The Life and Death of Mr. Badman

Wise. So I will,¹ only I must first premise these two or three things. 1. They have not the advantage of Election for their fathers sakes. 2. They are born, as others, the children of wrath, though they come of Godly Parents. 3. Grace comes not unto them as an Inheritance, because they have Godly Parents. These things premised I shall now proceed. 1. The children of Godly Parents are the children of many Prayers: they are prayed for before, and Prayed for after they are born, and the Prayer of a godly Father and godly Mother doth much. ⟨p. 144⟩2. They have the advantage of what restraint is possible, from what evils their Parents see them inclinable to, and that is a second mercy. 3. They have the advantage of Godly instruction, and of being told which be, and which be not the right ways of the Lord. 4. They have also those ways commended unto them, and spoken well of in their hearing, that are good. 5. Such are also, what may be, kept out of evil company, from evil Books, and from being taught the way of Swearing, Lying, and the like, as Sabbath-breaking, and mocking at good men, and good things, and this is a very great mercy. 6. They have also the benefit of a godly life set before them doctrinally by their Parents, and that doctrine backed with a godly and holy example: and all these are very great advantages. Now all these advantages,² the children of ungodly Parents want; and so are more in danger of being carried away with the error of the ⟨p. 145⟩wicked. For ungodly Parents neither Pray for their Children, nor do, nor can they heartily instruct them; they do not after a godly manner restrain them from evil, nor do they keep them from evil company. They are not grieved at, nor yet do they forewarn their children to beware of such evil actions that are abomination to God, and to all good men. They let their children break the Sabbath, swear, lye, be wicked and vain. They commend not to their children an holy life, nor set a good example before their eyes. No, they do in all things contrary: Estranging of their children what they can, from the love of God and all good men, so soon as they are born. Therefore it is a very great Judgment of God upon children to be the Offspring of base and ungodly men.