Now when thou shalt see such sins to be in thy children, enter into thine own heart, examine thy self, whether they are not come from thee, consider how justly the hand of God may be upon thee, and when thou wouldest be angry with thy child, have an holy anger with thy self, and use this or such like meditation with thine own soul: Lord, ⟨p. 278⟩shall I thus punish mine own sin, and that in my child? Shall I thus prosecute the corruptions of my ancestors? Nay I see, O Lord, and prove that thou art displeased with me, for the too carnal desire of posterity. I lay then in some sin, I asked not this child of thee by prayer; be merciful unto me O God, and in thy good time show some pity upon1 my child. Thus thinking when thou goest about to correct the corruption of nature in thy child, which he could not help, arming thy self with prayer, repenting with Jacob, thou shalt be so affected, that as thou art desirous to draw thy child out of sin, so yet to do it with the mildest means, and with least rigour. And one thing is most wonderful, that2 some will teach their children to speak corruptly, and do wickedly whilst they are3 young: and yet beat them for it when they are come to riper age. Again, some will embolden their children to practise iniquity towards others, which when by the just judgement4 of God, they afterwards practise against their parents themselves, they are corrected for it. And yet deal with these and such like men, for the evil education of their children, and they will answer, do not we as much as is of us required? We send our children to the Church to be instructed of the pastor and to the school to be taught of the master; if they learn, it will be the better for them; if not, they have the more to answer for another day, what can we do more? But remember O man, consider O woman, whosoever thus speakest, that for thy sins sake, and thy want of prayer, there may be a plague upon5 the pastors pains, and a curse upon the teachers travail: If parents would have their children blessed at Church and at school, let them beware they give their children no corrupt examples at home, by any carelessness, profaneness, or ungodliness; otherwise parents will do them more harm at home, than both pastors and schoolmasters can do them good abroad.
Now when thou shalt see such sinnes to be in thy children, enter into thine owne heart, examine thy selfe, whether they are not come from thee, consider how iustly the hand of God may bee vpon thee, and when thou wouldest bee angrie with thy childe, haue an holy anger with thy selfe, and vse this or such like meditatiō with thine owne soule: Lord, ⟨p. 278⟩shall I thus punish mine owne sinne, and that in my child? Shall I thus prosecute the corruptions of my auncesters? Nay I see, O Lord, and proue that thou art displeased with me, for the too carnall desire of posteritie. I lay then in some sinne, I asked not this childe of thee by prayer; be mercifull vnto me O God, and in thy good time shew some pitie vpon1 my child. Thus thinking when thou goest about to correct the corruptiō of nature in thy childe, which he could not helpe, arming thy selfe with prayer, repenting with Iacob, thou shalt be so affected, that as thou art desirous to draw thy childe out of sinne, so yet to doe it with the mildest meanes, and with least rigour. And one thing is most wonderfull, that2 some will teach their children to speake corruptly, and doe wickedly whilest they are3 young: and yet beate them for it when they are come to riper age. Againe, some will imbolden their children to practise iniquitie towards others, which when by the iust iudgement4 of God, they afterwards practise against their parents themselues, they are corrected for it. And yet deale with these and such like men, for the euil education of their children, and they will answere, doe not wee as much as is of vs required? Wee send our children to the Church to be instructed of the pastor and to the schoole to be taught of the master; if they learne, it will be the better for them; if not, they haue the more to answere for another day, what can wee doe more? But remember O man, consider O woman, whosoeuer thus speakest, that for thy sinnes sake, and thy want of prayer, there may be a plague vpon5 the pastors paines, and a curse vpon the teachers trauaile: If parents would haue their children blessed at Church and at schoole, let them beware they giue their children no corrupt examples at home, by any carelesnes, prophanenes, or vngodlines; otherwise parents will doe them more harme at home, than both pastors and schoolemasters can doe them good abroade.
- 1A notable meditation in the correction of children.A notable meditatiō in the correctiō of children.
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- 3The folly of some parents.The follie of some parents.
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- 5Parents must give their children a good example in their private family.Parēts must giue their children a good example in their priuate familie.
