How Parents Can Better Train Up Their Children in Piety (Thomas Gouge)
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Copyright: © National Portrait Gallery, London
The following is an excerpt on the training of children from Thomas Gouge’s The Principles of Christian Religion (1690), pages 36–39. Thomas Gouge (pronounced gooj) was an English Puritan minister, who lived from September 19, 1605 until October 29, 1681. He was the son of the minister William Gouge (1575–1653), who was a member of the Westminster Assembly and wrote a popular book on the family, Of Domesticall Duties (1622), (modernized here and here).
The Principles of Christian Religion was designed to instruct families, including the uneducated, in catechizing their children. This can be seen in the long subtitle—Explained to the Capacity of the Meanest, with Practical Applications to each Head, whereby the Great and Necessary Duty of Family-Catechising may with much ease be performed. There were several editions of this book, the earliest being 1645. I did not modernize the old English spelling or capitalization practices, but modern readers should be able to follow this just fine. I shortened the 9th point with points and ellipses.
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Oh that Parents would use their utmost endeavour to convey Spiritual Life and Holiness to their Children! I mean not as natural, but as moral Instruments. Parents, I know, expect their Children should be obedient to them; now there is no better way to make them so, than to train them up in true Piety. Where this is wanting, it is no marvel that so many Children prove crosses and vexation to their Parents: Yea, let Parents know, that if their Children live and die in their sins, through their neglect, their Blood will be required at their hands.
For the better training up Children in Piety, let Parents observe these few Directions.
1. So soon as Children begin to read, cause them to read the Holy Scriptures; which being the Word of God, hath a greater vertue in it to work Piety, than all humane Writings whatsoever: So as through God’s Blessing, the work of Grace may be wrought in Children, by reading the Holy Scriptures; For the Law of God is perfect, converting the Soul, Psal. 19.7.
2. Here and teach them some good and sound Catechism, whereby they may understand the first Principles of Religion, and according to your ability instruct them therein; whereby they will be better fitted to hear Sermons fruitfully. This work at first ought especially to be performed by the Mother, who is ordinarily at home, and hath her Children about her, when the Father is abroad; and thereby hath greater advantage, and more opportunity of instilling good things into them. Let this work of Catechism be often performed, but by little at once, that it may not prove tedious.
3. Carry them with you to the publick Ordinances; and at home enquire of them what they remember of that they heard: Do you endeavour to make it plain unto them, and to apply it home to their Consciences. This course of calling them to an account of what they have heard, will cause them to give better attention unto the Ministry of the Word.
4. Teach them to pray, both by instructing them in the nature of that Duty, and providing them of some short and pithy Form of Prayer, which they may use till they need no longer such an Help; and calling them often to an account, whether they do it or no.
5. Be Patterns of Piety unto your Children. Let it appear by your daily Conversation, that your selves are such as you desire them to be; namely, Persons truly fearing God. It is a true saying, That Examples prevail more than Precepts; and we know it is the disposition of Children to imitate their Parents. The consideration whereof should be a strong persuasion to Parents to be more watchful over themselves, lest their ungodly lives prove an occasion of their Children’s prophaneness.
6. Carefully observe the first breaking forth of corruption in your Children, and timely curb their first exorbitances. So soon as you hear them take the Name of God in vain, or to lie, or to swear, or curse, be sure to reprove and correct them for the same; Prov. 13.24. He that spareth his rod, hateth his Son; he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes.
7. Take care that they keep holy the Sabbath day: Suffer them not to spend any part thereof either in idleness or carnal recreations, but call upon them to spend some time in secret Prayer, in reading the Scriptures, and other good Books, when they are come from the publick Ordinances. In the fourth Commandment Parents are expresly enjoyned to see that their Children, as well as themselves, keep holy the Sabbath day.
8. Acquaint them with good Company, and forbid them evil Company; especially such as are Scoffers at Godliness: For such will prove great quench-coals to true Zeal and Piety. Yea, by familiarity with them, your Children are like to become as bad as they. As he who walks with wise men shall be wise, Prov. 13.20. So he who walks with wicked men shall be wicked. Woful experience tells us, how many young men that were hopeful, by associating themselves with lewd company, have proved very prophane.
9. When your Children are of capacity to understand the Mysteries of the Gospel, then apply your selves more particularly unto them, in reference unto their Conversion. To this end,
First, Make known unto them their lost condition by Nature…
Secondly, Shew them the necessity of Regeneration to Salvation…
Thirdly, Instruct them in the only true ground of Salvation, which is Christ and his righteousness, with the merits of his Death and Passion…
Fourthly, Labour to convince them that there is no way or means of Salvation, but only by believing in Jesus Christ…
Fifthly, Be frequent and fervent with God in Prayer on their behalf. Beg of God, That thy Children may be his Children, and whatsoever he deny them, he would not deny his saving sanctifying Graces. Prayer is the means God hath sanctified for obtaining every good gift, both for our selves and others. And truly, without it, little success can be expected from other means. Though Paul may plant, and Apollo water, yet it is God that giveth the increase. We find in Acts 6.4, 7 that when the Apostles gave themselves to Prayer, and the Ministry of the Word, multitudes were converted to the Faith. Oh that Parents would be more careful in this Duty! A stock of Prayers laid up for your Children in Heaven, would do them much more good than a stock of Money on Earth.
