The Art of Divine Contentment

2. Though to see him undutiful is your grief, ¹yet not always your ⟨p. 74⟩sin. Hath a Parent given the child, not only the milk of the breast, but the sincere milk of the word^*? Hast thou seasoned his tender years with Religious education? thou canst do no more; Parents can only work knowledge, God must work grace; they can only lay the wood together, it is God must make it burn; a Parent can only be a guide to show his child the way to heaven, the Spirit of God must be a load-stone to draw his heart into that way. Am I in Gods stead (saith Jacob) who hath withheld the fruit of the womb^*? can I give children? So, is a Parent in Gods stead to give grace? Who can help it, if a child having the Scripture, light of conscience, Scripture education, these three Torches in his hand, yet runs wilfully into the deep ponds of sin? Weep for thy child, pray for him; but do not sin for him, by discontent.

2. Though to see him undutiful is your griefe, ¹yet not alwayes your ⟨p. 74⟩sinne. Hath a Parent given the childe, not onely the milke of the brest, but the sincere milke of the word^*? Hast thou seasoned his tender yeares with Religious education? thou canst do no more; Parents can onely worke knowledge, God must work grace; they can onely lay the wood together, it is God must make it burne; a Parent can onely be a guide to shew his childe the way to heaven, the Spirit of God must be a load-stone to draw his heart into that way. Am I in Gods stead (saith Iacob) who hath withheld the fruit of the womb^*? can I give children? So, is a Parent in Gods stead to give grace? Who can help it, if a childe having the Scripture, light of conscience, Scripture education, these three Torches in his hand, yet runs wilfully into the deep ponds of sin? Weep for thy childe, pray for him; but do not sin for him, by discontent.