An exposition of the prophecy of Hosea begun in divers lectures upon the first…An exposition of the prophesie of Hosea begun in divers lectures vpon the first…

I confess they should be very careful in keeping their due respect to their parents, and not speak malapertly, but with all reverence and submission to them, and to speak privately too, if possibly it can be, not to divulge their parents weaknesses. You know Ham was cursed for discovering his fathers nakedness, though he was drunk he did not show his due respect at that time to his father; but if he had sought to cover his fathers nakedness, and after had come and pleaded the case with him, certainly he had not been cursed, but received a blessing.

I confesse they should be very carefull in keeping their due respect to their parents, and not speake mallapertly, but with all reverence and submission to them, and to speak privately too, if possibly it can be, not to divulge their parents weaknesses. You know Cham was cursed for discovering his fathers nakedness, though he was drunk he did not shew his due respect at that time to his father; but if he had sought to cover his fathers nakednesse, and after had come and pleaded the case with him, certainly he had not beene cursed, but received a blessing.

Yea and there is a great deal of reason that children should plead with heir parents, and that you should give them leave so to do, because you know, children are the worse for your sins, God threateneth to visit the sins of the parents upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation ⟨p. 153⟩there are many threatenings against children for the sins of their parents, therefore it concerns your children that they should plead with you, and that you should suffer them. For you say, Sirrah what have you to do with me? What doth it concern you? Yes, the child if he doth it in modesty and humility may say, O father it doth concern me, I may fare the worse for your sins, God may come upon me for them, therefore give me leave I beseech you to plead the cause of God with you. And if you will not give your children leave in this, they may rise up as witnesses against you another day. If children in an humble and submissive way plead with their parents, and they will not hearken unto them then, a very good pleading will be for them to burst out into tears before their parents, and it is a very suitable and powerful pleading, that when children cannot prevail in an humble and submissive way, then to burst out into tears before them.