Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 6 · Section 35 – Section 36
§. 35. Of directing parents how to teach their children true pietie.
1. Whatſoeuer principle of pietie, parents doe teach their children, 1. Principles of pietie to be all taken out of Gods word.they muſt be ſure that it be grounded on Gods word: thus much this phraſe (admonition of the Lord) implieth.
Thus ſhall parents be ſure to feed them with good wholeſome ſpirituall food, ſuch as ſhall make to their ſpirituall nouriſhment, and eternall life. In this reſpect principles of religion grounded on Gods word are called ſound, or wholſome, or healthfull words: 2 Tim. 1. 13. foreign.and that both in regard of their matter and ſubſtance, and alſo in regard of their effect; they cauſe and preſerue good, ſound, ſpirituall health. We know that naturall men hauehave a care to giuegive their children ſuch food as is wholſome for their bodie: (for will a father Mat. 7. 9, 10, 11.that is euill, giuegive his childe a ſtone, or a ſerpent, and not that which is good?) Conſcience muſt moue religious parents, to hauehave the like care of the ſoules of their children, as nature teacheth all parents to hauehave of their bodies. If parents be carefull to draw thoſe principles, wherein they inſtruct their children, out of Gods word, they ſhall be ſure not to poyſon their ſoules with any error, hereſie, ſuperſtition, or idolatrie.
2. When children begin to read, let them read the holy Scripture: 2. Let children at firſt read the Scripture.ſo was Timothie trained vp from a childe (2 Tim. 3. 15.) Thus will children ſucke in religion with learning: for there is a ſecret vertue lurking in the holy Scripture (which is Gods owne word) more then in any bookes of men: ſo as through Gods Sacrae Scripturae nominibus vtantur, & loco fabularum ſelectae illis hiſtoriae narrentur, & ſententijs prouerbialibus ex Solomone inſtituantur. Baſil. Aſcet. c. 15. 3 Catechiſe children daily. Deut. 6. 7.bleſſing there may by this meanes be an inward worke of grace in children euen in their young yeeres. Beſides, no bookes are more eaſie then many parts of Scripture; and no hiſtories more admirable and delightfull, then the hiſtories of the Scripture. It is the aduice of an ancient Father, that young children be made acquainted with the words and names of holy Scripture: and that, in ſtead of tales and fables, choice hiſtories of the Bible be made knowne to them: and that they be inſtructed in the Prouerbs of Solomon.
3. Let children be catechiſed conſtantly from day to day: rehearſe them continually vntounto thy children, ſaith the Law. That which is daily done, is in Scripture ſaid to be done continually: as the ſacrifice which was daily offered was called a continuall offering. Here let this caueat be noted, that in giuing this ſpirituall food, parents deale with their children, as skilfull nurſes and mothers doe in feeding infants: they will not at once cram more into their mouthes, then their ſtomach is able to digeſt, but they will rather oft feed them with a little: ſo it is not meet, that parents be too tedious; that will but dull a childs vnderſtanding, and breed weariſomneſſe, and make it loath to be againe inſtructed: but precept vponupon precept, precept vponupon precept, line vponupon line, line vponupon line, Iſa. 28. 10.here a little, and there a little. Thus ſhall they learne with caſe and delight: and this being oft performed, in time a great meaſure of knowledge will be gained thereby. If a veſſell hauehave a little mouth, we vſe not to fill it by powring whole paile-fuls vponupon it, for ſo all may be ſpilt, and it receiue little or nothing: but we let the liquor fall in by little and little, according to the capacitie of the mouth; ſo is nothing loſt, and the veſſell filled the ſooner. Thus are children to be dealt withall.
4. To the ſet times of catechizing children, let other occaſions 4. Take all occaſions from ſenſible things to make a ſpirituall vſe.of teaching them pietie be added: as at table, by reſembling the ſpirituall food of their ſoules, to that corporall food, whereby their bodies are nouriſhed: when they are walking abroad, by ſhewing them the ſtarres, how they remaine ſtedfaſt in their courſe; the trees, how they bring forth fruit in their ſeaſon; how all things are for the vſe and benefit of man, and thereupon make ſpirituall vſes: note the direction which for this purpoſe the Law giueth to parents, Thou ſhall talke to thy children of my words, Deut. 6. 7.when thou ſitteſt in thine houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lieſt downe, and when thou riſeſt vp.
5. Let parents open to their children the myſteries of thoſe 5. Open the myſteries of the rites of the Church. Exo. 12. 26. & 13. 14.outward rites which God hath ordained in his Church, as of Preaching, Baptiſing children, adminiſtring the Lords Supper, ceaſing from worke on the Lords day, with the like. This was expreſly commanded vnderunder the law. Viſible rites are great helpes to the weake vnderſtanding of children, when they are plainly opened and applied: yea they are alſo eſpeciall meanes of keeping in memory the myſteries contained vnderunder them: as courſe threds or wiars are meanes to preſerue pearles put vponupon them. So oft as they ſee the rites they will be put in minde of the myſteries implied vnderunder them.
