Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic, Part 2 · Chapter 8

Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic · Part 2 · Chapter 8

p. 135CHAP. VIII. The Third Branch of the Exhortation urged, viz. Religious Education.

I Go on to the Third Branch of the Exhortation: As you deſire to advance, and ſet up Religion in your Houſes, let your Education of Children and others (who are under your charge) be religious: That Houſe cannot p. 136be look'd upon as dedicated to God, where Religious Education is neglected.

Now the firſt ſtep in this, is Baptiſmal Dedication: This concerns your Children in their Infant-state; Doth God bleſs you with ſuch? dedicate them to Him in Baptiſm; As ſoon as He hath given them to you, do you (Hannah-like, 1 Sam. 1.28.) give them back again to him; and let them be conſecrated to the Lord in this ſolemn way. As to Infant-Baptiſm, I would adviſe you neither to ſcruple it, nor to neglect it. Do not ſcruple it; to me, 'tis a truth, written as with the beams of the Sun, (yet I know, that that may be clear to me which is dark to another, and ſo vice verſa); and God forbid, that I ſhould be uncharitable to thoſe who differ from me herein; let them be as harſh and ſevere, as they pleaſe to their Children, I would be tender towards themſelves, (many of them I verily believe diſſenting upon conſcientious grounds and motives). But let perſons go, I come to the Thing. Should I enter upon the Controverſie of Infant-Baptiſm, I ſhould either wrong the p. 137Cauſe by ſaying too little, or the Reader by ſaying too much. The Arguments are commonly known, ſeveral Books are written about it, (that one of Mr. * Baxters, Plain Scripture Proof of Infants Church-memberſhip and Baptiſm.I ſhould think was enough to give every man ſatisfaction), and therefore, if you be diſſatisfi'd, I remit you to them: For my own part, ſo long as I have thoſe Scriptures, Gen. 17.7. (compared with the 10. ver.) Act. 2.39. 1 Cor. 7.14. Act. 16.15, 33. (with many others); and theſe two Reaſons, that the firſt Covenant-Grant is unrepealed; that the priviledges of Believers under the Goſpel are rather heightened, and amplified, then any way curtail'd or diminiſhed; I ſay, ſo long as I have Scriptures and theſe Reaſons, I hope I ſhall never ſcruple Infant-Baptiſm: But I ſuppoſe you to be ſatisfi'd as to this; then I ſay, Do not neglect it, or omit it. Godly Parents have always made Conſcience of this, (I mean of bringing their Children under the ſeal of the Covenant): when Circumciſion was this ſeal, then they would have their Children circumcis'd: You may read it in Abraham, Gen. 21.4. In Zechary and Elizabeth, Luk. 1.59. In p. 138Joſeph and Mary, Luk. 2.21, 22. Since Baptiſm was the ſeal (for there hath been a change as to the external ſeal, though there be none as to the matter of the Covenant it ſelf, to which this ſeal is annexed) as perſons were brought in, to the owning of Chriſt and of the Chriſtian Faith, all along they would have their children baptiz'd; Look but into the New testament, and you will find plenty of Inſtances; Will you then neglect it? Is it not an act of ſingular Grace, that God hath not only provided Ordinances for your ſelves, who are adult, but alſo one for your Children, in their Infant-state, and will you make nothing of it? Is it not admirable mercy that the Lord hath taken your ſeed into the Covenant too, and ſo will have them to paſs under the ſeal of it? Hath God entailed Covenant-bleſſings upon them this way, and will you cut off the entail? Is this the firſt viſible Act of God's grace, whereby he receives poor creatures into his favour and friendſhip, and the firſt viſible means, by which he applys Chriſt in the merits of his death and blood for ſanctification p. 139and the remiſſion of ſin? Doth it pleaſe God effectually to work in and by this Sacrament, ſo as to exhibit grace by it? (as he doth, in the purſuance of his own Purpoſe from everlaſting), and will you withhold it from your Children? Have you been the instruments of conveying the stain and filth, and pollution of ſin to your Children, and will you not bring them to this Heavenly Laver, in order to the waſhing and cleaſing of them? Is Church-memberſhip a little thing in your eye, that you will omit that Ordinance, in which your Children, are enrolled, and admitted, as members of the Church? will you keep them (ſo far as in you lies), in an eſtate little better than Heatheniſh, and make them only Candidates of Christianity? Once more, are not delays, neglects, here very dangerous? Gen. 17.14. The uncircumciſed manchild, &c. that ſoul ſhall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my Covenant. Here the puniſhment is denounced againſt the child, elſe where againſt the Parent, (upon whom indeed the ſin lies): Moſes had almoſt loſt his life upon his omitting to circumciſe p. 140his Child, (for the moſt lay it upon this) Exod. 4.24. And it came to paſs by the way in the Inn, that the Lord met him, and ſought to kill him. O upon this (and all the foregoing conſiderations) do not make light of this Ordinance, or neglect the adminiſtration of it. What if your Child ſhould die unbaptiſed? Far be it from me to conclude that therefore 'tis damned, (which was once Auſtin's opinion, whence he was called Durus Infantum Pater); yet this I muſt ſay, this is a very**Niſi forte existimas Christianorum filios, ſi Baptiſma non receperint, ipſos tantum reos eſſe peccati, & non etiam ſcelu referri ad eos, qui dare noluerint, maxime eo tempore, quo contradicere non poterant, qui accepturi erant. Hieron. ad Laetam. ſinful omiſſion, and you have been very unfaithful to your child, and this will lie heavy upon Conſcience under ſuch an affliction; (though I hope, the child it ſelf ſhall not ſuffer as to its eternal ſtate upon your omiſſion). This (lying in my way) I durſt not bawk it, though 'tis not convenient, to make any long ſtay upon it.

That which I have moſt in my eye, is Religions Education, when your Children are grown up to the uſe of Reaſon; and this I will first stir you up unto, and then direct you about it. Surely p. 141there's great need of the firſt, that men ſhould be quickned to the religious educating of thoſe who are under their charge. How**Verù (Bone Deus) quam paucos hodie reperias, qui tam ſoluciti ſunt quomodo post ſe recte & honeste vivant filii, quamcurant ut illis amplam haereditatem relinquant, quâ post obitum ipſorum ſplendidè & otioſè delicientur. Muſcul. in Gen. 18.19.Gen 18:19 few look after this! Look into the moſt of Houſes, where will you find Parents or Maſters, ſolicitous about good education of Children and Servants? Let me come neerer to you in this City; Are you ſo careful in the Religious Education of Children and Apprentices, as you ought to be? O the ſad neglect of this even amongſt you! What is it that many (I fear, the moſt) of you do mind? to feed and cloth thoſe that belong to you, to learn them ſomething of civility, and good manners, ('tis well, if you go ſo far), to provide estates and portions for them, to breed them up to ſome calling, (and therein, eying more a ſubſiſtance for your Children, than the Glory of God); this is all that too many of you trouble your ſelves about; and what Tears are ſufficient to bewail this! O, the rudeneſs of youth in this City; O, the curſing, ſwearing, taking God's name in vain, that is to be heard from Children in this City; How doth it ſometimes affect me, as I go along to hear p. 142young ones with Oaths and Curſes in their mouths; how ſoon are they pregnant in ſin, and ripe for Hell; they can no ſooner ſpeak almoſt, but they are venting wickedneſs; and when they arrive at ſome further growth, how do they flock to Ale-houſes and Taverns! O the early drunkards that London is full of! O the lying, gaming, drinking, ſcoffing at what is good, &c. that our Youth is tainted with in this place! O Citizens, doth not this proclaim to the world, that good Education is too much neglected by you: Is not that the cauſe of all this? Would Children, Servants, be ſo bad abroad, if you did do your duty at home? Indeed I muſt charge that abundance of ſin that is amongſt the Youth, chiefly upon the want of Religious Education. And O that many, even of thoſe who profeſs God and Godlineſs, were not herein too remiſs and careleſs! They pray in their Families, and keep up duties in their Families, but as to conſtant and faithful endeavours, for the well educating of thoſe under them, therein they come very ſhort. Surely Profeſſors are not now (as to ſtrict, holy pious Education) p. 143what formerly Profeſſors were; one might with much more of comfort, have placed a child with old Profeſſors than he can with preſent Profeſſors. It being thus, I cannot but ſpeak ſomething, to excite you to a further care and faithfulneſs, in the well-educating of thoſe, who are under your Authority, (be they Children or Apprentices).

The Commands of God are very expreſs and poſitive. Prov. 22.6. Train up a Child in the way he ſhould go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. The Hebrew word is foreign the Root from which the Word in my Text, (rendred by Dedication) is derived; Children muſt be initiated or dedicated, (for the Septuagint tranſlate it by foreign), how? by good and religious education; by training them up in the way of Duty. So Eph. 6.4. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Parents, you ſee what God requires of you; thoſe that you have brought forth, you muſt bring up in the nurture, &c. You muſt not only take care that your Children be able to**Non tantum curare deben… Parentes, us liberi ſui vivant; ſedetiam ut Deo bene vivant. Ameſ. Caſ. Conſ. l. 5. c 22. live, (as to the world); but foreign p. 144that they may live well, fearing God, and doing his will. The Scripture is very full both of Precepts, and alſo of Preſidents, for this religious Education, (if it was neceſſary here to enlarge) but I will paſs them by here, becauſe they will better fall under the Particular Directions that I ſhall give preſently. Let me only uſe ſome powerful motives and inducements, the better to excite you to the Duty.

Firſt, Motive. 1 Your Children (and others under you) they are a truſt, which you muſt give an account for to the great God; you ſtand intruſted with the Souls of theſe, the care of their Souls lies upon you; and therefore you muſt be accountable for them; (for whereever there is a truſt, there will be an account taken): Where you truſt your Servants, you will expect an account: Hath God truſted you with precious ſouls, (ſo many Children, ſo many Servants, ſo many Truſts), and will he not have an account, whether you are faithful to your Truſt? 'Tis a miſtake to think that the Cura animarum doth only lie upon Miniſters, (though indeed eminently it doth, Ezek. 3.18, 19.) p. 145it lies alſo upon you, who are Parents and Masters; if you let the Souls of Children and Servants to periſh, (for want of good Education) their blood ſhall be required at your Hands. Let me allude to that of the Prophet to Ahab; 1 King. 20.39. Behold a man turned aſide, and brought a man unto me, and ſaid, Keep this man; if by any means he be miſſing, then ſhall thy life be for his life: So here, God ſays this to you; Here's a child, keep this Child for me, if he miſcarry and be loſt (through thy neglect), thy life ſhall go for his. If men did but conſider this, certainly they would be more careful and conſcientious in their Education. You muſt anſwer for the Souls, for the ſins of thoſe under your charge: Do not think that I ſpeak my own private thoughts (only to affright you) I ſay nothing but what others have ſaid before me:**Omnia quae deliquerint filii à Parentibus requirentur, qui non erudierint filios ſuos. Orig. in …ob. Origen tells us, That all the faults of Children ſhall be required of their Parents, who have not inſtructed them. And we read in the **foreign Constit. Ap. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. in Zonaras pag. 909.Conſtitutions p. 146(that go under the name of the Apoſtles) If Children through the careleſneſs of Parents, ſhall fall into ſinful courſes, thoſe Parents, ſhould be guilty of the ſouls of thoſe Children; and that not only the children ſhall be puniſhed themſelves, but the Parents alſo for their ſake. That look as children ſometimes in this life are puniſhed for the Parents ſake; ſo Parents in the life to come, ſhall be puniſhed for the childrens ſake: O what an awakening conſideration is this! 'Tis the affliction of many, that they have no Children, they have none of theſe arrows in their quiver; Pſal. 127.4, 5.Ps 127:4Ps 127:5'twill be the affliction of others at the great day, that ever they had children; O when they ſhall come to witneſs againſt them, and ſay; Lord, here's my Father, that let me lie, ſteal, ſwear, play away the Sabbath, and he never regarded me; my ſin was the fruit of his bad Education; will not this fall heavy upon the negligent Parent? will not ſuch a child be an arrow indeed to pierce him to his very heart? Pray therefore think of this in time, that you may prevent theſe tremendous conſequences. You take delight in p. 147your children, but do you conſider? O I muſt anſwer for the ſoul of every child: You imploy your Servants about your buſineſs, but do you conſider? I muſt anſwer for the ſouls of theſe Servants: If you did, you would not carry it as you do.

