. Cor. 7.14. They are holy; God accepts them, & regards them, as consecrated unto himself. But of those little Children that are come to a Capacity of acting deliberately and rationally about Eternal Matters, how few are there that carefully say, Let God be a father to me! We may with a special Reference to little Children speak in such terms as those, in Psal. 14.2, 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God; t…y are all gone aside, they are all-together become p. 113filthy; there is none that doth good, no, not one. Even so, 'tis a rare thing, an hard thing, among little Children, to find so much as one that has an awful Resp…ct unto all the Comm…ndments of God. About the generality of little Children, it may be complained as in Jer. 4.22. they are sottish Children, and they have no understanding, they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge; or it may be complained as in Isa. 1.4. A seed of evil Doers, children that are corrupters, they have forsaken the Lord. I confess, there is now and then a Child which has the Seeds of grace lodged in its Infant Soul, and less or more sprouting forth, according to various Temptations; but, how few do ever throughly turn to God until their Childhood be all expired!

Thirdly, Very glorious is the priviledge of those Little Children, that have and own God, for their Father. 'Tis a glorious priviledge to be Interested in the fatherly Regards of the great God; but so these gracious little Children are.

'Tis their priviledge, that God has the Love of a Father for them. As 'twas said of a dutiful and a towardly Child, in Gen. 44 20. His father loved him; unspeakably and infinitely more loving is the love of God unto all gracious little Children. A father loves his Children more than all his Riches in the world; and so does God love these Children move than the whole world besides; unto such a p. 114Child, the great God says with a peculiar Emphasis as in Isa. 43.4. I have loved thee!

'Tis their priviledge, that God has likewise the pity of a Father for them. When a Child is in sickness, or distress, the heart of a father even yearns towards it. But the heart of God moves with a more compassionate pity towards gracious little Children in all their Troubles; thus 'tis said in Psal. 103.12. As a Father pities his Children, so the Lord pities them that fear him. He feels their sorrows with a most parental Sympathy; a…d if at any time he Chastise them with necessary Afflictions, he says upon it, My Bowels are troubled for them, I will surely have mercy upon them.

'Tis moreover their priviledge that God has the pardon of a Father for them. A Father will bear with many Infirmities in his Children; but God passes by more far away in gracious little Children. Tho' they desire to do and he better, yet they are attended with many daily childish weaknesses; but then our God says, in Mal. 3.17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son, that serveth him. Yea, if thro' Temptation they fall into grosser Scandals, nevertheless when they come to loath and judge themselves for their miscarriages, the Lord will be as ready to forgive them, as David was to forgive his Rebellious, but Relenting Absalom.

Once more, 'tis their priviledge, that God makes the provision of a Father for them. Children p. 115shall not want, so long as they have a Loving and a Tender Father, able to look after them. But God will provide for gracious little Children, after a manner which Eye has not seen, Ear has not heard, and heart has not conceived. We are told in Psal. 34.10. They that fear the Lord, shall not want any good thing. These belong to the Family of the Almighty God; and, Their Heavenly Father knows what things they have need of. He will furnish them with all suitable mercies both Temporal and Eternal.

Finally, 'Tis their priviledge, that when they make any-allowable prayers, God like a Father will hear them all. If Children go to a Father for any convenient thing 'tis but, Ask and Have; much more is the blessed Access and Success which gracious little children have in their Supplications to the Lord. Of their prayer, we may say as in Prov. 15.8. 'Tis his Delight. God propounds to them, Children, what do you want? What would you have? Children, what shall I do for you? And he delights to see them, spreading their Ails before him. Tho' their prayers are but like the Chatterings and Laspings of Children, yet the Lord says concerning them, Let me hear thy voice, for it is sweet; their prayers make a most Heavenly Melody in the Ears of the Eternal God.

