Mercy to parents, to relieve parents in their necessity, is a case in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice; if providence so cast it, that parents should stand in need of our help, if we are able to help them in their decay, it is our duty to do it, though by this means you are deprived of Gods Ordinances, you ought rather to regard the relief of parents than the observation of the Sabbath if the case should so fall out: you are ready to think thus, Were not I better to let my parents alone, I must obey the command of Christ who saith, That he which forsakes not father and mother for my sake and the Gospel, 1and follows not me, is not worthy of me. Here now is a mistake in this, Is not worthy of me, that is, if your parents should counsel, advise, persuade, entice, or command you to the practice of evil to the omission of any good, to the breach of any command, and upon your refusal they should be angry with you, that you will not obey them, but follow the command of God and not go out of Gods way, in this case father and mother is to be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel, but in no case if they stand in need of your help; this is grounded upon that text in Mark, 7.11.2 which text I shall open to you, but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free: Now what is the meaning of this word ⟨p. 605⟩Corban? 3The word signifies a gift consecrated to God; now the Jews thought that if they could say the word Corban, they were exempted from all duty to their parents in this kind; 'tis true, I had an estate, but I have consecrated it to God, and Church services, and though I owe duty and respect to you as my parents, yet more to God, as my Creator: this is most vile and abominable, and reproved by Christ himself, Possidonus in the life of Austin 4reports that Austin condemned parents, who used to give their estates away to Monasteries, and pious uses as they thought, and neglected their children: so for children to neglect and slight parents in the time of their necessity, and think to excuse it with this they have given to the Church, and now they are not able to do any m•re, this will not do it; and this was the old way of Papists, to get people to give to their Mother, the Church.
Mercy to parents, to releive parents in their necessity, is a case in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice; if providence so cast it, that parents should stand in need of our help, if we are able to help them in their decay, it is our duty to do it, though by this means you are deprived of Gods Ordinances, you ought rather to regard the releif of parents than the observation of the Sabbath if the case should so fall out: you are ready to think thus, Were not I better to let my parents alone, I must obey the command of Christ who saith, That he which forsakes not father and mother for my sake and the Gospel, 1and follows not me, is not worthy of me. Here now is a mistake in this, Is not worthy of me, that is, if your parents should counsel, advise, perswade, intice, or command you to the practice of evil to the omission of any good, to the breach of any command, and upon your refusal they should be angry with you, that you will not obey them, but follow the command of God and not go out of Gods way, in this case father and mother is to be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel, but in no case if they stand in need of your help; this is grounded upon that text in Mark, 7.11.2 which text I shall open to you, but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free: Now what is the meaning of this word ⟨p. 605⟩Corban? 3The word signifies a gift consecrated to God; now the Jews thought that if they could say the word Corban, they were exempted from all duty to their parents in this kind; 'tis true, I had an estate, but I have consecrated it to God, and Church services, and though I owe duty and respect to you as my parents, yet more to God, as my Creator: this is most vile and abominable, and reproved by Christ himself, Possidonus in the life of Austin 4reports that Austin condemned parents, who used to give their estates away to Monastries, and pious uses as they thought, and neglected their children: so for children to neglect and slight parents in the time of their necessity, and think to excuse it with this they have given to the Church, and now they are not able to do any m•re, this will not do it; and this was the old way of Papists, to get people to give to their Mother, the Church.
- 1Matt. 10.37. Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded.
- 2by Mark, 7.11.
- 3Corban.
- 4Austin.
