Direll. 13· Dircl/.14· Dire/J• 14· Educatioil of [hildren. ncf. Chil<i~en cr,ufi .have c~wvc~tirm JPtrt for the health of. the body and alar:rily of the rr.ind: fuch as wdl cxtrc!fcth tht1r bod1es JS bdt, and not fuch as Jmic llirreth them: Card1 and Dice d fuch idle: {pC'ns arc every way mofl: untie~ as tending to hurt both body and mind. Their rim; :rfc mull be limited them , that thtir play may not be their w~r~ : As foon as ever they hav~ rhe ufe of any r_ea!on and fpeech, rhey !hould be taught fomc bctter things, and not left till they are tivc or hx years of age to do nothmg, but get a cufiomc of wafling all. their rime in 1 Children are very eJrly capable of learning fomething which may prepare them for maze. pay. 9· I2· Dind. 12. Vfe .1U ynur n·ifdom .:md diligeJtce to root out the fiJt of Pri6e: A 1 td ta th.zt e d c;lo not (at;, ufoal with foolijh ParentJ,) tiJ.Jt pltafe them with milkjng them fine, aitd then by teO~ ,_ them bow fim tbry'are : But ujt tocommend humility and pi.Jinmji to them~ and ffeak,. (/j[gracefuUzn~ ~ri~e and finencji, t.o breed an a~rrfocfi to ~t _i11 their mindJ, Caufe them to lea-rn fuch Text~ ~f Scnp{,ure as fpc<!k of £?ods abhor~mg ar.d rehilm& rhc proud, and of his. loving and honouring the humb e : VVhtn thc:y ice o1hcr Children th.H are hne!y doathed, fpeak ot it to them as their fha th.it they m2y nut delire tO be like thc:m. Speak gg<1inll boJ.Ilislg, and every other way of Pri':' \\ hich they arc lyabk tO. And ytt give them the fr,;ife of all thats well: for that is but their du~ encouragement. §· 13· DireCt. '3· Spealz to them difgracefuUyof the G•UJntry and pomp and Richu of the world andof tbe fin of fclfifhli(JI a11d covttouf;ze[s: 11nd ditigtntly watch againft it, and aU that may ttmp; them to it. When thly fee great houfes, and attendance and gallantry, tell them that thcfe are the Dlviis baits, to tice poor finners to love this world, that they may lcfe their fouls and the world to come: Tell them how much Heaven excel!cth all this : and that the lovers of the world mufi ne– ver come thithtr, but the humble and meek and poot in fpirir. Tell them of the Rich Glutton in Lu~. 16. that was rhm cloathed in purple and fi!k and fared delicioufly every day:, but when he came to Hdl, coul.d not get a drop of Water ro cool his tongue, when Laz:JrlM was in the joyes of Paradice. Dv not as the wicked, that entice their Children to worldlincfs and covetoufnefs by giving them money, and letting them game and pl~y for monc:y, and promifing them to make ;hem tine or rich, and fpeaking highly of all that ~re rich and great in the world : But tell them how much hlppier a poor b~litvtr is:, and withdraw all that may tempt their minds to Covetoufnefs. Teach 1he;m how good it is to love clu ir brethren as thtmfelvcs, and to give them part of what· they have:, and pra.ifc them for it : and difpr::1ife them when they are greedy to keep or heap up all to thernlt-lv.cs. And all will be little enough to cure this pernicious fin. Teach them fuch Texts as Pf::tl. 10. 3· Tlu)' bh[1 the covetouJ whom tht Lord abhorreth. 9· 14. Direct. 14· N.Jrrowly n·atch their unguu, efptci:lUJ again.ff L;•ing, railing, ribbald talk, and takjng the name of God in V3in. And pardon them many lighter faults about common mat– ters> fooner than one fuch finagainll God. Tell them of the odioufnefsof all rhefe fins, and teach them fuch Texts as moficxpr.Oy condemn th<m: aad never pafs it by or make !iglu of it when you find them guilty. 9· 15· Direct. 1 5· Keep them HI much aJ may be from iU company, efpeciaUy of ungodly play-feUoa>J. It is one of the greareH dangers for the undoing of Children in tht! world : efpecially when they are fent to common Schools : l:·or there i5 fcarce any of thofe fchools fo good, but hath many· rude and ungodly ill-taught Children in it; that will fpeak prophanely, and filthily, and make their ribbi!d and railing fpecches amatter of boa!ling; bdides lighting and gaming and !i:orning and neglecting their lelfons: and they will make a fcorn of him that will not do as they; if noc bear and abuii: him : And there is fuch tinder in nature for the[e fpJrks to catch upon, that there. are very few Chil– dren but when they hear others t:tke Gods name in vain, or ftng wanton. fangs, or talk filthy words, or call one another by rcproJchful names, do quickly imitate them: And when you have watcht:d over them at home as n:urowly as you can, they are inftCl:ed abroad with fuch beafily vkes as they are hardly ever after cured of. Therefore ltt thofe that arc able, either educate their Olildren mofi at horn~, or in private and well ordered Schools ; and thofc that cannot do [o, mull be the more. ex– ceeding watchful over them, and chlit=)Cthem t? affo.ciue with the befi:, and fpeak to them ofthe odi– oufneis of thefc praCliG:s, atld the wicl<edocfs ol thok thlt ufe them : and fpeak very difgracefu!ly of fuch ungodly Children : and when all's done, it's a gre.rt mercy of God if they be not undone, by the force of the: contagion, notwithllandingall your antidotes: Thofe.therefore that venture their Children into the rudelt Schools and company, and afrer that to Rome and other prophane or Popifh Countries, to tearn rhe falliions and cuftomes of the world, upon pretence that elfe they will be ignorant of the courfc of the world, and ill brtd, and nor like others of their rank, may think of themfelves, ;md their own rcafoniogs as well 2.5 they pleafe : for my part I had rather make aChimney Sweeper of my Son (if I had any) than be guilty of doing fo much to fell or betuy him to the Devil. · ~ell. But if it mt larcful for a m.:~n ttJ fend bioi [on lo. travel .? An[w. Yes, in thefe cafes: 1 , ln c.1Ce he be a ripe: contirmcd Chrifiian, that is not in danger of bring perverted, but able to refill the enemies of the truth, and toPreach the Gofpel or do good eo others, and withal\ ~ave fuf– ficient bufinefs to invite him: 2. Or if ht! go in rhe company of wife and godly per.fons, and fuch be his companions, and the probability of his gain be grcattr, 1han of his lofs and danger. 3· Or if he go only imo Religiour, Countreys, among more wife and learned mei'I, than he converferh with at home, and have fufficieot motives for his courfc. But eo fend young, raw, unfettied perfons, among Papills, and prophane licentious people ( though perhaps fomc fober perfon be ln cmnpany with them, ) and this only to fee the Counmys •nd fa£ltionsof the W<>rld, is an aCtion unbefeeming any
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=