III. The next observable performance of Providence, which must be heedfully adverted to, and weighed, is the designation of the stock and family out of which we should spring and rise. And truly this is of special consideration, both as to our temporal and eternal good; for whether the families in which we grew up were great or small in Israel; whether our parents were of higher or lower class and rank among men, yet if they were such as feared God, and wrought righteousness, if they took any care to educate you righteously, and trained you up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” you are bound to reckon it among your chief mercies, that you descended from such parents, for from this spring a double stream of mercy rises to you. Temporal and external mercies to your outward man. You cannot but know, that as godliness entails a blessing, so wickedness and unrighteousness, a curse, upon posterity;- an instance of the former you have in Gen. xvii. 18, 20. On the contrary, you have the threatening, Zech. v. 4. and both together in this passage: The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he blesseth the habitation of the just,” Prov. iii. 33. True it is, that both these imply the children’s treading in the steps of their parents, according to Ezekiel xviii, but how frequently is it seen, that wicked men bring up their children vainly and wickedly; so that, as it ‘s said of Abijam, He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him,” 1 Kings xv. 3, and so the curse is entailed from generation to generation. To escape this curse is a choice providence.
But especially take notice, what a stream of spiritual blessings and mercies flows from this providence to the inner man. Oh! it is no common mercy to descend from pious parents! some of us do not only owe our natural life to them, as instruments of our being, but our spiritual and eternal life also. It was no small mercy to Timothy that he descended from such progenitors, 2 Tim. i. 5. nor to Augustine that he had such a mother as Monica, who planted in his mind the precepts of life with her words, watered them with her tears, and nourished them with her example. We will a little more particularly inspect this mercy, and, in so doing, we shall find manifold mercies contained in it.
1. What a mercy was it to us to have parents, who prayed for us before they had us, as well as in our infancy when we could not pray for ourselves! Thus did Abraham, Gen. xv. 2, and Hannah, 1 Sam, 1. 10, 11, and some here, likely, are the fruits and returns of their parents’ prayers. This was that holy course they continued all their days for you, carrying all your concerns, especially your eternal ones, before the Lord with their own, and pouring out their souls to God so affectionately for you, when their eye-strings and heartstrings were breaking, Oh! put a value upon such mercies, for they are precious! It isa greater mercy to descend from praying parents, than from nobles. See Job’s pious practice, Job. i. 5.
2. What a special mercy was it to us to have the excrescences of corruption nipped in the bud, by their pious and careful discipline! We now understand what a critical and dangerous season youth is, the wonderful proneness of that age to every thing thatis evil. Why else are they called youthful lusts? 2 Tim. ii. 22. When David asks, « Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way?” it is plainly enough implied in the very question, that the way he takes lies through the pollutions of the world in his youth, Psal. cxix. 9. When you find a David praying, that God would not remember the sins of his youth,” Psal. xxv. 7. and a Job bitterly complaining, that God made him to possess the sins of his youth,” Job xii. 286, sure you cannot but reflect, with a very thankful heart, upon those happy means by which the corruption of your nature was happily prevented, or restrained, in your youth. -_—
3. And how great a mercy was it, that we had parents who carefully instilled the good knowledge of God into our souls, in our tender years! How careful was Abraham of this duty? Gen. xviii, 19. And David, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. We have some of us had parents, who might say to us, as the apostle, My little children, of whom I travail again in birth, till Christ be formed in you,” Gal. iv. 19. As they longed for us before they had us, and rejoiced in us, when they had us, so they could not endure to think that, when they could have us no more, the devil should. As they thought no pains, care, or cost, too much for our bodies to feed them, clothe, and heal them; so did they think no prayers, counsels, or tears, too much for our souls, that they might be saved. They knew a parting time would come betwixt them and us, and did strive to make it as easy and comfortable to them as they could, by leaving us in Christ, and within the blessed bond of his covenant. They were not glad that we had health, and indifferent whether we had grace. They as sensibly felt the miseries of our souls as of our bodies; and nothing was more desirable to them than that they might say in the great day, Lord, here am I, and the children which thou hast given me.
4. And was it not a special favour to us to have parents, that went before us as a pattern of holiness, and beat the path to heaven for us by their examples? Who could say to us, What things ye have heard and seen in me, do,” Phil. iv. 9, and Be ye followers of us, as we are of Christ,” 1 Cor. xi. 1. The parents life is the child’s copy. Oh! it is no common mercy to have a fair copy set before us, especially in the moulding age! We saw what they did, as well as heard what they said. It was Abraham’s commendation that he commandeth his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord;”’ and such mercies some of us have had also. _—
Ah! my friends, let me beg you that you will set special remarks upon this providence, which is so graciously wrought for you; and, that your hearts may be more thoroughly warned in the sense cf it, compare your condition with others, and seriously bethink yourselves,
(1.) How many children there are among us who 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 héard but what is the dialect of hell. These, like the old logs and small spray, are preparing for the fire of hell, where they must burn together. Of such children, that Scripture will one day be verified, Except they repent, they shall go to the generation of their fathers, where they shall not see light,” Psal. xlix. 19.
