Atten. What you say in this matter, is observable, and if I take not my mark amiss, it often happeneth after this manner where such unlawful Marriages are contracted.
Wise. It sometimes doth so, and the reason, with respect to their Parents, is this: Where the one of the Parents is godly, and the other ungodly and vile, (though they can agree in begetting of Children, yet) they strive for their Children when they are born. [82a] The godly Parent strives for the child, and by Prayers, Counsel and good Examples, labours to make it holy in body and soul, and so fit for the Kingdom of Heaven; but the ungodly would have it like himself, wicked and base and sinful; and so they both give instructions accordingly: instructions did I say? yea, and Examples too, according to their minds. Thus the godly, as Hannah, is presenting her Samuel unto the Lord: but the ungodly, like them that went before them, are for offering their Children to Moloch, to an Idol, to sin, to the Devil, and to Hell. Thus one harkeneth to the Law of their Mother, and is preserved from destruction, but as for the other, as their Fathers did, so do they. Thus did Mr. Badman and his wife part some of their Children betwixt them; but as for the other three that were as ’twere Mungrels, betwixt both, they were like unto those that you read of in Kings, They feared the Lord, but served their own Idols. [82b] They had, as I sail, their Mothers Notions, and I will adde, Profession too, but their Fathers Lusts, and something of his Life. Now their Father did not like them, because they had their Mothers tongue; and the Mother did not like them because they had still their Fathers heart and life; nor were they indeed fit company for good or bad. The Good would not trust them because they were bad, the Bad would not trust them because they were good, viz. The good would not trust them because they were bad in their Lives, and the bad would not trust them because they were good in their Words: So they were forced with Esau to joyn in affinity with Ishmael; to wit, to look out a people that were Hypocrites like themselves, and with them they matcht, and lived and died.
Atten. Poor woman, she could not but have much perplexity.
Wise. Yea, and poor Children, that ever they were sent into the world as the fruit of the loyns, and under the government of such a father as Mr. Badman.
Atten. You say right, for such children, lye, almost under all manner of disadvantages: but we must say nothing, because this also is the sovereign Will of God.
Wise. We may not by any means object against God: yet we may talk of the advantages, and disadvantages that Children have by having for their Parents such as are either Godly, or the contrary.
Atten. You say right, we may so, and pray now, since we are about it, speak something in brief unto it, that is, unto this; What advantage those Children have above others, that have for their Parents such as indeed are Godly.
Wise. So I will, only I must first premise these two or three things. [83a]
1. They have not the advantage of Election for their fathers sakes.
2. They are born, as others, the children of wrath, though they come of Godly Parents.