LECTURES Or Readins upon the 6. verse of the 22. chapter of the Proverbs, concerning the virtuous education of Youth:  
A treatise very necessary for all parents in this corrupt and declining age of the world.  
AT LONDON, Printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas man.. 1602.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England, and one of her majesties privy Council, my very good Lord: health and prosperity, with the increase of grace in this life, and eternal happiness in the life to come.  
NOn datur beneficium nisi propter officium, saith a learned Father. Wherefore having performed this small part of my duty in the house of God, now at last I am bold to offer it to your good Lordship, first as a sign of my duty for your good Benefice in Suffolk lately bestowed upon me, and secondly for patronage. For whereas since my going into Suffolk, by means of some of my friends I was discovered to my enemies in the flesh, but not in the Lord, to be the author of this book, which at the first came forth like a fatherless orphan: unworthily I was cast upon the obloquy of all men (they seeing in me nothing worthy of this meanness) and behind my back was bought and sold for a vain glorious man. Thus while I shunned the title of vainglory, and would not be like those Philosophers, which (as Tully saith) put their names to the books which they make in contempt of glory; ere I wist, as job saith, the thing which I feared fell upon me. Notwithstanding taking patience for my buckler, and a clear conscience for my defence, I satisfied myself, though I could not satisfy mine adversaries. Now so it is come to pass, that all the first fatherless edition is spent, and the virtuous call upon the Printer, and the Printer calls upon me for a second press, exhorting me to make some addition or correction if I were so disposed, that so it might come forth the second time with a happier success. The which thing having performed according to my weak measure, I am bold to present it to your Lordship's patronage, to cover my simpleness under the shadow of your wing, and to crave protection both for the work and myself: which if your Lordship's favour shall vouchsafe, you shall encourage a poor Minister beginning at low steps to ascend higher in religious duties: the young infants which as yet suck upon their mother's breasts shall thank God for you, and myself shall be always bound to pray for you.  
Your Honours in all duty most bounden, ROBERT SHELFORD.   

READINS UPON THE sixth VERSE OF THE 22. chapter of the Proverbs, for the virtuous education of Youth.  
Teach a child in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not depart from it. 
THis verse, of which we are here to speak at this present, naturally divideth itself into two heads. The first is a precept or commandment. The second is the reason of the precept. The precept is contained in the former part of the verse, Teach a child in the trade of his way. The reason followeth in the latter part, and when he is old he shall not depart from it. Now first for the precept, because it is set down indefinitely, the question may be moved who should teach, & to whom this charge and commandment is here directed? The Magistrate is not here spoken unto, because his office is not to teach and instruct by word of mouth, but to rule and govern by law, neither ever have we heard of any civil law given to children: first, for by reason of sooner instruction, they are not yet fit and capable of it: and secondly, for that they are under the government of those that are commanded by it. Again, these words do not properly bind the Ministers of the Church: first, because this duty is nowhere expressly commanded unto them in God's word: secondly, because their duty is to teach the parent how to bring his children up: and thirdly, because the subject of this teaching is more than belongeth to the profession of the Minister. It is to teach a child in the trade of his way, which is not only to instruct him unto godliness, but also unto all other human duties. Wherefore this duty than belongeth unto parents, and they are here bound by these words of this text, and this we will prove both by reason and conference of holy Scripture. For who should teach and inform the child, 
Reasons.  but they which have the government and commanding of him? But it is well known that parents only have the government and commanding of their children, or such as they shall procure for their better education, and therefore this precept lieth upon them, and they must look unto it. Again, this is apparent even by the general law of nature, which hath taught the very brute beasts to bring up their own young. And further, this duty is yet enforced from the opportunity of the thing commanded. For even as a plant will sooner take nourishment and thrive better in the soil where it first grew & sprung up, then in any other ground, because it liketh his own soil best: so children will sooner take instruction and good nurture from their parents, whom they best like, and from whom they had their first being, then from any other: and therefore you parents are in fault if your children are not well taught. For whatsoever good cometh from the parent to the child, is natural and kindly, no otherwise then the warm milk from the mother's dug. You shall sooner be heard of your children, then either the sage counsel of the ancient, or the forcible & moving speech of the learned. Lastly, the rule of justice doth require that even as the first parent Adam, and so all other after him have been a mean of falling to all their posterity in begetting children in their own image, 
Gen. 5.3.  which according to the law of creation should have been borne in God's image: so now in lieu of this, all parents should lend their hands to lift them up again, and never cease until they see in some measure the beauty of the first image, and the virtue of the second Adam. This is a thing so evident and so engraffed in nature, as that the holy Ghost thought it not a matter of necessity to express here the name of parent. But now let us go forward to confirm the same by testimonies of holy Scripture. In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomie, the Lord commandeth parents to teach their children the wonders of his law; and that they might not trifle this over and make no great reckoning of it, and think it but a child's matter, the Lord there layeth a great weight upon this charge, in exhorting them to do this with all diligence and carefulness: Take heed unto thyself, 
Deut. 4.9.  and keep thy 〈◊〉, that thou dost not forget those things which thine eyes have seen, and that they do not depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: that thou mayst make them known unto thy sons and thy sons sons. Take heed, saith he, as if he should have said, it is not a little matter that I command thee, but great and weighty, and therefore I would have thee to take special care of it: and that thou mightest do this diligently in deed, I would not have these things which I have showed thee to depart from thy heart all the days of thy life, that is to say, any one day of thy life, that so thou mightest teach them to thy sons and thy sons sons continually. The Lord would not have his holy word and his wonders which he showed unto his people at the giving of his law, to be one day absent from the heart of the parent, that so no one day might pass without instructing of their children. If this one precept which the Lord here so carefully commandeth, were drawn over the hearts of parents now a days, how many might it shame and condemn of too great negligence, which scarce once in half a year give any one word of instruction unto their children? Again, in the II. chapter of Deut. the Lord still calleth upon parents in this duty. Therefore lay up these words in your hearts, 
Deut. 11.18.19.  and in your minds, and teach them to your children, talking of them when thou art at home in thine house, and when thou goest abroad, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Here the Lord commendeth to parents his dear and precious word to be treasured up for their children: as if the Lord should have said, you parents use to lay up for your children the most precious jewels and the best things you can get, here are jewels passing all earthly treasure, my words the instruction of your lives, and the light of your souls, lay up these in your hearts, and keep them for your children: and because your children are dear unto you, be always imparting of them unto them, teach them unto thy children, talking of them when thou art at home in thy house, and when thou goest abroad, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. As if the Lord should have said, take all occasions, and use all seasons and opportunities to instruct thy children. The Lord would have us to begin the day with teaching our children, and he would have us to end the day with the same. O wonderful care of our God, oh loving father of heaven, that so dearly lovest our children! But how do we answer this carefulness of our heavenly father? when we rise in the morning is our first care for our children? No, the Hog, and the Horse, and the Cow shall be first served: and as for our children, whose souls stand more in need of good nurture and education, than the bodies of beasts do of corruptible food, they are forgotten all the day long. A pitiful thing it is that the unreasonable creature, whose spirit perisheth with the body, should have his just tending and looking to, and that the soul which is made after God's image, should be suffered to run into all manner of danger and undoing without regard. Oh that we should be so earthly minded, as to regard these transitory things above that which is to last for ever! Consider with thyself (beloved) and God give thee feeling: if thy cattle or beast want his tending and looking to, happily it shall pine away for want of food, happily it shall stray so far that thou shalt never see it again, or happily it shall fall into some pit, where it shall either drown itself, or break his neck: what hast thou lost now? thou hast lost but a carcase: but if thou through thy negligence or ill government, sufferest thy child to stray away from the Lord thy God, and he fall into the pit of hell, thou hast lost a soul more worth than all the world, and the Lord shall require his blood at thy hands, because he hath committed him to thy safe keeping, and thou, in that thou hast not kept him, hast cast him away. Oh danger to be flyed and looked unto before all dangers! And yet such is the blind miserableness of many parents, that they had rather see their sons swearers, drunkards, whoremasters, or any other profane person, then to behold one of their beasts hides to hang on the beam: whereby it cometh to pass, that the very brute beasts are eftsoons better taught then the sons of men, as the Prophet Esay lamentably complaineth of the children of Israel: 
Esai. 1.3.  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel hath not known, my people hath not understood. Again, S. Paul in the 6. of the Ephesians, giveth this same charge unto parents: And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath, 
Ephes. 6.4.  but bring them up in instruction and information of the Lord. And the Prophet in the 78. Psalm saith, 
Psal. 78.5.  He established a testimony in jacob, and ordained a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should teach their children, that the posterity might know it, and the children which should be borne should stand up and declare it to their children.  
Many other places of Scripture might be brought, but these shall be sufficient to show unto every parent to whom the Lord here speaketh, Teach a child, and also to show him how great charge and weight the Lord layeth upon this commandment. But now because this duty of parents is communicated to many▪ as to Rectors of Schools, to masters of families, to dames, to patrons and guardians, and such like: let all they here understand whosoever they be, that have the government of children or any youth committed to their charge, that they are here bound by the voice of the Almighty, and that they must do the duty of parents unto them, as if they were their natural children. Teach a child in the trade of his way: that is, thou parent teach, thou master teach, thou dame teach, thou mistress teach, thou tutor teach, and in a word, all you that have the duty of parents committed unto you.  
Now the vices which are committed about this commandment and aught to be flied, are these.  
1. First, the ignorance of the parent: as if the parent be so rude that he is not able to teach his child, he breaketh this commandment of almighty God, and is here sent to school himself, teach a child, that is, get thee so much nurture & knowledge, as that thou mayst be able to instruct others under thee.  
2. The second vice is the profaneness of many parents, who, so they may provide livelihood and necessaries for their children, they care for no more. Of this fault of parents writeth Chrysostome: Mothers be loving to the bodies of their children, but the soul they despise: they desire them to welfare in this world, but they take none heed what they shall suffer in the other: the lust of their bodies they would buy dear, but the health of their soul they make no reckoning of. If they see them poor or sick, they sorrow and sigh: but though they see them sin they sorrow not. And in this they show that they brought forth the bodies of their children, but not their souls.  
3. The third vice is committed of such poor parents, which make no great choice with what masters & dames they place their children, so they have meat and drink enough and wages thereto competent, and are neither back beaten nor belie beaten, as they say. Alas, such poor children while they serve for their bellies, they may lose their souls, because they want godly masters and dames to give them wholesome instruction, to hold them in by good example, and to govern them continually in the fear of the Lord. Wherefore here let all parents learn that it is their duty to make choice of such masters and dames for their children as are godly and religious, wise hearted, such as are both able & well disposed to train up youth in all good nurture & God's service: and not only this (for the greatest care of all lieth upon the parent) but also they must so often as conveniently they may repair unto them, and see how they profit, and hold them up by their good counsel, & be careful to entreat those which have the government of them, to be good unto them in this chief point above the rest. 
Prou. 18.21  For as Solomon saith: Life and death is in the power of the tongue: So we may well say, life and death is in the education of our children. If they be well brought up, it shallbe life unto them: but if it be otherwise, they are trained up to everlasting death.  
4. The fourth vice is the fault of many masters & dames, who make no further reckoning of their servants then they do of their brute beasts. For so long as their work and business be well done by them they care for no more, and they will teach them no further than may serve for their own turn and benefit, that is, to be a profitable servant unto them. Such masters make their servants drudges to the world and the devil, and the life of such youth dieth while it shooteth up. All these sin and trespass against this commandment of the heavenly father, because they are contrary to good nurture and godly instruction.  
Now having showed what parents and all other governors of youth are to shun in the education of children and servants, we must come to the second point, which is to show wherein this careful and diligent instruction is to be executed; and this is contained in these words, in the trade of his way. I will not trouble you with the idiom of the original, the words are faithfully translated and significant enough. Under these words are contained three divers instructions, in all which the Lord here commandeth parents to bring up their children.  
The first is that which we commonly call an occupation, 
The first part of the trade of the way.  or profession of life: and this is either mechanical, which we call handicraft; or liberal, which is the learning of Schools: and the end of this is either to get his living honestly and in God's ordinance, or else if he wanteth no maintenance, to apply his profession and trade of life to the benefit of the Commonwealth. No child of what birth and stock soever he be of, aught to want this instruction and bringing up. If thou sayest, my child hath no need of any trade, yet the Commonwealth and God's Church hath need of him, and the very Heathen Philosophers will teach thee that no man is borne for himself, but his friends will require one part, his kindred another, and his country the third. And if handicrafts like thee not, thou hast the Liberal Sciences, of which no man ever was yet ashamed, but many have made them their crown of glory. Mithridates the great King of Pontus was trained up in Physic, and hath left unto all posterities that worthy confection which is called of his own name Mithridate, a treasure more worth than Princes Crowns. justinian the Roman Emperor was that great Lawyer, which by his own industry gave perfection to the law of Nations. Quintus Cincinnatus was called from the plough, to bear that high office of the Dictatorship in Rome. Saul was anointed King while he was seeking his father's Asses: and David was taken from the sheepfold to feed with his wisdom, and govern with his prudence that honourable people of the children of Israel. And again, we read that those two famous Prophets Elisha and Amos, the one was called from the plough, and the other from keeping of beasts. Which examples do plainly teach us, that the great and reverend God despiseth no honest trade of life be it never so mean, but crowneth it with his blessing, to draw all good minds to his holy ordinance. But now adays such is the pride of our hearts, (a thing to be lamented through all our land) that our gentle men's children may not be brought up in any trade: oh it is too base & beggarly for them; they must live of their lands, they must maintain their gentry, a small learning will serve their turn: but while this ordinance of God is neglected, what misery from hence ensueth? who are the wasters of patrimonies? who are the robbers and reverses in the Commonwealth? who are the deflowrers of maidens? who are the defilers of matrons? who be the corrupters of youth? and to speak in one word, who are the seeds men of all mischief in our country, but these children of gentlemen, who have not been taught and trained up in the trade of their way while they were young? For even as a weed if it grow in a rank soil will wax out of measure noisome: so these children coming of honourable parents, brought up in ease, and pampered with the delights of gentry, they wax immeasurably vicious, and who may keep them under? neither laws, nor Magistrates, nor any other good mean. Wherefore here the Lord that he might hold all youth under his obedience, which otherwise would run out into all manner of extremities, he straightly commandeth all parents whosoever 〈◊〉 bring up their children in some honest 〈◊〉 and profession of life, that so thereby they might be kept from committing much evil, and that when they be come to years of government, God might be glorified by them, and the Commonwealth in which they live, receive the common mutual duty. Now than you plainly see here what God requireth; none must live idly, but all must be taught to benefit God's Church and the commonwealth, and such a one is not worthy to live in any well ordered and good Commonwealth, which cannot one way or other discharge the common duty thereof.  

The second part of the trade of the way.  The second thing which the Lord requireth at the hands of parents towards their children under the name of the trade of their way, is, that they should teach them good manners and civil behaviour, to rise up to their betters, to uncover the head, to make obeisance, to be courteous towards their equals, to be gentle and lowly to their inferiors, and loving and kind to all. This is another part of the trade of children's way, and this is no less needful for youth then their meat and their drink. And if this trade and way of nurture be not taught our children while they be young, when they be old they shall be found so headstrong, that they will not be governed, but this consequent must needs follow, that all order shall be taken away, and then confusion must needs ensue. For if nurture be neglected, than our elders and governors shall not be reverenced; if they be not reverenced, they will not be regarded; if they be not regarded, they will not be obeyed; and if they be not obeyed, then steps in rebellion, and every one will do what he lusteth. Now is fulfilled that heavy curse which the Prophet Esay threatened against the children of Israel: 
Esay. 3.5.  The people shall be oppressed one of another, and every one by his neighbour: the children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable: now the bands of the Commonwealth are broken, and now is such a nation subject to be rooted out, to be overrun of every enemy, or to be destroyed of itself. For whence comes wars? whence comes seditions, envies, brawls, quarrels, fightings? whence comes strife and lawing? whence comes all manner of looseness of life? and whence comes it that one neighbour can not live quietly by another, but he pineth away, and is the worse every time he seeth his brother? All this mischief springeth from the neglect of this duty, for that the hearts of such people were not broken and bridled while they were young by good nurture. Now one neighbour like a cur dog leapeth in the face of another: whereas if he had been trained up in civility and good manners, though he neither feared God nor loved man, yet even very shame would hold him from committing this folly. Oh beloved, good nurture and manners, they are the cords and bands of the Commonwealth, they are the nursery of sweet love and concord, & they are the preparation to religion itself. For nurture a child well, break his affections, and teach him awfulness at home, and when he cometh to Church and heareth the preacher denouncing the heavy threatenings of God against sin, he will by and by begin to tremble, he will lay it to his heart, and fear lest he fall afterwards into the same danger: whereas the child that is not thus prepared and manured before, when he cometh he careth not whether he heareth or no, but is ready to toy and play with every babble that runneth in his eye: and though at sometimes whether he will or no the word beateth upon his ears, and he must needs hear, yet it goeth in at one door and out at another, he careth not for it, but goeth away as lewd and reachles as he came: and why? because he hath not been trained up in awfulness, & hath not been so much as instructed and governed in civil duties. Again, hereof springeth an other mischief, that even those which have embraced christianity, for want of this good education do not live so lovingly together as becometh: For when one neglecteth duty and reverence towards another, by and by there arise dislikings, dislikings breed contempt, and contempt stirs up bitter hatred and dissensions. So that what is the cause, why even the best professors many times fall out amongst themselves? they embrace a religion which is not divided but one, they all think one thing, and speak one thing, but this clownish rudeness and want of civility will not suffer them long to agree together. So that take away good nurture and civility, and there will be no quiet and orderly living either in the Church of God or Commonwealth. And therefore the Apostle diligently calleth upon this duty: 
Rom. 12.10.  In giving honour go one before another. As if he should have said, study and strive who may be most dutiful. For he which is most dutiful excelleth others, and is most honourable. Again, S. Peter saith worthily, 
1. Pet. 2.17.  honour all men: where the Apostle by the wisdom of the holy spirit taketh away a double objection. This first is made in the person of the honourable: What do I owe duty to those that are so far my inferiors? they are to honour me, and I am not to honour them. The holy Ghost here steppeth in and saith, honour all men. There are degrees in honour; and he is most unworthy which receiveth much, and cannot be content to return some part back again; neither is there any kind of men so base which retain the least part of God's image, (for in the image of God made he man) but they are worthy of some honour for the image sake. 
