The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Wilt thou know then O father, how thou mayest have that blessing, to be the blessed father of a blessed seed? wilt thou know O mother, how to avoid that curse, to be the cursed mother of a cursed seed? then bring thy children within the covenant, endeavour to make thy son by nature, the son of God by grace; and thy daughter by nature, the daughter of God by grace: and remember that God which on his part protested to our father Abraham, that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise, in giving him a blessed seed, required also of our father Abraham for his part, that he should walk before him and be upright.

Wilt thou know then O father, how thou maist haue that blessing, to be the blessed father of a blessed seede? wilt thou know O mother, how to auoide that curse, to be the cursed mother of a cursed seede? then bring thy children within the couenant, endeuour to make thy sonne by nature, the sonne of God by grace; and thy daughter by nature, the daughter of God by grace: and remember that God which on his part protested to our father Abraham, that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise, in giuing him a blessed seede, required also of our father Abraham for his part, that he should walke before him and be vpright.

Wilt thou then have the one part of this covenant, that is, that God should bless thee in thy seed? then remember thou also the other part, that thou walk before the Lord and be upright. Wilt thou have thy children as the blessed seed of Abraham? teach them with Abraham the commandments of God, pray for them with Abraham that they may live in the sight of the Lord; be ready to offer them with Abraham, that they may be an holy sacrifice to the Lord; It is thou O man, O woman, that mayest do thy child the greatest good and the greatest harm: if thou prayest for him, and repentest for thy self, the Lord will bless thy care, the pastors pains, and the teachers travail. But if thou despisest these duties, the Lord will deny thee those blessings, and the curse of God will be upon thy child at home in thy house, abroad in the Church and in the school. And seeing that the Lord hath promised that he will be thy God, and bless thy seed, if thou be faithful: thou mayest both hope, that thou art of the faithful, if thou have a blessed seed, and fear that thou hast not as yet the blessing of the covenant, when thy seed is cursed.