(2.) And how many families are there, though not so profane, who yet breed up their children vainly and sensually, as in Job xxi. 11, &e. and take no care what becomes of their souls, so they can but provide for their bodies? If they can but teach them to carry their bodies, no matter if the devil direct their souls; if they can but leave them lands or monies, they think they have very fully discharged their duties. Oh! what will the language be wherewith such parents and children shall greet each other, at the judgment-seat, and in hell, for ever!. ow Ea
(3.) And how many are there, who are more sober, and yet hate the least appearances of godliness in their children! who, instead of cherishing, do all they can to break bruised reeds, to quench smoking flax, to stifle and strangle the first appearances 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! you litle know what a mercy you do, or have enjoyed, in godly parents, and what a good lot Providence cast for you in this concern of your bodies and souls! =
If any shall say, This is not their case, they had live help heavenward from their parents; to such 1 shall thus reply: If you bad liule furtherance, yet own it as a special providence, that you had no hinderance; or, if you had opposition, yet 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; and learn from hence, if God give you a posterity of your own, to be so much the more strict and careful of relative 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 to come, follows upon a holy education of children, T will not dismiss the point, till I have discharged my duty, in exhorting parents and children to their duties.
And, first, for you that are parents, or to whom the education of children is committed, I beseech. you to reflect what an important duty lies on you; and, that 1 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 by longings for them, as.it is in Gen. xv. 2, and Gen. xxx. 1, and by our joy when we have them, as Christ expresses it, John xvi. 21, the high value set on them, Gen. xlii. 38, the sympathy with them in all their troubles, Mark ix. 22, and 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 we 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?
AS DIVINE CONDUCT; OR
2. How God hath charged you with their souls, as well as bodies; and this appears by precepts directly laid upon you, Deut. vi. 6,7, and Eph. vi. 4, and by precepts laid on them to obey you, Eph. vi. 1, which plainly imply your duty, as well as expresses theirs. oy
3. What shall comfort you at the parting time, if they die, through your neglect, in a Christless condition? Oh! this is the cutting consideration, My child is in hell, and I did nothing to prevent 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 probability 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 form, but grown trees will not bow. Tees
6. You are instrumental causes of all their spiritual misery, and that by generation and imitation: they lie spiritually dead of the plague, which you brought home among them: Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me,” Psal. li. 5.
7. There is none in the world so likely, as you, to be instruments of their eternal good. You have peculiar advantages that no others have, as the interest you have in their affections: your opportunities to instil the knowledge of Christ into them, being daily with them, Deut. vi. 7, and your knowledge of their tempers. If therefore you neglect, who shall help them?
8. The consideration of the great day should move your feelings of pity for them. O remember that text, I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God,” Rev. xx. 12, &c. 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 Cor. v. 11.
.’ EXHORTATION TO CHILDREN.-
And you, children, especially you that sprang from religious parents, I beseech you to obey their counsels, and tread in the steps of their pious examples. To press this, I offer these considerations: 7)
1. Your disobedience to them is a resisting of God’s authority. Children, obey your parents in the Lord,” Ephes. vi. 1, 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 tenderness will not suffer them, or you are grown beyond their correction; all they can do is to complain to God; and, if so, he will handle you more severely than they could do.
2. Your sin is greater than the sin of young heathens and infidels, and so will your account be also, O better (if a wicked child) that thou hadst been the offspring of savage Indians, nay, of beasts, than of such parents. So many counsels disobeyed, hopes and prayers frustrated, will turn to sad aggravations,
3. It is usual with God to retaliate men’s disobedience to their parents in kind; commonly our own children shall pay us home for it. 1 have read in a grave author, of a wicked wretch that dragged his father along the house: the father begged him not to draw him beyond such a place, for, said he, I dragged my father no further. Ch! the sad, but just retributions of God!
And, for you, in whose hearts grace hath been planted by the blessing of education, I beseech you to admire God’s goodness to you in this providence. Oh! what a happy lot has God cast for you! How few children are partakers of your mercies!
See that you. honour such parents; the tie is double upon you so to do. Be you the joy of their hearts, and comfort of their lives, if living; if not, yet full remember the mercy while you live, and tread in their pious paths, that you and they may both rejoice together in the great day, and bless God for each other to all eternity.