Gen. 1.27.  The second objection is made in the person of the common people labouring together in poor estate and base trades. What must we honour one another? it is enough for us to reverence our betters, small duty will serve among us. The holy Ghost here again replieth, honour all men. As if he should have said in more words, let there be no degree or society of men so barbarous as to contemn and avoid all reverence; honour all men, honour thy poor equals, and thy poor inferiors. But now adays when neighbours meet there is no courteous salutation, there is no preventing of duty, but some one bold word or other cast out, and as they meet with rudeness, so they depart with clownishness. O if men would use civility and courtesy one towards another, & regard it, it would so link their minds together in friendship and good will, that no small offence or damage should break them asunder. But here let us find out the cause why this disorderly rudeness so fast springeth up amongst us. Truly the only cause is the negligence of parents in instructing their children. And again, what is the cause of this negligence of parents? but that either they themselves were brought up so rudely too, & so they teach their children no more, because they know no better themselves: or else this cometh of a muckish mind, because the hearts of parents are so set upon this world, that so their business be done by their children and servants, they care not what language they give them, nor how unmannerly they stand before them: they do not teach them to honour themselves at home, and therefore there is no duty and reverence toward others abroad. Wherefore you parents know your estate, let not the dross of this world so blind your eyes that you should forget your honour, know that the Lord hath made you parents, and given you to look for duty and reverence from your children and servants: and though you do not regard this duty, & your minds be so base that you look not after any reverence, yet for your children's sake require it, that so they may be brought up in the knowledge of their duty, & receive the blessing which God hath promised unto them for it: 
Exod. 20.12.  Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord thy God hath given thee. This is the first commandment with promise, saith the Apostle, 
Ephes. 6.2.  Ephes. 6. that he might especially allure us to the observing of it. But here we must understand, that as this commandment is a commandment with promise, so the promise is with a condition, which is of honouring our parents: so that if children do not honour their parents, they have no promise of life, but stand subject every hour and moment to have God's wrath powered down upon them. O than you that are parents, have pity upon your dear children, teach them their duty, teach them good nurture, teach them reverence both towards yourselves and others: for if you do not, you do as much as in you lieth, cut off your children's lives. For God (beloved) hath care of his Church, and if he should suffer rude children to increase, they would become rude parents, & rude parents would again bring up rude children, and thus confusion would spread itself over all the world, and therefore the Lord to meet with this mischief, hath promised his blessing only to the dutiful and obedient, and all other stand out of his protection, subject to the violence of every danger.  

The third part of the trade of the way.  The 3. and last part of the trade of the way, in which the Lord here commandeth parents to bring up their children, is godliness; namely, that they should teach them to know God & their duty towards him. And this instruction is that which parents ought above all things to regard. The former instruction serveth to teach them how they might live civilly and decently with men: but this instruction prepareth them to live and walk with God. Wherefore this trade is the head of all trades, and happy is that soul which can learn it. 
Prover. 1.7.  Solomon saith, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Although a man hath never so much worldly wisdom, and policy, and civility; yet if he want this the fear of God and true godliness, he is the greatest fool in all the world: for the more wise that he is without religion, the more fool he is, because he doth not apply his wit unto that which is the head & original of all wisdom, and without which all other wisdom is foolishness and confusion. Again, Solomon saith worthily, 
Prover. 14.27.  Pro. 14. The fear of the Lord is as a well spring of life to avoid the snares of death. And again, in the 3. chapter speaking of this divine & heavenly instruction, 
Prover. 3.13  he saith, Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom: that is, this godly wisdom, whereby a man learneth to know God and his duty towards him. For, saith he, The merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof is better than gold: it is more precious than pearls, and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. Her ways are ways of pleasure, and all her paths prosperity. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her, and blessed is he that retaineth her. O what honourable profits and commodities come by this instruction? this is that which I said unto you before, that this trade is the head of all trades. O you parents that are wisehearted come you hither: I know that every parent would gladly have his child brought up in the best trade, and that which shall one day be most profitable for him: O here is a trade that hath the profits of all other trades under it. 
1. Tim. 4.8.  Godliness (saith saint Paul) is profitable unto all things, and hath the promise of the life present and of the life to come. O you parents, you are more than mad if you find not out this trade for your children. First it is a rich trade. Solomon saith, that the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof is better than gold, it is more precious than pearls, and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto it. Secondly, it is an easy and pleasant trade. Her ways are ways of pleasure (saith Solomon) and all her paths prosperity. Thirdly, it is an honourable trade; because Solomon saith, that glory is in her left hand. If glory be in her left hand, than what is in her right hand but the life eternal? Fourthly, this trade is not like unto other trades, which if they be hardly followed, in time wear away man's strength: but this increaseth life and vigour to all those that occupy it; it is a tree of life to all those that lay hold on it. Fiftly and lastly, this trade is the most certain trade in all the world; it never faileth, and it never changeth, because S. Paul saith, it hath the promise of this life and of the life to come. All other trades be they never so profitable, yet they are subject to the course of this world: now good, now bad: now profitable now again as beggarly: beside, how many ventures and casualties they are subject unto, such as have experience in them can better tell than I can: but this trade I know well can never fail, because God hath sealed up his promise to it. S Paul saith, it hath the promise of blessing both of the life present, and of that which is to come. O you wise children hear my words: though your parents will not bind you to this trade, yet come you & offer yourselves of your own accord, embrace it, and catch hold on it with both your hands: for if ever you will come to happiness this is the way.  
Now than I hope you that are parents see the scope of this text, and what the Lord here requireth at your hands. Teach a child in the trade of his way: that is, first teach him the trade of occupation, that thereby he may get a competent maintenance of things necessary for this life, that so he may live well among his neighbours another day without injuring any man, or using any unlawful means: or if he hath no need of this, that then by the trade of his education, he may bend his endeavour to profit the Commonwealth, which will always have need of men well trained up in some good Art or other. Secondly, Teach a child in the trade of his way: that is, teach him nurture and good manners, teach him his duty towards all men, that so he may another day live an honest, comely, and well ordered life amongst his neighbours without contentions, brawls, and quarrels, which are the diseases both of Church and Commonwealth. And thirdly and chiefly, Teach a child in the trade of his way: which is as much to say, as teach him godliness and the fear of the Lord, that he may live and die God's servant, that he may know his salvation in Christ jesus, & continue in his love and favour unto the end. All these three points pertain unto the trade of every man's way, and every child must be trained up in all these three: otherwise God's ordinance is perverted, and his commandment broken, and then we can look for no blessing upon our children, but shame and confusion and utter destruction.  
Having showed how every parent is to bring up his children in the trade of their way, which signifieth first an occupation, secondly good manners, and thirdly godliness: now it falleth so out by man's lamentable corruption, that many parents themselves know not what these things are, nor how to teach their children the same: and therefore here I think it will be the best part of my duty to lay down such rules, and draw such a method out of God's word, as may best help the parent to teach, and the child to learn. For the first part, that is, for the trade of occupation, I will so entreat as the scope of a Divine and the nature of the thing will permit, exhorting industry, painfulness and diligence, chase away idleness, and furnishing the parent with convenient and meet helps for this part of education. And to this end for the more sensible teaching, I will adjoin this text to the former, Lamentations of jere. 3.26.   
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 
HEre by the yoke is understood not only the cross and afflictions, as the special application of the text doth pretend, but generally all manner of pains and labours, whereby the mind of man may be brought to patience, and quietly to bear the Lords burden of what kind soever it be, and to be held in from running out into any manner of extremity. Wherefore this yoke in one particular which we here purpose to follow, is the yoke of government and painful education. Whosoever is not used to this yoke while he is young, shall never be fit for any good service either in the Church or commonwealth when he is old. For as the brute ox and ass would never endure their hard labour, except they were held in by their yoke, but would stray every way: so unbridled man if he be not in his youth held in by the yoke of painful labour, he will never abide it when he is old, but will run out into every path of destruction. For what is the cause why our land is so oppressed with rogues and thieves and beggars, which are worse than beasts, because they cut themselves from the mean of salvation, which is the word and Sacrament? And what is the cause why the greatest part of the world useth unlawful and damnable means to live by, as to lie, to swear, to forswear, to forge, to dissemble, to cousin, to counterfeit, to bribe, and a hundred such like, but because they cannot endure to bear the yoke: and why can they not endure it? but because they were not straightly held with it while they were young. Wherefore O you good parents, you that desire to have your children good old men like to yourselves, and to live in the Lords holy ordinance, which is the pathway to heaven, hold their necks under with the yoke of painful labour while they be tender? lay it upon them even from their cradle, & then they will not forsake it to their grave. 
justine lib. 12.  How came Alexander the great by such a puissant army, whereby he conquered the world, but by having children borne and brought up in his camp, whereby they became so well acquainted and exercised with weapons from their swaddling clouts, that they looked for no other wealth or country but to fight: even so if thou wouldst have thy children either to do great matters, or to live honestly by their own virtuous endeavours, and not to gape unjustly after other men's goods, but to be content with the blessing of God upon their own labours, thou must acquaint them with the yoke even from their cradle. Some men set their children to learning, some place them in offices, some bind them apprentices: but many of these prove not, because they were not first well held in by their parents with the yoke of painful education: so that break the yoke, and deliver all youth to undoing. There is no function and no exercise either of body or mind that hath not need of this yoke. Let us examine the matter familiarly, and not hold scorn of the plain steps of the truth. What is the cause why some apprentice can endure with hard fare, now and then bear a deserved blow, and take a thousand reproaches and chide upon his shoulders without murmuring, and carry all the hardness of service, until he hath gotten his freedom & science the crown of his labours: and some other again rather than he would endure this, he will run as far as his legs can carry him, or sail over sea to take sanctuary against his happiness? the one hath been used to the yoke, the other hath not. Again, why doth the poor man's child arise in learning? why is he called to bear office in the Church of God and Commonwealth, and the children of Noblemen and great gentlemen refused? the one by reason of his former pains in virtuous studies can bear this honourable burden; the other wanting this mean, hath neither will nor power to sustain it. Moreover, what is the reason why even in the service of God one Christian goeth before another? why can one better bear the cross then an other? why do some men's zeal so far exceed others? and why do some men's labours shine in God's Church before others? There can no other cause be rendered but the reason of the yoke. This breedeth such a hard brawn in the soul, that no pains can pierce it. Wherefore be ye comforted in your honest travails you good husbands of the country, you are the staple of the land, you raise up the pillars thereof, by your honest labours the king is maintained, you furnish the Church of GOD with painful Ministers, you garnish the Commonwealth with wise and grave Counsellors, you provide all necessaries for the good of the country by your thriftiness and painful education of your children. For without labour how should Schools be maintained? how should laws be executed? and how should all honest functions stand? and where should that honourable troop of virtues show themselves? where should liberality be praised? where should sobriety and gravity be reverenced? and where should that kingly magnificence be extolled? do we not see that painful labour is the fair handmaid to all these, and ministereth matter for them to work upon? so that take away painful labours, and you loosen the cords of the Commonwealth, you exile all virtues; and then we must live like wild beasts and feed upon herbs, devouring and being devoured one of another.  
Now the contrary to this yoke of good education is idleness. And as in all things natural there is one thing or other which is the spoil of it, as the canker to the rose, the worm to the apple, and the caterpillar to the leaf: so the common spoil to all youth is the contrary to this yoke which is idleness. Therefore S. Bernard worthily calleth idleness the mother of all evils, and stepdame of all virtues. 
Ezech. 16.49  The Prophet Ezechiel in his sixteenth chapter, teacheth that idleness was one of the principal sins of Sodom, which pulled down fire and brimstone from heaven upon their heads: this idleness is the devils confederate, for even as the traitorous servant while his master is a sleep, and all things at rest, setteth open the door for the thief to enter in upon him and spoil him at his pleasure: so idleness while we are not aware, lying soft upon the pillows of security, openeth the door for the devil to enter into us with full swing to the destruction both of body & soul. 
Matth. 13.25.  Saint Matthew saith chapter 13 that while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tars among the wheat: so the fittest time that the devil can find to work upon us, is when we are idle, for that is the sleep of the soul. In the 11. chapter of the 2. Sam. We read that while David tarried idly at home in the beginning of the year when Kings used to go forth to battle, he was soon overtaken with those two foul sins of adultery and manslaughter. Oh that men saw to how many vices and evils they shut the door when they cease to be idle, and give themselves to honest labours. So long as Samson warred with the Philistines, 
judges. 19  he could never be taken or overcome, but after that he gave himself to idleness and pleasure, he not only committed fornication with the strumpet Dalilah, but also was taken of his enemies, and had his eyes miserably put out. If these two which were such excellent men, endued of God with singular gifts, the one of prophecy, and the other of strength, and such as no labour or trouble could overcome, were notwithstanding overthrown and fallen into grievous sins, by yielding for a short time to ease; then what crimes, what mischiefs, and inconveniences are not to be feared of them, who all their life long give themselves to idleness and loitering? But such hath always been the perverse incredulity of man's heart (as Haymo repeateth out of Origen) that they will not believe that other men have perished until they themselves perish also. If we be utterly void of understanding, let us go to the brute creatures which want those helps of reason and government that man hath, 
Prou. 6.6.  and learn of them. Go to the Pismire O sluggard (saith Solomon) behold her ways and be wise: for she having no guide nor ruler, prepareth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. Let us set before our eyes the looking glass of all creatures: the birds fly, the fishes swim, the worms creep, the heavens turn, the elements move, yea the earth itself, which is the most brute and senseless creature of all other never ceaseth her working, bringing forth her burden in summer, and labouring inwardly all the winter, concocting and digesting her nourishment for the next spring. What should I speak of the strange operation of stones and metals, and herbs, whereof one is called the Load stone and the Magnet stone of his mighty force and working? God, who is the first mover of all things, seeing all excellency to lie in moving, & being of himself infinite good, cannot but create all things good; and as the nature of the efficient cause is to make his effect like unto himself: so God being excellent in motion and working hath made all his creatures endued with this bonity of nature. Now seeing God hath made all his creatures in this perfection, and seeing himself is the continual mover of all things, as the Apostle saith, Acts 17.28. In him we live and move, and have our being; then there can nothing be more contrary to Gods working and man's perfection, than the privation thereof, which is idleness. God (beloved) sustaineth and upholdeth the whole frame of the world by his daily and continual working, and if he should draw his hand back but one minute, all creatures would presently fall to nothing from whence they first came. Why do we not then see that idleness is the ruin and destruction of all things? and how can we persuade ourselves that we are the sons of God, when by our idle life, we show ourselves most contrary unto him, who is always in working? The perfection and excellency of every creature is his working; and therefore the wise Grecians call the soul of man, which the prophet David calleth his glory, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a continual working: yea so excellent a thing is it, and so fit to set forth God's glory, that he hath ordained most forcible means to stir up and thrust forward man unto it, as all manner of wants and necessities. For what is the great glory of God but his omnipotency and power? and how is his power seen but by working? and how should we see Gods working, and how should we come to the understanding of his omnipotency, except we saw it in his creatures? 
