heart nor to fetch out a lye though in these cases a Parent must be very active and if he spares his childe he kills it It is a great fault in parents saith one for fear of taking down of the childs spirits not to take down its pride and get victory over its affections whereas a proud unbroken heart raiseth us more trouble then all the world beside And if it be not taken down betimes it will be broken to pieces by great troubles in age I shall consider this evill and some others in fit place now in this place I am removing that which hindreth The parent is bound to teach the childe how to bear the yoke from its youth This duty the parent is engaged upon Lam. 3. 27. But the parent must use a great deale of discretion in the putting on this yoke The parent must not stand in a menacing posture before the childe as ready to strike as to speak and giving discouraging words too When we would back our Colt or break a skittish Heifer to the yoke the comparison holds well we do not hold the yoke in one hand and a whip in the other but we do before them as we know the manner is else there would be much ado in putting on the yoke and in breaking or backing the Colt they would be both more wilde and lesse serviceable It is much so with children if our carriage be not ordered with discretion before them we may make them like those beasts more unruly and perhaps all alike or if they learn any thing by such froward handling it will be frowardnesse When we would work upon a childe our carriage before it should be quiet and as still as might be just in the same posture that a man stands in before the live mark which he would hit he doth not hoot and hollow when he takes his ayme for then he would fright away the game by his rudenesse but so he stands as we well know the manner like one who means to hit the mark Our ayme is the good of the childe we must look well to our deportment before it else we may fright away our game There are some natures saith Clem. Alex. like yron hardly flexible but by the fire hammer and anvill that is as he expounds it by reproofs Paed. li. 2. c. 10. pag. 97. threats blows and all this may be done and must if done well intermes of mildnesse and pleasing accent with force of reason rather then hardnesse of blows and if it might be in the spirit of meeknesse remembring still Mr. Tindals Letter Martyr pa. 987. words As lowlinesse of heart shall make you high with God even so meeknesse of words shall make you sink into the hearts of men I have observed a childe more insolent and stout under a rigorous and rough hand but calmed after the heat was over on both sides with a milde gentle perswasion that workt force and violence hardens when as a loving and gentle perswasion wins upon the heart thaws and melts the same Harshnesse loseth the heart and alienates the affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 26. in 1. Cor. 11. but mildnesse gaineth all Proud flesh as experience tells us is taken down by lenitives the most gentle and soft applications So the pride and roughnesse of our nature is subdued by lenitives and not by another roughnesse as the Father speaketh elegantly We may note too the more rigour the childe apprehends and the more the rod is threatned which is the onely thing a childe feares the more the childe will hide it self like that unwise man who standing at the entry of an unlawfull but too much frequented place and finding himself eyed by a friend whom he would not should see him there shrunk in his head and in he went If a man had no more wit what expect we from a childe He was ashamed a Non sum adeo aetatum imprudens ut instandum teneris protinus acerbè pâ—tem c. Quint. Instit l 1. cap 1. to be seen at the doore he helpt himself well to go within the doores then as his friend said he was within indeed and the further he was so much the more within so a childe will do he will hide himself in the thicket at least he thinks so further and further if he apprehend much rigour there is much wisedome to be used here and mercy also and great reason there is to incline us to both as we shall hear in due place For the present that which hath been said may assure us that fiercenesse helps not in the unrooting of evill it hinders much the implanting of good There it hurts very much which is the second 2. If ever mildnesse gentlenesse calmnesse and sweetnesse of carriage do good and do become then more especially when we would winne upon the affection and sink into the understanding when we would lodge some precepts in the minde draw the heart and set it right Now while we are instructing handle the childe freely and liberally in a sweet and milde way speak kindly to it we must now and then we may have its heart for ever if we be rough and harsh now we fright away our game The instruction which we inforce into the minde by a kinde of violence will not long continue there but what is insinuated and fairly induced with delight and pleasure will stick in the mind the longer Trem. Preface before Iob. If Moses be to instruct he is commanded to speak not to smite and it teacheth us That a sweet compellation and carriage wins much upon the heart but we suppose we are dealing with children It is a mad behaviour and no better to suffer the hand to move as fast as the tongue and to strike at the head too the seat of understanding The head is to our little worla as man is to the great world the verie abridgement or epitome of a man spare the head of any place else you may drive out that little which is and stop the entrace for coming in of more The Lord make all teachers understand this truth and pardon our failings herein and the Lord teach parents also whose duty more peculiarly we are upon to correct and instruct their children in all meeknesse That we may all learn I will set down some considerations which may calm the parent and take off from his hastinesse when he would unroot evill a great enemy to that good he ows and doth really intend the childe 3. I suppose now such a parent who hath beene fierce and eager upon the childe striking flinging kicking it as the usuall manner is because of its stomack towards the parent which he will pluck down and because it stands in a lie which he is resolved to fetch on t such a Parent I suppose for such there are and this I would have him consider it may make him wiser against the next time First †1. Who is
to their superiours equalls and inferiours in all ages times and places This is that faire Edifice whereof intimation was made before fairer then the Edifices which have formerly been erected by Xenophon in his d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Institution of Cyrus by Plutarch in his Treatise e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of training up children by Clemens Alexandrinus in his f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Instructour of children by Hierome in his Epistle to Laeta concerning the g De institutione fiâ—iae educating of her daughter by Erasmus in his Discourse h De pueris statim libe aliter instituendis of timely and liberall training up of children or by others in like Treatises This Author hath more punctually and pertinently handled all kinde of duties from ones first entrance into this world to his going out thereof then any of the fore-named Authors or any other that have written of the like subject Such varietie of matter is here couched as it will prove usefull to all of all sorts that will reade and heed it The Lord give a blessing to this and all other like labours of his faithfull servants Amen William Gouge THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOK CHAP. I. WHat the Parents dutie when it begins Gods gracious work upon the Childe framing it in the wombe and giving it its due proportion of parts what thanks therefore pag. 1. 2. How Sinne defaceth Gods Image How repaired Of Baptisme and the solemnitie thereof The Mother the Nurse to pag. 4. The Mother is most imployed about the head of the Childe my head my head saith the Childe carry him to the Mother saith the Father 2 Kings 4. 19. The Mother is charged with the head Father and Mother both with the heart and this work is for the closset pag. 4. What Infancy is called an Innocent Age but miscalled Something may be done even then for the rectifying the Childes body and his heart too Grave considerations pressing to that Dutie from pag. 5. to pag. 9. CHAP. II. CHild-hood and youth how they differ wherein they agree unhappy Ages both The period of this Age not easily defined The Parent makes it longer or shorter as their care is more or lesse pag. 10. Parents not discharged in point of care when they have charged the Schoole with their childe how vain that thought pag. 12. How preposterous the Parents care How much Father and Mother both do crosse their own ends What a point of wisdome it is well to Time our beginnings When the Seed-Time what their imployment there to pag. 15. CHAP. III. A Two-fold imployment which lyeth in the order of Nature and right reason Lets hindring this two-fold dutie two fondnesse fiercenesse extreames yet ordinarily in one and the same Parent I. Of fondnesse what causeth it Youth more profitable Child-hood more delightfull * Fructuosior est adolescentia liberorum sed Infantia dulcior Sen. epist 9. What hurt fondnesse doth The Divels murthering engine to pag. 18. Foure mightie considerations to fortifie us against it from pag. 19. to pag. 22. Three examples evidencing how destroying it is to pag. 24. Repeated concluded in Mr. Boltons words with some use of the whole to all Parents to page 26. II. Fiercenesse whose fruit it is and how much it hinders to pag. 27. It helps not to unroot evill but rather roots it more in to pag. 29. It hinders much the Implanting of good to pag. 30. Considerations which may help to calme a Parent when in heat of spirit he is about to unroot evill are three very worth his consideration to pag. 33. Considerations which may arrest a Parents hand when he is about the implanting of good are foure which being considered will command an answerable practise to pag. 35. CHAP. IIII. OVr nature like a soyle fruitfull of weeds what they are and how unrooted 1. Pride the heart-string of corruption Chrysostomes note upon it how cherished how the contrary grace may and ought to be instilled to pag. 38. 2. Frowardnesse a spice of the former The Parents dutie here how the contrary grace may be inforced to pag. 40. 3. The way of lying and the way the Parent must take to prevent the course of it a great work if it may be done if not the Childe is fit for no societie to pag. 41. 4. Idlenesse how corrupting and provoking Labour how naturall to a man how he is provoked thereunto to pag. 43. 5. A bad Malignus comes quamvis candido simplici rabiginem suam suam affricuit Sen. epist 7. companion how infectious and corrupting he will defile the best and most candid nature with his foule example pag. 44. 6. The evill of the Tongue prevented by teaching the Childe silence and this the Parent must teach himself and his Childe under five notions The briefe of that which concernes the Childes Instruction is while it is a Childe let its words be answers Nature teacheth much at this point and they more who walked by an higher light pag. 47. 7. An oath a word cloathed with death in a Childes mouth the Parent as in all so here very exemplary yea yea nay nay The Friers note upon those words No more must be heard from a Childe pag. 48. 8. The Childe must be taught what weight there is in those words yea yea c. A good hint there-from to teach the Childe to abhorre that religion which gives no weight to words nor oathes neither pag. 51. 9 10 11 12. Nick-names and abuses that way are ordinary with Children and a fruit of corrupt nature so quarrelling uncovering their nakednesse mocking scorning the meaner sort Great evills to be corrected and prevented in Children betimes a notable example to presse us thereunto to use our Inferiours kindely to pag. 53. 13. Cursing a great evill so imprecations against our selves Foure great examples full of instructions who spake rashly and were payed home in that they spake to pag. 57. 14. As Childrens Tongues must be watched over for the Tongue is a world of wickednesse so must their hands They will spill more then they eate how to teach Children to prize the good creatures pag. 59. 15. Children delight in the pain and vexation of those weake creatures that are in their power A great evill to be looked unto and prevented betimes considering our natures what they are page 61. 16. Nature fruitfull of evills more then can be pointed at or prevented but that is the true and genuine order of nature to prevent the evills thereof first pag. 62. 17. Teaching by examples the best way of teaching and the shortest they make the deepest impression pag. 64. CHAP. V. THe implanting of good the order therein The foure seasons in the day seasonable therefore 1. How uncomfortable darknesse is how comfortable the light A notable lesson there-from wherein our light and the true light differ to pag. 67. The Sun knoweth his appointed Time what that teacheth The Sun is glorious in his
small benefit And this I must not passe over because it will be of large use both to the Parent and the Childe a good introduction to Duty unto both Lastly I shall set downe what perswaded me to put my hand to this work and that will be of force to engage every Parent upon the same bounden Duty and service First then for so I make way unto it with some digression I had naturally Linguam impeditam a stammering tonge my Mother who could love her Childe and yet be wise two things they say incompatible m Non conceditur sumul amare sapere but she could do both as all knew that knew her was tender of me and the more tender the more my imperfection was And such discretion she used in that case as indeed she did in all points touching her Children A true Eunice though having five sonnes She had not one Timothy for instructions and prayers both are too short for that worke Such discretion I say she used towards me that had I found the same under those hands whereto I was committed I perswade my selfe I had every way thrived better then I did and in point of pronunciation a chiefe point in a Scholler I had not found so great discouragement as afterward I did I mention my Mother here not my Father because that Stay and Staff the Lord took away from her head our Tabernacle in a needfull time when I was little more then a yeer old the youngest of nine but one was not and another there was newly laide in the cradle A sad stroke and as sad a widow A Widow indeed n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. 5. and vers 3. and that sufficeth for her honour Then her charge was double She was Father and Mother both and so she discharged both parts as that thereby she had double honour No Children in that Countrey of what ranke soever did owe more to a Mother for her precepts her prayers and her Practise then we did it is our engagement and no parent expected and had a more honourable observance from her Children then She had Mothers may hold their Authoritie and maintaine the same say what they will to the contrary It is their fault if they doe not maintaine their Right and it will be their sorrow She lived to see her Childrens Children and a greater blessing then that too Peace upon Israel peace and truth all her dayes And when her Day came even her appointed Day then was she taken away from seeing the evill to come She died as She lived I mention but the practice of her widowhood like Iacob blessing her children so she fell asleepe and was brought to the grave that silent place like a Sheafe of wheat to the barne as full of graces as of yeers I have digressed a little here but I could not remember a Mother and such a Mother barely so and no more From under her genttle and wise government I was put to Schoole to one of the best note in all that Countrey I shall point to the wants there which my riper yeers have noted in my education then for so our Learned Interpreter Iunius hath done before me I spent sixe yeers and an halfe in the Grammer Schoole trained up according to the bad fashion for we say as o Pravo nostri aevi more Cent. Misc Epist 87. p. 494. Lipsius saith of most Teachers then and now The understanding of a Childe is left to its owne information which will be long first and its memory is first dealt with and Tasked a burden though not so felt p Neque ulla aelas minus fatigatur Quintil. 1. cap. 12. yet a burden and heavier then we would have to be imposed upon our selves for we will understand first and then commit to Memorie which is the order of Nature for in true order and place the Memory comes the last of three The understanding should be a leading hand to it and the sense to the understanding and then the Memory hath its due place and will doe its due office when first the sense and understanding have done theirs such a reciprocation reflux or mutuall working there is betwixt them if they worke in order It requires speciall observation In all this time spent in Grammar sixe yeers is a great length in our span I know not which lost me most time feare or Play I know I played away much of the time for all the sorrow but I know also feare hindred me most and cast me farthest back I remember the noble Knights words in his feigned Arcadia His q pag. 11. minde saith he was fixed upon another devotion so he minded the speech no more then a Boy doth his lesson when he hath leave to play Feare works the same effect that play doth If the Master be as ready to smite as he is to speake as too many such there are the Boyes minde is fixed upon another devotion how he may save himselfe his eye is upon the rod or hand and all his observation is how he may award the blow As for other observations which his lesson would yeeld they must stay a fitter season for admittance when the Master and Scholler both are better fitted and tuned the one to give the other to take instruction And let him whom it doth concerne well consider this for it concerns him very much and the Childe whose good he would promote as much and much more whereof more in a fitter place onely this I adde here A Boy will finde out many shifts it is the Masters wisedome not to put the Childe to it for it will shew its wit in nothing more then to hurt it selfe I know it for I was witty enough that way and so amongst other defects I made my tongue the more imperfect which may teach the Master now to deale tenderly and gently with the Childe upon point of instruction A Master must maintaine an awefulnesse in the Childe else little will be done and he must be as carefull to suppresse feare and the working of it specially then when he would give instruction else no good will be done We may note what Wisdome saith certainly it holds true in so tender yeers feare Wisd 17. 12. betrayeth the succours which reason offereth If the Childe deserve to smart let it smart afterwards when the lesson is done And then neither will it be Discipline ſ Rectè vocatur castigatio disciplina quâ delinquens una dolet discit Bright Rev. 3. 19. unlesse as it smarts from the rod so it learnes by it also Hence Teachers may learne a principall lesson in due observation whereof they may helpe many defects as in the neglect of the same they may cause not a few and such perhaps as after time cannot helpe nor redresse And so I have observed two maine defects in the Grammar Schoole one in point of Instruction the other in point of Correction I will observe
bosome This Mercy we should pray so for and long-after even from the heart-root we should long For if the curse was heavy and sore which we reade of Psal 109. 14. then is the mercy great and greatly to be sought after from the Lord Let not the iniquitie of the Father be remembred with the Lord against the Childe and let the sinne of the Mother be blotted out Whensoever the Lord visits the Childe for Sinne certainly it should call the sinne of the Parent to remembrance o 1 King 17. 18. and so it will doe if the conscience be not asleepe or seared Then he will discerne that there was a great and weighty reason that made the Woman of Canaan thus to petition Christ p Matt. 15. 22. Have mercy on me O Lord thou Sonne of David my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Divell She counted the Childes vexation hers so would she the mercy We have filled our Childrens bones with sinne which will fill their hearts with sorrow It is our engagement to doe all we can though that All be two little to roote that sinne out which we have beene a meanes to roote so fast in I shall in another place the Second Part q Chap. 2. speake more unto this roote of bitternesse and the fruits springing thence whereby all are defiled Here I have onely pointed unto it as it engageth the Parent upon this so necessary and principall a service touching the good culture and breeding of the Child And we see what an engagement it is the greatest and strongest that can be thought of And so much as an Induction to Duty what this Duty is comes now to be handled A CHILDES PATRIMONY Laid out upon the good Culture or tilling over his whole man CHAP. I. Wherein the Parents dutie doth consist and when it begins Of Infancy A Parents dutie begins where the childe had its beginning at the wombe There the Parents shall finde that which must busie their thoughts about it before they can imploy their hands And this work lyeth specially in considering Gods worke upon the childe and how their sinne hath defaced the same First they consider Gods worke and the operation of His hands how wonderfull it is and how curiously wrought in the secret parts of the earth so the Prophet calls the Wombe because Psal 137. curious pieces are first wrought privately then being perfected are exposed to open view It was He that made the bones to grow we know not how then clothed them with flesh He that in the appointed time brought it to Chap. 1 sect 2 the wombe and gave strength to bring forth Here they acknowledge an omnipotent hand full of power towards them and as full of grace and they doe returne glory and praise both But here it ceaseth not Now they have their burden in their armes they see further matter of praise yet in that they see the childe in its right frame and feature not deformed or maimed Some have seene their childe so that they had little joy to looke upon it but through Gods gracious dispensation it is not so and for this they are thankfull And upon this consideration they will never mocke or disdaine nor suffer any they have in charge so to do a thing too many do any poore deformed creature in whom God hath doubly impaired His Image This they dare not do for it might have been their case as it was their desert Deformitie where ever we see it admits of nothing but our Pitie and our Praise 2. Thus they see Gods handy-worke and it is wonderfull in their eyes but still they see their owne Image also and cause enough to bewaile the uncleannesse of their Birth What the Pharisees once spake of him whose eyes Christ had opened is true of every mothers Childe Thou wast altogether borne in sinnes which should Joh. 9. 34. make every Parent to cry out as that mother did Have mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of David my Childe is naturally Matth. 15. 22. the childe of wrath Except it be borne againe of water and of the spirit it cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh. 3. The Parents see evidently now that they are the channell conveying death unto the childe The mother is separated for some time that shee may set her thoughts apart and fixe them here The father is in the same bond with her and in this we may not separate them God hath made promise to restore this lost Image this not tooke but throwne-away integritie And this now their thoughts run upon and they pray That the Lord would open their mouthes wide and enlarge their hearts towards this so great a Mysterie They have a fruit of an old stocke it must be transplanted and out they carry it and into the Church they beare it as out of old Adam whence was transmitted to it sinne and death into the second Adam whence it may receive Righteousnesse and Life Then at the fountaine they hold it blessing God Who hath opened it for sinne and for Uncleannesse And there they present it not to the signe of the Crosse but to Blood Sacramentally there that is Righteousnesse purchased by the death of Christ and now on Gods part appropriated and made the childes And the Parents blesse His name and exalt His mercy who hath said at such a time as this Live Who hath found out Ezek. 16. 6. a Rausome to answer such a guilt A righteousnesse to cover such a sinne so big and so fruitfull A life to swallow up such a death with all its issues This the Parent sees in this poore element Water appointed by God set apart fitted and sanctified for this end With it the childe is sprinkled and for it the Parent beleeves and promiseth Then home againe they carry it It is a solemne time and to be remembred and the vaine pompe takes not up much time where wiser thoughts from truer judgement take place Friends may come and a decency must be to our place sutable but the Pageant like carriage of this solemne businesse by some speaks out plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fancie Act. 25. 23. that the heart is not right nor is that vaine pompe forsaken which yet is now upon their lips to say They who have better learned Christ do better understand the nature and solemnitie of the action they are about so their great businesse is with God before whom they spread themselves and their childe Who can worke by meanes as secret as is the way of the spirit and can set this water closer to the soule then He hath set its bones which yet no man understandeth nor can tell when or how To Him they offer it before Him they lay it praying That this water may ever lye upon the heart of theirs as a fruitfull seed quickning renewing sanctifying That that water may as the Rocke ever 1 Cor. 10. 4. follow the childe The rocke removed not
