Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee ".

SECT. 14. To pray for them.

That they may pray for the life of the king and his sons. I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour".

SECT. 15. The lamentations and prayers of the Saints on this head.

How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people? She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary "? Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer »; her kings and princes are among the Gentiles. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for we have done wickedly. Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers kept thy law. For they have not served thee in their kingdom. Behold, we are servants this day; and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it. And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us, because of our sins; also, they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great distress ". d. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy; let not all the trouble

[blocks in formation]

seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, and our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; wherewith thine enemies, O Lord, have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed .

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment". He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor". In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust'. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper *. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba; prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised'. Save, Lord; let the king hear us when we

call

CHAP. II.

OF THE RECIPROCAL DUTIES OF PARENTS AND

CHILDREN.

SECT. 1. Of parental affection, and some of its fruits.-2. That parents ought to give their children religious instruction, and a good example.-3. Should provide for them.-4. And administer necessary reproof and correction to them.-5. That honour and obedience are due from children to parents.

e Neh. ix. 32.
h Psal. lxxii. 4.
Psal. lxxii. 14, 15.

Psal. lxxxix. 50, 51.
i Psal. lxxii. 7-9.
m Psal, xx. 9.

Psal. lxxii. 1, 2. * Psal. lxxii. 12.

6. Disobedience, disregard, and doing injury to parents, are crimes of the deepest dye.-7. That it is of the greatest importance to young persons to be attentive to the instructions of wise and pious parents, and to conform to them in their early days.

SECT. 1. Of parental affection, and some of its fruits.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb "? A father pitieth his children. Teach the young women to love their children. When eight days were accomplished for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, and they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord". There were brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them and pray; and Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And behold there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death, I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed, and she shall live; and Jesus went with him. And one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit, and oft-times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him; if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us and help us. When he came nigh to the gate of the city (Nain) behold there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep and he came and touched the bier, and he said,

not;

[blocks in formation]

Young man, I say unto thee, Arise; and he that was dead sat up, and began to speak; and he delivered him to his mother'. You know how we exhorted and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children *.

SECT. 2. That parents ought to give their children religious instruction and a good example.

Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Lord said, I know him, (Abraham) that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment. Ye shall lay up these words in your heart and in your soul, and ye shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done amongst them, that ye may know how that I am the Lord. And these words which I have commanded thee this day, shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, as the days of heaven, upon earth. Gather the people together, men, women, and children, that they may hear, and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law, and that their children which have not known any thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts". The father to the children shall make known thy truth'.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter dark sayings of old; which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us; we will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done; for he established a testimony in Jacob, and he appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments*. If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord'. The voice of salvation and rejoicing is in the tabernacles of the righteous". I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way; I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. A froward heart shall depart from me". My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Hear ye children the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine; forsake not my law; for I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother; he taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words, keep my commandments, and live".

SECT. 3. And should provide for them.

[ocr errors]

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he ask him an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Ye then being evil give good gifts unto your children". But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

a

* Psal. lxxviii. 2-7.

a Psal. ci. 2-4.

§ 3. Luke, xi. 11,12,13.

Josh. xxiv. 15. • Prov. vi. 20.

Psal. cxviii. 15. P Prov. iv. 1-4.

b 1 Tim. v. 8.

« AnteriorContinuar »