Rom. 1.20.  for the Apostle saith, that the invisible things of God, as his eternal power and Godhead, are seen by the creation of he world, being considered in his works: and therefore when I see so many millions of thousands in the world moving upon the face of the earth, and all occupied in such variety of trades, one this way, another that way; when I consider the strange monuments of war, the mighty works of peace, the curious inventions of Arts, and the manifold changes of government, disposition and actions, from age to age; I must needs acknowledge that there is an high and supreme power which is called omnipotency, which worketh all in all these things, and that that man which is the greatest imitator of God in honest and virtuous working, cometh nearest unto the divine nature, most setteth forth God's glory, and shall have the greatest reward both in this life & in the life to come: but the idle and slugglish soul who hath received power of God, and useth it not in some honest labour, he obscureth God's glory, he oppresseth as in him lieth his omnipotency and power, and in that wherein I compare him he is worse than the devil, for he never ceaseth compassing the world, 
job. 2.2. 1. Pet. 5.8.  job. 2.1. Pet. 5. Wherefore thou good parent, if thy desire be to have thy son to be God's son, and to follow his working, and to have him brought up in all good nurture and instruction; and if it be the death of thy heart to see thy dear child drowned before thine eyes in that deadly lake of all filthy vices, in the hardness of his heart, in stubbornness, in rebellion, in Atheism, in whoredom, and other impiety; then now while thou hast time lay the yoke upon his neck, lay it upon him while he is young and tender, for now he will suffer thee to put it on, and afterwards he will not. O you tender mothers, 
Matth. 2.18 jere. 31.15.  you that know the dear price of your children, remember Rachel's weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they were not: and what comfort should you find not when you have lost children without being, but when you have by your great pains borne them, and by your long and chargeable education brought them up for hell fire? Remember godly Rebekas care for her son jacob, 
Gen. 27.46.  Gen. 27. I am weary of my life for the daughters of Heth, if jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what availeth it me to live? so if your sons while they dwell idly at home with you, should betake themselves to this folly or that, how could your lives be pleasant unto you? Wherefore send your sons forth to Laban as Rebeka did, and let him lay the yoke upon their shoulders. But here peradventure some man will say, have not I enough to leave my child? is he not mine heir and the principal of my strength? why should I then without cause set him to drudging and droiling? But O thou unwise man labouring of the straightness of understanding, hast thou provided for thy son livelihood? and why dost thou not provide also that he may keep it? was it not first gotten by labour and careful diligence, and can it be kept without the same mean by which it was gotten? And why dost thou not see how that the Lord by this yoke would prepare thy son for another yoke? 
Matth. 11.29.  Take my yoke on you, and learn of me that I am meek and lowly of heart, Matth. II. And was not Christ jesus, 
Mark. 6.3. Luke. 2.51.  the heir of heaven and earth, a carpenter, and laboured faithfully under joseph, being subject unto him until the time came that he should preach the Gospel? And was not jacob, the great father of the twelve patriarchs, Isaaces son & heir? & was not Isaac Abraham's heir? and was not Abraham that great man in those days and wonderfully rich, 
Gen. 24.35.  as we may read Gen. 24? how could Isaac then suffer his son jacob who was borne to so great patrimony, to serve twenty years together in such hard service, as jacob himself confesseth, 
Gen. 31.38.  Gen. 31? I was in the day consumed with heat, and with frost in the night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes. It may seem that parents were not then so sick of their children as they are now a days. But this cockering and cokish bringing up of children in our time marreth all: for such is the foolish love that many poor parents have towards their children, that rather than they will put their tenderlings to any laborious business, they will do all themselves; yea & rather overcharge themselves, than see them to take a little pains with them. Oh it will hinder their growth, say they: nay it will make their growth firm and stable, and one such child which is honestly brought up in moderate pains and labours even from his cradle, shall hold out longer, and be able to do more good service when he is grown to be a man, than two other long lubbers that have not been held under the yoke while they were young.  
Now the necessary adjuncts of the yoke, 
The adjuncts of the yoke.  which are fit helps unto parents for the virtuous bringing up of their children in the trade of their way, are these.  
1. First, not to suffer children and youth to have their own will. For Solomon saith, Prover. 11. 
Prou. 11.20  They that are of a froward heart are abomination unto the Lord. And again, in the 29. chapter, 
Prou. 29.15  A child set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed. But what will some be ready to answer in this case? Oh he may be broken of that time enough afterwards. But what saith the wise man, 
Eccles. 25.27  Eccle. 25? Give no passage to the waters, no not a little. The heart of a child is as the violent waters; and as those which have experience in keeping and repairing of the sea banks can easily tell us, that if the raging waves should be suffered to break over but one tide, they should hardly in many days recover it again: so if thou sufferest thy child's affections to have the full swinge & course yea but a small season, thou shalt hardly or never again win this breach.  
2. The second adjunct of the yoke is moderation in diet; not to pamper children with too much meat, or that which is delicate, but to give them that which is wholesome and sufficient and no more. For excess breedeth diseases both in body and mind. And for confirmation of this help, we bring the example of the good housewife in the last chapter of the Proverbs, 
Prou. 31.15  where it is said, And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth the portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids. Thou must therefore give them their portion, and not more: if thou givest them more than their portion, thou makest them unapt for the yoke, or any honest burden, thou makest them gluttons and drunkards, consumers of patrimony, and this vice draweth a thousand more with it. And even as the fattest soil bringeth forth the rankest weeds: so pampered children brought up without due government & discipline, thrust forth the greatest and most overgrown vices.  
3. The third adjunct or help, is not to cloth them with costly apparel, or to attire them with new fashions. For this again is contrary to the nature of the yoke, and stirreth up pride. For even as the soft flax soon catcheth hold on the fire: so youthful nature will soon be inflamed with this vice, as lamentable experience too much teacheth this day. For from whence cometh this monstrous apparel, but from the wanton and dissolute education of youth? This is the special sin of England, and if any thing be the overthrow of it (which God for his mercy turn away) it will be this, the land is too heavy of this sin. For the pride of all nations, and the follies of all countries are upon us, how should we long bear them? How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning? 
Esay. 14.12. Zeph. 1.8.  And it shall be in the day of the Lords sacrifice that I will visit the Princes, and the King's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.  
4 The fourth adjunct and help, is reprehension or chiding. And this is taught, Pro. 29 The rod and correction give wisdom. 
Prou. 29.15.  Where by the rod is understood chastisement, and by correction is understood chiding or reprehension, as it is well known to those that understand the Hebrew text. The want of this help was the utter spoil and undoing of Adoniah, 
1. Kings 1.  as we may read, 1. Kings 1. where we see how rebelliously and disloyally he usurped his father's kingdom he being yet alive, and again how he assayed it after his father's death in demanding Abishag his Concubine, which cost him his life for it, as we may read in the 2. chapter following. The whole cause of this mischief is expressed in the 6. 
1. Kings. 1.6  verse of the first chapter: And his father would not displease him from his childhood, to say why hast thou done so? And here I cannot but justly find fault with most parents, who though they be somewhat careful for their children while they be tender; yet when they become to some years of discretion, as to fifteen or sixteen, (which time is most fit for reprehension, because then by all reason it should soon enter, and which time again is most dangerous, because than our affections are most strong in us) oh then they be grown to men's and women's estate, they may not be reprehended, they may not be disgraced. But know thou O wise parent, that so long as thou hast a child, so long thou art a parent; and so long as thou art a parent, so long thou must carry a fatherly authority and power over him.  
5. The fifth adjunct or help is chastisement, and it may well be called a help, because where reprehension will not serve that must help, and this must be used in order and method as the Physician worketh: for as the skilful Physician will not give his strong and bitter pill before his preparative, lest the working of it should be hindered by the stubborn and indurate obstructions: so the wise parent in curing his sons vices, must not strike before he hath reprehended or premonished; lest either he be too much cast down and discouraged, or wax obstinate. This kind of Physic as it is more strong than the former, so it hath a more forcible and excellent working. The Council of Turon saith worthily: 
Conc. Turon. 2. in prolegom.  Magna est in ipsa severitate pietas per quam tollitur peccandi facultas: Great is the godliness in that severity by which the power of sinning is taken away. And again, Solomon in the 22. of the proverbs saith more worthily, 
Prou. 22.15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it away. And again in the 13. 
Pro. 13.24.  chapter, He which spareth the rod hateth his son: that is, he is an enemy unto him. Wherefore know thou this O thou father, that when thou seest thy son dangerously sick with the disease of sin, and dost not use this help and remedy which God in his holy word hath prescribed unto thee, thou art accessary to thy child's death as an enemy, and his blood shall be required at thy hands; because that where thou mightest have saved him, thou hast wilfully cast him away: for Gods love good parents look to your children. Oh that parents had less natural affection or more wisdom: for every parent is blind in his own children: oh is it not a pitiful thing, that parents should themselves make graves for their own children, and bury them quick without all compassion, and think they do well in it? And is it not a folly above all follies, that while the parent layeth his hand upon his child's mouth to keep away the cold wind, he presseth it down so hard, that he strangleth him therewith? Thus many a father and mother in the world have killed their dear ones by their inordinate love and cockering of them, and thus many poor infants must still be murdered, because parents will not be warned. Wherefore now I will lament with the Prophet jeremy; my soul shall mourn in silence, and mine eyes shall cast forth rivers of waters while I walk solitary, because I see the destruction that is to come upon the children of my people for want of good education and government. The yoke is too heavy, breaking is violent, chiding discourageth, the rod maketh bluenes: therefore while we contemn the Lords helps, death breaketh in upon us. Now let us fall down before the Lord, and beseech his pittifulnes, that he would even without means save some of those poor infants, which know not the right hand from the left, and whom the inordinate love, and blind folly of cursed parents have destinate to destruction, etc.   
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. Phil. 1.27. 
Now having finished the first part of the trade of children's way, we are come to the second to teach good manners. Wherein I mind not to trouble you with court fashions, and new fangles, and toys of curious heads; but only to teach such nurture and seemly behaviour, as God's word commendeth and well becometh the Gospel of Christ jesus. The duties of nurture in which parents are to bring up their children, are either private to themselves, or common to all. The duty which the parent must teach his child private to himself, 
Good manners to Parents.  is unfeigned obedience without any semblance of disliking in all things that he shall command him, not being contrary to the word of GOD, yea though he seeth no reason of the thing commanded, (as Isaac went obediently with his father to the altar, though he saw no burnt offering) nay though his own reason goeth against it. For the parent should give his child to understand that God himself hath so disposed of him in his holy ordinance, that he should not grow up in his own will and government, but be subject unto them in all things. And this is commanded, Colossians 3.20. Children obey your Parents in all things, 
Coloss. 3.20.  for that is well pleasing unto the Lord. And here Parents must remember to chastise and banish away from their children all murmuring▪ and reasoning of the matter or answering again: for this is the breach of good manners, and forbidden of the Lord, 
Phil. 2.14.  Phil. 2. Do all things without murmurings and reasonings. There must be no grumbling, and there must be no debatings or delays, as why may not he go, why may not she do it, (this is a foul and a shameful hearing) but every one so soon as he is commanded must go or be made to go without any more ado. This is good nurture, and God's commandment; and example of this we have in the servants of that worthy Centurion whose praise is in the Gospel; 
Matth. 8.9.  and I say unto one go, and he goeth; and to another come and he cometh; and to my servant, do this, and he doth it.  
Now the rest of the duties which parents must teach their children not only towards themselves, but also towards others, consist in reverence and courtesy: and this is to be showed in these two heads, either in speech or gesture. Again the duties of our speech are to be divided into other two heads, which are fair speech and conference.  
1. The first duty of fair speech, 
Good manners in speech.  is to call our betters by an honourable name. And thus we read that Abigail called David Lord at every word, yea fourteen times together in that small speech, 
1. Sam. 25.24.  1. Samuel. 25. And thus again we read in the tenth of Mark, that that civil and well nourtured ruler used this courteous speech unto our saviour, where he saith, 
Mark. 10.17.  Good Master what shall I do that I may possess eternal life? And when he made answer again he said, Master, all these things have I observed from my youth. Of this sweet duty of fair speech Solomon giveth this commendation, 
Pro. 16.24.  Prover. 16. Fair words are as an honey comb, sweetness to the soul, and health to the bones. Here on the contrary, parents must have a special care to keep their children from all foul and unseemly speech, for this is contrary to fair speech, 
Ephes. 4. 2●.  and forbidden, Ephes. 4. Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouths. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Now this corrupt speech are those foul terms which are so common in the mouths of unnurtured children, as knave, drab, whore, thief; this is rotten and corrupt speech most unseemly for the mouth of any Christian: and this is that that destroyeth good manners, 
1. Cor. 15.33.  as the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 13. Evil words corrupt good manners. And here further I must put you in mind to keep your youth from speaking contemptuously of those which are in authority, yea though they he evil men, for we are to reverence them, not so much for themselves, as for God's ordinance; and weaken once the majesty and good estimation of governors, and then all will go awry: Jude maketh this vice a mark of a reprobate. 
jud. verse. 8.  These sleepers also defile the flesh, and despise government, and speak evil of them which are in authority: and we read in the 2. Kings 2. that two and forty children were devoured of two bears, for mocking Elisha God's Prophet. Again on the other side, children must not only be compelled to leave this filthy & corrupt speech, but also they must be commanded to use fair and gentle words; the child must lovingly entreat the servant, & the servant must again gently answer the child: & this is commanded Ephes. 
Ephes. 4.23.  4. Be ye courteous one to another, and tender hearted. We must therefore use courteous and loving speech one to another, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; if the heart be tender, the speech cannot be rough and hard. If this discipline were practised amongst us, oh what sweet and comfortable houses should we have, even like unto the amiable communion of God's saints; it would do any man good to live in such a family which is like unto Gods dwell there, where scolding & brawling, and cursed speech runneth to & fro, like the yelling of the wicked spirits in that infernal dungeon.  
2. The second duty of good nurture about the government of the tongue in fair and comely speech, is not only to speak well and honourably of others, but also to speak modestly and humbly of ourselves, & this point of good manners we learn of that wise matron Abigail; 
1 Sam. 25.41  in 1. Sam. 25. where we read, that when she was sent for of David to be his wife, she first bowed herself to the servants, and then made this lowly answer to him that brought the message: behold let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord.  
3. The third duty of Christian manners in fair speech, is lovingly to salute our friends and acquaintance, and generally all others whom we take to be brethren. This salutation is to pray well to others, wishing health and prosperity unto them: & example of this we have in the Angel Gabriel, who being sent of God in message to the virgin Marie, 
Luk. 1.28.  he first saluted her in these words: Hail thou that art freely beloved, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women. And again as we read afterward in the same chapter, 
Luke. 1.40.  thus Marry the mother of our Lord, went and saluted her cousin Elizabeth, who was then with child of john Baptist, where to the great commendation of this kind & dutiful salutation, we read that the babe sprang in her belly for joy, according to that which before we repeated out of the Proverbs, Fair words are as an honey comb, sweetness to the soul & health to the bones. Now our salutations are either common upon every meeting, or extraordinary upon some new occasion. Common, as God give you good morrow, God speed you well: extraordinary, as I pray God give you much joy of your advancement. And example of this we have 1. Kings. 1. where it is said, that the people came to bless or salute King David upon the anointing of Solomon his son king, and in their salutation they said: 
1. King. 1.47  God make the name of Solomon more famous than thy name, and exalt his throne above thy throne.  
4 The fourth duty of fair speech, is to acknowledge a benefit where we have received it, with giving of thanks. And this duty is counseled of the wise man, 
Eccles. 29.16  Eccles. 29. Forget not the friendship of thy surety: for he hath laid his life for thee. And example of this duty we have in Laban towards jacob, Gen. 30. To whom Laban answered, If I have now found favour in thy sight, 
Gen. 30.27.  tarry, I have perceived that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. So if men would acknowledge with thankfulness unto their good friends, that they had received a blessing from God by their means, this would encourage them to continue their bounty & good will towards them, as jacob was now contented to dwell still with Laban: but this rude unthankfulness rendeth us from all good, being abhorred of God and hated of man.  
5. The fifth duty of fair speech, is to confess an offence where it is committed, with humble craving of pardon. And example of this we have in that virtuous and fair spoken matron Abigail, as we may read, 1. Sam. 25. where she taking upon her the person of her loutish husband Nabal, appeaseth the fierce wrath of David, and redeemeth the lives of all her family with this one duty of good manners: 
1. Sam. 25.23  And when Abigail saw David, she hasted and lighted off her ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and fell at his feet, and said, Oh my Lord, I have committed the iniquity, and I pray thee let thine handmaid speak unto thee. Let not my Lord I pray thee regard this wicked man, Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name and folly is with him, etc. Then David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me, and blessed be thy counsel, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and that mine hand hath not saved me, etc. Oh that men saw what great dangers they draw upon them by the neglect of this duty, and might prevent: and also what gracious blessings they might procure both to themselves and others, by means of it, as this virtuous Abigail kept David from shedding innocent blood, saved her own life, with the lives of all her family, and in the end was received to be a Prince's wife for the wise carrying of herself in this matter, as we may read in the end of the chapter.  
Now the second thing which we are to observe in our speech.  
1. For the teaching of good manners, is our conference. And here the first rule which we must learn, is to keep silence while our betters are in place, until we be spoken unto; and then we must make answer in few words, without unnecessary circumstances, and directly unto the matter. This is taught, Proverbs 17. 
Pro. 17.27.  A man of knowledge refraineth his words, and a man of understanding is cold of spirit.  
2. The second rule, is to give our elders and betters leave to speak before us. Example of this we have in Elihu that wise young man, 
job. 32.4.  job. 32. Now Elihu had waited till job had spoken, for they were more ancient in years than he, and he said; I am young in years, and ye are ancient, therefore I doubted and was afraid to show mine opinion. For I said, the days shall speak, and the multitude of years shall teach wisdom.  
3. The third rule, is not be loud, babbling, or hot in speech, but cold and mild. For Solomon saith, A man of understanding is cold of spirit. 
Prou. 17.27.   
4. The fourth rule, is not to interrupt or trouble others while they are inspeaking. For Solomon saith, Seest thou a man hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool then of him, 
Prou. 29.20  Prou. 29. Wherefore then if we will keep the bounds of good manners, we must not be streporous or troublesome in talk, but every man must observe and take his due time and course; and if there be any thing spoken unto which we would willingly make answer, we must either courteously crave leave of him that speaketh, or else we must carry it in remembrance until our turn cometh to speak, which is the better of the twain.  
