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
A SONS PATRIMONY AND DAVGHTERS PORTION Payable to them at all times but best received in their first times when they are young and tender Laid-out without expence of money only in the improving time and words with them Contained in an answerablenesse to their Ages in two VOLUMES In the first The PARENT is taught his duty to teach it his child betimes To heare To speak To doe when and where to put him to schoole after that to a Calling which must be fitted to his inclination as a garment to his back for the childes inclination makes the surest indenture to binde him to his Trade In all this he may be taught in a way if the Parent will apply his minde to understand and to put the more observation upon it as plaine easie and familiar as the way hee walkes in In the second The CHILDE is taught to know himselfe and God To take direction from His mouth for his safe passage here through all his Ages and therein how to answer all his relations that when he ceaseth to live here he may live for ever with the LORD PSAL. 34. 11. DEUT. 12. 28. Come ye children harken unto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord that it may goe well with you and with your children after you for ever when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God CHRYSOST As our Seminaries or seed plots are such are the Land and Nation As the Parents house and schoole are such are the Town and City Published in the yeare of hope and expectation that the private house and schoole shall be reformed much out of order now and quite besides the Rule Printed for T. Vnderhill and are to be sold at the Bible in Woodstreet 1643. A Premonition to the PARENT TO undeceive you herein for we hate deceit in any thing know That this book was published 3 yeers ago but through a mistake in the Author not acquainted with the mysterie of Stationing or selling books it was pent up in a chamber ever since there it had lain still had not he been moved about it by a zealous well-wisher to the good of parent and child both To give the purpose and intendment of all that in the Title which is largely treated on in the book This the Author hath done in truth sincerity not making shew in the Title of more then is not truly in the book Some passages there are in the book perhaps too high raised above thy reach capacitie but wherein thy duty lies and that is all along there it is as plain as is the beaten way if you come with a resolution to observe and mark it if not I know not what is easie but our own way and that tends directly to destruction Truly to speak my mind what I think this is it That this time is the season for this book for probable it is we wil harken to it now because we smart now pain and sorrow is upon us from what we fear yea frō what we feel too likely it is we will harken now or never And if we do so we must needs learn That all this evill is from our little house within the breast and the greater house without Let every man doe his own work his duty reform there where God hath made him overseer then the work is done the sword will be still And this is the scope and purpose of the book A word is enough to the wise especially such who are made wise by blows VVEE whose names are under-wrirten well acquainted with the scope and purpose of this Book Tending to an an orderly proceeding in a well-Timed Reformation of our selves first and our children betimes doe give our attestation thereunto heartily and in all faithfulnesse Edm Calamy Iohn Goodwin Ioseph Caryll Ier. Burroughes Will. Greenehill A CHILDES PATRIMONY LAID OVT VPON THE GOOD CVLTVRE OR TILLING OVER HIS WHOLE MAN The first Part Respecting a Childe in his first and second Age. Whom thou hast borne unto me Ezek. 16. In the feare of the Lord is strong Confidence and his Children shall have a place of refuge Prov. 14. 26. Filium pater c. A Parent must offer his Childe to the Lord he must not deferre that as he hath been a means to give it a life here he may conferre something toward the obtaining for it a better life hereafter Chrysolog Serm. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. orat 20. p. 323. London printed by I. Legatt 1640. Imprimatur Iune 28. 1639. Tho. Wykes TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND MUCH HONOURED Knight Sr. ROBERT PYE. SIR A Triviall Businesse hath made an Intrusion upon yours of weight A very Schoole point so in account but worthy a very Wise Mans Consideration even yours I need say little of it it is big-enough and can speake for it selfe An old and ordinary subject it is but newly handled and in no ordinary way I will say no more of it but this and it is enough It concerns a Parent Infinitely Infinitely yes It directs a Parent To Tender the Childe Seasonably To love it Truely To Resigne it Humbly To Traine it up Faithfully so as it may be of much use In and To his Generation promoting the Glory of his Great Master as becometh heartily That Parent and Childe may rejoyce together here and here-after for ever with the Lord of high and Infinite use this for it leads to an happy Eternity The doubt is how you will take the prefixing your Name hereunto I cannot resolve that But what induced me thereto you shall heare and I hope allow It is not to seek your patronage as the manner is for it hath licence to go abroad and whether it finds kinde entertainment or no is not the Burthen of my Care Nor is it to beg your hand as the great Ambition is to set me higher in the World wherein when Time was and my thoughts were much above my worth you shewed your readinesse and I forget it not The Truth is I have lived in so low a Station and so long and I thank God heartily for it that it is so low and for that known weaknesse which forced and moulded my minde to it and at length framed my minde so contentedly in it for a great providence concurred here that I have not so much as a thought or minde had I the opportunitie to rise higher Nay I ever thought since I could think to purpose but it was once a sad thought that I was as uncapable of preferment here in the World as a piece of Earth is to become a Starre so I thought and it was no vaine thought for it made me I hope the more ambitious after that world where if my weight keep not down I may be above the Starre in Glory It was not then either This or That what then I am now telling you I am a worthlesse parcell of that house whose chiefe Supporter fell first
