Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
He that smiteth his Father or Mother, shall die the death. This is an other law in this Chap. which maketh for the exposition of that Commandment of honouring them, & is to be referred to it. We may note in it, how God doth not say, he that killeth Father or Mother shall be killed for it; but he that smiteth, so that not so much as a tip is to be given to parents upon pain of death, no not with the tong may we smite them, that is, by any evil and unfit words abuse them, as you may at large read in the exposition of that Commandment. So great is the honour of Parents before God, and so sharp a Judge is God against all abusers of them: Little thought of by too many in our days, & the rather because continually in the Church there is not a beating of these points of Catechism into Children’s heads, and hearts, by careful Ministers.
O, that they would be once drawn to do this duty in their several Churches: Soon, soon should they find the Fruit of it, and the greatness of their Sin in so long neglecting it. In Plato an heathen we read the like law, wherein is decreed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should be punished with perpetual banishment and death. By the Roman laws the slayer of his parents was not to be slain either with sword or fire, or other ordinary punishment, sed in sutus culeo, &c. sowed in a sack with a Dog, a Cock, a Viper, and an Ape, he should be thrown into the Sea or River, that the ayre whilst he lived, and the earth when he was dead might be denied him, who so had wronged them that gave him a life and being in the air and upon the earth. A good Writer testifieth he saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reviled his Mother.
For the reference, see Gervase Babington on smiters of parents.
O, that they would be once drawn to do this duty in their several Churches: Soon, soon should they find the Fruit of it, and the greatness of their Sin in so long neglecting it. In Plato an heathen we read the like law, wherein is decreed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should be punished with perpetual banishment and death. By the Roman laws the slayer of his parents was not to be slain either with sword or fire, or other ordinary punishment, sed in sutus culeo, &c. sowed in a sack with a Dog, a Cock, a Viper, and an Ape, he should be thrown into the Sea or River, that the ayre whilst he lived, and the earth when he was dead might be denied him, who so had wronged them that gave him a life and being in the air and upon the earth. A good Writer testifieth he saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reviled his Mother.
For the reference, see Gervase Babington on smiters of parents.