5. The fifth rule, is to give an intercourse of speech unto others; we must suffer others to speak by us. For as there is a time for a man to speak: so there is a time to keep silence, and to hear others speaking. He that will have all the talk passeth the bounds of good manners, and breaketh the rule of Saint Ambrose, who requireth three things in the government of our speech: that is, a yoke, the balance, and the metewand; the yoke to hold it in gravity, the balance to give it weight of reason, and the metewand to keep it within measure, that it be neither too long nor too short. And thus much for the duties of good manners in our speech.  
The second general head of good manners which parents ought to teach their children, is the framing of their gesture to a reverent and dutiful behaviour towards others, 
Good manners in gesture.  which consisteth in these six points.  
1. The first, is to meet those that are coming towards us. And of this we have example in holy Abraham, Gen. 18. where it is written, And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo three men stood by him, 
Gen. 18.2.  and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door. Again, this example we find even in K. Solomon sitting upon his regal throne, 1. King, 2.19. 
1. Kings. 2.19  Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah, and the King rose to meet her.  
2. The second, is to rise up to our elders and betters when they pass by us. And this is taught, 
Leuit. 19.23  Leuit. 19 Thou shalt rise up before the bore head, and honour the person of the old man, and dread thy God, I am the Lord. But now here I must warn you of a great abuse which is committed amongst you, and which tendeth to the high dishonour of God, which is this, that you know not the time of your duties, but you will then rise up to men, when you should kneel down to God; as if one that is more honourable among you shall come into the Church while you are upon your knees in prayer unto God, presently you start up and leave God to reverence men. Is this religion? is this devotion becoming God's house? is not this all one as if a man should say, stay God, here comes in my worshipful neighbour and my good friend, to whom I am much beholding, I must do my duty unto him, I must rise up till he be past, and then I will come to thee again? What is this but to prefer men before God? I have forewarned you of this vice before, but some spurned at me for it, and the rest have not reform themselves. Wherefore I call the stones of the walls of this house to witness against you, that if you continue still in this obstinacy, you are lovers of men more than God: and you that take this duty and reverence upon you, are robbers of God's honour, and you shall answer him for it. Is there no time to show our duty towards men, but even then when we are about God's service? why know thou that when man standeth before God, how honourable soever he be, he is but dung and filth, and not to be regarded: and learn you this wisdom, that while we teach you duties towards men, it is not to rob God of his worship, but there is an appointed time unto every duty and purpose, as Ecclesiastes in his third chapter well admonisheth: To all things there is an appointed time, 
Eccles. 3.1.  and a time to every purpose under the heaven. It is recorded of Levy to his eternal praise, Deu. 33. that in God's cause he said of his father & mother, 
Deut. 33.9.  I see him not; neither knew he his brethren nor his own children. Even so beloved, our eyes, and our minds, and devotions should be so fixed and intent upon God when we are in his service, that we should not see or regard any man in that while. And again, we read in the 2. chapter of the Gospel after S. john of our Saviour himself, who though he was the most dutiful child that ever was borne of woman, yet when he was about his father's business, he saith unto his mother, 
john. 2.4.  Woman what have I to do with thee? which examples well teach us, that when we are about God's service, all other duties must sleep and be laid apart.  
3. The third duty of good manners to be observed in our gesture, is to stand while our betters are sitting in place. Example of this we have in holy Abraham our father, Gen. 18. where it is written of his entertaning of the two strangers: And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, 
Gen. 18.8.  & set before them, and stood by himself under the tree, and they did eat. Well may Abraham be called the father of the faithful, for giving his children so good example. For if we consider the circumstances, we shall find this to be a most rare example, and going beyond all the courtesies of these our days. For these men were but strangers unto him, he knew not from whence they came, nor whither they would: again this was at his own house, and at his own table, and the common proverb is, that every man is a Lord in his own house: yet so much did courtesy and civility prevail with this reverend old father, 
Gen. 24.35.  exceeding rich and mighty, that he waited and stood there, where he might have commanded a seat.  
4. The 4. duty is to bend the knee, in token of humility and subjection. Example of this, Mar. 10. And when he was gone out on the way, there came one running and kneeled to him, 
Mark. 10.17  and asked him; good master, what shall I do that I may possess eternal life? Again, this kind of courtesy is showed even from the king's throne, that no degree might hold scorn of fair and comely manners, 
1. Kings. 2.19.  1. King. 2. and the King rose to meet her, and bowed himself unto her. And Abraham the great Patriarch, bowed himself down to the ground to his guests. Gen. 18.2.  
5. The fifth thing, is to give the chief place to our betters, and to offer the same to others in courtesy. And example of this we have in King Solomon, (and who would not learn manners of a King) as we may read, 
1. King. 2.19  1. King. 2 where we read that when he had rose from his throne, and dutifully saluted his mother which came to him, he caused a seat to be set for her at his right hand. Again, our Saviour himself giveth this good precept of nurture in the 14. of Luke. 
Luke. 14.8.  When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding, set not thyself down in the chiefest place, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him, and he that bad both thee and him come, and say to thee, give this man room, and thou then with shame begin to take the lowest room: but when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, that when he which bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, friend sit up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Agreeing to this are the wise proverbs of Solomon chap. 16.18. 
Prou. 16.18. and 15.33.  Pride goeth before destruction, and an high mind before the fall. And chap. 15.33. before honour goeth humility.  
6. The sixth duty, is to uncover the head. And though we find no example for this in holy Scripture, as being not used in those former times: yet seeing the thing is civil and comely, & one of the special courtesies of our days, we will confirm it also with the authority of God's word, 
Philip. 4.8.  Phil. 4. Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are of good report, those things do. 
1. Cor. 14.40  And again, 1. Cor. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let all things be done decently and according to order. But this kind of civility is both decent and according to order, as also honest and of good report, & therefore warranted and commended by God's word, and so worthy to be followed. And here in these words of the Apostle we have a general rule for the teaching and governing of all good civility. If it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, of a good form, decent and comely, then is it courtesy and good manners: but if it be toyish, newfangled, or frenchlike, it hath no warrant out of God's word, and so not to be regarded of any modest Christian, and rather to be laughed at then to be imitated.  
Hitherto I have showed you all the parts & members of good manners: yet this is but as a dead man, or as a bare anatomy consisting of bones and sinews, and therefore now we must put a spirit and life into them, to move all these good parts in a comely order. 
Love, the soul of good manners.  Now this spirit which must give life and moving to all these is love. For the Apostle saith, 1. Tim. 1 The end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart. As if he should have said, love is the principal and chief thing in all our duties and in whatsoever is commanded. Without this all our courtesies & manners are but shadows of courtesies and pictures of manners, and there is no more life in them then is in a dead carcase: but if thy courtesy cometh from a loving and willing mind, it moveth all men, and stirreth up others to render the like duty again. Now lastly it remaineth to teach you the helps of good manners, which serve for their aid and upholding, 
Helps.  and these are three in number.  
1. The first is meekness, of mind, whereby every man must esteem others better than himself. 
Philip. 2.3.  And this is commanded, Philip. 2. That nothing be done through contention or vain glory: but that in meekness of mind every man esteem others better than himself. Without this help we may teach manners never so long, and yet all our labour will be but lost in the end. For so long as the mind swelleth with the vain shadow of his own estimation, every man will look for duty & reverence from others, but yield none himself. And therefore if parents will have their children to be brought up in good nurture, they must keep down their high and lofty affections, and not hold scorn to teach them their duty even to those that are meaner than themselves, 
1. Sam. 25.41.  as Abigail made curtsy to David's servants, 1 Sam. 25.41.  
2. The second help, is to cast our eyes upon our brother's virtues, that so we might be stirred up to reverence the good gifts of God in them. And this is commanded in the same 2. chapter to the Philipians and the verse following: Look not every man on his own things, 
Philip. 2.4.  but every man also on the things of other men. What is the cause why there is so little courtesy and so great strangeness amongst us many times, as though we were scarce men? why every man looks upon his own things▪ (and yet indeed they be not his own, for what hast thou which thou hast not received) the rich man he looks upon his wealth, 
1. Cor. 4.7.  the strong man upon his strength, the well-favoured man upon his beauty, the Nobleman upon his birth, the officer upon his office, the learned man upon his knowledge, & the witty man upon his conceits, & every man because he dwelleth nearest himself can easily see his own gifts, but no man's else: and from hence it cometh that there be so many which gape for duties, & so few that perform them. Whereas if every man would look one upon another's gifts, as the holy Apostle here commandeth, every man should render mutual duty and kindness to each other, and then should be fulfilled that sweet saying of the Apostle, Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but to love one anether. 
Rom. 13.8.   
3. The third help, is to look upon God & his ordinance. For now while we look only upon men, we see no such reason why we should so humble ourselves in duty unto them; but when our eyes are turned unto God, and behold him investing our superious and governors, setting them in his own throne, & giving them his own name, as in calling our Princes and judges Gods, 
Psal. 82.1.  Psal. 82. and in calling our Ministers his Ambassadors, and such as occupy not their own place, but are in Christ stead unto us, 
1. Cor. 5.20.  2. Cor. 5. & in terming our parents fathers after his own name: therefore now we will reverence them not slightly, or for fashion sake, but for God's sake, & for his holy ordinance sake, though they be not worthy of it. And this is taught in many places of S. Paul's Epistles: Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 
Ephes. 5.21 6.5.7.  Eph. 5.2.1. in singleness of your hearts, as unto Christ. Eph. 6.5. with good will serving the Lord, and not men, vers. 7. And whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord, 
Coloss. 3.23.  and not to men. Oh if all our duties were done as unto the Lord, what lights should we be unto the world, shining in all honest and godly conversation? but now we look only upon men, and therefore God's ordinance is neglected, and our duties perverted,  
Thus have I drawn before your eyes as in a fair table, the lively picture of good manners, the which if we would imitate, we should lead such a comely life before others, as that every man would be glad of our company: we should then be looking glasses for the ruder sort to dress themselves by, and we should beautify God's Church even to the eye of the world. For as the material sanctuary had his outward ornaments, as gold & silver, precious stones, silk, purple, fine linen, and such like: so the spiritual sanctuary which now consisteth not of wood and stone, but of the souls of christians, besides religion which is the inward beauty, it must have also the outward ornaments, which are good manners and comely behaviour, that nothing may be wanting unto the due honour and dignity thereof.  
Now by God's blessing we are come to the third and last part of the child's way, which is the chiefest and highest of all the rest; wherein that I might instruct parents with more facility & profitable application, I have made choice of this text, Psal. 130.3.4.   
If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? But mercy is with thee that thou mayst be feared. 

The first part of the Catechism.  THe parts of this text are three, and so the sum of all divinity is threefold too. The first is to teach us our misery in ourselves, contained in these words; If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? The second is to show us a mean how we may escape out of this misery; and this mean is the only mercy of God in his son Christ jesus, expressed in these words, But mercy is with thee. The third part is to teach us what we ought to do when we are delivered from our misery, & that is to fear God; under which word is comprehended the whole service of God, and all that thankfulness which is required at our hands for our salvation & redemption: & this is contained in the last words of this text, that thou mayest be feared. For whom we fear, him we would not offend; and whom we would not offend, his will we would obey, and whose will we obey, him we honour, serve and worship. Now the literal & plain sense of the first part of this text is this: O Lord if thou shouldest deal with us according to justice, and the straightness of thy law, no man that liveth were able to stand before thee, but he must needs fall under thy revenging hand, & the tortures of thy judgements. This lesson every parent must teach his children to understand and confess. For until they know how much they are endangered to God, and in what a fearful estate they stand, by reason of their sins: and until they know what a great God the Lord is, so mighty in power that he is able to cast all the world down headlong into hell, and that he will do so indeed, except they crave mercy at his hands, turn unto him, seek his favour, and endeavour to please him before I say they know this, and this knowledge be deeply settled in their hearts, they will never seek after god, but dwell still in their old estate, because they think it is good enough until death set upon them unawares, & they be cast away eternally. Wherefore here the first thing that parents are to beat into the heads of their children, is the greatness of God, his infinite power, and fearfulness; insomuch that seeing he hath made all mankind of the clay of the earth, as the potter doth his pots, and when he hath done so, he may break them all to pieces again, and who shall say what dost thou? even so if God after he hath made us, shall condemn us all to hell, which he may do if it please him, which of us all dare open his mouth against him? If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? O Lord if we had offended but an earthly majesty, or if we had transgressed but a temporal law, or if we were brought but before the bar of one of the monarchs of the earth, we would not so much tremble and quake, though our cause were capital; for they can do no more but kill the body: but thou if thou wilt, canst kill both soul and body in hell; oh who would not fear thee? If thou takest displeasure against us, who shall turn thee to mercy? Yet he is of one mind (saith job) who can turn him? 
job. 23.13.  yea he doth what his mind desireth. And again in the ninth chapter he saith, If we would dispute with him, 
job. 9.3.15.19.30.  we could not answer him one thing of a thousand. For though I were just, yet could I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If we speak of strength, behold he is strong: if we speak of judgement, who shall bring me in to plead? If I wash myself with snow water, and purge mine hands most clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit, and mine own clothes shall make me filthy. Wherefore here teach all your children to cry out when they make their humble prayers and supplications unto God, If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities, O Lord who shall stand?  
The second thing which the parent must teach his child, is to know his miserable estate in Adam. The Lord in the 51. chapter of the prophecy of Esay, saith unto the children of Israel, Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, 
Easay. 51.1  and to the hole of the pit, whence ye are digged: so you must call upon your children to look upon Adam their great grandfather, out of whose loins all nations and people of the earth are digged. And here first in that the Lord useth a metaphor of a rock, a pit, and digging, you must teach your children that they are no better than the dust of the earth, as we may read in the creation of man, Gen. 2.5. and that their hearts naturally are as hard as any flint to receive grace; and being but dust and void of all goodness, so soon as ever the breath of the Lord bloweth upon them, they fall to their earth again. Here you must teach your children that when all we, even all the nations of the world were in the hole of Adam's side, and as yet uncut out, God gave unto Adam, and so unto us being in his loins a law with two, conditions, the law was this, that we should not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, standing in the midst of the garden of Eden, 
Gen. 2.17.  as we may read, Gen. 2. The conditions of this law were these: the one life everlasting if we would keep this law figured out unto us by the tree of life, of which it was lawful for us to eat every hour: the second was, that in the same day wherein we should break this law, we should die the death. It was not long after this law was made, but Adam broke it, 
Gen. 3.6.  as we may read in 3. chapter of Genesis, and so death presently seized upon Adam and all us his posterity, being yet in his loins, according unto God's word, who said in the same day that thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death, and as it is said, 1. Cor. 15. 
1. Cor. 15.22 Rom. 5.12.  In Adam all di, and as it is said, Rom. 5. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death went over all; in whom all men have sinned. So that now if we would look unto our fountain, and to our original pit from which we were first digged; we should soon see our miserable estate which is nothing else but deadly. And now that we might come to the bottom of this pit, that so we might the more fully and clearly see all our misery, to humble us under the mighty hand of God; I must show you how death hath entered upon us, and how it hath killed us, and given us the deadly wound even while we live, and yet we perceive it not. This death hath first seized upon our reason and understanding, and put out the light of it; so that now we be as blind as a stock to behold any heavenly thing. For Saint john saith in his first chapter of the Gospel, 
john. 1.5.  The light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not: that is, God's word shineth into our minds, and yet we cannot see it, so blind are we of ourselves. Now if we cannot see the light itself though it shineth into us, which light is the cause why all other things are seen as the Apostle showeth, 
Ephes. 5.13.  Ephesi. 5. For it is light that maketh all things manifest; then much less can we truly behold any other thing else. And whereas the Apostle here calleth our reason and understanding darkness, which is all the light of our souls if it were light, then how great is our darkness? Our Saviour saith in the fifth of Matthew: 
Math. 6.22.  The light of the body is the eye, wherefore if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? so we may here say, if our reason and understanding, which is the eye of the soul be darkness, how great is this darkness? oh death hath killed us, it hath put out all our light in heavenly things. Secondly, our misery which hath fallen upon us through this death is so much the greater, for that though all our light be put out, yet we think we see; and therefore we do not with the two blind men in the gospel cry out unto our Saviour. O Lord the son of David have mercy upon us. 
Matth. 20.30.  For the whole hath no need of the physician; and so we walk in blindness all our days to our destruction, and go on without any mistrust, even as the sheep that are driven unto the slaughter, until we fall from the darkness of this life, unto that utter darkness in the life to come, where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth. Oh great misery. A demonstration of this doctrine we have in the ninth chapter of the gospel after Saint john, where our Saviour saith; I am come unto judgement into this world, 
john. 9.39.  that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind. Then some of the pharisees said, are we blind also? They could not believe that they were blind, and therefore our Saviour there telleth them that their sin remained. And thus much to show you how death hath taken the possession of the mind and reason of man, in so much that it hath spoiled it of all light in heavenly understanding. Secondly, this death hath passed from the understanding and reason, and hath entered upon the will and affections, and given them also the deadly blow; so that now we cannot will or affect any thing that good is, and profitable to life eternal, no more than a stone that is without life, until such time as Gods preventing grace repaireth us, and giveth us a new power from heaven. And therefore our Saviour saith in the sixth of john, No man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me draw him. 
john. 6.44.  And Saint Augustine upon these words saith; Non trahimus nisi nolentem. We do not draw any thing but that which is unwilling. So that now we having lost the life of our will, we must be haled and drawn by God's grace, even as men hale and draw a log that hath no moving in it, or else we can never come to heaven. This doctrine is confirmed by the saying of the Apostle, Rom. 7. where he speaketh of the same thing; 
Rom. 7.24.  Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? as if he should have said, all is dead, every part and member of it. Moreover this death hath not only made the will uncapable of all good things: but also it hath so disturbed it, that it is become like a furious or mad man repugning and striving against all reason: 
Gal. 5.17.  and therefore the Apostle saith, Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary one to another, so that ye cannot do the same things that ye would. And again Rom. 8. 
