Great Quotations on Biblical Family Life

I came across this on Vision Forum:

Here are a few of the memorable quotations from the Puritans’ (and their Reformer forebears’) rich teaching on the family that were highlighted at the Puritan Family Reformation conference on May 24, 2008:

John Hooper on the father as preacher to his family:

"God Commandeth His Word to be preached in the church, but also in every family and household of whatever degree he [the householder] be. . He should cause his family and children to read some part of the Bible for their erudition to know God. Likewise he should constrain them to pray unto God for the promotion of his holy Word and for the preservation of the governors of the commonwealth, so that no day should pass without prayer, and augmentation of knowledge in the religion of Christ."[1]

William Tyndale on fathers as preachers of the Word:

"Every man ought to preach the Word and deed unto his household, and to them who are under his governance."

Daniel Rogers (son of martyr John Rogers) on marriage:

"Marriage is the Preservative of chastity, the Seminary of the Common-wealth, seed-plot of the Church, pillar (under God) of the world, right-hand of providence, supporter of laws, states, orders, offices, gifts and services: the glory of peace, the sinewes of warre, the maintenance of policy, the life of the dead, the solace of the living, the ambition of virginity, the foundation of Countries, Cities, Universities, succession of Families, Crowned and Kingdomes."[2]

John Knox on the role of a father in his children’s education:

"Every man that is not degenerated to the nature of brute beasts, will appear to bear such love to his children that, to leave them riches in felicity and in good estate, he will patiently suffer troubles, and will do many things for the weal of his children, that otherwise are contrary to his pleasure. . . . Then, God would that the life and conversation of the father to be a schoolmaster to the children. Plain it is, that the true knowledge of God is not born with man, neither yet comes unto him by natural power, but he must have schoolmasters to train him up in that which he lacks. What image do you show to your children; yea, in what estate do you leave them, both touching body and soul?"[3]