(Mr. Hake has just published a most valuable little book, price on this subject. The title is, “How shall we order the Child?” We most earnestly recommend it to every Christian parent, and to any others engaged in training the young. It may be had of the publishers of “The Evangelist.”) The following is a brief summary of the contents: ―
“FIRST. Through the Holy Scriptures, and by the grace and teaching of the Spirit of God parents are to learn and know the will of God, and to bring up their children, from their infancy, after such a manner, that they may understand that, as the parents get blessing through honoring and obeying God, their heavenly Father, so the children are certain of blessing through honoring and obeying their earthly parents.
Second. There are two great rules for the training of children: Let the parents have no will but God’s; the children, none but that of their parents under God.
Third. Should not the parent say, my child is God’s loan to me, as if God had said, “Take this child and nurse it for me.” My child is a gift from God, to serve as a mirror to me; it may be, to shew me much of my own ignorance, pride, selfishness, self-will; to help me to humble myself before God, and so the better to fulfill the parent’s obligations.
Fourth. We cannot be too diligent in learning through the Scriptures, for ourselves, and the rood of our children, the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. His kind deeds, and words, and faithfulness. As we look to Christ, we are conformed to Him; and in that way we obtain ability from God to train our children.
Fifth. The Word being our Guide, the Spirit of God our Teacher, and Christ our Exemplar; we, walking in His steps, shall maintain and cause to grow the child’s love and confidence. Patience will be tried and rewarded, and by exercise increased.
Sixth. Parents will do well to remember that they are fellow-heirs of the grace of life, who should walk together in the narrow, yet blessed path, of training their children, communing with. God, “minding the same thing;” carefully, yea, with godly fear, avoiding the manifestation of the slightest difference of judgment before their children.
Seventh. The order of God is, that the son should honor the father and mother. The parents must rule, that they may serve. True heavenly love and godly rule are inseparable.
Eighth. If, to avoid present trouble, we yield when we ought to command, we sow the wind, and may expect to reap, in after years, the whirlwind. Nevertheless, whatever the age of the children, whatever the distress from disobedience, it is never too late to get the help of the Lord. Pour out your hearts before God―He is the Almighty―the All-wise. His hand is not waxed short. His compassions never fail.
Lastly. The end we have in view is the present and everlasting happiness of our children; our heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is, that they may be saved from the world’s fellowship, as well as from the world’s destruction; and that God may be glorified, not in their salvation from the wrath to come only, but in their becoming friends, and faithful witnesses for God, and good soldiers of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
To sanctify God in your hearts, is to give credit to God for all His love.
God’s way of salvation is hearing, believing, having (John 5:24) ―not doing, praying, or feeling. Conviction is a discovered sinner―conversion is a discovered Saviour.