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1. On his character. In what black colours is | tened him, will not hearken unto them; then shall it here drawn! and how should it be abhorred! his father and his mother lay hold on him, and There are such monsters. There is,' says Solo- bring him out unto the elders of the city, and mon in the 11th verse, a generation that curseth unto the gates of his place: and they shall say their father, and doth not bless their mother.' unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubThere is, in every age, a race who form a party, born and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; associate together, and encourage, and irritate he is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men each other to disobey and insult their parents. of his city shall stone him with stones that he They even curse them; or at least, they do not die: so shalt thou put away evil from among you; bless them, or pray for them, which is a kindred and all Israel shall hear and fear.' Though the wickedness. The disobedient son is represented law of our nation does not attach capital punishas mocking at his father.' Sometimes this ment to this crime, we have a striking proof of mockery is in words, and sometimes in actions: its exceeding heinousness in the circumstance that but here it is described as in the looks, the eye such was the punishment under the Old Testamocketh.' The eye is an index to the feelings of ment dispensation. the heart. We can distinguish a look of distress,

We have an example of death and ruin coming a look of joy, a look of fear, a look of expecta-on undutiful children, in the sons of Eli, as related tion, a look of love, a look of hatred, a look of in the second book of Samuel. Though Eli did respect, a look of contempt. Alas for the child not exercise proper authority to restrain them whose eye mocketh at his father, who regards his when they made themselves vile, he did say to father with looks of sourness, doggedness, impa- them, Why do ye such things? Nay, my sons; tience, anger, defiance, and disdain! If such be for it is no good report that I hear.' 'Notwiththe expressions of his eye, what wickedness must standing they hearkened not unto the voice of their there be in his heart! God will certainly reckon father.' The Lord therefore foretold, by Samuel, with him, as for his words and actions, so for his the destruction of Eli's house; and his sons were very looks, which indicate such inward depravity. slain by the Philistines.-Absalom furnishes The eye of such an undutiful child also despiseth another example. He was guilty of the shockto obey his mother.' He not only does not obey ing wickedness of rebelling against his wise and her, but he looks at her in a way that shows that affectionate father, and seeking his life. But let he would think it below him to obey her, and us think of him suspended from the tree as acspurns at the thought. She is the weaker of the cursed, pierced through the heart with three parents, and his base and cruel spirit takes advan- darts, and buried with ignominy; and we shall tage of that. He presumes on her sex, and on see the Lord's abhorrence of the rebellion of chilher age and infirmities, if she be old and infirm; dren against their parents, and what should make and though he should not say it in so many us tremble at the thought of the crime. words, he declares it in as cutting a way, he declares by rebellious and contemptuous looks, that he will not be controlled by her, and that he despises her. Of what wickedness is not fallen humanity capable!

2. The doom of the undutiful child. How awful the threatening here denounced against him! The words seem to point to the case of a criminal that has been condemned and hanged, and left to hang; or to that of a man slain in battle, or in some more private way, whose body is left unburied, till, as soon happened in countries where birds of prey abounded, ravens, or eagles, lighting on their carcases to devour them, picked out their eyes, and gave them to their young

ones to eat.

According to the law of Moses, the obstinately undutiful son was to be punished with death. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, who

will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice other, and that, when they have chas

It is not, indeed, to be inferred from such threatenings and examples that all rebellious children will be brought to a violent death, and their carcases devoured by birds and beasts of prey, and their bones left to bleach in the winds: but many instances occur of a premature and ignominious end, as the result of a career began in disobedience to parents; and it may here be justly apprehended that heavy providential judgments will overtake such transgressors in the majority of cases. At all events, those who despise their parents are a disgrace to humanity, and an abomination to the Lord. If they continue unpardoned and impenitent in that state of sin, they must perish for ever; and they must expect to die in misery. "Whoso curseth his father, or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.'

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Let every undutiful child, of every age, warning. Let none of them say, 'I allow that this description of rebellious children is awful, and

out the whole process. They should be trained for time and for eternity. Of how little avail to them would be earthly prosperity and fame, if they were to live estranged from God, die in sin, and perish for ever! There is much implied in the word training. It implies communicating knowledge, giving instruction, informing the understanding. It implies that useful and saving truth be conveyed to the intellect, and impressed on the memory. But proper training implies much more. It is the training of the conscience to correct the tender feelings, and of the will to choose the good and refuse the evil, and of the affections to delight in the divine law, and to love God and man.

that they deserve to suffer; but I am not so bad | be taken into account, from the first, and throughas this, and therefore, I need not fear.' If they are bad at all, knowingly and wilfully bad, they are in the direct way to become as bad as this. If they do not stop short resolutely, and alter their course, they will be like other evil men and seducers, who wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived,' till they become a terror to themselves, and intolerable to God. Let them not stifle the remonstrances of conscience. Let them not despise the warnings of God's word. Let them humble themselves before the Lord, cast themselves on his mercy through the Redeemer, and ask the assistance of his Holy Spirit to enable them to act a different part for the future. Let them seek not only to escape the curse on filial disobedience, but to obtain the blessing on filial piety. So shall they yet obtain peace of mind themselves, and rejoice the hearts of their parents which they have pierced through with many sorrows.

