J. C. Ryle's concise, commonsense guide to the raising of children has stood the test of time. He employs his deep understanding of scripture to distill the Bible's teaching on the duties of parents into seventeen powerful principles:

1. First, then, if you would train your children rightly, train them in the way they should go, and not in the way that they would.

2. Train up your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience.

3. Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends upon you.

4. Train with this thought continually before your eyes -- that the soul of your child is the first thing to be considered.

5. Train your child to a knowledge of the Bible.

6. Train them to a habit of prayer.

7. Train them to habits of diligence, and regularity about public means of grace.

8. Train them to a habit of faith.

9. Train them to a habit of obedience.

10. Train them to a habit of always speaking the truth.

11. Train them to a habit of always redeeming the time.

12. Train them with a constant fear of overindulgence.

13. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children.

14. Train them remembering continually the influence of your own example.

15. Train them remembering continually the power of sin.

16. Train them remembering continually the promises of Scripture.

17. Train them, lastly, with continual prayer for a blessing on all you do.