ADVICE TO CHILDREN.  
BY James Kirkwood, Rector of Astwick in Bedfordshire.  
The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged.  
LONDON, Printed for John Tailor at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard, and John Everingham at the Star in Ludgate-Street, near the West-End of St. Paul's. 1693.   

ADVICE TO CHILDREN.  

THERE is scarce any thing wherein all Nations, and Men of all Religions, do more agree, than in the Common Duties of Children to their Parents: Neither is there any thing that tends more to the comfort and happiness, the beauty and strength of Society, than for Children to perform all those Duties which they own to their Parents. And yet how sad is it to think, that a great many Children, who have not only all the advantages which Natural Religion affords, but likewise the assistance of Divine Revelation, do nevertheless carry themselves in that manner towards their Parents, as if they either understood nothing of their Duty, or were most prodigiously perverse, and resolved to rebel against the Light, to trample upon all the Principles both of Natural and Revealed Religion.  
The Design of this short Treatise is to show what the Duties of Children are towards their Parents, and to suggest some Considerations to excite them to do their Duty.   

1. Duty of Children, to honour their Parents: and how they are to honour them.  
First, Chlidrens are bound to honour their Parents; which imports, First, That they should entertain respectful and reverend thoughts of them, as being under God the Authors of their Life and Being; they must not think slightingly, and undervaluingly of their Parents, whatever be their weaknesses and Imperfections: They ought to hate and abhor their Vices, every thing in them that is evil, dishonourable to God, and contrary to his Laws and Commandments; but still they ought to love and honour their Persons: And if at any time disrespectful and irreverend thoughts arise in their minds, they ought to check them, to accuse and be angry with themselves for them; and to call to mind what God hath commanded them to do, when he saith, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ex. 20.12.  
Secondly, This imports that they ought to express their inward Reverence and esteem by all the outward marks and demonstrations thereof, in their Words and Deeds, their looks and gestures; these things are the Picture of the Mind, they ordinarily represent the temper and disposition thereof; so that if there be any thing of real esteem and regard towards any body in the heart, it will discover itself by some of those outward expressions. When Joseph came before his Father, with his two Sons, he did not omit the utmost respect, tho' at that time Jacob was blind with Age, and could not see what Joseph did. The Text saith, He bowed himself with his Face to the Earth, Gen. 48.12.  
We see likewise how Solomon carried himself towards his Mother, 1 Kings 2.19. Bathsheba went unto King Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah: And the King risen up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his Throne, and caused a seat to be set for the King's Mother, and she sat on his right hand. Children are more apt to carry themselves irreverently and slightingly towards their Mother, which is the reason, as some think, that she is set down first, Leu. 19.3. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother, and his Father.  
Thirdly, This imports that they ought to cover the infirmities and weaknesses, the imperfections and indiscretions of their Parents; to do as Shem and Japhet did, Gen. 9.23. when Noah their Father was drunken, and was uncovered within his Tent, They took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their Father, and their faces were backward, and they saw not their Father's nakedness.  
The Blessings promised to Shem and Japhet, and to their Posterity, upon this occasion, show how acceptable what they did was unto God.  
Children are not to publish the faults and follies of their Parents; but aught to conceal them, all that they can. However, there are two things very consistent with this Duty: First, Children may and aught to do all that they can, by their private, modest, and humble Advice, to reclaim their Parents from their sinful practices. Secondly, if they find it not so fit for them immediately to advise their Parents; or if what they say hath not the designed effect, than they may recommend this charitable Office to the care of some other body, who is a wise and kind, a pious and serious Friend, who may have some more influence than themselves towards the reclaiming their Parents. This is the greatest expression of true kindness, honour, and respect to them, when their Chlidrens sincerely endeavour, in the discreetest manner, to be the happy instruments of their Conversion and Reformation, of turning them from Satan unto God: This is to be, in some sort, the Fathers in Christ, to those who are their Parents by Nature. O how happy are the Parents of such worthy Children! How may they rejoice and bless God, who hath bestowed on them so great a Blessing?  

The Poverty of Parents does not exempt Children from this Duty.  As to the abovementioned Instances of Honour and Respect due from Children to their Parents, 'tis to be remembered, that no alteration of the outward Estate and Circumstances of Parents, does exempt Children from their Obligation to pay them all manner of Respect. And tho' Children be raised to greater Honours and Dignities than their Parents, yet they must still pay them all that regard and observance that is due to the Authors of their Being. How great an Example of this Filial Respect, was Joseph: When he was raised to the greatest Power and Honour that the King of Egypt could confer upon him, yet still he retained a due Sense of his Obligation to Honour his Aged Father, his Mother then being Dead: He was not ashamed to own him before Pharaoh, tho' his Trade and Employment in the World was such as was an Abomination to the Egyptians. See, Gen. 46.31,32. etc. And, Ch. 47.1,2. etc. In like manner we see that David, after he was Anointed to be King, did not forget his Duty towards his Poor Distressed Parents, he was not ashamed to own them before the King of Moab; he brought them before him, and recommended them to him, 1 Sam. 22.3,4.  

Against those who dishonour their Parents.  If Children are thus obliged to Honour their Parents; what shall be said of those who dishonour, despise, and slight them, all that ever they can; who undervalue them in their thoughts; who speak of them with great contempt and disdain; who speak to them with great insolence; who mock and scorn them; who laugh at them, and make mouths at them, and point at them with the finger; who reproach and revile them; who break indecent jests upon them; who make them the Objects of their sport and pastime; who take pleasure in publishing their weaknesses and indiscretions, that others also may laugh at them, and despise them; who, when their Parents grow old and poor, 〈◊〉 when themselves come to have more Wealth and Honour in the World than their Parents have, do thenceforth turn their backs upon their poor Parents, are ashamed to own them, and will not any longer take notice of them?  
How dreadful and terrible are the Curses and Judgements, which God hath in store against such wretched Children? Deut. 27.16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or his Mother. Prov. 30.17. The Eye that mocketh at his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother; the Ravens of the valleys shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it. That is, he who is a mocker and scorner of his Parents, who despises and slights them, shall die a shameful death, and remain unburied, and shall be exposed to the Birds and Beasts of prey, to be eaten of them. It does not follow from hence, that all perverse wretched Children come to such a shameful and untimely end: Only it shows what ofttimes happeneth, and is very usual, to wit, that such mockers and despisers of Parents are punished remarkably by the Justice of God in this World, and are made Examples to all others, who will open their Eyes to consider the hand of God against such ungodly Children.  
As for Instances of the Divine Justice against Mockers of Parents, all Ages and Countries are full of them. I'm was made an Example of this, Gen. 9.22,24,25. And I'm the Father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his Father, and told his two brethren without: And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. In which words, the, Canaan the Son of Cham is only mentioned, yet Cham is not exempted from the Curse; his punishment is hereby made so much the greater, because he is not only pronounced accursed in his own person (which is necessarily to be supposed, he having committed the sin which caused the Curse) but also in his Posterity, which could not but increase mightily his grief, and make his punishment lie more heavy upon him.  
Ezekiel reckons this Sin, of contemning and dishonouring Parents, as one great cause of the dreadful Judgements which God inflicted upon the Jews, Ch. 22.7. In ye have they set Light by Father and Mother.   

2. Duty, to obey their Parents, and to hearken to their Instructions.  
Secondly, Children are to obey their Parents, to do what they bid them. See this in the Example of Joseph, when Jacob sent him to his Brethren, Gen. 37.13,14. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them: And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me word again: so he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.  
See likewise the Example of David, 1 Sam. 17.17, 18,20. Jesse said unto David his Son, take now for thy Brethren an Ephah of this parched Corn, and these Ten Loaves, and run to the Camp to thy Brethren: And carry these Ten Cheeses unto the Captain of their Thousand, and look how thy Brethren far, and take their pledge. And David arose early in the Morning, and left the Sheep with a Keeper, and took, and went as Jesse had Commanded him, etc.  
The Commands of Parents are either about the same things which God hath commanded, or they are about things indifferent, or about things unlawful. First, if they are about the same things which God hath commanded, they are so much the more to be obeyed; as being the will and pleasure both of their Father in Heaven, and of their earthly Parents. In this case the obligation to obedience is double, Eph. 6.1. Children, saith the Apostle, Obey your Parents in the Lord, for this is right, that is, it is agreeable to all Law, to the Law of God, of Nature, and of Nations; 'Tis that which is due to the place of Parents; 'Tis their right to be obeyed by their Children.  
Secondly, If their Parents Commands are about things indifferent, that is, which are neither commanded, nor forbidden by God, Children are likewise to obey them: God hath made it their Duty so to do, Col. 3.20. Children obey your Parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 
* Agreeable to this was the Sense of wise Heathens. See A. Gell. l. 2. c. 7.  This Obedience is very acceptable to him; he takes great pleasure and delight in it, to see those obeyed and submitted to, whom he hath appointed to be, as it were, in his own stead; whom he hath clothed with some beams of Divine Power; whom, with relation to their Children, he hath made, in some sense, sacred persons; whose Will ought to be a Law unto them, tho' only in the Lord. For, Thirdly, if the thing commanded be plainly unlawful, they are to refuse compliance therewith; because they are bound to obey God rather than Man, rather than Father or Mother, rather than all the World: In this case they ought to hearken to what our Saviour saith, Luk. 14.26. If any Man come to me, and hate not his Father, and Mother, etc. he cannot be my Disciple. In which Words, Our Saviour is far from encouraging Children to hate, or to disobey their Parents; for we see how zealously he vindicates the Authority of Parents upon other occasions. But his Design, is, to teach Children, when the Will of God and the Will of their Parents stand in Competition, that then they ought always to give the preference to the Divine Will, and to choose rather to incur the displeasure of their Earthly Parents, than to offend and provoke their Heavenly Father. They ought to consider, their Obligations to God are much greater than to their Parents; he is the Maker both of them, and of their Parents; They live by his Bounty; the Earth they tread on is his; the Air they breathe in, the Heavens that cover them, the Food they eat, the Water they drink, the Garments that Cloth them, and all other things which they enjoy for their benefit and comfort in the World, are the Lord's: He is their great Master, who appoints them their business in the World, and assures them of a reward; He also will reckon with them, and either reward, or punish them, according to their Works; and therefore his Commands are to be preferred to those of all others.  
But even in this case, Children are to express, in their very denial and refusal of obedience, all that Honour and Respect to their Parents, that's possible; that they may see it is not stubbornness, but the fear of God, which makes them disobey. By this means Parents may perhaps be convinced, and made sensible of their Sin, and prevailed with to shun those evil things, which they see their very Children do so much hate and abhor, and wherein they refuse to obey.  

Against stubborn and disobedient Children.  If Children are thus bound by the Laws of Heaven, to obey their Parents; what shall be said of those, who make no account of their Parents Commands, but set at naught all their Admonitions and Counsels; who will not follow their Directions, and be governed by them for their own good; but do follow their own humour and fancy, and the Examples and Customs of others like themselves? They think themselves too wise to need Instruction, and are ready to say, That they should do a great deal better, if their Parents would let them alone, let them take their own way in every thing, and never trouble their Heads about them. So little regard have some to what their Parents say to them, That they have not patience to hear them speak, but run out of their presence when they begin to talk seriously to them; or if they are in an humour to hear them a little while, yet they hear as if they heard not, they trample upon all they say, and never lay it to Heart. What a sad mark is this of approaching ruin, and of heavy Judgements, which hang over the heads of such ungodly Children, as you may see in the Sons of Ely, 1 Sam. 2.25. of whom it is said, that they harkened not unto the voice of their Father, because the Lord would slay them.  
By the Law of Moses, the stubborn Son was to be put to death, Deut. 21.18,19,20,21. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the Elders of his City, and unto the gate of his place: And they shall say unto the Elders of his City, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice: He is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.  
In ancient times, in most Countries, Parents had an absolute power over their Children, to punish them as they thought good, for their disobedience and other faults: And when amongst the Romans they lessened this power, yet they did it at first only in part; The Father was enjoined to present his disobedient Child to the Judge, that he might be punished; and the Judge was to pronounce such a Sentence as the Father thought fit. This came somewhat near the Law of Moses. By which it appears, what the sense of Mankind was concerning the exceeding greatness of the crime of stubbornness and disobedience in Children to Parents.   

3. Duty of Children, to be Faithful to their Parents, and not to dispose of their Goods without their Consent.  

3. Duty, to be Faithful to their Parents, and not to dispose of their Goods without their consent.  3dly. They ought Faithfully to serve their Parents, to be careful to promote their Temporal Welfare and Happiness, and to be as useful and helpful to them in their Worldly Concerns, as is possible. Not only Duty, but Interest should excite Children to do this; for, their Happiness and Prosperity does in great measure depend upon that of their Parents. 'Tis not often that Children thrive and flourish in the World, when their Parents are reduced to Misery and Poverty. And therefore, a regard to their own Interest and Advantage, aught to make them careful to do their Parents the best Service that is in their power.  
But besides this, Gratitude ought to prevail with Children, faithfully to serve their Parents, and to be useful to them, so far as they can. Are Parents the Authors of their Life and Being? Have they nourished and sustained them for so many Years? Have they been at so much pains and cost, and endured so much pain and travel to bring them up, and to make them capable to do some Service in the World? And shall not they reckon it their Happiness and Honour, to have an opportunity to serve them, and to be helpful to them, and by their care and pains, and faithfulness towards them, to witness a due sense of Gratitude, for all that they not only have done, but endured also for them, and that for a great many Years, when they could not do any thing for themselves? The consideration of these things, cannot but be of great force with all Ingenuous minds.  

Against unfaithful and treacherous Children.  But, alas! How far are a great many Children from doing this Duty to their Parents? Instead of doing them faithful Service, they prove false and treacherous to them; instead of being careful of those things they entrust them with, they cheat and deceive them; they rob them; they dispose of their Goods without their knowledge and approbation; they make use of them to serve their Vanity and Folly, and to gratify their Wild and Youthful Inclinations: Yea, and how apt are some, to glory in this, as if they had done a very brave and worthy action, when they have had the good Fortune, as they reckon it, to defraud their poor Parents?  
As Children, when they are disposed to rob their Parents, are of all Thiefs the most dangerous, being in their Parent's Bosom, and thereby having opportunity to cheat them the more successfully; so their crime is the most heinous in its kind, 'tis attended with very aggravating Circumstances; 'tis so great, that there is no name bad enough to express it by, and to represent it in all its deformity. How sensible was Jacob of this, when he was pursued by Laban his unrighteous Father-in-Law, and accused by him of having stolen his Idols? With whomsoever, says he to Laban, thou findest them, let him not live, Gen. 31.32. We see what a severe Censure the wise Man passeth on such Persons, Prov. 28.24. Whoso robbeth his Father and his Mother, and saith, It is no Transgression, the same is a Companion of a Destroyer; that is, he is to be looked on, as no better than one of those who rob and murder on the Highway, as a Man desperately wicked, who is disposed to act any sort of Villainy and Impiety, who will stick at nothing in pursuit of his mad and wretched designs, that may gratify his Lusts and Passions.   

