A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

1. Love of God, so that they are not averse or froward to good duties, but listen to them, though they know not the meaning, and have some delight in them, and some fear of God, that tell them of God and his Judgements, they will be broken off from evil courses, and they will be well pleased in God, and delight in his way, and fear him; these things may be found in a Child; I call them Children till they be grown up to young men: and as a Child soon discovers that he knows his Parents, by smiling on them, by crying after them, and joying in them, so they will show you their knowledge of God by delighting in him, longing after him, and fearing his name.

1. Love of God, so that they are not averse or froward to good duties, but listen to them, though they know not the meaning, and have some delight in them, and some fear of God, that tell them of God and his Judgements, they will be broken off from evill courses, and they will be well pleased in God, and delight in his way, and fear him; these things may be found in a Childe; I call them Children till they be grown up to young men: and as a Child soon discovers that he knows his Parents, by smiling on them, by crying after them, and joying in them, so they will shew you their knowledge of God by delighting in him, longing after him, and fearing his name.

Use 1. To reprove the sinful vanity that is in that Proverb, A young Saint and an old Devil; for if St. John acknowledge it as a great matter, I write unto you Babes, because you know the Father, then surely it is no ill presage of their future miscarriage, because they begin to have the knowledge of God; no, it is a sign that in old age they will know him that was from the beginning; nay rather on the contrary, if he be a young Devil, it is likely he will prove worse, a young Devil an old Beelzebub, but a young Saint an old Angel; you do not use to think that it will make a vessel fusty if you season it well at the fist; so if a Child be well seasoned at the first, he will keep a good savour to his old age; a straight twig makes a straight tree, so if a Child be well set, and straight in Child-hood, he will grow more strong and compact when he is elder. Our Saviour was much moved, when they forbade little Children to be brought unto him, and when the chief Priests and the Scribes took it ill, that the Children cried out after Christ, Hosanna, thou Son of David, he told them it was written, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise,