CHAP. XXXI. Examples of Parents love to, and Care over their Children.

THey are to bring their children to God, Luk. 2. 27. 41. Mark. 10. 13.

To instruct them, Ephes. 6. 4. Prov. 22. 6. Exod. 12. 26. Deut. 6. 7. & 11. 19, & 32. 46. & 4. 10. & 31. 13. Gen. 18. 19.

To lay up for them, 2 Cor. 12. 14. Prov. 19. 14.

To correct them, Prov. 22. 15. & 23. 13. & 29. 15, 17. Heb. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 3. 4.

Not to provoke them to anger, Col. 3. 21. Eph. 6. 4.

Not to give them evil examples, Ier. 7. 18. & 31. 29. Ezek. 18. 2. Ier. 17. 2.

Mothers must instruct them, Proverb. 31. 1, &c. 2 Tim. 1. 5.

Numa Pompilius reformed the Law amongst the Ro∣manes, [ 1] which gave liberty to parents to sell their children, exempting children that were married, pro∣vided that they married with their parents consent. Plut: See Callings, Trades.

Page  253Agesilaus King of Sparta, a prudent man, and brave [ 2] souldier, did exceedingly love his children: and on a time a friend coming to his house, found him riding upon an hobby-horse amongst them; whereupon Age∣silaus fearing lest he should speak of it to his disgrace, intreated him not to censure him for it, nor to speak of it to any, till himselfe had some children. Plut.

Augustus Caesar found out the inclinations, and dis∣positions [ 3] of his two daughters, by observing their company at a publick shew, where much people were present, at which time his daughter Livia associated herselfe, and discoursed with grave, and prudent Se∣nators: but his daughter Iulia adjoyned herselfe to loose youngsters, and riotous persons, Sueto. Noscitur ex socio qui non cognoscitur ex se.

Scillurus who had eighty sonnes, when he lay on [ 4] his death-bed, called them all before him, presented them with a bundle of speares, or sheafe of arrows, and bade each of them trie whether he could break that bundle, which they assayed to do, but were not able: Then he pulled out one javlin out of the bundle, and bade them break that, which they did, easily: intima∣ting thereby that unity, and compacted strength, is the bond which preserves families, and Kingdomes, which bond if it be once broken, all runnes quickly to ruine.

Micypsa when he was on his death-bed, called all [ 5] his sonnes and caused them to write this sentence in golden letters, Concordiâ parvae res crescunt, Discordiâ magnae dilabuntur: By concord small things are increa∣sed, but by discord the greatest are overthrown.

Fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture, and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6. 4. Page  256 Richard Woodmans father, in the reigne of Queen Mary betrayed him into the hands of his bloody per∣secutors, whereby he lost his life. See my English Mar∣tyrology. [ 1] p. 185.

Philip King of Spaine, out of an unnatural and bloody zeale, suffered his eldest sonne Charles to be murthered by the Fathers Inquisitors, because he fa∣voured [ 2] the Protestant religion: which when the Pope heard of, he abusively applied that text of Scripture to him: He spared not his own Sonne, but delivered him up for us all. Act. & Mon.

Alfrith mother of King Edward, hearing that her sonne was coming to visit her, suborned one of her servants to murther him, who accordingly, as the King [ 3] was drinking with her, struck him into the body with a two-edged dagger, whereof he died, and this she did to make way for another of her sonnes to come to the Crowne. See my English Martyrology. p. 31.

Master Iulins Palmer in the reigne of our Queen Mary went to Evesham in Glocestershire to his own mother, hoping to obtaine a legacy left him by his fa∣ther [ 4] and when he came, kneeling down to crave her blessing, she said, Thou shalt have Christs curse and mine wherever thou goest, for (saith she) thou doest not believe as thy father and I, nor as thy fore-fathers, but art an Heretick, and therefore get thee out of my house, and out of my sight, and never take me for thy mother any more: Faggots I have to burn thee, but no money for thee, &c. Eodem. p. 173.