4. Duty of Children, to be determined by their Parents as to their Calling.  
4thly. They are to be determined by them, as to their Calling and Employment, if it be an honest and lawful one. Their Parents are to be supposed ordinarily more wise and prudent to choose for them, than they are to choose a Trade for themselves: They have more experience, and know the World better than their Children do; and no doubt, they have kindness enough for them to wish them well, and to design their advantage, and not to press them to any Trade or way of Life, which they believe is inconvenient, and like to be hurtful to them: But if Parents should be mistaken, as to the fitness of the Employment, to which they design their Children; and supposing the Children to be sensible of the great inconveniences thereof, which the Parents, through prejudices and partialities, do not see; in this case Children may, with all due modesty, meekness, and humility, represent to their Parents what their thoughts are, and tell them what objections they have against such a Calling; that their Parents may be prevailed upon, by their Reasons, to alter their resolutions: or if they be not so fit themselves to discourse their Parents upon such a subject, they may do it by some wise and discreet Friends. And if, after all, Parents be wilful in their intention and design; Children are not, upon the account of uncertain, or probable inconveniences, to oppose themselves to the Will of their Parents; they ought to submit themselves to their Judgement, if the Trade, or manner of Life, to which they design them, be not dishonest and unlawful; for then there is no farther question to be made; the case is clear: The Will of God is always to be preferred to the Will of Man. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, saith Christ, is not worthy of me, Matth. 10.37. But if there be nothing of dishonesty or unlawfulness in such an Employment, they are to enter upon it with all the cheerfulness that's possible; leaving all events unto God. It will afford great peace and comfort to their minds, whatever afterwards falls out, when they consider, that they did what was their Duty to do; they submitted their own opinion to the Judgement of their Parents, whom God hath commanded them to obey. Whatever may be their temporal loss, they are sure of spiritual gain. God will plentifully reward their humble obedience, and ready compliance with the Will of their earthly Parents.  

Against Children who neglect this Duty.  From what hath been said on this Head, we may see how much they are to be blamed, who are so far from being determined by their Parents, in the way and manner of their living in the World, that they either wholly give up themselves to idleness, and waste their time in vain and foolish Company; or they choose some way of living, that is either dishonest, or very inconvenient for them in many regards; or if they comply with their Parents, so far as to enter upon some honest way of living, yet they do not keep at it, but leave it, and become Prodigals; they spend their substance in riotous living; they waste and consume what their Parents bestow upon them, in drinking, gaming, and whoring, and such like extravagancies, whereby as they occasion a great deal of sorrow and grief to their Parents, so they bring upon themselves sudden Destruction.   

5. Duty, not to suffer themselves to be bestowed in Marriage against their Parents Will.  
5thly. As to their Marriage, they are not to suffer themselves to be bestowed, without their Parents consent, in whom there is a right invested to dispose of their Children in Marriage in due time, as appears from Deut. 7.3. Neither shalt thou make Marriages with them: (to wit, with the seven Nations of Canaan) Thy Daughter thou shalt not give unto his Son; nor his Daughter ●…alt thou take unto thy Son. And, 1 Cor. 7.36,37,38. the Apostle Paul does very positively assert this power of Parents, to dispose of their Children in Marriage, when they see it fit and needful so to do.  
We see how dutifully Samson carried himself towards his Parents in this matter, Judg. 14.1,2. And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a Woman in Timnath, and he came up and told his Father and his Mother, and said, I have seen a Woman in Timnath of the Daughters of the Philistines, now therefore get her for me to Wife. We see what Isaac gave his Son Jacob in charge, when he was to go to Haran, Gen. 28.1,2. Thou shalt not take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan: Arise, go to Padan-Aram, to the House of Bethuel thy Mother's Father, and take thee a Wife from thence of the Daughters of Laban, thy Mother's Brother. In like manner Abraham directs his Servant what Wife to choose for his Son Isaac, Gen. 24.3,4. Thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son of the Daughters of the Canaanites, but thou shalt go unto my Country, and unto my Kindred, and take a Wife unto my Son Isaac. And of Ishmael it is said, Gen. 21.21. That his Mother, Hagar, took him a Wife.  
How very just and reasonable is it, that they who are under God, the causes of their life and being in the World, whose Goods and Possession Children are, should be acknowledged and advised with by them, and depended on in the settling of themselves in the World, in such a state of Life, which will prove either the foundation of great happiness or of great misery? To give themselves away, without their Parents Consent, is a kind of theft; it is to invade the right of others; to rob them of that which God hath given them; for, Children are not their own, they are the Goods and Possession of Parents, to whom God hath given them as an Inheritance, Psal. 127.3. and therefore Children have no more power to dispose of themselves, than to dispose of their Parents Goods without their consent.  
We see how great the Power of Parents was, by the Law of Moses, Numb. 30.3,4,5. To disannul the rash Vows of their Children before Marriage. If a Woman also vow a Vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a Bond, being in her Father's House, in her youth, and her Father hear her Vow and her Bond, wherewith she hath bound her Soul, and her Father shall hold his peace at her: Then all her Vows shall stand, and every Bond wherewith she hath bound her Soul, shall stand: But if her Father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her Vows, or of her Bonds, wherewith she hath bound her Soul, shall stand: And the Lord shall forgive her, because her Father disallowed her. Now if it be thus in a Father's power, to disannul his Daughter's rash Vow which she made to God, how much more may we reckon it in his Power, to disannul her rash and indiscreet promise made to Man, of bestowing herself without her Parent's allowance? Can there be any thing more unjust, more unkind, more unthankful, and more unnatural, than for Children, who have been brought up, nourished, and cherished by their Parents, for whom all their care and pains have been bestowed, to dispose of themselves in the most important affair of their lives, without their knowledge, or against their Will? What a grief and trouble of heart must this needs be to their poor Parents? As we see it was to Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 26.34,35. And Esau was forty years old when he took to Wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, which were a grief of mind to Isaac, and to Rebekah. As to such undutiful Children, who do thus bestow themselves against their Parents will and consent, it is very remarkable, that they seldom live happily and comfortably; they bring upon themselves very often a great deal of sorrow and trouble, lasting Misery and Woe: They live to eat the fruit of their foolish do; and wish, when it is to little purpose, that they had never done so mad and wicked a thing.   

6. Duty, to submit to their Parents Reproofs and Chastening.  
6thly. They are meekly and patiently to submit to their Reproofs, to their Chastening and Corrections. It is a Power that God hath given Parents over their Children, to correct and chasten them for their Faults: This is necessary for children's good; and therefore, when Parents do correct them, they ought not to be angry with them, or grumble at their severity which they use for reforming of them; much less are they to resist and rebel against them. Heb. 12.9. We have had Fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them Reverence. Yea, tho' Parents sometimes exceed the bounds of Prudence and Discretion in chastising their Children, tho' they indulge a little to their own Passion; yet Children are bound patiently to bear and suffer their Corrections: They are not to fly out into indecent and irreverent words and actions, but with all the submission and respect that's possible, aught to endeavour to mitigate the wrath and passion of their angry Parents; and afterwards they are to study all that ever they can, to prevent their anger and displeasure, by a most humble, reverend, and dutiful carriage.  

Against Rebellious Children.  How much may this serve to reprove those, who are so far from taking in good part their Parents correcting and chastening of them, that they refuse to submit thereto? They resist them, and rebel against them. Can there be any thing more unnatural and monstrous, than to see those who own their being to their Parents; who have been brought up by them; who have met with so many testimonies of a tender care, and of great kindness; to rise up against them? To fly into the faces of those who are the Authors of their being? to lift up their hand against them? This is a Sin of so crying a Nature, that he who was guilty thereof, was to be put to Death, by the Law of Moses, Exod. 21.15. He that smiteth his Father or his Mother, shall be surely put to Death. So sensible were some amongst the very Heathens of the greatness of this Sin, that to show their abhorrence of it, they were wont to punish those who were Guilty of it, in the following manner; They sewed them in a Sack with a Dog, Cat, Viper and Ape, and so drowned them all together. Hereby they singnified, that such Persons were not any longer to be accounted Men, or the Children of Men, but were to be reckoned with the vilest and basest of Beasts and Vermin, and in that Quality were to be cast out of the sight of all living.  
How greatly does it aggravate this Sin, when Children have met with no severe, nor unmerciful dealing from their Parents? But have been treated by them, with all that gentleness and kindness that was possible. And yet for such Children to rise up against their Parents, is a Crime of so black a Nature, that it is no wonder if the hand of God appear against them for it, in a very signal manner; as it did in the case of Absalon, for whom his Father David had so great a fondness: This unthankful and unnatural Son risen up against him, and endeavoured by force and violence to pull him from the Throne, and to usurp the Royal Dignity. See how the hand of God appeared against him, 2 Sam. 18.9. And Absalon met the Servants of David; and Absalon road upon a Mule, and the Mule went under the thick Boughs of a great Oak, and his Head caught hold of the Oak, and he was taken up between the Heaven and the Earth, and the Mule that was under him went away. And, ver. 14. it is said, that Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalon, while he was yet alive in the midst of the Oak. And, ver. 15. Ten young Men that bare Joab's Armour, compassed about, and smote Absalon, and slew him. And, ver. 17. They took Absalon and cast him into a great Pit in the Wood, and laid a very great heap of Stones upon him. This was done as a lasting Monument of Absalom's sin and shame, and of God's righteous Judgement upon him.   

7. Duty, to love their Parents, and how they are to express their Love.  
7thly, Children ought to love their Parents; and to express it by all those Offices, which are in their Power to do for them; by serving them readily; by studying ways how to make them well pleased: by sympathising with them in all their troubles; by assisting them, and doing all they can to make their Lives joyful and comfortable; by shunning every thing that may grieve them, or make them uneasy: They ought to refuse no labour, nor pains to do them service, especially when they are sick and weak, oppressed with the Burden of Old Age, or poor and indigent, under any sort of necessity whatsoever; then ought Children to be very ready to help them, to comfort and to encourage them, to do what in them lies to make their lives easy to them, and to lighten their Burdens. This is called, 1 Tim. 1.4. A showing Piety at home. It is an act of Religion and Worship, which God is well pleased with. We see how Joseph nourished his Father and his Brethren, and all his Father's Household with Bread, Gen. 47.12. How worthy of Praise was that Excellent Moabitess Ruth, who not only gleaned for her poor Mother-in-Law Naomi, but did also, when Food was given her by Boaz for her own Refreshment, reserve part of it, and give it to her Mother. See Ruth 2.18.  
It was an old Roman Law 
* Senec. Controv. l. 1. Cont. 1.7. and 19 . Let Children relieve their Parents or be put in Prison. Which showeth what was the Sense of that wise People, concerning this Important Duty of Children towards their Parents; they looked upon them as unworthy of Liberty to converse amongst Men, and to enjoy the common Privileges of Society, who were so far void of Humanity, as not to relieve and assist their poor Parents. 'Twas likewise an Athenian Law, 
* Diog. Laert. in Solone.  That if any did not relieve their Parents, they should be esteemed base and ignoble.  
How many Examples have there been amongst the Heathens, of Eminent Piety towards Parents? Such was that Act of her, 
Valer. Max. l. 5. Cap. 4.  who when her Old Father was condemned to be put to Death in Prison, visited him often, and gave him suck, and so preserved him alive, who otherwise must have died of Famine.  
The like instance we meet with in the same Author, 
Valer. Max. ibid.  of a worthy Roman Daughter, who did in the same manner preserve her Mother in Prison, being Condemned to die. When the Keeper of the Prison, to whom the charge of putting her to Death was committed, found after some time, that her Daughter kept her alive by giving her suck, he was so affected with the greatness of the Daughter's Compassion and Tenderness to her Mother, that he made it known to those in Power, who were likewise so mightily touched with such an unusual instance of tender Affection; that they pardoned the Mother, as the greatest Reward they could bestow on the Daughter for her marvellous Affection.  
What can there be more just and reasonable, than for Children thus to endeavour to requite their Parents, for their great care and kindness towards them, when they were not able to help themselves? The time was, when their Parents were as Eyes, and Hands, and Feet to them; they did every thing for them, they not being capable to do any thing for themselves: How ready therefore should they be to serve their Parents, to assist them by all good Offices, when their condition requires it?  
This is a Duty to which Children are so strictly obliged, (to wit, the assisting and relieving of their Parents) that no pretence is sufficient to absolve them from the Obligation thereof. The Pharisees thought they had found out an Exception from this Rule, which was this; that if Children gave away their Wealth to Pious and Charitable uses, they were freed from the Obligation of relieving their Parents: They taught them in this case, to tell their Parents, It is Corban, that is to say, a Gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, Mar. 7.11. And by saying this, they made People believe, that they were sufficiently freed from all Obligations to take care of, and provide for their Parents. But our Saviour reproves them severely, telling them, that this was no other than the making void the Commandments of God by their Traditions.  

Against unkind and unnatural Children.  We may see from this, what Judgement to make of such unkind, undutiful, and unnatural Children, who do wholly neglect their Parents, especially in their old Age, and in their poor and low Estate; who show them no more pity, and express no more love nor tenderness towards them, than if they were not their Parents; who grudge them the least supply; and take all the wicked courses that they can, to starve them to death, that they may be rid of them; who wish and long for, and rejoice in the Death of their poor Parents. O what a horrid Barbarity and Inhumanity is this! Shall not many Pagans rise up in Judgement against such Children, and Condemn them? How little do they deserve the Name of, Christian Children? Their true Name is, , and unnatural Children. As Solomon bid the Sluggard, go to the Ant; so may we bid such hardhearted and unmerciful Children, go to the Stork, of whom it is told, 
* S. Basil. in Hexaemer. Homil. 8. Ambros. Hexaem. l. 5. c. 16.  that when the old Dams cannot feed themselves, their little ones feed and nourish them; when their Feathers fall from them, they cover them with their Feathers; and when they are not able to fly, they couple themselves together, to carry them upon their Backs. Let uncompassionate Children go to this compassionate Creature, and consider her ways and be wise; Let them learn from her, to be more kind and affectionate, and tenderhearted towards their Parents, and not any longer to harden their Bowels against them.   

8. Duty, to pray for their Parents.  
8thly, Because all that Children can do is not sufficient to requite the Love and tender care of their Parents; therefore they ought to pray to God, that he would reward them, and preserve them, and keep them alive; that he would supply all their wants, and comfort them in all their troubles, and requite their Love, their tender care, and their great cost and pains they have been at to bring them up, and to educate them. How happy are the Parents of such Children, who are supplicants and intercessors, at the Throne of Grace, for good things unto them? Such Children are the strength of their Parents; they are a great blessing unto them.  

Against Cursers of Parents.  If it be the Duty of Children, thus to pray to God, in behalf of their Parents; what shall we say of those, who neither pray for them, nor themselves, but live like the Beasts that perish, and mind nothing that's good? And if their Crime is great, who do not at all pray for their Parents; how dreadful is their Gild, who Curse them? What dreadful Judgements may such Monsters of wickedness expect? Prov. 20.20. Who so Curseth his Father or his Mother, his Lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness; that is, he shall be reduced unto a sad, afflicted, and miserable State; his prosperous condition (which is compared to Light, or to a Lamp) shall be turned into Adversity and Misery, and that very great, which is expressed by [obscure Darkness,] he shall be made very miserable; his state and condition in the World shall become most uncomfortable; as it is for a Man who walketh in a way that is full of Light, where he beholds a great many Objects, which afford him pleasure and delight, suddenly to be deprived of all this, and to find himself all alone in obscure Darkness, without all help and comfort. By the Law of Moses, such ungodly and unnatural Children were without any pardon to be put to death. Exod. 21.17. He that Curseth his Father or his Mother, shall surely be put to Death.   

The Duties of Children towards their deceased Parents.  

The Duties of Children towards their deceased Parents.  Besides the Duties which Children own their Parents whilst they are alive, there are some things likewise for them to do after their Decease; Particularly,  

1. Duty, they ought to bury them decently.  First, They ought to bury them decently according to their Quality, so far as the present Circumstances of their Estate will permit: They ought on the one hand to avoid whatever looks like Baseness and Covetousness, and which is not, in some measure, answerable to their Parent's Estate and Place while they lived; and on the other hand, they ought to avoid an over-lavish Sumptuousness, they must do nothing above their Estate, or above their Rank and Quality. A great many, out of a vain and foolish humour of Solemnising their Parents Funerals in a sumptuous and splendid manner, have so far weakened their Estate, as scarce ever to be able to recover themselves again. Children therefore ought, in this matter, to govern themselves, by the Advice and Example of Prudent and Discreet Persons of their own Rank, in the World; but especially, they are herein to govern themselves by the Will of the Dead, so far as it was made known to them or others: Thus, we see, Joseph and his Brethren did to their Father Jacob when he died; he charged them to Bury him with his Fathers, in the Cave that is in the Field of Ephron the Hittite, Gen. 49.29. And accordingly his Sons did as he commanded them, Gen. 50.12,13.  