Second. Motive. 2 Religious Education carries much of Good along with it; you cannot imagin how much good you do, when you do this: Firſt, you do good to your ſelves; for by this, you diſcharge your duty, and acquit your ſelves from the guilt of ſouls; and however things go, liberâ tis animam, you have freed your ſelves in the ſight of God. What if after all your care, pains, prayers, faithfulneſs, your children ſhould yet miſcarry? O this would be matter of comfort to you, 'tis not upon your default or neglect: 'Tis as great an affliction as can befall a godly man to ſee children (ſuch as have been religiouſly trained up by him) to take ſinful courſes; but if he can make comfortable reflections upon his practiſe, that he hath not been acceſſary to this; that it proceeds from the child's wickedneſs, not from his omitting of good education, p. 148this will much tend to his ſupport, and to the alleviation of his grief and burden. Many a good Parent had ſunk under this croſs, if he had not had this to bear him up.

You alſo by this may do much good to your children. 'Tis the moſt effectual and the moſt probable way to further their ſpiritual and eternal good. Good Education is a great thing;In his excellent Treatiſe, foreign. p. 5. Plutarch ſays, 'Tis the E " foreign; 'tis the firſt, the middle, the laſt, in order to the ſetting of youth right; you cannot expect, either moral, or ſpiritual goodneſs without this. O the power and virtue of Religious Education, (when 'tis ſanctify'd)! The earth often proves according to the ſeed that is firſt caſt into it; The veſſel retains the tincture of that with which 'tis firſt ſeaſoned. Plutarch. in loco prius eitat.Lycurgus ſet it forth by an alluſion of two doggs; the one of which was bred up to the Trencher, the other to Hunting, which made a very great difference in them, (as he exemplify'd it before the Lacedemonians, to ſhow the power of Education); Perſons are very much, (when they are grown up) according to the breeding, p. 149that they had in their tender Age: A child well educated makes a goodman; and ſo è contrà. What is imprinted upon one in his education, uſually 'tis very permanent: As in the place forecited, Train up a child in the way he ſhould go, Prov. 22.6.Prov 22:6and when he is old, he will not depart from it. What bleſſings might Parents prove to their children, what excellent things might be effected by them, if they did but take the advantage of their tender years, and then ſet themſelves to bring them into God.Mr. Baxter's Saints Everlasting Rest, Part 3. ch. 14. Sect. 11. p. 350. I do verily believe (ſaith a Reverend Author) that if Parents did their duty as they ought, the word publickly preached, would not be the ordinary means of Regeneration in the Church, but only without the Church among Infidels, &c. God would pour out his Grace ſo upon the children of his people, and hear prayers for them, and bleſs ſuch endeavours for their holy Education, that we ſhould ſee the Promiſes made good to our ſeed; and the unthankeful Anabaptiſts that will not confeſs that the children of Saints are any nearer God, or more beholden to him than Pagans▪ ſo much as for the favour to be viſible p. 150Church-members, ſhould by ſweet experience be convinced of their error, and be taught better how to underſtand, that our children are holy.

Nay thirdly, by this, you would do much good to publick Societies; (whether they be Religious or Civil): Both Church and State are great gainers by good Education; what excellent members would the Church have, if you did but do what lies upon you in private? As the Orchard is according to what the nurſery is, (according to the uſual ſimilitude) So Churches are according to what Families are. Good Families make good Churches; and good Education makes good Families; How ſmoothly, readily would Church-work go on, if Maſters of Families did but do their duty; as the building goes on apace when the materials are prepared before hand. Cities and Kingdoms too, gain by this: and it muſt needs be ſo, for what are they, but the whole made up of theſe parts; The whole is ſuch as the parts are, of which it conſiſts; and ſo Kingdoms and Cities are what particular Houſes are; therefore Aristotle defines the former thus. They are Societies made up of many p. 151Families and Houſes put together. Families are but like the book in looſe ſheets, and Kingdoms like the book bound up; the one but like Letters that are ſingle, and apart, the other like Letters joyned together. Now if the ſheets be not good, or the Letters not good, the book or writing cannot be good neither. The Lacedemonians made a Law, Charron of VViſd. lib. 3. c. 14.that when Children did amiſs, their Parents ſhould be puniſhed; becauſe they judg'd their neglect of Education was the cauſe of this, which tended ſo much to the detriment and prejudice of the Commonwealth. O if you neglect your duty, you fill the Nation with corrupt and ulcerous and uſeleſs members: whereas upon the doing of it, you make your Houſes good Seminaries, both for Church and State. Would you have a good Kingdom? make thoſe good, who are under your charge: Would you have a good City? look to the educating of thoſe who are related to you. The way to have the City clean is for every man to ſweep before his own door; and ſo 'tis in the matter I am upon. Let us have the beſt Magiſtrates, let them make the beſt Laws, and p. 152back them with the beſt execution; yet Societies will be naught, ſo long as Parents and Maſters do not do their duty in Religious Education.

Nay fourthly, By this you do good to Posterity; for hereby you keep up Religion in the World, and propagate it from age to age: The Papiſts ſpeak much of their Oral Tradition, by which (they ſay) Truth hath been conveyed downwards, all along from the Apoſtles days, the preſent generation handing it down to the next, and ſo on from generation to generation. Surely 'tis the duty of Parents to perpetuate and convey Religion from age to age; and how ſhall this be done, but by Religious Education. 'Tis ſaid of Abel, Haec est vera Cabbala, i. e. Traditio per manus foreign, quando Patres filiis tradunt admonitiones, &c. ſed hujuſmodi quae aedificent, &c. Pet. Mart. in Gen: 18.19.Being dead he yet ſpeaketh, Heb. 11.4. O, if you would but rightly train up your Children, being dead you would yet ſpeaks you ſeaſoned them, and they ſeaſon theirs, and ſo Religion is tranſmitted and kept up in the World by your means, (although you your ſelves be dead and gone). Is not this glorious ſervice? upon your not minding of Education, you are the inſtruments of keeping up Sin, Atheiſm, Ignorance, &c. in the world; but by p. 153your ſincerity and faithfulneſs in this, you are Inſtruments to continue and promote the fear of God, Piety, Holineſs, Faith from age to age.

Thirdly, Conſider, Motive. 3 the miſchievous and ſad effects that follow upon the neglect of Education: They are ſo ſo many they cannot well be numbered up, and ſo evil, they cannot ſufficiently be bewailed. Good Lord! how are Children and Servants ſpoiled and lost for want of this; as ground proves moſſy and full of weeds, for want of culture, and of being manur'd in time. The Tree that is not kept ſtraight at the firſt grows crooked till it be incurable: young ones, when let alone, how ſoon doth ſin get ſtrength in them, how naturally do they fall into the way of wickedneſs; and then in time they are ſo hardened, that there's no reclaiming of them. Would it not grieve you, to ſee your Children to prove Drunkards, Swearers, Ʋnclean perſons, every way naught? What can you expect better, if you do not at the firſt, principle them aright for God and duty? O this is the bane of youth, that root upon which much evil grows, the omitting of ſerious, p. 154early, pious Education. Daily experience is too ſad a proof of what I ſay.

Fourthly, Motive. 4 your Care and Fidelity in Pious Education, will be highly pleaſing to God; you cannot do a thing which he will take more kindly, and more graciouſly accept of. A clear proof of this you have in Abraham, Gen. 18.17. &c. And the Lord ſaid, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do. Seeing that Abraham ſhall ſurely become a great and mighty Nation, and all the Nations of the Earth ſhall be bleſſed in him: Why will God do all this for Abraham, and give out ſuch eminent acts of Grace to him? you have the reaſon of it, (v. 19.) For I know him (ſaith God) that he will command his children and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, to do juſtice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath ſpoken of him. All the great favours deſigned and promiſed by God to Abraham, were laid upon his zeal and religious care, as to thoſe who were under him; God would not hide p. 155Secrets from him becauſe he would not hide the ways of God from them; God will make him great in the world, becauſe he would make God great in his Family. O, how doth it pleaſe God, when he ſees Maſters and Parents, treading in the ſteps of Abraham, and what bleſſings doth he heap upon ſuch! Holy Education will be a ſingular diſcovery of your love to God, and if you diſcover your love to him, he will diſcover and act his love to you.

That I may ſhorten as much as may be, let me put things together. Will you neglect the main? what are the things of the world in compariſon of Grace? You are induſtrious about worldly things for yours; to get wealth for them, to leave them Eſtates, Portions, ample Poſſeſſions; you ſpare no coſts, no pains for their Preferment, the heightening of their parts, the enriching of them with Natural knowledg, and the like; and will you do nothing for them, as to that which is infinitely better than all this? Is not the fear of God, ſaving grace better than all this? ſhould not your love run out after the best things for them you love? Will p. 156not Christ be better to your Children than the world? Will the trial at the great day be this, whether you have made them rich and knowing, and great; or whether you have made them religious, gracious, holy? Did not the Heathen cry-out of the folly of Parents in this? O (ſaith Crates), that I could ſo ſpeak as to be heard by all men: this I would then ſay to them;**foreign Charron, 3. B. Ch. 14. p. 437. of VViſd. What do you mean in laying out all your endeavours and induſtry to get wealth, and in the mean time neglecting the education of thoſe to whom all is to be left? This is, (ſaith Charron) as if a man ſhould take care of his ſhoo, but not of his Foot: or (as anaaDr. Reyn. Sermon upon Human Learning, p 7. eminent Writer of our own hath it), this is as great folly, as to be curious for an handſome ſhoo, and then to put it upon a gouty foot.

