A new family-book, or, The true interest of families being directions to parents and children, and to those who are instead of parents : shewing them their several duties, and how they may be happy in one another : together with several prayers for families and children, and graces before and after meat : to which is annexed a discourse about the right way of improving our time / by James Kirkwood ... ; with a preface, by Dr. Horneck.

5. Duty, to see that they be taught to Read.

Fifthly, When once they are of an Age fit for it, see that they be taught to read. And if you have not leisure, or perhaps have not skill to teach them your selves, you must be careful to make choice of a skilful and discreet Per∣son to do it;* 1.1 who by his teaching and Example, may train them up both in Knowledge

and Virtue; who may not only tea•• them to know the Letters, to spel•• exactly, to read distinctly, to write well, &c. but also to know themselves to remember their Creator in the days 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their Youth, to hate every evil way, and to take delight in the ways of God's Holy Commandments. If a careful choice be made of a wise and faithful•• School-Master for your Children, i•• will render your work so much the mor•• easie.

Having sent your Chil∣dren to School,* 1.2 you must keep them there, and not by your too great fondness make them long to be at home, and grow weary and uneasie at School. A great many indiscreet Parents ruin their Children by immoderate kind∣ness; they cannot endure that they should be out of their sight one day. They are afraid, lest they that teach them should correct them, and there∣fore they give them a strict charge not to do it; and if they do it never so gently and discreetly, without more ado they remove their Children from them, and discharge their Passion a∣gainst

them as the greatest Tyrants in the World.

'Tis true, some, who have the Charge of Children, are very indi∣screet in correcting them, they pass beyond all Bounds of Moderation; and by their Tyrannical carriage towards them, they do them a World of Mis∣chief in many respects. As for such School-Masters, Parents ought, if it be possible, to avoid sending of their Children unto them. But when once they have made choice of those, who are not only Pious, but Wise and Discreet Persons, who are skilful in the way of Teaching, and are of a calm and mild Spirit; they ought to be so far from restraining them, that they should rather encourage them to cor∣rect them whenever there is any neces∣sity for it. And if, at any time, their Children complain to them of their ha∣ving been Corrected, they ought to let them know, that they are very well pleased that they have been cor∣rected for their Faults, and that they will thank their School-Master for ha∣ving done so. Unless such a Power as this be given to those who teach Children, there is no great probabi∣lity

of their doing much good to th•• far greatest part of them: For, as So∣lomon says, Prov. 22. 15. Foolishness 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bound in the Heart of a Child, and there¦fore there is need of the Rod of Cor∣rection to drive it far from him. 'T•• but too manifest, that Children wh•• know their Parents Fondness, prove unruly and untractable, and do generall•• become very wicked and naughty. When once they find themselves a Liberty, and see that they are in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great danger of being curb'd and re¦strain'd, they are apt to follow th•• Biass of their corrupt Inclinations▪ And then it often cometh to pass what is said by the Wise Man, Prov. 29 15. A Child left to himself bringeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mother to shame. The Mother only 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mentioned, because ordinarily, she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 more apt to exceed just Bounds in he•• Indulgence, and consequently has 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great Hand in spoiling her Child: An•• besides, when her Child brings hurt an•• disgrace upon himself, by his wicked and foolish Courses, she useth to be more deeply affected therewith, through the tenderness of her nature, and the strength and violence of her Affecti∣on and Passion.

Now, to stir up Parents to take care their Children be taught to read, at least the Holy Bible; let them con∣sider, that this Sacred Book will instruct them in the Art of being happy; how to be saved; how to obtain a Crown of Glory; how to purchase an enduring Substance, a Pearl of great price, and a Kingdom which cannot be shaken: It will teach them true Wisdom; how to avoid Sin, and to escape Danger; how to resist the Devil, to stand a∣gainst his Wiles, to quench his fiery Darts; how to overcome the World, and to mortifie the Flesh with its Af∣fections and Lusts; how to subdue their natural Corruption, and to con∣quer all their wicked Habits and Cu∣stoms; how to redeem the time; how to carry themselves as they ought to do in their several Capacities and Re∣lations, wherein God hath placed them in the World; how to enjoy satisfacti∣on and contentment in every state and condition of Life; How to use aright the things of this World; how to improve Prosperity, and how to reap advantage from Adversity; how to dwell at ease, and to enjoy real Peace and Comfort amidst the greatest

