Of educationofChildren. mate,when being ioyned in that honourableeffaceofmatrimonie,either asmeere natu- rall menwithout all knowledge of God wee beget our children :or as too carnalLnen without thefeare andreuerence of theLord,neither bewayling our corruptionwhich we receiued ofourforefathers,nor praying againft our infirmitieswhich may defcend to our pofteritie,weabufèthe mariagebed? Laftly,when having receiued the fruit ofthe wombe, we haueno care byvertuons education to offerit to the Lord,that our cialdeby carnal" generationmay bethe childe ofGod byfpirituallregeneration ? Surelyno. Andyet men Edatationof without all looking vp toGods providence and fecret counfell, without all bethinking 4 üeren7 themfelues oftheir corrupt nature, from which theirchildren are defcended,without all looking backe into their wicked and godleffe bringing themvp, will fret againft their fnnes,and fume againft their children: yea often theywillcorre& them,and that to' theirowne corruptions,not fomuch grieued for that theybane finned againft God, as thatthey haueoffended them. Chriftianstherefore muff know, thatwhenmen and wo- menraging with boyling tufts meetetogether as brute beafts, hauing none other refpe&s thento latisfie their carnall concupifcence, and to ftrengthen themfelues inworldly de- fires,when theymake noconfèience to fan&ifie the mariage bed with prayer, when they Manage bed. have no care to increafe the Church of Chrilt andthe number of the eleet, it is the iult iudgementofGod to fend them monffers, vntimely births, ordisfigured children,or na- tural! Iooles : orelfe fuch as batting good gifts of theminde andwell proportioned bo- dies,are moft wicked,graceleffe,and prophaneperfons. Again on thecontrarie fde,wee shall finde in theword ofGod noble and notable mencommended untovs for rareex- amples ofverttie and godlineffe,who werechildren asked andobtained ofGod byprayer. Ourfirft parents Adam and Eue being humbled after the birth of their wicked Yonne Kaine,obtained a righteous Abell,ofwhom when by his bloodie brother they were bereft, Godlychildren they receiuedthat holymanSeth. Abraham begetting a childe in theflefh, had a curled Godskeciga 7/bmael: butwaitingby faith for theaccomplifhmentof Gods couenant, bee obtained a gtf' bleffed /flute. Jacobnot contentwith one wife,according to theordinance ofGod,was pu- nifhed in his children : yet afterbeing humbled,he reameda faithful' Jofeph. Ellanab and Aasnahpraying and being calf downe, had a Prophet that did minifterbefore the Lord. DavidandBethlbeba lamenting their liinnes, obtained Salomona man of excellent wife- dome. Zacharie and Elizabethfearing theLord, receiuedJohn theBaptilt and forerunner ofChrift. Looke what fumes wee havenaturally, without Gods great blefttng,without prayerand humblingof our(clues we(hall conueigh them to polteritie:andalthough the is beantie, Lord doegrant fometimesnaturali *giftsveto the childrenof carnal! and naturali men, frcngtb,wie, yet for the molt part they receive their natural' *finites withal!. But if the children of f theóhide Godby regenerationdoe fee into themfelues,and lament their fumes ofgemeration,pray- refembfetiir ingthattheirnatural lcorruptionsmaybepreuentedintheir ofterities,theyf mars mercieof God in fome meafurefreeing their polteritiefromtheir Pines. tie,frengtb, Nowwhenthou flapfee filch unnes tobein thy children, enterinto thineowneheart, wit, f e the examine thy felfe,whether they are no come from thee,confiderhow iuftly thehandof rn!p isinfe- Godmay be vponthee,and when thouwouldeft be angrie withthy childe,haue an holle Eicd with the -anger withthy felfe,andvfethis or fuch like meditation with thine owise foule: Lord,fhall firmaOvbich I thus punifhmine ownefinde, and that in mychilde ? Shall I thus profecute the corrup- accompanied tionsofmy.auncelters?Nay I feeOLord,andprouethat thou art difpleafed withme,fó chofegiftssa thetoocarnall defireof olteritie. Ilay then in Come frnne I askednot thischilde of thee --spare;ere. p Y t .it:totablem¢, byprayer; be merciful! vntomeOGod, and in thy good timethewfome itie-vponmy ditatipninthe childe. Thusthinkingwhen thou goeft about to correct! the corruptionofnature in thy corrreótion of childe which he couldnothelpe, arming thy felfewith prayer, repenting with Jacob, thou children. Ihait be foaffe&ed,thatasthou artdefirousto drawthychildeOut offinne,fo yetto doe it with the mildeft meanes,and with leal! rigour. Andone thingis moft wonderful! that i fome will teach their children to fpeakc corruptly, and doe wickedly while!t they are rmhefllie [eeparenotf s. youn g and yetbeatethen for itwhen theybe come toriper age. Aeaine fome will en- olden their children to praetifeiniquitie towards others, which when bythe iuft fudge- mentofGod,tlteyafterwardpraaifeagainft their parents themfelues, they are corre&ed Ia for
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