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The way in which children should go, and of course, the way in which they should be trained, is the way of faith and holiness. It is the way of faith, the gospel way. It is not enough to give them some vague ideas of what unenlightened men call religion; they should be trained in the religion of the Bible. Some only tell children to be good, without telling them how they may become good. They should be instructed, as soon as possible, in the knowledge of their own sinfulness, and of the necessity and method of pardon through Christ, and regeneration by the Spirit.

Suffer the little chilThey should be trained They should be fully duty to God, to love

Children can understand the leading truths of the
gospel as soon as most other things that requiro
thought; nay, the display of the love of God in
Christ is peculiarly calculated to arrest their
attention, and to gain their hearts. Let there be
no delay in leading the young to the Saviour.
This is his own language,
dren to come unto me.
also in the way of holiness.
and carefully taught their
him, to reverence him, to pray to him, to obey
him, to keep his sabbath, and to attend his
courts. They should be trained to the know-
ledge and practice of their duties to their parents,
teachers, and friends, and to all men. They
should be trained to honesty, truth, charity,
purity, self-denial, diligence, and humility.

Training is absolutely necessary for the safety, prosperity, and happiness, of the young, as they are incapable of guiding themselves. Accordingly, the divine command to train them is express; and the same word that contains the command, also contains both general and particular directions as to the way in which it should be followed out. Chil- How great the encouragment held forth to such dren are to be trained in the way they should a training of children in the promise that if they go.' Doubtless, they should be instructed in such are trained up in the right way, they will not secular knowledge as is calculated to enable them depart from it! Such a result may be calculated to gain a livelihood, and to pass creditably and on generally, though in some instances the best comfortably through the present state of exis- human means may fail. Of course, in order to tence: but their education should not be confined secure the permanence of the effects of a good to this; nay, this cannot be considered as wisely Christian education, a decided impression must aimed at, if spiritual instruction be not imparted, be made on the mind. Early instruction is most and if the chief and ultimate end be not the sal-likely to be successful and lasting, because, vation of their souls. Their whole being should though children are sinners by nature, they are

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actual sin, and because it to be taught, and are w ideas and impresose who are early trained casily, or ordinarily, forLe shown that the far greater to have proved eminently pious ...we well trained in childhood anel, Solomon, and Timothy are pics of this. Failure in many cases , be traced to faults in the trainmounting to a radical and sinful want care, or prayerfulness, or consisting at want of judgment and good manageThere are cases, too, which, though they gy at first sight appear exceptions to the rule, in fact, proofs and illustrations of it. The Apostle Paul, for example, was an enemy and persecutor of the Christians when first mentioned in scripture. He had received much religious instruction, however, in youth, for he was 'brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,' and 'profited in the Jewish religion above many of his equals in his own nation' and though no good effect of this appeared for a considerable time, the knowledge he had acquired in early life of the Old Testament, was evidently of much service to him personally and officially, after his conversion.

Well would it be if all parents were conscientious in doing their utmost to instruct their children in the knowledge, and to bring them under the influence of the truth. Would to God that they always acted, in this respect, as those who are to give an account. In most cases, they would soon see the fruit of their labour. Nor, though they may have to wait long, let them be so discouraged as to desist. Let them persevere in labours, and prayers, and affectionate intreaties, and they have every encouragement to hope that their endeavours will not ultimately prove in vain. Augustine, who at last proved such an ornament and blessing to the church of Christ, was very obstinate and ungodly in his youthful years. His pious mother persevered in labours and prayers for him for nine years, apparently without any good effect. When she went, in agony, to a certain bishop, to beseech him to try what his interference could do, he could say nothing that would satisfy her, till at last, when she was pressing him with much weeping, he said, 'Go away, good woman: it is impossible that the child of such tears should perish.'

TENTH DAY.-MORNING.

'He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes,' Prov. xiii. 24.

