V E R.4: Epbefiana, Chap.6. 681 V E R S E 4. Andyee Fathers, provokenot your children to s'ratb : VERSE 4. but bring them up ininfirudtion andinformation ofthe Lord. Nowfolloweth the dutyof Parents, 1. What they mutt avoid, Pa- rentsprovokethem not. s. Whatthey mull pra5tife,bring them up,&c. Andtwo things muff be marked: I. What nccy are to doe. 2. Towhom. To their children indefinitely, not this or that whom they affetl principally. The firlf teacheth this Chriflian duty : That Parents muff no way D.B: give in}afgrievance to thechild. Which is not fuperfuous , as if it spurred coo free horfes : for Parents are fubjeót erewhile to indu . cretion, and to want of natural! affeófion toward fome of their chil- dren; amoli equal) precept, that they fhould not provoke thofe that are their owne 9clh foneerely; now it is done by indifcreet or unna. tural! Parents: for the prodigal! favours to fome, efpecially when there is no reafonfor it, are offenfiveto others who are leffc refpedled. Like as beggersenvie aimes , fodoe children the Parents favours , if unequally dillributed : lofepbs Coat: the Prodigal! fons brother. But the moll frequent provoking is byunkindneffe, too much feve- rity incorrecting, which doth kill the heart of them like continual! (purring, and make themnot paffe for it : for correEtion is like Phy- fick, iftoofrequentit worketh no more then ourmeat with us. 2. By unjuft denying them favours, as many will not,though they have abundance, help their children with any ftock to begin, which give them liberty to change their conditions when it is expedient, will not let them have any thing (which lawfully they might ) liketo others : Now as a horfc tooftrait reigned , will but rife up on the forefeet : fo children curbed in thefe kindes cannot but take it grie- vous. 3. By preffin them out ofineafure, ufingthem as drudges rather then children : for wormes trodon will turne againe,and a child can- nottake it well,ifnot handled fomewhat ingenuoufly. 4. By immoderate wrath and touchineffe and difpleafure againff them, for as fire kindleth fire, fodothanger provoke to anger : yet this muff fobe conceived, as not befriendingtheCockney-like cocke- ringofour times : for menmuff notlike Lamechkill and flay, nor yet like Elyomit correction ; yea bringup fons,as Daviddid his Adoniah, t Kings. But we muff walke, that our feverity makeus not juftly hate- full, nor our indulgency contemptuous: wee muff fo walke towards children, that asweemuff not make them male-content on the one fide, fo we muff not have them malepert on theother. Whichdutymay be adirection to Parents , who have by partial! Vfe is carriageand lefl'e loving hearts provoked their children, and driven them eithertocall all riders,or lyedowne with heartstyred,CGl.3. 20. lie that fhould foyle the mettleof a horfe with indireél ufage, it would grievehim, ifa juff man, and how much more,&c. And
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