Prototypes, or, The primary precedent presidents out of the book of Genesis showing, the…Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the…

Especially you that are Parents of children, look for crosses in your children; think this boy may prove not an Abel, not a Seth, but a Cain, a wicked and a sinful Cain, a hater of goodness, and fugitive from God. Let me take heed therefore that I do not over-love him, that I do not cocker him, and as it were mar and kill his soul by over-cherishing his body. If we find our selves apt to over-prize and over-love our children, we must moderate those passions by such meditations, and if we find our selves apt to over-grieve for their death, we must tell our selves, Ah might not their lives have proved much more bitter to me then their death can; who would not rather bury a son young then live to see him prove a Cain, and who can tell but his son for whose death he takes on with so much excessive sorrow, may not fall out to be as wicked as Cain. If any say I hope not so, I answer him, where be the grounds of his hope? did not our first Parents hope as much think you? Sure Eve giving Cain a name showed that she had good hopes of him when he was borne, yea those that have good and godly children must prepare to be crossed in their afflictions. Hast thou an Abel, a godly child, O make thine heart ready to hear that some wicked hand hath knocked him on the head, perhaps his own Brother, that some violent death hath seized upon him and taken him away before his time, and labour to be willing to yield to Gods hand if he will so cross thee, for why shouldst not thou stoop to as heavy a burden as that which Adam and Eve did bear in the beginning of the world. For the death of good children, yea their miserable and untimely death, and for the wickedness, yea the notorious and unnatural wickedness of other children, let every man prepare himself, by looking upon the example of Adam and Eve, that suffered these crosses, yea let every godly man learn to prepare for persecution from all Cains, but that we shall treat on when we come to Abel's example.

Especially you that are Parents of children, looke for crosses in your children; thinke this boy may proove not an Abel, not a Seth, but a Caine, a wicked and a sinfull Caine, a hater of goodnesse, and fugitive from God. Let mee take heed therefore that I doe not over-love him, that I doe not cocker him, and as it were marre and kill his soule by over-cherishing his body. If wee finde our selves apt to over-prize and over-love our children, wee must moderate those passions by such meditations, and if we finde our selves apt to over-grieve for their death, wee must tell our selves, Ah might not their lives have prooved much more bitter to mee then their death can; who would not rather bury a sonne young then live to see him proove a Cain, and who can tell but his sonne for whose death he takes on with so much excessive sorrow, may not fall out to be as wicked as Caine. If any say I hope not so, I answer him, where be the grounds of his hope? did not our first Parents hope as much thinke you? Sure Evah giving Caine a name shewed that shee had good hopes of him when he was borne, yea those that have good and godly children must prepare to be crossed in their afflictions. Hast thou an Abel, a godly child, O make thine heart ready to heare that some wicked hand hath knockt him on the head, perhaps his owne Brother, that some violent death hath seized upon him and taken him away before his time, and labour to be willing to yeeld to Gods hand if he will so crosse thee, for why shouldst not thou stoope to as heavie a burden as that which Adam and Eve did beare in the beginning of the world. For the death of good children, yea their miserable and untimely death, and for the wickednesse, yea the notorious and unnaturall wickednesse of other children, let every man prepare himselfe, by looking upon the example of Adam and Eve, that suffered these crosses, yea let every godly man learne to prepare for persecution from all Caines, but that wee shall treat on when we come to Abels example.