552 HOW TO DO GOOD TO ANY. other parishes; and it may spread over a whole county 'in a little time. Most of the goodthat God bath done for me, for knowledge or conscience, hath been by sound and,pious books. iii. A great means of publie good is the right ordering of fami- lies all the week, but especiallyon the Lord's day. Though the ministry be the usual means of converting heathens, and infidels, Christian education by parents is the first mean's appointed by God for the holy principling of youth: parents must teach them with unwearied diligence; lying down and rising up ; Dem. vi. 11. And they that will expect God's blessings must use his appointed means. Nature teacheth men and brutes to provide for their off- spring with diligence and patience ; and as grace teacheth believers to expect far greater things, for themselves and their children, than this world affordeth, so it obligeth them to be at so much greater diligence to obtain it. An everlasting kingdom deserveth more labor than a trade or full estate for the flesh. If all parents did their parts to make their 'children sanctified believers, as well as they expect the schoolmaster should do his part to make them scholars, and the master do his part tò teach them their trades, we might hope that ministers would find them .fitter for 'church work, and that godliness would not be so rare, nor so manywicked chil- dren break'their parents' hearts. But of this I have spoken lately in my ' Counsel to Young Men.' Religion is never like to prosper if it be not made a family work. If it be there made the business of the house, and done with rev- erent seriousness and constancy, ifmagistracy and 'ministry should fail, yet families would propagate and preserve it. Begin with a reverent begging the' help and blessing of God ; then read 'his word, arid call upon his name ; speakserious words of counsel to inferiors spend the Lord's day, as much as may be, in public worship, and the rest in reading godly books, and in singing God's praise, and calling on his name ; put suitable books into the hands of ervants and children to read when they have leisure; encourage them in it with love and rewards; and keep out of the way of temptation ; and then God's blessing will dwell in your families, and they will be as churches of God. If any complain of negligent ministers, or persecuting magistrates, and will not do their own family duties, which none forbid, they condemn themselves. iv. Ifyou would be public blessings, and do good to,many, do your best to procure a skillful, faithful ministry in the church. 1. Send no, son to the university who doth not first show these three qualifications : a capable, natural wit and utterance ; a love to serious, practical religion; a great desire to serve God in the minis- try, though it should be in suffering frommen. If they want any
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