by casting Salt into the Spring Yet it is evident the Lord requires of Parents a diligent Discharge of their Duty as the ordinary way wherein they may expect the Blessing to be given forth and the usual means of its Conveyance For I know him that is Abraham saith the Lord that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him There is the Parents Duty and they shall keep the way of the Lord there is the Blessing promised That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him whereby is intended the way and means of dispencing it Gen. 18. 19. This Duty of Parents towards their Children hath two Parts 1. Instruction 2. Discipline which are so much one and go together as often in Scripture the same Word signifies to instruct and to correct The Apostle's Exhortation Ephes 6. 4. agrees hereunto namely That Children be brought up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord like as God deals with his Children It is not pertinent to my Scope to treat of these particularly nor to enquire what hath been the neglect in both with the Consequences I only recommend to the serious Consideration anâ— diligent Practice of such Parents as are conscienciously concerneâ— for the Glory of God and thâ— eternal Welfare of their Children heartily wishing some skilful Hand would guide them To which purpose they may consult the Book of worthy Mr. Stockton deceased entituled Family Instructions I shall instance in one thing only as an Introduction to that which follows wherein Parents Neglect is least discerned unless it be in the Consequences and that is when they begin not the Work of educating their Children so early as should be Many Parents give up the first seven or ten Years of their Children wholly to Indulgence pleasing themselves and the Child with hearing its Wit as they say tho it speaks Vanity and to see its Humour while they let it do according to its Will tho it acts in Disobedience saying it will be wiser afterwards gratifying its Desire in every thing tho it be mere Fuel for Lust and if any thing be amiss they say they will rectify it afterwards and reduce it to order But Experience of the contrary Effects might convince of the Error which ariseth as I conceive especially from too slight a consideration of corrupt Nature its strength and efficacy even in the youngest and from a want of a due sense if not Ignorance of the duty of Parents towards their Children in this particular Somewhat whereof I shall therefore briefly declare and offer some Motives for Encouragement unto a diligent performance thereof Manoah enquired of the Angel How shall we order the Child and how shall we do unto him An Enquiry proper for every Pâ—rent that desires a Godly Seeâ— It is answered in that divine Dâ—rection given by the Apostâ— Paul Bring them upâ—n the nurtuâ—â— and admonition of the Lord. Thâ— Nurture or Discipline seasonable compassionate as we hinteâ— before Like as the Lord deaâ— with his Children Not as may bâ— for the Parents pleasure but the Child's profit And in the Admonition of the Lord In the good Knowledg of the Lord And the Duty he requires of them herein to bring them up or nourish them as the word signifies like as they do the Babe with Milk So Timothy is said to be nourished up in words of Faith and good Doctrine and that from his Infancy 2 Tim. 3. 1 5. From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures The Word Child is the same in the Greek used elsewhere for the new-born Babe The Jews were wont as soon as ever their Children were capable to teach them the Knowledg of the Scriptures And it is wonderful what we read of the Proficiency of the young Children of the Christians of Piedmont and other Places And we may do well to consider of what Benefit it was to the Children of the French Protestants when put upon renouncing the Truth at seven Years old and what Comfort to the Parents who had been faithful in instructing them when they stood the Trial and abode in the Truth The same Advice is given in the Proverbs Ch. 22. 6. Train up a Child in the way he should go The Word signifies to catechise or instruct a Child in the way as a Learned Writer renders it In the beginning of his Way that is in his tender Years soon as ever he is capable of Iâ—struction And when he is old will not depart from it that is tâ—â— Impressions made in Childish Yeaâ—â— will remain for the most part hath been observed by all sorts 〈◊〉 Learned Writers The like Direction is given 〈◊〉 the Proverbs concerning the othâ—â— part of the Parents Duty namâ—ly to chasten betimes in his tendeâ— Years The Hebrew Word iâ— early in the Morning of his Day For this Reason as I conceivâ— we read so often in the Book oâ— the Proverbs of the Mother aâ— being especially concerned in thiâ— Work She being most conversant with the Child and having the over-sight and ordering of it iâ— its tender Years hath the fairesâ— Opportunity to be instilling the Knowledg of Spiritual Things to draw the Affections to prompt and lead it by good Example in Words and Deeds to restrain and check the first appearance of Evil and watch against the Occasions of it Wherefore it is said The Child left to its self that is suffered to follow its own Will or Lust without Restraint brings the Mother to Shame Prov. 29. 