Exhortation to the Ministers of Gods Word, Text 4 (2 of 2)
For if a man leaue his field vntilled, he shall …d it to hauehave brought forth fearne & thistles, …d such vnprofitable weedes: after the same …t, if he shall leaue the wits of his children vn…ked vntounto, and vnexercised, he shall be sure … reape most aboundant fruite of wantonnesse …d vngratiousnesse.
The holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures …f foolish sonnes, as that he that begetteth such …e, getteth himselfe sorrow, and that the fa…er of a foole hath no ioy: Prou. 17. 21. mea…h it not so much of naturall fooles or idiots, and such as are destitute of common reason (although it is true, that is a lamentable iudgement of God, and a heauinesse to the parents of such a childe) as of wicked children, such as either are ignorant in the word, or not knowing how order one right steppe to the Kingdome of God: or else hauing some knowledge, abuse it to maintaine their carnall Ius…es and appetite.
For this cause, as it would grieue parents to hauehave naturall fooles to their children, or such as either in some imperfection of nature are dismembred, or deformed, and misfigured in the parts of their bodie: so much more should it grieue them to hauehave such children, as either for want of knowledge and heauenly wisedome, cannot walke in the feare of God; or abusing the knowledge giuen them, prostitute and giuegive themselues to all sinne and wickednesse.
It is marueilous how greatly parents can bewaile the want of one naturall gift, proceeding of some imperfection, and how easily they can passe ouer without any griefe, the want of all spirituall graces, springing from corrupt education.
In like manner is it strange, that men can take the matter so heauily, when their children breake into such offences, as either hauehave open shame, or ciuill punishment following them: and yet can make no bones, but passe ouer such …ins as are against the maiestie of God, accompanied with euerlasting confusion, and …nspeakeable torments?
Wherein what doth the most part of men …wray, but their great hipocrisie, in that nei…er their ioy, nor their griefe is sound to their children, and that they louelove themselues more …n their children, then either their saluation, … the glorie of God: the tender louelove and care …hereof (no doubt) did increase the sorrow of 2. Sam. 18. 33.Dauid, for the death of his sonne Absolon: who …s not so much grieued for the losse of a son, …s for that vntimely end of his sonne, to whom …e time of repentance for his saluation, and …e glory of God, was denied: which happily, if …e had liued, his father Dauid might hauehave reioyced in.
Let Parents therefore learne to correct …eir affections to their children, and be grie…d for their ignorance, impietie, and sinnes; …hereof either their carnall copulation, the not …menting of their naturall corruption, the want …f prayer and holy seede, or prophane educa…on, armed with the wrath of God, may be a …ost iust occasion.
Can parents hope for a holy posteritie? or doe they maruell if the Lord crosse them in the children of their bodies, when they make as …old and brutish an entrance into that holy …dinance of the Lord, as is the meeting of the neighing horse with his mate? when being ioyned in that honourable estate of matrimony, either as meere naturall men, without all knowledge of God, they beget their children: or as too carnall men without the feare and reuerence of the Lord, neither bewailing their corruptions which they receiued of their ancestrie, nor praying against their infirmities, which may descend to their posteritie, they abuse the marriage bed.
Lastly, when hauing receiued the fruit of the wombe, they hauehave no care, by good and vertuous bringing vp, to offer it to the Lord, that their childe by carnall generation, may be the childe of God by spirituall regeneration?
Surely no: and yet men looking vp to God his prouidence and secret counsell, without all bethinking themselues of their corrupt generation, from which their children are descended, without all looking backe into their wicked and godlesse bringing of them vp, wil fret against their sinnes, fume against their children: yea, often they will correct them, and that to serue their owne corruptions, not so much grieued for that they hauehave sinned against God, as that they hauehave offended them.
Christians therefore must know, that when men and women raging with boyling lust, meete together as brute beasts, hauing no other respect then to satisfie their owne carnall concupiscence, when they make no conscience … sanctifie the marriage bed with prayer, when they hauehave no care to increase the Church …f Christ, and the number of the elect, it is …e iust iudgement of God to send them either …onsters, or naturall fooles, or else such as ha…ing good gifts of the minde, and well propor…oned bodies, are most wicked, gracelesse, and prophane persons.
Againe on the contrarie, wee shall finde in …e word of God, that noble and notable men …mmended vntounto vsus, for rare examples of ver…e and godlinesse, were children asked and …tained of God by prayer.
Our first parents Adam and Eue, be… Gen. 4. 2. 25.humbled after the birth of their wic… sonne Caine, obtained a righteous Abell: …f whom, when by his bloodie brother …ey were bereft, they receiued that holy man ….
Abraham; begetting in the flesh, had a Gen. 21. 2.…sed sonne Ismael, but waiting by faith for the …mplishment of God his couenant, he ob…ed a blessed Isaack.
Iacob not content with one wife, according Gen. 30. 24.… the ordinance of God, was punished in his …ldren: yet afterward being humbled, hee re…ed faithfull Ioseph.
Elkana and Hannah, praying and being cast 1. Sam. 2. 9.…ne, had a Samuel, that did minister before …e Lord.
Dauid and Bathsheba lamenting their sinnes, 2. Sam. 22 24.obtained Salomon, a man of excellent wisedome.2. Sam. 22. 24.
Zacharia and Elizabeth fearing the Lord, Luke. 1. 13.receiued Iohn the Baptist, a fore-runner of Christ.
Looke what sinnes parents hauehave receiued naturally, without God his great blessing, without prayer and humbling of themselues, they shall conuey them to their posteritie. And although the Lord graunteth sometimes ciuill gifts vntounto the children of naturall and carnall men: yet for the most part they receiue their naturall sinnes.
But if the children of God, by regeneration, doe see into themselues, and lament their sinnes of generation, praying that their naturall corruptions may be preuented in their posterities, they shall see the great mercies of God, in some measure, freeing their children from the same.
Now when thou shalt see such sinnes to be in thy children, enter into thine own heart, examine thy selfe whether they are not come from thee: consider how iustly the hand of God may be vponupon thee: and when thou wouldest be angry against thy child, hauehave an holy anger with thy selfe, and vse this, and such like meditation with thine owne soule: Lord, shall I thus punish mine owne sinne, and that in mine owne child? shall I thus persecute the corruptions of my ancestors? nay, I see (O Lord) and proue …at thou art displeased with me, for the too …arnall conception of my childe: I lay then in …me sinne, I asked it not of thee by praier: be …ercifull vntounto me (O Lord) and in thy good …e shew some pittie vponupon my child.
Thus thinking, thou goest about to correct …ure in thy childe, which hee could not help, …ing thy selfe with prayer, repenting with …b, thou shalt be so affected, as desirous to …w thy child out of sin, yet with the mildest …nes and least rigor.
And one thing is most wonderfull; that …e will teach their children to speake cor…ptly, and doe wickedly, whilest they are …ng, and yet beat them for it when they are ….
