well (I say) let there be never so good laws in cities, never so pure orders in churches, if there be no practise at home, if fathers of families use not doctrine, and discipline in their houses, & join their hands to magistrate and ministers, they may indeed, but unjustly, as many have done complain that their children are corrupted abroad, when they were before, and are still corrupted at home. Alas if parents, to whom the comfort of their children well brought up is a precious crown, will not inform and reform their children in the fear of God, how would hope sustain these men, that others will perform this duty for them, to whom this charge doeth far less appertain? Lastly, let parents remember, that therefore they have disordered and disobedient children to themselves, because they have been disobedient children unto the Lord, and disordered to their parents when they were young, whereof because they have not repented, the Lord punisheth their ⟨image 9⟩sins to others with the like sin to themselves. Wilt thou know, thou father, how thou mayest have that blessing to be the blessed father of a blessed seed? wilt thou know, thou mother, how to avoid that curse to be the cursed mother of a cursed seed? bring thy children within the compass of the covenant: endeavour to make thy son the son of God, and thy daughter by nature the daughter of god by grace: and remember how that God, which on his part protested to father Abraham that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise in giving him a blessed seed, and requested also on father Abraham's part, that he should walk before him, and be upright. Wilt thou then have the one part of this of the covenant: that is, that God should bless thee in thy seed? then remember also that thou walk before the Lord, and be upright: wilt thou have thy children as the blessed seed of Abraham? teach them with Abraham the judgements of the Lord: pray for them with Abraham, that they may live in tho ⟨image 9⟩light of the Lord: be ready to offer them with Abraham, that they may be a holy sacrifice unto the Lord, It is thou, O man, O woman, that mayest do thy child the greatest good, and the greatest harm: if thou prayest for him, and repentest for thy self, the Lord will bless thy care, the pastors pains, the teachers travail.
well (I say) let there be neuer so good lawes in cities, neuer so pure orders in churches, if there be no practise at home, if fathers of families vse not doctrine, and discipline in their houses, & ioyne their handes to magistrate and ministers, they may indéede, but vniustlie, as manie haue done complaine that their children are corrupted abroad, when they were before, and are still corrupted at home. Alas if parents, to whome the comfort of their children well brought vp is a precious crown, wil not informe and reforme their children in the feare of God, howe would hope sustaine these men, that others will performe this dutie for them, to whome this charge doeth farre lesse appertaine? Lastlie, let parents remember, that therefore they haue disordered and disobedient children to themselues, because they haue béene disobedient children vnto the Lorde, and disordered to their parents when they were young, whereof because they haue not repented, the Lorde punisheth their ⟨image 9⟩sinnes to others with the like sinne to themselues. Wilt thou know, thou father, howe thou maiest haue that blessing to bée the blessed father of a blessed séede? wilt thou know, thou mother, howe to auoide that cursse to bée the curssed mother of a curssed séede? bring thy children within the compasse of the couenant: indeuour to make thy sonne the sonne of God, and thy daughter by nature the daughter of god by grace: and remember howe that God, which on his part protested to father Abraham that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise in giuing him a blessed séede, and requested also on father Abrahams part, that he should walke before him, and be vpright. Wilt thou then haue the one part of this of the couenant: that is, that God should blesse thée in thy séede? then remember also that thou walke before the Lord, and be vpright: wilt thou haue thy children as the blessed séede of Abraham? teach them with Abraham the iudgements of the Lord: pray for them with Abraham, that they may liue in tho ⟨image 9⟩light of the Lord: be readie to offer them with Abraham, that they may be a holie sacrifice vnto the Lord, It is thou, O man, O woman, that mayest do thy childe the greatest good, and the greatest harme: if thou prayest for him, and repentest for thy selfe, the Lord will blesse thy care, the pastors paines, the teachers trauaile.
