Duty of parents.

in this world, so they shall be everlasting friends in a more exalted way of life, in the kingdom of God! They can remain together in this state for only a very few years at the most; but there, no further separation shall ensue. Being as the angels of God, they shall live with him and the whole church of the redeemed in unspeakable joy for ever. Their present union of heart and grace faintly typifies the union of themselves and of all the faithful with Christ; and, when they part here, they do not separate in the best sense, but only pass off, one perhaps after the other, to enjoy this spiritual union in everlasting perfec

tion.

CHAP. VIII.

ON THE DUTY OF PARENTS.

THE general rule of parental duty is, to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is true, we cannot give them grace, but we can lead them to the means of grace: We cannot give them a new life, but we can correct the old one: We cannot make them to know Christ savingly; but we can, and we ought, to nurture them diligently in the ways of Christ, and admonish them in the fear of God. Whatever we can do for them, either tempo ally or spiritually, we are bound to do; and when we have done all, we must leave them to the Lord. We must not repine, if we cannot mend their outward circumstances; for these are in God's disposal: Nor should we faithlessly murmur, if all our prayers and diligence

Good parent.

be lost for their spiritual good; for as this is a gracious gift, we only seem to attribute too much to our own powers and affections, when we unduly lament, that our children have not obtained it by us. When we have prayed to God for them; we must trust God with them, and wait the issue in faith and patience. Nature will keep up our common endeavours, and grace will promote a thousand and a thousand prayers. These, when put together, will make up a good stock and foundation, and consequently no bad inheritance for them.

There is a promise of blessing to more than the third and fourth generation of a Christian's offspring; which love for them, and faith in the promiser, will ever be prompting him to sue out, that they may obtain. I had rather be a good man's child, covered by his prayers, than the son of the first emperor in the world, undevoted and unblest.

Some that never had children, and others that would be wiser than Solomon, or rather than God's word itself, have written books to show, that chastisements should be utterly excluded from education. Doubtless, it requires prudence and temper to chastise properly, and it ought to be done with a secret looking to God for a blessing, as well as on any other duty; but those have either taken up false principles of human nature, or have had but very little experience of it, who presume that it will do very well without the fear of punishment, or that it can be reasoned into all the irksome duties and toils of life. Such methods, we know, will not restrain even grown persons, who certainly can reason, and receive reason, better than children. Corruption is to be

Duty of children.

checked by all means; and if the gentler kinds fail of effect, as they will in the far greater part of instances, the most severe must be used, but always without passion and in moderation. It should be understood to be a parent's sad duty, which therefore can give him no pleasure, but on the contrary pain and mortification. When it is thus performed, it will not easily be abused: When otherwise, it is not really performed at all. The parent's ill conduct, in such a case, deserves a severer chastisement from God, than any that can be due to the misdemeanour of a child.

CHAP. IX.

ON THE DUTY OF CHILDREN.

THESE are to obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right. Till children have learned obedience, they have properly learned nothing, and will probably, be fit for nothing.

As they owe to their parents, under God, their maintenance, protection, introduction to the du-. ties of life, and their very life itself; God hath laid it upon them, as what is necessary in the order of his providence, to honour and respect their parents. Children, who transgress this order, rebel against God. And it hath been matter of great concern to many gracious persons, after they have been brought to a true sense. of things, that they have failed particularly in this. just and important duty.

Their marriage.

Their obedience is to be in the Lord, and for the Lord's sake. This is well-pleasing to God, and profitable for themselves. The only exemption is, if parents are so ungracious and unjust, as to insist upon any thing which God forbids, or to oppose any thing which God commands. Here the most dutiful children must disobey, and can plead God's own absolution for their conduct.

There is one great circumstance in life, which often strains the bond of filial duty. This is marriage. Children ought, if possible, to engage in this state with the full blessing and consent of their parents. On the other hand, parents should never constrain, and not always restrain, the affections of their children.

The two trying cases are fortune and religion.

As to the former; the discretion of parents is: usually of great importance. Children are not to follow their passions into ruin; nor is it the duty of parents to consent to it. On the other hand, mere lucre should not guide the parent's eye or mind, but the nobler considerations of character, worth, and piety.-Where these are wanting, all the wealth in the world is little better than a gilded curse.

As to religion, the unalterable rule for Christians is to marry in the Lord. If a parent direct otherwise, the command of God must first be regarded; and though he may have a right to put a negative perhaps upon almost any match, he cannot have a right to command one, which is contrary to the express word of God. He likewise hath not a right to sacrifice his child's na tural affections in any marriage, even where no ob

Christian masters.

jection can be made upon a religious account; because the peace and comfort of natural life are concerned, and because the child must be the sufferer here, and be exposed in the event to some dangerous temptations. On the other hand, (to put the last difficult case) where the child hath placed affections in a manner, that religion and all other circumstances will justify, but, because of religion, the parent withholds consent; it will be the best to try all means to gain that consent, to wait as long as possible, and with as much patience as possible for it; above all, to supplicate the Father of mercies to dispose the hearts of the parties concerned aright, and at last to venture on an act of such apparent disobedience, but through fear of greater evils than what may arise from the unreasonable obstinacy, perverseness, or irreligion of the parent. The case is so nice, and may so vary in its circumstances, that the wisdom, uprightness, grace, and impartiality of the ablest Christian friends should be well consulted upon the occasion.

CHAP. X.

ON THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN MASTERS.

Ir is far more difficult rightly to command than dutifully to obey. To be a master and a Christian at the same time, in the direction of worldly affairs, requires more grace than men usually imagine. The master may soon be acted, and peo