Againe, some will imbolden their little … to practise iniquitie towards others, …ich when by the iust iudgment of God, they …erwards exercise towards the parents them…es, they are corrected for it. And yet deale …th these, and such like men, for the euill edu…ion of their children, and they will answere: …e not we as much as is of vsus required? we …d our children to the Church to be instru…ed of the Pastor: and to the schoole to be …ght of the maister: if they learne, it wil be the …er for them: if not, they hauehave the more to …were for: what can wee doe more? But re…mber, O man: consider, O woman, who…euer thus speaketh, that for sins sake, and the want of praier, there may be a plague vponupon the Pastors paines, and a curse vponupon the teachers trauell.
If parents therefore would hauehave their children Children profit more by good example in one month, then by instruction in a vvhole yeare.blessed at the Church, and at the schoole: let them beware they giuegive their children no corrupt example at home, by any carelesnesse, prophannesse, or vngodlinesse: for when examples are set before childrens eies, they are easily led away to that which is euill: otherwise, parents will doe them more harme at home, then both Pastor and schoole-master can doe good abroad. For the corrupt example of the one, fighteth with the good doctrine of the other: which is so much the more dangerous, because that corrupt walking is armed with nature, and therefore more forcibly inclineth the affections of children to that side.
And further, experience teacheth vsus, that children like, or mislike more by countenance, gesture and behauiour, then by any rule, doctrine, or precept whatsoeuer.
Some there be, that will not hauehave their children taught, vntill they be ten or twelue yeares old, because (as they say) at that age they hauehave but an apish imitation.
To whom wee answere, that although they cannot then deepely discerne, nor profoundly conceiue things: yet how many things before these yeares, will they both receiue and remember?
And we demaund, if children be apish in …itation and following that whilst they be …ong, which they will hauehave the habit, quali…e or propertie of when they be old, may they …much better doe apishly good, whiles they …e young, which they may carefully do, when …ey are old? besides, let them goe so vntaught, …d they will grow so head-strong, that they …l sooner be broken, then bended: sure it …, that one stripe, or two words, will doe more …ood to a child in time, then a hundred stripes …erward.
And here let parents be admonished of their …discreet correction; who doe their children …e harme in shewing a merrie countenance, …er their discipline vsed, then they doe good …y their chastisement of them, whiles they doe …rect them.
Neither doe we purpose to take away na…rall affections, and a Christian kind of com…assion in all our censures: for it is our great …mplaint of the brutish vnmercifulnesse of …any parents here, but we would wish Christi…s to correct their vndiscreet affections herein …y heauenly wisedome.
Neither are we so stoicall, as to denie a more …ild and affable kind of speech to be law…lly and conueniently vsed to children, and yet …e wish it to be void of all vnseemely lenitie, …d without all shew of foolish, vaine, and vn…ecessarie behauiour.
To be briefe, how needefull household gouernment is towards children, may appeare by the slender thriuing, and small profiting either of religion or vertue, either in the Church or Common-wealth.
Speake men of discipline neuer so much, complaine they of the want of Church gouernment neuer so lowd, preach they, teach they neuer so much abroad, vnlesse they will begin discipline in reforming their houses, and giuegive religion some roome at home, they shall trauell much, and profit little.
And surely, if men be carefull to reforme themselues first, and then their families: if their charge be greater then their circuites and prouinces wherein the Lord hath placed them, it were the best way to mooue the Lord to bestow reformation and discipline on his Church among vsus: and of all meanes that now may be hoped for, this seemeth best: for of particular persons, come families: of families, townes: of townes, prouinces: of prouinces, Realmes: so that conueying discipline thus from one to another, in time, and that shortly, it would come into the Church.
Well (we say) let there be neuer so good lawes in cities, neuer so pure order in Churches, if there be no practise at home: if fathers of families vse nor doctrine and discipline in their houses, and ioyne their helping hands to Magistrates and Ministers, they may indeed, …t vniustly, as many hauehave done complaine …t their children are corrupted abroad, when …ey were before, and are still corrupted and …ed at home.
Alas, if parents, to whom the comfort of …ir children well brought vp, is a precious …wne, will not informe, and reforme their …ldren in the feare of God, how would hope …taine these men, that others will performe … dutie for them, to whom this charge doth …elesse appertainc.
Lastly, let parents remember, that there…e they hauehave disordered and disobedient …dren to themselues, because they hauehave beene …sobedient children vntounto the Lord, and disor…ed to their parents, when they were young: …ereof because they hauehave not repented, the …ord punisheth their sinnes to others, with the …e sinne to themselues.
Wilt thou know thou father, how thou …ist hauehave that blessing to be the blessed …er of a blessed seede? Wilt thou know, … mother, how to auoid that curse, to be … cursed mother of a cursed seede? bring …y children within the compasse of the coue…t, indeuor to make thy son, the son of God, …d thy daughter by nature, the daughter of God by grace: and remember that God, on his …t protested to father Abraham, that hee … as all sufficient, for the accomplishment of …is promise, in giuing him a blessed seede: and requested also on father Abrahams part, that he should walke before him, and be vpright.
Wilt thou then hauehave the one part of this couenant, that is, that God should blesse thee in thy seede? then remember also, that thou walke before the Lord, and be vpright.
Wilt thou hauehave thy children as the blessed seed of Abraham? teach them with Abraham the iudgements of the Lord: pray for them with Abraham, that they may liue in the light of the Lord: be readie to offer them with Abraham, that they may be an holy sacrifice vntounto the Lord.
It is thou (O man) (O woman) that maist doe thy childe the greatest good, and the greatest harme: if thou praiest for them, and repentest for thy selfe, the Lord will blesse thy care, the Pastours paynes, and the Teachers trauell: but if thou despisest these duties, the Lord will deny thee these blessings, and the curse of God will fall vponupon thy childe, at home in thy house, abroad in the Church, and in the schoole.
And seeing the Lord hath promised that he will be thy God, and blesse thy seede, if thou beest faithfull, thou mayest both hope, that thou art of the faithfull, if thou hast a blessed seede: and feare that thou hast not, as yet, the blessing of the couenant, when thy seede is accursed.
But had not Iacob wicked children, and Da… Obiection. vngodly sonnes? and doth not daily expe…ence teach vsus, that wicked men hauehave godly …ldren?
Yes, for besides the secret counsell of the Answere. …d herein, wee must know, that neither the …omise of the Lord is so vniuersall, that eueryevery …ticular child of a faithfull man, should be …hin the couenant: or if of many, there be …one blessed, the promise is performed: …, which more is, though the faithfull man …e neuer a good child, yet, if vntounto the thou…d generation, there be but one good, the co…ant is not broken: neither must we tie the …d his worke, so much to man, that a good …n may not hauehave an euill son, seeing though …e Lord visit not his sinnes, yet he may visit … sinnes of some of his Forefathers, to the …d and fourth generation going before.