sorrow for afterwards they would not be shortned because they were not while they might a Siquid moves à principâ—o move Hip. Hippocrates hath a good lesson and of good use here If thou wouldst remove an evill do it at the beginning As the spring of nature I meane saith the * Considerations touching the Church Lord Ver. applying it to the rectifying the politick body the spring of the yeere is the best time for purging and medicining naturall bodies so is the first spring of Child-hood the most proper season for the purging and rectifying our Children To come then to the maine instruction I intend here which is this As we observe Adams ruines appearing betimes in the childe so must we be as timely in the building against these ruines and repairing thereof It is a great point of wisedome as was said well to time our beginnings And this a parent will do if he shew but the same care about his childe as he doth about his house or ground if he observeth the least swelling or cracke in his wall or breach in his sence about his ground he is speedy and quicke in repaire thereof for it gaines him time and saves him a great deale of cost and labour both That may be done with a penny to day that will not hereafter with an hundred pound And that now mended in a day which will not hereafter in a yeere And that in a yeere which will not be done in our time So King IAMES so famous for his sayings pressed the speedy repaire of breaches in high-wayes We cannot borrow a speech that is more full I meane we cannot take a metaphor that is fitter to presse home this dutie it is low and descendeth to the lowest capacitie and teacheth the Parent to be quicke and expedite in repairing the ruines of old Adam in his young Childe for though it seemes as a frame but newly reared yet unlike other buildings it presently falls to decay and if our eyes and hands be as present to repaire the decayes thereof which is our dutie it would save us much time cost and labour Faults may be as easily corrected at the first as a twig may be bent but if they grow as the body doth they will be tough and stiffe as the body is they will knit and incorporate as the bones do and what is bred in the bone will not easily out See Camerar chap. 16. of the flesh as that sturdy beggar said A neglect toward the child now tends to such a desolation hereafter as the Ch. 1. sect 5. Prophet speaketh of Thy breach is great like the Sea who Lam. 2. 23. can heale thee There is nothing works more mischiefe and sorrow to a man I give my pen the more scope here because parents give and take so much libertie then doth that which he mindeth least to prevent and that is the beginnings and first growth of evill There are little Motions thereof at the first but they grow as Rivers do greater and greater the further off from the spring The first risings are the more to be looked unto because there is most danger in them and we have least care over them though yet they will quickly over-cast the soule Therefore that we do at the beginning Dimidium sacti qui bâ—nâ— coepit habit is more then halfe we do afterwards saith the Poet and he speaks not without great reason so forcible continually is the beginning and so connexed to the sequel by the nature of a precedent cause The Bishop hath a good meditation upon the sight of a bladder Every thing must be taken in his meet time Let this bladder alone till it be dry and all the winde in the world cannot raise it up whereas now it is new and moist the least breath fills and enlarges Meditat. 106. it It is no otherwise in ages and dispositions Informe the childe in precepts of learning and vertue while yeeres make him capable how plyably he yeeldeth how happily is he replenished with knowledge and goodnesse Let him alone till time and ill example have hardened him till he be setled in an habite of evill and contracted and clung together with sensuall delights now he becomes utterly indocible sooner may that bladder be broken then distended Quintilians first Chapter shall put a close to this It is very usefull all and tends to this purpose If we looke to reape comfort from our children we must lay the ground worke of vertue and religion betimes in them while as yet they are without any tainture at all We mould and fashion the mould of the head then when it is sostest so must we the mould of the heart and affections This is the summe of that Chapter The conclusion is We are curious what we put into a new vessell and what mould Ch. 2. sect 1. we lay about a young plant for the weakest Termes and Times See Advanc lib. 1 p. 25. of all things use to have the best applications and helps And so much may teach us what infancy is and that those innocent yeers as some have called them are not innocent Min selix p. 1. vers 20. in sol vide Com. They do shew forth many ill and peccant humours lurking within like poyson in a chilled * Non desunt ei venena sed corpent Sen. serpent which must be looked unto betimes by keeping our eyes wakefull over the first three and foure yeeres An allowance of yeeres large enough for that Age yet some have allowed more following the notation of the word because so long it is and sometime longer before the childe can speake articulately and so as it may be understood Though we be not so exact in observing our distinct periods it matters not if we can time our beginnings CHAP. II. Childhood and youth how neglected by Parents though their seed-time The maine businesse therein two-fold I Suppose now This Infancy this harmlesse Annis adhuc innocentibus Min. Fel. p 1. Tert. Simplices Annos Hilar. Insontem insantiam Cyp. Innocentâ—m aetatulam Prud. Simplicem turbam Martial innocentage as some have called it in the simplicitie of their hearts and in reference to the next age wherein our hereditary evill more declares it selfe and is more Active and stirring this I say I suppose passed over And as one Age passeth so another succeedeth none stayeth Child-hood and youth come next into the place thereof I put them together because they differ but in some degree of heat And they agree because what may be said of each which is but little agrees to both and that is That the childes eare as we say of the horse his a Equi fraenati est auris in ore Hor. eare is in his snafflle is in his governours hand as he holds the Ch. 2. sect 2 3 reines so it goes or as he lets them loose so it runs like a wilde Colt that hath cast his Rider
that upon whom he hath bestowed so many hard blows both from hand and foot too I tell but my own observation who is it he hath used so disgracefully with such contumelious words It is no other then the image and glory of God A strong consideration to cause the 1. Cor. 11. 7. parent to carry himself comely and reverently before the childe which he may do and yet make the childe both to know and keep its distance else it cannot know its dutie A Parent cannot conceive the childs condition to be more Maxima dâ—betur pueris Reverentia Iav Major è longinquo Reverentia Tacit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. de prosper Adver Hom 5. ω. deplorable then was the Rich-mans in the Parable yet saith Chrysost and he makes it very useful Abraham called him Sonne a compellation still be fitting a Father so also words and actions well becoming that sweet name Jud. 9. α. and most likely to winne upon and to convince the childe whereas bitter and vilifying words become not though we did contend with the Devill a Kinde words make rough actions plausible The bitternesse of reprehension is answered with the pleasingnesse of compellations Sonne let that be the name for so he is though never so bad And as a childe hath no greater argument to prevail with a Father then by that very name of love so nor hath a parent any stronger argument whereby to prevail with his childe then by that very name of dutie whether we respect his Father on earth whose childe he is or in heaven whose image and impresse he beares though now much defaced This is the first †2. And it is his own image too that 's the second consideration his very picture even that childe whom in the rage and rore of his anger he hath thrown and battered so He is a mad man that will kick and throw about his picture specially if the picture doth fully and lively shew forth his proportion This childe is the parents picture right and never so fully the parents image as now that it is in a stubborn fit It is a certain truth a parent never sees his own revolting and stubborn heart more expressed to the life then he may do in a stubborn childe then he may see it as plainly as face in water answers face this is a weighty consideration if it be put home A Parent must consider whence had the childe this who put this in which the parent would now in all haste fetch out Sinfull peremptory nature runnes in a bloud it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 1. 18. by tradition the childe received it of the father This the Parent must not forget and then his carriage will not be such as may lose the childes heart and alienate his affections such an effect harshnesse and roughnesse may work it may make the childe think that the parent hates his own flesh a In â—mendando ne accrbus c qâ—idam sic objurgant quasi oderint Quint. 2. 2. 3. Is the childe thus stiffe and stubborn thus confirmed in evill Doth it stand against all the parents knocks and threats like a rock immoveable Consider then he must whence was that Rock hewen The parent is the quarry or pit whence it was taken and whence it contracted this Tanquam dura silâ—x aut stet Viâ—g rockinesse It cannot be too often considered but it was the former consideration the parent must consider this here and it sufficeth to calme and quiet him to take off from his eagernesse that the time was when the childe was not so stiffe and so tough it was tender like a twig so as a twig or the sight of it would have moved and stirred it but then the parent would not it was too soon the time was not yet afterwards would be soon enough Now if it be too late he must thank himself the parent might but would not he would now but cannot b Aegrè reprehendas quod sinis consuescere Hieron ad Gaudent de Pacat. l. 2. ep 16. Difficulter eraditur quod rudes animi perbiberunt Ad Laetam l. 2. ep 15. Through the parents fault and connivence it is that the childe is become as stiffe as a stake as unmoveable as a rock If a parent can thus consider of himself and his childe his instructions will be more then his stripes so they should be alwayes and then they may save that labour c Quò saepiùs monuerit hoc rarius castigabit Quint. l. 2. c. 2. pain his teares will fall faster then his hands his passion will be turned into compassion and his prayers before and after will exceed all for this peremptory nature is a crookednesse which man cannot make straight Oh how good and how comely is it for a parent to water his plants by help of a metaphor I mean his children not as one did those in his garden and as too many do those in their house with wine but in imitation of the Prophet with teares I will water thee with my teares O Hesbon An Hortens vino irrigavit Macrob. Isa 16. 9. excellent water to make fruitfull for a childe of many prayers and teares cannot perish if we may beleeve the Fathers words to Aug. Mother This may teach us how to Aug. vita carry our selves in the unrooting of evill Other considerations there are which may instruct the parent when he is implanting good Parents commonly teach their children the book and the needle at least the beginnings in both But they will say They are the unfittest of many for they have not the patience to heare the childe reade three words So I have heard some say and those not of the worst The inconvenience here-from is great therefore to cool their heat and to arrest their hands while they are instructing let them take upon trust these considerations till they can suggest better The first is 1 That the beginning in any kinde of learning seemes strange and hard to all young and old but specially to young folk The Father must expect to see an aukwardnesse an unaptnesse in the childe at his first entrance The Arcadia tels us it is a pretty fiction that a Prince the better to mask himself that he might not be known took upon him a Shepheards weed and the Shepheards hook he takes into his hand also The right Shepheard who will hold his thumbe under his girdle and lying along upon the ground will point you out this way with his legge this Shepheard indeed observing his instrument the hook nothing well managed came to this Prince whom he knew not and gave him some directions touching the managing of his hook but finding his instructions did not take he went away in a fume telling him he was the aukwardest fellow at the hook that ever he met withall A shepheards hook was a strange instrument in a Princes hand he could have held a Scepter better
the Lord who hath yet spared us in the night of our ignorance when we could not enquire after Him and in the night of our vanitie when we cared not for Him and in the night of our sorrow when our spirits were overwhelmed that we remembred Him not Thus hath He patiently spared and hitherto watched over us to shew mercy when we were secure and carelesse in our duties towards Him which engageth us the more to give the more praise to His name And so much may teach us to keep sound wisdome and discretion that when thou lyest down thy sleep may be sweet so I have done with those foure seasons in the day so seasonable for instruction CHAP. IX An ordinary and great neglect in point of education The ground of that neglect For the helping thereof the Parent is advised to fix upon two conclusions what they are Of the Schoole and School-master and the way he must go THus farre as my method or way led me touching the good culture of the childe It prescribes a way to no man no matter what way he takes so he doth his dutie and so the work be done and the end attained which is The tilling over the whole man by the well improving of this seed-time A season very much neglected willingly or ignorantly let slip and passed-over by the most Parents too many make but a waste of those so precious houres as was said e Preface pag. 20. and as it were an emptie space which yet being improved would serve to fill and store up that which would be of more use to promote the childe then the Parents purse though therein he puts more confidence Thus I say it is for the most part and we cannot easily believe how much the Family the Common-wealth the Church how much all suffer for this neglect herein And which is the losse indeed The higher the persons are and the more promising their parts the more for the most part they are neglected in point of culture and due manurance It was Mr. Calvins complaint f Hoc crat summuÌ„ decus nobilibus nihil proâ—sâ—s tenere doctrinae gloriati sunt etiam nobiles hoc nomine quod non essent clerici que madmodum vulgò loquunturâ— c. Cal. in Dan. cap. 1. The honourable of the land account it a point of their honour that they have no learning none at all And in this they glory that they are no Clarks as the usuall saying is Charron relates for it is out of another to the same purpose That Noblemens children learn nothing by order and rule but to manage the Horse he gives the reason Because the Horse is neither Flatterer nor Courtier he will cast a Noble-man as well as a meaner person g Of wisdome first book chap. 49. pag. 203. Our learned Perkins observed Chap. 9 the like in his time Mr. Ascham a worthy Tutour to an excellent Princesse h As the Rose the Queen of flowers so she the Queen of Queens and of Kings also for Religion pietie magnanimitie justice you cannot question what Rose I mean sith so she was by desart and descent Lord Cooke Preface to Littleton tells us as much and it is very notable which he tells us this it is Some of our young Gentlemen count it their shame to be counted learned and perchance they count it their shame to be counted honest also For I heare say they meddle as little with the one as with the other A marvellous case that Gentlemen should be so ashamed of good learning and never a whit ashamed of ill manners such do lay for them that the Gentlemen of France do so But that is not so many good Schollers there young and Gentlemen indeed do prove that to be most false Though yet we must grant that some in France who will needs be Gentlemen whether men will or no and have more Gentleship in their hat then in their head be at deadly feude with both learning and honesty So he in his Grammar-Schoole page 18. five pages before * Page 13. The same goodman doth cast up the reckoning for these young Gentlemen that at the foot of the account they may read the issue and product of their cast away houres and much abused good parts thus he saith The fault is in your selves ye Noble-mens sonnes and therefore ye deserve the greater blame that commonly the meaner mens children come to be the wisest Counsellours and greatest doers in the weightie affaires of the Realme And why for God will have it so of His providence because you will have it no otherwise by your negligence And God is a good God and wisest in all His doings that will place vertue and displace vice in those Kingdomes where he doth govern For He knoweth that Nobilitie without vertue and wisdome is bloud indeed but bloud truly without bones and sinewes and so of it self without the other very weake to beare the burthen of weightie affaires Thus touching the great neglect of our young Gentlemen in former times And the evidence of the present time doth cleare it That the most hopefull plants are most neglected and our Seminaries filled with the lesse promising slipp's too soone set there before they can suck any juyce or sap or too late when they are first run out to seed and wilde in some other place We see a great part of our Gentry Citizens and others running out very farre this way so as they are like the sluggards field and by their cut and garb they make their Parents feare as much as that great Gamaliel spake-out in his last testament That the childe will scatter as fast as the Parent gathered and emptie with as quick an hand as the father did take in For the end answers the meanes The childe was taught no obedience when it might now it is too old to learn The childe was not bended when it was tender now it is too stiffe it will follow its own bent The Parent hath slighted the grave counsell given him before i Chap. 1. p. 6. and chap. 2. and neglected his precious season and seed-time also And now that it is too late to call back yesterday he may thank himself for the evill consequences from that neglect and humble himself to smart patiently for smart he must if he have any feeling of the weight of his charge or of his childes miscarriage He had his childe in his hand and he might have carried him on fairely and have taught him to know God himself and his parents But the parent neglects this faire opportunitie till the childe be slipt out of his parents hands and from under his own also whereto he was at first too soon and ill trusted And then what follows we see and how the parents and childe complaines we have heard Pag. 18. 24. This neglect is manifest so is the hurt which issueth there-from The ground or bottom of this neglect is as manifest
And so much that the Parent may attend his seed-time not slacking his hand then the childe shall be fitted for some work but not designed to any till the Parent can discerne the childes fitnesse and a secret hand pointing him thitherward whereto the Parent earnestly looks and whereon he faithfully depends not troubling himself about Gods charge which is to provide and protect but his own dutie which is to give all diligence yet without carefulnesse and so the Parent doth his duty and teacheth the childe his that both Parent and childe may rejoyce together FINIS A CHILD'S PORTION THE SECOND PART RESPECTING A CHILDE GROWNE VP That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee Prov. 22. 19. He that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy findeth life righteousnesse and honour Prov. 21. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As our heavenly Father so the Earthly desires to reape no more fruite from the Childe then comfort in it 's well doing how reasonable a desire this and how unreasonable for a Childe to deny the Parent that Clem. Alex. Protrep p. 4. Deut. 6. 24. 3 Iohn 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Tearme of Gods service admits no Vacation Id. Strom. li. 1. p. 201. Prov. 23. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Grace is an ever during portion Chrys in cap. 48. Gen. Hom. 66. ω. 1. Chron. 28. 8 9. Psal 73. 26. London printed by I. Legatt 1640. TO THE MVCH HONOVRED WIDOW IOANE CROKER a Widow Indeed and to the Right Worshipfull her Lady-Daughter the Lady MARY PYE. Right worshipfull THis in your hand speaks to a Childe but a Childe growne up no Childe in understanding Such are mine yet being yet in their Childish yeers So it might have staied a longer Time but I knew not how short my Time might be and I made all speed when I was upon it to leave such instructions as might be of use to them when I could not and to make them Legible They should have been more contracted for so I intended at the first but a sheete or two and so to have spoken much in a Little but so I could not doe nor was it proper if I could for then it had been of little use to those unto whose hands it is more specially commended It had gone forth alone without a former Part if so it could have been thought entyre But so it was not thought It was specially intended but the use of generall concernment not so particularly any ones but that it doth concerne every one that will reade it It leads on a Childe through all the Stages of his life which are implied here supplied in the First Part and through the great occurrences we meete with therein And for our clearer passage through them all It supplieth such Doctrines which I may call as the Apostle doth Strong meat because none but a Man-Childe can digest them It supposeth a Daughter rather as there was reason and so goeth on in that Gender and in strict proprietie of speech for matter and forme both for both were to be observed for Gender-sake but yet whether sonne or daughter it respecteth both alike for its Scope and white is To improove the soule which hath no Sex The margent is sometimes yet as sparingly as might be charged with a Barbarous Language such is that to you and me which wee understand not a 1 Cor. 14. 11. One reason was That it might both please and profit more then one The other That the line might be kept free and not a word there to hinder the understanding for I considered still all along whom I would teach to profit and therefore if there be any word in the line not so familiar in our Language it hath alwaies a second to explaine it I have often thought of the Apostles words and very observable they are If ye speake with Tongues to the unlearned will they not say ye are mad b vers 23. Truely I affect not words but matter and such words too if my heart deceive me not which may yeeld the most profit That I have Intituled this yours there was a kinde of inforcement which hath not alwaies good reason to strengthen it but yet as it falls out I have reason too Things of this nature are not thought comely nor well addressed to goe abroad unlesse they carrie some persons In front to whom they are specially Devoted so here I was inforced And that I made choice of the Mother and the Daughter I had reason for that which ye shall heare and how reasonable it is of that ye shall judge We make choice of such persons to whom our personall relations are strongest In this then I am sure I am right and have right good reason And of those also whom we most honour I am right here too and by the same reason for there are no two in the world for these personall and particular respects so I must be understood whom I more honour then your selves or who have more deserved honour in your private and particular waies then your selves have from all that know you And this I speake clearely without the least shew of flatterie which I hate as I doe that my stomack most loatheth Besides all this there are vertues pointed at here which claime acquaintance with you and say ye have an interest in them for they are yours When I come to the Middle-Age you shall finde the Parent Advising about a match for the Childe and so on where ye shall reade these particulars pointed at for though I am verie long in the whole I am short in the parts pointing at things in passage briefly So giving the Reader an hint for further inlargement pointed at I say a discreet Parent a vertuous Wife a grave Matron an honourable Age. And in the shutting up of the book a closing of the eie yeelding up all into the hands of Death which yet is to such as Iosephs wagons serving onely to convey those who are such To the place of rest where they would be And such ye are I think and an interest ye have in those vertues before mentioned ye may lay claime to them and call them yours else I know not where to finde a vertuous woman a True wife a grave Matron an honourable Age. Therefore I conclude such ye are And that your departure out of this life will be joyfull for ye go to the God whose ye are and whom you serve c Acts 27. 23. the strongest ground for comfort that ye can stand on And now that I have concluded so I have excluded none from partaking with you in the same vertues and reward and wish that all were even so and more abundant So it puts you on to strive to improve to grow to increase It is the Apostles inocuragement often none more often and to those who had gone verie farre even to perfection where
