Chap.•. Sect 5· Book 11. ---·---------- SECT. v. Of the dt!f)' of vv~eftling, tb.tt C(}ncer;u Parent! in thiJ refpttl. 2· T He duties that concern us in ottr wrciHing with SlCan , as to his fir!\ affaults, are either PJrcnts dcltits,oi"Ch!ldtens. t. For the Parents, they are to per~ form tome ,;urics before, and r.mo: afrer their ch;Jdrens birth. 1o The duties before they are born are thcfe. , ' Let the Parents be humbled for that fin which they tranfinit to their Children. Oh, hew !h~ulc! this pi,.ce thcir hcarts,' ·that in Llda•• all finned, and by reafon of that lin both they and theirs are all defiled. Good Lord (m1y they fay) it not t/iit lamen– tablr, tbat r.-e O·ould dui:1c ji11 from ottr P.trenti and that we Jhould convey the fame fin '11 •ur CU!dren ! th•t we jhJ~tld nuf.:.e our little OIICI fo fool!' at they live Va(falt of S4tan, and objdii nf Grdt m·Jth ! Ob, thewopf tbit ji11! did we but rizbtf:y confider it, what it tbii original ]iJt b~tt i>r fome fenfi all fin) a11 univcrf•l guilt l it r~ukcr tbe under· jf,.<»ding ~;ui!ty, the n•ill guilty, the affdlimt gui!ty , even guilt all over; tbere it n• p.mof m.m , >rn 11ot bi.r wind, >rer hit confiinrcr, but it it all over de1~led with thit [tn ; thit itthr fi.r, th# it the rooi and fountaiit of all the aUual evilt we cJmmit evtry d#y: i1 not <very one tempted, a11d dt:nvn a fide by hi.r omtlttft ? Ob r.>rctchuJ Babtt, whom we have bc,gottt11o[tcr t/;ir fnt.1gt ! bow jujf wae it now th:Jt God jhould tJir!t y ?n out of your Mo-– tber J TJ7amb intrJ I-lcL'flame!? aiJd are we the injfrumentl of )'?ttr damnation~ ixcept the mmy <{God fha/1 prevent it i q dcpforable conditi>JI! 0 wretciJ'd men thJt we are! Here's marter ot Humiliarion. 2. Let PJrtnts Clll w rcrr.embrJnee, and impreve the free and gracious Covenant which God bath m•dc <vith them and their Pofierity; I am thy God, ami the God of thy G<n. 17. 7 , 9· Srcd: for tbe pnmi}i i1 unto y•u, and toyour children: It is true, that by Natural Ge· Alt, 2, H• ntrotion the Ct1ildren of lleli.eving Partnts are dd ilcd with fin, and fo undct 'wrath; and ya they are holy by Covwmt , and free occeptation: \Ve f<e the Promife is not only to theParents, but aHo ro their Children : Oh, then that rhis prmmfe may cc;,me into rem<mbrancc! Oh, thJt Parents would improve this promife, ad make fure, [ JS much as in tlwn lies J that rheir Children are indeed under th€ promife! But what can rhcy dot<> make thishopdully fure? I anfwer,-- '. Let themmake fw:e that they themfelvcs are under the promife: If their Evi– .lencesart b:tt clear, <hat they have an Inrercfi in rhe Covenant ol Grace, and that God i< their God in Chrill , tbcn may they have a comtortab!e hope char God will be the' God even of thd r S, ed aJCo. :. Let tbenagive themfdve; untoGr.d by a renewed Covenant: Let them again re– frE;n up themfclvcs in ail things to b~ guided by ,~i~ Word. Surely, they rbat Would f,ive U;cir Children up unto God, mull ~rft !i,tve up themfelves. As the promife is made to the fa ,thfit!, fo that Faith whtch truly aels m Dedication of Children to God, mull nrlt <haw the panic< themfdvcs to yield up their Souls and Bodies as a Li· ving S<tcrificc unto the fime Gcd. ' ~ , :; • Let them otfer their Children up unto God by hearty prayer: Gods ')'romife to acetpt our Children, calls for pCJy<t on our part, that he would be plcafed to make good his prcmife. Thus David reafor.ed, 1hou, 0 Lord of H 11s, God of Ifratl, bajt •S•m.•7• 27• .evea!cd totby Srrvam , f,ying , I will b,i/d tbce an HoZ<fe ; therefore bath thy Servltnt found, i11 hi.r heart topray tbir prayer unto tbct: And fo fhould every Parent fay unto God 1 0 Lord ot Hoils, God of ljracl, thou hall covenanted to'be my God , and the God ut ar.y Seed; rhcrctore am I bold eo imreat thy Fatherly acceptance at my poor lniant: Hill thou 11ot laid, that Cbi!drcu arc a;r Heritage oftbe L~rd, ntlth•t thtfruit Pf;l. 127: ;~ rf tbeWombit thy reward) Oh, that this Child may be one of thy Heritage, ot the ~ocrety of Saints, and that thou would!\ be to 1t a God and Father in rhe Lord Jefus ~hnfi; I prds thee with thy promife, and I reiye on thy promife ; why Lord, llieheve, help thou my tutbeliet. 2· The duti<safrer they arc born are thcfe. -- r · Let tht Paru,ts give up their Cl1ildren again to God. We read in Chrifrs time, that Come devout P"lons broZ<t,ht tl>eir Children ro Cbrijl, putting them into hit Luk.ao.rg,r6. h•11dt aHd mm; and thus fhou!d Part nrs deal with their Children 1 no fooner riteYarc born , at'd r<ceived by their Parents from Gad, but they lhould agatn by Et 1 Pra'{er
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