To the second (we say) that an euill father …ng a good childe, though the Lord shew … merciemercy to that particular man therein, … he may remember his promise to some of … Forefathers, in the thousand generations …g before: and though that euill man … no cursed childe, yet the curse may be ac…plished in the third and fourth generations …ing.
Wherefore, not speaking of election, or re…ation, which wee leaue onelyonly to the Lord, make good or bad: we exhort parents to the ordinarie meanes to bring vp their children, so as they, either by some good tokens may see them the children of God, and heires of the couenant, or at least be comforted in their owne conscience.
If their children for some cause vnknowne, refuse it, yet may they reioyce in this, that to the vttermost of their abilitie, they hauehave vsed all good and godly meanes to bring them vp well, and offered them to God.
And if Parents hauehave cause to be grieued, when thus trauelling in good education, they cannot see good in their children, how much more cause of griefe may they hauehave, when they hauehave vsed and bestowed no labour at all, to bring them vp in the feare of the Lord? And yet many will be grieued for the one, that will not for the other.
Wherefore, if wee wish to conuey God his blessings to our posterities, let vsus vse the duties thereunto: let vsus, (if we be loth to conuey God his iudgements to our children) carefully auoid the meanes vntounto it.
And surely, as it is a blessed thing in the houre of death, with Simeon to depart in peace, Luke. 3. 29.leauing our wiues, children, and seruants, members of Christ, spouses to Christ, children to God, and seruants to the Lord: so in death, no one thing will be more grieuous vntounto a man, then (the Lord hauing giuen him the charge of so many soules to be furthered to saluation) that his owne tormented conscience …hall presse him: how, as much as he could, hee …h helped them forward to their damnation: …d so (which is more fearefull) hee shall hauehave …em spewing and foming out on his face, con…all curses in hell, accusing him for euer to be … murtherer of their soules, and a cut-throte of …eir saluation.
The end of all this briefly is thus much, that …ents hauing fooles, children not walking ei… in knowledge, or in a good conscience, …st make some vse of so iust a cause of griefe, …mining themselues, and accusing their owne …les before the Lord, eyther for that their …eeling was prophane to so holy an estate, or …ish, because they desired rather a seed like … themselues in flesh and blood, then such … might be like to Christ by grace, and new …, or that they begat their off spring as meer …rall, or very carnall men: or because …ey either prophanelie neglected all good e…cation: or monstrously misliked that in their …ng children, which they liked in themselues, … punished in them their owne corrupt pre…s: or for that they suffered their children …riously to do euill to others, which they …ld not suffer to doe to themselues: or vn…ght them that at home, which was taught a…d: or in that they do lie in some sin vnrepen… of; or else because they neuer made con…ce to bring their posteritie within the …enant of saluation, but still loued the flesh of their children, and not their soules.
Let all Parents remember, that they are bound by the law of God and nature, as concerning this bodily life, to make good and honest prouision (according to their degrees) for the reliefe and maintenance of their children and familie. And therefore such Fathers and mothers, as consume and waste away their money and substance vnthriftily, by dicing, carding, gaming, or by any other indirect and vnlawfull meanes, whereby their children and familie should be maintained, doe very vnnaturally sinne, and breake Gods commaundements.
The wise man sheweth parents, when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue in their children, that it may bring forth the fruit of life, and make them alway readie to die: saying, Eccle. 12. 1. Remember now (saith he) thy Creator Youth must thinke on death betimes, to the end to liue well, and die well.in the dayes of thy youth. As if he should say: Be mindfull, and thinke on God in thy youth, and doe not prolong or defer it vntill age. And so all their life shall runne in a line, the middle like the beginning, and the end like the middle: as the Sunne setteth against the place where it rose.
One of the principallest duties that belong to parents towards their children, is, that they Marriage with Papists, &c. Gen. 2. 23. Verse 24.be very warie and carefull, that their sonnes and daughters doe not match in marriage with such as are vngodly, wicked, and voyd of true religion. Which if they doe, they endanger the faith of their children, and so commit a grieuous sinne.
For proofe whereof, let vsus consider first what marriage is, and how nigh a coniunction the Lord hath made it. He made the woman of the …ans nature, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones: so that wee may not imagine, that that God which required so neere a coniunction in …e outward and inferiour part, will suffer the …nde and spirit of the husband and wife, be…eene faith and superstition to be rent asunder. Therefore when God said: They shall be two in …e flesh: We may not thinke but that he spake … of the whole and perfect creature made of …odie and soule, that they should be of two …e. Or that God did by so holy a Law, set free …e holiest part, requiring onelyonly such agreement … the flesh and bodie, and leaue the soule and …pirit in dissention? For as God gaue vntounto …oth one name, as touching their earthly na…re, signifying their vnitie, and called them Alam: Gen. 5. 2. So he gaue vntounto them a like…esse in name, as they were ioyned in marriage, … signifie their agreement in minde and spirit, …d called the one Man, and the other Woman: Gen. 2. 22. 23. Yea, he gaue vntounto marriage this …peciall priuiledge. For this cause shall a man Gen. 2. 24.…e his father and his mother, and shall cleaue … his wife, and they shall be one flesh: but it …uld neuer be, that any vniting onelyonly of flesh and blood, should hauehave found a dispensation from that Law, that bindeth mind and conscience. Honour thy Father and thy Mother: Exod. 20. 12.
The holy and faithfull bond of marriage between man & wife, is commended to vsus by that most holy Coniunction of Christ with his Church: Ephes. 5. 25. Seeing that this is a Coniunction both of bodie and soule, then such as are Christian parents, ought to be carefull, that How should that marriage speed well, when the bridegrome marrieth such a one, as to whom he may not say, God speed, because she is none of Gods friends? 2. Ioh. 10. 1. Cor. 7. 39. But how doe they marrie in the Lord, who doe marrie the Lords enemies?their children may reioyce in it: howsoeuer it liketh others to marrie their children, yet they ought to see that their children do settle themselues, that they may knit their minds in religion, where they make their bodies one, that so their marriage may beto them, as a looking glasse, to view and behold the louelove of Christ.
Saint Paul giueth this generall rule to all that will marrie, that they marry in the Lord. And to marrie onelyonly in the Lord, is not to be led by flesh and blood, with fauour, credit, honour, friendship, riches, or beautie, but rather it is to marrie religiously in the feare of God, and in the fellowship of the Church of Christ, where true Christians liue by one faith, professe one religion, and serue one God.
Now let vsus a little call to our remembrance, what fruit such equall marriages hauehave brought forth from the beginning.
The sonnes of God, saw the daughters of Gen. 6. 2. 11.men, that they were faire, and they tooke them As the Iewes might not marrie with the Cananites, so christians may not marrie with them which are like Cananites. Gen. 24. 3. and 28. 1. Mal. 2. 11. Ezra. 9. 14.…iues of all that they liked.
This aduenturous marriage in a strange region, did so infect the world, that all flesh had …rupted his wayes. For this cause God gaue …is plaine and expresse law vntounto the people …f Israel, as touching all the Inhabitants of the …d of Canaan: Thou shalt not giuegive thy daugh… vntounto his sonnes: Deut. 7. 2. 3. 4. Exod. 34. 16. …ely they will turne away thy heart: 1. Kin. 11. …. Ezra. 9. 1. 2. &c. and 13. 10. 1. 2. &c. reade the …ces.
We may not here thinke, that this inhibition …eth not now vntounto vsus, as touching Pagans, …ks; or Infidels: but rather we must assure our …es in the trueth, & know that no people in … world, are more within the compasse of this …, then the Papists, & superstitious idolaters. …e holy Ghost forbiddeth vsus to keepe com…y If Adulterie may separate marriage, shall not idolatrie hinder marriage, which is worse then it?with Idolaters, and such as are of a strange …gion. And how can he then permit, that we …ld marrie with them? Hee commandeth …ightly: that we should not draw in one yoke … the vnbeleeuing. 2 Cor. 6. 14. which to doe, … vnseemly, as an oxe and an asse to be yo… together to plough: Deu. 2…. 10. And how … we possibly deuise to violate and break this …mandement more contumeliously, then to …e our selues in marriage with the vnfaith… We are charged: To offer vp our bodies a liue… holy, and a reasonable sacrifice vntounto God: Rom. 12. 1. But if we shall giuegive our bodies to Papists, wee then shall make them one flesh with the Papists and then we may be sure, that no corrupt sacrifice can be a sweet smelling sacrifice vntounto the Lord our God.
Here godly parents ought then aduisedly Parents may not giuegive their daughters to a man vnsanctified. Gen. 34. 14.to consider, that the strengthning and constant standing in religion of their children, is onelyonly of God, and from God, and not of themselues; and therefore although they hauehave brought vp their children religiously and vertuously, and thinke the… are so well grounded and setled therein, that they cannot be remooued and drawne from their sound profession: yet they must beware, that they doe not tempt Go… and venture their children to walke in that w… which so many hauehave fallen in. How can they assure themselues? that their children shall abide constant, and stand vpright, if they shall consent, that they may couple themselues in marriage with Papists.
Sampson was borne by Gods promise, consecrated to the Lord from the day of his birth, to the day of his death, made Iudge of Israel, a deliuerer of Gods Church, and a Reuenger of his enemies: verie great and especiall tokens of the grace of God in him, that it should be continued: yet, when he would attempt to marrie one of a strange religion, he lost his honour, and became a laughing-stocke vntounto the enemies of God. Iudges the fourthteenth Chapter …nd first verse, &c. and 16, 4. 17. 18. &c.
Salomon was a wise man, as euer was any Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman, that liketh nor his religion.…efore him or after him: God had indued him …th heauenly gifts, and had set him vp, as a fi…e of his Sonne Christ: yet when he had mar…ed with Pharaohs daughter, (and others of an…her religion, and strangers from the Com…on-wealth of Israel) he then fell from worse … worse, till at the last he fell to miserable ido…rie. 1 King. 11. 4.
What was the cause that Ahab King of Is…aell, He feareth not sinne, which doth not shun occasions, and he is worthie to be snared, which leadeth himselfe into temptation, and so maketh a trap for himselfe. Luke. 11. 4.did worse then all the kings before him, a …an euen sold to worke wickednes in the sight …f the Lord: aboue all his idolatries, and wal…ng in the most wretched waies of Ieroboam, …e Scripture layeth this to his charge euen as …s greatest sinne, that hee tooke the daughter …f the King of the Sidonians to his wife: 1. Kin. …. 28. 29. 30. 31. And least such parents as ey…er hauehave, or hereafter shall marrie their chil…en to Papists, should thinke their case to be …ter then his, because though they marrie …em to Papists, or to Atheists, yet they do not …rrie them to any Pagans: let them consider …hat the scripture teacheth them more.
Iehoram King of Iudah married neither The wife must be meet, as God said. Gen. 2. 18. But how is she meet, if the husband be a Christian and she a Papist?…ith any Sidonian, nor Aegyptian, neither …ith Pagan or Infidell, but with one of his …ne people, and of the Tribe of Israel: yet …ecause she had corrupted her religion in her fathers house, the Scripture sheweth this to to be the cause of all Iehorams sinne: Hee did euill in the sight of the Lord, because the daughter of Ahab was his wife, 2. King. 1. 18. Yea the Scripture maketh this sinne so great, that Iehosophat a good King, was yet defiled with it, and it is reported as a great blemish of his vertuous doings, that euer hee suffered his sonne Iehoram so dangerously to marrie, 2. Chro. 18. 1.
When God would blame the Idolatrie of his people of Israell, shewing both how greatly he did hate it, & what plagues he would bring vponupon them for it, he reuealed it vntounto the Prophet vnderunder this parable: bidding him take vntounto himselfe a wife of fornications: that is, a wife full of spirituall whordomes, such a one as a Papist is, that in such a marriage (as in a glasse) he might behold how loathsome the peoples Idolatries were, Hose. 1. 2. &c.
Parents hauehave further to remember, that they hauehave not this rule and authoritie ouer their children, that they may chuse whether they will let them marrie or no, or when they list, and whom they list: but fathers and mothers must consider, that they hauehave rule ouer their children vnderunder the Lord, so that the Lord is aboue them: and therefore parents must deale with their children according to the will and mind of God, which will of God is reuealed vntounto vsus out of his word. Now God by his Apostle saith: To auoid fornication, let eueryevery man 1. Cor. 7. 1.… his owne wife, and let euerie woman hauehave … owne husband. Whereby all parents may see … God commaundeth them to permit and …er euerie one to marrie that is disposed to …ie.
Now, if they may not forbid any man or …an to marrie, much lesse their owne chil…, whom if they suffer not to marrie, not ha… the gift of continencie; then they breake …esist Gods ordinance. For we read, that … Isaack forbad his sonne Iacob to marrie Gen. 28. 1. 2.… of the daughters of Canaan, hee did not re…e him altogether from marriage, & there… hee directed him, where and with whom … should marrie.
Likewise the parents of Sampson, when he Iudg. 14. 12. 3.…d a wife of them, did not simply forbid … to marrie, but they reproued him, for be…e hee would marrie an infidell, and a pro…e woman.
Therefore such parents as be godly, will It is the parents dutie to giuegive their children that which may help them in this life, to counsell or to prouide them fit and religious marriages. 2. Cor. 12. 14. Gen. 24. 2. 3. 4. Ruth 3. 1.…e aduised considerations and regard of the …mities of their children, and whether they … liue continent and chaste, or no: and if … shall make choise, and hauehave a good liking …h as be honest, religious & godly, (hauing …ed their parents consent) although they be … rich and wealthie, as they would wish … to match with: yet they ought not to hin…estraine, and forbid their children to mar…ely for want of goods and substance.