note our perfection here is our strife after perfection And after this ye strive too as the Apostles wish was even your perfection d 2 Cor. 13. 9. O how good and blessed a thing it is to stirre up to encourage one the other the husband the wife the wife the husband the Parent the Childe the Childe the Parent c. Let us go on to perfection e Heb. 6. 1. ye doe I doubt not but ye doe strive after this ye doe labour it is a grave word but it f 2 Cor. 5. 9. looseth of its weight in our Language for it implieth such paines as a man will take to climbe up to the pinnacle of honour g See the Book page 9. lesse labour will not serve for we intend an higher place so ye strive That ye may be accepted of the Lord that ye may live for ever with Him Oh it is good to strive here and not to faint It is for eternitie and for a crowne lasting so long and unlike other crownes still flourishing even to everlasting Gird up your loines That is put to all your strength and the Lord strengthen your hands to lay hold hereon and strengthen you the more the more feeble Age hath made you and the nearer you are to the putting it on Be as ye have been and be more abundant Eies h Job 29. 1◠to the blinde feete to the lame that the blessing of them that are ready to perish may come down upon you as the Dew upon the grasse and your praiers may ascend as Incense coming up in remembrance before the Lord. But above all look to the root of all Faith Gods great work i John 6. 29. and gift restore that may be filled with joy in the Lord. Yee see now the full scope of my words even to leade you to hopes on high for they will send your thoughts on high they will purge quicken stirre up they will elevate and advance the soule to a wonderfull height And now that my words have attained this end as I hope they have even to set your affections hearts heads hands all a work ye labour to be accepted of the Lord my words shall here end also so soone as I have onely mentioned the Apostles fare-well I commend you to God and the word of his Grace n and have subscribed my selfe Your worships in a double obligation EZEKIAS WOODVVARD THE PREFACE PREPARING THE EARE OF him or her who is a Childe in understanding My deare Childe HItherto thou hast been an hearer onely growing up as my papers fill'd and as an accession of yeers through Gods goodnesse gave some addition to thy growth and capacitie so did I to the strength weight of my Instructions I suppose thee now growne up and thy knowledge answerable to thy yeers for though a Childe is made a patterne yet we must not be like it in understanding When we were Children we did and we spake as children and all was comely but when we out-grew Childe-hood we out-grew Childishnesse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom. p. 51. We had need of Milke and not of Strong Meate for we were as Babes unskilfull in the Word of Righteousnesse but now our stature is increased it were a shame that we should be Dwarfes in the Inward man the man indeed They can have no Apologie or excuse for themselves who are growne up to full yeers yet have a Childes understanding b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry sost Tom. 4. quod nemo laedit c. I suppose thee then of full Age even such an one as I would have thee who by reason of use hast thy Senses exercised to discerne both good and evill c Heb. 5. 13. 14. Childehood and youth are the Parents seed-time when they must look to their dutie The after-Age is the season of fruit when Parents expect an harvest of their paines Children then must look to their dutie that Parent and Childe may rejoyce together But alas how many Parents are deceived here even they who have not neglected their seede-time They think upon the Instructions they have given the Intreaties they have used what my son and the sonne of my wombe and what the sonne of my vowes d Prov. 31. 2. These they think on but how many are quite lost how few or none take what may make for ease and delight that Children learne quickly so will the Horse the Mule the Asse and the Oxe put any of these to the Wheele they will quickly finde out the number of their Rounds and never after can be deceived in their Account e Charron of wisdome This is nature still and her field is fruitfull But no Earth there is that requires more labour and is longer before it yeelds fruit then Mans nature so decaied and wilde it is growne and so rightly compared to the Sluggards field as the person is to a Colt an Asse-Colt a wilde Asse-Colt The Philosopher reasons this case very pithily f Plut. de amore prolis pag. 157. He that plants a Vineyard quickly eates the Grape So in other graines some few Moneths bring them to our hands againe and the fruite of our labours to our Eie and Taste Oxen Horses Sheepe c. they quickly serve for our use and much service they doe in Lieu and recompense for a little cost But Mans education is full of labour and cost The increase is slow the fruite and comfort farre off not within Eieshot perhaps the Parent may kenne this comfort perhaps he may live to see it and to rejoyce perhaps also he may discerne little hope he may live to heare of the miscarriage of his Childe and see that which like a back winde will put him onwards towards the pit hastening him with sorrow to the grave But In hope the Parent must doe his dutie herein also like the husbandman whose worke is never ended something he findes still that requires his eie and must command his hand or like the Painter who cannot withdraw the hand from the table before he sees his work fully perfected But herein the Parent and the Painter are very like In all his pictures saith Pliny more is to be understood then is expressed although the skill be great yet there is alwaies more in the minde g In omnibus ejus operibus intelligitur plus semper quà m pingitur cum Ars summa sit Ingenium tamen ultra Artem est Pliny l. 35. 10. of the Workman then the pensill could expresse to the eie of the beholder His Ingeny or Idea the proportion he hath framed in his mind is beyond his Art It is so with a Parent his care may be great and his skill somewhat and the Childe may observe both and much of both But the Childe must understand more then it can see and yet understand it cannot the yearning of the Spirit the turnings of the bowels the desire of the heart towards
67. Occasions must be prevented a watch kept over our senses Over our fancy That it may be ordered and must else all will be out of order to pa 73. What may awe our thoughts 74. What the soveraigne help next to the awfulnesse of Gods eye to page 79. the summe and use thereof to the Childe to page 81. § 3. Of profit how unsatisfying what doth satisfie indeed to page 82. § 4. Anger What it is whence it ariseth who most subject unto it How we may be armed against this passion and overcome it Chrysostome's note notable and Melanchthons practise Gods patience towards us mighty to perswade us thereto Abraham and Isaac how meek and yeelding this way of the tongue from page 83. to page 92. § 5. Of Censure Charities rule her mantle how largely we may stretch it according to Chrysostomes and Mr Perkins rule A rule in Herauldry of great use to pag. 95. § 6. Affections sometimes the stormes of the soul sometimes the sweet gale or winde thereof like moist elements Who boundeth them Considerations of use to moderate our feare sorrow c. to page 100. § 7. Of Discontent how unreasonable it is Considerations teaching us content in present things Chrysostomes short story very notable so are the Philosophers words with Mr Bradfords concluded to page 107. CHAP. V. THe Sacrament of the Lords Supper Graces required in those who present themselves at that Table If wanting what is to be done Note Chrysostomes words and Dr Luthers at that point The close of the chapter very notable so is Mr Raynolds meditation to page 121. CHAP. VI. MAriage A solemne ordinance I. Our well and orderly entring into that honourable estate Abuses very many and great touching that point in young and old Whose abuse most notorious and how justly punishable c. to page 125. Our rule in treating about a match application thereof to the childe A childe no match-maker A childe no match-maker A notable story to that purpose to page 127. The duty of every single person threefold of infinite concernment to page 131. The Parents or overseers duty at this point five-fold The last of the five least thought on and worse answered but of infinite concernment page 138. II. Our well ordering our selves in that state as becometh the honour thereof Affections at the first strongest how to guide their streame in a right channell sinne hath put all out of frame Chrysostomes note notable Page 140. Good to count our Cost and forecast trouble Page 142. Equality inequality hard to draw even The man the leading hand how he stands charged the weight of the charge If the head be surcharged or so headlesse it cannot lead or drawes backward what the wives duty The head hath a head a grave consideration 148. A consideration which may helpe to make up all breaches and silence all differences betwixt man and wife out of Chrysostome Page 149. Grievances rancked under two heads What is only evill and to be feared Page 152. Evils Imaginary Reall The former how prevented Page 154. The bearing the latter silently and like a Christian supposeth two things greatly to be studied to Page 158. Snares they spring from two rootes how snares from plenty are prevented that our foote be not taken with them Feare a Catholike remedy page 163. snares from scarcenesse how to breake through them and how to carry and quiet our spirits in them 165. The houswifes charge how it may be discharged towards children what the parents ambition touching them and servants our charge over them how neglected The houswifes duty engageth the Tongue that it bee apt to teach The eyes for over sight The hands that they be diligent and open mercy to the poore inforced to page 170. Diligence a great thriver well husbanding the present makes us secure for the after-time The family the fountaine of society how ordered if it be as those families whose praise is in the Gospell The conclusion to page 175 CHAP. VII OLD-Age as an Haven we must doe as men arrived safe there What questions we must put to our soules the more to quicken us to the sacrifice of praise Many questions resolved into one to page 180. Two periods of this Age. I. Desired not welcomed A calme Time if youth hath not troubled it It must be imployed The lamp of our life must not now blaze-out to page 184. A grave complaint and counsaile page 186. who gives understanding 187. II. How burdensome those yeares The Grashopper a Burden When our time is shortest our expectation is longest a weake Body but a strong presumption how vaine to think we can turne to God then when we have turned from Him all our dayes It is not our Time nor Gods Time to page 192. Fooles delay Time Children of wisdome not so to page 193. Two lessons drawne from hence We must not wish for death in a passion Eternity when we may wish for death to page 196. Not trifle away Time Grave counsell to that purpose 197. Who may be said properly to live Groanes not discernable from what spirit they proceed 199. We make an Idoll of the last prayer What first to be done 221. Comfort in death Whence the peace of the Godly They taste not death they see it not c. Applyed to the Child concluded Faults escaped Page 29. line 12. of thy wings read whereof Page 50. line 34. covered read opened Not be hid Page 108. line 7. this read thy 109. Last line read imply Page 116. line 29. would read should These faults were found not sought for and because they marre the sense are noted so might many more if there had been will or leasure to have perused the Book The Remaines must stand as properly belonging to every person and presse and expect favour from every one who knows himselfe partaking of the same common nature But if here are more faults then usuall our excuse is that the coppy could not be made legible by the Authors own hand and being written by another was the more wanting in stops and otherwise and we keep to the Coppy A CHILDES PORTION The Second Part. Respecting a Childe grown up CHAP. I. What we are taught by beholding our selves in the wombe and what by our outward frame of body I Shall now call thee back to look unto the Rock whence thou was hewen to the wombe whence thou was taken I shall begin with thee at the very beginning of thy being that thou maiest take a more cleare sight and consideration even there of Gods goodnesse thy Parents kindnesse thy self misery Assuredly there is no period of a mans age that yeelds him such a discerning as this point of time doth at which he first breathed in this world and so set forth to runne his race Therefore I shall reduce thee now to thy primitive originals and as it were lay thee again in the wombe whence thou Chap. 1 didst spring That in this way of reduction thou maiest take
mean if being so unlawfully knit it cannot be lawfully undone then whether our provision of laws in Church or Common-wealth are not too short for the pulling out of these cankers These be matters too high for me but I am sure of these two things which I speak very feelingly as one who knows the heart of a Parent 1. That my childe is a much more valuable commoditie then is my purse my horse or my mare A childe is a fathers earthly treasure the other are trifles in comparison and being lost may be made up again It is not so with a child if a ruffian-like-hath stolen her affections or her away and another alike person or Priest hath married them this losse is unreparable the Parent cannot recover or make it up again And what can recompence this losse A childe is stolen away she is unequally yoaked for eternitie for life I am sure The Parent now may complain sadly and that is all for help he cannot 2. This I know also That those of that sacred order for so their orders have ranked them deale herein most dishonourably and unworthily and do offer such an affront to Church and Common-wealth as in no one thing more or a greater opprobrie I think now of the Institution of Marriage how sacred that was the honour and dignitie of the same and how this Minister hath abased himself and vilified this sacred ordinance and now I commend him to the eye of the civill Magistrate and from his hand to the hand of his fellow Minister the hang-man I mean for I pray for him That he may suffer as a notorious malefactour Because he doth most notoriously abuse his office scandalize his sacred order and which is yet worse doth more hurt to the Common-wealth then hath the most notorious Rogue in Newgate I am very sensible and sure of what I say The servant before spoken of must be remembred too the Cart or Bride-well is a fit punishment for her but too easie a punishment for such an one who for a trifle will hazard the casting away her Masters jewell I have done with the pandar and his fellow Minister both 3. Sometimes I have observed that the Parents on the one side have been well pleased and contented to wink and give secret allowance to an unwarrantable proceeding the Childe they think will choose better for it self then they could have done And here I must tell also what I have seen and observed further which is That crosses have presently followed the conclusion of the match which one side gave secret allowance unto in hope of advancing their Childe either a present separation hath followed The sonne hath been posted away into some forrein Countrey else some strangenesse of affection for such love is quickly cold bird like as Clemens h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ◠10. pag. 144. saith it cannot be fixed Some thing or other hath happened that crossed and blasted all their hopes 4. I have observed some also being at their own libertie to make their own choice not so carefull and upright this way They have carryed things in a cloud some things they have made more then were some things lesse some things they have concealed which should have been made known and some things have been presented under a colour and shew and all to compasse a poore end some wealth and repute amongst neighbours but things have proved contrary they have embraced a shadow and lost the substance They preferred a poore accessory before the principall and so have been paid with winde with counterfeit coyne instead of currant I could instance in some now widows and widowers who at this present do smart openly and in the eyes of others for their reservednesse their secret and cunning contrivance and imposture this way nor could it be otherwise for it is not Gods way we cannot expect a blessing in it What I compasse by guile and cunning doth but serve to increase my after discomfort A foundation i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piad Nem. od 8. layed in unrighteousnesse will be like a tottering wall at the best but like a house built upon the sands and tending to ruine And therefore this should be a warning to those who have any hand in this so weightie and fundamentall a businesse the issues whereof are so great And hence follows their rule which is this Look wherein a man expects the greatest good and his expectation is larger in no other thing then in marriage being most ancient important fundamentall to a sweet societie of life and a great number of mutuall obligations and profitable offices flowing thence therein now in a businesse of so high concernment Let a man proceed in the greatest evidence and clearenesse of dealing not swerving one jot or haires breadth from the wayes of sinceritie and truth This is the direction and I would have it evidence my minde when my tongue cannot And now childe to make application of all to thy self and way for thy better provision considering the premises That marriage is a businesse of such and so great consequence and concernment That the band is so strait that nothing can dissolve it but death or that which is to be punished with death that if there be an errour at first it is hardly recoverable afterwards considering all this I that might command thee do intreat thee by that worthy name called upon Thee and thy sacred vow then given By all the engagements of a childe such be all thy parents travell for thy good By all the comforts thou canst hereafter look for Be well advised first before thou doest proceed in this great businesse which requires such and so much deliberation Be I say well advised first By whom not by thine own heart aske not counsell there it may be and is in such cases strangely corrupted nor by thine own eare there is prejudice nor eye that is blinded nor affections they are troubled and can give no certain answer Nor by thy self for now thou art not thy self Thy judgement and reason are quite steeped in affection k Affectiones facile faciunt opiniones Yeeld thy self wholly up to those who have the oversight and charge over thee that is my charge There leave this great businesse and submit Here shew thy obedience as thou lookest to prosper All thy deportment from the yeares of understanding and onward thy gesture thy words thy actions should all at all times sweetly and child-like speake out and shew forth thy dutie to due observance of thy parents So as all that look on thee may heare and reade it in thy whole carriage and all short enough to answer thy debt But here is the principall businesse wherein they that have the charge over thee look to be observed And as thou doest observe them here so look to prosper I will read a short story here wherein we shall see a great example of a childes dutie at this point The greater the
government set up there sin breaks out and Satan breaks in without controule This is a sacred Truth not to be doubted of Beleeve me now in what follows I have known many but more there have been whom I have not known who neglecting this single charge and casting off the government of themselves have poysoned all their springs of comfort at the very head o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. Her Fur. p. 46. and blasted their hopes in the very blossome and blocked up their own way to the comfort they greedily catched at but in a very shadow Nay which is more I have known them who have kindled a fire in their youth that hath consumed them in their age and some remaining coales have singed the childe not then born Know it a truth not to be doubted and so plain that it needs not explication therefore what is possible keep thy heart as a chaste Virgin unto Christ even to thy marriage day and ever Thy posteritie and the blessing upon them depends upon it And so much touching this so necessary a charge this so prime a duty The looking well to our selves our single charge Which cannot be to purpose unlesse these single persons look up constantly to God who is the chiefest Overseer Parents and others are but deputies under Him who leades us on and holds us in every good way and hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Five negatives surely I will not verily verily I will not Heb. 13. 5. And this so great a businesse they must commend unto Him for it is a chief point of their charge with the same earnestnesse as they desire to succeed and prosper in it Our Lord Christ spent that whole night in prayer before He chose His disciples Thereby teaching us weak and frail creatures who have no subsistance of or in our selves but all from and in God what we ought to do at all times but more especially then when matters of importance are in hand It is of great importance how and in what manner matters of importance are entred upon and begun where we may note that nothing shall prove a blessing to me which I have not commended to the Lord and gained it from Him by prayer so then the young persons must look up to that hand that disposeth all things and to that hand they must submit They must leave God to His own time they must not tie Him to theirs He is wise and wonderfull and accordingly doth He work for those whose hearts are stayed upon Him I have observed those who have waited Gods time which is ever best He doth all things well and in their season so preferred in their match at the last that it hath quite exceeded their own expectation and the expectation of their friends and this at such a time when they least expected and had the least hope I have certainly observed it so They that wait on the Lord shall once say they are remembred and in a fit season But they who like an unserviceable piece of Ordinance flie off before they are discharged they who will put out themselves before their time have broken themselves with haste and proved like proffered wares of the least esteem quite disregarded They must wait on God herein whose hand leadeth into every good way and gives a blessing in it And they must wait His time also which is a chief point of their duty 3. The younger folk must leave this weighty businesse in their hands who are deputed under God to take the cure over them and the care thereof And this if the single parties shall do they have then discharged their double duty before mentioned which consisted first in the well ordering themselves and so discharging their single cure And then in leaving the rest for the changing of their condition wholly in their hands whose charge it is and whose duty also it is faithfully to discharge the same and now followeth for it is necessary I should adde something thereof I mean touching the overseers duty They that are overseers of the childe Parents or deputed so to be must be earnest with the Lord at this point for it is a main duty house and riches are the inheritance of Fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord p Prov. 19. 14. Parents may give a good portion but a good wife is Gods gift a great mercy and greatly to be desired This is their first duty The next is 2. They must choose the man we regard not sexes I say a man not a boy not a girle before the face can discern the sex parents must avoid the inconveniency of haste in so important a businesse which helps to fill the world with beggery and impotency q See Censure of Travell sect 7. And they must choose the man I say the man not his money It is well where both meet and then they may choose and wink but that is not very ordinary and therefore they must be the the more watchfull so where there is a flush of money an high-tide of prosperitie there is commonly a low ebbe of better matters which indeed denominates a man prosperitie is a great snare the greater when the young heire begins at the top first at the same peg or height where the Father ended and it is many times accompanied with some idlenesse of brain * Ad omne votum fluente fortuna lascivit ocium Quint. Dec. 3. p 32. I need not feare this but yet I say in way of caution choose the man and then the money when I say a man I mean such an one who can finde meat in a wildernesse who carries his riches about him * Cic. Parad. Sen. ep 9. 2 Chron. 25. 9. when he is stript of his money who hath his chief comelinesse within and yet not uncomely without such a man they should choose If this man be wanting the childe shall not set her eyes upon him the parent must not If some money be wanting no great want it is easily supplied it is certain if other things answer some want that way I mean in money is not of sufficient value to hold off or make a breach As it was said of the talents The Lord is able to give much more then this r But if goodnesse be wanting it is a greater want then is in a light piece of gold which in a great paiment will passe not withstanding as many great wants passe currant where there is a great portion Parents must shew their wisdome here else they fail in a prime duty They must choose goodnesse and not account it an accessary Better want the money then the man Å¿ See Chrysost of the choice of a wife Ser. 28. Tom. 5. Non sum ex insano amatorum genere qui vitia â—iam exosculantur ubi semel formâ capti sunt Haec sola est quae me delectat pulchritudo c. Calv. ep 16.