2. Duty, to fulfil their last Will.  2dly. They are likewise to show the greatest readiness that is possible, to Obey their Parents in every other thing which by their last Will they appointed and Ordered to be done; for Example, the Payment of Debts and Legacies, the giving so much Money for some Excellent and Pious Design, or for the Relief of some Persons in Distress and Want, etc.  
The Will of the Dead has, in all Ages, and amongst all People, been reckoned a thing most Sacred and Inviolable: Now, if the Will of the Deceased be Obligatory unto any, it must certainly be so in a special manner to Children, whom both the Laws of Natural and Revealed Religion require to Obey their Parents in all things.  

3. Duty, to call to mind their good Advices, and to follow their good Examples.  3dly. They ought to call to mind often their Parents good Advices, and to follow their Pious Examples. If whilst they were alive, they neglected, or, at least, did not observe, so well as they should have done, their Admonitions and Instructions, and did not make very great account of their good Examples; they ought (now they are gone from them, and to return to them no more) to endeavour to be so much the more careful to follow their useful Directions and Examples. There is no such way as this, to keep the Memory of Parents fresh and green. There can no Monument be erected comparable to this, when Children imitate their Parent's Virtue and Piety. The good Kings which came of the Stock and Lineage of David, made the Memory of their Father David to be still sweet and flourishing, when his Body was rotten in the Grave. Thus 'tis said of Solomon, 1 King. 3.3. He walked in the Statutes of David his Father. And of Asa, it is said, 1 King. 15.11. And Asa did that which was right in the Eyes of the Lord, as did David his Father. And of Josiah it is written, 2 King. 22.2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his Father, and turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left.  
'Twill be an Act of Justice, as well as a Testimony of due Respect and Love to your Deceased Parents, now and then to make Honourable mention of them, to talk of their good Advices, their useful Say, and their good Customs and Examples. But this is not to be done too often, nor in all Companies; only amongst those who will bear it, and at such times when it is most likely to do good.  

4. Duty, to do what they can Lawfully to suppress evil Reports concerning them.  4thly. They ought to do all that they can Lawfully, in a calm and prudent manner, to suppress evil Reports, which are spread abroad of their Parents after their Decease. The Credit and Honour of Parents ought to be very dear to Children: And therefore, when their good Name is wounded, and when they, by Death, are incapable to vindicate themselves, 'tis the Duty of Children, who are, as it were, their living Images, to do their utmost to preserve their Name from injurious Reports. If what is said of them be manifestly false, Children ought to make known the naked truth, so far as is fit; which will be the best and surest Vindication. But if what is said against their Parents be true, and of that Nature as to admit of no excuse or extenuation, the best thing that Children can do in such a case, is, to avoid such wicked things themselves as their Parents were Guilty of. They who follow the Evil Example of Parents, cause them to stink more and more. The posterity of Jeroboam, who followed his wretched Example, made his Evil Name to be the more remembered, and caused this blur to continue in his Character, from one Age to another, Jeroboam which made Israel to Sin.  

5. Duty, to retain a firm kindness for their Friends.  5thly. They ought to retain a sincere and firm kindness and esteem, for all those who witnessed a true and constant Christian Friendship to their Parents, who were always faithful to them, ready to serve them, and to do them all good Offices, according to their ability: Such Persons, it may be very reasonably presumed, will not be treacherous and unfaithful to the Children, who have testified a lasting and faithful Friendship to the Parents. Thy own Friend, saith Solomon, and thy Father's Friend, forsake not, Prov. 27.10.  

Against Children who neglect these Duties.  Now, if it be the Duty of Children, to express their Love and Regard towards their deceased Parents, in the abovementioned manner, what shall be said of those who run a course quite contrary to all this? No sooner are their Parents dead, but they begin to rejoice and triumph, and to bless themselves, that at last they are delivered from those restraints they were formerly under, and that now they have the liberty to give themselves the swing, and to gratify every Lust and Passion, as much as ever they can. As to their Parents Will, they take no care to fulfil it; henceforth they know no other Will but their own; as to that of their Parents, they think they had too much to do with it, when they were alive, and now that they are dead, they reckon themselves absolved from all Obligations to them. As to their Debts and Legacies, etc. They make no Conscience to pay them, unless a necessity of submitting to the Laws force them to do their Duty. As to the Credit and good Name of their Parents, so little regard have they thereto, as to be ready to give ear to those who speak ill of them; yea themselves are apt to blaze abroad such things as tend to their Reproach and Disparagement. As to their Advices and Admonitions, they laugh at them, they look on them as fit only to be listened to by melancholy dull Souls, who have no relish of Manly Pleasures: They have no mind to be interrupted in their Mirth and Jollity, and therefore farewell any Advice or Council that looks like serious. As to their Example, they slight and despise it; they look on themselves as too wise to be led either by Precept or Example, but according as they suit their own Humour and Inclination. As to their Parents Friends, they turn their Backs upon them, they break off all Correspondence with them, and keep them at the greatest distance, as if they were afraid of them; they know that they are of the same Temper and Principles with their Parents, and therefore they cannot endure them, for fear of being told by them some thing or other, that does not agree with their vain and wicked Practices, and with their rash and foolish Designs. In a word, they study a perfect Opposition to their Parents in all things; they pull down whatever they built, they root up whatever they planted, they hate what they loved, and love whatever they hated. So unlike do they render themselves to their Parents in all their Manners and Customs, that all who see them must needs call them a degenerate Seed, Cursed Children, unnatural Plants, ready to be hewn down and cast into the Fire.  
From what hath been said, Children may see what their Duty is, which they own to their Parents; which that they may perform, there are several things which serve as powerful Motives and Arguments to excite them.   

Motives to excite Children to do these things.  

1 Motive, from the divine Commandment.  First, It will tend mightily to move them to Honour their Father and Mother, if they consider who requires this at their hands. This Law proceedeth not from Men, but from God; It is a Law made by him who is their Maker; and therefore by right of Creation may require their Obedience: It is a Law made by their faithful preserver, and rich provider; and therefore by Virtue of his daily care over them, and kindness to them, may command them what he thinks good: This is the will of their Father in Heaven, of their Lord and King, of him who will call them to an account, and render to them according to their Works; of him who is their greatest and best Friend, if they do his Will and keep his Commandments; but will be their most dreadful and terrible Enemy, if they do not obey his Voice: If therefore Children have any sense of God on their Souls; If they consider his infinite greatness, Power, Wisdom, Justice, Truth, Faithfulness, Mercy, and Kindness; they cannot but endeavour to perform what he requires, when once they know what is his holy will and pleasure. Now, as to what I speak of, to wit the Duty of Children to Parents, it is plain and clear, not only from those Laws which are contained in Holy Scripture, which were revealed from Heaven to Holy Men, whom God made use of to be the publishers thereof to the World; but likewise from the Laws of Nature, those clear impressions which God hath made on the Minds of Men in all places, and in all Ages; whereby they are taught that Children ought to honour and obey their Parents, to love them and to relieve them, and provide for them, if they stand in need of their help 
* See Simplicius upon Epictet. Cap. 37. and Arrianus l. 2. c. 10. . These have always been the calm and sober thoughts of all Men; and when any were so wicked as to violate this sacred Law, they were hated and abhorred by all others; and in all well governed States, were punished according to the demerits of their Crime, and the degree of their disobedience and perverseness, either immediately by the Parents, or by public Judges, upon complaint made by Parents. The Sense of all this aught to move Children to honour their Father and Mother, that they may approve themselves to God, who requires them to do so, and that upon the severest Penalties, if they shall dare to dishonour them, and disobey them.  

2. Motive, from the Divine Promise.  Secondly, To encourage Children to perform their Duty to their Parents, God hath been pleased to add a gracious promise. That thy days may be long 
† Or, that they, i. e. Thy Parents, may prolong thy days, to wit, by their Prayers and Blessing.  upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. He might only have commanded them to do this, by Virtue of his absolute Power and Sovereign Authority, which he has over all Men, without proposing any Reward; but such is his infinite Bounty and Goodness, that he hath added a Promise to the Command, thereby to make children's Duty the more easy.  
As to the Promise itself, it is not to be understood absolutely, as if all good Children should live long; promises of Temporal Blessings are made conditionally, that is, so far as God sees such things best and fittest for us: So that as to this promise of long life. God will bestow it, if it be most for his own Glory, and the good and Benefit of Children. Oftentimes he does lengthen out the years of pious and dutiful Children; whereas the years of wicked and undutiful Children are shortened by their profane and wicked courses; so that some of them are cut off immediately by the hand of God; and others are put to death by the hand of Man.  
As for those Children who live not to a great Age, tho' they are very dutiful and obedient to their Parents; God doth make up what is wanting in the number of their Years here, with an everlasting Life, and Glory in Heaven. In which case there's no cause to complain, as if Cod did not fulfil his promise to them. For as there is no reason for a Man to complain, who is employed to work for so much a day, if his Master see it fit to free him from his Work, and pay him all his Wages before the third part of his time is out: Even so, if God think fit to set his Children at Liberty, from the toil and labour of this life, and to bestow upon them Glorious and Eternal Rewards, while they are in the Morning or Noon, as it were, of their Age, there is no ground of complaining upon his doing so, but rather great matter of Praise and Thanksgiving unto him, whose Mercy and Love is infinitely great.  
But besides this Reward in the other World; there are Temporal Blessings which God will bestow on those who keep this Commandment. My Son, saith Solomon, Prov. 1.8,9. Hear the Instruction of thy Father, and forsake not the Law of thy Mother. For they shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head, and Chains about thy Neck. That is, if thou art obedient to the Commands of thy Parents, this will make thee very amiable not only in the sight of God, but even of Men, who cannot but love and esteem such Children, who carry themselves as they ought to do towards their Parents.  
But further, to encourage Children to honour their Parents, there is a promise of Prosperity added to that of long life, Deut. 5.16. That thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, etc. The same Promise is repeated, Eph. 6.3. with this difference only, that it is prefixed to the promise of long life, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the Earth. When God does prolong the Years of his Children, he often affords them more or less of Temporal Prosperity also, as he sees it will turn to their good, that so their long life may be the more sweet and comfortable to them.  
How acceptable and pleasing to God was the Obedience of the Rechabites unto their Father, tho' his Commands seemed very hard and severe, to wit, That they should drink no Wine, nor build House, nor sow Seed, nor plant Vineyard, nor have any, but should dwell in Tents, Jer. 35.6,7, etc. And ver. 18. Jeremiah said unto the House of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, because you have obeyed the Command of Jonadab your Father, and kept all his Precepts, and done according to all that he hath Commanded you: Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a Man to stand before me for ever. Which words import, that he would take a particular care of them, that he would be mindful of them, and have them in his Eye; that he would preserve them, and show them his favour and love, and continue unto them those Offices and Privileges which they enjoyed, which some think were, of being Scribes and Doctors of the Law, and having some Charge in or about the Temple.  

3. Motive, from the Example of our Blessed Saviour.  Thirdly, Besides the Command of God, and the Reward which he hath promised to them who honour their Parents, how strong an Argument ought it to be unto all Children, to excite them to this, when they consider the Example of their Blessed Lord and Master, their King and Saviour, Jesus Christ? of whom it is said, that he was subject unto his Parents, Luke 2.51. And if he, who was so much greater than his Parents, who was their Lord, their King, their Maker, their Saviour, and Redeemer; if he, who was the Son of God, and thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, I say, if he was subject to his Parents, ought not all Children to be so to their Parents? and to esteem it their Glory to imitate their Prince and Saviour, as in his other Virtues, so in his Obedience and Subjection to his Parents? Shall any Man think himself too good to do this, when Christ did it before him? Can it be too mean for a Worm to do that, which a Man, a great Man, and a mighty Prince hath done? Shall vile Sinners think themselves abased and dishonoured by doing that which was done before by him, who knew no sin, and in whose Mouth there was found no guile, who was holy, harmless, and undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the Heavens, Heb. 7.26.  
As our Blessed Lord was a great and Noble Pattern to us in other things, so particularly in his love to his Parents. When he was upon the Cross, a little before he gave up the Ghost, he expressed how great his love was to his Mother, and how tender a care he had of her. John 19.25,26,27. Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, his Mother, and his Mother's Sister, Mary the Wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his Mother, and the Disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his Mother, Woman, behold thy Son. Then saith he to the Disciple, behold thy Mother. And from that hour, that Disciple took her unto his own home. He commends his Mother to John (Joseph in all probability being dead) that he might take care of her, as of his own Mother. Tho' he was at this time in the midst of great pain and anguish, tho' his hands and his feet were nailed to the Cross, tho' his Head was Crowned with Thorns, tho' he lay under the most insupportable Burden that ever Man lay under, yet, as if the sight of his Mother had made him forget all his Sufferings and Torments, he affectionately recommends her to the care of another, who he knew would perform all the Offices of a loving Son unto her. He knew how great an affliction it would be to her, to be deprived of the Comfort of his presence in the World; he knew to how many necessities and wants, she should be exposed by his leaving of her; and therefore he gives it in charge to the beloved Disciple, to do the Duty of a Son unto her, to be to her in his stead, to honour her, to love her, to serve her, to take care of her, and provide whatever might be fit for her. This shows all Children what is their Duty towards their Parents, to wit, that they ought to take care of them, so long as they live, and are able to do it; they ought with all respect and kindness, to perform unto them all those Offices, which the Laws of Nature and Christianity require.  

