A39663:1605
The Fountain of Life Opened
The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carried on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...
London: printed for Rob. White, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, Dear and tender Love, is due from Children to their Parents. And to show how strong and dear that love ought to be, it's joined with the Love you have for your own lives. As appears in that injunction to deny both for Christs sake, Matth. 10.37. The bonds of nature are strong and strict betwixt Parents and Children. What is a Child but a piece of the Parent wrapped up in another Skin? O the care, the cost, the pity, the tenderness, the pains, the fears they have expressed for you. It's worse than Heathenish ingratitude, not to return Love for Love. This filial Love is not only in it self a duty, but to be the root or spring of all your other duties to them.
Secondly, Dear and tender Love, is due from Children to their Parents. And to shew how strong and dear that love ought to be, it's joined with the Love you have for your own lives. As appears in that injunction to deny both for Christs sake, Matth. 10.37. The bonds of nature are strong and strict betwixt Parents and Children. What is a Child but a piece of the Parent wrapt up in another Skin? O the care, the cost, the pity, the tenderness, the pains, the fears they have exprest for you. It's worse than Heathenish ingratitude, not to return Love for Love. This filial Love is not only in it self a duty, but to be the root or spring of all your other dutys to them.
Thirdly, Obedience to their commands is due to them, by the Lords strict and special command, Eph. 6.1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right; Honour thy Father, and thy Mother, which is the first Commandment with promise. Filial obedience, is not only founded upon the positive Law of God, but also upon the Law of nature. For though the subjection of Servants to Masters came in by sin, yet the subjection of Children to Parents is due to them by natural right, therefore saith the Apostle this is right, (i. e.) right both according to natural, and positive Law. However, this subjection and obedience is not absolute and universal. God hath not devested himself of his own authority, to clothe a Parent with it. Your obedience to them must be in the Lord, (i. e.) in such things as they require you to do in the Lords authority. In things consonant to that divine and holy will to which they as well as you must be subject; and therein you must obey them. Yea, even the wickedness of a Parent exempts not from obedience,