Cbildrens :Duty to Parents. CHAP. XI. The fp'ecial1Juties of C!Jildren towards their Par~llts. THough Precepts to Children are not of fo much force as to them of riper age, becaufc of their natural incapacity, and theirc\liJdiCh pa!lions and pleafures which bear down their weak degree ofReafon, yet fomewhat is to :se .faid to •hem, becaule that meafure of Reafon which they have is to be txercifed, and by exercife to be improved : and becalife even thofe of riper ;yeau, while they have Partnu, mufi know.and do their dury ro rhem : and becaufe Gcid ufeth tp 547 blcfs even children as they perform tiJtir Jutiu. . · . 1 ·, •· · ,;. §, r. Direct. . 1· BeJure that )IJU dearly love your Parentr-: Qelight to be tn their company: Be not Direli. 1• like rhuCe uon.tural children, rh.a love the company of their idle play-fellows , better tharr their Parents, and had rarh<r be abroad abo.ur rhcir fp6rts, than in their·Parents light; Remember that you have your Being from them, and come out of their loins : Remember what farrow you have coJl them, and what care: thty are at for r.oureducati.on and provition; and rcm~~b(r how tenderly they have loved you, and what grief it will be to their hearts if you mifcarry, and how much your hap· pinefs will make them glad: Remember what Love you owe them both by•N•t~m and in Jieflice, for all their Love 10 you, and all thar they have donefor you: They lake your H•ppineji or Mifory to be m·e of the greatell parrs of rhe H•ppineji or Mifory of their .owh Ides. · Deprive rhem nor rhcn of their Happinefs, bv depriving your"felves of your own: M•ke nol their lives miferable, by undoing .your felves. Though they chide you, and refirain you, and co'rrect you, dO not therefore abate.your Lvvc to thcma :For this is their DHty, which God requireth•ef th~m, and they do it for ybur good. It is a figu of a wicked child rhat loveth his Parents rhe'lefs, becaufe rhey correct him, and will nor let him have his own will. Yea, though )'our Parents •have- many faults themfolves, yet you inuH love them as your Parents fiill. 1 ' 1' • ~· 2· Direct. 2. Honour your Parents bQth inyour Thoughts, and [pucbu,'J and h~havidur. Tfiink Dirttl. ~· ilot difhonourably or contetnptuoufly of them in your hearts. Speak not difhonourably, rudely, un~ reverently, or fawcily either to them or ofthem. Behave not yourfelves rudely and unreverently be... fore them. Yea, though your Parents be never fo poDr•in the world, or weak Of underftanding, yea, ·though they were 11ngodly, you mull honour them notwirhilanding all this : Though you cannot honour them as lticb, or Wifo, or Godly, you muft honour them as your Parents. Remember that the fifth Commandment harh a. fpeoial promife of rcmporal bleffing: Honour thy Fatbet ana M,tbet that thy dayu moy be long in tbe land, &c. And confequently the difhonourcrs of Parents have a fpecial curfe even in this life : And rhe Jufiice of Gqd is ordinarily feen in the execution of ir : The defpifers and difhonourers of their Parents feldom profper in the world. There are five forts of finners that God ufeth to overtake with vengeance even in this life : u Perju.red perfons and falfe wi tneffi:s. 2. Murderers. 3· Pcrfecmors• 4· Smilegious perfons: and 5· The abu(ers and dilhonourers of their ,a Par~nts. Remember the curfe on Cb.Jm, Gen. 9• 22, 25. It is a fearful thing to fee and hear how fome ill-bred ungodly children will talk conternpcuoufly and rudely to their Parents, and wrangle and contend with them, and conuadiet the~, and fpeak to them as if they were their equals : (And jrs commonly long of the Puenrs themfelves that breed rhem ro it.) And at l~fi they will groweven to abufe and Vlhhe them. Read Prov. 30. '7· The eye that mockfth at hit F"tbtt, a11d de!fifoth to obey hU Mother, the Ravms of the Valley /hall piclt it out, and the young Eagles foall tut it. · 9· 3• DireCt. 3· .OheJ your Parentt in all thi11gs ( which GodJorbiddeth nor. ) Remember rhat as Na- Diretl. 3 • tnre ftath made you unht to govern your felvcs, fo God in Nature hath mercifully provided Gover~ nours for you. Here I !'hall tirft tell you what obedience is, 2nd then tell you wby you mufi be thus obedient. I. To obey your Parents is to do that which they c01nmmd you, and tOrb:ar that which they forbid you, bccaufe it is their Will you fhou\d do fo: You mufi· I· H::1ve in your minds adefirc 16 pleafi them, and be glad when you can pleafe them, and forty when you otli:nd them: and then 2· You mu£\: not fet your wit or your wi!lagainft theirs, but r~adily obey their commands without unwillingndS, mnrmuring or difputing. Though you think your own way is befi, and your own defires arc.but reafonablc, yet your own wit and will mull be (ubjcfred unto theirs, or elfe how do you obey them? I l. And for the: Reafons of your obedience, 1. Confider it is the will ofGod that it tl10u~d be fo,:md he hath made them. as his Officers to govern you ; and in difobeying them, you difobey hnn. Read Ephc~ ~- 1,_2, 3· Chzidrcn obey ymr P~re;tts in .the Lord: for thU U tight. Hmuur thy ·Fatber and Mother, (winch ts tbe firfl Commandment wztiJ promife) that it may be wcU with tbee, and tiJou majjl Jive loit_t!. .on the tartb. Ce1. 3. 20. Childrm obey yaur Parc11ts in ail tiJiHgJ) for thU U wcJl~ plea.finr.. t~ the Lo~d. Prov. 23· 2Z·. Ijear/!_pt to thY, Father tf~at ber.~t thee, and drfpifc uot tby Mot!ur n>henjhcu old, l rov. •3· r. A rri[e Son hcarctb hu Fathers mjtruClzoJ:. Prov. l· 8, 9· My Son, be.tr the injlmi/ion of thy Father, aNd forf•ke 1101 the L•w of thy Motbcr : {or tire)' jhaU be an ornament of gract unta
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