Ah my friends ! let me beg you, that you will set special remarks iipon this providence, which so graciously wrought for you : And that your hearts may be more thoroughly ivarmed in tne sense of
THE MYSTERY OF PRdVlDENCE. 373
it, compare your condition with others, and seriously bethink yourselves,
(1.) How many children there be amongst us, that are drawn headlong to hell by their cruel and ungodly parents, who teach them to curse and swear as soon as they can speak ? Many families there are, wherein little other language is heard, but what is the dialect of hell. These, like the old logs and small spray, are pre- paring for the fire of hell, where they must burn together. Of such children, that scripture. Psalm xlix. 19. will one day be verified, except they repent, " They shall go to the generation of " their fathers, where they shall not see light.""
(2.) And how many families are there, though not so profane, who yet breed up their children vainly and sensually, as Job xxi. 11, ^'C. take no care what become of their souls, so they can provide for their bodies .'' If they can but teach them to carry their bodies, no matter if the devil act their souls : If they can but leave them lands or moneys, they think they have very fully discharged their duties. O what will the language be wherewith such parents and children shall greet each other at the judgment-seat, and in hell for ever !
(3.) And how many be there, who are more soler^ and yet hate the least appearances of godliness in their children 9 Who instead of cherishing, do all they can to break bruised reeds, and quench smoaking flax, to stifle and strangle the first appeai'ances and offers they make towards Christ ? Who had rather accompany them to their graves, than to Christ, doing all that in them lies, Herod like, to kill Christ in the cradle ? Ah sirs ! ye little know, what a mercy ye do, or have enjoyed in godly parents, and what a good lot providence cast for you in this concernment of your bodies and souls !
Objection. If any shall say, This is not their case ; they had little help heaven-ward Jrcyni their parents : To such I shall only reply- three tilings.
Solution. (1.) If you had little furtherance, yet own it as a special providence, that you had no hinderance ; or, if you had opposition,
(2.) Admire the grace of God, in plucking you out, by a wonderful distinguishing hand of mercy from among them, and keeping alive the languishing sparks of grace amidst the floods of opposition.
(3.) And learn from hence ; If God give you a posterity of your own, to be so much the more strict and careful of relational duties, by how much you have sensibly felt the want of it in yourselves.
But seeing such a train of blessings, both as to this life, and that
374} DIVINE CONDUCT ; OR,
to come, follows upon an holy education of children ; I will not dls- miss the point till I have discharged my duty, in exhorting parents and children to their duties.
And first for you that axe parents^ or to whom the education of children is committed ; I beseech you to mind, how concerning a duty lies on you ; And that I may effectually impress it, consider,
(1.) How near the relation is betwixt you and your children, and therefore how much you are concerned in their happiness or misery. Consider but the scripture account of the dearness of such relations, expressed, (1) By longings for them, as Gen. xv. 2. Gen. XXX. 1. And, (2) By our joy when we have them, as Christ expresses it, John xvi. 21. (3.) The high value set on them, Gen. xlii. 38. (4.) The sympathy with them in all their troubles, Mark ix. 22. And (5.) By our sorrow at parting, Gen. xxxvii. 35. Now shall all this be to no purpose ? For to what purpose do we desire them before we have them, rejoice in them when w^e have them, value them so highly, sympathize with them so tenderly, grieve for their death so excessively ; if in the mean time no care be taken what shall become of them to eternity ?
(2.) How God hath charged you with their souls as well as bodies: And this appears by two sorts of precepts. (1.) Precepts directly laid upon you, Deut. vi. 6, 7. and Eph. vi. 4. (2.) By precepts laid on them to obey you, Eph. vi. 1. which plainly implies your duty, as well as expresses theirs.
(5.) What shall comfort you at the parting time, if they die, through your neglect, in a christless condition ? O ! this is the cutting consideration, my child is in hell^ and I did nothing to pre- vent it ; I helped him thither ! Duty discharged, is the only root of comfort in that day.
(4.) If you neglect to instruct them in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness ? No ; if you will not teach them to pray^ he will to curse, swear, and lie ; If ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring.
(5.) If the season of their youth be neglected, how little proba- bility is there of any good fruit afterwards ? That is the moulding age, Prov. xxii. 6. How few are converted in old age ? A twig is brought to any fonn, but grown limbs will not bow.
(6.) You are instrumental causes of all their spiritual misery ; and that, 1. By generation, 2. Imitation : they lie spiritually dead of the plague which you brought liome among them, Psal. li, 5. " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother " conceive (or warm) me."
(7.) There is none in the world so likely as you, to be instru-
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 375
ments of their eternal good. You have peculiar advantages, that none other hath : As, (1.) The interest you have in their afPec- tions. (2.) Your opportunities to instil the knowledge of Christ into them, being daily with them, Deut. vi. 7. (3.) Your know- ledge of their tempers. If therefore you neglect, who shall help them ?
(8.) The consideration of the great day, should move your bow- els of pity for them. O remember that text. Rev. xx. 12, &c. " I saw the dead small and great stand before God.'" What a sad thing will it be, to see your dear children at Christ's left hand ! O friends ! do your utmost to prevent this misery ! " Knowing the " terrors of the Lord, we persuade men.""
2. xVnd you children, especially you that sprang from religious parents, I beseech you obey their counsels ; and tread in the steps of their pious examples. To press this, I offer these considera- tions :
(1.) Your disobedience to them, is a resisting of God's autho- rity, Eph. vi, 1. " Children obey your parents in the Lord -^ There is the command. Your rebellion therefore runs higher than you think. It is not man, but God that you disobey ; and for your disobedience God will punish you. It may be, their ten- derness will not suffer them, or you are grown beyond their cor- rection : All they can do is to complain to God ; and if so, he will handle you more severely than they could do.