Rom. 8.7.  The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither in deed can be. 3. This death hath not rested in the reason & will, but it hath gone further, & taken hold on the body also, & every member of the body, and strooken them all out of frame: so that now our ears are the ears of folly, our eyes are the eyes of vanity, our hands are the hands of strife, our mouth is a mouth of cursing, our lips are full of poison, our throat is an open Sepulchre, and our feet are swift to shed blood; and generally all our members are the instruments and weapons of unrighteousness as the Apostle speaketh, Roman. 6. 
Rom. 6.13.19  every one being captives to sin, and standing fight against God and our own salvation: so that now if the Lord should straightly mark what were amiss in us, Oh Lord who shall stand? 4. This death hath not only taken the possession of all the parts about us, & of all the powers and faculties of every part: but also it hath brought forth infinite fruits in us to eternal condemnation. Whereupon the prophet David in his 19 Psa. crieth out, Who can understand his faults? O cleanse me from my secret sins. Now beloved if our sins & wicked transgressions be so many, that we cannot number them, nor understand them all, they be so hidden in heaps in every member about us, & the wages of every one sin yea even of the least that can be committed is death, 
Rom. 6.23.  as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 6. then again, how great is this death which lieth upon us? Here lieth the man that was travailing between jerusalem and jericho bleeding by the high ways side, having received his deadly wound, and being already more than half dead? wherefore except that good Samaritan Christ jesus, doth shortly power in wine and oil into our wounds, me must needs perish eternally. Fiftly, that we might yet the better and more clearly see into our own misery, we must go unto God's law which is our looking glass, for that will show us the very lest moat of sin that cleaveth unto us, and when we are come hither, alas this will cast us all down upon our faces. Oh saith the Apostle, Rome 7. I once was alive without the law, 
Rom. 7.9.  but when the commandment came sin revived. We think that we are jolly fellows, and that we are in case good enough, until we look our faces in God's glass, and alas than we see nothing but death, and then we cry out with the Apostle, O wretched man that I am, 
Rom. 7.24. Math. 5.22.  who shall deliver me from the body of this death? This teacheth thee, that if thou art but angry with thy brother unadvisedly, 
Math. 5.28.  thou art a murderer; this teacheth thee, that if thou dost but look upon a woman to lust after her in thine heart, 
Math. 15.19  thou art an adulterer; this teacheth thee, that if thou doest but desire thy neighbour's goods, though thou never layest hands upon them, yet thou art a thief and a felon; and this telleth thee, that though thou speakest a truth by thy neighbour with a mind to discredit him, 
2. Cor. 12.20.  thou art a slanderer; and this teacheth thee, that every little wicked thought which riseth up in thy mind is sin, 
Rom. 7.7. Exod. 20.17.  and so deserveth everlasting death; yea though thou never givest consent unto it. So that if we would examine ourselves by this glass, we must needs all of us cast down ourselves at God's feet, and say with the Prophet, If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? Now that which I have here taught you, I beseech you by the mercy of God by which only you must be saved, teach it your children again: for this is the end of all my labour to save your children's souls which are so dear unto you. Sixtly, and lastly, after you have beaten into their heads their miserable estate, by reason of their falling from God and breach of his law; than you must show them the fearful punishments be longing unto the same, and bring them even unto the brink of hell and bid them stand fast in Christ jesus, & look in. First, you must bid them behold the unquenchable fire always feeding upon the soul and body of man, & never consuming the substance. 2. You must show them further the utter darkness which is as it were that irksome smoke which ariseth out of this horrible and infernal fire. 3. You must point out unto them where the worm of conscience lieth always gnawing upon the tender heart and soul of man with torments unspeakable. 4. You must show them in this hideous place the fear and dreadfulness of God wrapped about with his wrath, which shaketh all the parts of soul and body, from whence ariseth the gnashing of teeth. And lastly, here at once you must lay before their eyes all the unspeakable torments of hell, which cause that intolerable noise of howling and crying which is to be heard in that place. Here is that Tophet which Esay speaketh of in his 30. chapter, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle it. Here lieth Esau weeping for his birthright: there lieth jerusalem crying out, because she knew not the time of her visitation. Here lieth Cain for killing his brother: there lieth judas for betraying his master. Here lieth jezabel torn of the dogs of hell for stoning of Naboth: there lieth Dives boiling in brimstone for not showing compassion on poor Lazarus. Here lie burning night and day the five Cities of Sodom, because they burned with unnatural lust while they lived here: and there lie all the old world drowned with the sea of God's wrath, because they had corrupted every man his way upon earth. O you good parents, take heed to your children, and give them good counsel, that they come not into this place of torment. Should you not cry out, woe worth the day that ever you begat a child for this place? here even upon this pits brink stands every mother's child as he is naturally borne into the world. We are by nature the children of wrath saith the Apostle, 
Ephes. 2.5.  Ephesi. 2. and we have all of us even from the conception fought against God with our sins, and provoked the holy one to anger: and therefore now here it were just with God if he should with his foot spurn us all into hell. Wherefore dear parents ere the lords anger be kindled against you and your children, remove them from hence, draw them out of this cursed estate: for if God should here examine them, O Lord which of them all should stand? they were all no better than cast away for ever.  
But with thee is mercy  
Hitherto we have spoken of our own misery, & now we are come to the remedy which is God's mercy. 
The second part of the Catechism. Psal. 101.1.  Wherefore as the prophet David in the 101. Psal. saith, I will sing mercy and judgement unto thee O Lord: so we having already sung of judgement, 
Sanctus Bernardus in serm. de S. Maria Magdalena.  now we will come to sing of mercy. These two (as one of the fathers saith) are as it were the two legs of god wherewith he walketh towards us. If God should come towards us with the leg of his justice only, alas who might abide him, and who should stand before him? but now he cometh with mercy also, and therefore we will praise him. All the paths of the Lord (saith the Prophet) are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant. 
Psal. 25.10.  This truth is God's justice whereby we are humbled: his mercy is the mean whereby we are raised up again. This is the way of Gods walking towards us, which is most wise in the eyes of the almighty. For if God should come to us only in justice, than we would not love him: & again, if he should come only in mercy, so licentious are we, that we would not fear him. Wherefore sweet is this intercourse of god's mercy & judgement, most healthful to the soul of every Christian. 
Psal. 85.10.  Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Let all Christians rejoice at this happy meeting. Let the sea make a noise, and all that is therein, let the floods clap their hands, and rejoice their fill, let the mountains skip before the Lord like young rams, and let every mouth confess unto the Lord, and sing mercy and judgement. Oh if God's mercy had not met his justice by the way, and kissed and embraced it, we had all of us been swept away with the whirlwind of his wrath long ere this day: but with thee is mercy saith the Prophet: God's mercy hath stayed his justice from dealing extremely with us. Who can sufficiently praise this mercy of God? The Lord is gracious & righteous (saith the prophet) therefore will be teach sinners in the way. 
Psal. 25.8.  Oh what a glory is it to the Lord to save poor souls that were wandering down to hell? and oh what cause have we now above all creatures to sound out the praise of this merciful God, who were brought even to death's door, & are now lifted up again by his grace: this name gracious and merciful is God's sweet name, and soundeth as much as jesus, whom the church in the 1. of the Canticles describeth after this manner; 
Cant. 1.2.  Thy name is as ointment poured out, therefore the virgins love thee: because God hath mercy in store for poor sinful creatures, therefore we will run after him by the smell of his garments, and remember his love more than wine: all our talking shall be of him and his mercy, and of his praise there shall be no end. Wherefore now you good parents, you which are the Lords deputies, sing mercy and judgement to your families continually; and sing not only mercy, but sing judgement also; and again sing not judgement alone, but sing judgement and mercy both together. If you teach your children Gods justice and judgements only, than they shall fall upon the rocks of despair, and so go mourning down to hell. Again, if you learn them only God's mercy, then will they sink in the sands of security, and so be cast away eternally. Wherefore if your desire be to have your children pass the dangerous sea of this world, that so they may arrive in the quiet haven of blessed rest, you must teach them to sail both by God's justice and mercy. And now having taught you out of the former verse, the way by the straight line of God's justice, now we are come to the calm and pleasant sea of his mercy. But with thee is mercy. Now then look to your wounds; for here is the balm of Gilead, whereby our souls are cured, even God's mercy. Is the candle of thy soul the light of thy mind put out through the darkness of sin, so that thou canst not tell how to walk in the course of this life acceptably to God, and inoffensively to thy neighbour? here is God's mercy in Christ jesus ready to enlighten thee, but with thee is mercy. As if the Prophet should have said, with thee is Christ jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 
Coloss. 2.3.  With thee is mercy, with thee is Christ jesus, 
1. Cor. 1.30.  who is made unto us wisdom and righteousness. With thee is mercy, 
2. Pet. 1.19.  with thee is that light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day star ariseth in our hearts. With thee is mercy, that is, 
2. Cor. 4.6.  thou art he which commanded the light to shine out darkness, and thou art he which shineth in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ jesus. And to conclude, with thee is mercy, that is, thou art that loving God which dost counsel us for our own good, to buy of thee eye salve, 
Apo. 3.18.  and to anoint our eyes therewith, that the sight of our understanding may recover again to behold all thy wonderful mysteries in thy son Christ jesus, the which the Angels desire to behold. And with thee is the well of life, 
Psalm. 36.9.  and in th' light shall we see light.  
2. Secondly, are thy will & affections out of frame, so that thou hast no power of thyself to will & desire any heavenly good? behold God's mercy is at hand again to repair them, and to put a new power and faculty in them, as the Apostle teacheth, 
Phil. 2.13.  Phil. 2. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, even of his own good pleasure.  
3. Thirdly, are all thy members distempered with sin, by reason of that law of sin and body of death, which hath settled itself in every part & member about thee, so that thou criest out with the Apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Christ jesus the son of this merciful God, being sent down from heaven by his merciful father, hath taken upon him our whole nature, & every power of our nature, and hath sanctified it all for us, as the Apostle teacheth us, 
Heb. 2.11.14  Heb. 2. For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified, are all of one: wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren. And again in the same chapter: For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them, that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the devil. So that now if thou wile lay hold on God's mercy and Christ's merits, which he once purchased for thee in thine own nature, the power of sin shall every day more and more die in thee, and thou shalt grow into the image of Christ thy Saviour, & all thy members which before were the instruments and weapons of unrighteousness, now they shall be changed into the instruments of righteousness, & fight for God. Now thine eyes shall behold the thing which is right, now thine ears shall be open to hear the word, now thy hands shall make peace, now thy lips shall speak truth, thy mouth shall bless, thy feet shall be swift to all goodness, and every member shall be sanctified unto the Lord. Oh great is this mercy of God, that hath given his son Christ jesus to do so great things for us.  
4. Fourthly, doth the multitude of thy sins which thou hast brought forth out of this body of death, lie boiling in thy conscience, so that thou canst take no rest neither night nor day? come again hither to the mercy of God: In that day (saith the Prpohet Zachary) there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, 
Zach. 13.1.  and to the inhabitants of jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. That day is this blessed time of the Gospel in which we now live, having his precious word sounding unto us on both ears, & this fountain is that pure righteousness and merits of his son Christ jesus, which he wrought for us while he lived here upon earth with us. Here every one may wash away all his sins, be they never so many and filthy. This is that river of jordan where Naaman may wash away all his leprosy, and his flesh shall come unto him again, like the flesh of a young child. And this is that pool of Bethesda, where every one may be cured (if he wash lawfully) of whatsoever disease he hath. Oh let us bless God for this fountain of living waters!  
5. Fiftly, if the law of God terrify thee, and threaten thee with the sentence of death and condemnation, then appeal thou to the Gospel and to the law of faith, this law is the law of life, and is above the law of wrath and the law of death: this law is like unto the court of Chancery, which mitigateth the rigour of all other courts: this is the law of mercy, this is the new law which Christ brought with him from heaven, and therefore he would not condemn the woman that was taken in adultery: here, even here thou mayest find succour and relief whensoever thou art oppressed with the law of wrath, if thou wilt appeal unto it.  
6. Lastly, whensoever the pains of hell catch hold upon thee, and the worm of conscience begin to gnaw within thee, (for some have even here in this life a taste of the torments of hell) even now I say after thou hast felt the sting, if thou canst cast thine eyes upon the brazen Serpent Christ jesus, and look upon God's mercy, all thy horror and fear shall presently fly from thee. For he is our redemption, as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 1. By whom we have redemption through his blood, 
Ephes. 1.7.  even the forgiveness of our sins: and being redeemed joy and peace of conscience must needs follow. 
Rom. 5.1.  Wherefore (saith the Apostle) being justified by faith, we have peace towards God. They therefore that being not content with a moderate and lawful sorrow for sin, will by no means be brought to receive the comforts that Christ hath purchased with his most precious blood, are as much to be blamed as mad men and contemners of this blessed work of our redemption. For what man (except he were mad) when he is redeemed from his prison, would go and chain up himself again, and bite his own flesh, and so be a prison unto himself. I know (beloved) if God would, and if he were willing with it, we should be tormented with the sight of our sins and with a guilty conscience continually: if he should straightly mark what were amiss in us every moment, O Lord who should stand? we should fall upon our sins, and our sins should fall upon us, and we should both fall under God's revenging hand, and then all comfort should fly from us: but the Lord (beloved) he is a God of mercy, he would not the death of a sinner, as the Prophet Ezechiel teacheth in his 18. chapter, 
Ezech. 18.32  I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. With God is mercy, with God is joy, with God is comfort, with God is light: oh who would not embrace this merciful and sweet God? And on the contrary, if we fall away from him, and if we now neglect his bountiful mercy, in offering his grace so freely to redeem us from all our sins and miseries; than it cannot be avoided, but we must needs be whurled into the pit of desolations, and one destruction shall follow another. Now (beloved) seeing that we know our own misery, and that there is nothing in us which is found, as I have already showed unto you; 
Esay. 1.6.  from the sole of the foot unto the head there is nothing whole therein, but wounds, and swellings, and soresful of corruption; they have not been wrapped, nor bound up, nor mollified with oil: within are horrible desolations, without are terrors & the sound of mighty judgements, and our destruction is like the overthrow of strangers: oh why do we then sit still while we perish utterly? Is there no balm at Gilead, saith the Prophet jeremy? 
jerem. 8.22.  is there no mercy in God? wherefore now beloved, I witness unto you all here this day, that the Lord is innocent from the death of you all, and that if you will not lay hold upon his mercy, so freely proclaimed in your ears by the mouths of his messengers, your blood shall be upon your own heads: for with God is mercy, with God are all means of your salvation, if you will sue unto him for it. Now you good fathers of families, make these things known unto your children, that they may teach the same again unto their children after them, that God may have the praise of his mercy through all ages, and that all Israel may be saved, 
Rom. 11.26.  as it is written: Make your houses little sanctuaries for God's worship, and be telling of his loving kindness from day to day, & let the mercy of God in Christ jesus, be as well known to your family, as their meat and drink: be not ashamed to speak Christ jesus, because you cannot speak eloquently: the Gospel of Christ as the Apostle telleth you, standeth not in words and wisdom of men, 
1. Cor. 2.4.  but in power & evidence of the spirit: the Lord open your mouths, and fill your hearts with all heavenly wisdom, that you may be helpers of God's ministers to build up his temple with spiritual stones, and that you may lay your children and servants the polished corners thereof.  
Now after you have taught your children the remedy against their own misery, 
The mean to come by God's mercy.  which is God's mercy: (for there is no other help besides this, whether we look to the East, or to the West, to the North or to the South) them you must show them also the mean whereby they may come by this, and how this mercy of GOD may be profitable unto their souls. This mean is the hand of faith: and without this hand of faith God's mercy shall profit us nothing at all. God is merciful in deed, yea his mercies are infinite, they are a multitude of mercies, as the Prophet David speaketh: but if thou hast not a hand of faith to lay hold upon them, God's mercies abide still in himself, and they shall nothing avail thee. For all the benefit of Christ's Gospel is in the use and application of it. Christ is called Emmanuel, that is to say, God with us. Alas (beloved) though God be never so good, yet without us he doth us no good. Wherefore we must get us faith to draw him into our hearts; and this is as the hand that layeth the plaster upon the wound: and even as it little profiteth the wounded man to have the best medicine lying by him, except he had a hand to lay the plaster upon the sore; even so the mercies of God can do us small good, except we had a faith to apply them unto our sinful souls.  
This than you see is a special point, and therefore most carefully to be called upon: yea this is even as necessary for the life of the soul, as the wind pipe is for the life of the body. For by this mean the breath of our new life is conveyed into us, as the Prophet Habacuck saith chapter 2. 
Habac. 2.4.  The just shall live by faith. 
