Article II

The first foundation of virtue, or instruction con;

cerning the beginning o f wisdom in child;

hood Government of children

Behold, my dear children, since you are still children in understanding, young in years, and little fitted for the knowledge of God, I now show you for the first, how you may attain to the foundation of virtue, and the beginning of wisdom, that is

Give good audience, and cry earnestly for wisdom, and ask for it; and gladly receive all good instruction from those who advise you for the best. For, behold, thus Sirach teaches: "Keep only with such as fear God, whom thou knowest to keep God's commandments, who are minded as thou art, who have compassion on thee, if thou stumble; and abide b their counsel [he says, abide by their counsel, for thou shalt find no more faithful counsel, and such an one can often see something better than seven watchmen that sit about in a high tower, Sir. 37:12. Again: " The true beginning of wisdom is the desire of discipline. " Wisd. 6:17. And again: " Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. " Prov. 12:1. Again: " The ears that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. And he that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. " 15:31, 32. Moreover: " He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. " 10:17. Again: " A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool." 17:10. Behold, my dear children, open your ears, and receive instruction, and you shall become wise and honorable; if not, you must remain unwise, ungodly, worldly and in error, as follows here

"Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honored." 13:18.

Again: "He that hateth to be reproved is already in the way of the ungodly." Sir. 21:6. Again

"An ungodly man will not be reproved, but excuseth himself by the example of others .in what he doeth." 32:17.

Behold, my dear children, what excellent instructions these are. Here you hear good counsel, how you can attain to virtue. And this you can do without many stripes of the rod, if you but attend to words, and fear your people in all they command you. Be very obedient to the people with whom you live, and beware of your innate evil nature, your wildness, your foolishness and childishness. Abandon that for which you are chastised; else you will have to be severely beaten without ceasing; for this belongs to foolish, froward and disobedient children, as follows here

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Prov. 22:15. The rod and reproof give wisdom but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 29:15. Again: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." 22:6. "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." 23:13, 14. Again: "Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth. Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and do not spoil them." Sir. 7:23, 24. "He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end. He that chastiseth his son, shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice in him among his acquaintance." 30:1, 2.

Behold, my children, this is what is said with regard to disobedient children. Thus must children be brought up by God fearing parents, the good with words, the evil with rods. Thus did 7'obit with his son; thus was Susannah from her youth brought up in the fear of God; and to Abraham it was counted for righteousness that he should admonish his children to the fear of God after him. Sus. 2; Tob. 1:9; Gen. 18:19.

In short, this is the conclusion: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. And, ye parents, be not bitter against them, lest they become dull, shy, or discouraged." Col. 3:20, 21; Eph. 6:1.

See, my dear children, learn here what is becoming to you; see here, with what heavy duty of instruction and correction Christian parents are charged with regard to their children.

Those who neglect their children in regard to this discipline, and are too indulgent toward them, may remember the terrible example of evil recompense exhibited in Eli, the priest, who for this reason, by the hand of God, fell from off his seat backward, and brake his neck. I Sam. 4:18. Hence it is a grievous matter badly to bring up froward children, concerning which Sirach says: "He that is too indulgent with his child lamenteth his stripes, and is terrified as often as he cries. A wanton child becometh willful, like a wild horse. Cocker thy child and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness. Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end. Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies. Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides [he says beat him on the sides] while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee. Instruct thy child, and suffer him not to go idle, lest thou be brought to shame through him." Sirach 30:7-13. Behold, what a solemn charge the believer has concerning his children, and also those that are committed to him as his own children. Hence, dear lambs, endure kind correction, and be afraid of words, and you will not have to suffer this severe cruelty: otherwise you must suffer it, as has been heard.

Behold, my children, in these holy instructions in correction I acquit myself of my duty towards you; and in all this I admonish you not only in your youth, but also in your riper years, to give ear to the advice of the wise and pious, and always to love the Christians, God's dear children, the holy church, which by all men is considered a heresy, because they so firmly hope in the living God. Acts 24:14. Learn to know early in the Scriptures this living God of them that believe; for, says the apostle Paul, he that cometh to God must believe that there is a God, and that He will greatly reward those who, through the strait gate, seek Him with such hardships, on the narrow way of tribulation. I Tim. 4:10; Heb. 11:6.