6. To this may be referred a declaration of ſuch great and 6. Let Gods great workes be declared.admirable workes as God in former times hath done for his Church: eſpecially ſuch workes as hauehave beene done in their time: and if any memorials be remaining of them, make them knowne to children. This direction was alſo giuen vnderunder Joſ. 4. 6, 21.the law, concerning the monuments which were ſet vp of the great deliuerances that God gaue to his people. In particular when the day of the gunpowder-treaſon is ſolemnized, parents ought to teach their children the occaſion of ſolemni…ing that day. And as God doth any great workes of mercy …r of iudgement, point them out to children. When there is great famine, plague, or any mortality, inſtruct children in …he cauſes thereof: when victory, plenty, peace, or the like, …ach children from whence theſe come. Outward ſenſible things doe beſt worke vponupon children.
7. Let religious ſchoole maſters be choſen for children: ſo…ewiſe 7. Let religious maſters be choſen.other maſters to whom children are put forth: and religious houſes where they are placed. Hannah commended …er firſt borne childe to old Eli, a good, religious high Prieſt. 1 Sam. 1. 25. Magiſter probae aetatis, & vitae, at que eruditionis eſt eligendus. Hier. ad Laet.… … … maſters themſelues be religious, there is good hope that they will inſtruct in piety ſuch as are vnderunder them: which if they …oe, what an helpe will that be to parents? If both parents and maſters ioyne therein, it muſt needs be very profitable to …e children. If parents ſhould faile, yet might maſters make a …ood ſupply.
8. Let parents be to their children a good patterne and example 8. Be an example.in pietie. I and my houſe (ſaith aIoſ. 24. 15.Ioſua) will ſerue the Lord: he ſetteth himſelfe firſt as a guide to the reſt. bPſal. 101. 2. Nihil in te & in Patre ſuo videat, quod ſi fecerit peccet. Mementote vos parentes virginis, magis eam exemplis doceri poſſe, quàm voce. Hier. ad Laet.I will walke in mine houſe with a perfect heart, ſaith Dauid, whereby he would make himſelfe an example, as to others of his family, ſo to his children. Example is a reall inſtruction, and addeth a ſharpe edge to admonition. Much more ſhall a religious parent doe by practiſe then by precept. For children are much inclined to follow their parents: let them goe before, children will ſoone follow after. Practiſe is an euident proofe of the neceſſitie of the precept deliuered.
§. 36. Of Parents faults contrary to their dutie of teaching their children piety.
Many are the aberrations contrary to the forenamed care of teaching pietie. For
1. Moſt parents care only for the temporall and ciuill good of their children: ſo their children may be well fed and clothed, and brought vp in ſome profitable calling, whereby they may well maintaine themſelues in this world, little thought is Iob non tantum pro corpore filiorum ſollicitus erat, ſed plus de anima cogitabat. Orig. in Iob. lib. 1.had, or care taken for their ſpirituall life in this world, or eternall life in the world to come. Wherein are theſe parents better then heathen? Iob was otherwiſe minded: he was more carefull for their ſoules then for their bodies.
2. Many are ſo farre from teaching piety, as they teach their children profaneneſſe, pride, riot, lying, deceit, and ſuch like principles of the deuill. It had beene better for ſuch children to hauehave liued among wilde beaſts, then vnderunder ſuch parents. As the children hereby are thruſt headlong to hell, ſo their blood ſhall be required of their parents.
3. Others thinke it enough that their children be taught a religion, but what religion it skilleth not. Such are they as hauing rich kindred but popiſh, commend their children to the education of ſuch kindred, in hope of ſome temporall benefit, that their children may reape from them. If they were as careleſſe of their childrens bodies, they would be accounted little better then murtherers: and is not the ſoule more pretious then the body?
4. So farre are many from catechiſing their children and that daily, as they teach them not ſo much as the Lords praier, the Beleefe, and the ten Commandements. Wherein Papiſts ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt them, that are very diligent in teaching their children, Pater noſter, Aue Maria, and ſuch like Latine principles, as the children cannot poſſibly vnderſtand.
5. Few vſe the forenamed outward helpes, as the holy rites appointed of God, the great and glorious workes of God, his extraordinary workes of mercy or iudgement, to inſtruct their children thereby. As they themſelues care not to take notice of any ſuch thing, ſo they care not whether their children doe it or no.
6. So much doe ſome preferre a little pelfe before the true Alexander & in moribus, & in inceſſu l. eonidis paedagogi ſui non potuit carere vitijs, quibus adbuc paruulus fuit infectus. Hier. ad Laet.good of their children, as they care not to what ſchoolemaſter they put their children, be he profane, or popiſh, or vnlearned, eſpecially if he be a kinſman, or one of their friends. Few will ſo doe in caſe of their health or outward eſtate: but will rather get the beſt Phyſitian, or the beſt Lawyer that they can. Children oft learne ſuch euill qualities of their ſchoolemaſters as they can neuer ſhake off againe.
7. Many proue very bad patternes to their children, and giuegive very ill example by profanenſſe, riotouſneſſe, ſwearing, drinking, playing at vnlawfull games, &c. Theſe parents as they brought forth their children in ſinne, ſo they lead them on forward to hell. Their euill example is not only an hinderance to the good inſtruction of others, but alſo maketh all their owne counſells (if at any time they doe giuegive any good counſell) to be in vaine: for the left hand of euill example Parentes non educant filios in eruditione domini quia ſolliciti non ſunt pro ſalute vel perditione eorum. Orig. loc. citat.ſoone pulleth downe more then the right hand of inſtruction can build againe.
To conclude, thoſe parents whoſe children are not brought vp in the inſtruction of the Lord, ſhew plainly that they regard neither the ſaluation or damnation of their ſoules.