O Parents are not your Children dear to you? Are not your ſouls knit to them by the ſtrongeſt bonds and ligaments of Love? and will you look on, and let them periſh for ever? Can you be content to ſee your own Image p. 157upon them without God's Image? Shall they lye as the Devils fallow? Shall nothing but weeds and briars grow upon them, for want of your mature cultivating of them? Will you be cruel to the ſouls of theſe, who are ſo near to you? (the not giving of good Education to them is unnaturalneſs; nay the highest cruelty): Will you be worſe than Dives in Hell? he would feign have had the damnation of his Relations prevented, Luk. 16.27. &c. and will you do nothing to prevent this as to your Children? ſhall there be more of bowels in Pharoahs daughter towards the child of another, (when ſhe ſaw the poor babe floating upon the waters) than in you towards your own Children? Shall the Heathens who had nothing but moral light, (and yet were very careful and ſolicitous about the Education of their Children) riſe up in judgment againſt you, (who have an higher light), and condemn you? O quanta damnatio, à damnatis damnari, (as one ſays)! How great a condemnation is that, to be condemned by the Condemned. Will you like it, when the wickedneſs of your Children will p. 158break your very hearts, and you will not know how to help your ſelves? (nay your own Conſciences will tell you that all this is the fruit of your Neglect)? Will it not be ſad, when your Children ſhall curſe the day that ever they knew you? and ſay, (as 'tis in Cyprian.) Parentes ſenſimus Parricidas; our Parents have been little better to us than Murderers; and they that were the Inſtruments of our being, have alſo been the occaſions and means of our everlaſting undoing: Aetas Parentum pejoravis. &c. Horat.**Ista diligentius, &c. hoc tempore ubi videmus quantopere vires Diaboli in valuerint, ut homines ad tanta flagitia & grandia ſcelera pertrabat. Fabric. in Pſal. 30. Titu.Ps 30Are not the times you live in, very evil? Will you make them worſe and worſe? Ah Lord, what will become of Religion in England, in a little time, if Profeſſors now do not mind the Education of Children! 'Twas promis'd, Iſa. 58.12. They that ſhall be of thee, ſhall build the old waſt places. O the ſad waſts and ruins of Religion that are now amongſt us! and therefore, O that your Children might be ſo brought up, that they who are of you might build the waſts thereof. I beſeech you, if you have any love to God, to your own ſouls, to your children, to this poor Nation, to Poſterity, make more Conſcience of this duty, than hitherto p. 159you have done: Believe it, Good Education is better than a great Portion; Dr. Gouge of Family Duties, p. 537.Do but caſt into your Children the ſeeds of Virtue and Piety, for other things you may truſt God. I do too well know, that after the very best Education, ſome may and do prove very bad; (as ſome ground, let it be never ſo well dreſs'd, till'd, manur'd, yet after all this, nothing but weeds and briars, and thorns do grow upon it): I wiſh we had not too many Inſtances of this; (ſome of which ſometimes come very neer unto our ſelves); Be it ſo, (though 'tis a thing much to be lamented), yet 'tis good to do our duty, to go as far as we can, and then to leave events and ſucceſs to him, who doth what he pleaſeth. I had almoſt forgot a paſſage of Mr. Herbert, Poems, p. 4.let me bring it in here, and cloſe with it.

This loſs ſprings chiefly from our Education.

Some till their ground, but let weeds choke their Sun.

Some mark a Partridg, never their childs faſhion.

p. 160Some ſhip them over, and the thing is done.

Study this Art, make it thy great deſign,

And if God's Image move thee not, let thine.

So much for the ſtirring of you up to this Religious Education; I proceed to give you ſome Directions about it: I enter upon an Argument of great weight and importance. What are Parents to do, in order to the religious educating of their children? or, wherein are they to come up to this? 'Tis a very ſerious Question, and that which deſerves our moſt ſerious thoughts: As Socrates in Plato, foreign Plato in Theag. fol. …22.ſpeaks to Demodocus, There is nothing that a man can adviſe upon, more divine and weighty, than how to educate well his Children and Servants. In anſwer to the Queſtion, I will not run out upon all the Duties of Parents and Maſters, towards Children and Servants, but confine my ſelf to thoſe only, which have a more direct and immediate reference to Religion. And wheras the conſtant performance of Family Duties, (as Prayer and Reading the Scriptures) is a great part of p. 161Religious Education, they having been already ſpoken to, it will not be requiſite, that I ſhould here further inſiſt upon them. That which I have to ſay, by way of Direction, I will give you, under the following Heads.

Firſt, Be frequent in ſpiritual Inſtruction; for this is a very conſiderable branch of Religious Education; this is like the ſetting or planting of the Root, upon which all muſt grow; or like the laying of the foundation, upon which all is to be built. Unqueſtionably this is the duty of Superiors towards Inferiors: What the Preacher is in the Pulpit, that the Maſter of the Family is in the Houſe, (ſaith Origen):Hom. 9. in Levitic. This is a part of that**foreign ſignifies Inſtruction as well as Correction. 2 Tim. 3.16. And foreign imports the ſame too.2 Tim 3:16 foreign and foreign, Nurture and Admonition, in which Fathers are to bring up their Children, Eph. 6.4. Abraham was much in this duty, Gen. 18.19. And 'tis ſaid of him, Gen. 14.14. When he heard his Brother was taken captive, he armed his trained Servants, born in his own Houſe, &c. We read it, (his trained ſervants), in the Hebrew 'tis, (foreign), initiatos ſuos his initiated, or dedicated ones; or, (as 'tis noted in the margent; p. 162and as**Armavit pueros ſuos, nempe à ſe imbutos & institutos. Pagn. in Verb. foreign Pagnine opens the word) his inſtructed ones: All in Abrahams Family were inſtructed by him; O, thoſe are bleſſed Families, where all in them are inſtructed in the things of God.Hic locus indicat, priſcos ilies Patres, gui …gem Moſi…, omnem que ſacrum Divi…tium & Humana: um rerum Scripusram pragreſſi ſunt, ſolitos vi… voce & per Domesti…am institutionem & Diſciplinam, docere filios & posteros ſuos, quaecun que ad conſequendam animi ſalutem, after nam que faelicitatem ſcire eos, id temporis, atque agè …porteret. Perer. in Gen. 18.19.Gen 18:19 This was Davids practiſe; ſo his Son tells us; Prov. 4.4. He taught me alſo▪ and ſaid unto me, Let thine heart retain my words▪ keep my Commandments and live. And Bathſheba's too, Pro. 31.1. The Propheſie that his mother taught him. And (ſaith David), Pſal. 34.11. Come ye children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. You read of Jehoaſh, He did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord all his days, wherein Jehoiada (who was inſtead of a Father to him) the Priest inſtructed him. Now you that are Parents, do you thus do? when ſhall I come to that duty which is not notoriouſly neglected? Sure this muſt not be it; for 'tis too manifeſt, that this is generally neglected. You converſe much with your Children, ſpend much time with them, do you improve your converſe, or your time, in ſpeaking to them of the things of God? You teach them your Callings, learn them this and that; do you teach p. 163them to know God and Jeſus Chriſt? O that this Heavenly inſtruction might be more minded by you! when you are with your Children, be inſtilling and dropping ſpiritual things into them, (as their capacities will bear); be**Cum eum in finem homines condiderit Deus, ut Se cognoſcant, celebrent & aeternum ſalventur, prima baec ſit parentum cura, ut à teneris, Dei & rerum ad ſalutem neceſſariarum cognitionem liberis ſu, is instillent, &c. Quiſtorp. in Epheſ. c 6.4. Pag. 185. foreign tobaeus. Serm. 1.Eph 6:4 inſtructing of them, as to what they are to know and practiſe: Poor Creatures, they come blind and ignorant into the world, let pity move you, to inform them, and to give them an inſight into the myſteries of Religion. Are not theſe the things, that are moſt neceſſary to be known? Is not knowledg the way of God to Salvation? (Joh. 17.3.) Is not ignorance a ſoul-deſtroying thing? O let theſe things prevail with you, to do what the people of God all along before you, have done: Let your Children be well taught, as well as well fed; let not a ſervant go un-inſtructed, for he is a part of your charge; Nay, let not the meanest ſervant be without this: As 'tis ſaid of Lewis the Ninth, King of France; he was found inſtructing his poor Skullion; and being ask'd why he did ſo, he anſwered, I know the meaneſt in my Family hath a Soul as precious as mine is.

p. 164If you ask me, Wherein you are to instruct yours? Anſ. There are two things, that the Scripture in ſpecial directs you to; The Word of God, and the Works of God: Deut. 6.6, 7. Theſe words which I command thee this day, ſhall be in thine Heart; (Is that all? no:) And thou ſhalt [diligently teach them unto thy children], and ſhalt talk of them, when thou ſitteſt in thine Houſe, &c. To the ſame effect, Deut. 11.18, 19. Timothy from a child knew the holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3.15. How came this about? He had a good mother, and a good grand-mother, and they inſtructed him in the Scriptures. Officium pii Patris-familias est, liberos & familiam educare, ad pietatem, docere que quomodo opera Dei rectè debeant conſide rare Piſcat. in Gen. 18.19. in Obſerv.Gen 18:19So for the works of God. Pſal. 78.4. &c. We will not hide them from their children, ſhewing 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 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 p. 165their hope in God, and might not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandments. Deut. 4.9. Only take heed to thy ſelf, leſt thou forget the things which thine eyes have ſeen, &c. but teach them thy Sons, and thy Son's Sons, Joſh. 4.21, 22. When your children ſhall ask their Fathers in time to come, ſaying, What mean theſe Stones? Then ye ſhall let your children know, ſaying, Iſrael came over this Jordan on dry land, &c. Exod. 12.26. And it ſhall come to paſs, When your children ſhall ſay unto you, what mean you by this ſervice? That ye ſhall ſay, It is the ſacrifice of the Lord's Paſſeover, who paſſed over the Houſes of the children of Iſrael in Egypt, &c. Menochius relates, That the Jews the night before the Paſſeover, They were wont to diſcourſe with their children thus; Why is it called the Paſſeover? the Father anſwered, Becauſe the Angel paſſed over us, when it ſlew the Egyptians, and deſtroy'd us not: Why do we eat unleavened bread? the Father anſwered, Becauſe we were forced to haſten out of Egypt: Why do we eat ſowre grapes? To mind us of our afflictions in Egypt. So again, Pſal. 44.1. We have heard with our ears p. 166O God, Our Fathers have told us, what work thou didſt in their days, in the times of old. You ſee how in ſpecial the Scripture inſtances in theſe two things, (wherein Children are to be inſtructed) God's word and works; and is not all comprehended under theſe two? Is not here a large field for Inſtruction and Information? Let me intreat you to be ſpeaking much of theſe unto your Children. Do what in you lies to acquaint them with the Holy Scriptures, and thoſe great Truths which are therein revealed; (eſpecially thoſe which do more nearly concern Salvation); Tell them, what there you find, concerning God, Christ, mans fall and recovery, the Covenant of Grace, the conditions thereof, Faith and Repentance, &c. Be often opening theſe things to them: The Eagle carries her young ones to the Sun; O bring your young ones to the Light of the Word, foreign Joſeph. lib. 3. contra Appion.and help them to look upon it, and into it. The Children of the Jews were very well vers'd in the Scriptures, even when they were young, becauſe their Parents did frequently herein inſtruct them; (ſo * Joſephus tells us). What a ſhame p. 167is it, that 'tis ſo long before the Children of Chriſtians come to any conſiderable knowledg of them! O do not only read the Scriptures to them, but often be diſcourſing of Matters therein diſcloſed; and put them themſelves upon the reading of them alſo; and call them often to an account of what they read, (as Hierome adviſed Laeta in order to the religious Education of her Daughter). Reddat tibi penſum quotidiè die Scripturarum floribus excerptum. Hieron. ad Laetam.