2. Cor. 1.24. 2. Cor. 5.7.  And S. Paul in the 2. Corin. 1. saith, we stand by faith. And again, in the fifth chapter of the same Epistle, we walk by faith: so that now all is by faith, all our life, and all our actions, and all our welfare, and without faith there is no goodness to be hoped for of us, because there is no other mean whereby God's grace and mercy can be conveyed into us. And now next after this, seeing our faith is such a special instrument for us, you must teach them the means how to preserve and maintain it, because all their life hangeth upon this. For our faith is to the soul, even as our hand is to the mouth, and the mouth to the stomach, and the windpipe to the heart: so that if thou hast not a hand to feed thy mouth, and a mouth to feed thy stomach, thy body must needs soon perish: and again, if thy windpipe should be cut asunder, presently thy heart dieth, and all thy members fall down, because they want the breath of life: even so if thy faith which is the only mean whereby thou receivest the breath of Christ's spirit into thy soul, and whereby thou livest that new life in Christ jesus, of which the Prophet Habacucke speaketh, The just shall live by his faith: if this pipe and conduit (I say) be perished or broken in thee by thine own negligence, or cut off by thine adversary the devil, who seeketh nothing else night nor day but thy everlasting spoil, then certainly both thy soul & body must needs perish too. Wherefore maintain and uphold your holy faith by all means. 
The means of maintaining our faith.  And these means are six in number: the first, is the hearing of the word preached with all diligence: the second, is the reading of the word with understanding and careful meditation: the third, is the instruction in the catechism: the fourth are devour and hearty prayers for the continuance of God's favour and love unto the end: the fifth are often meditations of God's goodness towards us: the sixth and last are continual watchings in our souls over all our ways and every particular action: if these things be in you and abound, your faith shall never fail, but it shall be unto you a fountain of living waters, and God's mercy shall stand unto you and to your children for ever: which God grant unto you all for his son Christ jesus sake.  
Now, 
The third part of the Catechism.  after that you have taught your children first their own misery in themselves, and secondly the remedy against their misery, which is God's mercy in Christ jesus, whereby they are saved and redeemed: the third thing now to be taught them, is what they should do after they are saved and redeemed, and that is to fear God, which is as much to say as to serve him. But with thee is mercy that thou mayest be feared. And here first that I might prove unto you that this phrase in our text to fear God, signifieth to serve God, I will bring two places of holy Scripture for confirmation. The first is in the first chapter of Malachy, vers. 6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: If I be a father, where is my honour, and if I be a master where is my fear? that is as much to say, as where is my service? for we know that the duty of servants is to serve their master, and that their fear towards them is required not simply for itself, but for their service sake, that so they might the more diligently seek to please them, whom they fear to offend. The second is in the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint Luke, and is an argument drawn from the end of our redemption, in these words, 
Luk. 1.74.  That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness before him. In which words we are to learn four instructions. The first is, that when we are redeemed from the burden of our miseries, and set in the state of salvation, then consequently we should give ourselves wholly to God's service, because than we have nothing else to do. The second doctrine teacheth us how long this service should continue: that is, not for a day or two, but for all the days of our life. For seeing Christ hath redeemed us not for a day or two, but for ever, therefore it is just that we should serve him for ever: and seeing Christ hath thought no pains too much to suffer for our sakes; so we should think no labour too long or wearisome for his sake again. Our Saviour in the tenth chapter of Matthew teacheth us, that he only shall be saved which continueth unto the end. 
Mat. 10.22.  The third instruction teacheth us the sum or chief parts of this service of GOD, which are holiness and righteousness; holiness towards GOD, and righteousness towards our neighbour, upon which two hang all the law and the Prophets. The fourth teacheth us, first the true and only manner of performing this holiness and righteousness, which is spiritual, sincere, and which is done and taken in hand with an eye unto GOD: before him. So that if thou takest good duties in hand, and dost not look up unto God with the eyes of thy mind, and with the zealous affections of thine heart, & say, Lord this is for thee, and for thy sake I do it, thy holiness and righteousness is not before God, and so no part of his service, he accepteth it not. Secondly, this teacheth us to distinguish between the true holiness and righteousness, and that which is false and counterfeit, which is no part of his service. If thy holiness & righteousness be of thine own making, and the fancies of thine own brain, as the toys of popery are; than it is not before God, and so shall never please him. Wherefore if thou wilt seek to show thyself thankful to God for thy great deliverance, thou must serve him with such holiness and righteousness as is before him, and that is such as his word only commandeth. Now let no man think that this place is contrary to that which we labour to make plain by conference and consent, which is our text: the one affirming to fear God, the other to serve God without fear. In a word, this clause (without fear) in the 1. of Luke is not contrary to our text, Psalm. 130. because the one is understood of the fear of God, which is his service; and the other of the fear of our enemies: and so the allegation is contained in the word service, and not in the word fear: that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him: that is, fear him, and fear him that we might serve him. Now having laid out unto you the undoubted sense and meaning of our text, I will show you why the holy Ghost here rather useth the word fear, than the word service, saying, that thou mayest be feared, rather than that thou mayest be served. This is for that the Lord thereby might the better prepare us unto his service, and being prepared might continue and hold us in the same, as it were with a bridle, from running out. And therefore we see in holy Scripture, that when the Lord would make any man fit for his service, he as it were manureth him first by his fear, as we may see first in the Prophet Esay, as we may read in his 6. chapter, where when the Lord called him to bear his hard message unto the children of Israel, he appeared unto him in a fearful vision sitting on his throne of majesty, to the end that this sight might strike so deep an impression into his heart, that never after he might forget the bounds of his calling: 
Esay. 6.5.  Woe is me (saith he) for I am undone, because I am a man of polluted lips: for mine eyes have seen the King and Lord of hosts. Again, 
Ezech. 1.29. and. 2.12.  in the calling of Ezechiel, as we may read in his first chapter, we may see what a fearful vision he had, so that he fell down upon his face before the Lord, and could not stand up any more until God's spirit had entered into him and held him up. And again in the 19 of the first book of the Kings, when the Lord called his servant Eliah to go about a dangerous and hard piece of service, (which was to anoint two Kings, and both against his Lord and sovereign Achab, 
1. King. 19.15.  to be avenged of him and his bloody wife jezebel for destroying his Prophets) that he might not at any time fly out from his charge, as jonah did, the Lord prepared him before with fearful signs: first he sent a mighty strong wind which rend the mountains, & broke the rocks before him. 2. after the wind he sent an earthquake, after the earthquake there came a fire, & after the fire when Eliah was now sufficiently humbled & prepared, came a still and a soft voice, & then he received his message. In like manner also when the Lord gave the law of this his service unto his people upon mount Horeb, what fearful signs did he send before? there were thunderings & lightnings, the earth quaked under them, the air was rend above them by reason of the horrible noise of the trumpet of God and fearful thundercracks, and before their eyes all was of a smoke and burning fire, in so much that Moses himself, though he was a man very well acquainted with God, and accustomed with wonders, yet he also feared and quaked (as the author to the Hebrews saith) and all the people fled back. 
Heb. 12.21.  Thus than you now see even by the Lords own method and proceeding, how necessary the fear of God is for his true and faithful service; yea so necessary is it, that without it there is no serving of God aright.  
The wise man, Solomon in the first chapter of the proverbs, 
Pro. 1.7. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him will he teach the way that he shall choose. Psal. 25.12.  saith, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: and the Hebrew phrase saith it is the head of knowledge: which signifieth not only the beginning, but also the chief and principal part thereof, from whose fountain the very life of all good understanding is derived, even as the head giveth continual sense and moving to all the members of the body.  
2. Secondly, this fear of God is not only the beginning of God's service, but it is also the continuer and conserver of it, holding us always within our limits, who like wild horse are ready at every step to run out of the way. For this cause Moses after the giving of the law, as we may see in the 20. chap. of Exodus, teacheth the Israelites the true use of those fearful sights which they had seen, which was that Gods fear might continue with them to be ever after a bridle unto them to withhold them from sin: 
Exod. 20.20  and that his fear may be before you that you sin not. So that now take away gods fear from before our eyes, & presently we will fall into sin, & break off gods service, though we have made never so good an entrance. The force of this bond of fear when jacob beheld, he told his uncle Laban plainly, 
Gen. 31.42.  Genesis 31. that except the fear of Isaac had been with him, meaning the fear of God who was Isaac's fear, he would have sent him away empty: and even so beloved, it is with us all, except Gods fear remain and continue with us, though the Lord hath deserved never so much at our hands, yet we like unthankful Laban's would send him empty away, and rob him of the praise of all his blessings and graces bestowed upon us. Moreover this fear of God was of such account amongst the holy patriarchs, that it was taken then to be the only bond in the world: and therefore when joseph would persuade his brethren before they knew him, to leave one of them behind in prison till they had cleared themselves of suspicion, which was objected against them, 
Gen. 42.18.  as we may read, Genesis. 42. he also to give them to understand of faithfulness on his part▪ used this only reason unto them: For (saith he) I fear God; as if he should have said, I dare not do to the contrary. 
Gen. 50.19.  Again, in the 50. chap. of Gen. when jacob their father was dead, Joseph's brethren, fearing then that he might seek to be revenged of them for their unkind and inhuman handling of him, they came to make supplication unto him, prostrating themselves before him, desiring him to forgive them their offence: to whom he answered, 
Eccles. 34.14 Who so feareth the Lord feareth no man, neither is afraid: for he is his hope. Psalm. 19.9.  Fear not, for am not I under God? as if he should have said, I fear God, and therefore you need not fear me. 3. The fear of God is not only the beginning of God's service, and the continuance of God's service, but also it is the end of God's service, and endureth for ever, as the Prophet David saith, Psal. 19 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: and our text saith, that thou mayest be feared.  
Again Solomon in the 14. chapter of the proverbs, extolling the excellency of the fear of God, 
Prou. 14.27.  saith. The fear of the Lord is as a well spring of life to avoid the snares of death. Here then is the fountain from whence all the streams of God's service, and every part of his worship are first fetched. And again in the 16. chapter he saith, 
Prou. 16.6.  By the fear of the Lord we depart from evil. So that now as you see all goodness cometh by God's fear; it is the beginning of God's service, it is the continuance and conservation of God's service, it is the end of God's service, & it is the walls of God's service, whereby both the enemy is kept from us, and we from running to the enemy; and what shall I say more? it is the irons and bolts wherewith the old man is manacled, and it is the bridle wherewith our stubborn and effrenate affections are held in, and whereby we are governed and directed in the new and living way, as the Apostle speaketh. So excellent a thing is the fear of God, that nothing may be compared unto it. Whereupon Ecclesiasticus saith well, Chap. 40.26. Riches and strength lift up the mind: but the fear of the Lord is above them both: there is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth no help. 27. the fear of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing, & there is nothing so beautiful as it is. Wherefore you good fathers, which have a desire to teach your children and servants the true service of God, in token of thankfulness to their maker and redeemer Christ jesus for so great benefits and graces received, you must enter them with the fear of God, and you must hold and continue them in the same with the fear of God: if you lay not this foundation all your labour is lost, God's service shall eftsoons slide away from them, and then they might better never to have known the way of righteousness: without this there is no stay or help from apostasy, which state is most miserable of all other. This maketh us to tread surely in all the ways of the Lord, whereas the forward children which have no fear catch many a fall. For God's love look well to this point, and ever carry in your mind that most wholesome saying of the Apostle in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philipians, 
Philip. 2.12  Make an end of your salvation with fear & trembling: and Pro. 28.14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway.   
Titus 2.11.12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world. 
HItherto I have spoken of the beginning and true foundation of God's service: & now it followeth in order that I should teach you the whole building, with all the parts thereof, that so good parents might go forward in their duty until they have brought their children to a comely frame in God's house. But here first before we come to these parts, we must speak something of the connexion of this text with the former, and of the words of the text as they lie in order. This word the grace of God is all one in effect with that which is translated mercy, in the 130. Psalm, and they both tend to one end, that is, to stir up men to the service of God: the one noting out unto us the relenting and pitiful affection in God upon the sight of our miserable estate, into which we had cast ourselves helpless: & the other the gladsomeness of our heavenly father in bestowing this his mercy upon us, which is signified under the word grace. From the nature of which two words I gather this double fruitful exhortation. First, that seeing our God which was our judge, and not only our judge, but also the party grieved & offended, did notwithstanding yearn in compassion towards us, & pity our misery, and forgave us all our debt and trespass: so now we in token of thankfulness to him again, should yearn and grieve within ourselves to see his name dishonoured. And secondly, whereas God hath bestowed his grace so frankly and gladsomely to save us: so now we being saved by his grace, it should be our joy to serve him for it in all obedience and in every good duty. And whereas the Apostle saith, that this grace hath appeared, (or as the Greek verb saith shined) he noteth out unto us the magnificence thereof, as if the Lord had reared it up in the midst of the firmament like the sun to give light unto all the parts of the world▪ Great is this grace of GOD in Christ jesus, which hath shined and appeared unto all nations, knreds, and tongues, and unto all kinds of men, honourable and inhonourable. And teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. In these words the holy Ghost layeth down the true and only method of proceeding in this service of God; which is that we should first wash out of the heart all ungodliness and worldly lusts, that so there may be a convenient room for his worship to come into. For even as a foul and stinking vial infecteth the pure & good ointment which is put into it: even so the worship of God if it be placed in a foul heart, it will soon corrupt and shortly turn into flat idolatry & impious dissembling. Agreeable to this the holy Ghost teacheth, 
1. Cor. 5.7.  1. Cor. 5. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lamp. And again in the sixth verse. a little leaven leaveneth a whole lump: so a little ungodliness and worldly affections soureth the whole mass of God's service, and maketh it unpleasant unto him. Wherefore all must be cleansed out. And again in the fifteenth of the Acts, the Apostle speaking of the working of the holy Ghost in gathering into his Church the polluted Gentiles saith, having purified their hearts by faith. 
Acts 15.9.  So that now we see, he that will keep his vessel holy unto the Lord, and prepare his heart aright to serve God, he must wash it, and rinse it, and purify it before; he cannot make it too clean, for the service of God is the purest thing in all the world. And here that we may the better stir up ourselves unto this divine service of God, let us diligently observe the phrase of the holy Ghost▪ The grace of God teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. This is a metaphorical speech taken from military affairs, and is answerable unto the word abandon. For when the good Captain findeth just cause of disliking in his soldiers, he is said to abandon them, that is, to thrust them out of his band, and to put them from their pay, and so turn them away. Again on the other side, when the good soldier shall see the misgovernment of his captain, and his bad cause in hand, he leaveth his captain and turneth to the just cause, denying and defying by solemn sacramental oath of war his former colours. Without this denying, the soldier shall not be received, but shall be taken and held as a spy and a traitor, and so rejected. Even so beloved, when we have once renounced the black colours of the devil, the world, and the flesh, and are turned to the Lord jesus, because we see his cause is just, and his pay best: now this great captain and Lord general of heaven and earth, before he will admit us into his band, he requireth of us that we should deny and defy our former colours, that is, all ungodliness and worldly lusts, unto which we have hitherto borne weapons. For no man can serve two masters, as our Saviour saith in the gospel. And therefore thou whosoever thou art, that wilt be a good soldier of Christ jesus, and do him true and faithful service, because he hath ransomed thee from the tyranny of the devil; thou must renounce and deny from thy heart all ungodliness, and that is all that profaneness of mind, wherein before thou didst live when thou regardedst not God nor religion, and all worldly lusts; that is, all the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 
1. joh. 2.16.  and the pride of life, as Saint john teacheth us, 1. Epist. 2.16. all which are the very arms & ensigns which the devil the prince of darkness beareth against thy dear Saviour and redeemer. Now after that thou hast washed thy hands from all uncleaneness, and renounced the devil with all his adherents the world & the flesh, & art now become embanded in the Lords troops; now thou must next learn how to stand in God's array, & what is the whole duty & service which he requireth at thy hands. This consisteth in these three parts, as we are here taught in this text: first, in living soberly to ourselves: secondly, in living righteously to our neighbours: and thirdly, in living holily or godly towards god. In these three points wholly standeth the service of God, so much as of man is required. The first & second parts are contained in the second table of God's law, the third is contained in the first. Now in the first part of God's service (following the order of our text, beginning at ourselves, and rising as it were by steps from the lowest to the highest) is to live soberly towards ourselves; & this is to govern our own bodies and persons in such measure and comely behaviour, as that the Lord who is the continual beholder of all our actions, as well private as public, and as well secret as open, be not offended at us. Wherefore here every man must learn to temperate and moderate himself in his speech, in his gesture in meat and drink, in apparel, in pleasures, in pains and labours, and generally in whatsoever concerneth a man's own person, and in all his lawful liberties: so that our speech may not be too rough, nor too ridiculous: our gesture may not be too light, nor too lowering: our meat and drink neither too much, nor too delicate: our apparel not too gay, nor too sluttish: our pleasures neither too long, nor in bad causes: our sorrows not for every vain loss, nor in any defect or excess: and our labours such as may rather preserve life then quench it; in all which we must always hold this rule, to consider not what we are able to do, but what is most meet to be done, agreeable with our estate (wherein we may not flatter ourselves) and seemly both before God and man. This sweet sobriety is the honest grace and flower of our life, which whosoever wanteth, he cometh too short of that duty which God requireth at his hands, being unthankful to God who hath redeemed him to live in such an honourable estate, 
1. Cor. 11.10.  offensive to men and angels, and hurtful to his own soul and body. For what is the cause why our souls corrupt and stink in the filthy lusts and pleasures of the flesh, & in all manner of excess & riotous kind of living, but because they want this sale of sobriety whereby they should be kept sweet? why canst thou not endure to bear the labours of God's service? why doest thou wax faint in prayer? why dost thou think it long to hear? why dost thou think much to strain thy heart unto God in the zeal of thanksgiving? and why canst thou not away to carry patiently the easy yoke of Christ jesus? why thou hast not been acquainted with sobriety, which is as it were the yoke to hold all men within their religious and virtuous endeavours. Again, let us come to the duties of the second table, and ask what is the cause why we cannot live within the compass of them? Why do some lift up the heel against their governors like the untamed horse? why do others live in continual contentions and fightings, like the savage wolves and Tigers? Why do some waste their strength in pleasures, as the flame which consumeth the tallow? and why do other neglecting the tender bud of their decaying stock draw all through their own throats, while their wife and children starve for hunger? and why do other envying the age to come gape upon all things present like Behemoth, as though they would make an end of the world with themselves? and why do other some kindle such discord amongst their neighbours by that fire of the tongue, as Saint james calleth it, that it can never after be quenched unto the death? and why is hell let loose within ourselves, to disturb all the powers and senses about us with wicked thoughts & lusts? why this virtue of sobriety is absent from us. So that take away sobriety, and you undo all Religion. Wherefore you good parents, you which have a care of the posterity and of the Church of God to come, and you which think nothing too dear for the redemption of your own souls and the souls of your children: show your thankfulness unto GOD in instructing your household, teach them holiness towards God, and righteousness towards men, and teach them not only holiness and righteousness towards God and men, but also train them up in sobriety towards themselves: for this is the lock and key to religion, it is the yoke of our life, it is the salt of our souls, & it is the grace of all our actions. O you good youth, I call to you which love the Lord, I call to you which honour all those which give you good instruction, and I call to you who had rather die an honest and godly death while you are young, then to live in the filthy pleasures of sin for a season, and in the end to be cast away eternally: embrace this noble virtue of sobriety; if there be any understanding, if any love of virtue, if any zeal of chastity, if any courage for good things, fulfil my desires in the Lord, who love your souls so dearly, and God almighty rain down a blessing upon you.  
