N01625:200
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to…Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to…
Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Showing the virtue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.Three sermons lately preached at Boston. I. Shewing the vertue of Christs blood to cleanse from sin. II. That natural men are under the government of self-love. III. That the Gospel is the means of conversion. : To which a fourth is added, to stir up young men and maidens to praise the name of the Lord. / By Solomon Stoddard A.M. Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1717
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. By Example. Bad examples are very infections: had examples teach iniquity; irritate corruption, and make men bold to transgress. ⟨p. 103⟩And if Parents give bad examples to their Children, it will be no wonder if they tread in their steps. Men live by examples more than by Precepts. Jeroboam's example did mischief to all the succeeding Kings of Israel. But if Parents give good examples, that is a ground of hope, that Children will follow them; good examples are lovely & amiable, and commend themselves to the Consciences of Children, the hearts of Men give an approbation to them, and are drawn on to a liking of those ways; they look on the good examples of their Parents as the honour of their Parents and their honour, and the love they have to their Parents makes their good carriages more lovely in their eyes.
2. By Example. Bad examples are very infections: had examples teach iniquity; irritate corruption, and make men bold to transgress. ⟨p. 103⟩And if Parents give bad examples to their Children, it will be no wonder if they tread in their steps. Men live by examples more than by Precepts. Jeroboams example did mischief to all the succeeding Kings of Israel. But if Parents give good examples, that is a ground of hope, that Children will follow them; good examples are lovely & amiable, and commend themselves to the Consciences of Children, the hearts of Men give an approbation to them, and are drawn on to a liking of those ways; they look on the good examples of their Parents as the honour of their Parents and their honour, and the love they have to their Parents makes their good carriages more lovely in their eyes.
3. By Restraint. It was Eli's fault that he did not restrain his Children. 1 Sam. 3.13. His sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. Parents, have authority to do it, and if other means will not do they must exert their authority. It is not enough for Parents, that they do not approve of the iniquities of their Children, they may not suffer them to carry sinfully. A toleration of iniquity in Children makes the Parents culpable, and to be partakers of their sins. Some Children are much more teachable than others, and there is no need of restraining them, but others are violently set in ways of sin, and it don't perplex their Consciences to go directly against the commands of Parents; in such cases Parents must restrain them: this is the way to