Religion t Mr Bolton direct p. 236. and the feare of God as it it is generally the foundation of all humane felicitie so must it in speciall be accounted the ground of all comfort and blisse which man and wife desire to finde in the enjoying each of other There was never any gold or great friends any beauty or outward bravery which tied truly fast and comfortably any marriage knot It is onely the golden link and noble tie of Christianitie and grace which hath the power and priviledge to make so deare a bond lovely and everlasting u Mendax est omnis secularis amicitia quae divini timoris vinculo non est ligata Chrys Hom. 24. in Matth. â—atin tantùm which can season and strengthen that nearest inseparable societie with true sweetnesse and immortalitie So farre Mr Bolton and so much touching the Over-seers duty in making the choice 3. There is another main point That they give the childe leave to approve of the choice As the Childe offers the greatest affront to Parents in giving her consent without their leave and privitie so shall Parents offer the greatest wrong to the childe that can be thought of in concluding a match without or against the childes allowance we have an old example hereof and a standing rule We will call c x Gen. 24. 57. 58. To use constraint and force here is the greatest piece of injurie that is done in the world yet so injurious have some Parents been and so they have compassed their end some estate for their childe but quite forfeited the comfort of estate and childe both The parents care was for that the childe least cares for and neglected the main the childes liking of the choice This is most injurious dealing nay more not unlike his and that was most inhumane who joyned the living to the dead y Virg. Aen. 7. Smithfield and other places have told us the sad sequells of such matches So then this is the next thing belonging to the Parents charge They will not proceed without the childes consent But it will be said as many times it falls out The Parents have made a fit choice and have asked the childes consent but cannot have it nor any reason except a womans reason why it refuseth And indeed so it may well be for the elder sort cannot alwayes give reason of what they like or dislike and when they can their reason is unreasonable in such cases no better then folly a See first part chap. 4. 13. 4. p 55. much lesse sometimes can the younger And if so then the childe must be drawn on by all faire meanes and the plainest Arguments such as true wisdome and discretion can suggest whereby to win upon it and sweetly to incline the will And if after some time of tryall they cannot by such faire means prevail then the worlâ— is wide enough they must make another choice they must not use force oh by no means I think now of the sad and heavy consequences herefrom So long as my childe hath a principle of life to carry her to Church let her not be borne thither as upon others shoulders for she matches for her self principally and for her life let it be with her full consent 4. It is proper to the parents charge and it is a point of their wisdome also to be watchfull herein that the parties have as little sight one of the other as well may be till there be some likelihood of proceeding And then but sparingly too till the match be made up There are two things necessary in all matters of weight That we have Argus his eyes and Braiareus his hands b Prima actionum Argo committtenda sunt extrema Briareo De Aug. 6. 41. p. 201. That is that we walk leisurely and circumspectly looking with all our eyes and deliberating with all our counsels before we determine and when so we have done then to dispatch speedily Young folk are good at the latter they will conclude quickly they are quick at dispatch but in point of foresight they are no body They spell the rule backward they dispatch first and deliberate afterwards which causeth so much trouble in the house and sorrow in the world They think not what they do they do to eternitie Parents must balast them here for they are like a ship without it Parents must foresee and forecast with all their eyes and more if they had them before young folk go to farre in this businesse Let this objection be nothing I must eat good store of salt with him or her first whom I would make my friend afterwards There is some use in it but not here betwixt young parties If their affections meet for the present they examine not what may cause a disagreement hereafter Let the parents look to that and judge of their dispositions they may do it and they ought the younger parties cannot their judgement is steeped in affection as was said they have little discerning further then as may fit the present but one or both can so intangle themselves and very quickly that if the match should break the weaker breaks with it and carrieth the trouble of it to the grave I have observed it so also and I tell no more but mine own observations all along Let them have as little familiaritie one with another as possibly may be till the match be made up and then as befitteth Christian modestie 5. And now I suppose the match treated upon proceeded in and concluded in such a way as is most agreeable to Gods will and word for in so doing we may expect a blessing There is but one thing remains as a close to that great businesse The solemnizing thereof according to the same rule And here we require the parents care and circumspection at no point or circumstance more wanting yet at no time more needfull for it is the last and chief point of their duty and evidenceth what their sinceritie hath been in all they did before touching their proceeding in and concluding the match They must remember now and consider with all consideration That they are on this solemne day laying the foundation of a new house or familie now we know what care we take in laying the foundation They are now so joyning two that they make two one and this they can do by joyning hands but there is but One and He onely that can joyn hearts and keep them joyned That marries them to Himself and each to other making them that day and all their dayes of one heart in one house This is a great work and peculiar to Him who is one God blessed for ever Therefore a main point of circumspection it is that they do nothing this day whereby to offend His eyes who gave them their childe all that is lovely and comfortable in their childe all the good they have or can expect Who makes a Vnitie and keeps a Vnitie in the bond of
peace Certainly I am upon a great point of duty O how carefull should we be that we give no offence here And yet how is this care wanting May we not complain here as Chrysostome in his dayes c In Gen. 24. verse 67. Hom. 48. ω Hom. 56 ω. Tom. 5. ser 18. How are marriages solemnized and in a manner how uncomely for Christians in such a manner with such preparations as if the purpose and intent were that the devill should be the chief guest called in thither and a blessing shut out I remember the same Fathers words in another place If the minstrells be within Christ is without or if He doth come in He turns them out d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Coloss cap. 4. Hom. 12. ω. I will not say so lest I should strain the Fathers words for I cannot take his meaning so Musick is a science not to be despised and though it be not congruous for mourning yet it is for a feast I suppose there we are now And though we are so yet this I will say and all that have common reason will say so with me where such songs are as are usuall at such feasts there Christ is not that is certain He is excluded and let parents well consider what a guest they have shut forth such a one who hath done all for them from whom they expect all for hereafter And here now thou that art a parent shalt be judge in thine own case supposing it to be thus Thou hast no means whereby to preferre thy childe none at all thou couldest not give it so much as her wedding clothes But a friend thou hast who would do all for thee all to thy very hearts desire and more Tell us now wouldest thou forget this friend on the wedding day no sure that thou wouldest not who ever was forgot he should be remembred sure enough Thy engagement to the Lord Christ is much more and much stronger I cannot tell thee how much more but infinitely more that it is canst thou then forget to invite Christ to the wedding Certainly no if reason or civilitie can prevaile any thing nay before and above all or else it is nothing for He must be chief and Lord where He comes thou wilt as the same Father adviseth call Christ thither e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ep ad Coloss Hom. ω. for certainly a marriage feast cannot be well ordered if it be not as once it was even thus And both Iesus was called and His Disciples to the marriage f John 2. 2. Suppose it so and the parents have quitted themselves well for things are done decently and in order But now here is a grave question for thus it will be said Great reason we see Object that we should invite Christ but how can we do it He is in Heaven and we are on earth He is a spirit we flesh That Answ is very true and it is fit ye should know it that ye may keep your distance and answerably addresse your selves And when ye have done so according to knowledge then observe an Analogie or congruitie in this businesse as thus would you know how you may invite Christ As thou doest thy much honoured friend before spoken of Thou doest solemnly entreat his company that day thy preparations are answerable to that respect thou bearest unto him such company such cheer such a cōmunion as is every way sutable After this manner invite Christ but remembring still both Christ and his Disciples they stand close together and can never be parted But if Christ come in our myrth must go out He marres Object 2 all our musick That is the common objection He is too strict and sowre a guest for such a time so it is said or so it is thought Why It is certain there is a Christian libertie Answ to be taken at this time even by Christ's own allowance If ever mirth be comely then at a wedding dinner if ever good cheer be in season and some exceeding that way both in mirth and cheer then at such a feast it is not properly a feast without it not a marriage feast I am sure And such a feast it is even by allowance from our great Master of that feast But now we must take this along with us 1. There is great cause that we should watch over our selves and over our affections now more specially because where God gives a libertie there man is prone to make an excesse 2. We must account that a mad mirth which grieves the Spirit of God 3. That to be a most unkinde requitall of the Lord where He hath made our table like a full pasture there to exalt the heart or to lift up the heel And all this we are apt to do therefore must we be the more circumspect and watchfull over our selves at such a time that things may be done decently and in order that all may shew forth Christian honestie prudence wisdome modestie And this because that day having an influence into all our following dayes may be so disposed and passed over that it may be a pledge of a blessing upon all the rest And this is according to Gods holy ordinance And so much Childe for thy better provision and preparation for this great and solemne businesse Of convenient entrance into this honourable estate wherein I have discovered the great abuses and disorders about it for thy better warning and the more to engage thee to thy duty which was twofold The well looking to thy self thy single cure and then looking up to God leaving the rest in their hands who are thy parents or deputed so to he What their charge is we have heard even their five fold duty It follows now that I adde something touching our Christian-like managing this worthy and honourable estate as befitteth the honour of it whereon depends our comfortable living in it 2. We suppose now that affections at the first meeting II. §. are strongest like a spring-tide there are some certain flushes as I may say of Love and Ioy from the present enjoyment each of other Here then is required more wisdome then we have to moderate our affections now in their hot fit and to temper them with knowledge and discretion For this we must know that there is as much difference betwixt these sudden flushes of love and a well grounded affection as is betwixt the burning heat of a feaver and the naturall heat of a sound and healthy body It is of soveraigne use to help us in the guiding the stream of our affections in the right channell to consider Who it is that makes the Creature so suitable lovely and beautifull who it is I say that adorns and beautifies both the Bridegroom and the Bride To forget this seems as unreasonable as it is impossible for a maid to forget her ornament or a Bride her attire f Jer. 2. 32. And if it be remembred it will beget
This is a worke for Him and peculiar to Him Who turned Iordan back Who made the Iron Swimme Makes the Clouds those massie bodies to hang in the Aire as if they had no weight Who makes Mountaines Vallies and rough things even Raiseth children of stones stony hearts and made dry Bones live And the Parents worke in this case is to sit still I meane not any slacking of their endeavour that is to goe into his closet and spread this Peremptory bent of nature he sees in his Childe or not subdued in himselfe as the King the Letter before the Lord c 2 King 1â— 14. and to say it is Luthers Counsell d Poeaitendum mihi praecipis sed talis sum ego miser quod sentio me nolle neque posse quare this prostratus pedibus c. Concio de poenâ—tent Anno Dom. 1518. Here is an Heart that cannot turn that will not turne turne it Lord it is Thy Worke Thine onely Turne it as Thou didst the Rivers in the South Thus where Nature is Peremptory and what we are to do in that case Nothing but look up to Him Who caused the Sunne to goe back and so the shadow in the Diall But it is otherwise in things wherein nature admitteth a latitude for we may see that a straight glove will come more easily on with use And that a wand will by use bend otherwise then it grew and by use of the voice we speak lowder and stronger and that by use of induring heate and cold we indure it the better e See a Treatise of Vse and Custome p. 26. and 39. and 69. And here in the God of Nature Who onely can change Nature and supply what man cast away and is wanting would have Man active and stirring and admits him as a fellow-worker with Himselfe By this I would gaine but thus much That I might evince the necessitie of a vertuous education and inhance the worth of the same I meane that we might set a price upon it and no ordinary one neither It were an easie taske here to enter into a common place and to give a Laudative hereof which would fill the margent and the lines Sufficeth it to know first f Reade Hist of the World first Book 4. Chap. Sect. 11. p. 14. Quint. declaris Orat. Isocrat Areopag 217. in sol That Nothing after Gods reserved power doth so much set things in or out of Square and Rule as education doth Secondly That we have no other means to recover our sickly and crasie nature I know my words are too short but I mean not in things that are high concerning God for in them she is not sick but dead no other meanes to pull it out of the Rubbish of Adams and of our own Ruins and to smooth over the face of it againe beautifying the same and making it comely no other means I say left us then to apply the Georgicks g p. 236. of the minde as that Noble Scholler Phraseth it he means the husbandry and Tillage thereof The effects we see in the husbanding our grounds and they are great and admirable The good Tillage of the minde produceth as great effects and concerneth man more as he thinks himselfe of more worth then a clod of earth It hath such a forcible operation as hardly any length of time or contention of labour can countervaile it afterwards we remember the old saying the truth whereof is more ancient then is the verse Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes c. This Culture and manurance of the minde taketh away the wildnesse and barbarisme and fiercenesse of mens mindes it subdueth savage and unreclaimed desires But then as the great Scholler noteth also The accent had need be upon fideliter h p. 82. that is The Culture and manurance of the minde must not be superficiall We deale not so with our ground but it must be laboured in faithfully heartily coÌ„tinually so the husbandman doth in his ground it findes him work all the yeer long And he doth his work throughly he doth not plant here a spot and there a plat of ground but he tils the ground all over that what he can and as the nature of the ground is capable he may make all fruitfull And so we must intend this businesse as we would that thing which concerns the Parent and the Childe more then any thing in the world besides yea more then a World is worth Being confident of this That all things by labour and industry may be made better then Nature produced them And that God so ordained it That the industry of man should concurre in all things with the Works of Nature both for the bringing of them to their perfection and for the keeping of them therein being brought unto it i See Dr. Hack. Apol. lib. 2. cap. 9. Sect. 3. p. 143. Having now concluded the worth of a vertuous education and the necessitie of the same it followes That my own practise be somewhat answerable to the Rule Therefore have I penned mine own Duty with mine own hands which may serve for a parent at large to direct and teach him his This I have digested into two parts each entire of themselves but yet as different in the subject matter and manner of handling as is the subject I would informe In the first part a Childe in its minoritie and younger yeers the second a Childe growne up Both the one and the other the subject of a Parents care and charge which in the first part is largely treated on with the manner or way how he may discharge the same The way is to make the Childe know himselfe then to know that which may be known of God k Rom 110. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is manifest for God hath shewed it unto him by that he sees and feeles of Him so haply he may feele after Him and finde Him l Acts 17. 27. This then is my subject now even The good culture of the Childe an old Theame whereto little that is new can be added either for forme or matter Yet because it is a work daily repeated and of Infinite concernment to the Childe And being a parent my selfe I obtained of my selfe naturally very indisposed to my pen to set downe out of some continued experience and some conversation with Children and Books concerning that Theame what I thought pertinent to that businesse The furthering and improving that great worke What now remaines as an introduction thereto I branch under these heads First making this my scope the good Culture of the Childe and being to note some wants and Deficiencies therein I shall first briefly observe such defects as my riper yeers have discerned in my own education the trayning up my younger yeers which may be of some use to others for prevention Secondly I shall note a naturall defect which troubled me very much For I thought it the greatest crosse in the world but it proved no
should as faithfully for it were my duty bestow upon him the culture and manurance of his minde first and as readily I should doe it and I should thinke to very good ends as another Parent would doe that had designed his to the Colledge The purpose then I tend unto and that I would conclude from hence is but this What ever is wanting to the Childe Let not education or instruction be Wanting t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. stro 1. p. 209. Children who have beene no way apt by Nature have beene made Apt by education And they who have been very Apt by Nature to good have proved very bad by neglect and carelesnes Translated out of the same Author the following page 210. Fill up this emptie space which commonly Parents make so with some seasonable instructions And the more unfit and unapt the Child is the more the Parents care and paines must be Nor must the Parent be hartlesse in the businesse but as the Husbandman their work is like sometime they meete with hard and stony places which by good culture they make fruitfull he must labour in hope And how unserviceable soever the Childe seeme to be yet He that had need of an Asse can make use of him whereto though the Parent cannot designe him yet his Lord can I remember that Noble Schollar Morneus tels us That his Maide would sweepe out of his study and into the Dust-basket such little pieces as he could make very good use of and could not spare so by his appointment in She brought them againe wherein he taught both the Maide and us not to despise Small things there may be for ought we know a blessing in them nor neglect the poorest weakest creatures What know we what the Great God intends them for Let the Parent doe his Duty He shall finde great satisfaction therein in giving his utmost care and paines A Pilot saith Quintil. hath a satisfying plea though his ship miscarry that he was watchfull at the Sterne and imployed his best care and skill there If Parts be wanting and Grace too a Commoditie the Parent cannot stow in the Childe yet he must be lading it as he can yet the Parent hath this comfort in case of miscarriage That he he hath steered his course according to the Rules of Right Reason and by the Compasse of Gods Word In case of defects and wants in the Childe we must learne submission to Him that made it so We must not strive with our Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potsheards of the earth What weaknesse or imperfection there is we must think it good because the Lord sees it best As we must not question His power no not in a wildernesse so not His worke because if it be deformed sinne hath done it The work must not say to the workman why hast thou made me so God made us well we unmade our selves Sinne causeth this double decay of Gods Image on us We may note this with it That a good man may have a bad house yet the man never the worse And a good wit and a good minde both though it is none of the best signes u Natura ubi peccat in uno periclitatur in alâ—â—ro may have a bad dwelling And if so we must comfort our selves in this That God can supply the want of eyes hands feet He can give some inward speciall gift which will countervaile that want what ever it be The want of the outward-eye shall intend the minde perhaps further the inward and more noble light and so in the rest It may be also if those had beene open they had been guides to much evill and the hands as active that way and the feete as swift which now are maimed or imperfect And as we must learne to submit unto Him not questioning His worke so also to depend upon Him not questioning His power no not in a wildernesse An happy weaknesse as before was said that puts us off from our owne bottome and rooteth us on God Who can provide there and then when man is at a stand The lesse likelyhood in the creature the greater should be the creatures trust The Lord many times crosseth the streame and course of meanes to shew his own Soveraignty and to exercise our dependance He setteth aside more likely and able meanes and blesseth weake meanes to great purpose Things or instruments by which God will worke may have very meane appearance as worthlesse they may be in shew as a dry y Exod. 7. 17. stick an Oxes z Judg. 15 16. goad or the jaw-bone a Judg. 3. 31. of an Asse yet of singular efficacy when God will be pleased to work by them Who as one saith b Maxima è miaimis suspendens Adv. 132. 112. doth hang the greatest weights upon the smallest wyars which may teach us a patient submission unto Him and a quiet dependance on Him The summe is and our lesson If the Childe have great parts signes thereof there may be be greatly thankfull but boast not of thy selfe nor Childe as many doe a commoditie quickly changed as a forward Spring is quickly blasted If the Childe have weake parts be thankfull too and rest content Crave wisdome the rather to improve them to make them stronger as too few doe but so we should doe and it is all we can doe when we have spread our selves and our Childe as the King the letter before the Lord. 3. The Parent must forbeare and forbid all reproachfull scorning words they are too ordinary from Masters servants and others yea and from Parents too in case the Childe have any noted imperfection or uncomelinesse There must be great care taken here Vilifying words hurt much and sad the spirits As we are taught touching the Parts of our body so touching our Childe I suppose it to be infirme and defective The more deformitie and uncomelinesse it hath the more weaknesse of parts the more honour and incouragement let it have for we shall finde the poore Childe apt to discouragement A Parent must see to it also that his weake Childe be not slighted by his Brothers or Sisters which is too ordinary How deepe soever Children are in our affections and one deeper then the other yet is it a point of discretion to ballance c Non debent fratres lancium instar c. Plut. defrater Amore them outwardly as even as possibly may be One must not be like a scale at the top another at the bottome He that is apt nimble and ready must not have all the encouragement and he that is heavy and dull none at all Nay a Parent must look to it that his weake Childe so I suppose the case hath in praise and commendation above his merit and proportion He must imploy him sometimes and commend d Rogetur laudetur saepius vincere se putet Quint. 1. 1. him too in such things whereof perhaps the