2. The second part of God's service, is to live righteously towards men, and that is to give every man his due and right. Give to every man his due, 
Rom. 13.7.8  saith the Apostle, Rom. 13. Tribute to whom ye owe tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom vee owe honour. Owe nothing to any man, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Now this whole duty of loving our brethren, and in giving every one his due, we may generally comprehend in this division. First, in honouring and obeying our superiors and governors: secondly, in relieving our inferiors and all such as stand in need of our help: and thirdly, in being kind to our equals, and loving to all. For the duties towards our superiors; the subject must honour his magistrate with obedience, reverence, and common maintenance: so the people must honour their pastor, the child his parent, the wife her husband, and the servant his master. All these must be honoured and obeyed of us not slightly, but seriously and unfeignedly, even as purposing to honour God in them. for this also is a part of God's service, and the duties which we give unto them we must give as unto God himself, setting God always before our eyes, whom in all things we ought to worship and reverence. And on the other side, superiors must know so to carry themselves towards their inferiors, in governing, teaching, and defending of them in all wisdom and gravity, that they may seem worthy of those honours which according to God's ordinance are bestowed upon them. Secondly, for the helping and relieving of our brother, we must not do it by halves, but fully, as God himself hath commanded. We must not aid him in his body, and hurt him in his goods; and we must not help him in his goods, and offend him in his name: and lastly, we must not care for him in his body, goods, and name, and suffer his soul to perish by us for want of our spiritual counsel and exhortation; but we must labour to uphold and defend him in all these together, but especially in his soul, because this is more precious than all the other. For even as one member of our own body is as dear unto us as another: so should all our brother's things be unto us, because we are all members of our dear Saviour, who hath loved us all alike in giving his whole self for us all. Thirdly, and lastly, so should we love all men, as well those which have no need of us, as those which stand in need, that no offence being given on either side, we living as lights in the world, and showing forth the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, as Saint Peter sayeth, 
1. Pet. 2.9. , all men may have just cause to praise GOD for us, and so God to be honoured all in all.  
3. The third & highest part of our service, is to live holily towards God: and this is to set up and exalt the Lord only in our hearts, and to establish his kingdom and government in our souls, banishing and avoiding from within us all foreign powers of the world, the flesh, and the devil, that so there may be but one sole and absolute regiment of God's spirit within us, that he only may command, forbid, control, chastise, and direct in all his ways. And secondly, that as he only is wise to prescribe, so we should give ourselves wholly to serve him not as we ourselves think best, but as he commandeth in his word; that is spiritually, inwardly, and unfeignedly, and in such particulars as he himself setteth down unto us. And thirdly, because he is such a great GOD holding all the world under his obedience, saying to the king as it is in job 34. 
job. 34.18. Translatio Tremelij.  Thou naughty man, and to the nobles you wicked men: therefore now we should use his name with all holy reverence, and never presume to speak of him, but with titles of majesty and honour. And fourthly and lastly, we must perform all our homage and service unto him, in frequenting his courts diligently, in hearing his word preached gladly, in praying to him devoutly, in receiving his holy Sacraments reverently, & in casting ourselves down at his feet, acknowledging all our possessions, wealth, honours, privileges, and whatsoever else we enjoy that good is, all to be held from his gracious hands, most heartily thanking him for the continuance of them unto us, and being ready whensoever he shall call to surrender them up unto him again. In this present world. Now in that the holy Apostle restraineth his exhortation to the time of this present world, he teacheth us that there is no longer deferring to serve God, but we must even now at this present instant change our hearts, and set upon his work: for this present instant is a part of this present world, and so you see here that the Lord hath left us no time in this life to serve our own lusts and pleasures. Secondly, the Apostle here setteth forth unto us the common stade of God's service, which is this present life. This present life and this present world God hath appointed out for service, and that which is to come he hath ordained for reward and rest. Wherefore now if men will serve God, they must serve him in this life, or else they shall never serve him. I know well that many could be content to serve God after they be dead, so they might enjoy and follow their pleasures in this present world, than they would live soberly, and righteously, and holily, but than it is too late. For this present world, as I said, is the time of service, and the next is the time of reward; the reward of glory, and rest to such as have served God in this world, and the reward of vengeance and torment to such as have disobeyed him.   
Verse. 13.14. Looking for that blessed hope, and appearing of that glory of that mighty God, and of our Saviour jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works. 
NOw having taught you what the whole service of God is, and what is required at our hands for our salvation & redemption, because our hearts are so heavy and sluggish, that few of us regard these things: And again, such of us as regard them, can better talk of them then perform them: and considering the lets of Christianity to be many, I have thought good here to use such forcible motives, as I can best gather out of God's word, whereby our cold zeal may be inflamed, and we violnttlie thrust forward to lay hand upon God's business.  
1. The first motive which the holy Ghost here offereth unto us, is the lifting up of our eyes unto the mark or reward which is set up for us at the end of our race, to draw us forward with all our might. For as it is in the game of running (which similitude the Scripture often useth) there is a mark or crown of reward erected up on high on some pillar at the race end, to the end it might be seen a far off, and that it might be always in the eye of the runner, like the loadstone to draw him forward with all his might and power: even so unto us Christians, which run in the spiritual race of God's service, wherein the great God and his Angels are lookers on, there is a great price set up for us even in the height of the heavens, which is here called the blessed hope, and the glory of the mighty God, which at that day shall break forth as a flood of light from his own glorious majesty to glorify all his saints. And for the more efficacy of this motive, I will bring for example our Saviour himself, who being the author and finisher of our faith, used this help through all his way, as we may read Heb. 12. 
Hebr. 12.2.  Who for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. Again, this help that worthy light of the Church the Apostle S. Paul used, Philip. 3. 
Philip. 3.13.14.  I forget that which is behind, and endeavour myself unto that which is before, and follow hard toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus. But what is this mark, and what is this price which is always so in the eye of the Apostle, that he forgetteth all other things, and regardeth nothing but it? 
Apoc. 7.2.  This mark is that palm branch, which is given unto all those faithful servants of Christ jesus, who have overcomed all the difficulties and hardness of this life: and this mark is that immortal inheritance and undefiled, and which withereth not, reserved in the heavens, of which S. Peter speaketh, 
1. Pet. ●. 4.  1. Epistle 2. chapter: and this mark is the fullness of joy, as the Prophet David saith, 
Psal. 16.11.  Psalm. 16. In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore: and this mark, and this blessed hope, is the crown of righteousness laid up for all Gods faithful servants against the day of this appearing of the glory of this mighty God our Saviour jesus Christ: From hence forth is laid up for me (saith the Apostle) the crown of righteousness, 
2. Tim. 4.8.  which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but to all those that love that his appearing. 2. Tim. 4. O if a man had a crown always in his eye, what would he not do to come by it? Why do we then stagger under our burdens? and why do we wax faint in the Lord's service? why we do not look up unto our blessed hope, and we do not set that glorious appearing of our Saviour Christ jesus always before our eyes, whose presence shall wipe away all tears from our cheeks. This would hold up our hands if there were any life in us. Cast your eyes then upon your inheritance which shall not wither? What service can be sufficient for a kingdom? what duty for the crown of heaven? what loyalty for the adoption of the sons of God? and what pains taking for the fullness of joy? O you Christians that you saw and knew your happiness, that you might love and serve the Lord.  
2. The second motive is taken from that exceeding love of Christ, in giving himself so freely for us, and therefore now we should give ourselves and all our things unto him again, as we are taught of our mother the Church, 
Cantic. 6.2.  Canticles 6. I am my well-beloveds, and my well-beloved is mine. O if Christ jesus that heavenly bridegroom hath bestowed himself upon us, and given himself for us, which sometimes were more vile than the clay in the street, how can we now deny him any service, or any thing which is within us? shall the heir of eternity and the son of God bestow himself upon us with a full dowry of the kingdom of heaven, and all the joys of the life to come, and with the fruition of the divine nature, as S. Peter saith, and shall not we now bestow ourselves and our lives upon him again? for that love of Christ constraineth us (saith the Apostle) because we thus judge, 
2. Cor. 5.15.  that if one be dead for all, than we are all dead, and he died for all, that they which live, should not hence forth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. O had not we need now be a dear and loving spouse unto our husband Christ, who hath bought our love with his own death? would not this meditation constrain any reasonable heart unto all dutiful service? wherefore now I speak like a troubled soul out of the affection of my heart, I had rather be hanged in the air, I had rather be burnt in the fire, I had rather be torn with the rack, yea I had rather run through hell itself, than I would willingly offend and displease this merciful Lord, who hath loved me and given himself for me. 
Gal. 2.20.  For I was dead, but now I am alive: I was lost, but now I am found: I was forsaken, but now am I beloved. 
Acts 21.13.  What do you weeping and breaking my heart, saith the Apostle? for my life is not dear unto myself, 
Acts 20.24  so that I may fulfil my course with joy. Oh we have not half frank hearts to deal with God; we think much to serve God with our persons, our souls, and our bodies: and as for our goods we lay them to aside, they may not go with us into the Lord's Sanctuary for fear of losing: and yet our Lord hath not only given soul and body to ransom us, but also hath stripped himself naked of all his heavenly royalty and riches, and took upon him the form of a servant, as the Apostle teacheth, 
Philip. 2.7.  Phil. 2. O where is now that constraining love of the Apostle to stir up our dull and cold hearts?  
3. The third motive to stir us up with all cheerfulness unto God's service, are those great and unspeakable pains and labours which our dear Saviour hath taken upon him to bear and go thorough with for our redemption. Who gave himself for us, saith the Apostle, that is, who gave himself to endure all manner of torments, calamities, and sufferings for our redemption; and all manner of painful service for our justification. Now hath Christ our Saviour given himself to do so much for us, and shall we give ourselves to security and live as we lust? hath Christ watched for us, and shall we give ourselves to sleep? hath Christ fasted for us, and shall we give ourselves to banqueting? hath Christ been tempted for us, and shall we yield to every suggestion? hath Christ suffered persecution, & shall we look to line at ease? and hath Christ so lived here upon earth for our sakes, that he would not please himself, Rom. 15. and shall we sport in the delights of this life, and the sensuality of our own flesh? and hath Christ not only suffered all the troubles of this life, but also took upon him the torments of the life to come, to free us from that dreadful lake of eternal judgement, & now shall we cast ourselves down under the green boughs of the pleasures of this world, and shun the heat and burden of the day, and give ourselves to idle loitering, when God calleth us forth to labour in his vineyard? O what a shame were this to Christians, at whose hands the Lord hath deserved so great duties through his infinite labours and sufferings. If Christ our Saviour had redeemed us without any pains taking, as easily as a rich man pulleth out twenty pounds out of his pocket to ransom a poor captive whom he taketh pity on, yet respecting the unspeakable misery from which we are delivered, and the great freedom into which we are brought, that is, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and to the inheritance of the Saints, and to be citizens of heaven, this would deserve infinite duties of thankfulness: but now this was not our dear saviours case, alas it was no ease for him to save us, as the monument of this day can well witness unto us, at what time he finished the term of 32. years servitude and half, having trodden the wine press of the Almighty, borne the fierce wrath of God his father, sweat water and blood, with strong cry and tears, and now having passed the iron gates of death, he appeared unto us, bringing salvation through no little sorrow, and therefore now as the matter thus standeth, who is sufficient for these things, and who shall give us thankfulness, and duties, and service for so great deserts?  

Blessings past and present.  4. The fourth motive, are all those sweet graces and blessings both temporal and spiritual, which are bestowed upon us by Christ, in giving himself for us. For as the Apostle saith, 
Rom. 8.32.  Rom. 8. Seeing he spared not his own son, but gave him for us, how shall he not with him give us all things also? So then when God gave us his son, and Christ gave us himself, all good things were given unto us to. Have I been as a wilderness unto Israel, 
jerem. 2.21.  saith the Lord? jerem. 2. Hath the Lord been barren unto us, or as a land of darkness? is not he that God who hath made the light of England to shine ten times brighter than ever it did before? is not he that God who hath planted peace in all our borders? hath not he in our days crowned the earth with foison of all things? hath not he made the ploughman to touch the mower, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed? hath not he made the hills to drop fatness, and the furrows to rejoice and sing? hath not he made our desert like Eden, and our wilderness like the garden of the Lord? and is not he that God who hath taken away from us that famine of the word, which heretofore oppressed the land more than the dearth of Egypt, and made our souls like a well watered garden, and given unto us abundance of spiritual blessings, and set our Priests and our Levites as in times past? Now (beloved) seeing it is thus, and our eyes are full of God's blessings which way soever we turn us, can we forget our duty towards our gracious God, who hath opened his hand so wide unto us? 
jerem. 2.32.  Can a maid forget her ornament (saith the Lord) or a bride her attire? yet my people hath forgotten me days without number. O good brethren, let us not provoke the Lord to speak unto us by his judgements, complaining as he did sometimes of the children of Israel, 
Esay. 1.2.  Esay. 1. Hear O heavens, and hearken O earth, for the Lord hath said, I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me. And again in the fifth chapter, 
Esay. 5.4.  What could I have done any more unto my vineyard, that I have not done unto it? and when I looked that it should have brought forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes.  

Promises, and reward to come.  5 The fifth motive, is that great and plentiful reward which God that cannot lie, and with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning, hath in his word promised, and will hereafter perform to all his faithful and diligent servants. Though the Lord hath already deserved our service, and ten thousand times more than we can do in saving our souls which were lost, yet such is the magnificent frankness of our God, that he will not receive the least duty at our hands for nought, no not so much as a cup of cold water bestowed upon his servants for his sake, but he will render a double reward for it. O is it not good serving of such a master, where all things are still coming in, and where nothing is laid out, and no time spent but bringeth in double gain, both in this life and in the life to come? Verily I say unto you (saith our Saviour Christ, Mark. chapter 10. verse 29.) there is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the Gospels, but he shall receive an hundred fold, now at this present, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, & lands with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life. O if men would serve the Lord, what plenty of all good things should we enjoy? 
Malac. 3.10.  Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and power you out a blessing without measure? Malac. 3. Again, 
Esay 48.18.  Esay. 48. Oh that thou hadst hearkened unto my commandments, than had thy prosperity been as the flood, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Furthermore, the Prophet David useth most excellent similitudes, to set forth this estate worthy of due meditation, 
Psalm. 92.  Psal. 92. The horns of the righteous shall be exalted like Unicorns, they shall be anointed with fresh oil, they shall flourish like a palm tree, they shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon, they shall be fat and flourishing, and they shall bring forth fruit in their age: that is, they shall have a power even above nature: lo thus shall the men be blessed that serve the Lord, and men shall say, verily there is fruit for the righteous.  
