1.I pour out continual prayers and cries to the God of all grace for them, that He will be a Father to my children, and bestow His Christ and His grace upon them, and guide them with His councils, and bring them to His glory. And in this action, I mention them distinctly, every one by name, unto the Lord.

a.Cotton Mather was a pedobaptist. By baptism, therefore, he believed that his children were granted certain favors from God. They were, in that rite, "made partakers of the covenant of grace and members of the universal church". But he did not confuse the blessings of being born into a Christian family with Christianity itself. Thus he earnestly prayed, not for the development of his children's Christian character, but for their conversion. He dared not presume upon the God who "shows mercy to whom He will and hardens whom He will".

b.He prayed for his children. And his prayers were marked by consistency ("continual prayers"), fervency ("cries to God") and specificity ("every one by name").

c.When it comes to the salvation of our children, let it never be said of us, "You have not, because you ask not".

2.I begin betimes to entertain them with delightful stories, especially Scriptural ones. And still conclude with some lesson of piety; bidding them to learn that lesson from the story. And thus, every day at the table, I have used myself to tell a story before I rise; and make the story useful to the "olive plants about the table".

a.The content of Mather's teaching was the Bible. But the method he chose to convey its truths was "story telling". There is a reason for this. Doctrine reaches the heart through reason. Stories touch us through the imagination. But the thinking power of young children is, as a rule, weak. Their imaginations, however, are never stronger. Thus Mather adapted himself to the capabilities of his hearers. (And remember, he was greatly admired for his theological subtlty).

b.You parents, therefore, ought to learn how to tell a story; to tell it accurately; and to make it interesting. And this last part should be easy, for what book is more thrilling than the Bible? I would recommend "reading" stories as a last result. By "reading", you put a book between yourself and your children. "Telling" the story (if done right) is far more effective.

3.When the children, at any time, accidentally come in my way, it is my custom to let fall some sentence or other, that it may be monitory and profitable to them. This matter proves to me, a matter of some study, and labour, and contrivance. But who can tell, what may be the effect of a "continual dropping"?

a.Here Mather tells us to not confine our teaching to "family worship". We ought to take every opportunity to say something edifying to our children. But here, he is not alone.

b.But this is not easy. Mather wrote, "this proves to me a matter of some study, labor, and contrivance". Thus we must make an effort to speak in this way; to practice self-control, and to fill our minds with godly contemplations. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks".

c.Mather looked for the cumulative effect of this kind of talk. Not every chat contained the "whole duty of man". He did not attempt a systematic theology at every sitting. But taken as a whole, his conversation, like the Bible, was "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness".

4.I essay betimes, to engage the children, in exercises of piety; and especially secret prayer, for which I give them very plain and brief directions, and suggest unto them the petitions, which I would have them to make before the Lord, and which I therefore explain to their apprehension and capacity. And I often call upon them; "Child, don't you forget every day to go alone, and pray as I have directed!"

a.Prayer is not a "Christian" duty; it is a "human" duty. Everyone, including your children, ought to pray. But, like the disciples of old, they don't know how to pray. Thus you must teach them.

b.The best way to teach prayer to your children, though, is by example.

c.Mather also recognizes that prayer is easy to forget, especially for children, and so he daily reminded them of their duty.

5.Betimes I try to form in the children a temper of benignity. I put them upon doing of services and kindnesses for one another, and for other children. I applaud them, when I see them delight in it. I upbraid all aversion to it. I caution them exquisitely against all revenges of injuries. I instruct them to return good offices for evil ones. I show them, how they will by this goodness become like to the Good God and His Glorious Christ. I let them discern that I am not satisified, except when they have a sweetness of temper shining in them".

a.At this point, Mather takes aim of his children's "temper", or as we would say, "attitude". He is not content with the mere outward performance of duty. He wants his children to be "cheerful givers"; to not only "do good things", but "want to do them".

b.In particular, he urges his children to acts of kindness and against all ugliness of thought, word, or deed.

c.The former would be a good exercise for bedtime. Ask your children, "Have you done a good thing for someone today?" Not, "have you gotten in fights, said bad words, torn things away from others, etc.", but "have you been kind to others, shared with them, overlooked a transgression, and so on".

6.As soon as it is possible, I make the children learn to write. And when they can write, I employ them in writing our the most agreeable and profitable things than I can invent for them. In this way, I propose to fraight their minds with excellent things, and have a deep impression makde upon their minds by such things".

a."Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction will drive it far from him". This verse, unfortunately, is a far as some Christian parents go. They will not tolerate the evil, but give their children nothing in its place.

b.But Mather knew better. When the devil is cast out of a man and returns, finding his old home empty, he invites seven friends over, so that "the last state of that man is worse than the first".

c.You must, therefore, stock the minds of your children with good things. At a young age, it is best to do this by memory work. It is not critical that your little ones understand everything they are taught; but have them memorize it anyway! The best items, it seems to me, are:

7.I mightily endeavor it, that the children may betimes, be acted by principles of of reason and honor.

a. I first beget in them a high opinion of their father's love to them, and of his being best able to judge, what shall be good for them.

b.Then I make them sensible tis a folly for them to pretend unto any wit and will of their own; they must resign all to me, who will be sure to do what is best; my word must be their law.

c.I cause them to understand, that it is a hurtful and shameful thing to do amiss. I aggravate this, on all occasions; and let them see how amiable they will render themselves by doing well.

d.The first chastisement which I inflict for an ordinary fault is, to let the child see and hear me in an astonishment, and hardly able to believe that the child would do so base a thing, but believing that they will never do it again.

e. I would never come, to give a child a blow; except in case of obstnacy; or some gross enormity.

f....the slavish way of education, carried out with raving and kicking, and scourging (in schools as well as families) tis abominable; and a dreadful judgment of God upon the world."

8.Though I find it a marvellous advantage to have the children strongly biased by principles of reason and honour, (which, I find, children will feel sooner than is commonly thought for:) yet I would neglect no endeavors to have higher principles infused into them. I therefore betimes awe them with the "eye" of God upon them. I show them how they must love Jesus Christ; and show it by doing what their parents require of them. I often tell them of the good angels who love and help them, and guard them; and who take notice of them: and therefore, must not be disobliged. Heaven and hell I set before them as the consequences of their behavior here.

a.Mather uses many inducements in the rearing of his children. He appeals to their reason, to their happiness, to the value of a good reputation, and so on. But finally, he makes a religious claim on them: God is watching them; Christ deserves their love; their lives will determine their eternal destiny.

9.When the children are capable of it, I take them alone, one by one; and after my chargess unto them, to fear God, and serve Christ, and shun sin, I pray with them in my study and make them the witnesses of the agonies, with which I address the Throne of Grace on their behalf.

a.Two things are worth noticing here: (1) He gave his children individual attention; and (2) He showed them how much he wanted them to be saved.

10.I find much benefit, by a particular method, as of catechising the children, so of carrying the repetition of the public sermon unto them. The answers of the catechism I still explain with abundance of brief questions, which make them to take in the meaning of it, and I see, that they do so. And when the sermons are to be repeated, I choose to put every truth into a question, to be answered still, with "yes" or "no". In this, and in this way I have an opportunity to ask, "Do you desire such, or such a grace of God?" and the like. Yea, I have an opportunity to demand, and perhaps, to obtain their consent unto the glorious articles of the New Covenant. The Spirit of grace may fall upon them in this action; and they may be seized by Him and held as His temples through eternal ages.