Vexations and Confusions that can hap∣pen. All these things the Holy Scrip∣tures will teach both you and them, if they are read as they ought to be, to wit, with a serious and humble mind, with an earnest desire to know the Will of God, and with a firm and sincere Resolution to do it. And there∣fore, how careful ought you to be, in so considerable a part of your duty to∣wards your Children? If your condi∣tion in the World is such, as disa∣bles you from doing much for them as to their outward Estate, yet if you do this, it may prove (unless it be their own fault) of unspeakable advan∣tage to them, and, in some sense, bet∣ter than a great Portion, or than a gainful Trade, as may appear from what has been said.

When once they can read tollera∣bly well in the Holy Bible, be careful that they do it more or less every day: See that they do it with great Reve∣rence, as being the Word of God: Cause them to consider who it is that speaketh to them therein; and what it is that he commands, promises, or threatens; direct them at first to read such places, as are most easie to be un∣derstood,

and which are apt to make the deepest Impressions: After they have read, see what they remember; cause them to tell you what they can call to mind: Explain to them so far as you are able, what they do not know; especially in such things as are most useful to make them wiser and better. Appoint them now and then a verse or two, to get by heart; cause them to repeat them with due Gravity; let them not do it in a trifling manner, as if they were telling a silly Story. Do not appoint them too many things to be got by heart, for this will do more hurt than good: A few things well un∣derstood do better than a great many by rote.

Be careful lest they read any Books which tend to poyson their minds,* 1.3 to fill them with false Opinions, or to lead them to bad pra∣ctices: Their tender minds are apt very quickly to be corrupted by such Trea∣tises. Even they who are of a more fixed and solid Virtue, are in danger of receiving hurt by reading such Books; especially when they are writ with great Art, and when their Noti∣ons

are represented in fair and Beauti∣ful Colours; They are apt to impress on the Fancy some Images of no good consequence to the Soul: How great need therefore have Parents to restrain their Children from reading such Books as tend to pollute their innocent and chaste minds, which are capable of re∣ceiving any sort of impressions either good or bad?

As for Books of Devotion; great care is to be taken, that only such be put into their hands as are writ in a plain and easie style; which treat of things fit and needful to be known by them; and which are most likely to make them Wise and Good. They are to be accustomed to the Writings of those who are Men of greatest Mode∣ration; who do not impose their own conceits, as necessary Rules of Devo∣tion; who do not require such things as absolutely needful to be done, which God hath not declared to be so; nor yet who shorten the Rule, by cutting off such things as God hath injoyned us: All Books which lead Men to ex∣treams, are carefully to be avoided; and such Treatises are to be made use of, as contain the plain and necessary

Doctrines of Christianity; which tend to inspire Men with the Spirit of Purity, of Truth, of Peace and Love; which promote Sincerity, Justice, Tempe∣rance, Charity, Meekness, Humility, Patience, Resignation to the Will of God in all things, Zeal for his Honour and Glory, a firm Belief and Trust in him, &c.

When it is requisite to acquaint them with the different Opinions amongst Protestants, that their minds may not be unfixed and unsettled, when they go abroad into the World; be sure not to put into their hands such Tracts as are writ with a fiery uncharitable Spirit, and in a Dogmatick and Magisterial manner; but such as are writ with great Temper and Moderation; which tend to heal the Church of all Conten∣tions and Divisions, and not to kindle and increase them; which do not load Mens Opinions with unjust, extrava∣gant, and impious consequences, which never entred into the minds of those who vouched them; but such as make fair and favourable Constructions, and just allowances. Such Treatises are chief∣ly to be chosen for them, which dis∣pose Men to be humble and modest;

not to be stiff and pertinacious in their own private Sentiments; not rashly and severely to condemn others who have different thoughts; and never on the account of any such particular O∣pinions to break the Peace of Christian Society; nor to grow more cold in their respect and affection towards those who have not the same thoughts with themselves in lesser matters. They are, as it were, to feed upon Books of this sort, and carefully to digest them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  About chusing a fit Person to teach them to read.
• * 1.2

  About keep∣ing them at School.
• * 1.3

  Great care ought to be ta∣ken what Books they read.