Here, as an excellent way for the inſtructing of Children and Servants, let me adviſe you to ſet up Catechiſing in your Families: O ſet ſome time apart for Catechiſing; Prater publicam Doctrinam etiam privato Catechizatio Domesticorom vigere debet inter nos ex Dei mandato. Parcus in Gen. 18.19.Gen 18:19'tis one of the best means that I know, for the advancing of Scripture-knowledg. In Catechiſms you have a Summary of Divinity, (both Doctrinal and Practical), in a plain and familiar way ſet before you; there Matters of Faith and Practiſe are ſuccinctly handled, and brought down to the weakeſt capacity: There's no ſuch compendious way for the attaining of Heavenly knowledg p. 168as this is. Whence is it, that perſons are ſo ignorant when they are men? but from this, they were not well Catechiz'd when they were children! And whence is it, that ſo many leave the way of Truth, and deſert that true Religion wherein they were bred, and turn Papiſts, and what not? but becauſe the foundation was not well laid at the first, in Catechetical exerciſes. The * Greek word,foreign est imbuere, prima rudimenta dare, erudire; Frequens est apud Doctores in Piel, pro instituere & paulatim aſſuefacere quod Graeci foreign dicunt. Pagn. — It nearly concerns every Parent, as they will free themſelves from the guilt of their Childrens undoing, that they be careful to ſee them inſtructed in all neceſſary things. To which purpoſe it will be fit early, to teach them ſome ſhort Catechiſm: Whole Duty of Man, p. 49. But above all, the beſt way of Inſtitution, eſpecially as to the younger ſort, may be performed by Catechiſms, Platforms of ſound words, by Queſtion and Anſwer in a ſhort and compendious method; whoſe Terms being clear and diſtinct, might be phraſed out of Holy Scripture, and fitted to their Capacities, by a plain though ſolid ſtile, and to their memories by brief expreſſions. Morn. Lect. Serm. 8. p. 196. which ſignifies to Catechiſe, ſignifies alſo to teach and inſtruct; as in 1 Cor. 14.19. Luk. 1.4. Act. 18.25. Gal. 6.6. Catechiſing is the beſt way of inſtructing. If I could but prevail with you once a week to call your Families together, and to ſpend ſome time in this exerciſe, O how would Goſpel knowledg encreaſe amongſt us!

p. 169Secondly, To Spiritual inſtruction, add holy admonition, exhortation, good advice and counſel. You muſt not only let them know (by inſtruction) what their duty is, but you muſt preſs, urge, enforce this duty upon them, by admonition, good counſel. O my child, thus and thus the word ſpeaks, O do thou do accordingly: O my child, do not lie, do not ſwear, do not profane the Lord's day, do not aſſociate with wicked perſons; but fear God, walk in the good ways of God, keep the commandments of God. I ſay, thus admoniſh, adviſe, counſel, thoſe that are under your charge: What abundance of good might you do by this! what a prevailing influence, hath good counſel, when 'tis duly appli'd! How many are there now rejoicing in Heaven, and bleſſing God for good Parents and Maſters upon earth, who gave them pious admonitions from time to time: Whereas, there are others burning in everlaſting flames, who are curſing the day that ever they had to do with thoſe who altogether neglected this duty. This alſo is included in that**Proprie ſignificat Admonitionem, non ſimpliciter, ſed talem quam in mentem pueri ponas, & ingeras quae ſunt ad ſalutem, neceſſaria. Zanch. in Eph. 6.4.Eph 6:4 admonition, (which the p. 170Apostle ſpeaks of in the forenamed place), Epheſ. 6.4. (if you take the word in the active ſenſe, for it may be taken paſſively).

In the further proſecution of this Direction, I might much enlarge upon ſuch Heads as theſe.

1. Be ſure your admonition be holy and good: Take heed of giving bad advice, of counſelling Children to do what is evil; this is dreadful: Yet I wiſh that ſome Parents were not guilty of it, they put their Children upon wicked acts and courſes; Athaliah (the mother of Ahaziah) is branded for this, 2 Chron. 22.3. His mother was his Counſeller to do wickedly. Have we not ſome ſuch amongſt us? Surely, this is the very heighth of wickedneſs; and God will ſooner or later find out ſuch Parents, and ſeverely puniſh them. Epiphanius hath a pretty obſervation upon Terah, (the Father of Abraham). For 3332. years,Epiphan. in Panar. Sect. 6. cited in Biſh. Taylor's Rule, &c. of dying. p. 32. there was not (ſaith he) one example of a Son, that died before his Father, but the courſe of Nature was kept, that he who was firſt born did firſt die, (you are to underſtand it of Natural death, and p. 171therefore Abel cannot be oppoſed to this obſervation) till that Terah taught the people and his Relations a new Religion, to make Images, and worſhip them; and concerning him it was firſt remarked, that Haran died before his Father Terah in the land of his Nativity: and ſo God puniſhed him for his ſinful counſel, by the untimely death of his Son. Let Parents look for ſome unuſual, remarkable judgment, either upon themſelves, or upon theirs, who counſel to ſin.

2ly. Your Admonition being good, (for the matter of it) ſee that you back it with Scripture, and with the moſt convincing Arguments you can think of; for you will find all little enough; and good advice without theſe is but like a bullet without powder.

3ly. Act Prudence as to the beſt timing of good counſel; If it be given unſeaſonably, it will be taken unſucceſsfully.

4ly. For the manner of it, let it be

1. hearty,

2. ſerious,

3. affectionate; (for Love is like the oyling of the key, which makes it to open the lock more eaſily; or like the greaſing of the nail, which p. 172makes it to enter with more facility);

4. frequent.

Good counſel muſt be often inculcated; if it prevails not at the firſt or a ſecond time, it muſt be ſet on, again and again. The Iron by often filing grows ſmooth and bright at laſt: The nail that doth not enter by one or two blows, by the reiteration of them is driven to the very head; And thus it is in the caſe I am upon: Deut. 6.7. Thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy Children, Metaphora ducta à gladio, qui dum acuitur ſaepiùs impellitur ad co tem. Innuit studium & diligentiam, quâ pueris praecepta Dei inculcari debent. Vatabl. in Deut. 6.7. Innuitstudium & diligentiam, quâ pueris praecepta Dei inculcari debent. P. Fagius in loc.Deut 6:7&c. In the Hebrew, 'tis, Thou ſhalt whet them diligently, &c. Counſel is blunt and ineffective, if by frequent repetition, it be not whetted and ſharpened. Theſe are Things that admit of much enlargement, if I could dwell upon them; but Travellers are loth to make any long stay, when they are almoſt at the end of their journey; and ſo I hope I am.

Thirdly, Back Inſtruction and Admonition with the putting forth and due improvement of your Paternal Authority. This religious Education calls for, as well as for the former; you have not done all that lies upon you, when you p. 173have inſtructed and exhorted; God hath put Authority into your hands, and that muſt be imployed and improved, to back and ſecond Inſtruction and Exhortation. 'Tis not more commonly than truly ſaid, (by thoſe who write of Oeconomical Duties), that a Master of a Family (in his Houſe) is, King, Prieſt, and Prophet; he hath power and authority there, ſo he is King; he is to pray with and for his Family, ſo he is Prieſt; he is to teach and inſtruct his Family, ſo he is Prophet. Now if you would religiouſly educate thoſe under you, you muſt exert your Authority for religious ends and purpoſes. If you would know how, or wherein, I will briefly open that to you: 1. You muſt lay your charge upon them that are ſubject to you, that they do what is good. David did not only adviſe, but he charged his Son Solomon, ſaying, &c. 1 King. 2.1. Prov. 4.4. Keep my Commandments and live: 'Twas not bare counſel that he gave, but he laid his commandments upon his Son. Gen. 18.19. I know him, that he will **Ʋtitur verho (praecipiet) ut Parentes & Superiores intelligant, non ſegniter & obiter, ſed ſedulò & cum Authoritate, inferiores ad Dei timorem & obedientiam adducendo, faciendum eſſe officium. Pareus in Gen. 18.19.Gen 18:19command his Children, &c. Obſerve it, Abraham would not only perſwade and exhort, p. 150but he would command his Childrens and his Houſhold after him, &c▪ 2ly. You muſt authoritatively reſtrain them from ſin; (But of this reſtraining from ſin, I will ſpeak more, under the fourth Head, in the next Chapter): 3ly. You muſt act your Authority, to ſee that they duly ſanctifie the Sabbath; This is expreſsly laid upon you in the fourth Commandment; Exod. 20.10. You are to anſwer for Childrens and Servants ſpending the Lord's day; If they be idle, frequent vain Houſes, ſpend their time (or rather Gods time) in playing, gamings, walking in the fields, recreations, (all of which are forbidden on that day), you partake of their guilt, and muſt be accountable for it. O that Maſters in this City would better improve their Authority over their Servants, in order to the better ſanctification of the Sabbath! upon this neglect, the Sabbath is greatly profaned; and that is no ſmall ſin. 4ly. Your power muſt be imployed to bring them to the means of Grace, to the Ordinances. You attend upon them your ſelves, O look to this, that yours alſo attend upon them: Poſſibly ſome p. 175of them may be backward enough to this; carnal hearts do not delight in ſpiritual duties; Youth is more for Pleaſure than for religious attendance upon holy Ordinances; they like playing better than praying; their fooliſh ſports better than the ſerious exerciſes of Religion. Time was, when it was juſt ſo with ſome of the beſt of your ſelves; but 'twas God's infinite mercy to you, you had Parents who looked after you, who would have you to be preſent at holy Ordinances; Do you not bleſs God for ſuch Parents when ever you think of them? And will not you do to yours according to what was done (with ſo much advantage) to your ſelvs? Odonot go alone to the means, but take your Families, your Relations, along with you. 'Tis ſaid of Elkanah, that he and all his Houſe went to offer to the Lord the yearly Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 1.12. Jeſs and all his Sons muſt be at the Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 16.5. I meddle not with the Coercive power of the Magistrate; but ſurely as to that which I am upon, the Parent, the Governor of a Family, hath a Coercive power; and he is bound to put it forth. You cannot force your Children to be well, but you may command them to p. 176take Phyſick: And ſo here, you cannot force them to believe, to repent, but you may bring them to wait upon the means, in order to believing, and in order to repenting. Is God preſent in them? doth God work Illumination, Converſion by them? and will you not cauſe yours to give their attendance? would you have them healed, and will you not bring them to the Poolſide, where this healing is to be had? If you go to Ordinances your ſelves, but leave your Children and Servants behind you, may it not be ſaid to you, what Eliab once ſaid to David, With whom haſt thou left thoſe few ſheep in the Wilderneſs? 1 Sam. 17.28. Then 5ly. your Authority muſt be exercis'd as to Family-duties. See that thoſe under you do attend upon Prayer, reading the Word, Repetition of Sermons, and the like: Have you Power in your Houſes, and ſhall any abſent themſelves from theſe things? Shall they eat with you who will not pray with you? ſhall they dwell in your Houſes who will not conform to the Religious Orders there obſerved? 6ly. Often call Children and Servants to an account; (eſpecially p. 177when there is cauſe of jealouſie and ſuſpicion, that all is not well), how time is ſpent, what they have been doing, what company they keep, what they have heard (after a Sermon), what they remember, how they underſtand, &c. If ſuch account was but oftner taken, we ſhould have better Children, and better Servants, than now we have. You find the benefit of it as to your own concerns, ſurely it would be as beneficial in higher Concerns. 7ly. When they do amiſs, let them be reproved and corrected. O when ſuch are let alone in that which is evil, without reproof and correction, how ſad are the conſequences! Connivance and Indulgence is the bane of Youth. What a croſs had Adonijah like to have proved to David? and 'tis ſaid of him, His Father had not diſpleaſed him at any time, in ſaying, Why haſt thou done ſo? 1 King. 1.6. Be faithful in reproving what is amiſs in thoſe who are under your charge:foreign. Arist. Ethic. l. 10 c. 13. This is very well conſiſtent with love; nay, this is the beſt and the trueſt love; nay indeed, you do not love, where you do not reprove. (See Levit. 19.17.) O the benefit of p. 178well manag'd reproofs both to young and old! Prov. 15.31. The ear that heareth the reproof of life, abideth among the wiſe, Prov. 6.23. Reproofs of inſtruction are the way of Life. And beſides this, what you do not reprove, (according to the nature of the Crime),In omnibus peccantihus pecco, quando eos quos ſcio peccare, quâdam crudelis animi malignitate non increpo. Proſp. de vit. Contempl. 3.23. you are acceſſary to, and bring the guilt of it upon your ſelves: So Eph. 5.11. And then for Correction; If fairer means will do the work, forbear this; but if not, this muſt be uſed, as the last remedy: The word of Exhortation, and the rod of Correction muſt not be parted; where God loves, he chaſtens, (Rev. 3.19.) and he that truly loves his child, will not let him be loſt, for want of Chaſtiſement: Prov. 13.24. He that ſpareth his rod, hateth his Son; but he that loveth him, chaſtneth him betimes. Prov. 29.15. The rod and reproof give Wiſdom, but a child left to himſelf, bringeth his mother to ſhame: (verſ. 17), Correct thy Son, and he ſhall give thee reſt, yea, he ſhall give delight unto thy Soul. Prov. 19.18. Chaſten thy Son, while there is Hope, and let not thy ſoul ſpare for his crying. Prov. 22.15. Fooliſhneſs is bound in the heart p. 179of a child, but the rod of correction ſhall drive it far from him. Prov. 23.13, 14. With-hold not correction from the child; for if thou beateſt him with the rod, he ſhall not die. Thou ſhalt beat him with the rod, and ſhalt deliver his ſoul from Hell. What Arguments are there in theſe scriptures, to put Parents and Maſters upon due correction! This is an ordinance of God, which as he hath appointed, ſo he is pleaſed alſo to bleſs; You cannot take a ſpeedier courſe to ruin your Children,foreign. Epictet. foreign Plutarch. foreign. p. 9. foreign. Constit. Apost. l. 4. c. 10. than not to correct them: If I do not puniſh my child, ſaid Epictetus), he will be ſtark naught. Impunity is peccandi illecebra: perſons are hardened in ſin, and encouraged to ſin by this: O that Indulgent Parents and Maſters (all are not ſo, ſome are ſevere enough) would think of theſe things! Their fond over-loving makes them indeed not to love at all, (as Plutarch hath expreſs'd it): Well, you have Authority in your hands, and ſo theſe two things, (correption and correction) lie upon you; Pray do your duty in them: And as Religion puts you upon them, ſo let Prudence regulate you in the managing of them; p. 180(for I do not know any thing, wherein Prudence is more requiſite than that which is before me at preſent): Reprove and correct, but

