The Light, the Way, that Children ought to be Trained up in, wherein the Holy Men of God Walked. If Children, and Young People ought to be Trained up in the Fear of the Lord, and to be Sober minded; how much more than them that are Aged aught to be found therein? YOU that be Parents, FATHERS and MOTHERS of Children, Train up your Children in the nurture and fear of the Lord to departed from sin, and to departed from evil, which is the beginning of the true wisdom, to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof, and then all other things shall be added; not taken away: So that this is the first thing to be sought after, the first thing to be minded, which the fear of the Lord is the beginning of, this Heavenly wisdom which Children are to be Trained up in; for that is the fool which is not rich in God; and Godliness is profitable unto all things which is great gain, that hath the promise of this life and that which is to come. So wouldst thou have an inheritance for them, labour to bring them unto the Light of Christ in them, who lighteth every one that cometh into the World, which will bring them unto Christ, from whence the Light cometh that he may bless them, for the Light that cometh from him, leadeth to him, that thou whether Father or Mother, or both, may have your Children to be God's Children, for God is Light and dwelleth in the Light, & his are Children of the Light, and walketh in the Light which is the way to the Heavenly Kingdom; and this is the way for your Children to be Trained up in, wherein the Saints walked, and had their fellowship together, giving thanks unto the Father which had made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light. For to be bred up in the Stubborness, Obstinacy, Wrath, and Envy, is not the right way, such go in the way of Cain and Corah that perished, neither are such Children of God, who is not the Father of that Seed, his Children bear not such an Image, but his Children are taught of Christ, learn of him who hath enlightened them, who is the Way, and none cometh to the Father, but by him, who saith, learn of me, I am meek and low in heart; behold then the Way people that your Children are to be Trained up in, Meekness & Humility of heart which Christ the Light teacheth, & all that learn of him come to be like unto him, to bear his Image, his Likeness. Therefore you that are Parents be careful of this, that your Children walk not in the evil Way, that the evil one leadeth into, which is out of the Way of God, and the Way of the ungodly shall perish; it will not be for the Parent's joy, nor the children's Peace to be found in that Way; but for Children to be found in the Truth, to do Truth, speak Truth, and walk in the Truth, there is true cause of joy, for there they are out of the Way of the evil one, who abode not in the Truth: And all lying is of the Devil, who are in that, are in the evil way, which the true Light leads out of all that obey and follow it; so to gather them into this Way that they may mind the Light, the Way, that is your care to mind them of, and your part to perform towards them that are Parents, that the evil one draw not out their minds, and corrupt their minds, which you are to help them in, if they are unmindful of themselves: And be not rash nor hasty towards them, but labour to instruct them, and with Love and Meekness to gain them, that their minds may be turned to the Light which turns towards God, to obey and serve him who hath enlightened them, CHRIST the LIGHT who was subject unto Joseph and Mary his Mother, and the Light leadeth to follow him for an example, in whose mouth there was no guile, and then they will be subject unto you, and obey you. For ye Children ought to obey your Parents in all things in the Lord, and this is right, and the requirings ought to be done in the Light of the Lord, and this is right, and what of the Lord is required both of the one and the other. And when your Children are come to years, provide for them such honest lawful Callings, as the Lord inclines them to, or makes them Capable of, therein to serve him and their Generations, and not to be exercised in things too high for them, for if their employment be above them, it will prove burdensome unto them, and that which they are most inclined unto, they will soon get Dominion over it. And that Calling is lawful or honest which is according to the righteous Law of God written in the heart, and not contrary to it, which law is Light. And whatsoever things are honest, just, and of good report, are to be sought and followed after. So let your Children be employed and exercised in the thing that is good, which is necessary, not in things unnecessary to cumber their wits, and lad their minds with, but to come to plainness, simplicity and Truth, that their Yea be Yea, and their Nay Nay, in all their Communication, and let no corrupt Communication proceed out of their mouths, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, for such things corrupts them, and doth them hurt, and so they lose the simplicity, modesty, and sobriety, which things are comely and of good report. And so let simplicity be minded, and purity, to keep out of the many mixtures, which the high bred Scholars have brought up and invented, which the Pope hath been the Author of, the Father of, (& not Christ,) training up his Scholars to speak Latin, Lawyers to have the Law in Latin, and Priests preaching much in Latin, or his Churchmen (as they are called) and things concerning Physic written in Latin, and Greek names and terms to lock up their Art, which is not simple nor plain, brought in by the Pope, which are yet held up, which the true Light unlocks, and makes manifest, wherewith Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world; his Doctrine, his Breeding, and his Manners, who hath been Gathering but the Lord will Scatter him, and hath had his many Masters out of Christ's doctrine, Masters of Art as they are called, and so would be the Fathers and Masters unto others, when as Christ saith, be not ye called of men Master: And how can ye believe which receive honour one of another? and saith the Apostle, be not many Masters; knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation; and this hath Children been trained up in many years out of Christ's doctrine, or the Apostles doctrine, out of the Plainness and Simplicity, in the Craft and Subtilty, and so have been worse when they came out of their Schools, then when they went in: So consider, whether this be not an upholding Popery, to continue that which the Pope hath brought in & not Christ, for Grace and Truth comes in by JESUS CHRIST the Light. Or did ever Christ learn his Disciples, his Scholars, divers Tongues & curious Arts to fit them for the Ministry? but he bid them be harmless as Doves, and told the great Sacrificers and others that did the Sacrifices; that he would have Mercy and not Sacrifices; go and learn what that meaneth, and leave off your curious Arts and Sciences, & Compliments and Ceremonies, and learn Plainness, and Simplicity, Meekness, and Lowliness in the heart, as Christ's Disciples that learn of him. And such cannot follow Pope's manners, Popish Schools, nor be made Masters of Art, nor Inns of Court Gentlemen, to have the changeable suits of Apparel, and their Vestments of several sorts and fashions, nor be Masters of the Ceremonies to stand in the Court of Princes, but learn to serve the one Master, and so through his teaching to serve one another, that they may stand in God's holy place, (which is better than the Palace of Princes) with clean hands, and pure hearts, and their souls not lifted up unto vanity; mark ye Scholars and Children, who they are that must stand before him, who is KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDS, and what his teaching is, who is the KING of GLORY and LORD of the whole earth, read Psam. 24.3, 4. Now you having a Light from Christ who is the Way to the Father, and none cometh unto the Father but by him who is the Way, who Lighteth every man that cometh into the World, this Light will let you see yourselves, and all other ways that be contrary to it, Loving it, and obeying it, you Love Christ from whence the Light cometh; but disobeying the Light, and walking contrary unto it, that will be your Condemnation, the Light saith Christ, who is the Way to the Father. William Salt. THE END. LONDON, Printed for Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle and Wind Mill, in Martin's near Aldersgate, 1660