and Protection both He is all to us and will be so when we are nothing in our selves And so much touching my Wildernesse and Gods providing for me even there though I tempted him ten times I call it a wildernesse for so I may because so my foolishnesse in my wayfare made it And Gods provision for me was very remarkable and therefore to be remembred for the Parents sake and Childrens too of great use and concernment to both Indeed he that can say no more of his Travels but that he passed through a Wildernesse hath said little to commend his Pilgrimage but much to magnifie the power of That Hand whereby he had a safe Convoy through the same It is a poore and worthlesse life such mine is that hath nothing worthy to be remembred in it but its Infirmities But yet there is nothing so magnifies Gods power * 2 Cor. 12. 9. as mans weaknesse doth When I shall give account of my life and cast up the summe thereof saith Iunius k Miserationes Domininarrabo quumrationes narrabo miserae vitae meae ut glorificetur dominus in me qui fecit me vitâ Junii affix Oper. Theol. and so he begins I shall tell of the mercies of the Lord and His loving kindnesse to me ward And then he goes on reckoning up the infirmities of his body some of his minde too but that he puts a Marke upon is what extremitie he was in at Geneva and how graciously the Lord disposed thereof for that was remarkable indeed Beza also spareth not to tell us nay he fills his mouth with it how troublesome the Itch was to him not so easily cured then Deut. 28. 29. as now and what a desperate way the Smart the Chyrurgeon put him to and bad Counsell put him upon Such it was that there was but a step betwixt him and death but God wonderfully put to His Hand inter Pontem fontem Beza could not but confesse that Mercy as we finde it in his Epistle before his Confessions And so farre That the Parent and Childe both may learne to account Gods works and if it might be to call His mercies by their names and to rest upon Gods providence as the surest inheritance Now I come to give the reason of my paines in all this which follows and what ingageth a Parent unto this Duty 1. I considered my yeers declining apace When the Sunne is passed the Meridian and turned towards its place where it must set then we know the night approcheth when man ceasing from his work lyeth down in the Darke It is the Wisemans Counsell l Eccles 9. 10. and it is his wisdome to do that which is in his hand with all his might m Prima Actionum Argo Committenda sunt extrema Briareo de Aug. l. 6. 41. before he goes hence for there is no working in the grave The putting off this Day and the next and halfe a day cost the poore Levite and his Concubine very deer as we read Iudg. 19. And it teacheth us in our affairs concerning our selves or ours in setting our house in order That it is dangerous triflng away the Day-light I cannot say with Isaac I am old or mine eye is dimme but I must say in the following words I know not the day of my Death God may spare me among mine yet longer for my building is not so old but it may stand And yet so unsound the foundation is for it is of Clay it may sinke quickly as my good Father before me I may lye down turne to the Wall and to the earth all at once though yet I have scarcely felt and so also my Father before me the least distemper If this consideration come home and proves seasonable I shall then set all in a readinesse and in order that when Death comes I may have then no more to doe but to welcome it and shut the eye and depart tanquam Conviva Satur as one that hath made an improvement of life and hath hope in Death That was my first consideration 2. I considered my Children all three young the eldest but peeping into the World discerning little the second but newly out of the armes the youngest not out of the Cradle I considered also they are not so much mine as the Lords Whom thou hast borne unto me saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 20. And therefore in all reasonable Construction to be returned back againe unto Him by a well ordered education as himselfe hath appointed These thoughts so over-ruled me at length for I am not easily drawn to take my Pen in hand and prevailed with me to pen some instructions which might treat with them at more yeers and tell them their Parents Will concerning them in case either he or she should be taken from them before they were grown up It is but a dead letter yet somewhat it may worke through Him That worketh all things being as I said the Parents last Will and Testament concerning the Childe My Will otherwise is almost as quickly made as Luthers was wherein he could commend nothing to Wife and three Children but Gods blessing and Melch. Adam vita Luth. ◠134. protection And that is a rich legacy indeed a mighty portion but it is not transmitted from the Parent to the Childe This portion the Parent cannot bequeath the Childe cannot receive And yet the Parent and Childe must intend this above all things even the committing all unto God and expecting all from Him so as to say and to say heartily Thou art my Portion saith my soule Thou art a God in covenant with us with ours our God and the God of our seede Children I have for thou hast given them me They are Thine more then mine I was a meanes to bring them into the World and by Thy appointment to be as a Nurse unto them here They are thy Charge for provision and protection I beseech Thee Answer this Trust now specially when it is Thy pleasure so that I can take no care of them my selfe Thou slumbrest not Thou dyest not I must So Luther teacheth us to draw our will and so another as precious hath put it into See Dr. Sibs P. 647. S. C. forme And we are sure the Lawyer can finde no flaw here There is no errour in the Draught And though this may make the Parent rest secure for he hath chosen a faithfull Over-seer or Executor of his will yet it must not make him carelesse and negligent I have according to my rule and Gods gracious supply layed-up for my Children though very little in comparison of what some may thinke I might have done considering my time of gathering yet something it is and I wonder that little is so much A little riches are hardly got a great deale easily i Essayes Facilis ad divitias via quo die poenituerit bonae mentis Sen. nat Quest lib. 4. cap. 1. It is the Lord Ver. Riddle but easily read He
but the waters there-out followed them so the Parents pray That this water may ever follow the childe as a fresh spring still Ch. 1. sect 3. quickening washing refreshing untill the day of refreshing shall come This is their dutie now and this is all they can do beside the tending of it and this their dutie and their life must end together Now the childe lyes at the mothers breast or in the lap she is the nurse without question or so she should be though it is a resolved case that in some cases she cannot and in some she may not mercy must be regarded before this sacrifice But looke we still That mercy be not the pretence and ease the thing that is pleaded for that alters the case very much and will not prove a sufficient excuse wherewith to put off so bounden a dutie The * Aul. Gel. lib. 12. cap. 1. Macrob lib. 5. cap. 11. Erasm puerp Heathen have spoke enough to this point and more then all the Christians in the world can answer for the deserting and putting off unlesse in the cases before pointed at this so naturall and engaged a service At the mothers breast then we suppose the childe is and the eyes are open abroad it looks nothing delights it they shut againe as if it would tell the Parent what they should be now and it selfe hereafter both crucified to the world and the world to them 3. The childe is yet so little that here is little for the father to do yet All that is and it is no little worke is in his closet But besides that for it is the mothers worke too here is work for the mother enough It must be tended though it sleepe much more when it is awake And here is the observation It is hard to say which is more the mothers tendernesle or the childes frowardnesse and yet how they agree how they kisse one the other as if the parent were delighted with it It is an affection somewhat above nature implanted for the preservation of man so the Heathen could say by the God of mercy otherwise it might not be so for the more froward it is the more she tenders the little thing And it much encreaseth the childes score which he can never pay The Parent and the childe can never cut scores or strike tallies for they will never lye even 4. Infancy is a dreame we say The most part of it is Ch. 1. sect 4 5. spent in the cradle and at the breast the remainder in dressing and undressing Little can be said to it And yet something may be done even the first two yeers for the framing of the body as Nurses know best but something it is and the fashioning of the minde too and the younger it is with the better successe I have read of a great Conquerour yet not so great as that he could overcome his passions or an ill custome it is a second nature he learnt an unbeseeming gesture at the brest and shewed it on his throne If I remember his Nurse was blamed for it for she might have remedied it while the parts were tender Some-thing may be done also for the fashioning of the minde and preventing of evill It is much what they who are below Christians have spoken and practised this way which I passe over Note we The first tincture and dye hath a very great power beyond ordinary conceit or my expression And therefore observe well what they do who are about this childe not yet three yeers old and what the childe doth It may soone learne some evill and that evill may grow past helping quickly Looke to the eye and eare all goes indifferently in as well as at the Mouth and you shall smell the Caske presently just what the liquor was Keep the inward and hid-man as you should do the outward neat and free from contagion and corruption as young as it is it may receive a bad tincture and that entreth easily now which will not depart without difficultie 5. I have heard a childe sweare before he could creepe Qui jurat cumrepit quid noâ— adultus faciet Quin. Aug. Confess lib. cap. 7. hereupon the heathen man hath asked what will such an one do when it is grown up I have seene a childe threaten yet it could not strike and scratch before it could hurt and pale with anger it was Augustines observation because another did partake of its milke And this corruption which so soone will shew it self is strangely furthered by a foolish practise Give me a blow childe and I will beat what hath offended This teacheth revenge betime that daring and presumptuous sinne for it disthrones God and puts the law out of office I say that practise leades unto it as we might Chap. 1 sect 5 easily observe if we would observe any thing Many thinke that the Time is not yet it is yet too soone to be so watchfull over the childe But by this neglect and putting off we suffer matter of trouble to be prepared We neglect not a sparke because it is little but we consider how high it flies and how apt things about it are to take fire There is no greater wisedome said that great Scholler then well to Lord Verul Essayes 21. 125. Time the Beginnings and on sets of things Dangers are no more light if they once seeme light Our dutie is to looke to small things they leade to great Is custome no small matter said one who was short of a Christian Shorten the childe in its desires now specially if it be hasty and cry and will have it Then say some the childe must have it say I no but now it should not Shorten it here and the rather because it cryes if he have it give him it when it is still and quiet Correction rather when it cryes Let it not have its will by froward meanes Let it learne and finde that they are unprofitable and bootlesse A childe is all for the present but a Parents wisedome is to teach it to waite Much depends on it thereby a Parent may prevent eagernesse and shortnesse of spirit which else will grow up with the childe and prove a dangerous and tormenting evill We shall helpe this hereafter and soone enough say some Let the childe have its will now it is but a childe And be it so but that is the way to have a childe of it as long as it liveth As Sr. Thomas More said to his Lady after his manner wittily but truely They might as well say they will bend the childe hereafter when it is as stiffe as a stake though they neglect it at the present when it is as tender as a Sprig I will tell my observation I have knowne some children who might not be shortned least it should shorten their growth what they would have they should have for they were but children these have lived to shorten their Parents dayes and their own and to fill all with
And for the Youth it knowes â—o other Law but the Law in his members leading him captive to the Law of sinne So we may know these Ages to be more unhappy and lesse innocent then the former Age for so the usuall saying is and we finde ours as we were unhappy children it is not to be doubted So I am slipt into another Age and what is the just period and limit thereof I cannot define The time of Child-hood and Youth is much as the Parents can time the beginnings as was said As they order and handle the childe so they shall finde it As it is disciplined it may quickly and seasonably with Gods blessing out-grow Childishnesse and then Child-hood and as it may be neglected you may know that by its Childishnesse it is a Boy still So the limits of this age I count are in the Parents hand according as their care is more or lesse according will this time of child hood be longer or shorter It matters much therefore how the childe is disciplin'd and taught 2. Here then is worke for the Father also whom we have not hitherto exempted and for the Mother no lesse worke then she had before Father and Mother both little enough and for the fathers spare houres a full employment but none more necessary or whereunto he can be more engaged The childe is now out of hand as we say and quickly out of sight and as busie as an Ant in the Summer but it is not out of minde The Mother is quickly calling after it and seeking for it for she knows the childe will be in harmes-way for though it be a little more out of the Mothers hand it was never lesse in its own 3. I cannot question the Parents care concerning the childes out-side the body and there care doth well but there may be too much and preposterous that care may be and inordinate We adorne the out-side commonly saith Clem. of Alexandria as the Egyptians their Temples outwardly Paed. 3. cap. 2. very specious and beautifull but if you looke inward Ch. 2. sect 3. there was an ugly beast so we adorne the body when the soul the All of a man is neglected The soul calls for its due also we cloth the childes body the soul should not be naked we feed the body and cherish it the soul should be cared for and cherished also and in the chiefe place for the soul is the cause that the body is regarded suppose the soul taken from the body but one houre and how loth are we to cast an eye toward the body which before was so lovely in our eye A great reason this though there is a greater then that as the preciousnesse of the soul and the price was paid for it why the soul should be regarded and in the first place All is then what the Parents care is concerning that which is the man indeed And therein the care is commonly too little no way answerable to the hopes they have of their childe They will say yes They intend the childes good nothing more and the way they intend also conducing thereunto But what ever they say it must appeare by what they do for good intents are no better then good dreames except they be put in execution So their care is upon tryall what they do in way of promoting the childes good must evidence it as the surest witnesse Now that the childe can go and speake it can imploy its minde and body now the faculties of both are awakened and declare themselves Now must the Parents be doing if they will evidence their care and they must consider well what they do The childe imitates strangely it is taken like an Ape wholly by example The Parents practise I meane the Parent at large him or her that hath the oversight of it is the childes booke it learnes by it so it speaks so it heares it is fashioned after it it is chatechized by it It is its Schoole and the Church The Parents house must promote the childe in point of information more then can Schoole or Church though well provided in both yet Parents be too ready to referre all thither and so put all off from themselves Assuredly it is the cause of much mischiefe and sorrow in the world that the parents think themselves discharged Ch. 1. sect 3. of their duty towards their childe when they have charged the School with it Yet thus it is commonly for so experience tels us which is the Oracle of Time and makes all wise that observe it The mother thinks that the School must â—ook to the washing her childs hands putting on the girdle its attendance at the table and his manners there and if there be any other faults as there will be many then we know who shall heare of them all and we know as well that none will be mended when there is no better care at home But so the mother thinks that she shall do her part for she is resolved that to the Master or Mistresse she will go and the childes arrand she will do and she sweares it too if she live to the next morning If it please God â— relate her words being well acquainted with them the Master shall know the rudenesse of the childe how unmannerly and undutifull it is and how slovenly too Nay the Master shall know it will neither give God thanks nor say its prayers This is her errand and when that is done she takes it that she hath done her duty In the mean time I mention no other decay the childe grows so nasty that you would scarce take an egge out of its hand So much the Mother commonly neglects the childe whom she loves so dearly well and so much desires its well doing And for the Father he is upon such designes as may enlarge his heaps or possessions which he means to cast upon the childe like so many loads of Muck thrown together L. Ver. Essay 15. 85. upon an heap though money as one saith is like muck indeed not good except it be spread But so the Father enlargeth his desires and his means he knows not well for whom and so he intends his minde and for himself onely Essay 8. 37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Gen. 33 Hom. 59 a. he intendeth it For Charity will hardly water the ground when it must first fill a poole And little doth the Parent think how much he doth in so doing crosse the rule and the end he seems to carrie in his eye his comfort in his childs well-doing For those designes do trouble and hurt the wel-fare of the childe they do not serve it at all That Ch. 1. sect 3. wherewith the parent would load himself now and his childe after him usually makes the childe forget it self and the parent both The bladder is so blown with the windie conceit of that inheritance the Father hath purchased and is the childe 's in reversion that he
