Motive 7• M olivl S. Motives for tl,e good Educatio11 of Children. by promife to prot,td: them, a1~d _Provide for .them, and to fee that all things work together for their good. He that clotheth the Ltlh's of the hclds, and futfmth not the young Lions or Ravens tobe unproviaed for~ will prllvide convenient food for his own children, ( rhcugh he will h::tve you alfo do your duty for them, as they arc your children. ) While they arc the childr<n of Satan, and the krvants of hn, you h•ve cauft eo ti:ar, not only Id\ they be txpofed to miftrits in this wDild, but much more h::H they be fnatchcd away in their tin to Hell: Your children while tht y are ungoPiy arc worfe tlun among ·wolves and Tygcrs. But when once they are renewcll by rh·e Spi~ ri~ ofChrill, .they are the charge ~fall the bldfcd Trinity, .and under God, the chJrge of Angels; Ltvmg or dymg th'y are fafe: tor the E.tcrnal God IS 1hm portton and ddmcr. 3· It may be a continual comtort to you eo thu~k what a deal of drudgtry and calamity ymuchild IS freed from: To think bow m.my Oaths he WOl11d have fworn, andhowmany !yes and curft:s he would hlVe ur· tered, >nd how beafily and fle01ly a life he would have lived, how much wrong ho would have done to God and men, and how much he would have ph:afcd the Dtvil, and what tormtnts in Hdl he mu!\ have endured as the rcwud of all; and tht:n to think how mercifu\ly God harh prevc:ntcd all this; and what fcrvice he may do God in the world, and finally live with Chri{\ in glory: Whot a joy is this to ~ con£iJering bdic:ving Parent, that taketh the mercies of his children as his owrt ~ 4· Rtligion will teach your children to be more dutiful to your fclvcs, than NatHrt c1n teach them. I· will teach them to Lovt you, even when you have: no more to give them, as well as if ycu had the .... ealth of all the world: It will teach tkt:rn to bonom· you, though you arc poor and contemptible in the eyes of others. It will teach thtm to obty ) Jte, ar.d if you tall into want w rdieve y<.u accord~ ing to their power: It will tit them to cornfou )'Olt in the time of your fickntfs and di.firtfs; whtn· u..tgcdly children will be as thorns in your fctt or eyes, and cut your hearts, and prove 1 greater gric:f thau any enemit:s eo you. A gucious child will bear with your weakndTtS, when a CIJ:Jm will not cover his F.Hhcrs nal{cdncfs: A gracious Child can pily f0r you, and pray wifh you, and be a blc:tling t'J your houfe; when an ungodly Ch_ild is titter to cutie, and prove: a curfe to thofc he lives with. 5· And is it not an CJCC(:(ding joy to think of the cvcrlafting happinc:fs of your Child? a!ld that you may live tog.:::rhcr in Heaven for ever~ When rhc forcfecn mifcry of a gracd~ls Child, may grieve you when l vcr you look him in the face. 6. L1Hly, It will be a ~rcat addition w your joy, to think that God bldfcd )'Ollt diligent-inilJuC{,:ons, and made you the infirumc:nt ofall rhat good that is done upon your children, and of all rlut good thlt is done by them , and of all the: happint.fs they have tor c.vtr~ To thir:k th:lt thi;; was convtycd to themby your means, will give you a luger !hue in rhe dcljghts cf ir. ~· 7• Morive 7• Remember tbat yo;~r Childttns CriJ,i;ul fin and mife'Y is by you; a~td tbertfore i.f j:~)i'e you tb~t li.;v( uw.J(Jitt t!Jtm, {1ft bouml to do your btjt tJ [Jve them. It )'OU had but conveyed a leproti~ or tOme hrreditary Difeak to'their bodies, would you not have done your bdt to curt: them? 01hat you CQUld do them hut as much goodasyoudorhemhurr. lrismorethanAdAms tin that runnah down into the naturc:s of your Children, yea, and that bringeth judgemc:ncs o:1 them: And<.vm AJ,.t,riiJ fincomerh no( to them bur by you. 9· S. Morivc 8 · Laltly, Cunjidel' wbd txcuding grut nttd thry IHve of tht umrojl lulp yM can af· ford tlum. le is not a corporal difeaG·, an eatic: enemy, a tolcublernifery, rh.a we c1ll unto you for their htlp ; But it is a&,linit Sin, and S.Jta11, and HcU fire. It is ag1inll a body of tin ; nor une, Pm: rnmy; nor fnJU, butptrnicio111, having leiu:d llpon the heut; dt:r:p rooted tins, that are not eaiily p:uckc up. All the teaching, and diligen,c, and wuchfalncfs that you can ufc, is little enough, and may prove too little. Tl1<y are obl\iulte vices that have poifdfed them: 1 They ate uot quickly nor eafily 'a!l out; and th~ remnants aud roots are ape to be 1\ill fpringing up ag.&in , whc:n you thought they had been quite dellroytd: 0 then what wifd•m and diligence is rcquiGte to fo gteat and nccdfaty a work ! · , 9. 9 , And now kt me fetiouily fpeal< to the hems of thofe carelefs and ungodly Puents. tlut negld.l: the holy educotion of their Children : yea, and to thofe Profelfors of Godlinefs that Oubbcr. over fo great a work ~ith a fc~ cullomary formal duties and wmds, th~t a~e next to a rota! ot~iffion of it. 0 be not (o unmerctful to the fouls that you have hclpr to bnng mto the world ! Thtnk not fo bafdy of lhem, as ifchcy were not worth your labour! Make not your Children £0 like your Beafis, as to make no provi{ion but only for their fldh. Remember ftill that ir is not Bc:ttls but men, tlut you have begotten and brought forth: Educate them then and ufe th~m as men for the Love and Obedicnct of their M•ker: 0 pity and help the fouls that you have denied and undone ! Have m«cy on the foul< that mufl perifh in Hell, if they be not fJve.! in this day of hlvltion! 0 help them chat have fo m1ny t'ncmies to aff.mlt them! Hdp them that have fa many ternptattons to pats through; and fo many difficultits to overcome; and fo fc::vcre a jud~cmenc t.o unde_rgo? Hdp them that arc fo weak, and fo eafily deceived and overthrown ! Help them fpeedtly whtlc your ad– vamag~s continue! before fin have hardned them, and Grace have forfaltr:n them, and Su:m place a firongc:r Garrifon in their hc::arts. Hdp them while they are tradable; before they arc grown up to defpi(C your help; Before you and they are feparated atimder, .and your opportunities be. ac an end. You rhink not your pains from year to year, too much to make provition for their boda:s: 0 be nor cruel 10 their fouls! Sell rhc:m not to Satan, and that for s:toughr ! Betray them nor by your ungodly n<gligence to Hell; Or if any of them wiU ptrijh, let it nor be by you_ that are fo much bound to do them good : The undoing of your childrcns fouls is a work. much ~tter for StJta~, than for their P•rwiJ, Remember how oomfoxtable a thing it is, to work Wtth Chull for the lavmg of fouls.
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