15. for her neglect of Duty whilst she had the especial Care of it in not observing the Divine Direction foregoing The Rod and Reproof gives Wisdom to the Child It also gives Rest and Delight to the Soul of the Parents vers 17. in the Success through the Blessing as no doubt the Mother of Timothy found who had been his Instructer from his Infancy for his Father was a Greek and as Expositers observe would not suffer him to be circumcised Not but that the Father is equally obliged and a Concurrence of both Parents is exceeding requisite unto a successful Managemenâ— even from the beginning Tho for the Reason before-mentioned the Mother is to be especially concerned in the tender Years aâ— is the Father when the Child is grown and both may see Cause to ask of God that Wisdom which is profitable to direct in that Duty and must be constant in the Discharge of it After all ascribing the Success wholly to his Blessing who maketh the Seed that is sown in the Morning or that in the Evening to prosper And while we are in a way of Duty working out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling worketh in us and so in ours to will and to do of his good Pleasure For Encouragement in so early an Undertaking it may be considered 1. That the Children of Believers of whom we speak are born Children of the Covenant and Promise And who would not train them up in that way in order to the
inheriting of the Blessing which the Lord requires and expects from the Parents with a Trust and Confidence in them that they will so do I know Abraham saith the Lord whatsoever others do that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him On this account of the Covenant the Lord calls them his Children and doth in a Sense spiritually give Charge to the Parents concerning them as Pharaoh's Daughter said to the Mother of Moses Take this Child and nurse it for me our Lord himself saith concerning little Children Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and for that Reason commands them to be brought to him and he blesseth them All that Parents do in a way of Duty is but to bring them unto Christ and being come to bring them up in him The Lord declares in his Word concerning the Infant-Children of Believers They are holy that is to be esteemed really so as Dr. Goodwin interprets it in the Judgment of Faith joyned with Charity that is a Faith of Waiting and Expectation grounded on what God indefinitely promiseth and declares about them till he reveal the contrary and in the mean time to be judged as Saints so as to bind the Consciences of Parents unto a Discharge of all Duties towards them as Saints until the contrary appear 2. These Children in their Infancy received the Sign and Seal of the Covenant were baptized in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost therein given up and solemnly engaged to be the Lords whence the Parents must needs be obliged and ought to be encouraged as to be much in Prayer for them so diligently to teach them as they are capable the Covenant and to lay hold thereof to know the Lord and excite them to seek him to love his Name and be his Servants Like as we read David did exhort Solomon his Son 1 Chron. 28. 9. and as the Son of the Stranger is encouraged to do Isa 56. 6 7. much more the Children of the Promise 3. Young Children are capable of Divine Impressions It is rational to suppose them capable Subjects of Grace as they are of Sin and of the Operations of the Spirit if he please to work tho we know not the manner how as they are of the Motions of Sin And as they are receptive of gracious Dispositions so these is will shew themselves as the Powers of the Soul and Organs of the Body attain meetness for Action which alone were sufficient ground to encourage Parents to be early dropping Words of Instruction and Reproof for as much as the Seed of the Kingdom springs up we know not how and oftentimes before we are aware We see the Fruit of the Spirit sometimes in little Children before the use of Means or while little could be done by Man for such a Production Experience doth sufficiently confirm the Truth hereof by a number of Instances I question not in every Age there hath been not a few remarkable Instances of late Years in our own Nation some of which are noted by worthy Mr. Janeway The design of this small Tract is to present the Reader with an Account of what was very lately observed in one Child soon after it was four Years old before it could read until near seven Years of Age having lived all that time in Affliction by a Consumption whereof it died And although I suppose the one half of what was said and done in that time is not told Yet that which is reported I think is beyond any thing yet written of those Years the Truth whereof is confirmed by many Witnesses It is written that all may magnify his Work which they behold giving God the Glory that Parents may be encouraged in their Duty and Children be invited to seek the Lord while they are young and fear him from their Childhood And as for such as deny and despise the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration and effectual Grace if they be no hereby convinced they may bâ— constrained to acknowledg likâ— as the Jews said in the Apostles