and with better grace but there must be a time to learn the well managing of both And a little time will not serve to learn this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. l. 8. p. 613. Hom. Il. a De Cyri. Instit l. 1. α. shepheard how to feed and govern men that wilde cattell the hardest to govern of any saith Zenophon too I remember here what is reported of that Valiant and right noble King of Sweden of fresh and bleeding memory He was trained up for Government being imployed by his Father as a Secretary to the State and a Commander in the Wars when he was but 18. But I recall my self to that I was speaking Letters or a needle to children are stranger things then a Shepheards hook in a Princes hand they wonder what they are and what they must do with them play with them they think and so they may and learn too an easie way of learning but very expedite It is a rule of one and that was an Irritande ad discendum infantiae gratia eburneas literarum formas in lusuâ— offerre c. Quint. l. 1. c. 1. Fiant literae vel buxea vel eburneae c. ludat in eis ut lusus ipse eâ—uditiâ— sit â— Hiâ—r ad Lâ—tâ—m l. 2. ancient Teacher Give children the letters of the Alphabet fairly drawn or carved in Ivory or any other solid or delectable matter to play withall that by their sports those forms might be imprinted in their memories whereby we expresse all the notions of our minde in writing And so Hier. counselleth also What ever our customes are this way they are none of the best this we are taught by it That we must make things as familiar to children as may be and that we must draw them on with all pleasingnesse I mean in point of instruction In learning any thing they seem to pull as it were at a dead thing It is a great point of wisedome in the Teacher to put some life into it that the childe may see it stirre and coming onward else the work may seeme so hard to them that they can better beare the smart of the Rod then the labour of the work a See Aug. de Civit. l. 21. c. 14 Id inprimis cavere oportebit ne studia amare nondum potest oderit Quint. 11. then discouragements follow such as make them hate the book before they know it A parent must be very gentle and patient specially when he is upon the beginnings of things for they are hardest it is the first consideration 2. He must consider that now the childe is entred it must be taught the same thing again and again and yet again for yet it is not learnt The first impressions are weak b Quicquid incipit rude est Nemo non errat nisi qui saepissimè non erravit Rumpat saepe stamina â—t aliquando non rumpat Hier. ad Gaud. dâ— Pacat. ep 16. lib. 2. the lesson is not firm nor will it be kept without continuall repetition and yet the parent must have patience a necessary virtue and well becoming the Teacher and as much promoting the learner whereunto this I conceive would be very conducible 3. Let a Teacher consider how unapt he findes himself to that Science he is newly entred upon if a Teacher would learn something he knows not whilest he is teaching the childe what himself knows he would see his own unaptnesse and pardon the childes As put case while I teach the childe Greek I my self learnt Hebrew Whilest the mother Chap. 4 sect 1 teacheth her daughter her needle she puts her hand to the Distaffe which she never did before though Ladies have and it hath become them The essentials of huswifery do well but to the purpose A man would hardly think how this would calme a Teacher We forget quite what we did and how unapt we were when we were children learning something now would make it fresh again though the difference is much betwixt a man and a childe and it must be considered What we understand fully we think a childe might understand more readily and hence proceeds more hastinesse then is fitting which shews the Teacher to be the verier childe 4. Lastly let the Parent consider how long he hath been a disciple and how little he hath learnt It may be an Elephant or some imitating creature may be taught more in one moneth then he hath learnt in a whole yeer in matters most necessary this consideration if it be put home would calme him sure enough And so much for the removing of the Lets CHAP. IIII. Our nature like a soil fruitfull of weeds What her evils are How unrooted or prevented NOw we look to the preventing of evils which while they are but in the seed may be crushed as it were in the egge before there comes forth a flying Serpent or Cockatrice and I begin with that which is most radically in us and first sheweth it self that is †1. Pride it is the sinne of our nature and runs forth to seed rank and luxuriant the soonest of any It is the first sinne which declares its life in a childe and last dies in a man We read a Tom. 6. ser 1. that Abimelechs skull was broke with a milstone thrown down upon him by the hand of a woman then he called out hastily unto his Armour-bearer Slay me Judg. 9. 34. that men say not A woman slew him Observe saith Chrysostome a The man was dying yet his pride would not die Indeed it is the very heart-string of our corrupt Nature cut it and that beast will die but like the heart in the body it will hold out the longest I shall speak more hereof in my second part where we shall see the root of this sinne and the fruit of it too In this place being upon the dutie of a parent I shall onely shew how farre we parents fall short at this point and what our folly is for what we should soonest suppresse in children we first cherish and maintain Indeed all that are imployed about them b Quint. de claris Orat. are for the most part teachers of vanity unto them but of nothing more then of priding themselves and over-valuing their worth which is nothing whereto I conceive this makes a way verie ready and compendious †1. If a childe have some portion in the world above its fellows then it is presently a master or mistresse and others its servants He I include both sexes is taught to command when he should learn to obey and hath titles of respect given unto him before he knows how to deserve them or give them where they are due he hath others under him when he should be under others and not differ from a servant c Gal 4. 1 2. in point of subjection and obedience it is the old and standing rule though Lord of all This inhanceth our nature above the
diligence we cannot overcome the pravitie and corruption of Chap. 4 § 16 our nature And yet we must not sit still therefore and do nothing at all because all we do is too little We must with the husbandman cast up the ground and cast out the stones and thorns that is the order and then cast in the seed that is our duty And we must look up to an higher hand who makes the seed to grow that is a parents wisdome We must not forget the order this plucking up these weeds first where with our nature like the sluggards field is over-run which will so choake the seed as that no fruit can be brought to perfection The Greeks have a proverb somewhat homely but it teacheth very much you must not put f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de educat meat into a chamber-pot This teacheth that good instructions to a stubborn and corrupt heart are as good meat to a foule stomack the more we put in the more we increase the distemper We must look to the cleansing the heart in the first place the keeping that fountain clean as we would the Spring-head whence we would fetch pure water I remember the reproof that was given to a very loose companion who yet would sit very close and attentive at a Philosophers lecture It g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aul. Gell. 17. 19. will come to nothing young man which you take in nay it will rather hurt then do good because you have not looked to the cleansing of the vessel And this reproof is the same in substance with that prohibition which we finde Ier. 4. 3. 4. h Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 1. p. 203. When there is no pains taken for the cleansing of the heart first but we bring our old corrupted hearts to new and holy lessons they agree no better then new wine and old bottles all is lost the instructions spilt and if any good purposes were they vanish like the morning dew and the heart returns again like the swine or the dogge And the very reason thereof we have heard 16. We may note now in the shutting up hereof that we may abridge our way and make it shorter by leaving precepts and proposing examples for these take best with children and it is the more compendious and certain way So the sober master reproves his drunken servant he bids him leade his horse to the water when the horse had drunk and had sufficient he bids his servant make the horse drink again which when he assayed but could not do he thereby corrected his servant as the verier beast And so the old man in i Lib. 1. Ser. Sat. 4. insuevit pater optimus hoc me c. Horace deales with his young sonne for disswading him from the vices and sinnes of the time he proposeth such unto him whose sinne had been their ruine See childe yonder poore ragged fellow it is very truly observed of him that he was a very bad husband of his time and purse he cast away his time as a worthlesse commoditie and his money as if it could never be spent now he would recall both but cannot Learn thou by his example to account time pretious and well to husband both it and thy purse Learn also to put a fitting esteem upon those creatures which are appointed for thy nourishment and refreshing for this fellow whom you heare crying out for one bit of bread and one drop of drink was wont having plenty of both to tread his bread under foot and to cast his drink in the street Behold another he goes creeping by the wall nothing but skin and bone a loathsome carkeise he rots above ground It is truly observed of him that he minded nothing but his pleasure he would do whatsoever was pleasing in his eyes and now that his light is consumed to the socket and going out in a snuffe and pains are upon him he mourns But now behold a third see how well furnished he is every way accomplished a companion for the best man in the parish he hearkened to instruction and was wise After this manner the old man instructed his sonne by way of example and that way Exemplis vitiorum quaeque notando we may take nay we must if we intend the information of children Thus much touching a parents first work with his childe which is the watching over him for the rooting out of evils what these evils are and the way to prevent them CHAP. V. Chap. 5 § 1 The implanting of good The order therein foure seasons in the Day very seasonable for this work THe childe is yet in his flower and first spring And that is the season of sowing and planting the seed of instruction which is the next work and now followeth The Preacher gives us a good lesson and incouragement both In k Eccles 11 6. the Morning sow thy seed and in th◠Evening withhold not thine band for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good In this hope the parent proceedeth and according to his rule and charge Deut. 11. 19. Foure seasons there are in the day very seasonable for instruction according as they shall minister matter so a parent may fit his occasionall instructions These seasons are as we finde them lie in the Text though not in the same order I. In the morning when thou risest II. At noon or the season when thou sittest at the table III. When thou walkest by the way IIII. At night when thou liest down § 1. In the morning when thou risest There is no season in the day fitter for instruction then is the morning nor fuller thereof Now the Sunne is returning and begins to appeare on this our side of the Globe making all light and lightsome about us oh how comfortable is it to see the light and how safe to walk by it Before darknesse covered the earth and masked the face of the same and then we could not discern in what order things lay nor what way to settle about them Many doubts we have and feares in darknesse some reall though the most imaginary for it is our nature in darknesse if we finde them not there to frame them there Our way in the dark is uncertain and hazardous full of danger Learn hence What darknesse is to the outward man so is ignorance the key of some mens l Reade our Jewell 27. Art Religion to the inward I know not whereat I may stumble nor wherein I may fall nor falling how dangerously I may fall nor how irrecoverably Onely this difference there is and it is a great one betwixt him that walks in darknesse and him that lives in ignorance the darknesse of the minde He that walks in darknesse walks charily and cautelously feeling his way with one hand and fencing his face and the choice ornament thereof with the other because he hath no light to guide himself by and he
thirsty spirit no clothes to keep me warm no house to harbour me c. for the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof I may have from man my warrant here in earth that my house is mine and my land is mine and he is a thief and a robber that taketh it from me But all the men in the world cannot give me my possession before the living God but onely his Sonne Christ who is Heire of all Then that our lands may be our own our goods our own yea and our meat ours let us be Christs that in Him we may have the good assurance of all our substance Take not thy meat but as the gift of Christ who hath sanctified it unto thee nor any thing thou hast but with thanksgiving to Christ that hath sanctified it for thee †4. And the consideration hereof should be a meanes to lift up our hearts as well as our hands and eyes to Him that spreadeth our table prevents the snare feeds us with the finest wheat when others are fed with the bread of affliction and water of affliction or if our bread be course or not that but pulse instead of bread yet He can nourish by it and make the countenance z Dan. 1. ruddy whereas the more daintie fare may tend to leannesse So the parent must teach the childe not to eat with common hands or mouth that is not before the hands be lifted up and the mouth opened to Him Who opened His hand to the parent first before the parent could open his to the childe And now onely commands a blessing and gives the bread power to nourish making it a staffe of bread both to parent and childe which must minde the parent that it is not a childes work to blesse the table but according to the ancient custome the masters duty to pray for a blessing who should best understand that all things are sanctified by the word of God and prayer And so much to raise our hearts before we take our meat towards Him who onely commands a blessing upon our meat and strengtheneth with strength in our souls Psal 138. verse 3. 5. And now that we suppose we are set down to feel and taste how good the Lord is who hath so furnished our table we must consider well what is set before us else we are as he who puts a knife to his throat a Alioquin Trem. Prov 23. 2. Lege Clem. Alex. paed lib. 2 cap. 1. saith the wiseman What meaneth he by that If we do not moderate our selves in a sober temperate use of the Creatures as men not given to our appetites we do then turn that which was ordained to maintain life and to refresh the spirits the clean contrary way as a meanes to destroy life and to suppresse and damp the spirits which is a great provocation for thereby we fight against God with His own blessings and against our selves with our own weapons and so are as they who instead of putting their hands to their mouthes to feed them put both to their throat to cut it For by intemperance this way in meat and drink by feeding without fear we transgresse the set bounds b Chrysostomes observation touching the use of wine is very usefull for it telleth us the use of all the creatures given for our nourishment wine glads the heart there you have the use of it saith he gladding and refreshing is the very bound and lâ—mit set unto us in the use of the creatures if we transgresse that bound we abuse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Rom. 15. Hom. 28. ω. and our heart thereby is made as heavy as a stone our spirits quite flat and dead whence the proverb is An intemperate man digs his grave with his fingers so that although life be within him yet his body is his prison and the grave of Gods mercies and his life serves him to little other purpose then to dishonour that God who hath provided so bountifully for him And this kinde of intemperance I mean this lifting up the heel in our full pasture and exalting the heart this unkinde requitall of the Lord puts man that reasonable creature one degree below the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tom. 5. de Lazâ—ro concio 1. unreasonable The ox the horse and the asse These saith the Father usefully when they are fed go on their way carrying their burdens and performing their service but man so overchargeth himself that his meat proves his burden if not this surfeit and makes him unfit to return any service but such as sheweth him to be a debter onely to the flesh which indeed we must nourish that it may be serviceable but further we owe it neither suit nor service Think then how ill we do requite the Lord when fed by Him we spurn against Him loaded with His mercies we load Him with our sinnes refreshed with His comforts we grieve His Spirit by a contrary and unsavorie walking Here then is a fit place and season to teach and learn abstinence one of those vertues so much commended and that may help much to the learning of the other patience so I invert the order d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiâ—t Aul Gell lib. 17. cap. 19. He that hath gotten command over himself at his Table in moderating his appetite and can deny himself what his stomach eagerly craves will be able to command himself in great matters and bear hard things It is unseemly for a man the Lord over the creatures to be brought under the power of the creature and if he would not which is his wisdome he must consider as well what is expedient as what is lawfull e 1. Cor. 6. 12. And so he teacheth his childe by his own example as well as by precept and much better and now is his season for abstinence is best taught and learnt at the first and no where better then at our meat f Comeditur quantum ad famem bibitur quantum satis pudicis castis sunt omnia quasi comed rint biberint disciplinam Tert. in Apoll cap. â—9 It is Mr Perkinâ— g On Gal 5. 2â— p. 181. rule That man must deny his desires at the table he musâ— command himself there as one under his own power and not under the power of the creatures if he look to be able to deny goods good-namâ— wife children selfe and all All which must be parted with when they stand in competition with the truth else we lose our selves These are sweet bits indeed and he that cannot deny himself his sweet biâ—s at his table wtll very hardly h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 8. 34. deny himself in these If a man must needs swallow that bit bâ—câ—use it is sweet and that cup of wine because it is pleasant if he hath so farre lost the command over himself that this he must needs do when yet his stomach needs it not It is
which is this as appeares by full discovery The largenesse of the childes patrimony causeth a barrennesse or scantnesse in its education He is heire of all no matter how the Georgicks are neglected He shall have goods enough for the goods of the minde the least care Learning will be but a burden at the best but a needlesse accessary so it is accounted and so it falls out commonly that the eldest childe is bred in such a way as that he can be of little use to himself and of no use at all to others amongst whom he lives If meanes fall short as commonly they do short enough to the younger brothers then they are designed to a trade and then writing and cyphering fits them for the best whether in citie or town If there be a third brother and he the lowest and weakest of all then he is designed for the Preacher as the Parents word is he must be the Scholler For the Parent hath a friend at Court he is sure in his purse as the wittie Knight said he knows a ready and road-way for his preferment My words here may be credited for I beleeve my own eares it is ordinary with Parents thus to say and to designe their children long before the time one to the Innes of Court the second to a trade the third to the Pulpit as we heard and accordingly the Preface pag. 26. Parent will and the Master shall order them while yet we may well discern that the Parent discovers his own inclination not his childrens fitnesse rather what he is resolved and will do then what the children can do For the helping of this great deceit and taking off this vaile of false opinion I would advise the parent to fix on two conclusions and accordingly to order his childe first this That learning is the principall riches but an accessary Learning makes the man it fits him and inables him both to serve himself and others whereas without it a man is commonly but a slave to himself and a burden to others The second is That the parents duty is and his endeavour must be with all his power to give the childe instructions universally good and profitable whereby the childe may be capable and ready to whatsoever This is saith Charron to go upon a sure ground and to do that which must alwayes be done and may be done before their yeares will admit their designation to any course for afterwards Accordingly now the parent must order the childe first in the fit choice of a school then when the school hath sufficiently promoted the childe in the fit choice of a calling touching both these and first of the school There must be a good foundation and ground-work layed in the parents house The parent must leade on the childe as farre as the light and understanding he hath can carry him But we suppose a parent cannot do all he must take the help of a master but whether is most convenient within his own walls or without admits some dispute which is not proper to this place Experience the oracle of time concludes that without the parents house is the fittest k Quint. Instit lib. 1. cap. 2. For children learn best in company and the better the lesse cockered by parents that is out of all doubt The master is more tied and straightned then is convenient in a parents house and must sometimes do and speak more to please then to profit which is not to be questioned neither But whether the parent brings a master home to his children or sends his children abroad to the master the difference will not be much so the parents be well able to govern themselves and their house and can shew the same wisdome in choice of a master That he be such an one who is a master in his art it is an art and not quickly learnt to govern children That he be a knowing man and conscientious that knows his work and can skill of it and hath an heart unto it for such an one he should be who can instruct the life of his scholler as well as his tongue can teach him as well how to live as how to speak for these doctrines must not be separated as the Heathen man could say l Neque disjuncti Doctores sed iidem erant vivendi praeceptores atque dicendi ut ille apud Homerum Phoenix Cic. orat p. 140. in fo◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hom. Il. 9. p. 328. Doctriâ—â ore tenus imbutus animum bonis artibus non imbuerat Tacit. lib. 15. cap. 11. In a word such an one he should be who can promote the soul of his childe I mean that the childe may prosper as his soul may prosper that is the prime and essentiall part both in father and childe and this is the very master-piece of a mans skill and evidenceth his faithfulnesse nothing more then doth the promoting thereof And note we that this price is put into the masters-hand I mean he hath the fairest opportunitie for promoting the childes good this way that can be wished if he have an heart unto the price his means and opportunitie is much every way more then the minister or pastour hath But I will open this light no further The adversary knows it too well and we know it by his practise in all hard difficult and perillous times m Aug. de civit 18. 52. Aelian de var. Hist. l. 3. Advanc first book pag. 60. Our times are not such now yet my words here will be a complaint That in this choice we want the parents discretion and judgement very much in no one thing more If the parents choose ought for the childes body be it garters stockins shoes he will have them good n Aug. de verbis Domini se 16. de civit Dei lib. 3. cap. 1. Res nulla mineris constabit patri quam filius Juven 7. he is not so carefull in the choice of the master who should make the childe good The parent commonly will put forth his childe more carelesly then he will his childes coat or his own suit of apparell and yet both if we observe it put forth to making The clark of the Church shall serve the turn or he that onely reades there two most ordinarily the unfittest men in a whole countrey But if the parent do happen upon one for it is hap and not choice that hath more knowledge and skill yet then the conversation of the man is not looked unto how well able he is to command himself though that be the chief thing to be regarded for it works most upon the childe Mr Aschams observation requires ours He will make others but bad schollers who is an ill master to Himself o School p. 23. Mr. Hooker gives us a good rule also The onely way to repaire old ruines breaches and offensive decayes in others is to begin reformation at our selves p Vpon Jude ω. For children
