A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

The special duties of parents towards their children, are, that they love them with parent-like affection, and take singular care of them; and ¹both these, first, in regard of their natural life, in which respect there is required, 1. that they nourish and bring them up: 2. that they fit them for some honest calling according to their own ability, and the disposition and gifts of their children: 3. that they govern and direct them in matters of moment, and chiefly in contracting marriage: and lastly, ²that they provide and lay up for them, as God shall give honest and lawful ⟨p. 149⟩means, not wronging others, nor defrauding themselves of things necessary ³and comfortable. In respect of their spiritual life, their duty is, as they bring them into the covenant of grace, made not only to them, but also to their seed, so to procure for them the Sacrament of the covenant. Secondly, that they bring them up in the fear of the Lord, both by instruction, example & discipline. Lastly, that they pray for them, and give them their daily blessing. The duties of children towards their parents, are first, to be answerable to them in love. Secondly, to reverence them highly, though their state be never so mean, in and for the Lord. ^d