Parents ought to be carefull, that their children doe marry in such an age wherein they should vnderstand whom they choose, and very well perceiue what they take in hand, and that they doe not seeke to match themselues in marriage aboue their degree. And it is verie expedient, that parents admonish their children, to make their choise according to their complexion and condition.
This is a most vnnaturall and cruell part, for When Parents doe abuse their authoritie.parents to sell their children for gaine & lucre, and to marrie them when they list & to whom they list, without the good liking of their children, and so bring them into bondage. And Parents must not match their children onelyonly for carnall respects.therefore if parents shall force and compell their children to marrie contrarie to their mind and liking: then the sorrowfull children may not say they hauehave married them, but for euer they hauehave marred and vndone them. And therfore When parents doe marry their daughters to men of vnderstanding they shall performe a waightie worke.to the end, that marriages may be perpetuall, louing and delightfull betwixt the parties: there must and ought to be a knitting of hearts, before striking of hands.
The places of Scripture, are many and diuerse, by which may plainly appeare, that all godly and Christian Parents, are charged by God himselfe, that they should be carefull in time, to make meet choise of husbands for their daughters, and fit wiues for their sonnes: amongst many, these quotations doe sufficiently prooue it. Deutro. 7. 3. Nehemia. 13. 23, 24. …. …9. 6. 1. Cor. 7. 36. 37. 38. Gen. 24. 10. &c. …d …8. 1. 2. and 34. 4. and 38. 6. 8. Iosu. 15. 16. … 2. Sam. 13. 13. Iudg. 14. 1 &c. Let fathers …d mothers therefore (on whom this charge … Gods his commandement lieth, to take wiues … their sonnes, and to prouide husbands for … daughters) take diligent heede hereunto, … they abuse not this their power and autho…e ouer their children, but as in other causes, Colos. 3. 21.…y are willed by the Apostle, that they deale … in such sort towards them, that they here… be dismaid and discouraged: so especially … is matter of greatest moment and value …ll other worldly things whatsoeuer, let … abstaine from all rigour and roughnesse, … beware that they turne not their fatherlie …sdiction and gouernment, into a tyran…ll sowernesle and waywardnesse, letting … will goe for a law, and their pleasure for a …son.
For the rule of Parents ouer their chil…, ought to resemble the gouernment of …d Princes towards their subiects: that is to …, it must be milde, gentle, and easie to be …ne.
For as they, so likewise Parents, so farre concerneth them, and lieth in their abilitie performe, must carry such an euen and vp…ht hand in their gouernment, that they may … louelove seeke to win the hearts of those, ouer …hom they are set, to be firme & sure towards them; and not to keepe them vnders seruile or slauish awe and subiection by too much feare, but rather by a childlike and reuerent feare, which both the subiects owe vntounto their princes, and children vntounto their Parents, and which both the one and the other, easily obtaine at the hands of such as are vnderunder their gouernement, by their equall, vpright, and moderate behauiour towards them.
It doth therefore stand Parents greatly in hand, that in making choise for their children, Parents ought to deale sincerely in the choise of their children.they be free from all sinister and corrupt affection, and that for lucre and couetousnesse they seeke not to thrust such matches vponupon their children, as they cannot brooke, nor like well of.
Yea, and in this most graue and waightie cause, it is a thing earnestly to be wished, that all Christian Parents would not take this matter and businesse lightly in hand, as if it were In prouision of matches for their children, Parents ought to beginne with prayer.but a toy, or a iest, but that they begin it with prayer: that in the whole action, they may in such sort be directed, that they doe nothing against the word of God, or vnbeseeming the same authoritie, the which God himselfe in this cause hath imposed or laid vponupon them.
And thus doing, God no doubt will adde a blessing vntounto their godly indeauour and holy care, and worke obedience in the hearts of their children, as he framed the heart of Isaack with entire affection to embrace Rebecca, whom … father Abraham had by his steward pro…ed for him: Gen. 24. 7. &c.
The third point that appertaineth to Parents, … be themselues examples of all godlines & The third point. Examples doe much more perswade then words, yet we must liue by precepts, and not by examples.…uousnes to their children. So that they must …ember, that they themselues doe not say, or …e any thing, that is euill or offensine, in the …sence of their children. For it is certaine, that …dren follow and learne nothing so much, and …one, as that which they see their father and …her doe, or say. For the vertue, thriuing and …speritie of children, is for the most part …ught by the fathers and mothers good ex…ples and instructions, and contrariwise: for … which is done by examples the inferiours …l thinke they may lawfully doe the like. … good examples doe edifie and vphold: so … examples doe destroy and confound. For …manitie is taught by the law of Nature.
If therefore Parents by their example …uld teach the contraie, what doe they else … indeuour to transforme men into beasts, …ginning first to performe it in their owne …ldren? They must be circumspect that their …ldren doe not fight, and iniurie one another: …d if they sweare, curse, lye, or speak any baw… or ribaldous words, or sing any filthy …es, or vnchristian songs, then to reprooue …em sharply for it.
And let all parents alway labour, that their …dren may rather feare them, for louelove and reuerence, then for feare of punishment. For children that obey their Parents for feare of correction, commonly feare them no longer, then the stripes endure. Before all things, it is As the father beginneth, so it is like the sonne will proceed.needfull that Parents should shew themselues vntounto their children, as a manifest patterne or example, not onelyonly by not sinning and offending God any waies: but also by liuing godly, and by doing all things honestly, that so their children may looke into their liues, and peruse themselues as in a glasse. And therefore, if Parents Gal. 6. 7.doe giuegive good examples, they shall reape the fruit thereof, in the life, behauiour, manners, and prosperitie of their children. For children louelove and delight to do, as their Parents did before them.
All Christian fathers ought to be very carefull, in nourishing and maintaining natural louelove and concord, amongst the children and family, and in no wise to suffer any sparke of hatred to enter into their hearts, least it kindle a fire in Mat. 18. 7.their breast: much lesse ought they themselues to cast in coales of discord among them, by vnkind or iniurious examples of dealing. For the state of a familie if it be in due order, is like to a frame of ioyning worke, or building, whereof, if some one peece be out of his place, it tendeth to the disordering of all the rest: and one disorder following another, all becommeth out of ioynt, and falleth vntounto confusion very dispraisable.
So that Parents therefore ought to be care…ll to maintaine their children in peace, con…rd and amitie: For if discord and contenti… be dangerous and pernitious among all …, how much rather betweene brethren and …ers?
Likewise, if it be hard quenching of sto…ck and debate betweene those that are not …ioyned in kindred, it is farre more difficult …e-vnite brethren, because enmitie among … is mightie and strong, like iron barres to …pe them a sunder. Neyther is there any …ng more slippery or of greater efficacy to …ert a familie, then dissention among bre…en.
It is an old saying: by concord small things … grow, but by discord great things come to …ght.
Againe, how dangerous it is for parents to … more louelove and affection to one childe, … to another, except vponupon iust and great …se: the example of Iacobs children doth te…. For what was the originall of their en… and cruelty, executed against their brother …ph? Gen. 37. 3. Moses there saith, that Ia… louing Ioseph better then his brethren, …e him a party coloured coate, and thereof … tooke occasion to take him, and to speake …ghly vntounto him.