6. The sixth and last motive to stir us up to this industry in God's service, is the Lords end, and as it were the mark and butt whereat he shooteth in saving us, which is, that we should give over our lives wholly unto him in the zeal of good works, thereby to set forth the praise of his glorious working towards us. And this is expressed in the 130. Psalm: But with thee is mercy that thou mayest be feared. And secondly in this our text, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself, zealous of good works. And thirdly, S. Peter in his first Epistle and second chapter saith, That we are a chosen generation, 
1. Pet. 2.9.  a royal Priesthood, a holy nation, and a people set at liberty, that we should show forth the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. This is the end then of God's redemption. Now (beloved) shall the Lord lose his end by our negligence, and bestow all his labour in vain, and shoot as it were at a wrong mark? hath he culled and picked us out of all the world to be a special and peculiar people unto himself to be zealous of good works, to excel all other in virtue, and to hold out his glorious virtues unto all the world, and shall we now neglect the high caller, and contemn his honourable and heavenly deservings at our hands? we cannot do it. If our gracious Prince to show her puissance against a foreign power, should call forth one or two of her subjects, who are most beholding unto her, to just and tourney in her presence for her honour, would they not strain all their strength in this service, yea and their lives too? Now, shall we do more for our Prince then we would for God? Hath not our God called us out by name to fight for his honour, to be a chosen and peculiar people unto himself, to stand on his parts, to show forth his virtues, and to be zealous of good works, (yea and that we might the better perform this service, he hath furnished us with his own armour and weapons, yea and his own hand is with us too, though all men see it not) and shall not we now do valiantly for our God? and shall not we now endeavour our best to answer the expectation of our heavenly King? O my dear brethren, see the end of your calling. You are not called to show your own strength, or your own virtues, or your own holiness? but you are called to show forth the strength, and the virtues, and the holiness of the almighty, and to be zealous of good works. But what is this zeal that we may know it and follow it? This zeal, as the Spouse in the last chapter of the Canticles teacheth us, is no small matter, but a most ardent and burning love unspeakable, overcoming all the affections in man: Love is strong as death, 
Cantic. 8.6.  and zeal is cruel as the grave, the coals thereof are fiery coals, and a vehement flame: yea the flame of God, as the Hebrew word signifieth, Much water cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. Now then (beloved) you see the end of your redemption and calling: it is not only to do good works, but to be zealous of good works you are called and redeemed to the heat and fire of good works, you are called and redeemed to such a burning love of them, that nothing may quench it: nay even as death and the grave overcome all things; so this zeal in us of good works should overcome and cast down before us all the lets and impediments which stand up against us in the service of our God: for love is strong as death, zeal is cruel as the grave. Wherefore O you redeemed of the Lord, not with gold and silver, as Saint Peter speaketh, but with the precious blood of his own son, lay this unto your hearts, and stir up yourselves unto God's service; you that have ears to hear, hear; and you that have zeal within you, be inflamed, for every one cannot. I call upon you all, as the Apostle Saint john writeth, I call upon you little children, because you are well acquainted with your father's dear love and tenderness towards you; I call upon you young men, because your affections are strong in you, and you are best able to bear the lords burden; and I call upon you old men, because you by reason of your long experience have most knowledge of your duties, give the Lord his due and right, and abound in all manner of good works, which he hath ordained for us to walk in, to the glory of his holy name.  
Teach a child in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not depart from it. Pro. 22.6.  
When I began to read this verse unto you, I told you it consisted of two parts: of a precept, and the reason of the precept. Hitherto I have spoken of the precept, and of the necessary circumstances belonging unto it, and now I am come to speak of the reason of it, that so I might stir up the life of the precept in his working in you: And when he is old he shall not depart from it: that is, if thou faithfully instructest him in his way while he is young, he shall have the benefit of it all his life after. But now that parents might be compassed about with a cloud of exhortations, I have thought good here not only to press forth the principal scope of this text, but also to suck out of the bowels thereof the more hidden and abstruse collections, and to gather the like arguments out of other scriptures, because the whole scripture is one and dareth hand to itself.  
1. The first reason which should move parents to take in hand this duty of instructing their children in this trade of their way, 
The necessity of teaching.  is drawn from the necessity of the precept, because every child naturally is conceived and borne out of the way, as the Prophet David teacheth us, 
Psalm. 51.5  Psal. 51.5. Behold I was borne in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. And the Apostle Saint Paul saith, Ephes. 2. 
Ephes. 2.3.  That we are by nature the children of wrath. 
Gen. 6.5.  And Moses in the 6. chapter of Gen. teacheth us, that all the thoughts and imaginations of man's heart are continually evil: and the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 2. that the natural man cannot perceive the things which are of the spirit of God. 
1. Cor. 2.14  And again, Rom. 8. he telleth us that the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, 
Rom. 7.8.  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Wherefore now you see plainly how every mother's child is borne into the world, blind in his understanding, froward in his will and affections, corrupt in all the motions of his heart, dead in the life of God, & wholly possessed with sin; so that except now his nature be changed by good education, he cannot possibly apply himself unto any good way, but he must needs all his life long run astray, and in the end fall headlong into hell fire. Wherefore O you parents, as you have given your children the worse, so give them the better also, as you have brought them forth the children of wrath and death, so now teach them how they may become the children of grace and life; teach your children in the trade of their way, they must needs be taught, for except their education and teaching be better than their birth, they are cast away for ever, and they may curse their parents that ever they brought them into the world.  
2. The second reason to move parents to this virtuous teaching of their children, 
The opportunity of teaching.  is taken from the opportunity thereof. For if ever they will do their children good, now they must do it while they be children. The Smyth must strike wile the iron is hot, and the Ploughman must plough while his ground will work, and the Sailor must sail when he hath wind and tide; and as you see every trade hath his proper opportunity: so this trade also of education hath childhood for his fittest time to work upon. If you do not teach your children and train them up in good nurture while they be young, all your labour shall be but lost afterwards; you shall strike upon the cold iron, you shall plough in the hard rock, and you shall strive against both the wind and the stream. Again do we not see that while the plant is young and tender a man may wind and bend it which way he will, but if you assay this when it is grown old, it will sooner burst then bend: even so is it in the education of youth, and therefore if parents will do their children any good, and bend their crooked disposition to a comely stature, they must do it while they be tender and young; for now they will bend, now they be pliable, now they will work, therefore Solomon saith, Teach a child, & not teach a man. For how came Paul to be so mighty a teacher in the scriptures after he was converted, and wrote more than the rest of the Apostles, but because he was brought up in them from his youth at the feet of Gamaliel? 
Act. 22.3.  And how came Timothy to be such a famous scholar of so worthy a master as Paul was, 
2. Tim. 3.14 15.  but because he had known the holy scriptures of a child? And how came Daniel to be so excellent a prophet, 
Dan. 1.12.  but because he was so religious being a child, that he chose rather to feed upon hard pulse, than to pollute himself with the kings delicates? Every thing groweth well in the spring time; and so the best planting of any goodness is in the youth, for than it will grow if it be well watered and looked unto. But here I find two principal wants in parents which greatly hinder this virtuous work. The first is the want of following & continuance. For many think that if now and then they give their children some good instruction, that then they are discharged before God, & that they have performed a very great duty; but alas this is but little worth. Every trade's man can easily tell us, that no science will go forward well except it be hardly followed. And again, the minds of children are like the soft wax (the which as it will soon take the print, so it will be soon beaten out again) and therefore have need often to be imprinted. The second principal want is the want of government, as when parents teach their children good things, but do not look diligently after the practice of them, nor see how they take root in them, this is but a dead kind of teaching, & therefore loseth his fruit: but they do worst of all, who after they have taught well suffer the clean contrary, for these build with one hand and pull down with the other. Wherefore here the careful parent must not only teach, but continue in teaching, and not only continue in teaching, but also look for the fruit of his teaching: and again not only look for the fruit of his teaching, but also wall it about with his diligent govern- that in the end it be not lost.  
3. The third reason is drawn from the true end and proper good of every child. 
The proper good of every child.  Teach a child in the trade of his way, that is, teach him in the trade of his own way, and that is, as I have showed you, in some honest profession, in good nurture and godliness. This is called a child's way, not because he of his own will inclineth unto it, but because the Lord who is only wise and most loving, hath of his great grace appointed out this way for him to walk in for his own good. Now you tender parents, would it not grieve you that your children should take a wrong course, and drudge and droyle for other men all the days of their life without any profit or pleasure to themselves? but now it were well with them if they were men's drudges, for if they miss of their own way and of their own trade for want of good guiding and instruction, they fall presently into the devils way, because there be but two ways, and now they are become the devils packhorse bearing his burden unto hell gates: shall they not be well paid for their pains when they come there? wherefore good parents if you would not have your children to be the devils drudges, and to labour all their lives for his profit, then teach them in the trade of their own way and hold them in it.  

The ●lessing of God upon the parent for teaching.  4. The fourth reason is fetched from the special blessing of God upon the parent for this virtuous care of instructing his children, as we may read in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis, 
Gen. 18.17.  and the seventeenth verse. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? for I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him.  
here we see plainly to no small encouragement to good parents, how the Lord referreth to godly instructing of families, as unto the mean of his working, not only the imparting of his blessed secrets, but also all other blessings in general; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him. Now what was that he had spoken unto him? why the promise of all his blessings both temporal and spiritual as we may read, 
Gen. 12.2.  Gen. 12. I will make of thee, a great nation, and will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. I will also bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. O great is the blessing that cometh by the mean of this virtuous teaching, the fruit of it shall remain with our posterity even long after we are gone, and the benefit shall be poured out from age to age unto the world's end. Godliness maketh great houses, for the Lord hath promised his blessing to a thousand generations of them that love him and keep his commandments. But on the contrary, what is the cause why the Lord hideth his secrets, keepeth back many a heavenly instruction, & withholdeth great blessings from most parents, but because they will not do as Abraham did, they have no care that these blessed monuments may not die, but be derived from age to age to God's eternal glory. Wherefore thou good parent go thou forward in this virtuous education of thy children, and then GOD shall hide no necessary secret or instruction from thee, and he shall withhold no good blessing from thy posterity; thou shalt be a father of the faithful as Abraham was, if thou hast the same care for thy children and family that he had.  
5. The fifth reason to stir up dull and careless parents to this their duty, 
threatenings and punishments.  are those punishments and hard threatenings of God in holy scripture denounced against both parent and child failing in their duties. Solomon saith, Pro. 17. He that begetteth a fool begetteth himself sorrow, and the father of a fool can have no joy. 
Pro. 17.21.  Here by the word fool is not meant an innocent or idiot, but the child that is foolish and untaught, as Solomon expoundeth himself, 
Chap. 19.13.  chap, 19 verse 13. A foolish son is the calamity of his father. And again chap. 29.15. A child set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed. 
&. 29.15.  Wherefore oh you good children, you that have more understanding than the rest, take pity upon your dear parents that have taken so much pains for you, & suffer them not by your dissolute life to be made a spectacle of shame & a gazing stock unto all others. Again Solomon speaking of unnurtured children saith, Pro. 20. He that curseth his father or his mother, 
Pro. 20.20.  his light shall be put out in obscure darkness: that is, in the utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
Chap. 30.16.  Again in the 30. chap. he saith, The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the obedience of his mother, the ravens of the valley shall job it out, and the eagles shall eat it up: that is, he shall be slain in the field, and the birds of the air shall devout him. Again job speaking of wicked and ungodly parents in his 27. chap. saith, 
job. 27.14.  If his children be multiplied they are multiplied to the sword, and his posterity shall not be satisfied with bread. Again the Lord in the prophesy of Amos saith, Though they bring up children, yet will I deprive them from being men, 
Amos. 9.12.  yea woe to them when I depart from them. And again verse. 13. Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. Now from whence cometh all this mischief and the cause of this great misery both upon children and parents? what is the cause of this ruthful sorrow? whence springeth this mother's shame? and how cometh it to pass that the parents own dung is cast in their faces by their own children in mocking & despising of them? and whence arise all these heavy plagues and judgements of God upon their children to the consuming of their eyes, but from this their own negligence in bringing up their children? for it is even just with God, that seeing they have offended him in his greatest blessings, they should be plagued in the same thing wherein they offended with his greatest judgements. O you unnatural parents, 
Luk. 16.27.  Dives in hell shall rise up against you in the day of judgement and condemn you; for he being in hell had a care of his father's house that they might be forewarned, and therefore desired Abraham to send Lazarus to his brethren to testify unto them that they came not into that place of torment: but you will not admonish your children, you will not teach them Moses and the prophets, & you will not show them the danger of God's heavy displeasure hanging over their heads, and therefore your own children shall be one of the furies in hell to torment you. The Lord open your eyes to foresee and fly these fearful judgements.  

The diuturnity of the good of good education. Psal. 78, 5.6  6. The sixth and last reason to move parents to this excellent duty, which is the principal scop of this text, is the diuturnity of this good; their children shall be the better for it all their lives after; nay the world to come shall reap this benefit: for such children as you now bring up, such parents shall they be after you when you are gone: and look what parents you leave behind you, the like children again shall they rear up. Wherefore O you parents, you are either the making or the marring of the world: for if your children learn no good erudition at your hands, how should they be good fathers after you? and how should they leave that to their posterity by the right of inheritance which they never received from their ancestors? Let no man think that I dwell too long in this thing: For this is so profitable both for you, and your children, and for the whole Church of God, as that if I should turn aside from it, I know not what ground I should choose to be so profitably occupied in again; this is a most excellent course, to this business I will lay both my shoulders, and if this did so much move you as it doth me, we should shortly see a wonderful change in God's Church. Oh whose heart would it not rejoice to see the walls of God's kingdom raised up? Wherefore ye that are the lords remembrancers keep not silence, and give him no rest until he repair and set up jerusalem the praise of the world: call upon the Lord to move the hearts of parents, and call upon parents to remember their duties, and you parents hearken when you are called unto, and stop not your ears like the deaf Adder. Your children are the seed of God's husbandry: 
1. Cor. 3.9.  We together are Gods labourers, saith the Apostle, Ye are God's husbandry and God's building. Now even as it is in the husbandry of this world, the good husband before he reapeth his crop will plough and prepare his ground for another harvest to follow that, and when he hath prepared his ground, his next care is for his seed, that it may be of the best, he dresseth it, and sifteth all the unprofitable soil out of it, that so in time to come he might receive the more happy increase: even so you good parents, you must not live so careless as though the world should end with yourselves; no you must plow and fallow, and prepare your seed for another harvest before you reap your own crop, the Lords husbandry must not die to the end of the world, and he hath made you his ploughman together with his ministers, and your children are the seed. Again, you parents are the Lords orchard and vineyard, as we may read Cant. 4. Esay 5. and therefore your children are the nursery unto it. The old trees cannot always stand, and the time shall come when all we shall be cut down with the axe of death. Now as he that will continue his orchard of good fruits unto his posterity, will always keep a nursery of young imps to succeed as the old shall decay, and as he will be more careful for them then for his older trees, because they by reason of their tenderness may sooner catch hurt: for if they should be bitten and nipped while they be young, or the canker should take them, they should prove but scrubbed trees, and would never be fit for their rooms: even so you parents which are both the Lords husbandry and his husbands, if you do not keep a nursery for the Lords orchard, and if you do not look well to your children, which are the young olive plants in this spiritual garden, the canker-worm of evil vices shall catch them, and the wild beasts of the forest the heard of devils which stray continually seeking whom to devour, shall so bite them, that they shall not after us be fit to come into our rooms, and so the Lords vineyard should in time to come grow waste. For God's sake good people look well to this; if your own children do not move you, yet let God's Church and his glory for many years to come prevail with you. Now adays parents think it to be the only succouring and nourishing of their children, to give them meat and drink to the fill, and ease enough, and to cocker them under their wing, and thus in deed their bodies grow tall, but their souls they suffer for want of spiritual instruction and good manners, to die and decay in them in the mean while, whereby they show (as S. Chrysostome saith) how that they brought forth the bodies of their children, but not their souls. This is not to keep a nursery for God's Church which is built of spiritual stones. The Lord be thanked we ourselves have at the least some care to serve God, oh let us not leave God's Church in worse case than we find it, for than should we leave our shame behind us when we are gone: but it is to be feared (beloved) except we take better means in hand then we do begin, we shall leave behind us such a stink, to the great annoyance of God's Church after us, that the ages to come shall be greatly infected with it. For in very truth and diligent watchfulness I speak it, I find far less duty in our youth, who owe reverence to their elders, then in the elders themselves, who ought to be reverenced. What is become of the ancient discipline of parents? a few late years of ease and plenty have made it to be forgotten, as a law worn out of mind. Wherefore good parents, now lay to your hands before all run to ruin, take unto you the ancient bonds wherewith yourselves were held when you were young, receive all the helps of which I have showed you, and teach your children the whole trade of their way, that they may keep it when they be old men, and deliver the same enlarged and perfected to their children again, that so God's Church and his glory may not die, but still be provided for to the end of the world. Al our hope is upon this youth now being; for if they be well brought up then they will also have care of the posterity following, and the posterity following shall again commend this good education by eternal tradition to the day of doom? Oh you parents, cast your eyes upon this present offspring framed of God so comely, as though they were destinate to some strange and singular reformation. Consider with yourselves how the world to come shall rejoice over us, and speak of this happy conversion to all posterities: and lastly, lift up your eyes to heaven, and behold the bridegroom Christ jesus, preparing for his second coming, and prepare you also the world for him, that so we being found faithful stewards at his return, we may with our dear children and beloved posterity, enter with him into the Master's joy, which he grant that hath made us all, to whom be all honour and praise and every good duty world without end. Amen.   
FINIS.