The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

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.