4. Motive, from the Examples of some Heathens.  Fourthly, May not the Examples of some Heathens, which have already been mentioned, excite Christian Children to perform their Duty to their Parents? There are a great many more Instances might be added to this purpose; I shall only mention a few. The first is, 
* Valer. Max. l. 5. c. 4. & Plut. in Coriola●….  of the brave Coriolanus, that Great Roman Commander, who being very ill used by his Countrymen, fled to the Volscians, who were at that time at War with the Romans. Within a little time after his coming amongst them, he was made General of their Forces; in which Service he had great Success against the Romans, gaining several Victories over them, whereby he was encouraged to approach to the very Walls of Rome: His Countrymen were terribly alarmed with this; so that they were forced to make humble Addresses to him, to deprecate his displeasure, but to no purpose: They sent their Priests in their Sacred Vestments, but to as little Effect: But no sooner did his Mother, attended with his Wife and Children, come to him, but he submitted himself to her. " Now, says he, you have overcome me indeed, when the entreaties of my Mother are added to yours; tho' Rome deserve my hatred, yet for my Mother's sake I will spare it;" and immediately he withdrew his Army.  
A second Example, is that of the Worthy Athenian Captain Cimon, 
* Val. Max. ibid.  who not being able to redeem the Corpse of his Father, which was Arrested for Debt, sold himself, and became a Slave, that his Deceased Father's Body might be freed from that Arrest that was upon it, and so might have Honourable Burial. This great Man was famous for his Noble and Valiant Exploits, for his great Courage and Excellent Conduct in Military Affairs; but there was not any thing for which he was so much admired and loved, as for this wonderful instance of Affection and Respect to his Father.  
A Third Example, is, 
* Sen. l. 1. Controversiarum. c. 1.  of a Son, whose Father and Uncle were at great variance. It happened that the Uncle, during this Contention, fell into great want. His Brother was so madly and wickedly set against him, that he not only would not relieve him himself, but also forbade his Son to do it. The young Man considered his Uncle's Case to be such, as obliged his Father and himself both, to help him all they could: But if his Father, through his violent Passion and Prejudice neglected his Duty, which the Laws of Nature and Humanity required, yet he judged himself bound to do him all the Service he could, and not to suffer him to starve for want, when it was in his power to support him. The Father being enraged against his Son, because he took pity upon his Uncle, disinherited him; which the young Man bore very patiently. His Uncle seeing how unjustly he was dealt with, adopted him, and made him his Heir. After some time the Uncle grew very Rich, having got a good Inheritance; but the Father grew poor, and was not able to maintain himself without relief from others. The Uncle continuing still in his bitter Enmity against his Brother, forbade the young Man to help him: But such was his Love and Dutifulness to his Father, that notwithstanding his former Injustice and severity against him, and notwithstanding the Commands of his Uncle, he took care of him, and did not suffer him to want for any thing, that he was able to afford him. The Uncle was so provoked, by his Adopted Sons kindness to his Natural Parent; that he likewise disinherited him. But the pious Son, continued to do what he thought his Duty, amidst all the Discouragements he met with.  
May not such shining Patterns amongst the Pagans, make many Christians ashamed, who come so far short of them, in their Duty and Obedience to their Parents? Shall not they rise up in Judgement and condemn Christians? who, tho' they have a more excellent, complete, and perfect Rule, tho' they have a great deal more Light to direct them in their Duty to their Parents; and tho' they have much greater assistances to enable them to perform their Duty; do nevertheless carry themselves so undutifully, and unchristianly, as if they had never heard of the Gospel of Christ, yea, as if they had been born without any impressions of Natural Religion on their Minds, whereby all Nations are so far instructed and enlightened, as to acknowledge, that to honour, obey, love, serve, and assist our Parents, are Duties of unquestionable and indispensible Obligation.   

The Conclusion, showing how Children ought to improve what hath been said.  
From what hath been said, Children may see how great reason they have to perform all those Offices of Love, Honour, and Subjection to their Parents, that God requires of them. It remains that they seriously and impartially consider, what their practice has been, and whether they have done those things which God requires them to do towards their Father and Mother.  
That you may do this to good purpose, it's fit that you employ some time in looking back on your Lives, in considering how you have honoured, loved, and obeyed your Parents; that you may see, whether you have carried yourselves towards them, in words and deeds, as became good Children, who have a sense of Religion; or whether you have not dishonoured, neglected, and disobeyed them.  
If upon Examination of yourselves, you find that you have done your Duty; that you have sincerely endeavoured to obey them in all things; that you have loved them hearty, and paid them that Respect which you knew was due unto them: Bless God, who hath given you to will and to do according to his good Pleasure. But because there are defects and imperfections, which cleave to our exactest performances, therefore it is needful that you beg of God to forgive you, wherein soever, through Ignorance, you have been faulty or defective in those Duties you owed them.  
But if upon inquiry into your Hearts and Lives, you find that you have wilfully neglected to do what you ought to have done; if instead of honouring them, you have dishonoured them, you have slighted and despised them, you have mocked and scorned them, you have reviled and reproached them; if instead of obeying them, you find that you have been stubborn and disobedient to them, you have refused to follow their Counsels and Admonitions, you have done your own Will, and followed your own vain humour and fancy, in contempt of their Will; if instead of submitting to their Corrections and Chastening, you have refused submission to them, and perhaps have rebelled against them; if instead of loving them, you have hated them, and wished, and desired their Death; if instead of relieving them in their wants, and supplying them with what was necessary for them, you have wasted their substance by your riotous and extravagant Living, you have put off all bowels of compassion and tenderness towards them; if, I say, you find that you have thus carried yourselves towards them, in a way so contrary to your Duty, how ought you to lament and mourn for your wickedness and folly? How ought you to accuse yourselves for your great iniquity, and to aggravate your Crimes by all just and fit considerations?  
You may in this manner expostulate the case with yourselves: What a sad and unworthy Wretch am I, who have thus dishonoured, hated, and disobeyed my dear Parents, who are under God the Authors of my Being in the World, to whom I own that I am! who have proved so undutiful to them who took care of me, when I could not take care of myself; who fed and clothed me, who were at so great pains and charge for me, who have employed so much of their time and strength to provide for me all necessary things; and yet that I should prove so wicked as to despise them, to disobey them, and hate them, not to submit myself unto them, what base and wicked ingratitude is it! That I, who should have been a Blessing to them, should prove a Curse! That I who should have been a Comfort to them, should he the cause of their grief and sorrow! That I who should have been a help unto them, should be so great a hindrance! That I who should have been the stay and support of their Old Age, should prove their ruin, and the cause of the spending of their days in anguish and trouble! What a prodigious impiety is this! What a wretched and abominable Creature am I, who have been guilty of such horrid wickedness! Who have had so little regard to those who are to me in God's stead here in the World! What punishment do I not deserve! What a wonder is it that God hath spared me and pitied me, and hath not cut me off in the midst of my disobedience, neglect, and contempt of my dear Parents! That he hath not made me an Example to all others, and a standing Monument of his just displeasure! That he has not bound me hand and foot, and cast me into utter darkness, and given me my portion with Hypocrites and Sinners; but hath lengthened out my years, and given me time and place to repent.  
Having thus in your own minds expostulated the matter with yourselves, you may in the next place adore and bless the Divine Goodness, the infinite Mercy, and astonishing Kindness of God towards you, in having spared and pitied you; in not dealing with you after your sins, nor rewarding you after your iniquities; but that he hath been pleased to wait to be gracious to you. Humbly confess your faults and offences unto him; with great shame and confusion of face, and with true grief and sorrow of heart acknowledge your iniquities; make particular confession, so far as you remember, of your stubbornness and disobedience to your Parents, of your contempt and neglect of them, of your hating them, and wishing Evil to them, of your speaking irreverently and wickedly to them, or of them, of your not submitting to their Corrections, of your not heeding their Admonitions and Counsels, nor regarding their just Reproofs, etc. Beg of God, for Christ's sake, to have mercy on you, and to blot out your Sins, and to make you what you ought to be.  
After this, it is fit to form sincere and hearty Resolutions of doing your Duty, in all respects, to your Parents, for the time to come; of loving, honouring, obeying, and serving them, as you ought to do. Resolve to amend whatever has been amiss and defective either in your thoughts, words, or deeds, with relation to them. Beg of God, to strengthen you in your Resolutions; to fortify you against all Temptations; to inspire you with his Fear and Love; to guide you by his good Spirit; and that he would never leave you, nor forsake you.  
If the Example and Society of other wicked Children has been an occasion of making you so bad, and of hardening you in your Contempt, Stubbornness, and Disobedience; resolve to break off your Familiarities with them; let them and all others know, and see, that you are sorry for your Disobedience to your Parents; for your having dishonoured, slighted, and neglected them; and that you are resolved to do so no more; but will, by the help of God, approve yourselves Dutiful, Kind, and Obedient Children.  
Not only must you in this manner make your Humble and Penitent Confession to Almighty God, your Heavenly Father, whom you have provoked, as by your other Sins, so particularly by your disobedience to your Parents, and by your dishonouring of them; but you must likewise confess unto your Parents the Crimes whereof you have been guilty against them; you must say as the Prodigal did, I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee; and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, Luke 15.18,19. Let your Parents see that you are hearty sorry for your Offences against them by Word or Deed; beg of them to forgive you, and desire them to pray to God that he would forgive you.  
You are to be careful after this, to fulfil your Purposes and Resolutions, and to perform all those Duties of Love, Honour, and Obedience to your Parents, wherein you were formerly so defective. For this end it is fit, daily and earnestly to beg of God, that he would direct and assist you by his Holy Spirit, to do what is wellpleasing in his sight. It is necessary for you to be very jealous of your deceitful and desperately wicked Hearts; to watch over them carefully, lest they turn aside towards your former crooked Ways; lest you return with the Dog to the Vomit. Watch against all those Temptations, whereby you are most in danger of being seduced, and entangled again in your former perverse Practices and Customs.  
As you have been formerly very negligent and defective in Honouring and Obeying your Parents, endeavour for the future so much the more, to perform all those Duties which you own unto them, with great care and exactness.  
As you have been great Examples of Disobedience, strive to be so much the greater Patterns of Obedience. Endeavour to do all that you can, that they who have been, by your Counsels or Examples, corrupted, and made stubborn, and disobedient, may be reform, and rescued from their Sins and Wickedness; that as you have been Instruments to promote Satan's Kingdom, so you may be zealous for the glory of God, for promoting Piety and true Virtue in the World, whereof this is no inconsiderable part, that Children Honour their Father and Mother, and do all those Duties with cheerfulness unto them, which God requires.  
This is the way to obtain the divine pardon, to turn away his Wrath, and to keep off those heavy Judgements which are threatened against stubborn Children, and such who mock and scorn their Parents: Or if God see it fit to punish you here, he will make your Corrections and Punishments, and all other things, work together for your good; and after he hath tried you, he will bestow upon you rewards of everlasting Life and Glory.  
As for those who are so perverse as to despise all Counsel and Advice, who refuse to hearken to any Instructions, who are resolved to go on in their stubbornness and disobedience to their Parents, in slighting and vilifying them; let them remember what the Wise Man saith, Eccles. 11.9. Rejoice, O young Man, in thy Youth, and let thine heart cheer thee, in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes: But know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgement.    

An Appendix concerning the Duties of Children to their Step-Parents.  


The Duties of Children to their Step-Parents.  HAving spoken of the Duties of Children to their Natural Parents, I shall add a few things concerning their Duties to their Step-Parents.  
Children ought to honour their Step-Parents, to carry themselves Respectfully towards them, and to avoid every thing, either in words or deeds, which has an appearance of Neglect and Contempt.  
They ought to Obey them, and to show great readiness to serve them, in any thing that is in their power to do for them; and to avoid whatever looks like stubbornness, especially in such things, wherein their Natural Parent requires them to be Obedient to their Step-Parent.  
They ought to carry themselves kindly and lovingly towards them, and to avoid whatever looks like Hatred or Malice.  
They ought to submit to their Reproofs, and to their Chastening, especially when their Natural Parent desires the Step-Parent to reprove or correct them for their faults.  
They ought to hearken to their Admonitions, to follow their good Counsels and Examples, and to be thankful for whatever they either do or say for their benefit and advantage.  
They ought to bear patiently with my thing, in their humour and temper, that is not so sweet and pleasant; and to beware, lest they be thereby provoked, to do or say what becometh not Children, towards those who are in the place of Parents to them.  
As to these particular Duties, I thought it needless to say much, having treated of them more fully in the preceding Discourse, about children's Duties to their Natural Parents: I shall therefore in the next place propose   

Some Motives to stir up Children to be Dutiful to their Step-Parents.  

Some Motives to stir up Children to be Dutiful to them.  The first thing which should prevail with Children to carry themselves Dutifully towards their Step-Parents, is the regard that is due to the Laws of God, whereby it is declared that Man and Wife are no more twain, but one Flesh; They are, by Marriage, united in the nearest and closest manner that can be. From whence it follows, by a very Natural Consequence, that 'tis the Duty of Children to carry themselves in the most respectful and loving manner, that is possible, towards those who are, by Marriage, made one with their Natural Parents.  
2dly. The Respect and Love that Children own to their Natural Parents, oblige them to show the utmost Respect, and all sincere Affection, to those whom they have taken into so near a Relation with themselves. We see what the Laws of Friendship do amongst Men, who are very careful to show all possible Respect and Kindness to those, for whom their Friends have a great Value and Affection. How much more ought Children to love, honour, and serve those whom their Parents have made one with themselves, by choosing them into so near and close a Relation and Union.  
3dly. Does not even Prudence oblige them to all this? Is not this the way to engage their Step-Parents to be respectful, kind, and serviceable to them, and ready to do them all good Offices? Tho' there are some Step-Parents of so barbarous and Savage a Temper, that nothing can oblige them, or work upon them; yet there are but few, in comparison, who will not be affected and prevailed upon with Kindness, Respect, and good Offices, especially when they are not for a short time, but of long continuance.  
4thly. Does not Self-Love likewise oblige Children to do these things? This is the way for them to make their lives easy and comfortable, to enjoy a great deal of Peace, and contentment of Mind: When they reflect upon their having done what is suitable to the Laws of Religion, to the Rules which the Wisdom from above layeth down, it must needs afford them a very sensible Pleasure and great Satisfaction; whereas, by carrying themselves undutifully, they bring upon themselves a great deal of Vexation and Trouble; they not only alienate more and more the Affection of their Step-Parents, but they likewise provoke their Natural Parents to be less kind to them, if not quite to turn their Backs upon them.  
From what hath been said, it appears how great reason Children have to carry themselves with great Respect and Love, and with all possible Dutifulness towards their Step-Parents. 
Against those who are undutiful towards their Step-Parents.  How greatly therefore are they to be blamed, who make no Conscience of doing their Duty towards them? There are many who make it their business to vex and torment their Step-Parents, to affront them, and to disgrace them: They are very ready to aggravate all their Weaknesses and Imperfections, and do thereby endeavour to cause others to hate and to despise them; they invent too often a great many things which they charge them with, that so they may by any means, tho' never so wicked and unjust, render them odious and infamous. And, which is worst of all, they do all that ever they can, by the most impious arts that malicious and Devilish Wit can contrive, to alienate from them the affections of their Natural Parents, and to set them together by the ears; by which means very dreadful and Tragical Effects do ofttimes follow, when Husband and Wife are inflamed one against another. Where Envying and Strife is, saith St. James, Chap. 3. v. 16. there is Confusion and every evil Work. How often do such Discords and Divisions end in the utter Ruin and Destruction both of Parents and Children? Every House divided against itself, saith our Saviour, Mat. 12.25. shall not stand. And therefore, let all those who have any regard to the Honour of God, who have any thing of sincere Affection to their Natural Parents, who desire to live in Peace, who wish well to the Families to which they belong, and are willing to prevent their utter Ruin and Desolation, let all such, I say, as have any sense of these things, be careful to behave themselves with all due Respect and Love towards those who are in the place of Parents to them. By doing whereof, as they will gain the Love and Respect of all who are wise and good, so they may be assured of obtaining from God great and lasting Blessings, which he never fails to bestow on all those who sincerely endeavour to Obey his Laws, and who seek his Glory.    

A DISCOURSE About the RIGHT WAY Of Improving our TIME.  
By James Kirkwood, Rector of Astwick in Bedfordshire.  
The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged.  
LONDON, Printed for John Tailor at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard, and John Everingham at the Star in Ludgate-Street, near the West-End of St. Paul's. 1693.   
Ephes. V 16. 
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  


The Introduction.  OF all the outward Blessings, which God bestows upon us, there is none so valuable and precious as our Time. God bestows upon us his other Blessings in great variety and plenty; but in this he seems to be more sparing, for it is given us not in large proportions, but as it were drop by drop, one minute after another; never two minutes together: whenever he gives us one, he takes away another. And yet how strange is it to think, that a great many spend their time in Vanity and Folly! Time is to many like a dead Commodity; they cannot tell what to do with it; they are ready to throw it away for nothing, or for that which is little better: instead of improving and using it in virtuous and profitable actions and designs, they waste it in trifling and vanity, which is an Argument of the greatest Folly; as on the other hand, the right husbanding of Time, is a great Instance of true Wisdom.  