foundation is laid in declension and verb. And it is strange that we do so much fail at this point and are so much out of the way because our way herein hath been pointed out unto us by one who was a famous Grammarian more then fifteen hundred yeares since u Nomina verba declinare inprimis pueri sciant neque enim aliter pervenire ad intellectum sequentium possint Quod etiam c. Quint. orat lib. 1. cap. 4. I should say more of this point if others had not said all therefore I leave this and the remainder which should have been said for it is a great deale to those whose work and study it hath been to make a more full discovery thereof unto the world whereunto I shall onely say this That the chiefest help for the speeding the childe in the attaining to the tongues and the moulding the speech thereunto is not yet by any of our men made known to our Countrey I know well what Mr Ascham hath done A man of an approved judgement and his work of the greatest use of any we have printed in our tongue I know as well what Mr Brimsely hath written and the clearenesse of his intent therein Our Grammar the best and easiest of any for a learner hath been viewed and reviewed but it hath happened to that as to the picture which we reade x Plin Nat. Hist 35. 10. was exposed to publick censure Something hath been added to it letters I mean which hindred the understanding very much leading the childe in that common Rode-way which no wise Master will suffer the childe to go in This I am sure of That the Grammar was easier and plainer and better for the learner twenty yeares ago and ten then now it is after all this revising how it may prove when it comes forth again for it is in hand now we may shortly see And when we see it this we shall see by it that though the faults in the first inventers to whom we ow most are in good part corrected and the rules of Etym. c. are brought into better order for after thoughts are more digested yet can it help little the tediousnesse of our common course nor much promote a speedier and quicker way These helps before mentioned if we may call them so because so intended are above and in sight other things of more substance lie under hatch and cannot appeare Here at this point I must make mention of two the one Mr Brook Mr. Horne projecting the other digesting a very exact method whereby the tongue may be moulded and framed to a speedy attaining of three languages The former was a seeing a Multorum ingeniorum magnae dotes veluti debiles ipsa paupertate aegrae jacent Barel Euph. 3. 226. man though outwardly dark and had a clearer insight into the way of training-up youth then any man that hath yet appeared in so weighty a businesse wherein he laboured above strength and so broke himself in the work God hath now removed his shoulder from the burthen he is taken away from us and a poore widow with foure children the eldest not nine left behinde Gods peculiar care these and it is well they are for the common care is no bodies in particular we traversed this way and that and the other all three wayes but found no way for relief of the Mother and her orphanes so they are resigned unto His hand who makes a way in the wildernesse and will be seen in the Mount providing a lamb for a sacrifice He will provide also that the children of such a Father so carefull so faithfull shall not perish for want of bread nor perish yet worse for want of breeding But I recall my self remembring what I was speaking this That had this person before mentioned found incouragement and help for it is a work too hard for one or two he had then very much promoted the publick good for he had set out the clearest light to Grammar for the clearing and speeding the childes understanding and way therein that ever yet our Church hath seen And in good forwardnesse this work was set by him Mr Horne who was more then an eye and hand to Mr Brookes therein but there being little hope then and lesse now that there can be a hand which can widwife-forth that birth if it should be perfected and fitted therefore it was but coldly proceeded in then and is like to lie now as a thing not thought upon or forgotten And therefore the forementioned Mr Horne hath taken the best and safest course and but according to the advice of his Elders he hath laboured for himself and is setting forth a work of his own whereby he leades on the childe to Rhetorick Oratorie Grammar is touched upon too in passage in a clearer way then any man yet hath gone before him in So Schollers like wells are the fuller the more they are drained * Pag. 71. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 5. serm 55 α. The more they let out themselves for the good of others the more they are filled And a fulnesse this man hath if the skill in the languages and arts may be accounted so and which is the crown of all he hath an heart to lay forth his treasure and to spend himself for the common good And that is the way to encrease even to a fulnesse to empty our selves continually for the publick good as Chrysostome writes very usefully I have spoken this at this point in a zeal I have to promote the childes good my subject now and he who gives another his due doth not in so doing detract from any other I know there are many able and faithfull Ministers this way and the Lord encrease the number of them But I consider Schollers must be wound-up within the same common winding sheet and laid to the same mould In that very day though their works follow them for their labour cannot be in vain in the Lord yet their thoughts perish It is good to know them and to use them while we have them Thus farre touching the way the Master must go and such helps which serve very much to promote the Scholler in the same way The Masters duty follows and that is to do his work throughly and fully in point of reformation and information before the childe passe from under his hand And Parents must have patience and suffer both to be done before the childe be other-where disposed of It proves no small disadvantage to the childe and Church that he is hasted to an higher Forme or place while his minde is empty and unfurnisht of such matter whereof before he came thither he should be well furnished or that he is posted into a strange countrey to learn the language before he hath learnt his Religion or attained any stayed or fixed carriage or command over himself The successe must needs be answerable for the childe is then most
carryed like a horse that hath cast his rider and he will abuse his Tongue also vilifying that which should have honored him and in so doing he will liken himselfe to the most stinking place that we can passe by and to the most odious name that is named under the Sunne and so in the end will fall lower then a Beast can A Beast can fall no lower then the Earth nor doth it apprehend any evill till it feele the same and when it comes it is soone over and there 's an end Which remembers me of Pyrrhoes Hog that did eate his meate quietly in the Ship almost covered with waters when all the men there were halfe dead with feare But now reasonable Creatures are sometimes perplexed with unreasonable fears A mans apprehension may present evils that are not as impendent which may make his knees smite together and with all the apprehension of the time that is past and of that which to come may torment him too before he come to the place of his torment Bee not like the horse and mule then which have no understanding for then thy condition will bee much worse and lower then theirs in the latter end It may be I shall never call thee to an account nor live to see how thou hast thriven But consider this first what an Heathen o Plut. de fraterno amore spake it is very worthy a childs consideration We are charged that we doe ill to none much lesse to a parent but it is not enough for a child not to hurt his parents he must doe them all the good he can his whole deportment must be such such his words and deeds that thereby he may glad the heart of his parent else it is wicked and unjust Marke it for thus much it implyes It is not enough that the child doth not actually or positively give the parent cause of sorrow that were monstrous he or she must not privatively rob them of their comfort or stop them of their rejoycing even this were impious and unjust It is not enough not to grieve the parent not to give them matter of sorrow the childe that doth not more doth not his dutie he must give them matter of comfort and gladding of hearts This a childes dutie let a childe thinke of it and that an Heathen spake it from whom a lesson comes double to a Christian Consider again what the Lord saith It is a people of no understanding therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them p Esa 27. 12. Consider with that Scripture what the Apostle saith q 2 Thes 1. 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God c. If this and that be considered Thou wilt cry r Prov. 2. 3. after knowledge and lift up thy voyce for understanding wisdome is the principall thing therefore thou wilt get wisdome and with all thy gettings thou wilt get understanding ſ Prov. 4. 7. which only consolidates a man making him like armour of proofe or like a rocke for it fixeth the heart on Him in whom is everlasting strength Thou must consider also That an account must be given and the greater thy receits have been the greater thy accounts must be Line upon line and precept upon precept fills up the score apace A man looks to reape liberally where he sowes liberally And as God did bountifully reward the faithfull servant so did He severely punish the unfaithfull and negligent In the last place consider this and it sufficeth That a worthy name is called upon us even the name of Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named t Eph. 3. 15. A name which will honour us if we honour it which will highly exalt us if we exalt it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nazian Orat. 21. p 378 And this we do when our conversation is honourable and as becommeth in heaven though amidst the things of the earth If there be a precise walking a good and suteable conversation worthy that name u The Scripture acknowledgeth them Christians or the anointed of the Lord who live Christian-like according to Christ then the Christian is the honourable person as the fruitfull vine the best amongst the trees or as those which were very good x Jer. 24. 5. But if we defile y Read page 36. that name by an unworthy conversation then are we the basest of men like the barren vine z Ezech. 15. 4. fit for nothing but the fire or unsavoury salt very bad and to be cast out a Christians are the worse the better they should be the more sacred their name the more accursed their guilt c. Read Salv. de Guber l. 3. ω. the end and Li. 4. within two leaves of the end Christiani deteriores sunt c. Reatus impii est pium crimen It is a good conversation which commends a Christian and that only and which proves him so to be not miracles if a man could work them not revelations if a man could see them not signes and wonders if such a power were given from above It is the conversation which is all in all and justifies before men If I do not the works of my Father beleeve me not b John 10. 37. Our Lord said thus of Himself His work should testifie of Him c Luk. 7. 21. and be a foundation of their faith works are the standard by which we must be measured also whether we are in Christ and Christ in us If we do not the works of Christ such as He hath proposed for our example It is a vain beliefe a conceit only To think we are Christians Our works tell the world what we are for those the world sees and heares and by them we either glorifie our Father in heaven or give cleare evidence that we have denied the Lord That bought us d 2 Pet. 2. 1. Redeeming from a vain conversation e 1 Pet. 1. 18. Chrysostome speaks usefully to this point where he speaks concerning the title of Lukes f Tom. 5. second Treatise Thus he speaks It will not profit though we could say In thy name we have prophesied cast out divels cleansed Lepers wrought miracles c. neither this nor that commended the Apostles but their Acts their Doings And these are To be chaste modest temperate meeke gentle kinde pitifull To bridle our anger to subdue our passions to mortifie our affections In a word to exercise all grace This is Action this Doing this tells us we are Christians in deed living Christians And it takes of that great objection which is put in our way saith the same Father and it is of infinite use when we stirre up our people to follow Paul as he followed Christ we say unto them ye must imitate Peter ye must follow Paul ye must be like Iohn and ye must doe as Saint Iames did What even so just to that Coppy
will our people say We cannot it is not possible we should there is no strength in us to do as they did They made the lame to go They raised the dead cleansed the lepers so they did we cannot do so we cannot follow them Say not so replyes the Father say not that we perswade to impossibilities things above all strength we tell you not That you must restore the sick worke miracles c. If so you could do it would do you no good it could give you no boldnesse before the Lord in that day A miracle doth not bring unto Heaven but a conversation heaven-ward Imitate the conversation of the Apostles and ye shall have no lesse then the Apostles did receive Follow peace with all men and holinesse go about doing good abounding in the worke of faith in the labour of love in the patience of hope g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nazianz. Orat 3 p. 77. So the Apostles did do so and ye shall have an Apostles reward For signes and wonders made not the Apostles happy but a pure life The summe is and this our greatlesson we have a worthy name our conversation must be answerable we must live act do worthily We must by a good conversation build up our selves and others If we answer our name we will to our power do worthily in Ephrata and be famous in Bethlehemh. I conclude with a short prayer and a short exposition on the same It is Hierom's prayer for his friend and his exposition upon it too i Hier epist l. 1. ep 55. p. 47. k Ruth 4 11. My prayer and heartie desire is That the Lord would in that day acknowledge the childe amongst those his children who are very good k Ier. 24. 5. That 's the prayer his exposition this The Lord loveth those who are upright in their way who are hot that is who are burning and shining lights who are seething hot fervent in prayer zealous of good works such He loves in such He rules with such He dwells and delights And He turns not away from those that are cold sinners of the Gentiles publicans notorious sinners key cold dead in trespasses and sinnes from such cold wretches such we were all He turnes not away But there are middling persons of a middle temper halting betwixt two or like a cake halfe baked neither good nor bad neither hot nor cold such the Lord hates He speweth them out that is they are an abomination His eyes can be no more towards such then ours towards our vomit which our overcharged stomacks have cast up and now our eye doth loath x Bright on Revel cap. 3. 15. 16. Mediocriâ—as hic est pessima Nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum totum summum totuni perfectum desidiero Hier. Lib. 2. Epist 15. â— pag. 187. My prayer is thou maist be very good upright in thy wayes hot fervent in prayer zealous of good workes else better thou wert cold key cold for a middle Temper as it is most deadly so it is most abominable Thus as a learned man writeth to his great friend I could have written unto thee things more pleasing nothing more profitable But what I have or shall write nothing will profit unlesse the feare of God awes the heart and inclines it unlesse He teacheth inwardly words cannot outwardly Waxe takes an easie impression from Iron Iron not so but very hardly an Adamant takes no impression at all by all our force because of its hardnesse so Nazianzen Epist 130. And such hearts we have understand but so much and it will humble thee it will hide pride from thine eyes and then thy eare is prepared and heart too And so much as a preparative to the eare but the Lord bore it and to incline thy heart to understanding but the Lord open it This is all the parent can doe and his maine duty at this point even to spread this peremptory bent of nature as was a Preface to the first part said before the Lord whose worke it is to turne the heart and to open the eare to instruction which now followes THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. GOds Goodnesse in framing us in the wombe in bringing us thence ascribed to His hand though yet the sore pain of childe-birth no whit lesse engageth the Childe to the Mother how great that engagement is to pag. 5. duty to the Father enforced by a pressing-speech out of Luther and from two very great examples who brake that sacred bond and were remarkably punished to page 9. Gods patience in sparing and reprieving us His goodnesse in ranking us in the highest forme of His Creatures here below hoâ— that engageth and teacheth to page 13. His mercy in giving us all our parts or members and proportion in all a great engagement A recognition thereof and use therefrom to page 20. CHAP. II. OVr frame of spirit how depraved A glasse to look our selves in What seeds of corruption within us how it humbleth those that can look into it to p. 24. How to bottom our corruptions where its strong hold how we may fathom the depth of miserie The law of the leper to pag. 28. The love of the Father and the obedience of the sonne how figured out unto us to page 30. CHAP. III. BAptisme Outward Inward The secret work of the Spirit to page 31. We must not pry into this His secret if that work be not wrought Luthers counsell is to be followed Gods will holy and just Man willeth his own destruction to page 34. at this point reade the first part page 139. c. Lips de Constant lib. 1. cap. 20 c. lib. 2. cap. 15 c. Cent. 1. Ep. 58. Two things figured in Baptisme 35. 36. Our engagement from both How sacred our Christian name how strait our covenant 37. A feeling expression we are members and mighty to engage us that we are sons daughters heirs Solders who our enemies what their strength 39. A paradox against all conceit and reason Basil's complaint 40. A great question proposed and usefully answered 43. who the great tempters We must keep our watch strong 44. Our covenant Gods covenant Christ His obedience hath not abated an ace of ours Gods law broad and perfect The use a true Christian makes thereof One Root of grace and but one fruit to page 47. CHAP. IIII. THe root of sinne remaineth How the branches are kept from spreading 48. § 1. Pride why called the womans sinne whence it is that clothes haire c. do puffe up Whence we may fetch help against this Tympany or swelling disease What considerations most prevalent and abasing from page 48 to page 61. applyed to the childe The grace of humilitie to page 64. § 2. Our darling sinne why so called what a snare it is and how it becomes so How we may keep our foot from being taken in that snare Beginnings must be withstood Chrysostome's words very notable thereupon to page
