4. The children of godly parents are the subjects of much faithful prayer. David prayed earnestly for his son Solomon, 1. Chron. 29.19. & 22.16. So did Isaac for his son Jacob, Gen. 28.1, 3, 4. Now it is matter of great encouragement that prayer is going: especially the prayers of godly parents will do much in ⟨p. 14⟩order to obtaining mercy for their children. For they have a great natural affection toward their Children, which wh•n it is sanctified, maketh them to be the more earnest with God for them. If a child were to ask prayers for his Life, let him desire the prayers of his Father, if his Father be indeed one that hath an Interest in Heaven. It is said in the fifth Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Exod. 20, 12. because as for dutiful Children, their parents are engaged to pray much for them, and by that means do lengthen out their days. In the Hebrew it is they shall prolong thy days h. e. thy Father and thy mother shall do so. How should they do it? [b]even by praying for their Posterity, and blessing them in the Name of the Lord, and by that means prolonging their days not only upon the Earth, but to Eternity in Heaven, of which the Land of Canaan was a Type. The Prayers of godly Parents have a great Influence and Interest for the obtaining blessings temporal, spiritual, and eternal for their Children. Abraham's prayer• for Ishmael prevailed far, and his prayers for Isaac prevailed further, Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee, and God said, as for Ishmael I have ⟨p. 15⟩heard thee, behold I have blessed him, but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac: Especially if parents pray in Faith. As sometimes a father hath a particular Faith for such a child. As to those that have much Communion with God and know much of his mind, many times it is so, that a believing parent can say, as for such a child I know he shall be blessed and made a blessing, I have surely prevailed with God for him. As Isaac said of Jacob Gen. 27.33. I have blessed him and he shall be blessed; so a godly parent can sometimes say, such a child of mine, Christ hath blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed for ever. Now this is a great encouragement to children, that Prayer and Faith hath been acting for them: Yea that a Stock of Prayers hath been laid up for them.
4. The children of godly parents are the subjects of much faithful prayer. David prayed earnestly for his son Solomon, 1. Chron. 29.19. & 22.16. So did Isaac for his son Jacob, Gen. 28.1, 3, 4. Now it is matter of great encouragement that prayer is going: especially the prayers of godly parents will doe much in ⟨p. 14⟩order to obtaining mercy for their children. For they have a great natural affection toward their Children, which wh•n it is sanctified, maketh them to be the more earnest with God for them. If a child were to ask prayers for his Life, let him desire the prayers of his Father, if his Father be indeed one that hath an Interest in Heaven. It is said in the fifth Commandement, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Exod. 20, 12. because as for dutiful Children, their parents are engaged to pray much for them, and by that means do lengthen out their dayes. In the Hebrew it is they shall prolong thy dayes h. e. thy Father and thy mother shall do so. How should they do it? [b]even by praying for their Posterity, and blessing them in the Name of the Lord, and by that means prolonging their dayes not only upon the Earth, but to Eternity in Heaven, of which the Land of Canaan was a Type. The Prayers of godly Parents have a great Influence and Interest for the obtaining blessings temporal, spiritual, and eternal for their Children. Abraham's prayer• for Ishmael prevailed farr, and his prayers for Isaac prevayled further, Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee, and God said, as for Ishmael I have ⟨p. 15⟩heard thee, behold I have blessed him, but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac: Especially if parents pray in Faith. As sometimes a father hath a particular Faith for such a child. As to those that have much Communion with God and know much of his mind, many times it is so, that a believing parent can say, as for such a child I know he shall be blessed and made a blessing, I have surely prevayled with God for him. As Isaac said of Jacob
- [b]See Dr▪ Owen on Psa. 130. pag. 218.