Behold, ye pious little Children, what a Father you are priviledged with! And yet know for your Everlasting Comfort, that it is an Everlasting Father, who will do for you such things as these. p. 116The best Father else may leave you Fatherless, and then you will sit wishing in your solitary hours, O that it were with me, as in months past, when my Father was alive! But you are now priviledged with a Father worth infinitely more than ten thousand of any that can be taken from you. It was the encouragement of the Psalmist, in Psal. 27.10. When my Father, and Mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. 'Tis an allusion to the Journeys of Israel thro' the Wilderness; when the three first Squadrons were pass…d on before, the fourth and last Squadron were to gather up the sick, and the weak, and the lame, that had been left behind. Thus, tho' thy Father be marched away, and has left thee a shir…less little creature here, yet the Lord, he is thy Father still, and he will take thee up.

But for the brief Improvement of these things.

Application.

I. Let all Parents endeavour that their Children may be those gracious Ones which may know God for their Father. Methinks, you that are the Fathers of these poor little Creatures, if you had any bowels in you, should be concerned that they may have an Heavenly Father, to do that which you desire, but cannot perform for them. Let me in the Name of God, lay before you two or three solemn questions to be thought upon.

First, have you no Kindness for your poor children? p. 117'Tis by your means, that they are now born defiled, depraved, horribly polluted, with Original Sin, and fearfully perishing under the wrath and curse of God; and what amends will you make 'em, for this infinite wrong? It was the law for a man that had wounded another, in Exod. 21.19. He shall cause him to be throughly healed. And will you do nothing towards healing those prodigious wounds, which your Falls have caused your Children to lie bleeding under? Your poor Children, can you endure to see them starving, burning, dying before your Eyes? but thus they are till by Conversion they are become gracious little Children. We read in Lam. 4.3. Even the Sea-monsters draw out the Breasts, they give suck to their young ones. If you will do nothing for the Souls of your poor Children, you are wors… than the cruellest Sea-monsters in the world.

Secondly, Have you no Regard for Gods Command and Glory? Why, the Immortal God, who made your children has committed them into your Hands, and said, as the Princess of Egypt unto the Mother of Moses, Here, take this Child, Nurse it for me, and I'le give thee thy wages. 'Tis tho charge which God has given you, about your Children, in Eph. 6.4. Bring them up in th… Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. And this is the way to propagate and continue the Service of God, unto after-generations; you that make it not your study, to see your Offspring become gracious little Children, are willing that God p. 118should never have any honour in the world, afte… this Generation shall be expired.

Thirdly, Have you no Regard for your own Credit and Comfort? It is said in Prov. 23.24. The father of the Righteous shall greatly Rejoyce: Truly, if you had gracious little Children, you might, you would Rejoyce exceedingly. Which of you had not rather have a Joseph than an Esau, for his Age to lean upon? And when you leave your Children, or your Children leave you, how much would you give to have just Hopes, of having their Company in the sweet Joyes, of the Third Heaven for-ever? Besides, it will be a blessed mark upon your Souls, it will be a sign tha… you are among the Children of Abraham, if you Command your Children to keep the way of the Lord.

Would you be informed then, what you may do for your poor Children? Do you ask, as Manoah of old, How shall we order the child, and what shall we do unto him? There are four things by which you may save the Souls of your little Children; yea, there are five things to be observed, that God may be a Father to them.

The first thing necessary for your poor Children, is, your Authority. 'Twas said in Lev. 19.3. Ye shall fear every man, his Mother and his Father; the Mother is first mentioned, because that she commonly first loses her Authority. Look to it, that you keep up a Fear of you, in the hearts of your Children, and make them Tremble to p. 119Refuse any fit thing that you shall Enjoyn upon them.

Another thing necessary, is, your Instruction. 'Twas the Report of the Wise-man, in Prov. 4.3, 4. I was my Fathers Son, he taught me also; and without this he had never prov'd so wise a man. Let your Children be most frequently, seriously, exactly Catechised; and let your Admonitions teach them, how they should think, how pray, and how live, before the Lord.

A Third thing necessary, is, your Inspection. As our Lord asked His Houshold, in Joh. 16.31. Do ye now Believe? So, do you ask your Children, what their Experience, and what their Behaviour is; penetrate as far into their Circumstances, as that you may assist them against their Difficulties.

