7. Christ after his Birth did and suffered many things in his Childhood, (I should be too large to spea• to every particular) so should we learn to bear Gods Yoke even in our Youth. It is good to imitate Christ even betimes,1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say▪ I have no pleasure in them. Do ye not see by experience what a blessed thing a gracious and an holy education is? Train up a Child in the way he should go, 2and when he is old he will not depart from it. O ye Parents, that ye should do your duties, and in that respect imitate Joseph and Mary in their care and nature of the Holy Child Jesus; and O ye Children, that you would do your duties, and imitate Jesus, the Blessedst pattern that ever was, that as you grow in Stature, 3you also might grow in favour with God and Man. Observe him in the Temple when he was but twelve years Old, see Him in the midst of the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them Questions; Children whiles little (if but capable of instruction) should with their Parents wait on God in the midst of our assemblies;4 Mos•s told Pharaoh they must have their young ones with them to the solemn Worship; and when Joshua read the Law of God to the Congregation of Israel, 5they had their little ones with them in that solemn assembly. Observe Christ also in Nazareth, where during his minority he was ever subject to his Parents; so Children obey your Parents in the Lord, 6for this is right: not only the Law of God, but the Gospel of Christ makes mention of this, ⟨p. 166⟩Honour thy father and Mother, which is the first Commandment with Promise; I know the subjection of Christs extends to his particular calling, and this also is for your imitation; in obedience to his supposed Father the Holy Child would have a particular employment, something must be done for the support of that holy Family wherein Jesus lived, and to that purpose he puts to his own hands, and works in the trade of a Carpenter; such as will live idle, and without a calling, that serve for no other use but to devour Gods Creatures, and to make a dearth, O how unlike are they to Jesus Christ? It is noted for a grievous sin, and a chief part of the corruption of our nature to be unprofitable to the Generation with whom we live; They are altogether become unprofitable, 7there is none that doth good;
7. Christ after his Birth did and suffered many things in his Childhood, (I should be too large to spea• to every particular) so should we learn to bear Gods Yoak even in our Youth. It is good to imitate Christ even betimes,1 Rememb•r now thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth, while the evil dayes come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say▪ I have no pleasure in them. Do ye not see by experience what a blessed thing a gracious and an holy education is? Train up a Child in the way he should go, 2and when he is old he will not depart from it. O ye Parents, that ye should do your duties, and in that respect imitate Joseph and Mary in their care and nature of the Holy Child Jesus; and O ye Children, that you would do your duties, and imitate Jesus, the Blessedst pattern that ever was, that as you grow in Stature, 3you also might grow in favour with God and Man. Observe him in the Temple when he was but twelve years Old, see Him in the midst of the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them Questions; Children whiles little (if but capable of instruction) should with their Parents wait on God in the midst of our assemblies;4 Mos•s told Pharoah they must have their young ones with them to the solemn Worship; and when Joshua read the Law of God to the Congregation of Israel, 5they had their little ones with them in that solemn assembly. Observe Christ also in Nazareth, where during his minority he was ever subject to his Parents; so Children obey your Parents in the Lord, 6for this is right: not only the Law of God, but the Gospel of Christ makes mention of this, ⟨p. 166⟩Honour thy father and Mother, which is the first Commandment with Promise; I know the subjection of Christs extends to his particular calling, and this also is for your imitaion; in obedience to his supposed Father the Holy Child would have a particular employment, something must be done for the support of that holy Family wherein Jesus lived, and to that purpose he puts to his own hands, and works in the trade of a Carpenter; such as will live idle, and without a calling, that serve for no other use but to devour Gods Creatures, and to make a dearth, O how unlike are they to Jesus Christ? It is noted for a grievous sin, and a chief part of the corruption of our nature to be unprofitable to the Generation with whom we live; They are altogether become unprofitable,
- 1Lam. 3.27. Eccles. 12.1.
- 2Prov. 22.6.
- 3Luke 2.52.
- 4Exod. 10.9.
- 5Josh. 8.35.
- 6Eph. 6.1, 2.
- 7Rom. 3.12.