speciall notice of two main and principall points whereon so much depends 1. Thy outward frame of body 2. Thy inward frame of spirit Of the outward frame here § 1. Here take notice of God first and of His goodnesse laid out upon thee when of nothing thou wast made something some few dayes before thou wast a meere nothing That which never shall be was in as great a possibility of being as then thou wast And when thou wast something Iob tels thee what it was that something was as much as Mar. Au. Ant. Medit. li. 10. Sect. 26. p. 171. nothing to the producing of such an effect so an Heathen could say from such a beginning Of that nothing wast thou limmed or framed thence this curious work not the work of nature but of an Almighty-hand quickning Nature and actuating the same And in seven dayes for so experience tells us saith Hier. Fabricius the Physitian that frame had its proportion of all parts And one half of that work P. 686. but the better part indeed is more worth then a whole world thy soul so He saith who went to the price of soules § 2. And as thou must take notice of the hand that covered thee in thy mothers wombe so must thou take notice of the same hand for the same Hand it was that brought thee thence and none other but that If this hath not been told thee nor hast thou yet considered so much then beleeve me that the most curious searchers into Nature and the powers thereof which are great and strange in their extent and latitude they who have ascribed too much unto it even they have yet acknowledged at this point when the childe is brought to the birth and no power to bring forth that this is the finger of God this is the work of His hand And yet this sorrow in child-birth is not the same in all nor is the danger the Lord so dispensing therewith though the curse be common We know what the Mid-wives say touching the Hebrew women and common experience tels us also that some women there are who in this case speed better then their betters We read what our Geographer and Historiographer for he is both writeth concerning the Spanish women and what he citeth out of Strabo touthing History of S. George Histo of the Sab. Geog. p. 32. a woman there who rose from one labour to another from labour in child-birth to labour in the field She was rather an Hedge-woman then a child-bed woman and it is with them many times as we heard But this we are sure of that this is that burthen which is laid upon that Sex In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children and so wonderfull the Delivery is that we may say with the Prophet Thou art Psal 71. 6. He that took me out of my mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of thee †1. And thou childe I suppose thee the eldest though I would make no difference here for whether the next in yeers or the youngest it will fit very well and instruct alike in the maine for which I intend it hast as much cause to consider this as any other because of the sore travell thy mother had with thee I will not mention the travell of her soul for thee that Christ might be formed in thee though a travell it was also she was in hard labour with the greatest danger of her own life before thou didst suck in the ayre of this She might have called thy name Iabesh 1. Chron. 4. 9. because she bare thee with sorrow Such were the pains upon her and so heavy was that burthen which was laid of old upon that Sex that it pressed her out of measure above strength as if she must first go out of this world before thou couldest come in A strong engagement this to look up to Him with thankfulnesse who brought thee to the She sickned the 17. of August and died the 30. at 9. in the morning 1631 when thou wast 4. yeers and 7. dayes old wombe and took thee thence and to thy parent in all due observance and it is as strong as ever though thy mother is not here I suppose thee the eldest she was taken from me and thee when thy fift yeer was currant and yet not seven dayes runne out of it Me thinks a childe grown up and reflecting on it selfe lying in the wombe and taken thence should observe a love in the mother as strong as Death All these turnings of stomack part of the mothers sorrow those throwghs afterwards as so many deaths such waters could not quench this love nor such floods of sorrow drown it nay all these were but like the Smithes water cast upon his fire which makes it burn the hotter and the clearer for all these sorrows are out of minde when the childe is in sight and serve but to encrease the love and to inhance the price of that sweet commodity the mother hath so dearly bought In one place of sacred Writ the mother is placed before the father Feare every man his mother and his a Lev. 19. 3. father It may be because the Mother is generally so neglected or because she so neglects her self I may not hit upon the true reason but I can tell a strong reason why at some time the mother may be put as it were upon the right hand and why she should at all times be of high and honorable account with the childe for she hath bought it deare as they use to say so deare that even for her sorrow in Child-birth the childe must ever be her debter Suppose we the most dutifull and observant childe standing forth that ever yet was clothed with sinfull flesh telling the reciprocation of his duty and mutuall workings thereof towards The name and nature of the Stork Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod c. Quinta aetas Homer Iliad 4. Lage Hex Basilii Hom. 8. his mother that he hath done towards her as the young Stork to the old the same say the Naturalists which once the old did to the young suppose all this the Mother could answer all in few words Remember childe if thou canst the turnings of my stomacke not the least part of my sorrows the pains I felt every one as so many daggers to the heart sinking my spirits and throwing up my tyred breath as if I should never take it in again Should the mother say no more but this what she suffered for the childe though much she did for it afterwards And there is more then nature in it say some that so much she did unto it when it lay like a b Hom Odys l. 6. â—â—cretius man after a shipwrack cast up upon the shoare the most forlorne and helplesse creature that can be thought of in the world Should she I say but tell what she suffered for the childe when in the wombe and bringing thence she hath answered all the
person was the greater the example is yet not so great the person in respect of place and dignitie but we are greater then he in respect of name and profession And therefore if we Christians fall short at this point our disobedience will be as the more notorious so the more abominable Xenophon relates the story thus Instit Cyri. lib. 8. p. 665. Cyaxares would have espoused his daughter to Cyrus the great offers him a portion answerable A large countrey for her Dowry great gifts besides Cyrus thus nobly makes answer I like the Stock well I cannot dislike the Branch The portion pleaseth and proportion both all lovely and desireable But Sir I am a Childe and must deport my self herein Childe-like A Childe is no match-maker unlesse in childish and triviall things things of a low nature and of but ordinary concernment A Childe must not treat at such a point as this I have Sir a Father and a Mother both as they will treat and conclude so shall I determine and resolve you This is the example and see the old discipline and awfull respect of children in old Time to Fathers and Governours And but equall it is and very reasonable that so it should be for if the Parents will determine nothing till they aske the maide l Gen. 24. 57 58. whereof afterwards how unchild like were it to say no more for the maide to say or do any thing till she aske the Parents Esau was a bad Childe of a good Father and he shewed saith Chrysostome his untowardnesse betimes for he Ibid. matched himself without his Parents cōsent And that we may know how ill such matching thrives It is upon everlasting record That they were a griefe of minde unto Isaac and Rebecca m Gen. 26. 35. And certainly if we grieve the hearts of our good Parents we do in so doing block up our own way to our desired blessing so then the best counsell I can give and the best provision a childe can make against this great and solemne time and for the better successe in this great businesse is to look carefully first to its single charge And then to leave the rest to them whose charge it is and have taken upon them faithfully to discharge the same The first is a Childes principall dutie This ruling of one well The discharging of that little great-Cure so as a man souls have no sexes as was said may quit himself like himself in that single account This I say is every single Bodies principall dutie Therefore of this first 1. We are by nature ambitious of rule like the Bramble the more unfit to govern others the more desirous We love to be in authoritie and have others under us before we have got command over our selves We would take upon us the charge of more souls so doth He or She that enter into this condition and they must be accountable for them too the greatest cure in the world before we know how weightie the charge of one soul is Marriage is an honourable estate and if well ordered there is nothing in the world more beautifull And that it may be so we must be well ordered before-hand as befits the honour due to so sweet a societie And it were well if our sufficiency this way and means for the well ordering of our selves were well tryed as in some Common-wealthes it hath been before we are suffered to enter into so holy an order unbrideled humours and unreclaimed desires are not fit for this strait bond This band is straite and of any band holds in the shortest how ever we may think the contrary neither our own will nor the libertie we may take but right judgement sanctified reason and expediency must guide us else that which should suppresse sinne may increase and foment it and that which in true use doth refresh and comfort will weaken and exhaust nature They that marry marry not for themselves but for posteritie family friends matters of great importance and of great burden But few there are that consider it before-hand and therefore few that carry themselves as befitteth the ordinance orderly and honourably in it whence it comes to passe that that which is the greatest good proves the greatest evill the fuell of sinne and matter of the greatest discontent A man may live to fortie or fiftie yeares and yet be very unadvised here and so run on as the most do of whom we may say they know not what they do A due consideration before hand and care how to discharge this single cure would prevent all this and set a man in a ready way for a future blessing It was usefully answered to a friend desirous to know his friends resolution how fit it was for him being a single man to change his condition If your own desires said his friend finde you work enough to reclaime and keep them in you had best forbeare yet to take upon you more work in the charge over others If it be an hard taske to steere your little boat in a little River it is not safe to venter your little skill in steering a ship through a wide Sea m Lips cent 1. cp 36. These words imply but thus much That every single person must examine himself well and seriously in this point how he hath discharged his single account how he hath ordered his little house himself And if he fall short here as certainly if he deceive not himself he will finde himself short enough Then he or she but we respect not sexes must think it as well a mercy as the very reason that God doth not trust them with more their unfaithfulnesse would be the more and their account the greater He that is not faithfull in a little will not be faithfull in more nor shall he have much committed unto him This intends every single bodies instruction more specially thine Take a speciall charge my childe over thy self rule well thine own house I mean thy self God hath made every man a governour there The poore man that hath none to govern yet may be a king in himself When thou hast learnt to rule thy own spirit thou wilt be fitter to be subject to anothers and to rule others also Look up to God and look well to thy affections that they get not the upper hand for then they will keep reason under foot Look well to thy outward senses and make a covenant there beguile not thy self with such a mockery n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isid Pelus lib. 4. epist 24. See epist 2. 3. 4. 12. ejusdem libri Quid hac voluntate mendacius Aug. de civit 14. 4. as this To pray against temptations and then to run into them If thou loosest thy command over thy self thou loosest thy self for thou wilt be as a citie without a wall where those that are in may go out and the enemies without may come in at their pleasure So where there is not a
us in and allotted us unto But assuredly that excuse shall leave us speechlesse though we thinke every thing will be of weight sufficient to have us excused yet we shall find it but a meere conceit nothing is of weight sufficient to excuse from the doing of duty k First part p 174. it shall not be an excuse for the man to say Lord I had done my duty as thou commandest but that Thou gavest me a scoffing Michal nor shall it serve the wife to say Lord I had done my part had I not been yoaked to a Nabal The man failing in his dutie shall not hold the wife excused for her failing in hers If the man leades ill the woman must not follow ill it was a good answer to an abusing and an over-bearing commander Doe you what you will I will doe what I ought l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The head hath an head All things shall be done as you will have it but you must command as God will have it The wife looseth her fathers name and must forget her fathers house but she must not forget her Lords charge nor her vow in Baptisme nor the name was called upon her then Her head hath an Head and therefore she must say to her husband as Ignatius to the Priest All things shall be done as you will have it but then you must command as God will have it m Ignatius to a Priest Chrys Tom. 6. in vet â— Princip p. 10. Charrun The husband must command in the Lord and so must be obeyed if otherwise yet he must not put out the eyes of his wife she hath a light to guide her besides her husbands false rule The husbands exorbitancy from his rule will be a crosse and no small one a block in the wives way and a very clog hindering that she cannot walke on with speed alacrity and comfort but is so farre from warranting the wives aberration from the way God commands to walke in that it the more binds and engageth her unto it her bond is rather the straighter as her praise will be the more And this we must still note Not to obey as we should is more dangerous to society then not to command as we should though they shall not be unpunished that are carelesse in either being both the fountaine of all humaine society If the wife must stand alone so farre from an helper that her husband is an hinderer then she stands single and charged but with her single duty I and my maidens saith a woman a Queene that had attendants answerable to her state yet she would seeke God in His owne way so should her maydens too n Esther 4. 16. indeed she lived apart and therefore might much better maintaine her authority It is not easie to maintaine it there either over maidens or children where the husband in presence will foolishly and unworthily contradict or slight the same But however the wife must doe her duty I and my children I and my maidens Ester is a cleare patterne who lived apart from her Lord. And if that comes not so home Ahigals carriage is exemplary who was very unequally yoaked But now for I cannot passe over this point lightly that the husband and the wife may draw even though the yoake seeme to be or indeed is uneven let them consider the husband first Let him remember that houre when the father gave his daughter to him for then the father gave his daughter out of his own hands from under the tender-eye of the mother so intrusting her unto his right-hand she leaves her deare parents and their house that sweet society and commuâ—ion there she forsakes all these so well relishing comforts which she found in her parents house nay she forsakes her selfe for she looseth her name that is the propriety in her selfe And what imports all this saith Chrysostome o Epist ad Cor. Hom 26. ω. but that the husband should now be to her instead of all those as a carefull father as a tender mother as her dearest brother as her sweetest sister as her only selfe that in him she may find her selfe againe In a word the father giving his daughter implies and expects thus much that his daughter shall now find all those comforts sum'd up in her husband in him the Abridgement and Epitome of all All this will be remembred if he remember that time when his wife was intrusted to his right hand And the wife must remember also that at that very time she engaged her word that she would reverence her husband as a father honour him as her Lord observe his eye as her mothers tender him as she can her dearest brother or sweetest sister that she will be unto him as an haven so the father speakes that when her husband comes home perhaps in some storme as few men there are that from within or from without find not winds enough to cause it yet then and at such a time he may find an haven at home all calme there If the wife remembers that time she must remember that to all this she stands bound by a most solemne promise And thus the husband and wife both may learne and looke to their proper duty That the husband love the wife the wife honour the husband O beware for this is a nice and tender point beware lest we blow that coale which will sparkle and quickly kindle a flame foresee and prevent all occasions which may make the least difference or smallest division betwixt the man and his wife for the breach will be quickly great like the Sea p Lam. 2. 23. who can heale it And then that which should have beene as an haven will be a Tempestuous Sea For when there is difference betwixt the man and the woman the house fares no better saith Chrysostome q In epist ad Cor. Hom. 19. ω then the Ship doth in a storme when the Master and the Pilot fall to pieces now if the agreement be not made quickly and the difference accorded the Ship will fall to pieces upon the Rocke And so much touching the joynt duty of man and wife and that though the yoake seeme unequall yet they may draw even and that in case the one faile in duty it is no excuse for the failing of both how both are instructed and from what time Other duties there are but they have beene already intimated in the first part What may more particularly concern thy self child whose instruction I specially intend now briefely followeth Every estate is subject to grievances more specially the married To speak briefly of them and as briefly to give some provision against them I rank them under two heads feare of evills future sense of evills present Touching both these the only troublers of our life and peace some few directions 1. There is but one thing which is evill indeed which truly and properly is the troubler of our peace and quiet But one
the Childe yet to Faith it is well for God hath done it and he doth all things well And if parents and children can waite in silence and expect with patience they shall say it is very well and now they shall say as the Mother said it shall be well I speake not this as if verse 23. so I had done so depended so waited it is my shame that I have profited so little by so fit a correction But therefore I speake it that we may learne under any affliction whatsoever To waite without wearinesse And the more weary and weake we are the faster to cling to The Almighty For weaknesse with such a support shall doe and suffer great things things beyond expression or imagination l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Abimelech said well to Isaac Thou art much mightier then we he was indeed and needs he must be so for an Almighty Hand went along with Isaac hand in hand in all things in all places Nothing is of more power then he is who is assisted from above as Nothing is weaker then is he who is forsaken of that Almighty helpe Chrysost in Gen. 26. 16. Hom. 52. Cant. 8. 5. Of such consequence it is To be Nothing in our selves All in God To feele our owne weaknesse and in sense thereof to leane the more strongly upon the Beloved The instructions I would give from hence seasonable for a parent and as usefull for a Childe are these First Let the parent give the Childe his breeding what ever imperfection lyeth upon it yet let the Childe be taught what it is any way Capable of Capable will the Parent say what can a poore weake stammering child be taught or what can he doe with his teaching This is the common Accent which Parents put upon their childrens defects The childe is wanting the parent will make him more wanting and he will busie and vexe himselfe about Gods charge and in the meane time neglect his owne Let the Parent doe the work of the day upon the day and leave the morrow to God And let him doe it cheerefully and in hope Camerarius m cap. 37. tels of one who did write with his feete very exactly and made his Pen without his hands for he had no Armes He tels us also in the same Chapter of two a brother and a sister both deafe and dumbe but strange things of both They could heare with their eyes and speake with their hands So solicitous saith my Authour n Adeo Natura veluti fidelis mater compensando solicita c. quod enim in aliquibus sensibus adimit in aliis restituit Ibid. Nature is to recompence and make up what is wanting restoring that to one sense which it took away from the other And we know many who have learned without their eyes and have proved no ordinary Proficients not in the Arts onely but in the tongues also wherein the least jot or tittle must be taken notice of The eare is that great Instrument of knowledge A Parent knows not whither that qualitie which is easily taught may bring the Childe Davids Harpe set him before his King And we know of what use ordinary qualities have beene to great Schollars they have supplied their necessities when the Book could not So Ramus tels us so Alsted I have heard a Parent say upon observation of some defects in his Childe whereof many times the Parent is the worst judge that his Childe is fit for nothing for nothing Then make him a Parson or a Vicar he is not so wāting but you may make him either the one or both This was the old conceit and I doubt it is not old enough to die But we must be serious speaking the words of truth and sobrietie If the Childe be so deficient as the Parent thinks him fit for nothing then the rather give him Instruction Certainly that will make it good for something If the Childe be not monstrously deficient and Gods Image doubly defaced in it whereat and in which glasse the Parent may behold himselfe and be greatly humbled at the sight some instruction may fit its capacitie and fit it for some imployment in afterwards I know well there are some whom nature and parts have fixed in a lower Sphere as uncapable of rising higher or being greater as the earth is of becoming a Star in Heaven But o Nemo reperitur qui sit studio nihil consecutus Quint. 1. 1. yet where a Parent sees all this wanting he must not be so farre wanting to the Childe that he suffers Breeding to be wanting to it also For if so this will fall out That the Childe who could not for the lownesse of Parts be framed to doe much good service will frame it selfe to doe none at all but the contrary much hurt as we see in experience Suppose then for so we may that a Childe be framed by nature and for Parts but to drive the Cart or hold the Plough p Natura servus ad stivam natus why yet if he be fit for either of these two imployments Servill we call them before he had strength for that labour in that emptie space of Time before for so the Parent makes it which lyeth betwixt 6. yeers and 13. which runs forth like water whereof is no use to waste the Childe might have been fitted by good culture and Tillage to have known the nature of the worke he should afterwards be set about which yeelds many excellent instructions no profession more then Husbandry doth this working in the Earth It is an ancient it was an honourable q Plin. nat Hist lib. 18. 3. Dr. Hack. Apol. B. 3. sect 3. profession also though now Cooks are in more esteeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. poed 2. 1 p. 106. and the Lord condescended to the capacitie of none more then to the capacitie of the Husbandmen which sets much upon their score But for want not of nature or parts but of this culture ſ Manifestum est non naturam sed curam defecisse Quint. 1. 1. of the minde which should fill up the empty space of time before mentioned and the minde too your Husbandmen many or the most of them understand no more concerning the lessons which the holding of the Plough the tearing up of the ground the casting in of the seed the dying in the earth the growing of the same the cutting the gathering the housing and threshing thereof no more doe they understand of all these things or of the lessons there-from then their Oxe or Horse doth whom they follow And all this for want of this culture of the minde the season being neglected because the Childe was designed for the field For my part had I a Childe to designe thither to the Plough I meane or to the Sea or to some lesse stirring trade in all these cases or courses of life learning is neglected as a thing of no use I