Parents therefore to the end to preuent the … inconueniences, are to vse equalitie among their children so neere as may be, whether in their ordinary vsage, or in the diuision of their goods.
For all men naturally are inclined, but too much to the louelove of earthly goods: so the vnequall sharing and diuiding of the same, doth oftentimes breed great braules and pernitious debate betweene Brethren and Sisters.
Therefore all fathers and mothers are with great diligence to take heede what they say or doe in their houses, and that they doe not commit any lewde or wicked deede, whereby their children may be moued to imitate and follow the same: neyther that they vtter or speake any baudy or ribaldous words, or vse to sweare, or lie in their presence: for euill speakings or communication (saith the Apostle) corrupteth good 1. Cor. 15. 33.manners.
Seruants also are to be looked vntounto, and sharply rebuked, if they doe commit or shew any lewd tricke, or vnhonest behauiour in the presence of children, eyther in word, deed, or gesture. For if they be iustly called murtherers that kill their children being new borne, and kill but the body: how great wickednesse is it then to kill the mindes of children through euill examples? Deserue not such seruants seuerely to be punished by law (thinke you) that bewitch young children, and hurt their weake bodies with poysons? What then doe they …serue, which corrupt the chiefe parts of In…s with most vngratious venime, we meane, … filthy talke, and lewde conuersation of life? … it is a lighter matter to kill the body, then … minde and soule.
Further, Parents ought to be circumspect … wary that their children doe not haunt or … euil company, nor vse any vnhonest pastime. … if it be so that a father will not suffer his …de to come into a place where he may be in …ger to take hurt of his body either by infe… of the plague, or otherwise: how much …e is he bound to with-hold and keepe his …de from comming there, where hee should … and poyson his soule?
The fourth and last point is, that Parents The last point.…e with all care and diligence, keepe their …dren from lazie idlenesse, a vice no doubt, … of which doe spring many inconueniences, … is condemned by the holy Ghost in ma… places Gen. 3. 19. Ezech. 16. 49. Pro. 12. 11. and 18. 9. 1. Tim. 5. 13. 2. Thes. 3. 10. 11of Scripture: whereby God decla…, that he created no man in vaine, or to no …pose, neyther is there any man, vntounto whom … hath not alloted, as it were a certaine stan…g and roome, and a lawfull calling to walke … Whereupon it followeth, that the order …h God hath appointed, is troubled by … as liue idlely: yea, Gods ordinance is bro…, which is great sinne and wickednesse.
So then, by the Word of GOD, none …ht to liue idlely, and to neglect his charge and dutie, but ought to giuegive himselfe to some profitable calling to get his liuing by, and to doe good to others.
Although fathers prouide for their children great store of money, and huge heapes of treasure: yet in three or foure houres, all may be wasted and come to nought. For much euill commeth through Idlenesse: It is an euill teacher: He that doth nothing is ill occupyed. The minde of man is euer stirring and doing somewhat: if it be not doing well, it is doing ill.
A water though it be neuer so cleare and faire, fresh and comfortable; yet if it stand still in a pit or hole, or be kept long in a vessell, whence it hath no issue, it will putrifie and corrupt, rotte and smell, and be vnwholesome: euen so it fareth with children; yea, and with all the sonnes of Adam, if they hauehave nothing to doe, no way to bestow their wit, they will rot, and proue vnwholesome, and deuise mischiefe all the day long.
For as labour and exercise of body in one Idlenesse bringeth much euill.man, industrie and diligence of minde in another man, are sure forts and strong bulwarkes of Countries: euen so Idlenesse and negligence are the cause of all euill: for an idle mans braine becommeth quickly the shop of the Diuell. And as in all things naturall, there is one thing or other which is the spoyle of it: as the canker to the Rose, the worme to the Apple, and …e Caterpiller to the leafe: so the common …yle to all youth, is the contrary to paines … labour, which is Idlenesse. Therefore is I…esse worthily called the mother of all e…, and step-dame of all vertues.
The Prophet Ezekiel in his sixteenth …pter, verse forty nine, teacheth that Idle… was one of the principall sins of Sodome, …h pulled downe fire and brimstone from …en vponupon their heads.
This Idlenesse is the Diuels confederate: … euen as the traiterous seruant, while his …er is a sleepe, and all things at rest, setteth … the doore for the theefe to enter in vponupon …, and spoyle him at his pleasure: euen so …nesse while we are not aware, lying soft vp…he pillowes of securitie, openeth the doore …he Diuell to enter into vsus with full swing, …e destruction both of body and soule.
…int Matthew saith, Chapter thirteene, …e twenty fiue, that while men slept, the e…e came and sowed tares among the wheat: …e fittest time that the Diuell can finde to …e vponupon vsus, is when wee are idle, for that …e sleepe of the soule.
…n the eleuenth Chapter of the second of …el, wee reade, that while Dauid tarryed … at home in the beginning of the yeere, … kings vsed to goe forth to battell, he was …e ouertaken with those two foule sinnes of …tery and Man-slaughter.
Oh that men saw, to how many vices and euils they shut the doore, when they cease to be idle, and giuegive themselues to honest labours, and a lawfull calling. So long as Sampson (Iudg. 19.) warred with the Philistines, he could neuer be taken or euercome, but after that hee gaue himselfe to idlenesse and pleasure, he not onelyonly committed fornication with the strumpet Dalilah, but also was taken of his enimies, and had his eyes miserably put out.
If those two which were such excellent men, indued of God with singular gifts the one of Prophecie, and the other of Strength, and such as no labour or trouble could ouercome, were notwithstanding ouerthrowne, and fell into gricuous sinnes by yeelding for a short time to ease: then what crimes, what mischiefes and inconueniences, are to be feared of them, who all their life long, giuegive themselues to idlenesse and loitering? But such hath alwayes beene the peruerse incredulitie of mens hearts, that they will not belieue that other men hauehave perished, vntill they themselues perish also.
If wee be vtterly void of vnderstanding, let vsus goe to the bruit creatures, which want those helps of reason and gouernment that man hath, and learne of them: Goe to the Pismire, O sluggard (saith Salomon, Prou. 6. 6.) behold her wayes, and be wise: for shee hauing no guide, nor ruler, prepareth her meate in summer, and gathereth her food in the haruest.
What is it that filleth the prisons, and bring…h so many to the gallowes, and causeth so …any parents to lament & bewaile the vntime… death of their children, but Idlenesse? When …e poore condemned wretches hauehave receiued …r iudgements, and come to the place of exe…tion, and stand on the ladder, what counsell … they to young men, and to children, but to …are of Idlenesse?
What is the cause of such, and so many dis…es, in the body? Aske the Physitians, and they …ll tell you, Idlenesse? Whereof rise rebelli… in kingdomes against Princes? Whereof … mutinies, and mutterings in Cities against …gistrates? You can giuegive no greater cause …reof then Idlenesse.
