Article 2

The first foundation of virtue, or instruction concerning the beginning of wisdom in childhood.

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 first of all how you may attain to the foundation of virtue and the beginning of wisdom, that is

Listen closely, 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, this is what Sirach teaches: "Keep company only with those who fear God, whom you know to keep God's commandments, who are minded as you are, who have compassion on you if you stumble; and abide by their counsel [he says, abide by their counsel], for you shall find no more faithful counsel, and such a one can often see something better than seven watchmen that sit about in a high tower." Sirach 37, verse 12. Again: " The true beginning of wisdom is the desire of discipline. " Wisdom 6, verse 17. And again: " Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is brutish. " Proverbs 12, verse 1. Again: " The ear that hears the reproof of life remains among the wise. And he who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who hears reproof gets understanding. " Chapter 15, verses 31 and 32. Moreover: " He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses reproof errs. " Chapter 10, verse 17. Again: " A reproof enters more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool." Chapter 17, verse 10. Behold, my dear children, open your ears, and receive instruction, and you will 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 who refuses instruction, but he who regards reproof shall be honored." Chapter 13, verse 18.

Again: "He who hates to be reproved is already in the way of the ungodly." Sirach 21, verse 6. Again

"An ungodly man will not be reproved, but excuses himself by the example of others in what he does." Chapter 32, verse 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 only 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 inborn evil nature, your wildness, your foolishness and childishness. Abandon that for which you are chastised; otherwise you will have to be severely beaten without ceasing; for this belongs to foolish, wayward 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. Proverbs 22, verse 15. The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame. Chapter 29, verse 15. Again: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Chapter 22, verse 6. "Do not withhold correction from the child, for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die. You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell." Chapter 23, verses 13 and 14. Again: "Do you have children? Instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth. Do you have daughters? Take care of their body, and do not spoil them." Sirach 7, verses 23 and 24. "He who loves his son makes him feel the rod often, so that he may have joy of him in the end. He who chastises his son shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice in him among his acquaintances." Chapter 30, verses 1 and 2.

Behold, my children, this is what is said with regard to disobedient children. So must children be brought up by God-fearing parents, the good with words, the evil with rods. So did Tobit with his son; so 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. Susanna 2; Tobit 1, verse 9; Genesis 18, verse 19.

In short, this is the conclusion: "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. And you parents, do not be bitter against them, lest they become dull, shy, or discouraged." Colossians 3, verses 20 and 21; Ephesians 6, verse 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 shown in Eli, the priest, who for this reason, by the hand of God, fell backward off his seat and broke his neck. First Samuel 4, verse 18. So it is a grievous matter to bring up wayward children badly, concerning which Sirach says: "He who is too indulgent with his child laments his stripes, and is terrified as often as he cries. A wanton child becomes willful, like a wild horse. Pamper your child and he will make you afraid; play with him, and he will bring you to grief. Do not laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him, and lest you gnash your teeth in the end. Give him no liberty in his youth, and do not wink 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 grow stubborn and be disobedient to you. Instruct your child, and do not allow him to go idle, lest you be brought to shame through him." Sirach 30, verses 7 to 13. Behold, what a solemn charge the believer has concerning his children, and also those who are committed to him as his own children. So, 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 fulfill my duty toward you; and in all this I admonish you, not only in your youth, but also in your riper years, to listen 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 hope so firmly in the living God. Acts 24, verse 14. Learn early in the Scriptures to know this living God of those who believe; for, says the apostle Paul, he who comes 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. First Timothy 4, verse 10; Hebrews 11, verse 6.