Correction, instruction or, a treatise of afflictions

¹As moths are beaten out of a garment with a rod, so must vices out of children's hearts. And for want of this disciplinary love, how have some children accused their parents at the Gallows? and how many do, and will curse them in Hell, in some such language as Cyprian supposeth infants to complain of their parents who denied them Baptism; ²The treacherous fondness of our parents hath brought us into these torments, our fathers and mothers have been our murderers; they that gave us our natural life, have deprived us of a better; and they that would not correct us with the rod, have occasioned us now to be tormented with scorpions. O it would grieve the heart of the most unnatural parent in the world to hear the doleful ⟨p. 276⟩complain•s, and those hideous yellings of poor children in Hell fire, whom their fondness hath sent thither: and oh that they would listen to them, before they themselves come into that place of torment, and there find no mercy, because here they have showed their children so much. ^*The child goeth to Hell for his wickedness, and the parent many times for his mercy. Yea even in this life how do many godly Parents smart for their fondness, because they will not make their Children smart for their folly. ^†Eli and David would not so much as rebuke their sons, and God gave them both great rebukes in their sons: It is said of Eli, His sons made themselves vile, and he RESTRAINED them not: the Hebr. signifieth, He FROWNED not upon them. Oh sad! for want of a frown to destroy a Soul! the Soul of a Child! to smile a Child to Hell! ⟨p. 277⟩Consider of it; I am much afraid, this unchristian, yea unnatural indulgence of Parents, is the fountain of all that confusion, under which England at this time reels and staggers like a drunken man: and for this very sin, at least for this among others, yea, and for this above others, God is ^*