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155 hateth his son. The rod & reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

 Family instruction & government were practised in those pious families who were most eminent in honor & usefulness in the World, of whom we read in holy w?it. This was the case in the illustrious family of Abraham, of whom the most high gave this honorable communication. He will command his children & his household after him, that they shall keep the ways of the Lord & do justice & judgment. By too great indulgence at the vices of his Sons, the frowns of God fell upon the family of pious Eli.  After rais.g their children up in knowledge & virtue, teach.g them to fear God & keep his commandments & qualify.g them to be good & useful, parents are to assist them accord.g to their Ability in some comfortable & useful profession. And in this, they should consult the genius? & inclinations of children & put them into such a course of life, as gives the best prospect of their serv.g their generation to God; acceptance.
 The parents who do not thus in the best manner in their power provide for their children, for their usefulness in this life & for their salvation in the life to come, are condemned as infidels & pagans.  1 Tim. 5.8.  If any man provide not for his own, & especially for those of his own house he hath denied the faith & is  worse than an infidel.
 But the principal care & labor of parents should be to save the souls of their children. To qualify them for the adoption of children into the family of God & households of faith, that as the last great day, when parents & children shall give accr.d to God; They may be able to say, thro' divine