Christ our Redeemer saith: Of eueryevery idle Mat. 12. 36.…d (that is, vaine and vnprofitable trifles, …ch the most part of people spend their liues …, that men shall speake, they shall giuegive account …eof at the day of iudgement. If we shall make … account for idle words, what shal we do for …ds, for idle feet, for idle body, for idle soule? …hat account for all idlenesse, especially for …ked deedes, shall we make at the day of …gement? Seeing then that idlenes is so noi…e and hurtfull, let all christian parents ther…e labour and indeuour to auoid it, both in …emselues and their children, as a plague or …tagious disease.
Therefore it is most requisite and necessary, that Parents doe bring vp their Children eyther To learne that Science, which they be most apt for.in learning, or in some occupation and handicraft, whereby they may get their liuing another day, and so liue the better.
But some vnaduisedly aad foolishly do reason, Obiection. saying; What need is it for noble and rich mens children to hauehave learning? they shall hauehave enough?
We answere, the greater the ship is, and the Answere. more marchandise that it carryeth about, the more need it hath of a cunning Ship-master: so the greater the childe is both by birth, and by inheritance, so much the more need it is for him to be brought vp in learning, and in good literature. For learning, knowledge, and vnderstanding Pro. 3. 13. 14. 15.is profitable both for rich and poore. So that (as the Grecians say:) hee that is ignorant and vnlearned seeth nothing, although he hauehave eyes. The life of such a one, is as a tree without fruit, a day without Sunne, a night without Moone or Starres, a house without a man, and a head without a body.
It is found by experience, which is the best Schoole-maister, that vntounto what occupation or Science soeuer any young man shall be put, the more skill and knowledge he hath in the liberall Sciences, so much the more sooner shall he learne his occupation, and the more ready and handsomer shall hee be about the same. And besides this, hee that hath learning, although it be but small, shall much better vnderunder…tand the Preachers, and take more profit by …earing of them, to his great and endlesse comfort, then he that hath no learning. Experience …so teacheth vsus this, that goods, riches, beauty, …lory, and health, be vnstable, and fade, perish, …asse away, come and go: but learning and ver…e neuer stagger, alway be constant. Therfore … all the charges that Parents be at about their …ldren, that money is best bestowed, that is …id out vponupon learning: especially when they …e taught to know God aright, and how hee …l be serued.
It is a lamentable thing, to consider how …elesse some Parents are of their Children, …hen they put them to the Schole, in that they …ke small account and reckoning to what …hoole-master they put their children to learn, … they may hauehave them taught for little or no …st, though their children profit little or no…ng in learning, so that oftentimes they not …ely bestow their money in vaine, but also …ely suffer their children to loose their time, …ich is a thing so precious, as it cannot be re…emed with any money, and so let them spend … or three yeares in learning that, which …ey might by the diligence and orderly teach…g of a skilfull schoole-master, learne in lesse …en halfe this time, if there be any aptnesse …d towardnesse in their children.
Therefore let Parents remember that as the …oodnes of the ground is not much profitable for corne, vnlesse there be a meete husbandman to till and sow the same: so likewise it is not enough to finde good towardnesse in your children, vnlesse you prouide a meete and fit Schoole-maister to further the same.
And as Noblemen and Gentlemen are desirous to hauehave a good and skilf…ll Horse-keeper, that can keep their horses well, and they spare not to giuegive slipends to such: euen so much more ought Christian Parents to be desirous to hauehave, and maintaine a good Schoolemaister, that might bring vp their children in vertue, wisedome and good learning. And like as if their horse be not well broken, or hauehave any euill qualitie, they will be carefull to see it remedyed, and that he may be made tractable and gentle: so likewise godly parents ought to be much more carefull, not onelyonly that their children may by instruction be brought to some good order, but also to looke that there be no fault in the teacher, to whom they commit the care to bring them vp in learning and good manners.
But alas, and with griefe be it spoken, many Why some men bring not vp their children to any good perfection in learning.men now a dayes, albeit they perceiue their children to be forward and apt vntounto letters, and capable to receiue good learning, hauing wealth and riches enough to maintaine them thereat, yet will they not suffer them to continue thereat vntill they come to any good perfection: some because they themselues do not like of our state & religion: other some because they see little preferment, and no worldly aduantage to follow learning, but great trouble and affliction: all which men, in this doing, declare themselues to be irreligious, vngodly, and destroyers both of themselues, their children, and of all Common-wealthes and congregations. For what publike wealth, Towne, Citie, … Parish, can be well gouerned, without the Prince, Magistrate, or Preacher, be learned, both in humane and diuine lawes?
In times past when ignorance and supersti…on was accounted good deuotion, at which time men saw so many spirituall promotions (as they then called them) vntounto rich Bishop…cks, Abbies, Priories, Deaneries, Benefices, &c. then they would let for no cost to hauehave …heir children learned in some sort, to the end, …hey might get them to be Priests, and so to …ay Masse, and the rest of that idolatrous ser…ce, that so they might liue in ease and idlenesse.
But now that they see how painfull and pe…llous a charge it is to preach, and rightly to …uide Gods word, and to deliuer the same free…y and faithfully, and also how vnthankefull an office and calling it is, to gouerne well a Congregation: they had rather their children should be bound prentises to some trade, or else follow any other profession, then that they should studie Diuinitie.
When children were nothing apt to good learning, and when there was no good learning to be had, no nor good teachers, yet then well was he that might set his child to schoole. But now when youth was neuer so apt to good learning, as it is at this day: and learning and all good meanes neuer so plentiously flowrishing, being restored and reduced into such a facilitie, and a compendious cleare briefenesse: yea neuer so good; learned, and skilful School-masters: neuer such plenty of so good and plaine bookes printed, neuer so good cheape: the holy Ghost mercifully offering his gifts, as it were into the mouthes of all men: few there be that will open their mouthes to receiue them: their eyes to see the cleare light: nor yet their eares to heare so pure, manifest, and wholesome, and heauenly doctrine, euen the Word of God, the meanes of our saluation.
It is therefore to be feared, that for this our great vnthankfulnesse, these so manifold heauenly blessings shall be taken from vsus, and giuen to some other nation, that will both be more thankfull for them, and also shew forth better fruits of Christianitie, then wee hitherto hauehave done.
Oh therefore that parents would aduisedly consider, that the want of this christian duty of the good education of their Children, is the onelyonly cause of great mischiefe & much misery, both vponupon children and themselues; yea, in …th it is from hence that so much sorrow, …iefe, and shame befalleth many times vponupon …thers and mothers.
And how commeth this to passe, that the Parents owne dounge, is cast in their faces by …eir owne children, in mocking and dispising …f them? and whence arise all these inconue…ences before named, together with all these …euous plagues and iudgements of God vp… their children, to the consuming of their …es, but from this their owne negligence, in …inging vp their children? for it is euen iust …th God, that seeing they hauehave offended him … the greatest blessings, they should be pla…ed with the same thing wherein they offen…d, with the greatest iudgements.