THERE are some theorists on education who argue strenuously for banishing punishment of every kind, especially corporeal punishment. Unquestionably, it is not to any thing of that nature that those who are engaged in endeavouring to train up children in the paths of religion, should look chiefly for success. On the contrary, punishment, in whatever form, ought always to be had recourse to with reluctance, and ought to be entirely avoided where it can safely be dispensed with. Whatever effect compulsion may have in forwarding the mere mechanical part of instruction, it can never succeed in producing true piety. It is impossible to compel children to open their hearts; their will may be gained, but it cannot be forced. Gentleness and affection are the chief means, under the divine blessing, of winning them to the love of Christ, and to the practice of Christian duty. And yet, gentleness and affection must be accompanied with firmness and faithfulness; for, if the latter qualities be wanting, the former will degenerate into weakness, and produce contempt.

It is too much for self-conceited men to rise up against the wisdom and express commandment of the Lord, and utterly to condemn what he clearly teaches to be sometimes necessary. It is certainly much better if children can be well managed without the rod, or corporeal chastisement: but there are cases in which this cannot be, and there is no need for running from the one extreme of harshness into the other of the relaxation of all discipline. Natural depravity exists in all children; and where it produces a spirit of disobedience and obstinacy which cannot be otherwise overcome, measures ought to be adopted of greater or less severity, according to the strength of the evil to be met.

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The scriptural authority for such discipline is express. He that spareth his rod,' forbears altogether to punish, or ceases till he carry the point, hateth his son,' that is, acts as if he hated him: if he hated him, and intended to injure him, he could not do him a greater injury than not to correct him, when his disobedience, and wickedness, and obstinacy required it. But he that loveth' his son 'chasteneth him betimes,' begins the discipline very early. The salutary restraint should be commenced in infancy, and continued and thoroughly established in childhood. If the principle and habit of submission to authority, and

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of the restraining of evil passions, be established | is especially so to pious, but to easy and indulgent very early, parents will find it easy afterwards to parents. The indulgence of the wayward inclinarule by argument and affection, and safe to treat tions of children, and neglecting to do all they can their children with the utmost confidence and ten-authoritatively to check them, are offences which derness. Too great indulgence is a great evil: it the Lord will severely chastise in his own people. leads to still more unreasonable and improper ex- It is true that the most judicious discipline may pectations, and entirely defeats the ends for which fail: but when scriptural means have been faithit is usually resorted to, namely, the ease of the fully employed and a failure ensues, the blame is parent; and the pleasing and the securing of the all on one side. affections of the child. If faults be not inquired into, or if they be passed over and allowed to be persevered in, lest a child should cry, or look sad; the bad consequences will soon appear. Better that a child should cry while it is salutary, than that his parents should weep in vain, in seeing his wickedness confirmed for life, and ruining his soul for eternity. Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying,' Prov. xix. 18. If he see that he can gain his object by a few tears, he will not be slack in availing himself of that means of extorting compliance. And then, if by such mistaken lenity, which is real cruelty, he get the mastery in childhood, it will seldom be practicable to reduce him to obedience afterwards, except by far greater severity than would have been necessary at first; a severity which may prove hurtful, and which at all events must be dangerous and painful.

It should always be remembered that correction constitutes but a small part of parental government. That government includes the whole plan pursued to secure obedience, attention, and improvement, and to check all evil. It includes advice, praise, blame, reproof, expostulation, influence, rewards judiciously chosen, putting to shame, depriving of enjoyments and many other things. It should never be lost sight of that the good of the child is the great end to be aimed at. In order to be effectual, too, correction should always be accompanied with instruction, or tuition: indeed, the same word which in some texts is rendered correction,' is in others rendered 'instruction. Nor is it enough to form children to obedience and habits of application, and to impart to them varied knowledge; they should be disciplined to self-denial and the government of their passions. It is of much importance, also, that the system pursued be well balanced, of the same tenour, consistent with itself, unremitted, and steadily followed out. No pains should be spared, no labours should be grudged, where failure would be so grievous, and where success would be so important.

Eli was unquestionably a pious man; yet here was one great defect in his character, 1 Sam. ii. iii. iv. While his history is a warning to all, it

As it is the duty of parents to govern, and, if necessary, to correct, their children, so it is the duty of children to submit readily to such government and correction, and not by obstinacy to render very severe measures indispensable. Both parents and children may derive much instruction from the way in which our Heavenly Father corrects the members of his family. As the word of God illustrates the afflictive dispensations of providence by comparisons, drawn from parental discipline and corresponding filial duty among men, these comparisons plainly teach what the reciprocal conduct of parents and children ought to be in this respect. The Lord unites discipline with instruction. He has various means of carrying his point with the objects of his love; and one of these is the rod of his displeasure. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.' 'Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.'