1. Suit this to the different ages of the perſons, you have to do with. The Phyſician doth not give ſuch ſtrong Phyſick to a child, as to one that is grown up.

2. To the different Tempers of them; ſome are mild, ingenuous, of a ſweet and yielding diſpoſition; others are more rough, ſurly, dogged; gentle reproof and correction is beſt for the firſt; for the others, rougher phyſick muſt be appli'd.

3. To the nature of the offence, and the ſeveral Circumſtances that go along with it; the corroſive muſt be according to the quality of the ſore.

4. Keep within bounds; as there may be Indulgence in doing nothing, ſo there may be cruelty, in doing too much.

5. Never do this without a cauſe; for then you bring both your ſelves, and the duty alſo into contempt; and make it inſignificant at other times.

6.**Qu…cquid exacerbato animo dixeris, punientis est impetus, non charitas corrigentis. Aug. in comm. ad Galat. Do nothing in Paſſion; Paſſionate reproofs and corrections never do good; Phyſicians do not give their Potions ſcalding hot, only a little warm. The**vid. Plutarch. foreign, &c. p. 10. Heathen told his p. 181ſervant, He would have beaten him, but that he was in anger: 'Tis bad to correct one fault with the commiſſion of another: O 'tis your mild, gentle, reproving and correcting, that ſoaks (like a mild rain), and doth the moſt good.

7. After this is done, return to your former kindneſs and ſerenity; Do not keep up acerbity of ſpirit, for that's of bad conſequence, either to provoke or to diſcourage.

After bitter Pills let there be ſomething to ſweeten the mouth: 'Tis Plutarch's ſimilitude,Plut foreign: &c. 1.9. After the Nurſe hath made the Child cry, ſhe falls a kiſsing of it. Theſe are ſome prudential hints, (and yet there is much of Religion in them too), which I leave with you. So much for the exerciſe of your Authority, as it refers to Religious Education.

Fourthly, Keep a watchfuleye, and aſtrict hand over thoſe who are committed to you: Here is great need of all poſſible care and vigilancy; and you will find, that all is little enough: How ſoon is the garden over-grown with weeds if the keeper thereof doth not tend it, and look to it every day; how ſoon is Childhood and Youth tainted with p. 182ſin, if it be not narrowly obſerved: The Masters eye (in other things) doth very much; and ſurely, it hath its influence in that, which I am treating of: your Inſtruction, Admonition, interpoſure of Authority, will be ineffectual, (as to the attaining of your great end), without this conſtant vigilance and inſpection: How many Children and Servants are irrecoverably loſt for want of this, daily experience ſhows; and therefore let me apply that of Solomon to you, Prov. 27.23. Be thou diligent to know the ſtate of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. Now here I would commend two or three things to you.

Firſt, Be watchful in obſerving what the Natural Temper is, of thoſe under you: A wiſe man will be ſure to ſatisfie himſelf in this, and to make the best obſervations he can, in order to the finding out of this; for when this is known he will the better be able to apply himſelf in advice, reproof, correction, (or any other way); By the knowing of this he will the better alſo be able to judg of the Inclinations, Propenſions of thoſe with whom he hath to do. How weakly and unſucceſsfully do ſome manage p. 183their Education upon their not underſtanding of this; (which certainly might with much eaſe be found out upon a little obſervation). Satan will be ſure to aſſault them with his Temptations, according to their Natural Temper, (for he always takes the advantage of that), and therefore if you do not know this, how will you be able to obviate and countermine him in his Temptations?

Secondly, Be watchful in obſerving the firſt ſproutings out, or buddings forth of what is either good or evil. Are there ſome bloſſoms of what is good? O encourage and cheriſh them, all that you can: Doth the child ſometimes go aſide, and begin to pray? Doth he take the Bible, or ſome good Books into his hands, and ſeem to deſire to read them? Or doth the Servant of riper years, make ſome offers towards what is Religious? Pray, ſet in with this, and give all encouragement to them. Far be it from any of you to check or diſcountenance or hinder yours in what is good; this is to be an Elymas, Act. 13.10.Acts 13:10a child of the Devil, to act his part: If ever a man acts like a Devil, 'tis when he ſets p. 184himſelf againſt that which is good: To encourage, excite, animate, any to wickedneſs; to diſcourage, hinder, check any, as to acts of Piety and Godlineſs, this is to be a very Devil. When Moſes would have had Pharaoh to let Iſrael go, he (inſtead of doing this), gives this anſwer: Wherefore do ye let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. And the tale, &c. for they be idle, therefore they cry, ſaying, Let us go and ſacrifice to our God: Let there be more work laid upon the men, that they may labour therein, Exod. 5.5.8, 9. O that we had not too many Maſters and Parents of this ſpirit! Do they ſee Servants and Children to begin to look Heavenward, and (eſpecially) do theſe deſire a little time, ſome relaxation, in order to ſecret duties? how do they ſnubbe and curb them, and frown upon them; and tell them, they are idle, or Hypocritical, and they will turn melancholy; and twenty ſuch replies are made by them, to take them off from what is good. The Lord rebuke this ſpirit, for 'tis a curſed ſpirit! I would not have theſe mens guilt upon me, for all the world: What? to endeavour to blaſt p. 185the bloſſomings of Godlineſs? to put back the throws of the New Birth? to give a check to the breathings of the Holy Spirit? O 'tis a ſin out of meaſure ſinful. I warn you all of it, and I beſeech you, do you carry it quite otherwiſe: What ever is of God, or tends to God, let it be helped on by you; let the buddings of Grace be furthered and ripened by the beams of your influence: Do not diſcourage or deſpiſe the day of ſmall things in any of yours; Zach. 4.10. Math 12.20.Zech 4:10Matt 12:20God doth not do ſo, and will you do ſo? Do you obſerve, ſome putings forth of what is good? cheriſh them. Do you obſerve ſome good? though it be but ſome good; own it, and take notice of it. In Jeroboam's child, there was found ſome good, 1 King. 14.13. and God obſerved it, ſo as to reward it. O, though Children and Servants be not altogether what you deſire, yet if there be ſome good found in them, let that be taken notice of; you muſt ſo puniſh what is evil, as alſo to obſerve what is good.

On the other hand, do ye ſee the ſproutings out of that which is evil? interpoſe preſently for the prevention of their further growth, Do they begin p. 186to take God's name in vain? to be careleſs in attending upon holy Duties? do they nibble at a lie? doth pride in apparel peep forth? ſet in with ſerious counſel immediately, that theſe things may not grow upon them. 'Tis good to ſuppreſs the very initials of ſin; to kill the Viper or Serpent in the very egg. The diſeaſe taken in time is eaſily cured, which by delays proves mortal: the Fire at the firſt might be quenched with eaſe, which afterwards will admit of no ſtop; (O that we had not known this to be true!) The Vices and faults of young ones, by timely applications might be prevented; but being let alone, they take ſuch a rooting in them, that their caſe is deſperate. O that many were not undone by Parents and Masters unfaithfulneſs, and invigilancy in this! 'Tis good advice that which Hierome gave to Laeta, He bids her ſpeedily to reform whatever ſhe ſhould ſee amiſs in her Daughter; for, Aegrè reprehendas quod ſinis conſueſcere; difficulter eraditur quod rudes animi perbiberunt.

Thirdly, Watchfully obſerve what company they keep: If you do not look p. 187to this, you do nothing: O be ſure you keep (thoſe under you) from bad ſociety; Plutarch (in his excellent Diſcourſe upon the Education of Children), much inſiſts upon this, as a ſpecial direction to be practiſed in order to good Education. What more fatal, more dangerous than evil company: The Spartans would rather ſuffer their City to be taken, than give their Children for Hoſtages; for fear of their being corrupted in the Enemy's Camp. When Antipater ſent to them, demanding fifty Children for Hoſtages, they repli'd, They had rather give him twice as many men at their ripeſt years. Charron of Wiſdom, l. 3. p. 441.How receptive is Youth of evil impreſſions from evil company; how ſoon are they caſt into the mould and likeneſs of thoſe with whom they converſe; how quickly do they learn their ways, and ſo get a ſnare to their ſouls; (as 'tis Prov. 22.25.) Let your Education be never ſo good at home, if you let yours converſe with idle, vain, diſſolute, debaucht perſons abroad, all your care and pains will be loſt. The meat that is fly-blown, taints preſently; bad company hath this effect, upon them that p. 188are young. Would you be faithful to your own Children, and to the Children of others (whom you have taken into your Families, and in a manner adopted them for your own), take a ſpecial care of the Company they keep: Bad Company may do more miſchief in an hour, than you can do good in a week; all that you have laboured to imprint and faſten upon them in a week will be obliterated and defaced, in one hours converſe with vain perſons. We have a ſort of men up and down in this Nation, who are the Devils factors, and they do him eminent ſervice; ſuch I mean, who make it their buſineſs to corrupt and debauch youth (by their infuſing of curſed Principles of Atheiſm, and Libertiniſm into them): Are not our Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Houſes, haunted with theſe vermine, theſe Setters for Hell? No wonder that ſo many of their Sons prove as they do, (Heroum filii Noxae, is now as true as ever it was), when they have ſuch admitted into their ſociety, whoſe trade it is to be drunk themſelves, and to teach and egg on others to be drunk too: Do not theſe Preachers of the p. 189Devil do that in a Cellar, over their Bottles, which God's Miniſters cannot undo again in the Pulpit with the Book of God? O, how bitterly doth Plutarch (in the forecited Treatiſe) inveigh againſt theſe Peſts and Plagues of Mankind! And are theſe, confin'd only to the Country, and to great mens Houſes? have not we theſe miſcreants ſwarming even in this City? Are not theſe (the worst of Spirits) amongſt us, who would ſteal away our Children from us, and carry them to Hell? Theſe I ſay, who make it their trade to ſeduce and corrupt Youth? How doth it concern all of you, (O Parents and Masters),Nil dictu foedum viſu que haec limina taugat, Intra quae puer est. Juven. Sat. 14. with the greateſt care and vigilance to watch over all that belong to you, leaſt they ſhould be drawn aſide by theſe perſons; or by any others, (who may do the work as ſucceſsfully, though perchance they do not do it ſo wickedly).

