The danger of speedy degeneracy, held forth in a sermon preached at the lecture…

3. They will indulge their Children in Evil. Godly men may be too indulgent to their Children; but more generally Godly men will be careful in the Education of their Children, Gen. 18. 19. Abraham will command his Children and his Household after him, and they shall keep the ways of the Lord. David was very careful to principle Solomon, Prov. 4. 3, 4. So was Bathsheba, Prov. 31. 2, 3, 4. They are solicitous for Gods Glory, and the Salvation of their Children, and will be careful in Educating of them; but if the Generation be carnal, they will be negligent in Educating them; they would have them be good husbands, and follow their business diligently; and they can't abide that they should do any thing that should occasion them to be fined; but there be abundance of miscarriages that they do not much regard; they don't much mind it, if they be rude and misbehaved, if they run abroad in the night time, and be absent from Family Prayers, if they be vain ⟨p. 10⟩and proud, and don't sanctify the Sabbath carefully; and if they do indulge their Children in evil, they will grow very bad: Children will be very corrupt, if not well governed; Eccles. 11. 10. Childhood and Youth are vanity; Prov. 29. 15. A Child left to himself, bringeth his mother to shame.

3. They will indulge their Children in Evil. Godly men may be too indulgent to their Children; but more generally Godly men will be careful in the Education of their Children, Gen. 18. 19. Abraham will command his Children and his Houshold after him, and they shall keep the ways of the Lord. David was very careful to principle Solomon, Prov. 4. 3, 4. So was Bathsheba,