O you vnnaturall parents! the rich man in Luke. 16. 27.…ll shal rise vp against you, in the day of iudge…ent and condemne you: for he being in hell …d a care of his fathers house, that they might … forewarned: and therefore desired Abra… to send Lazarus to his Brethren, to testi… vntounto them that they came not into that …ce of torment: but you will not admonish …r children, you will not teach them Moses …d the Prophets: and you will not shew them …e danger of Gods heauy displeasure hang…g ouer their heads, and therefore your owne …ildren shall be one of the furies of hell, to …ment you. The Lord open your eyes to foresee and flie these fearefull iudgements.
But if you will bring them vp well and vertuously, they shall be the better for it all their Prou. 22. 6.liues after: nay, the world to come shall reape this benefit: for such children as you now bring vp, such parents shall they be after when you are gone: & looke what parents you leaue behinde you, the like children againe shal they reare vp.
Wherefore, O you parents, you are eyther the making or the marring of the world: for if your children learne no good education at your hands, how should they be good fathers after you? and how should they leaue that to their posteritie, by the right of inheritance, which they neuer receiued from their Ancestors?
To conclude this point (wee say) once againe, Oh yee parents, endeauour to goe forward in this vertuous education of your children, and then (no doubt) God neyther shall, nor will hide any necessary secret or instruction from you, neyther will hee with-hold any good blessing from your posteritie: so shall ye be fathers of the faithfull, as Abraham was, if you will hauehave the same care, and practise the same diligence for your children and familie, that he did. Gen. 18. 17. 18. and 12. 2. 3.
Parents also hauehave to remember, that they shall commit an act very vnnaturall, iniurious, and vngodly, if they should vndeseruedly …inherit their eldest Sonne. For as nature in Disinheriting of the eldest Son is a thing very vnlawfull. 2. Chron. 21. 3.… her works, for the most part seemeth to …ke some one thing to be chiefe before all the …st, whereby the same is, and the rather conti…eth: so reason in the order of a familie, which …n imitation of a state ciuill, or body-politike, …swaded of experience and necessitie, that …e be one before the rest as chiefe. Whereby …y be conserued, that beautie of vnitie, and …mony, of concord, which the Almighty in …creation so wonderfully and diuersly teach…, and our Sauiour himselfe, so carefully and …ecially commended to his Church. And …eof seemeth to come that preheminence more speciall regard, which the law of God Exod. 13. 1. 2. and 34. 19. 20. Num. 3. 13. & 18. 16.…e olde Testament appointed to his peo… the Israelites, to be obserued towards … first begotten sonne, and likewise some…at concerning other dumbe Creatures, …h first were brought forth into the …d.
By the ancient law of the Iewes, the eldest … double so much as the others, of the fathers …ds, and alone to the eldest pertained the …sing of the father, wherewith should seeme …ayes the heritage to goe and succeede: is manifest by the will of God in Deut. 21. … 16. 17. If a man hauehave two Wiues, one …, and another hated, and they hauehave borne … Children, both the loued, and also the ha…: If the first borne be the sonne of the hated, then when the time commeth, that hee appointed his sonnes to be heyres of that which hee hath, hee may not make the sonne of the beloued first borne, before the son of the hated, which is the first borne: but hee shall acknowledge the sonne of the hated, which is the first borne, and giuegive them double portion of all that he hath: for hee is the first of his strength, and to him belongeth the right of the first borne.
The Patriarkes and other the seruants of God, although by diuine reuelation and other notice of the will of God, they were certified that they might marrie many or sundry wiues at one time, yet did they exclude from their heritage the prerogatiue of the blessing, all the children of those secondarie and after marriages. This appeareth in Gen. 21. 10. The son of the bond-woman shall not be heyre with my sonne Isaak: yet was hee the eldest, but was not the sonne of the first marriage, nor borne of a free-woman.
Also an heyre is the worke and institution of nature; and heritage is due to the sonne of nature, therefore it is so due that he must needes hauehave it; seeing those things which come by nature, or be vnnaturall, are not mutable or to be changed.
Moreouer, this name Heyre, which in a manner with all Nations is the eldest, is the successor of the law Nationall, besides the lawes natural & diuine. And that father who maketh …ther heire then is by these authorities ap…nted, cannot but expresse himselfe a rebell, … disobeying and contemning so great lawes … authorities, beginning a new law of his …e head contrarie thereunto. Then what is …e vniust, then to do contrarie to all laws, and …ewith to disobey the will of God, to per… the due order of discent, preferring the …nd marriage before the first, the younger …re the elder, the late of-spring before the … begotten, so much tendered & respected? …w as the greatest iniurie a father can doe to … sonne, is to disherit him: so is it the most …achfull blot or dammage, to suffer the in…ie and discredit of disherison.
For if the eldest sonne be worthy to be …ited in his fathers house, hee may be …ght not worthy to drawe breath out of … for that hee ought to be conuinced faul… in those crimes and hainous offences, …h be either repugnant to the dutie of a …, or not meet for the profession of a Chri… namely, if hee strike or offer violence to … father: if hee oppresse him with some … wrong: if he seeke his death or destructi…y poysoning, or other wise: if he lie with Deut. 21. 18. &c. Gen. 35. 22. and 46. 3. 4. 1. Chro. 5. 1.…thers wife: If he will not suffer his father …ake his will: if hee be not of the true and …olike faith, but is conuinced to be an here…, whereby his life and heritage is in hazard. …f he refuse to succour and deliuer his father out of prison, by his suertiship: or if he follow the trade and companie of such persons, as in the law be counted infamous, vile, and most dishonest: as Iuglers, Sorcerers, Coniurers Theeues, and Pirats. Or if he be an idiot, a mad man, a naturall, or lunatike person. Or if the father offering him a meet marriage vnderunder fiue and twentie yeares, hee refuse it, and delight to liue continually in whoredom, and filthy order of life: these and such like, be the causes that the ciuill or Ecclesiasticall lawes doe assigne.
The dutie of Children towards their Parents.
THis dutie of Children, as it may be gathered out of the holy Scriptures, consisteth in fiue points:
1. First, that they aEphe. 6. 1. 2. 3. Col. 3. 20.obey their Parents, and doe serue them; and … doe bLeuit. 19. 3. Num. 12. 14. Num. 12. 14.feare, louelove, honour, and reuerence …em, not onelyonly in word and deed, but in their …ts and minds also.
2. Secondly, that they follow their good …ecepts and examples of life.
3. Thirdly, that they patiently take cPro. 15. 5.cor…ction at their hands.
4. Fourthly, that they make continuall and …tie prayers to God for them.1. Tim. 5. 4. Mat. 15. 4. 5. 6. Gen. 47. 12.
5. And lastly, that they doe relieue, main…e and nourish their parents, in case they shall … into pouertie or decay.