N00727:66
A family well-ordered. Or An essay to render parents and children happy in one…
A family well-ordered. Or An essay to render parents and children happy in one another. Handling two very important cases. I. What are the duties to be done by pious parents, for the promoting of piety in their children. II. What are the duties that must be paid by children to their parents, that they may obtain the blessings of the dutiful. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Three lines from Malachi]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Michael Perry, 1699
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I. Maintain in your own Spirits, a Dread of those Dreadful Curses, with which the God of Heaven uses to take Vengeance on the Children, who put not Respect, but Contempt, upon their Parents. Behold▪ how dreadfully the Judgments of God follow the Children that Set Light by their Parents; and Oh, my Warned Children, upon the sight of those Warnings, cry out, Lord, my Flesh trembles for fear, and I am afraid of those Judgments!
Indeed there is no Sin more usually Revenged, with the Sensible and Notable Curses of God, than that Sin, The Contempt of Parents. Exasperated Parents themselves, do sometimes Imprecate Curses upon their Children; and the Invisible World with a st••nge, but a quick work, usually sa•es▪ Amen, to those Curses. But, I beseech of you▪ O Parents, that be your Exasperations what they will, you forbear to use any Imprecations on your Children. Alas, They will be Cursed Children fast enough, without the least Ill wish of yours to hasten it. When it was Instituted, that the Levites were to proclaim, Cursed is ⟨p. 44⟩be that sets Light by his Father, or his Mother ▪ One part of the Institution was▪ All the people shall say, Amen. Truly, it often comes to pass, that when the Curses of God come upon them that •et Light by their Parents, it shall be so▪ that all the people shall take Notice of it; all the people shall see an, Amen, set unto it, shall see it Ratified. Children, I must be a little particular with you.
Indeed there is no Sin more usually Revenged, with the Sensible and Notable Curses of God, than that Sin, The Contempt of Parents. Exasperated Parents themselves, do sometimes Imprecate Curses upon their Chidren; and the Invisible World with a stnge, but a quick work, usually saes Amen, to those Curses. But, I beseech of you O Parents, that be your Exasperations what they will, you forbear to use any Imprecations on your Children. Alas, They will be Cursed Children fast enough, without the least Ill wish of yours to hasten it. When it was Instituted, that the Levites were to proclaim, Cursed is