This for the Firſt thing laid down in this Direction; wherein I have exhorted you, to keep a watchful eye over thoſe under your charge. Before I go off from it, I will offer one thing to your ſerious conſideration: 'Tis this, Whether p. 190your Country Houſes be ſo well conſiſtent, with this ſo neceſſary duty of your conſtant and vigilant inſpection over Children and Servants? I dare not cenſure you, for the keeping of them, or charge ſin upon you for ſo doing; I know the health of many, neceſſitates them to this; (and there may be other cauſes which may very well be allowed of); But I deſire you to conſider, whether your Families be not much prejudic'd by this; by this means you are abſent from them a great part of your time, and where then is your conſtant watching over them? Is not your flock endanger'd, by your (though but little) Non-reſidency? But I will not preſs this too far; only I preſent this to ſuch as are ſerious and conſcientious, as a thing worthy of Conſideration: I ſhall only add this; where this is done upon ſlighty grounds, (as meerly the pleaſure and delight, which a Country-Houſe affords) there to divide the Family, and always to be abſent from ſome part of it, I think cannot well be juſtifi'd; but where there are weighty Reaſons, and grounds for this, I ſubmit to it; provided, that perſons p. 191herein concerned, go as far as ever they may, in the acting of their utmoſt care, for the preventing of thoſe inconvenien-which Servants left behind are expoſed to, upon their Miſters abſence from them. The Counſel that Hierome gave to Laeta, was this, Si quando ad ſuburbanna pergis, domi filiam non relinquas. When thou goeſt into the Country, do not leave thy daughter at home behind thee. By a little abſcence, and the want of the Parents and Maſters eye, Children and Servants are much endangered.

I added further in the Direction, Keep a ſteddy hand over thoſe who are committed to you: I am not for rigors and auſterities, or any ſuch things; but I am for a prudent, ſtrict Education: Remiſneſs in Government is of very bad conſequence to Youth; A ſteddy rein ſecures the rider; a ſteddy Education ſecures the child. Here alſo reſpect muſt be had to the different Tempers of Children and Servants: Where the Horſe is tender-mouth'd, a looſer rein is ſufficient, but where he is resty▪ and not ſo eaſily check'd, the rider cannot hold him in too much; I need not apply it. This reſpect being had to the p. 192difference of their Diſpoſitions, doubtleſs a strict Education is the beſt: I know, ſome (through the ſtrength of corruption) are the worſe for this, but that's the fault of the perſon, not of the Education; and Bottles muſt be cloſely stopt, though they are upon this the more apt to fly, when ever they are opened. But I will not further enlarge upon this.

Fifthly, If you would give your Children Religious Education, ſee that you breed them up to ſome Calling; A Calling (in the common notion of it), is a civil thing; (we uſually take it in contradistinction to the Miniſtry, that Sacred Office); yet care about this, is a piece of Religious Education, Religion being ſo much concerned in it. (And ſo it is, partly, becauſe a Calling is Gods inſtitution, 1 Cor. 7.17.20. and partly, becauſe it is a great fence and antidote againſt ſin and wickedneſs): Now therefore I ſay, in order to this Education, train up your Children to ſome Calling: (I ſpeak indefinitely, for you your ſelves know what calling is moſt proper and ſuitable, according to the particular Circumstances under which p. 193you and yours do ſtand): If you be perſons of that rank and quality, that you think 'tis below you to bring up your Children to common and ordinary Trades, then there are other employments which will better ſuit with your rank, for which they may be fitted: If the Miniſtry, if the Law, and Phyſick, (in the ordinary Practice of them), be not high enough for you; yet ſurely Learning is, and Magistracy is, and ſome Publick Employment is, (wherein they may eminently ſerve God and their Country): You then who are ſuch perſons (as here is mentioned), pray train up your Sons for theſe. Shall this be all the Education that you will give them, to teach them, how to follow an Hawk, or a Dog, or how to demean themſelves in Company, or how to court a Lady, or how to manage an Eſtate, (or ſome ſuch thing as this is)? O that this was not the top, the utmoſt of the Education, of too many of our Gentry! Is not this ſad? what can be expected from perſons, thus educated? but only this, They may have an inſight into Games, make a fine legg, be very ready at a Complement, dreſs p. 194themſelves very exactly, tell a ſtory of what they have ſeen at Paris, and be able juſt to caſt up an account with their Stewards: But as to any parts or endowments, to fit them for ſervice for God or their Country, alas, this is not to be looked for, from them: you muſt not deny them to be Gentlemen, (unleſs you'l venture the hazard of a Duel), but when you have ſaid that, you have ſaid all. O you Parents, whom God hath advanced in the world with Titles of Honour, with great Eſtates, be not offended with me, becauſe I ſpeak the Truth, (and that Truth too, which is ſo neceſſary to be ſpoken, in order to your Conviction and Reformation): Be pleaſed (I beſeech you) to give better Education to your Children. Do not content your ſelves with this, that you make your Sons to be Gentlemen, that you convey a little better blood (than ordinary) into their veins;Gratum est, quod patriae civem, populo que dedisti, Si facis ut Patriae ſit idoneus. — J…van. Sat. 14. that you leave them an eſtate to ſpend upon, (and may be to ſpend too in a little time): but let this be your care, ſo to educate yours, that they may * be uſeful and ſerviceable in their p. 195Generation, when you are laid in the duſt; that they be perſons ſo accompliſhed, that they may be fit to be employ'd for publick Good; that they may not only be ſome body, as to their deſcent and poſſeſſions, whilſt (as to any real ſervice or worth) they are but meer cyphers and drones in the Commonwealth.

But 'tis time for me to come to you Citizens, (with whom my buſineſs mainly lies); Do you breed up your Children to ſome Calling: Many of you God hath bleſſed with Eſtates, what then? will you not have your Children in a Calling? Have you by God's bleſſing upon your diligence in your Callings got ſomething in the world, and muſt the Son (forſooth) be bred up as a Gentleman, (without a Calling), that the Gentleman may ſpend, what the Tradeſman hath got? Without this, will he not need all, that you can leave him, and is not this flat poverty? (as Mr. Herbert expreſſes it).Poems, p. 4. But higher than this; where's Religion in this Education? What hazards do you expoſe your Children to, by leaving them in an idle, unimployed p. 196life? what a miſchievous thing is idleneſs! 'tis an in-let to all ſin, it opens a gap to all Temptations: 'Tis dangerous to your ſelves, and is it not ſo to your Children alſo? The garment that is not uſed, is fill'd with moths, which eat it up; The ſtanding water gathers filth and mudd; The ſitting bird is eaſily ſhot; What a noiſome thing would the Sea be, was it not preſerv'd ſweet and clean by continual motion? How many bodies are ruin'd for want of exerciſe! Theſe are uſual Similies to ſet forth the danger of idleneſs. Will you lay yours open to this? Shall the Tempter have this advantage againſt them, to find them (as it were) upon his ground? (as Tertullian ſpeaking of one that was poſſeſs'd by the Devil, he being ask'd the reaſon, why he had ſo poſſeſs'd that perſon, he anſwered, Inveni in meo, I found him in my own ground; his meaning was, he found him idle): O put them into Callings, that they may not live an idle life, and ſo be expos'd to the worſt of Temptations. If Satan comes to them, Semper inveniat eos occupatos; (which was Hierom's Antidote and preſcription p. 197againſt Temptations): A Calling will entitle them to God's protection, make way for God's bleſſing, fit for ſervice, and ſecure from Sin and Satan. He that hath nothing to do, is ready to do any thing. I find the Heathens making Conſcience of this: The Athenians had a Law, (which Nazianzene writing to Eudoxius, doth much commend), that all their Youth ſhould be put to ſome Calling: And 'twas one of**Solon Legibus caviſſe legitur, ut ſilius quem Parentes nullam artem docuiſſent, non cogeretur illos alere, ſenio con, fectos aut ad inopiam redactos. Eraſm: Solon's Laws, That the Son ſhould not be bound to nouriſh or relieve thoſe Parents in old age, (or, if they were reduced to poverty), who had not taught him ſome Art or Calling, when he was young. And if you look into the Word, you find there what was the practice of the Ancients; they us'd to breed up their Children to ſome Calling; Adam had two Sons, the one, he bred up to be a keeper of Sheep, the other to be a tiller of the ground, Gen. 4.2. Jacob bred up his Sons under a painful employment, See Gen. 37.12. Laban would not have Rachel her ſelf to be idle, but ſhe muſt look to her Father's ſheep, Gen. 29.9. &c. David himſelf was thus imploy'd, 1 Sam. 16.11. Samuel trained up his Sons in ſuch p. 198a manner, that when he was old, they were fit to be made Judges over Iſrael, 1 Sam. 8.1. Well, (that I may ſhut up this), be perſwaded to have a Calling in your eye for your Children: If they have parts for the Miniſtry, and incline to that office, and ſome conſiderable diſcouragements do not intervene, then devote them to God, and breed them up for the Miniſtry: God had given Hannah a Child, and preſently ſhe thus devoted him to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1.28. It was the uſual ſaying, (and he acted accordingly), of my worthy, never to be forgotten Friend, Mr. Whittacre, (now with God), Had I never ſo many Sons, they ſhould all be Miniſters. O 'tis an high expreſſion of your love to God, and that which argues a great ſenſe of the worth of Souls, when you can give up your Children to the ſervice of God, and the ſalvation of Souls, in this excellent office. But if you do not do this, yet however put them into ſome Calling; for my part I think that (in ſome reſpects) a Calling is better without an Eſtate, than an Eſtate without a Calling.