Time that indeed a notable Miracle hath been done is manifest to all and we cannot deny it Yet further to evidence the Credibility of this thing I am desired to second it with a brief Narrative of what was observed in another much younger who was not full two Years and an half old when she died and that which I shall relate concerning it is of my own Knowledg It was a Child much prayed for while it was in the Womb that it might be sanctified and after it was born solemnly offered up to the Lord by the Parents as the First-Fruits of their Increase It had the Advantage of speaking very early and intelligent beyond its Years which rendr'd it the more capable of the Mothers Instructions from whom she learned many good Sentences which she would often repeat to others and sometimes to her self with seeming Pleasure She was first seized with the Rickets and afterwards languished of a Consumption being confined six Months to the Cradle chastened with much Pain and Weakness all the time notwithstanding all Means possible used for Relief which a most indulgent Mother could provide for it During the time of her Affliction she all along manifested a more than ordinary Affection to the Ordinances that is to the Word and Prayer so as she would not be satisfied if denied that Liberty to be present Insomuch as she was often carried in her Cradle into another Room for that purpose And notwithstanding her great Weakness and and Pain she would keep in her Groans and compose her self in her Cradle for some hours together at special times of Prayer attending without any seeming Weariness Yea tho her great Illness made Diversion necessary she would not permit her Maid to rock but very softly nor sing her which at other times she would by no means have forborn and the Play-things wherewith she much pleased her self for Diversion at other times she would in time of Prayer of her own accord throw from her to the end of the Cradle with dislike as if they were a Trouble to her Sometime she would be turned in the Cradle or taken up in the Arms asking to see such a Minister whom she would name Pray for Miss as she always call'd her self from hearing others so call her and when Prayer was ended she would speak in Commendation of him that prayed Such a one is a good Man and call to be taken in his Arms and kiss him many times before she ceased When any did commend her she would say Naught naught she was so earnestly desirous to be present at Family-Prayer that they could not satisfy her tho in other things it was seldom but the giving her a Reason would do it But once in a day the Family came up to prayer in her Chamber which was done with that Pleasure and Satisfaction as if she had been much older and when the Occasions of the Family would not admit it
A PRESENT FOR CHILDREN Being a brief but faithful Account of many remarkable and excellent things utter'd by three young Children to the Wonder of all that heard them To which is added a seasonable Exhortation to Parents for the Education of their Children By a Person of Quality Published by William Bidbanck M. A. But who is their Father 1 Sam. 10. 12. Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praise Mat. 21. 16. London Printed by J. D. for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1685. To the Reader THE end of this Publication is not private or sinister but for publick Good God's Glory that his Name may be exalted and thy Good that thou mayst reap advantage hereby is designed What has been seen or heard is thus made more manifest that you may have Fellowship with us Accept it with all Candor and be thankful to God for such wonderful Works You are not imposed upon These things were not done in a Corner especially the Relation of Mary Stubbs who had so many Visiters that can attest the Truth of what is here written And the other likewise had many Witnesses and are added that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses we may be the more confirmed W. B. Denton Sept. 2. 1684 TO Little Children VVHat shall I say to you You have here much spoken to you it is for you especially that these Relations are thus published Here you may be taught the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of Wisdom 1. To pray unto God betimes in whom you do live move and have your being 2. To have an high Esteem of the Word of God the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. 3. To keep the Lord's-Day strictly 4. To love God's Servants to love the Brethren and God's Ministers greatly 5. To consider the Joy which is to be had in the ways of Wisdom 6. What need we have now without delay to prepare for Death and Eternity 7. To have Faith and Vnion with Jesus Christ who is so willing to embrace little Children Oh! put these things into Practice do not look upon them as idle Stories Dare not to live Prayer-less or to profane God's Holy-Day See the contrary in these little Ones Say not you are too young your eternal Welfare depends hereon You are capable of great things betimes your Souls are of a noble Extraction You are capable of better things than Play and mere Vanities and you are made for higher things It is the Misery of the Person when the Body overcomes the Soul It is noble indeed where Reason and heavenly Light and Knowledg overcome these bodily Pleasures There are Pleasures which are for evermore The Soul and Spirit should like the Fire ascend up to Heaven naturally but it is clouded and overcome The Soul can never have Rest till it come to God We are indeed born like the wild Asses Colt Job 11. 