Chap. z . CHAP. XXVIII. Queflions, and Cafes ofConfcience about Children. Hat is theheft courfe that parents can take to have comfort in their children? Anfw.Thebelt way to have gracious children is tobegin at Religion, planting it in them as their tender years will bear, training them up in the knowledge, andinformation of the Lord, dropping into themby little and little the feeds of holineffe, providing, ifit be poffible, that they may fuck in holineffe with their mo- thers milk. Que.. What may moveparents hereunto ? nfw. Firft, they fhould confider that they have been t he cauce of their childrenevil, and holp them into fine,begetting them in their own image , and fo have brought much mifery upon them,and therefore they have need alfo to endeavour to bringthem out of it. Secondly, thisis agoodground ofall other nurture : for though they bring H. themup in learning,or to trades,if they bring them not up alfoin the feare of God, they leave them to the Curfeof God, and by Gods juft judgement they prove a heart-breaking to theirparents : when they fhould have the greateft comfort in them : whereas, ?rev. 23.15. Myfonne, if thy heart be wife I Jhall rejoyce. Thirdly, God takes notice how parents performe this duty, and accord- III. ingly bleffes or curfes both them and their children : as we fee in the exam- ples of eifbraham, Genef. 18. 17 , IS , 19. and the contrary in el; , r Sam. 2. 29. Fourthly, its a meansfor continuing and propagating the Gofpel, and true religion, when having trained upout children in the feare of God,we leave them to ferve Godwhenwe are gone. Queft. Wherein efpecialy doeh this ditty confiff, and how may we per- forme it ? Anfw. Firft, in acquainting themwith the groundsof religionbyprivate cate- chifing them. Secondly,by bringing them to the publick Affemblies fo foone as they are L I able
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