REFLECTIONS.
The man who begins the world aright, must begin with God. The stately house is built in vain, and the family multiplied for wickedness, unless it be done in the Lord's counsel, and with a view to the house in heaven. Hence we should pray for guidance in all our temporal affairs, and for a blessing on all our toils.
Among all the mercies of a temporal nature, that of children stands the first. Good children are the joy of our youth, the glory of our family, and the comfort of our declining years: and that all those blessings may attend our house, let us pray for wisdom to educate them aright. Let us train them up to self-denial, habituate them to obedience, and to abhor vice; and in vanquishing the corrupt propensities of nature, let us bring to their aid all the advantages of a religious education. Then, if they will perversely follow the flesh, and become prodigals, we must leave them to eat the fruit of their own doings, and hope that afflictions will bring them home to God. But those faithful fathers who do their best, generally have some of their children who prove a very great comfort to them in old age.
Psalms 127:3. Olive plants round about thy table. The Jews, in their warm climate, often took their food in gardens, under the shade of olives, vines, and figtrees.