12. We are Vessels full of bad Liquor as a Heathen could say we are prepossessed with Evil. Oh! study the Corruption of Nature and the Necessity of Grace from above Be not discouraged in reading God can make you such as these were You may be Men and Women betimes when Children as to your Bodies by Knowledge Faith and Love If you go on in Sin you must undo all again or else for ever be miserable Follow these Examples and you shall be happy in Life the Joy of Parents and most comfortable in a dying hour to your selves and them likewise Oh! the difference between a Child that swears and lies and is profane and another that fears to lie but loves the Truth and trembles to hear an Oath sworn The former is the Child of the Devil and the latter a Child of God You might have been made Toads or Brutes and better to have been such than to live and die in your Sins The Condition of those that know God betimes is so desirable that if any are to be envied such are as Joseph Samuel and David Psal 71. 17 18. How lamentable is their Condition in the Proverbs who hate Instruction Prov. 5. 12 13. If you know God betimes if you die young and very young you shall be with God be ready for that great Change And if you live you may do great things for God you may be eminent in your Generation you may be like a Cedar in Lebanon Objection Many will say That young Saints prove very bad in Age and old Sinners Answer There is such a wicked Proverb among many and it is used by them who have a spite or hatred against Holiness If thou be sincere and right at first thou shalt be like Joseph Samuel and David who were famous in their Generations Thou shalt not be a Bungler in Religion it will be thy Trade Who knows what they do that forget God that made them and took them out of the Womb and is thy Life and the Length of thy days Deut 30. 20. Better never to have been than to wrong this good God Consider these Children read often what is here related Meditate on them pray to God you may be such He hath enough of the Spirit See what became of those Children that did mock at God's Servant 2 Kings 2. 23 24. You love your Fathers to live with them and to be in their Arms you have a better Creator and Father to take care of you Object Some Children will be ready to say Oh! how irksom is it to pray and read is it not better to please our selves and to do what seemeth good in our own Eyes Answ At first because of our Corrupt Nature the ways of Wisdom seem unpleasant but it is only at first but the Way and End is very pleasant There is a Way saith Solomon that seemeth right to a Man but the End thereof is Death Prov. 14. 12. We would have Joy and Peace but it is not to be had in Sin Oh! Come and see and try and thou shalt never repent The God of Heaven bless these Directions to you which is the hearty Desire and fervent Prayer of the Publisher hereof W. BIDBANCK A Word in Season to Religious Parents OR An Exhortation to them to train up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. I Cannot but look on it as one of the saddest Instances of God's Displeasure against his People of this Generation such as are Parents the woful Degeneracy of so many of their Children and that the Lord intends therein to rebuke and chastise the Parents for the great neglect of Duty found in most in not educating their Children more strictly according to Scripture-Rule and Precept I know these sad Effects do naturally flow from the corrupt Fountain of depraved Nature in every Child which can no way be effectually prevented but by the Grace of God in the Heart Like as the Prophet did to heal the Waters and the barren Ground
she desired her Father to pray with her which he frequently did at Bed-time It was no less observable the peculiar Respect she had for the Scriptures which she always called God's Word for when her Mother or the Maid did read in another good Book she would sometimes distinguish and bid them read God's Word and unsatisfied until they did Sometimes she delighted to have a Book in her Hand and please her self to speak Words as if she read and once it was observed in the midst of the Action she cast the Book out of her Hand with a troubled Mind uttering those Words I can't tell the meaning of it She was greatly delighted with Singing with which she passed away many a wearisome Hour but would frequently call for the singing of Psalms and ask for some in particular as sing the Tabernacle and sing The Lord is my Shepherd c. In the mean time would not only deny her self her usual necessary Diversions and lie composed but would be seriously attentive oft-times with Eyes and Hands lifted up as if she understood what was spoken or sung and had a Taste in her Spirit of the Sweetness of the Word And sometimes was observed as if she were privately praying by her self as her Gesture and Words over-heard did import but was offended if they took notice of it to her If any did ask her Whether she was willing to die and go to