TENTH DAY.—EVENING.

'And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,' Eph, vi. 4.

Or the proneness of men to run into extremes, the parental management of children furnishes a frequent example. The wise man reminds parents of the necessity of maintaining discipline with a steady hand, and even declares that 'he that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.' As, however, there is, on the one hand, an extreme of laxity, so there is, on the other, an extreme of severity, which should be guarded against with equal care. Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.' Take care lest by an unkind, repulsive, overbearing, and tyrannical behaviour in general, and by rigorous, excessive, cruel, and unrelenting severity on some particular occasions, you entirely alienate their affections, and irritate them into feelings of dislike and indignation which may lurk

secretly and sullenly in their hearts, and preju- they should proceed, not only with firmness and dice them against yourselves and your instruc- faithfulness, but also with real and obvious affections, or even so exasperate them as to lead them tion. Whoever would be instrumental in winto break out in the language and actions of ning the hearts of the young to the Saviour, violent rage. It is true that such mismanage- cannot adopt a better model than that of the ment does not excuse the wickedness of children, apostle Paul: We were gentle among you,' said but it often awfully occasions it. When parents he, 'even as a nurse cherisheth her children; are constantly finding fault, and never commend so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were what is right, or speak in accents of encourage- willing to have imparted unto you, not the gosment; when they are in the habit of confounding pel of God only, but also our own souls, because the distinction between obstinately wilful faults, ye were dear unto us.' and mere thoughtless inadvertencies; their children are ready to think it is impossible to please them, and therefore needless to try, and are in danger of hating their company, and becoming altogether reckless of character and consequences. See examples, Gen. xxxi. 14; 1 Sam. xx. 30.

When children are of a bold temper, such harsh treatment irritates and hardens them. When, on the contrary, they are of a soft, timid, and very tender disposition, severity has the effect of breaking their spirits, crushing their energies, and filling them with terror and misery. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discour aged,' Col. iii. 21. How cruel to oppress a not very clever it may be, but gentle child, so as, at all events, to keep him in a state of constant alarm and misery in the meantime, and probably, to render him unfit to pass through the world with advantage, after his spirits have been so unreasonably and so unmercifully broken by a heavy yoke in the early years of life!

Temper, disposition, opportunities, and the various kinds and degrees of misconduct in children, should be carefully studied, and judiciously met with corresponding treatment. Correction administered without discrimination, or distinction, is foolish, and must be injurious. What may be hardly enough to subdue one, may be absolute cruelty to another.

Having cautioned parents against excessive severity to their children, the apostle proceeds to exhort them positively to 'bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;' that is, carefully to train them in such a course of discipline and instruction united, as forms a religious education, and as is calculated to lead them to know, believe in, love, and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. There seems also to be here an allusion to that particular mode of instruction which is commonly called catechising, which is peculiarly adapted to children, and which is practically found to be of most excellent use.

If parents wish to succeed in interesting their children on the side of religion, and cordially ching them to themselves and what is good,

Moreover, if parents wish to bring up their children in the fear of the Lord, they must set them a good example. The force of example, either for good or for evil, is very great, even on grown-up persons; but it is especially great on young children. They are constantly seen imitating others, (and especially those whom they love and admire), in the actions and customs of common life. The same principle prevails in the formation of their religious and moral character; it operates with fatal influence in leading them into sin; and it would be equally powerful in leading them to holiness, were it not for their natural depravity, which renders a higher than any human influence necessary for bringing them into a state of salvation, and forming them to the divine image. Of how little avail, in most instances, is even good advice, when the example of those who give it leads in the opposite direction! How happy, however, the influence of a prudent, pious, consistent life! Children are much more observant of the conduct of their parents than many think, and often their good example is remembered, after all their advices are forgotten, and they are silent in the grave.

In addition to all this, parents should ever accompany the means they employ for the religions education of the children with earnest prayer to God. No discipline, or instruction, no means however wise, or persevering, can be sufficient of themselves, savingly to illuminate the mind, or to renew the heart. For this, which always ought to be the chief object at which they aim, they must look to the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit. Parents, therefore, should teach their children how to pray, and accustom them to the exercise of prayer. They should pray for them fully and earnestly, in secret. They should pray with them, one by one. They should pray with them all together, in family worship. So David 'returned to bless his household;' and Jacob blessed his sons, and thus prayed for his two grandsons, 'The angel who redeemed me from all evil bless the lads. May the Lord guide Christian parents to the prudent, affection

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