The Text explained.  The Apostle having exhorted the Ephesians to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, he immediately subjoins [Redeeming the time.] Intimating thereby, that there is no better way for us to show ourselves wise, than by employing our time to good purpose, Redeeming and buying it; or, as some read the words, Buying the Opportunity, or a fit occasion and season for doing good. It is a Metaphor taken from Merchants, who, when they have a great likelihood and probability, of making considerable gain and advantage in buying and selling, part with their pleasures, or lesser cares and concerns, that they may make a good bargain, and purchase that which they greatly desire. So the Christian, the Man that is good and wise, aught to deny himself in his Pleasures and outward delights, or even in his ordinary affairs and concerns, when he has any great prospect of doing somewhat considerable, for the glory of God, the good of his Neighbour, and the benefit of his own Soul.  
The reason which the Apostle useth, is, [Because the days are evil] that is, either bad and sinful, full of wickedness and folly; so that it is very hard and difficult then to be good, when sin, like a violent and impetuous Torrent, carries all down before it: This aught to make you redeem all occasions of doing good, that you may fortify others in Virtue and Piety, that you may rescue those that are carried down the stream by bad Example, and may build up yourselves in Holiness, and that you may be made strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might. Or [Because the days are evil] may relate to the danger you are in through the fury and malice of your Enemies, who are ready to do you all the mischief that is in their power; the sense whereof should make you improve all occasions of doing good, not knowing how soon you may be deprived of your present happy opportunities and seasons for working.  
The design of this Discourse, is, to show you; 1st, How you are to redeem your Time: And, 2dly, To propose some Considerations to excite you to do so.   

How Time is to be redeemed.  

1. Time to be redeemed from sleep.  First, YOu are to redeem your Time from excessive and immoderate sleep. It is necessary for all Men to refresh their Bodies with sleep and rest; and the state of some men's Bodies requires a great deal more than others; so that no exact Rules can be given about the proportion of sleep that's proper for every one: Only in general, it is fit that all Persons redeem as much time from sleeping, as the health of their Bodies can permit; that so they may employ part of that time to some good and useful purpose, which they were wont to waste in the shadow of Death, as it were; whereof sleep is the picture and representation.  
In the ancient Church we find, many were wont to rise up in the night to pray, that so they might day and night keep alive in their Souls Divine impressions; that they might preserve a relish and taste of heavenly and spiritual things; that excellent Objects might not be removed too far out of their sight. This is a practice, which, perhaps, very few in these cold Countries are able safely to imitate; especially at some times of the year. The weakness and tenderness of some bodies makes it to them impracticable; because it would render them unfit at other times, not only for religious performances, but for the other necessary Actions of life. Some likewise have so little time allowed them for their repose in the Night, that they cannot do this, in their present Circumstances. As for such who are capable, without any sort of inconvenience, to follow this ancient Practice, let them do it: They want not sufficient Encouragement thereto, if they consider that thereby they have the opportunity of flying, as it were, from these Regions of darkness and misery, of sin and folly, unto those glorious Regions of light and happiness, of purity and perfection; there to converse with God their chiefest Joy; to behold his Face, the light of his Countenance; to taste and see how good he is; to walk with him; to be satisfied with his Salvation; to drink of those Rivers of unmixed pleasure, which are in his Presence, the streams whereof make glad the City of God.  
As for those, who are not able to deny themselves of their repose in the night season; all that I shall say to them, is this; When at some times it pleaseth God to take away their sleep, and to keep them awake, let them redeem a few moments from vain thoughts, by lifting up their Souls to God, darting up some pious thoughts and fervent desires Heaven-wards; reflecting on the Goodness and Love of God; admiring his glorious Perfections; calling to mind, and considering his gracious Providences; longing for, and breathing after that happy State when they shall be placed above all the infirmities and frailties of the flesh, above outward necessities, above Sin and Satan, and all their Enemies: And after this, they may again compose themselves to sleep. This is a means to keep the Soul awake, to entertain it in a way worthy of it, to accustom it to the contemplation of excellent and divine Objects, to keep Heaven always near its view; and not to suffer the things of another life, to be removed too far out of sight. We see in what temper of mind the Spouse was, Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh. Even amidst her repose and sleep, her thoughts were running after her desirable and beloved Object, which possessed her heart, and filled her thoughts when she was awake. And so it is with pious Souls sometimes, when their thoughts have been much employed and busied about spiritual and heavenly things in the day time, they dream of them in the Night season. Tho' they sleep, yet their heart waketh.  
This watchful temper is an Excellent means to enrich the Soul; whereas slothfulness, and giving up one's self to drowsiness and sleep, causeth spiritual beggary. An idle Soul (saith Solomon, Prov. 19.15.) shall suffer hunger. And, Prov. 20.13. Love not sleep, test thou come to Poverty: Open thine Eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with Bread. Then was it that Samson lost his Hair, wherein was his strength, when he was asleep. Judg. 16.19.  
As it is a fault at any time to waste our precious hours in this sluggish and lazy manner, so especially when God affords very favourable opportunities of doing some great good to ourselves or others. He that sleepeth in Harvest (saith the wise Man,) is a Son that causeth shame; Prov. 10.5. that is, he makes his Father and Friends ashamed of him, and brings shame and disgrace on himself.  
Now is the day of Grace, now is the acceptable time, now is the season of gathering the Fruits of Righteousness, and of making sure an Harvest of everlasting Glory. And therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober, 1 Thes. 5.6.  

2. Time to be redeemed from dressing the Body.  Secondly, Redeem time from dressing and adorning the Body: Let not more time be spent that way than is meet and fit. Let your first care every day be to dress and adorn the better part, to put on the true Ornaments, to  yourselves with Humility, Meekness, Patience, Charity, and with all other Virtues, which are of great price in the sight of God. Put off the Works of darkness, and put on the Armour of Light. Raise your Souls towards Heaven, by some short and fervent Ejaculations. Read the Word of God with great attention and humility, with an earnest desire to know his Will, and with a sincere purpose to do it. Endeavour to feed and nourish your Souls by serious Meditation. Call on God, by humble and earnest Prayer, to pardon you, to bless you, to direct and prosper you in all your ways, and to save and preserve you from all Evils, Ghostly and Bodily. Form good purposes and strong resolutions, to do what is good and right. Set the Lord always before you. Resolve to seek his Glory in all things, whether you eat or drink, or whatever else you do.  
After having done those things which are needful for the Soul, you may next do what is fit and decent as to your Attire and Clothing, according to your Circumstances in the World. Beware lest you pride yourselves in your Apparel: Do not therein gratify your Vanity, to go beyond others of your Rank and Quality, to make yourselves be taken notice of more than others. Too great care about adorning the outward Man, giveth just cause to suspect that the chief business is neglected.  
Consider what it is that you deck and adorn with so much care and cost; even a poor, vile, sinful Body, that's full of rottenness and corruption; consider that within a little while it will become a very ugly, deformed, and stinking Carcase, and be food to the Worms.  
If they who bestow so much time every day in painting and patching, and such like things, would but bestow a few Minutes in thinking of the Grave, and what the Body will become within a very little time, so vile and loathsome, that even they who do love it most dearly, will then avoid it, and be glad to have it removed out of their sight; and that their face, which now they themselves admire so much, and which they are ready to think every body else admires likewise, shall within a short time be eaten thorough by vile Worms, and wasted and made ugly with Rottenness and Corruption, and that all its Beauty shall be marred: I say, if vain Persons would sometimes think of these things, and behold themselves now and then in this Glass, how would it humble them, and make them less addicted to such vain Employment, and be more busied in things of greatest consequence! This would turn their thoughts another way, and make them bestow a little more pains to wash away the Impurities of their Souls. Consider what is written against those who are guilty of this vanity and extravagance in Apparel and Ornaments. Isa. 3.16. and 17. Moreover the Lord faith, because the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth Necks and wanton Eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet; Therefore the Lord will smite with a Scab, the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Zion, etc. And verse 24. It shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell, there shall be stink; and instead of a Girdle, a Rent; and instead of well set Hair, Baldness; and instead of a Stomacher, a girding of Sackcloth, and Burning instead of Beauty.  

3. Time to be redeemed from eating and drinking.  Thirdly, Redeem time from eating and drinking, from pampering the Body: Spend no more of your time that way than what is fit. Make not your Belly your God; eat and drink that you may live, that you may be able to perform the necessary actions of life; but do not live so as if you had nothing to do, but to eat and drink, and to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Live soberly at all times, and use abstinence and fasting sometimes. Take not too great delight in gratifying your Palate and Appetite. God alloweth you the free and liberal use of his good Creatures, for your health and refreshment; but not to abuse them to gluttony and drunkenness, or any other sort of excess and extravagance. It is fit to use all those perishing things with great moderation; because,  
First, They are apt to be a great Snare, and to lead Men to a great deal of Sin and Folly. The Apostle rekons up first Gluttony and Drunkenness, and then Chambering and Wantonness, etc. Rom. 13.13. Intemperance being as the Mother of the rest. It is often the occasion and cause of them. The Sin of Sodom was occasioned by their fullness of Bread, and abundance of Idleness. Ezek. 16.49.  
Secondly, This renders the Soul unactive, and unfit for those exercises, which chief belong to it to perform. The Spirits are thereby made dull and sleepy, and incapable to be attentive and serious. Watch and be sober must go together. If we are not sober and temperate, we are not fit to Watch. And therefore our Saviour saith, Luke 21.34. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and so that day come upon you unawares. So long as the Soul lodgeth in the Body, it depends much upon the state and temper of it, so that the Body, when it is clogged and oppressed with meat, or drowned with drink, is a very unfit Tool for the Soul to manage; yea thereby the Soul is, as it were, chained up, and cannot freely move and act. So we see that Men at such times, when they are guilty of excess and intemperance, are rash and imprudent in their Counsels and Resolutions, whereof they are ashamed afterwards when they grow sober.  
Thirdly, The uncertainty of these delights of Sense should dispose us sometimes to deny ourselves, and not to enslave ourselves unto them, and come under the tyranny of a curious and dainty Palate. A change in our outward estate will be the less surprising to us, when in time of plenty we now and then restrain and deny ourselves in those pleasures, which we have the opportunity to pursue in our eating and drinking.  

4. Time to be redeemed from Gaming.  Fourthly, Redeem time from Gaming and Recreations. Sometimes they are very needful to the Body, for your health, and to render you more fit for action and business. But you must take care that your Divertisements and Recreations be,  
First, innocent and lawful, and not contrary to the Rules and Principles of Christianity; that they be not hurtful to yourselves or others, nor scandalous and offensive. Let them not be such as those of wicked Men, of whom Solomon speaks, Prov. 10.23. to whom it is a sport to do mischief; and who make a mock of sin; whose delight and divertisement is, in saying things that are wicked and profane, to the hurt and grief of one or other. The Philistines called for Samson, (when he was their Prisoner) to make them sport, Judg. 16.25. The Babylonians required a Song and mirth of the poor Captive Jews, saying, Sing us one of the Songs of Zion, Psal. 137.3. They made it a sport to insult and to triumph over others in their distress; they made themselves merry with the miseries of others.  
2dly, Let your Divertisements and Recreations be used with moderation: give not yourselves liberty to go beyond due bounds, neither as to time, nor yet as to the proportion of money you play for. Beware of falling into the Habit of Gaming; when Plato reproved a young Man very sharply for playing at Dice 
† Diog. Laert. in Platone. , the young Gamester answered him, Do you reprove me so much for so small a matter? But said Plato, Custom is no small matter.  
There is unspeakable hurt and prejudice, that comes from suffering yourselves to be too far carried away by the fancy and humour of Gaming, and following your Sports and Pastimes. This does insensibly expose you to the danger of Poverty, as Solomon tells us. He that loveth Pleasure shall be a poor Man, Prov. 21.17. This renders you unfit for all Sacred and serious Performances, the mind being thereby filled with the images and reflections of what you said and heard, of what you and others did at your Games: Your hopes and your fears, your joys and your uneasiness, your victories and losses, your surprises and disappointments, your little debates and contentions, your indignation and resentments, and a great many other things, too common at Gaming, so distract and fill your mind for a great while afterwards, that when you would be serious, and employ yourselves to better purpose, you cannot bring your minds to that fixedness and stayedness that is necessary; you remain, as it were, drunk with your Pastimes and Divertisements; your thoughts reel to and fro, and cannot settle; you have a great desire of returning again to your Recreations, that you may gratify your fancy, and may gain more profit, or praise and applause.  
That you may not fall under those inconveniencies, your best way is to keep out of such Company as makes Gaming their Business. And if at any time it be fit for you to indulge yourselves a little in Gaming, it will not be amiss that you set Bounds to yourselves; both as to your time, how long to play; and as to the quantity of money you intent to play for; that you may not either in one or t'other respect, exceed those limits which Christian Prudence requires. It is very advisable either not at all to play for money (which ofttimes occasions great strive and quarrelings, or great uneasiness of thought;) or to play for so very little as may be next to nothing, which may not afterwards occasion any uneasy reflections and dissatisfaction of mind. And if at any time you be disposed, and find it expedient to play for a little more than ordinary, (still observing the Rules of discretion and Christian Prudence) it would not be unfit to make it a condition in your Game, that the Winner apply what he gains to some charitable use, which you may either then expressly determine, or you may resolve to give the money which shall be gained, to some discreet and charitable Person, who will be sure to bestow it to good purpose. As this would afford a great pleasure and joy to those who reap some fruit and benefit by your Recreation and Pastime; so it would afford yourselves a greater delight and satisfaction, than otherwise you could expect by your Divertisements. And besides, this would prevent covetous desires, and other evil passions and dispositions, which usually attend those who game only, or chief, for profit and advantage.  
As for those who are apt in gaming to be transported into violent passion, and to break out into indecent heats, it is necessary for such Persons to give over all such Divertisements, as use to cause this excessive fermentation of their Spirits, and which put them upon the fret. Or if at any time they think good to play at some Game, they ought to do it in the presence of those, who by their Authority are able to restrain them from every thing that is indecent and extravagant, that by degrees they may get the Victory over themselves, and may habituate themselves to mildness and gentleness of Spirit, and may be preserved from all the sad consequences of unruly passions.  

