Certain sermons, first preached, and after published at several times, by M. Thomas Gataker…Certaine sermons, first preached, and after published at severall times, by M. Thomas Gataker…

Which kind and loving carriage, or Fatherly affection, yet is not so to be interpreted,¹ as if it were utterly to exclude and cut off all just reproof and due correction, when occasions shall require it. That was the fault of^m Eli, andⁿ David too, though worthy men of God otherwise; and it proved^o a break-neck to the one, and ⟨p. 5⟩^pan heart-sore to the other.^r The rod and correction give instruction, saith Solomon, but a child left to himself is the confusion of her that bare him. And,^s He that spareth the rod, hateth his Son, but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes. ^tThe seducer speaketh the child fair to mar him; the Father handleth him roughly to amend him:^u He is kind in correcting him; he were cruel in sparing him.^x Correction is a kind of cure. A fair hand, we say commonly, maketh a foul wound. ^yThe Surgeon searcheth the wound to the quick, that he may save the mans life: for he should endanger the one, if he dealt but superficially with the other.^z He is not cruel that diggeth and gasheth the flesh, to get out a sting, or a splinter, that will not out otherwise: he is cruel rather, that (out of a fond pitifulness) letteth it alone: Nor he cruel, that giveth correction, when it is requisite and needful, but he rather that then with holdeth it.