p. 199Sixthly, Religious Education very much conſiſts in the ſetting of a good and holy example: foreign, &c. vid. Plutarch. foreign, &c. p. 14.This Plutarch commends to Parents, in order to a good Education, above all the other rules and directions which he had given: And ſurely this is a great thing, in no caſe to be neglected. Parents and Maſters muſt be exemplary, patterns of Good to all under them: Good Inſtruction, good Admonition, good Inſpection will ſignifie but little without a good Converſation: Holy Practices muſt back and ſet on holy Counſels; Examples are very prevalent, and teach beſt: Vertue or Vice are moſt effectually advanced in the world, by Example. O the power and energy of this! eſpecially upon ſuch as are young, and upon thoſe who are in the ſtate of**Velocius & citius nos Corrumpunt vitiorum exempla Domestica, magnis Cum ſubeant animo… Autoribus, &c. Juven. Sat. 14. inferiority and ſubjection. How apt are Children to imitate their Parents! ſuch as the Father is, ſuch is the Child, (very often 'tis thus; I do not ſay always, (for ſometimes the Father is good, and the Child naught, or the Father is naught, and the Child good) but commonly 'tis as I ſay); there is not a greater likeneſs as to features than there is as to Manners; p. 200and whence is this, but from the proneneſs that is in Children to imitate their Parents. And (which is the miſery of it), they are more moſt prone to imitate them in what is evil, Dociles imitandis Turpibus ac pravis omnes ſumus. Juven. ibid.(through the prevalency of Natural Corruption). Proclivis eſt malorum aemulatio, & quorum virtutes aſſequi nequeas, citò imitaris vitia. (Hieron.) There is a great proclivity in perſons, to imitate what is evil; and you will ſoon follow their vices, whoſe graces you cannot ſo preſently come up to. The poor Children had heard their Fathers deride the Prophet, and they upon this had learnt to call him Bald pate too, 2 King. 2.23. Juſt what Abraham had done in his diſſimulation, juſt the ſame his Son Iſaac did, (Gen. 26.7. compared with Gen. 20.2). And further too, (the conſideration of which ſhould very much work upon Parents to be very careful as to their Example), what Children learn by imitation, when they are young, uſually it sticks by them, and is very hardly removed; Alexander in his youth had got the Gate of his Maſter Leonides, and he could never leave it. All this holds true in Servants p. 201alſo; they will tread in the ſteps, and follow the examples of their Governors, Prov. 29.12. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his ſervants are wicked. Doth it not therefore highly concern Parents and Maſters, to look to their carriage, in their Families? that they ſet a good Example to all that are under them? This David's eye was much upon, Pſal. 101.2. I will behave my ſelf wiſely in a perfect way, O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my Houſe with a perfect Heart. O that this might be the reſolution of all Parents and Governors in this City! Would you have yours not to ſin? do not you ſin your ſelves; The ſwearing Father makes a ſwearing Child; the curſing Father makes a curſing Child; the drunken Father makes a drunken Child; (and ſo in all caſes). Look to your ſelves, that you do nothing, that may be to yours, inductivum peccati. This was Hieroms counſel to Loeta l (I cite that Epiſtle very often,Nihil in te & in Patre ſuo videat, quod ſi fecerit peccet. Hieron. becauſe 'tis written wholly upon the Argument which I am upon): O 'twill be matter of rejoycing to you, in caſe your Child ſhould p. 202do evil, if you can ſay, (as that Pope once did) Haec vitia me non commonſtratore didicit: He never learn'd this by my example. And ſo, Would you have them to be good, and to do good? Be you ſo, and do you do ſo; than you may ſay what Gideon did to his Soldiers, Judg. 7.17. Look on me and do likewiſe; as I do, ſo ſhall ye do. And it will be ſo: If you pray, they will pray; if you be religious, they will be religious; if you make Conſcience of keeping the Sabbath, they will do the ſame. O the advantage and benefit of good example! How are Children and Servants undone by the want of it! How few do mind or regard it! How do the moſt, firſt make over their ſins, and then their eſtates; and before their Children have from them, what is but imaginarily good, they have that from them, (in their evil example), which is really evil, (as the**Ante eorum incipiunt nequitiam, quàm ſubstantiam poſſidere, &c. Ac antequam habent illa, quae falſo dicuntur hona, habent illa, quae verè probantur mala, Ad Eccleſ. Cathol. l. 1. p. 346. Author of the Epiſtle, ad Eccleſ. Cath. in Salvian expreſſes it).

O you my dear Friends in this City, let it be otherwiſe with you; order your Converſations ſo, that they may be exemplary. You teach and inſtruct p. 203thoſe under you, and 'tis well; but do you ſet them a good Example? Do you not unteach in your Lifes, what you teach with your Tongues? Is not Practiſe (as hath been ſaid), the moſt powerful and the moſt effectual way of teaching? Precepts may teach, but examples lead and draw (according to the known ſaying); You loſe your Authority in good Counſel,Perdit authoritatem docendi cujus ſermo opere destraitur. Hier. ad Ocea. if you do not ſecond it with doing well your ſelves; Inferiors do not ſo much mind what you ſay, as what you do; how ſhall it appear that you are in good earneſt, if you do not practiſe your ſelves, what you perſwake others to? Will not your bad example do more hurt than the beſt advice will do good? O ſo teach and ſo live: The life of teaching, is the teaching of the Life; let your actions be inſtructive, as well as your words; and let all your actions be ſo; Ʋniverſa ſint vocalia, (as the Father ſpeaks concerning the converſation of Ministers): Teach at the Table by your Temperance, teach in the Shop by your Honest dealing, teach in your cloſet by your performance of Secret duties, &c. This is the way p. 204to win upon Relations. The Magiſtrates Laws are not ſo prevalent as the Magiſtrates Life, (according to that of Claudian,

— Nec ſic inflectere ſenſus

Humanos edict a valent, quàm vita regentis).

And ſo 'tis here, as to Parents and Maſters of Families. You pray in your Families, 'tis well, but do you ſet a good example after Prayer? 'Tis ſad to ſpoil good duties with a bad Converſation; Religious Orders in the Houſe, and a diſorderly Converſation, do not well agree, (ſaith one): O if you pray in your Houſes, and do not walk ſuitably in other things, you will bring Duty into contempt, and harden the hearts of Children and Servants againſt it. Would you feign have a good Family? He that lives a bad life can never expect a good Family; his bad example will ſpoil all. Every thing in you is doubled; if you do evil you ſin twice, (for there's the ſin of the act, and then the ſin of bad example); if you do well you do good twice, (for then there's the goodneſs of the act, and the goodneſs of the example): p. 205O with what face will you be able to reprove what is amiſs in others, when your own guilt ſhall fly in your faces? Let theſe things be thought of, and let the Duty (of ſetting a good example to yours) be done by you.

Seventhly, To ſum up all in one general Direction: Let it be your great deſign and endeavour in Education, to promote and further the converſion and ſalvation of them that belong to you: When the heart is ſet upon this, and all things are carried on in ſubſerviency to this, this is Religious Education. You have Children, what's the great thing that you muſt purſue after in the educating of them? 'tis this, that they may be Gods Children, as well as yours; that as they are near to you, they may be near to God; that Gods Image may be where your Image is; that where the Firſt birth is, the Second birth may be alſo: In a word, that they may have grace, This I ſay muſt be the main thing, which in your Education you muſt deſire and purſue. And ſo for Servants alſo. To move you to mind this, and to lay out your ſelves with the greateſt diligence and ardency to p. 206attain this, very much might be ſpoken. O conſider the miſery of your Children till they be converted. Are they born believers? Do they bring grace with them into the world?Fiunt non naſcuntur Christiant Hieron. ſurely no! Are they not Children of wrath by Nature? Heirs of Hell? lying in their blood?Epheſ. 2.3.Eph 2:3 Will you not make it your firſt and principal endeavour to get them out of this condition? (eſpecially conſidering how acceſſary you have been to the bringing of them into it). Have you convey'd ſin and filth, and defilement to them, and will you not do ſomething, that you may convey Grace, Sanctification, Renovation, to them? Have you done ſo much for their hurt, will you do nothing for their good? you that know what the miſery of the Natural state is, how can you be quiet till you have got all yours out of it? You are to further the Converſion of others; 'tis a bleſſed thing to be the Inſtrument of Coverſion; Dan. 12 3. And they that be wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſs of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteouſneſs, as the Stars forever and ever. Jam. 5.20. He which converteth p. 207a ſinner from the error of his way, ſhall ſave a ſoul from death. Ezek. 18.32. wherefore turn others (ſo ſome read it), and live ye. Grace is of a ſpreading, diffuſive nature; ('tis ſet forth by Light, Leaven, Oyl, and ſuch other reſemblances, becauſe of this). He that is converted himſelf, he will be converting others: The Woman of Samaria being wrought upon, ſhe would feign bring in all the City to Chriſt, Joh. 4.28, 29. The Lepers would not keep the good tidings of the Enemies flight to themſelves, but they muſt publiſh it, 2 King. 7.9. A gracious heart is for the Converſion of All it comes near to; but in an eſpecial manner, 'tis for the Converſion of near and dear Relations: Andrew having found Chriſt, O he runs to his Brother Peter, and tells him of it, Joh. 1.41. Cornelius calls together his Kinſmen and his near Friends, Act. 10.24. The Apostle tells us, He that provides not for his own, hath deny'd the Faith, &c. 1 Tim. 5.8. What a monster in Religion he is, that doth not eſpecially look after the ſouls of Relations, and endeavour to bring them in to God! will p. 208not you then do this for your Children? they are near to you, they are a part of your ſelf, they are your ſelf, (The Children are but the Father in fractions, or, the Father multiply'd): Shall they be near to you, and afar off from God? Will you ſuffer any part of you to be in a ſtate of diſ-union from Chriſt? 'Tis**foreign. Arist. Polit. l. 1. c. 1 Natural to all Creatures to deſire other things to be like to them; you are gracious your ſelves, do you not deſire, that all yours ſhould be ſo too? you have Grace,foreign Xenoph. and you know the worth and excellency of it, you would not exchange it for the world; Do you know ſo much of it, and will you let your Children be without it? When Zacheus cloſed with Chriſt, Chriſt told him, This day Salvation is come to thine Houſe, Luk. 19.9. Why ſo? why is it not to his Perſon, but to his Houſe? Anſ. Not only becauſe Chriſt and the Goſpel bring Salvation to Families, where they are entertain'd; but alſo becauſe Zacheus now would make it his buſineſs, to further the converſion, and ſo conſequently the ſalvation of all in his Houſe. Chriſt is come, and p. 209Salvation is come to your ſelves; but are they come to your Houſes too? Are your Children, and Servants in a ſtate of Grace, and ſo conſequently of Salvation? Can you better expreſs your love to them, than by helping on Grace in them? You are ſollicitous about other things; alas, they are all of them meer Trifles in compariſon of this! The greateſt eſtate is not to be compared with the leaſt Grace: If your Children may fear God here, and enjoy God hereafter, they are happy; Though you can leave them but ſlender portions, if you can leave them in a Covenant state, 'tis enough. How unſpeakably will this rejoice your ſouls at the great day, if you can take your Children by the hand and ſay, Lord, here am I, Hebr. 2.13.Heb 2:13and the Children which thou hast given me: Whereas, if Converſion-work be not done, Will it not be a ſad parting, (if that ſtate will admit of ſadneſs), when the gracious Parent ſhall go to Heaven, and the graceleſs child ſhall go to Hell? O dreadful parting indeed! I have told you, the ſouls of your Children will be required at your hands; O if (through p. 210your neglect) they be found unconverted, your**Dt ſalute eorum, qui in domo tuâ ſunt, ſollicitus ac pervigil existas quia pro omnibus tibi ſubject is rationem Domino reddes. Auguſt. account will be very ſad. Pray do not think that this Converſion-work is only to be done by Miniſters, it lies upon you as well as upon them, and in ſome reſpects you may**See this more fully made out in Dr. Gouge, Dom. Duties, Tract. 6. p. 546. Mr. Baxters Saint' everl. Rest, part. 3. p. 350. &c. better do it than they; you better know your Childrens Temper, you can ſpeak more particularly to them, you have a greater ſhare in their love, they have a further dependance upon you, and ſo they will be the more attentive to what you urge upon them. I know not how to get off from this Argument; Do not think me tedious, when I am pleading with you, to ſecure and ſave the ſouls of your poor Children. If you ask me, how this may be done? I anſwer, by that which hath been ſpoken to; Inſtruct them, admoniſh them, watch over them, win them by a good Converſation, pray with them, pray for them;1 Pet. 3.1, 2.1 Pet 3:11 Pet 3:2 Theſe are the ways which are proper to further their Converſion; and do but make ſure of that, and then queſtion not their Salvation.