Heaven her usual Reply was Go to Heaven but no die But in the latter time of her Sickness her Answer to such a Question was She would die and go to Jesus Christ And when it was put to her if she desired not to be well and play about with Sister and Brother she would answer in the same Words Would die and go to Jesus Christ This was the ordinary Frame of her Spirit Many occasional Sayings that savoured of Grace and Wisdom above that of a Child are not inserted because not perfectly remembred for want of noting them in time Her tedious and long Affliction she bore with admirable Patience when few about her knew how to bear the sight of it Early in the Morning that she died she sang her self as often she would do with a more sweet and melodious Strain than they about her thought they had ever heard her Within a few hours after while her Mother was rocking she said to her Mother No rock no rock thereby giving her as the Mother interpreted a final Discharge from further Care and Trouble and immediately with a silent Groan she died The hearing only of the Report I am sensible cannot so much affect or inform as the seeing and hearing the Child which unto the most judicious Observers Ministers and others gave such an Evidence of the Grace of God in it as caused Thanksgiving by many unto God on that account Yet I question not the Reader will meet with somewhat that is not ordinary in a Child of that Age worthy to be remarked and pertinent to our purpose which is to demonstrate that little Children are capable of spiritual Impressions and gracious Actings That which hath been declared concerning this Child was by the Father summarily comprized in the following Verses Transcendent Rays of Heavenly Light In this Babe's Soul here shin'd Prayer and Praise God's Word his Saints Were it's Delight to mind Her Sayings Years and Grace became God did her Patience try He that the First-Fruits holy made The whole Lump sanctify The two last Verses prompt me to add wherewith I shall conclude That as it pleased the Lord to build and bless the Family to which this Child did relate with a numerous Off-spring nine of which are now living and the Eldest of them but seventeen Years old There is through a Blessing on Education to be seen springing up in them In some the Blade in others the Ear and in some the full Corn in the Ear. Or it may be said of these Branches as of Aaron's Rod that budded some Branches bring forth Buds others bloom Blossoms and some yield Almonds The Praise whereof is given as is due unto God alone Amen Free-Grace displayed IT pleased the All-wise God to send a great Affliction upon Mary Stubbs the Daughter of Thomas and Mary Stubbs of Harleston in the County of Norfolk being a Child between four and five Years old In the beginning of her Sickness she seemed very unwilling to hear any things spoken to her of Death or to be instructed for the good of her Soul she shewed a great dislike and would be very angry Yet her Relations did not forbear for some time to instil sutable Instructions according to her Capacity and tender Years until they were discouraged to see the Child so averse to and displeased with them The Parents being greatly concerned for the everlasting Good and Happiness of the Soul of this their Child did resign her unto the special and immediate Teachings of the Spirit of God It is our Duty to sow the Seed and leave the Success to his Blessing that giveth the Increase for it is the Inspiration of the Almighty which giveth Understanding and putteth Wisdom into the inward Parts even of Babes and Sucklings notwithstanding the Darkness and Enmity of our Corrupt Natures as will be evident in this famous Instance and following Relation Her Mother did ask her Whither she should go if she died she replied at first she knew not afterwards being asked the same Question she then answered she should go to Heaven But it was told her all that died did not go thither yet she said she did think she should And beyond all Expectation there did appear a great Change in her for she began to be very sensible of her Condition and to cry and mourn fearing she should go to Hell Now she was very desirous to have her Friends pray for her that she might go to Heaven and be made a new Creature Her Sickness increased and she was very serious and suddenly so weaned from this World that she had no desire to live but rather to die and would argue against living here far beyond what could be expected considering her Infancy with those that discoursed with her concerning the Excellency of Life and could never be persuaded to entertain any thoughts of it She lay in her Cradle pineâ— away and her Strength gone so that she had no use of heâ— Limbs yet her Soul vigoroâ— and lively wholly fixed for eternal Life In this her languishing Condition she was very earnest with them that came to see her desiring their Prayers for her and would tell them what she desired they might pray for her that she might have good Hopes and good Grounds that she should go to Heaven and not be under a Mistake that she might have Grace and Wisdom to know how to serve the Lord. She did desire to be made sensible of her Sin and the need she had of Christ and that the Lord would put his Fear into her Heart that she