5. Time to be redeemed from Visiting.  Fifthly, Redeem time from Visiting. Too many throw away their time in making vain and unnecessary Visits, employing themselves on these occasions in vain and impertinent chat, and foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient; in making their Observations, and passing their Censures upon the Words and Actions, the Modes and Customs of others; in slandering and backbiting; in sowing vain and false Reports; in causing Jealousies and Contentions, and doing other such like bad Offices.  
Visiting is either good or bad, according as it is managed. In some cases it is very fit and necessary to visit your Friends and Neighbours, to keep up thereby a friendly and neighbourly Correspondence, to offer your help and service to them when there is need of it, to sympathise with them when they are in any sort of trouble or distress, and to assist them to bear their burdens, whether of Body, or Mind, or outward Estate.  
Sometimes the Laws of Civility and Discretion require, that you visit those who have witnessed great Civility and Respect towards you. Sometimes the good Offices and generous Favours of some Persons to you, require that you should express your grateful sense of their kindness and generosity, by all possible instances of affection and esteem, and particularly by visiting of them now and then, which is a very easy and a small return for those Obligations they have laid upon you.  
You must beware of visiting or frequenting the company of those who are very lewd and wicked, by whose conversation you are in great danger of being corrupted, whose example is ready to infect you. When you see a House marked for the Plague, you are careful not to go into it, you keep yourselves at a good distance from it, that you may not run the hazard of infection. The Love which you have for life makes you do all you can to preserve it. Ought you not then to be as careful to keep out of the company of profane persons, whose Throat is an open Sepulchre, whose Mouths are full of Blasphemy and Cursing, whose Breath is very infectious, whose Words and Actions are full of most deadly Poison, whereby your Souls are in danger of being corrupted and destroyed for ever? Enter not into the path of the wicked, saith Solomon, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away, Prov. 4.14,15. And Chap. 5.8. He adviseth young men to remove their way far from the strange woman, and not to come nigh the door of her House.  
As you ought to avoid all sorts of Debauched Company, so especially of those who are Mockers of Religion, who scoff at all that is called Sacred, or looks like serious. They who sit in the Seat of the Scornful, are mentioned by the Psalmist, Psal. 1. as the chief of Sinners, the highest Rank of them. Such Persons are Satan's principal Instruments and Ministers: Their scoffs and flouts do unspeakable mischief to Religion. A great many, who have stood firm against Arguments and Persuasions, have proved too weak to hold out against the Impious Raillery, and Profane Jesting of such, whose business is, to turn the most serious things of Religion into Ridicule. You ought to beware of such Wretches, as the very pests of Mankind.  
It is true, sometimes your necessary Affairs, and your Relation wherein you stand to some Persons, may make it your Duty to be often in the company of those who are very wicked, but than you ought to be, First, possessed with a great abhorrence of what is evil in them, and in no manner to approve their sin and folly. Have no Communion with their unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, Eph. 5.11. Fellow the Psalmist's Example, whose Eyes ran down with Rivers of Tears, because they kept not God's Law, Psal. 119.136. Remember also how Lot's Righteous Soul was vexed with the filthy Conversation of the wicked amongst whom he lived, 2 Pet. 2.9,10. Secondly, You ought to make use of all favourable opportunities, to endeavour to make them better, and to rescue them from their evil ways and do.  
If you observe these things, you are not partakers with them in their Sins, and therefore God will not lay them to your charge. But if you entertain unnecessary Company, and hold a delightful Familiarity, with Persons of a profligate Life, 'tis too certain a mark that your Religion goes not very deep. You cannot justly be supposed to have much love to God, if you take pleasure in the Society of his professed Enemies. All Flesh consorteth, saith the Son of Sirach, according to kind, and a Man will cleave to his like. What Fellowship hath the Wolf with the Lamb? so the Sinner with the Godly? Ecclesiasticus 13.16,17.  
If at any time Atheistical and Profane Persons follow after you, and thrust themselves into your Company, beware of them, and shake off their Society, unless you converse with them with a design to reform them, and to bring them off from their evil Practices, and have ground to hope that you may do them good. But when after having tried twice or thrice to make them better, you find you only cast Pearls before Swine, and that there is more danger of getting hurt by them, than of doing them good, it is fit that you deal roundly and plainly with them, and that you let them know, that so long as they are no better, you desire to be excused, if you do not keep company with them. Tho' plainness is very necessary in this case, yet it is fit that it be tempered with all the discretion and sweetness that's possible, otherwise it may do more hurt than good. Endeavour to make such Persons sensible that you are only an Enemy to their Vices, and that as for their Persons you will be always ready to do them all good Offices.  
Secondly, As you ought carefully to avoid the company of those who are Profane and Atheistical Persons, so it is your Interest, as well as Duty, to visit those who are good and Religious. They who feared the Lord (saith Malachi, Chap. 3.16.) spoke often one to another. When you have the opportunity of enjoying the company of such Persons, make the best use of it that you can. Consider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works, Heb. 10.24. Exhort one another daily, Heb. 3.13. Admonish, comfort, and, in a friendly and loving manner, reprove one another, as there is need. Make use of one another's Counsel and Advice, in any thing that is doubtful and difficult. By all discreet and prudent ways, endeavour to learn some good and useful thing from good and wise Persons, with whom you have occasion to converse. Counsel in the heart of a man, saith Solomon, is as deep waters; but a man of understanding draws it out, Prov. 20.5. Counsel, that is, a skill and dexterity to give good Advice and Counsel, and to talk of things which tend to make men wiser and better. This in the heart of a wise man is like deep waters, that is, it makes no great noise (the wisest men being also the modestest) and is not come at without some pains, and some prudent Arts and Methods: But a man of understanding draws it out, that is, by discreet and seasonable questions and other fit ways, he gives his wise Friend an opportunity to discourse, to communicate his thoughts, and to discover his wisdom and experience.  
Beware lest in good Company your Discourse vanish into air and smoke; lest it be too trifling, and about things vain and impertinent. Let your words be seasoned with salt, ministering grace to the bearers, Col. 4.6. Endeavour to receive benefit from the Society of those who are good and wise, and to do them good, so far as you can, by your Society. As every Man hath received the Gift, saith St. Peter, even so Minister the same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God, 1 Pet. 4.10.  
It is true, it is not only lawful, but sometimes very convenient and necessary, when virtuous and excellent Persons meet together, that they recreate and divert themselves a little by cheerfulness and innocent mirth, that thereby their minds may be made more fit for serious and sacred things. Such is the state and condition of Man, while in the body, that his Soul cannot be always employed about those things which are of a Divine and Spiritual Nature: This vigour and strength of Soul is not, perhaps, attained to by any on this side the Grave. However, our care must be, that the bent and inclination of our Hearts be toward those things that are good and useful. This must be our business, our way, and course, to be good, and to do good: And as for our Recreations and Divertisements, they must only be subservient to the other.  

6. Time to be redeemed from worldly Business.  Sixthly, Redeem time from your ordinary cares and worldly business, that you may do some great good for the glory of God, and benefit of Mankind.  
In the ordinary course of your Lives you must mind the business of your Calling, according to your settled and usual Method: But than you are still to remember, to let the concerns of your Soul take place and be preferred. First seek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Mat. 6.33.  
At some times it is fit to deny yourselves in the affairs and concerns of this Life, to leave off your ordinary work and labour, when your great Lord and Master affords you some extraordinary opportunity for doing good to your Christian Brother, or to your own Souls: Then you must sell things of lesser value, that you may buy time for doing that which will make you rich in the true Riches; that you may edify your Brother, and build up yourselves in true Virtue.  
The great matter is to know when you are to do so. You must not every time when a sudden thought ariseth in your mind, moving you to leave your Plough, or your Trade and Calling, and to give up yourselves to some Acts of Religion and Devotion; you must not, I say, presently set on this the stamp or seal of a Divine Inspiration, and a Call from Heaven. This, if not taken heed to, may lead you into great mistakes and errors, and very dangerous delusions. Sometimes Melancholy, or other bodily Distempers, may give occasion to a great many warm fancies and imaginations: Therefore you are not to follow those private motions and inclinations, if you are not some other way determined thereto, by some concurring evidence of the hand of God. For Example, if, when you are moved in your own mind to do some very good and pious work, there happen about the same time an outward Call to do the same thing, you may conclude there is somewhat extraordinary in this to determine you. By an outward Call, I do not mean any extraordinary Voice from Heaven: That's not to be expected; but a Call by some good, wise, and discreet Person, who unexpectedly desires and invites you to do that, which before his speaking of it to you, you found your own heart moved and inclined to. In which case you have a very mighty encouragement, both from the goodness and usefulness of the thing itself, and from the Call and invitation which you have had from another, of whose Wisdom and Piety you are sufficiently assured. Tho' there be no more but this Call from Man, it is of great weight to move you, and to determine you in this manner to redeem your time from your ordinary labour, when there is some extraordinary occasion of doing somewhat for the honour of God, or the good of Men. Thus if at any time you are invited to comfort one that is in any great trouble of Body or Mind, or in any other great distress and affliction; if there be any thing in your power to do for the comfort and encouragement of such a Person, you ought to show your readiness to do your utmost for his help and support. You know not but the Lord may make use of you (however weak and unfit you may think yourselves) to serve the designs of his Mercy and Love. Likewise, if you are called to reconcile those that are at variance; to see if you can awaken a Person from his sin and folly, especially when the Lord's hand is upon him; to give your Counsel and Advice in some extraordinary case, where it is judged needful for you so to do: In these and the like cases you ought cheerfully to Sacrifice your private gain and advantage, and to let your lesser cares give place to those of a more public and considerable Nature.  
These things you are only to do, so far as the necessity of your own occasions will permit. They who are settled in a Calling, and have a Family, are under a very strict obligation to take care of their Family, and to mind their Calling and Employment; they must not neglect those necessary Duties which God hath given them to do in their several stations. The Scripture accounts them worse than Infidels, who provide not for their House, and those of their own Family. But if the Circumstances of your affairs will permit you to comply with the Opportunities of performing some eminent acts of Piety and Zeal, you ought not to neglect them: God will not fail plentifully to reward your Love to him, and your Zeal for his Glory. 
Short and fervent Ejaculations, even in Time of Business, recommended.  Tho' a great many cannot spare much time from their Worldly Business, for extraordinary Exercises of Piety and Charity; yet there are none, who may not redeem some time from their Business, by lifting up their Hearts, now and then, unto God, by short and fervent Ejaculatory Prayers or Thanksgivings, by earnest desires and breathe, by humble Groans and secret Sighs, by serious Acts of Adoration, by frequent Acts of Love, of Hope, of Trust and Confidence, and of Resignation to the divine Will. There is great necessity for such short and fervent Acts of Devotion sometimes, amidst your affairs and business, considering the doubts and difficulties, the hazards and dangers, and the snares and temptations, which you are often exposed to, as also the many unexpected and kind providences you meet with, when you are employed in the Duties of your Calling. By observing this Course, you do not hinder or interrupt your Business; on the contrary, this is the readiest way to do it successfully, and most to your own comfort and satisfaction. We see what Nehemiah did, when he waited upon Artaxerxes, as his Cupbearer: The King having said unto him, Neh. 2.4. For what dost thou make Request, 'tis added, So I prayed to the God of Heaven. He knew how great need he had of God's Direction and Assistance, and therefore, by a secret fervent Prayer, or Ejaculation, he lifted up his Heart unto the Lord; And the Lord heard him, and both assisted him to present his Petition to the King, and inclined the King's Heart to grant his Request? v. 8.  
Amongst other Advantages which attend this Religious Course, there is this; thereby you keep alive in your Hearts that sacred Fire, which was kindled in the time of your more solemn Devotions. This is the way to have your Conversation in Heaven, to walk with God, and to be continually with him; this is to live like Citizens of the new Jerusalem, like Men whose Hearts are in Heaven, whose Treasure is there, and whose Love is fixed and settled on God and upon divine things.  

7. Time to be redeemed from Idleness.  Seventhly, Redeem your time from idleness, and an useless way of living in the World. A great many do not waste much time in sleep, in dressing and adorning of their Bodies, in eating and in drinking, in gaming, or in visiting, and yet they waste their time: But how? In doing nothing, in entertaining themselves with the vain imaginations of their foolish minds, feeding on the Wind, pursuing dreams, and catching at shadows, building Castles in the Air, and sporting themselves with their own vain conceits and foolish fancies. Their Eyes are, as Solomon tells us, in the ends of the Earth, Prov. 17.24. They mind those things most which concern them least. They busy themselves about what others say and do, but do nothing themselves to any good purpose. Some Men are full of vain and useless contrivances, wherewith they do indeed busy themselves: But to what end? When all their designs and vain contrivances are accomplished, they are but as so many Spider's Webs, only sit to catch flies. This is to be busy in Trifles, to be employed in doing as good as nothing. Thus there be some who pursue a studious Life night and day, with a wonderful diligence; but their studies being only in impertinent Books, and about designs of no use, or perhaps of very bad use, they gain nothing thereby; yea so far are they from reaping any benefit by their great pains and labour, that they are unspeakable losers; they lose their time, and sometimes they lose their Wealth, and their Health, if not their Reason and Understanding.  
Consider, first, how unworthy this sort of Life is of Men and of Christians? God hath made you to be useful, to glorify him, to do good in the World, to become daily more and more holy and religious, to grow in grace, and to perfect holiness in his fear; and not to be like an useless Log, or an insignificant cipher; not to be barren and unfruitful in his Vineyard. Strive therefore to live up to the end and design of your being in the World, to improve yourselves in Piety and Virtue, to do somewhat that may be of real advantage to the Souls and Bodies of others.  
Secondly, Consider how dangerous a thing it is to live an idle, vain, and unuseful life. God hath promised Men his protection, only when they are in the way of their Calling, when they employ themselves in that state of life, wherein by his Providence he hath settled them in the World. So the Psalmist instructs us, Psal. 91.11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; that is, in all honest and lawful undertake, and in all actions that belong to your Calling. So that if you are idle, and give up yourselves to a lazy and useless manner of living in the World, doing nothing that's profitable to yourselves or others, you put yourselves out of God's protection, and thereby you give the Devil advantage over you, and you lay yourselves open to all his Temptations. When was it that David fell into those two foul Sins of Adultery and Murder? Was it not, when he yielded, for a short time, to ease, and lived idly at home? And if so excellent and holy a Person, was so soon corrupted by Ease and Idleness, have you not great Reason to avoid this Vice, which is deservedly called, The Mother of all Evils, and the Stepdame of all Virtues?  
Thirdly, Consider that the end of this idle and useless life is very sad. Cast the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth, Math. 25.30. Not only shall wicked Servants be cast into utter darkness, but also unprofitable Servants, who hid their Talents in a Napkin; that is, who do not employ to any good purpose those Gifts which God bestows upon them, who stand idle all the day long in the Vineyard.  