A Fourth necessary thing, is your Example. Resolve like him, in Psal. 101.2. I will walk within my House with a perfect heart. It is no rare thing to find it of the Son, He did according to all, that his Father did. Let your Children see by your Piety and Charity and Zeal, how they may please God; and never expose, like disguised Noah, your Nakedness unto them. And unto all these things add your Prayer; your fervent and constant prayer, to God. Pray with your Children; and let not your Houses be liable to that hideous Thunder-clap, in Jer. 10.25. Pour out thy Fury on the Families that call not on thy Name. A doleful Meeting must you have with your Children in another world, if you there have them article p. 120at this rate against you, Lord, if this bloody Father of mine had learnt me to acknowledge thee, I had never come to this place of Torment. But pray for your Children too; and be like those who, in Mat. 19.13. brought little children unto Jesus. O carry them to God in Christ, with your importunate Cries, That He would heal their spiritual Diseases; That He would cast every evil Spirit out of them; and that according to His promise, He would circumcise their Hearts to fear His Name for ever.

II. But then, My little children, of whom I travel in Birth again, until Christ be formed in you; I pray, let it be your endeavour to be those gracious Ones, which God may be an Heavenly Father unto. 'Tis impossible to express, how willing, how ready, the Lord is to be the Father of you all. He has already been a Father to many thousands of such as you; and there are doubtless more little Children in Heaven, even in the Fathers House, than there are persons of any other Age. How much may this encourage you; but in the mean time, consider, my dear Children, consider what your condition is. A little Child once became a very holy Child, and being asked the reason of it, he said, Why, I was t'other day in the burying-place, and there I saw a Crave shorter than my self. Truly, if you'll repair to the Graves among us, you'll see many an one of your own Dimensions there. As p. 121young as you are, you are old enough to Dy; the Lambs-skin is in the Market as well as the Sheep's. But O consider what will then become of your never-dying Souls, if you have not before then made sure of an Interest in God as a Father for you. What a terrible thing will it be for you to be then clap'd up in chains of Darkness among black Devils against the Judgment of the Great Day! When the Last Judgment comes upon the world, who shall then appear before the dreadful Tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ? It is said in Rev. 20.12. I saw the Dead, small and great stand before God; the smallest of you all must then have a Sentence of Weal or Wo passed upon you; a Sentence that will fix you in your state, for infinitely more than as many millions of Ages as the Ocean has drops of water in it.

But, I again say, consider what will become of you, if God be not as a Father concerned for you. You cannot then escape the Vengeance of eternal Fire, which Fire hath millions of small Chips, as well as of great Logs, horribly burning in it.

My Children, consider what has been set before you, and immediately turn it all into most importunate Supplications. We read, That when little Children were carried unto the Lord Jesus Christ, He Blessed them; how much p. 122more will He bless those little Children that shall themselves go unto Him! Go then unto the Lord; go daily, go seriously, go heartily unto him, and beg of him, Lord, be thou a Father to me, and help me to be as one of thy Children for-ever.

You may remember that when little children mocked the Prophet, there came two Bears which devoured some scores of them. To slight the Counsels, is in a manner to mock the Prophets of the Lord Jesus; and you will become a prey to Devils that are worse than Bears, if you are guilty of that Impiety. 'Tis my wish for you, that you may so hearken to the Messages of Heaven, as to be the Joy and Care of Holy Angels all your Dayes. Come, ye Children, hearken to me, for I have Taught you the Fear of the Lord.

FINIS.

PAge 10. l. 23. r. Barzillai. p. 15. l. 9. f. gracious r. glorious, ibid. l. 14. f. Omnipotence r. Omnipresence. P. 40. l. 26. r. and seldom. P. 42. l. 20 r. Senescant. P. 53. l. 26. r. Individuation. P. 59. l. 16. r. might help. P. 85. l. 18. r. outwardly happy. ibid. l. ult. f. we r. you. p. 59. l. 1. r the Attempts of the Holy Spirit.

End of the text · Cotton Mather, Addresses to Old Men Young Men and Little Children (1690)