The Godly Man's Picture

3. If it be the sign of a godly man to promote Grace in others,¹ then much more ought he to promote it in his near Relations. A godly man will be careful that his Children should know God; he would be sorry that any of his flesh should burn in hell; he labours to see Christ formed in them, who are himself in another Edition. Austin saith, That his Mother Monica travelled with greater care and pain for his Spiritual Birth, than for his^† Natural.

3. If it be the sign of a godly man to promote Grace in others,¹ then much more ought he to promote it in his neer Relations. A godly man will be careful that his Children should know God; he would be sorry that any of his flesh should burn in hell; he labours to see Christ formed in them, who are himself in another Edition. Austin saith, That his Mother Monica travelled with greater care and pain for his Spiritual Birth, than for his^† Natural.

1. 13 Bran.
2. †Lib. 5. Confess.

The time of Childhood is the fittest time to be sowing seeds of Religion in our Children, Isa. 28. 9. Whom shall he make understand Doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, that are drawn from the breasts. The Wax, while it is soft and tender, will take any impression: Children while they are young will fear a reproof, when they are old they will hate it,