A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

What are the Duties of Parents and Children; and how are they to be managed according to Scripture? Serm. XVII.

Colos. III. 20, 21. Children, obey your Parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your Children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

MY business is not to discuss the Entity of Relations, in their foundation and terms; which the Philosopher is conversant about: but to discourse the Efficacy of the chiefest in Christian practice,¹ i. e. to enquire into the nature and management of those reciprocal offices betwixt Parents and Children, which, if well discharged according to the sense of the Divine Oracles, do contribute most to the happiness of humane Society; and give reputation to the Communion of Saints. The Subject I know is common, and the Scriptures copious upon it, which some (who it may be are not the most accurate in their own relative station) think a very easy task to treat on; but to do it distinctly and fully, within the time allotted to this exercise, is a thing of greater difficulty to me, than such easy Undertakers are aware of: and really to perform all the Duties I am to enquire into, in a manner well-pleasing to our heavenly Father, will cost them and us all more pains than only to read or preach an hour or two upon them: which yet might lead into many important concerns of government and obedience. Believe it herein we have all need enough of serious and frequent teaching again and again ^(a)for our conduct in the Relations whereunto God hath cast us. In order then both to my preaching at present, and all our future practice, as a ground for the Resolution of this Question; Question. What are the Duties of Parents and Children; and how are they to be managed according to Scripture? I am directed to the words read.