Of domesticall duties eight treatises. I. An exposition of that part of Scripture out of which domesticall duties are raised. ... VIII. Duties of masters. By William Gouge.
Gouge, William, 1578-1653.

§. 34. Of parents teaching their children piety.

The spirituall good of children, and that in their child∣hood, is to be procured by parents as well as their temporall. Wherefore Parents must traine vp their children in true piety. This is expresly commanded in my text vnder this phrase ad∣monition of the Lord. Vnder the law God did both sim∣ply b command it, and that very often, and also ordained diuers outward c rites, and caused many visible and extraor∣dinary d monuments to be set vp, that thereby children might be occasioned to aske of their parents the mysterie of them, and that parents from that inquirie of their chil∣dren might take occasion to e teach them the ordinances of the Lord.

Page  537 This expresse charge of the Lord is further commended by that practise which holy parents from time to time haue yeelded thereunto: instance the examples of fAbraham,gDauid,hBath∣sheba,iLois and Eunice, with many others.

1. Pietie is the best thing that a parent can teach his childe: for as reason maketh a man differ from a beast; and as learning and ciuilitie maketh a wise and sober man differ from sauages and swaggerers; so pietie maketh a sound Christian much more to differ from the most ciuill and well ordered naturall man that can be. Learning, ciuilitie, calling, portion, are all nothing without pietie. Now it is an especiall point of wisdome, to seeke the best good that we can, as for our selues, so also for our children: yea this is an euident signe of a parents true loue of his childe.

2. There is a necessitie that children be taught pietie, because * they are not borne but made Christians: by nature they are vt∣terly destitute of all pietie: for by nature euery imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only euill continually (Gen. 6. 5.) and in that respect man is borne like the wilde asse colt (Iob 11. 12.) so as a man were better be vnborne then not taught pietie.

3. The charge and office of parents bindeth them to teach their * children pietie: for they are by God made watchmen ouer their children: if therefore their children liue and die in impietie through their parents negligence, their bloud shall be required at their parents hands: instance the example of kElie.

Obiect. This dutie appertaineth to Ministers. *

Answ. 1. God hath giuen an expresse charge hereof to parents, as we heard before.

2. In the familie a parent is all in all ouer his childe: a King, a Priest, and a Prophet. Therefore that which a Minister is to doe for matter of instruction in the Church, a parent must do at home.

3 Children haue need of daily instruction: the parents paines in this kinde must be added to the Ministers: and both are little enough.

4. Parents hauing more familiaritie with their children then Ministers, must needs better know their capacitie, and their dispo∣sition: and so may better know after what manner to instruct them: whether to giue them milke or strong meat, whether to deale mildly or roughly with them.

Page  538 5. Instructions from parents are commonly more kindly ac∣cepted then from others: and children will the better rellish them, when they come from their parents. They say that a plant will best grow in the soile out of which it first sprung: so instru∣ctions comming from those who both brought vs forth, and first brought vs vp, are like to doe most good.

6. There is no such meanes to breed loue in a childs heart, as to be an instrument of bringing piety thereinto. Now who should more seeke the true loue of a childe then a parent? In this respect a parent is more bound to this dutie then a Minister.

7. It is impossible, that a Minister, who, it may be, hath many hundred children vnder his charge, should well instruct them all: It is therefore requisite, that each parent looke to his owne children.

As these distinct answers satisfie the obiection, so they serue as so many more reasons to inforce the dutie: wherefore to proceed in adding other reasons,

4. Great equitie there is that parents teach their children piety, * because they p conceiued and brought them forth in iniquitie. If they suffer them to lie and die in that corrupt estate, they are more cruell then the Ostrich and Dragon.

5. Children are most properly Gods: qborne to God: he is the * most proper parent of them: in comparison of God, fathers and mothers of the flesh are but nurses. They must therefore nurture them in the admonition of the Lord.

6. Pietie is that, which of all other things, will make the childe * most obedient, and gratefull to his parents: for thus there is a double bond to binde him: 1. his birth. 2. his new birth: espe∣cially when the cause of the one hath beene also the cause of the other.

7. Nothing can more settle the heart of a wise parent on his * death-bed concerning his children, then assurance that pietie is planted in them: for then may he with stronger confidence com∣mend them to Gods prouidence, and with greater assurance ex∣pect his blessing vpon them after he is dead.

8. Parents, by teaching their children pietie, are an especiall * meanes of propagating true religion from age to age, and from generation to generation. No better meanes can be thought of. Page  539 For if all parents were carefull of their dutie in this kinde, as there is a succession of children, and thereby a preseruation of man∣kinde, so there would be a succession of those that feare God, and thereby a preseruation of true religion. My children that are taught by me, may be fathers of children, and so teach that to their chil∣dren, which they haue learned of me: yea after them may grand∣children proue fathers of other children, and they teach their chil∣dren the same, and so from age to age others after them. This is the meanes on our part: and in our time we must doe our part: and for those who come after vs, leaue the issue to God.

Not only the great benefit of this point, but also the too much neglect thereof, in most families, hath moued me the longer to insist on it, and the more forcibly to presse it. For the better per∣forming thereof, I will adde some directions.