8. Time to be redeemed in sacred performances, by doing them in the best manner.  Eighthly, Redeem time in your sacred and religious Duties, and Performances, by endeavouring to do them in the best and perfectest manner you can. When you read, and pray, and meditate, and examine yourselves, and hear the word of God preached, and sing his praises, and partake of the Holy Sacrament, and perform other acts of Religion and Piety, in a lifeless, dull, unconcerned and formal manner, you lose your time; and therefore when by due reflection upon your ways, you find that you do so, endeavour afterwards to redeem it, by greater watchfulness and seriousness; otherwise you may go on a great while in a course of Devotion to very little purpose, if you do not stir up yourselves to do the best that's in your power to do, by God's help.  
Thus when you find that you have read the Word of God in a careless and negligent manner, without considering whose Word it is, and for what end it is written, and without those dispositions of mind that are necessary; you must afterwards endeavour to redeem the time, by being more careful to read that Sacred Book with greater Reverence and Seriousness, and with greater Pleasure and Delight. Pray to God more hearty, for the direction and assistance of his Holy Spirit. Meditate more attentively on what you read, and lay it up in your hearts, that it may be always in a readiness for your use, as the rule of your lives.  
If you find that you have lost your time in Prayer, by not making your Addresses to God with a deep humility and reverence, with unfeigned Faith, and fervent Love, and with great earnestness, sincerity, and importunity; endeavour afterwards to pray with all possible humility and reverence, with greater faith and confidence, and with a mighty earnestness and fervency of Spirit: Study to have your Souls possessed with a deeper sense of your wants and necessities, that you may beg supplies of all needful things from him who can help you to the utmost. Be more sensible of the greatness of your sins, and of the many heinous aggravations that attend them, that you may make humble confession of them with true sorrow and contrition. Consider the danger to which your Hypocrisy, or Formality and Lukewarmness in Religious Duties do expose you, that you may with great integrity and uprightness of Soul, make your Addresses to the Searcher of Hearts, and Tryer of the Reins, who takes pleasure in the hearty and cheerful services of those who draw near unto him. Be possessed with more lively impressions of the Divine Power and Greatness, of the Justice, Holiness, Goodness, Mercy, and Faithfulness of God, that the sense thereof may make you adore him, and call upon him in such a manner as is suitable to so Glorious a Majesty.  
If you find that the time you have set apart for Self-Examination has been lost, by a negligent performance of this Duty, by your not being in good earnest, when you pretended to call yourselves to an account: Endeavour to redeem the time, by searching your hearts, and enquiring into your ways with greater care and exactness. Examine and try yourselves, as in the sight of God, as Men that are in good earnest to save their Souls from Everlasting Condemnation. Deal impartially with yourselves; do not extenuate your own faults, but aggravate them by all just and fit considerations: Endeavour to be deeply touched with hearty Contrition and real Grief and Sorrow for them; let your Repentance in all regards be more sincere, and unfeigned, and your purposes and Resolutions more strong and steady.  
If you find that you have reflected on God's Mercies and Favours to you, without that grateful sense which you ought to have had thereof, and without making suitable returns, so far as you were able by his Grace, for his great and undeserved goodness; endeavour afterwards to employ your thoughts on so delightful a subject, as is the Divine Love and Goodness, with greater pleasure, and with a more lively sense thereof than you have been wont. Let the consideration of the love and goodness of God, powerfully move you, and prevail with you to do somewhat which may testify the reality of your gratitude, somewhat that may be of real benefit to the Souls or Bodies of others.  
If you find that you have been very formal and careless in performing what relates to the public Worship, endeavour to redeem the time, by being more sincere and devout. For Example, if you have heard the Word of God read and preached, in a trifling and unconcerned manner, without those dispositions of mind which were requisite in a Christian Hearer, and in an humble Disciple of Jesus Christ; if you have attended on such occasions, more out of compliance with Custom, and the Example of others, than out of Conscience, and from Principles of true Religion and Devotion: Consider that this is to lose time, and, under an appearance of Religion, to remain without any thing of it in reality. You must therefore afterwards endeavour to hear the Word of God in another manner, to wit, as the Law and Rule of your Lives, as that which is given you of God to make you wise and good, and to fit you for everlasting Happiness and Glory; you must, as new born Babes, desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that your Souls may grow thereby. You must hear it with great reverence and attention, and with humble and tractable minds; you must study to have it engrafted in your Hearts, that it may abide there as a Scion in a stock, and may grow and bear fruit unto everlasting life. You must reflect on what you hear; when you leave the Church, you must not lay aside all further thinking on what has been read or preached to you; you are to talk a little with your own hearts about those things, and to call to mind any thing you heard, which tends to make you wiser and better: Endeavour to have it deeply imprinted on your Souls, that it may prove unto you the Power of God unto Salvation, the savour of life unto life.  
If you find that you have been too often guilty of singing the Praises of God with your mouths only, without any melody in your Hearts, without any real sense of the greatness and power, of the kindness and love, of the patience and long-suffering, of the truth and faithfulness of him whom you praise and celebrate: Endeavour to be more devout and serious in that part of Worship; sing unto God, not only with your Voice, but with your Heart, which is the chief thing that God looks to. Study to raise your Souls to him, as well as to lift up your Voices, when you sing his praises. Stir up all within you to bless his holy Name, who forgiveth all your Iniquities, and healeth all your diseases, who crowneth you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who prevents you every Morning, and follows you all the day long, with many signal instances of his Fatherly care and love, giving you richly all things to enjoy for life and godliness.  
If you find that you join in the Public Prayers without any due Sense of God upon your Souls, and without any real impression of those things to which you say Amen; if you find that you repeat some words as do others, but in the mean time your minds are busy in pursuing shadows, in thinking of your Trades, your Sports and Pastimes, etc. be ashamed that you do thus lose your precious time, that you are guilty of such trifling in the most serious and sacred action: Endeavour to be more affected with a right sense about what, you do, that you may offer up unto God the Sacrifices of broken and contrite Hearts, that you may pour out your Hearts before him, and may worship him with all your Soul and Mind. Bid farewell to your Worldly Cares, and to your Pleasures and Vanities, when you come into his presence, to pay your homage to him. Serve him with your best affections, with the strength and vigour of your desires, and with all your power and might. If you do this, you may then expect, with great assurance and confidence, that God will give ear unto you, and satisfy your longing Souls with good things, he will make you taste and see how good he is. But if you pray without being in good earnest, your Sacrifices will be an abomination to him, he will not regard your Prayers, nor take any notice of you: He will answer you according to the multitude of your Idols.  
If you find that you lose time by your communicating in a careless and formal manner, without considering the end and design of that holy Institution, and without endeavouring to prepare yourselves as you ought to do, that you may eat and drink worthily at the Table of the Lord; study to redeem this loss, by partaking of this Sacrament for the time to come in a more devout and religious manner: Be careful to approach with greater love and gratitude unto the Table of your Lord, who not only allows you to come, but kindly and lovingly invites and encourages you to do so. Come with your Souls burning with love to him who died for you, and who appointed you this Sacrament, that therein you might remember his wonderful love, and his astonishing compassion and mercy, which he hath testified in laying down his life for sinners, that he might purchase to them everlasting Life and Glory, even to as many as repent and believe the Gospel. Come with your Hearts deeply wounded and pierced with sorrow for your sins and follies, which were the cause of so shameful, so painful, and so cursed a death to your dearest Lord and Saviour. Come with your Souls full of sincere and hearty purposes and resolutions of being new Creatures, not to live any more unto yourselves, or unto the World, but to him who died for you. Come with your Souls likewise enlarged with thoughts of kindness, and unfeigned Charity to all Men, with your minds delivered from all bitterness and wrath, from all malice and envy, that you may eat and drink at this Feast of Love, with suitable dispositions of universal Love and Charity. Come with a great desire to obtain strength from the God of your Salvation, that you may be able to fight the good fight of Faith, and may at last lay hold on Eternal Life.  
In this manner you ought to endeavour to redeem the time, by doubling your care and diligence, in all those Duties of Religion, in the performance whereof you have been formerly faulty and defective.  
Thus you are to do likewise in every other Action which you perform to the glory of God. When you find that you have been too formal and careless in what you have done and said for God; for Example, in admonishing others, in instructing them, in reproving them, in comforting them, etc. endeavour to redeem time, by doing those things with greater sincerity and zeal, with a more pure regard to the Glory of God, with a greater desire to approve yourselves unto him, who gives you the opportunity of doing somewhat for his Honour, and with greater Charity to the Souls of Men.  
Depend on God for a Blessing in all your endeavours, beg of him that he would direct and assist you to do that which is good and well pleasing unto him; and that he would so dispose the hearts of those whom you admonish, instruct, reprove, or comfort, that what you speak to them may not be lost, but may have the desired effect, for the glory of God, and their happiness and welfare.  
From what hath been said, you may see how you ought to redeem your time: The next thing which I proposed to speak to, was, to suggest to you some Considerations to excite you to do so.   

Some Motives to excite you to do these things.  

1. Motive, from the shortness of your Time.  First, Consider how short your time is. Your life is compared to a Vapour, which appears for a little time, and then vanisheth away, Jam. 4.14. It makes a little show and appearance for a while, and then it is gone. It is compared to a Post, to the Swift Ships, and to the Eagle that hasteth to the Prey, Job 9.25,26. And to the Wind, and to a Weaver's shuttle, Job 7.6,7. All which Comparisons serve to express how short and swift our time is, how suddenly it flies away and is gone. Man that is born of a Woman (saith Job, Chap. 14.1.) is of few days. And Jacob, (when he was a great deal older than Men live to be now, even 130 years old) told Pharaoh, saying, Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been. What are 40, or 60, or 80 years, when a Man lives so long, and looks back upon them all? They appear to him but like a Shadow, or as a Dream, or like a Tale that is told. Ought not this to move you to be good Husbands of your short time? If it were in your own power to dispose of it, according to your own humour and fancy, you might then be pardoned to delay your great Work and Business till you thought good: But now that it is not in your power to lengthen out your time one Minute, what a madness is it for you to put off and neglect your greatest and chiefest Concern? Therefore be so wise, as to make good use of your present opportunities and occasions of doing good, that you may work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, and may make your calling and your Election sure. Work while the day lasts, for the night cometh wherein you cannot work.  
If a Man who is guilty of Treason, or Rebellion against his Prince, or of any other great Crime which deserves death, were allowed a few days to sue out his Pardon, that he might secure his Life and Estate, would he not improve with great care and diligence that little time? To be sure he would not lose one moment of it: And tho' perhaps at other times, he was wont to give up himself to his pleasures and pastimes, and to mind little else, but the gratifying his Lusts and Passions, and his Vanity and Folly; yet now that his Life and Fortune lie at the stake, you should see such a man changed in a moment: You should see him, with great application of mind, with the utmost diligence employing his time, running from place to place, from one person to another, according as his great and important business and concern required. How readily would such a Person redeem his time, not only from Idleness, from Gaming, from impertinent Visits, and from dressing and adorning of his Body, and the like, but even from eating and drinking, and from his rest and repose in the night? The desire of preserving his life would so fill his thoughts, as to make him forget almost every thing else. What would you think or say, if you should see a man in such circumstances wholly unconcerned and careless, spending his time in Gaming, or Idleness, in making impertinent Visits, in rioting and drinking, and the like, and doing nothing at all to obtain his pardon, and to secure his life and fortune? Doubtless you would look upon such a man as void of common understanding, fit only for Bedlam, or not worthy to live, who knew no better to make use of his short time, to preserve his life, which Nature teacheth all Men to do, by all honest and lawful means.  
It is easy for you to make application of all this to yourselves. You are by your Sins Enemies to God, Rebels against your Lord and King, whereby you are in danger of everlasting death and destruction. But God in his infinite mercy gives you time to sue out your Pardon, which he offers you upon the most just and reasonable conditions; only believe and repent, and you shall be saved; he will have mercy upon you, and blot out your iniquities. Be therefore so wise, as to husband well this short time, which God bestows on you for this purpose: Redeem it as much as you can, from all vain and unnecessary things, that you may obtain forgiveness of Sins, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to enable you afterwards to walk in newness of life.  
But if instead of minding this great and important concern of your Souls, you give up yourselves to sin and folly, and indulge yourselves in your mad and wicked practices, and thereby provoke God yet more and more against you, how just will your Judgement and Condemnation be? if you will not be saved, if you will not turn to the Lord that you may live, if you will not believe, repent, and amend; what remains? you shall certainly die, and be miserable for ever. They that will not be happy, shall not be happy. The wrath of God shall abide upon them.  

2. Motive, from the uncertainty of your Time.  Secondly, Consider that as your time is very short, so it is most uncertain. What do you know whether your Sun shall decline leisurely, or whether it may not go down suddenly, when you think it is not yet come to the Noon-tide of the Day? You are not sure to live till you come to a good old Age. How many sicknesses and distempers, and how many sudden accidents are there in the way, which may shorten your day, and cause your Sun to set, when you think it shines with its greatest force and lustre? Sometimes a Candle is blown out by the Wind, or snuffed out undesignedly, when it is not yet half burnt. And so the life of Man is often extinguished by outward accidents, when by the course of Nature, it might have been prolonged much further.  
How many come forth into the World, and give great appearances of making a very considerable figure in it, by their Wisdom and Sagacity, their good Conduct, and Address, their Excellent Parts and useful Learning, their Courage and Valour, their Charming Eloquence, and clear and distinct Reasoning, or by their shining Piety and burning Zeal? But do not you see how suddenly they are gone? they are hurried away by death, and you neither see them nor hear of them any more.  
There is nothing certain as to your time, but its shortness and uncertainty. Nothing can secure you against an unexpected blow by death, when God sees fit to give charge to the King of Terrors to knock you down. Youth and strength cannot do it; for how many die when their Breasts are full of milk, and their bones are moistened with marrow? Too great abundance of Blood and Spirits doth sometimes oppress and stifle the life of Man.  
Wealth and Riches cannot secure you: How many great and wealthy men have been suddenly carried away as with a Flood, when their Coffers were full of Silver and Gold, when they had all that heart could wish? Even their Wealth proved the bait which alured idle, covetous, and desperate Persons, to break into their Houses, and rob them, not only of their Treasure, but of their Lives.  
Greatness of Power and earthly Honour and Dignity, are not able to do it: Crowns and Sceptres, Castles and Palaces, a wise Council, and great Armies, are not able to protect Princes, from the violent and desperate attempts of Men, who are prodigal of their lives. How many of those who have been most famous in the World for their Power and Greatness, have been very unexpectedly removed by a violent and sudden death? When they have been in their greatest height, at the very top of Earthly Felicity, and full of the deepest Projects and Designs; when they made account to make the Earth, as it were, to tremble; to humble and to mortify their Enemies, to enlarge their own Dominions, or to enslave their Subjects, even then Death gave them a sudden blow, and so there was an end of them and their designs together.  
But may not Wisdom and Understanding, great Learning, and Skill in various Arts and Sciences, do somewhat to secure Men from the sudden blow of Death? No, all this cannot do it: We see even Wise Men suddenly and unexpectedly removed from us by Death, as well as others. In the midst of their useful Studies, and excellent contrivances, and designs, the King of Terrors puts a stop to them, and in the twinkling of an Eye they are gone, and all their thoughts are laid asleep. So vain a thing is Man, and even the wisest Man; and so uncertain is his time.  
Consider that Death can enter by a thousand doors. Every poor in your Body is a Gate wide enough for Death to enter in at. Do not you see what a small thing makes way for Death? The prick of a Thorn, or a Splinter of Wood does it sometimes, by occasioning a Fever, or a Gangrene. How quickly are some removed by violent and unexpected Distempers, and sometimes on a sudden are struck dead, you cannot tell how? Have not some died through an excess of joy, and others through immoderate grief; some by excessive laughter, and others by too much mourning and weeping? Some have died with a fright or sudden fear: some by the violence of their anger and wrath, and others by an excess of Love. How many have been killed with over much care, and too great watching? and others have occasioned their own death by idleness, and too much sleep: Some have killed themselves with eating and drinking, and others have done it by too great abstinence and fasting. Have not some died while they have been at Meals, by a Crumb, or a little Bone, or some such very small matter? When they were thinking to repair their strength, and to fit themselves for going on with their business and work; that which they did to save and lengthen out their lives, did shorten them, and put an end to them. May not this instance alone show you the great uncertainty of your time, and how necessary it is to redeem it?  
But besides all this, consider that when you go abroad, you are in danger from innumerable accidents. You may be killed by the noisome steams of the Earth, by some infectious quality in the Air, by the Beasts of the Field, by the teeth of mad Dogs, by the horns of enraged Oxen, or by the heels of wild Horses. You are likewise in danger from the winged Creatures, the least of whom have Weapons sufficient to destroy you, if God by his Power and Justice arm them against you.  
How remarkable was the manner of the death of Aeschylus, an ancient Poet in Sicily, 
Valer. Max. lib. 9 cap. 12.  who as he sat in a Sunny place without the Walls of the City, was killed by a Tortoise, which an Eagle let fall on his head.  
And no less memorable is the Story which is mentioned in the Book of Martyrs, of one Burton, Bailiff of Crowland in Linconshire, who pretending to be a Friend to the Reformation in King Edward's time; after the King's death began to set up the Popish Mass again, and would have beaten the Curate, if he had not complied with his design: But see how the Lord's hand overtook him; as he came riding from Fenbank one day, a Crow flying over his head, let fall her Excrements upon his face, the noisome scent whereof so annoyed his stomach, that he never ceased vomiting till he came home: And after falling deadly sick, would never receive any meat, but vomited still, and complained of that stink, cursing the Crow that had poisoned him; and in a few days he died.  
Besides the danger you are in from unreasonable Creatures, are you not also sometimes in hazard from Men, who are mad either through the distemper of their Brain, or through their violent Malice and Envy? Let a Bear rob of her Whelps (saith Solomon) meet a Man rather than a Fool in his folly, Prov. 17.12. And not only are your Lives in danger from unreasonable Creatures and from Men, but likewise from the Spirits of Darkness, unless restrained by the mighty Power of God. These are Enemies of great Power, and of as great, yea greater Malice. But your heavenly Father keeps them as it were in chains, and sets bounds to their rage and fury, that they cannot hurt you so much as in a hair of your head, without the Divine permission.  
But further; so uncertain is your time, that there is not a stone, nor a block in your way, but it may be an occasion of your stumbling, and falling into the snares of Death. And sometimes when there is no such block in your way, you are not secure from danger: One foot may prove a stumbling-block to the other, and an occasion of your falling into the hands of Death. When you walk in the streets either for Business or Divertisement, and have not the least apprehension of any danger, even then Death may hang over your Heads: Every Tile on the Housetops, may by its unexpected fall, as you pass by, beat out your Brains, and so put an end to all your Thoughts and Motions.  
And more than all this; in how great danger are your Lives from Fire, and from Water, from Heat and Cold, from Storms and Tempests, from Thunder and Lightning, and many other things, the stroke whereof you cannot prevent nor foresee? God hath in store the Sword, the Famine, and Pestilence, and innumerable Judgements and Plagues, whereby he can cut you off, and shorten your Lives.  
When you are in your houses, and think yourselves in safety, you know not but that Death is even there, and that your Grave is ready for you: By a sudden Wind, by an Earthquake, or by a decay in the Foundation, or some other part of the Building, the House may fall down about your ears, and prove your burying place.  
So true is it what Solomon says, Eccl. 9.12. For Man also knoweth not his Time; as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net, and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare: So are the Sons of Men snared in an evil Time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.  
From all which you may conclude, that your time is the most uncertain thing in the World. Ought you not therefore to make good use of it while it lasts, not knowing how soon and suddenly it may be at an end?  