I have done with the opening of Religious Education, and have fully ſhown you wherein it lies, or how 'tis p. 211to be managed. O that what I have written, may not be in vain, to thoſe Parents and Maſters of Families to whom 'tis in ſpecial directed. I will add but Three things further, by way of Direction, and ſo diſmiſs this Particular.

1. Take the advantage of early Education; that you may educate well, begin betimes. Do not put off, or delay Inſtruction, Admonition, (and whatever is proper to Religious Education), but, as ſoon as ever you may, fall upon theſe; As ſoon as the day of Reaſon dawns, be you at your work; 'Tis better here to be much too ſoon, than a little too late. There are many inducements to this early education: The younger they are with whom you have to do, the more pliable and framable they are;Ʋdum & molle lutun es, &c. Perſ. Sat. 2. foreign, &c. p. 3. is ſoft, 'tis capable of any impreſſion, and therefore we immediately ſet the ſeal upon it; The Tree in its firſt and tender growth, you may bow it, bend it, which way you will; but when 'tis of ſome years growth, 'tis ſtubborn and inflexible: ſo 'tis here; you may do with a child what you pleaſe, that Age is p. 212tractable and flexible, receptive of any good impreſſion; but if you let him alone, till he can tell that he is fifteen, ſixteen, ſeventeen years old, this advantage is loſt; now you will meet with a more reſiſting and obſtinate Temper.

2. The younger they are, the more diſengag'd they are from vicious and ſinful Principles, and ſo you may do your work with more facility; (as 'tis eaſier writing upon white Paper, than 'tis upon that which is blotted and blurr'd, and written upon already; for all this muſt be ſcrap'd out and expung'd, before you can write): The child is Raſa Tabula, the youth is not. 3. The younger they are, the more**Recens Testa diu & ſaporem retinet, & odorem quo primum imbuta est. Hieron. Naturâ tenaciſſimi ſumus corum, quae rudibus annis percepimus, ut ſapor, quo nova imbuas durat, nec Canarum colores, quibus, ſimplex ille candor, &c. Quintil. lib 1. Inſtit. cap. 1. Adeò in teneris conſueſcere mnitum est. Virg. tenacious they will be, of what is imprinted upon them; The veſſel retains the ſavour of that with which 'tis ſeaſoned at the firſt: you cannot eaſily fetch out that colour with which the wool is dy'd at firſt. O if Parents would but ſet upon Religious Education, whilſt Children are young, they might (by the bleſſing of God) fasten that upon them, which might abide with them for ever: This is the way p. 213to Naturalize the ways of God to them,foreign Charondas in ythag, Pragm. p. 207. and ſo to make them more delightful, and alſo more durable. Things that were ſet betimes, and have taken good rooting, are not ſo eaſily pull'd up. 4. 'Tis eaſier to prevent than to remove what is evil; (as with reſpect to Bodily diſeaſes, Prophylacticks are more eaſie than Therapeuticks). He that gains the firſt poſſeſſion, hath great advantage: He that hath the ſtart, wins the race: O that you would do whatever in you lies, to be before hand with the Devil; if you do not mind your work, he will mind his; if you neglect your Education, he will not neglect his Temptation; and if he first gets poſſeſſion, it will be very hard to caſt him out. 5. What a bleſſed thing is it to ſee a child looking Heaven-wards betimes, under an early work of Grace, ſanctifi'd from the womb, (as John Baptiſt was); knowing the Scriptures betimes, (as Timothy did); 'Tis ſaid of Obadiah, Purvulae adhuc lingua bulbutiens, Christi Hallelujah reſonaret. Hier. ad Laeta: .19.he feared God from his youth, 1 King. 18.12. The poor * little Children had Hoſanna in their mouths, Math. 21.15. (was not that better than the Childrens Bald-pate? 2 King. 2.23.) p. 214How ſoon are young ones receptive of good or evil; and how pleaſing is it to God, when he ſees perſons betimes ſeaſoned with Grace! Under the Law, Lambs and Kids, and young Turtles were the Sacrifices that he delighted in; when Parents dedicate their Children to God betimes, and educate them ſo, that this dedication may be made good, this is highly acceptable to the Lord. Shall not theſe things prevail with you, to put you upon timely and early Education? Pray do as the Gardiner doth, as ſoon as ever the Spring comes, he's digging, ſetting, ſowing, planting, Inveterata difficilius curantur. Senec. Elleborum frustrà, cum jam cutis aegra tumebit Poſcentes vide as: venienti occurrite morbo. Perſ. Sat 3.he will by no means loſe that ſeaſon; O let that care and activeneſs be in you, for your Children in reference to Spiritual things. Will it not wound and pierce you to the very heart, when you ſhall ſee Relations, perverſe, obſtinate, ſpurning at all counſels and reproofs? to conſider, O time was, when they were pliable, when they would have harkened and yielded to good advice, when ye might have done with them what ye would; but now that time is over, now your Children are incorrigible; and p. 215ſo by your not timely doing of your duty, their ſouls are ruin'd. O Friends, it will come to this, if you do not take the courſe here preſcribed. The Horſe that is not broken when he's young, will never be maſtered: The wildeſt Creatures taken in time, may be tamed and cicurated, but upon the omiſſion of that, what a fierceneſs and cruelty is there fixed in them. I leave it to you to make the application; God grant you may never know the Truth of it by experience, upon your delaying and deferring of good Education.

Secondly, Back Religious Education, (in all the ſeveral parts of it) with fervent Supplications. You may do your duty, but 'tis God that muſt give the bleſſing; The beſt Education is fruitleſs and ſucceſsleſs, if it be not accompany'd with this: The Gardiner may ſet and plant, but there muſt be rain from Heaven, and the warm influences of the Sun, or elſe there is no growth; Miniſters may preach in publick, you may do much in private, but after all, 'tis God that gives the increaſe and bleſſing. 1 Cor. 3.7.1 Cor 3:7You are upon greater p. 214duplicate page p. 215duplicate page p. 216diſadvantages than the Gardiner; for you ſow and plant upon very bad ground, upon a very bad ſtock, a very corrupt Nature. O, if God's ſpecial Grace doth not accompany and bleſs your endeavours, nothing but weeds will grow upon this ſoil, nothing but luxuriant branches upon this stock. Often therefore go to him in humble and hearty prayer; beſeech him to ſet in with your Education, to crown your endeavours with ſucceſs, to make the means effectual to the attaining of the end. Say, Lord, that my Child, my Servant may be the better for all this; I inſtruct, Lord ſanctifie inſtruction; I exhort, Lord do thou ſet Exhortation home upon the heart; Lord, I correct, let Correction fetch out pride, &c. Let me ask you, Do you thus pray over your Education? Do you pray over and for your Children? (as Abraham, Job, and others us'd to do). Do you in ſecret pour out your Souls, your Sighs, your Tears, for your poor Children? Do you ſometimes, (nay often) plead their caſe at the Throne of Grace? Lord, here's an Iſhmael, O that he might live;Gen. 17.18.Gen 17:18 here's a Child, O p. 217that Chriſt might be formed in him; Gal. 4.19.Gal 4:19here's a child of wrath, wilt thou make him an heir of Grace? ſhall my child be thy child? thou haſt given him Feature, Limbs, Lineaments, Reaſon, Wit, wilt thou give him Grace too? 'tis not the things of the world, that I ſo much deſign or deſire for him, but 'tis Chriſt a Covenant Intereſt, a renewed Heart, that I breathe after. I ſay, do you thus plead with God for your Children? Surely if you do, God will hear. A child of Prayers and Tears ſhall not periſh; (as Ambroſe comforted Monica concerning her Son Auguſtine). O Pray, pray thus for them, this foreign, (as Sophocles calls it),Sophocl. in Ajax. this treaſure, or this ſtock of Prayers, is the beſt portion, or eſtate that you can leave them. And in ſpecial, when you are at praying-work, beg of God, that holy Education may be bleſſed to them.

Thirdly, Compleat your good Education at home, by your ſpecial care, when you are to ſend them abroad, and to diſpoſe of them in the world: Surely, ſuch as are Conſcientious in the former, will be very careful in the latter. This p. 218is like the laying of the Roof in a building; He that builds an Houſe will not only lay his foundation, and ſee that that be firm and ſtrong, nor only carry up the Superstructure; but he will alſo look to the laying of the roof, for without this, the foundation it ſelf will be endangered. That's your caſe here; I ſuppoſe, as to Education, you have laid the foundation well, and have built well upon it, (whilſt your Children were at home with you); Now that which further lies upon you is the laying of the Roof; that you diſpoſe well of them abroad, which if you do not do, the foundation which you have laid, will be in danger; and all that you have done with ſo much pains, will preſently be undone again. And therefore I earneſtly commend this to Parents; not only to be careful of theirs, whilſt they are with them, and under their eye, but alſo to be careful how they diſpoſe of them upon their removal from them. Are Children to to go to School? or to the Ʋniverſity? or to a Trade? or are they to enter upon a married state? Firſt, beg direction of God, how and where to diſpoſe p. 219of them, (as Manoah did, Judg. 13.8. O my Lord, let the man of God, which thou didſt ſend, come again unto us, and teach us what we ſhall do unto the Child, that ſhall be born). And then, steer your courſe by Religious Conſiderations; As near as you can, place them with ſuch as fear God; with ſuch as will clench the nail which you have driven in, (as one expreſſes it); with ſuch who will build upon that foundation which you have laid, and further that good work which you have begun. This is a matter of great importance, and that which is very neceſſary; we do too often ſee a good Education ſpoiled for want of care in this; All that was gained at home, is loſt abroad; all that was done by the godly Parent, is undone by the careleſs School-maſter or Tutor, or Maſter, or New Relation. Much here might be ſpoken, even from Scripture, (eſpecially as to that Branch of diſpoſing of Children in Marriage, in which the Patriarchs, See Gen. 24.3, 4. & 26.34, 35. & 27.46.Gen 24:3Gen 24:4Gen 26:34Gen 26:35Gen 27:46did exerciſe a ſingular care, as many places ſhow us): but I will rather leave further enlargements upon this, to your own thoughts. I have all p. 220along in this tedious Diſcourſe, directed my ſelf to Parents and Masters; muſt nothing be ſaid to Children and Servants? to ſhow them, how they are to carry it, with reſpect to this Religious Education? Should I ſay ſomething upon this, I am ſure it would not be unneceſſary, and I hope it would not be unprofitable; But, yet this being a Digreſſion as to what I propounded at first, I ſhall paſs it by. The truth is, I have made ſo many Apologies already, that I am aſhamed to make more.