3. Motive, from the greatness and difficulty of the work you have to do.  Thirdly, Consider how great and difficult a work you have to do; a work that requires a great part of your time, and worthy of all your time. How hard is it to work out your Salvation, to make your Calling and Election sure; to strive to enter in at the straight Gate; to be born again; to be made new Creatures; to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind; to put off the works of darkness, and to put on the armour of light; to add to your faith, virtue,; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity? To have the image of God renewed in your Souls; to be made partakers of the Divine Nature, to escape the corruptions which are in the World through lust; to be conformed to the Example of your Blessed Lord and Master, in those Virtues wherein you ought to imitate him; to learn of him who was meek and lowly; to go about as he did, doing good to the Souls and Bodies of Men; to be zealous for God; and holy as he who called you is holy in all manner of Conversation?  
How great a work is it to overcome yourselves? To become vile and base in your own eyes, to think meanly of yourselves, and to be willing that others should think so of you too; to be content with every state and condition of life, wherein God does by his Providence place you; to bear wrongs and injuries with meekness and patience; not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good; to mortify your sinful desires and sensual appetites; to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts; to purify yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; to cleanse your Hearts from all manner of wickedness, that they may be fit Temples for the Spirit of God to dwell in; to govern your eyes, that you may not thereby betray your Souls into the hands of your Enemies; to govern your Lips, to take heed to your ways, that you offend not with your Tongue; to put away from you all lying, flattery, and dissimulation, all evil speaking, whispering, and backbiting, all foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient; to be sober and temperate in all things; to be just and sincere in all your deal, doing to others what you would have them do to you?  
How great a work is it to overcome the World? to despise its Pomp's and Vanities, not to be alured and charmed by its smiles, nor yet frighted and cast down by its frowns; not to suffer yourselves to be possessed with the love of Riches; to entertain just and fit opinions of the things of this World; to consider them as vain, uncertain, and unsatisfactory enjoyments, which are not capable to make you happy, which are only so far to be desired, as they are necessary in order to your accommodation and more easy subsistence in the World? How hard is it to overcome the temptations of earthly pleasure and outward delights, and not to suffer your minds to be too far transported by the love of them; but to use even the most innocent pleasures with great moderation, lest they lead the Soul Captive, and render it unfit for the true pleasures? How hard is it to live in the World as Pilgrims and Strangers ought to do, to pass through this Wilderness without much regarding it, but fixing your eyes on the happy Land, the heavenly Canaan, which you ought to look on as your only Country? How hard is it to escape the danger of the evil Manners and Customs which are in the World? The many temptations which you have to vanity and folly, to pride and passion, to gluttony and drunkenness, to luxury and sensuality, and to other Vices, by the bad Examples of your Friends, Neighbours, and other Acquaintances?  
How great and difficult a work is it to resist the Devil, to quench his fiery darts, to reject his suggestions, to discover his wiles and stratagems, to watch against all his assaults, and vigorously to oppose his temptations, that you may overcome him and triumph over him? Now, this is the work you have to do: For we wrestle not (saith the Apostle, Eph. 6.12.) against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. How hard and dangerous a Warfare must it needs be, that makes it necessary for you to take the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand?  
How hard a work is it to read, and hear, and meditate, to examine yourselves, to pray to God, and to praise him, to partake of the holy Sacrament, and to perform all other Acts of Devotion and Piety, as you ought to do?  
How great a work is it to love God above all things, to love him with all your Soul and Heart, and with all your strength and might, and to keep yourselves in the Love of God, that it may be in you a powerful Spring and Principle unto all good actions, that you may be thereby sweetly constrained to do and to suffer whatever is his holy Will and Pleasure?  
Is it not a great work to perform aright all those Duties which you are bound to do in your several relations and capacities? To instruct, to admonish, to reprove, and to comfort others, and to do every thing you can for the good of men's Souls and Bodies? Let no Man (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 10.24.) seek his own, but every Man another's wealth. And, Chap. 13.5. Charity seeketh not its own, that is, not only its own; it seeketh not its own to the prejudice of another; but it endeavours to promote the happiness and welfare of others. The charitable Person hath an eye to the good and benefit of other Men, as well as his own gain and advantage.  
And besides all this, you ought to ●ave so much Zeal for the Glory of God, and the good of Souls, as to endeavour to do somewhat which may ●ave a lasting effect and influence not only in the present time, but in the time to come: You ought to contrive by all means to propagate Religion, to do somewhat which may bear fruit for the honour of your Maker and Redeemer, when you are laid in the Grave.  
From all which you may see what a great and difficult work you have to do in the World, and how great need you have to redeem time, and to lose as little of it as is possible. How necessary is it for you to begin your work betimes, and to be constant in the pursuit of it, In the Morning to sow your Seed, and in the Evening not to withhold your hand? What a madness is it to have your work to begin when your time is almost at an end, when there are but a few sands in your Glass? You who have so long a Race to run, and so much bad Way to pass through, and who are so weak, and have so little strength to stir one foot, to do, or say, or think any thing that is good, have you not great need to set out in good time, and to continue unwearied in your course, all the day, that you may at last receive the glorious prize? Ought you not (forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before) to press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3.13,14. Arise therefore from your sloth and laziness, and run and be not weary; and walk, and do not faint. Pray to God to hold up your go in his paths, that your footsteps may not slide, to strengthen your weak hands, and confirm your feeble knees, to draw you that you may run after him, and follow him fully. Beg of him, that he would be at your right hand to direct and defend you, that he would perfect his strength in your weakness, and would give you in all things both to will and to do, according to his good pleasure; that when you meet with enemies in your way, he would teach your hands to war, and your fingers to fight; and that his Grace may be sufficient for you.  

4. Motive, from the Account you must give how you spend your Time.  Fourthly, Consider that you must give an account of your time, how you spend and employ it. God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness, by his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is to come from Heaven very unexpectedly and suddenly, in a most dreadful and terrible manner, with Power and great Glory, in the Clouds of Heaven, in flaming fire, with ten thousands of his holy Angels, with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God. He shall send his Angels, and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. The Throne shall be set, and all Nations shall be gathered before him. The Books shall be opened, and the hidden things of darkness shall be brought to light; the counsels of the heart shall be made manifest; and every work shall be brought into Judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or bad. There shall be no need of Witnesses against the guilty, nor of Racks and Tortures to extort their Confessions: Every Man's own Conscience shall be instead of a thousand Witnesses. Then shall the Judge pass Sentence on every Man according to his works. The righteous shall be absolved, and shall receive the reward of everlasting Life and Glory: They shall be made partakers of a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away, and of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. But the wicked shall be cast into utter darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, where the Worm dieth not, and where the fire shall never be quenched: Where they shall continue for ever deprived of the Favour and Love of God, and exposed to the insupportable load of his anger and displeasure.  
You profess to believe these things, and therefore ought you not so to live, and so to husband your time, that when the Judge cometh, he may not find you idle, nor doing such things as are to his dishonour?  
You may by the following Similitude, conceive somewhat concerning the different thoughts of good and bad Men, upon such a sudden appearance of the Judge. Suppose a Prince going into a far Country, should call together his Servants, appointing them severally their work till his return (which he tells them will be unexpected) and promising great rewards of Houses, and Lands, and honourable Employments, to the faithful and obedient Servants; but threatening severe punishments, and torments, and a terrible death, to the unfaithful and disobedient. If after his departure some of the Servants mind their business, observing, as well as they can, what their Master required them to do: Others, without any regard to his Commands, take no thought of their business, but are idle, and eat and drink with the drunken, and smite their fellow Servants, and both by their words and deeds dishonour their Lord. You may easily imagine how differently these Servants will be affected when he returns suddenly and unexpectedly. The good Servants will be glad and rejoice at his coming, and will meet him with great cheerfulness and confidence, as expecting the accomplishment of his Promises, and being conscious to themselves of having done their Duty honestly and faithfully, of having carried themselves, as they ought to have done, during his absence: But the naughty and wicked Servants, must needs be filled with shame and confusion upon the Coming of their Lord, so as not to be able to look him in the face; There is no other thing which they can do, but to endeavour to fly from his presence, that they may not fall under the weight of his terrible displeasure.  
In this manner our Lord and Master Jesus, before he left the World, gave Rules and Commands to his Servants how to employ themselves, and what to do till his return. He promised Rewards to all who should believe and obey; and threatened the unbelievers, and the disobedient with heavy Punishments, and most dreadful Judgements. When he comes again in the great Day to judge the World, the godly shall meet him with great hope and assurance, of obtaining the end of their Faith, even the Salvation of their Souls. But the wicked and unbelievers shall be full of horror and confusion, and shall cry, tho' in vain, to the Mountains to fall on them, to hid them from the face of their Judge, who will be a consuming Fire to all the workers of iniquity, and will in no wise clear the guilty.  
Now do you desire hearty and sincerely to escape everlasting Condemnation, and to obtain a glorious Reward in the Day of your Accounts? Then you must study to redeem the time, and to make use of all opportunities of doing good: You must not be slothful in your great business, but fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord, knowing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.  
You see how the Men of the World bestir themselves, when there is but a small appearance and probability of gain and advantage. The Merchants make use of every favourable opportunity to buy and sell; they go early to Market, that they may not lose a good occasion; and yet after all, they may be, and are frequently disappointed, and make a very bad bargain. But the Christian, who redeems his time to buy Wisdom, is sure to find it. They who seek me early, shall find me, Prov. 8.17.  
The Mariners wait for a favourable Gale, a fair and seasonable Wind, to go to Sea: And when it blows accordin to their wishes they are sure not to lose one moment. Their desire of gain, and their hopes of a prosperous Voyage, makes them venture. And yet after all, they may, and often do suffer shipwreck, and lose their goods and their lives too. But the Christian who redeems his time, is in no such danger; he is sure to arrive safely at the Harbour of everlasting Rest, after all the storms and tempests, which he meets with in the boisterous Sea of this World.  
The Husbandmen wait for a good season to Plough, and Sow, and to do all other things belonging to their Employment; and when the time is favourable, they are sure to make use of it. The desire and hopes they have of a Harvest, of a fruitful Crop, quickens their endeavours, and excites their industry. And yet after all, they may be disappointed. Their Corn may be drowned by violent Rains, or scorched and burnt up with violent Heat, or eaten up and consumed by Infects, Fowls, or Beasts. But the Christian who sows in tears, shall reap in joy, Psal. 126.5,6.  
You see that Men, who run a Race, strive with great earnestness to gain the Prize, to obtain that, which ofttimes is of no very great value. And yet some of those who run come behind, and are disappointed of their hopes. But the Christian runs not uncertainly; he is sure to obtain not a corruptible Crown, but an incorruptible, 1 Cor. 9.25.  
Again, you see that Men who besiege a City or a Castle, wait for all advantages, and are sure not to neglect a favourable occasion of making an Assault, and surprising the Enemy The hopes of getting rich Spoils, of gaining Honour and Renown, makes them resolute and valiant. And yet it often happens, that they lose their lives in the Attempt; or are taken Captive by those whom they did hope to overcome and subdue. But he who fights the good fight of Faith, is sure to lay hold on eternal Life. He who fights under Christ's Banner, and who has him for his Captain, is sure to obtain the Victory over all his Enemies.   


The Conclusion.  I shall conclude this Discourse with what is written by St. Peter, 2 Epist. Chap. 3. vers. 10,11, etc. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the Heaven shall pass away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of Persons ought you to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness; Looking for, and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore (beloved) seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.    
FINIS.  

THE CONTENTS OF Advice to Children.  

THE Introduction. 1  
1. Duty of Children, to Honour their Parents. And how they are are to Honour them. 2 
The Poverty of Parents does not exempt Children from this Duty. 6  
Against those who dishonour their Parents. 7   
2. Duty of Children, to obey their Parents, and hearken to their Instructions. 10 
Against stubborn and disobedient Children. 14   
3. Duty, to be faithful to their Parents, and not to dispose of their goods without their consent. 16 
Against unfaithful and treacherous Children. 18   
4. Duty of Children, to be determined by their Parents as to their Calling. 20 
Against Children who neglect this Duty. 22   
5. Duty of Children, not to suffer themselves to be bestowed in Marriage against their Parents will. 23 
Against those Children who neglect this Duty. 26   
6. Duty of Children, to submit to their Parents Reproofs, and Chastening. 27 
Against Rebellious Children. 28   
7. Duty of Children, to love their Parents; and how they are to express their Love. 31 
Against unkind and unnatural Children. 35   
8. Duty of Children, to pray for their Parents. 36 
Against Cursers of Parents. 37   
The Duties of Children towards their Deceased Parents. 38 

1. Duty, they ought to bury them decently. 38  
2. Duty, to fulfil their last Will. 40  
3. Duty, to call to mind their good Advices, and to follow their good Examples. 40  
4. Duty, to do what they can lawfully, to suppress Evil Reports concerning them. 42  
5. Duty, to retain a firm kindness for their Friends. 43  
Against Children who neglect these Duties. 44    
Motives to excite Children to do these things. 

1. Motive, from the Authority of him who commands them to do these things. 46  
2. Motive, from the Promise made to those who do their Duty. 49  
3. Motive, from the Example of our Blessed Master. 53  
4. Motive, from the Examples of some Heathens. 56    
The Conclusion, showing how Children ought to improve what hath been said. 60  
The Duties of Children to their Step-Parents. 70 
Some Motives to stir up Children to be Dutiful to them. 72  
Against those who are undutiful towards their Step-Parents. 74     

THE CONTENTS OF The Discourse about the Right Way of Improving our Time.  

THE Introduction. 79  
The Text explained. 80  
How Time is to be redeemed. 

1. Time is to be redeemed from sleep. 82  
2. It is to be redeemed from dresing and adorning the Body. 86  
3. It is to be redeemed from eating and drinking. 90  
4. It is to be redeemed from gaming. 92  
5. It is to be redeemed from visiting. 97  
6. Time is to be redeemed from Worldly Business. 105 
Short and fervent Ejaculations, even in Time of Business recommended. 109   
7. It is to be redeemed from idleness. 111  
8. It is to be redeemed in sacred and religious Perfomrances, by doing them in the best manner. 114.    
Some Motives to Excite you to do these things. 

1. Motive, from the shortness of your Time. 125  
2. Motive, from the uncertainty of your Time. 129  
3. Motive, from the greatness and difficulty of the work you have to do. 138  
4. Motive, from the account you must give how you spend your Time. 145    
The Conclusion. 152    
FINIS.