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
whose heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he hath left Cisterns Creature-comforts and is gone to the Fountaine where he shall be satisfied he is got to the Rock of his salvation where is an abiding and now he shall stand fixed and firme upon his foundation like the Rock against which the raging waves may beat but shall be broken Nay more fixed is he then so faster he stands then the hills or mountaines yet because of their setled standing are they called perpetuall hills everlasting Mountaines k Hab. 3. 6. So fixed is this person and it must needs be so for he findes underneath the everlasting Armes l Deut. 33. 27. I know I have transgressed my Rule at this point for I have been too long upon it Yet I pray you doe not think so because it is an high point and I should say yet more unto it because it is so high and of such mightie concernment for this is it which being well observed will hold-up a mans Spirits when the body must fall asunder from it selfe and make the heart rejoyce when the eie-strings must break But I consider your person and place therefore I wil winde up all and your thoughts together in one word which you often meet with I will onely annex Selah here a word which sounds high and gives an elevation to the minde answerable to the matter so your thoughts are raised now reaching after good-things which shall endure as long as Eternitie is long for ever And this is to be Truely exalted This in a True sense to be high-minded II. God hath given you a Name upon earth He hath given you to know too and you blesse His Name for it that herein is the least degree of your glorie A Name upon earth is nothing though it should endure while the earth endures Nothing that to eternity after which the soule is Biased You may reade of one who had a Crown set upon his head consisting of many Crowns for he was an Emperour m Aug. de Civ dei lib. 5. 26. yet he would not make that the Crowne of his rejoycing but this was it That the Name of Christ was called upon him that he accounted his honour An honour indeed which reacheth from earth to heaven there to be perpetuated and such honour have all His Saints And this Name you account your chiefe honour also for it is called upon you And you must count it your chiefe work too For I must tell you this with it and then I have told you all It is the hardest thing in the world To be a Christian indeed and Indeed to answer that Name for it is an hard thing for selfe to crucifie selfe To offer a holy violence to ones selfe even to the plucking out or cutting off that which is most pleasing to Nature yet so we must doe saith one n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Stro. li. 7. pag. 500. if we wil be Christians Indeed And we must believe him for he assureth us so from the mouth of Truth it selfe The violent take it by force We must labour here if we look to rest hereafter if any think other wise he is deceived We cannot think to goe-in at a narrow gate and finde no straitnesse A harder matter it is to tread the way of vertue then to keep a narrow path in the darkest night o Book of providence chap. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The flesh must not live now that it may live hereafter It must die now that it may not die Chrys on Rom 8. Hom. 13. These are Chrysostomes words englished and they make cleare demonstration That though it be a matter of ease and no labour to be a Christian In Name yet it is a point of difficultie requiring labour and strife both to be such an one Indeed Herein then is your strife and work wherein you will be Abundant because of the Abundant reward to answer this worthy Name worthily And I pray heartily to the God of power to lead you by the hand and strengthen you in the work for it is a Mighty work But if He put forth His hand and your eye be upon the recompence of reward you will breake through all difficulties as is said of Abraham p Chrys upon Gen. Chap. 12. Hom. 31. like Spiders web's for you are called not as was he from one Land to another but from earth to heaven yet he plucked up his feet and so ranne That you may doe so even so runne that you may obtaine the end of your race your Crown is the prayer of him whom you have engaged Sr. to print my selfe Your much obleiged kinsman EZEKIAS WOODVVARD To the Reader THis Treatise tendeth to the erecting of faire Edifices to the Lord which are the children of children of men The Auâ—hor sheweth himself herein a skilfull builder in that he first layeth a sure solid foundation and then reareth thereupon his goodly edifice This the Lord Himselfe noted to be the part of a prudent builder Luk. 6. vers 48. He wisely sheweth when and by whom especially this foundation is to be laid even by Parents so soone as their children attaine any competent capacitie Young and tender yeares are flexible and may easily be bowed this way or that way They are like a Aâ—gillâ quidvis imitabâ—ris udâ Hor. the moist potters clay which may readily be fashioned into any shape and like soft waxe which soone receives any print Nor so only but also long retains what it first receiveth like b Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu Idem a vessell which long holds the savour which it first tooke while it was new Old men are said to remember in their elder yeares what they learned in their younger I shall not need to presse this further it being so plentifully and pithily pressed by the Author himself who layes his foundation very deep even in the mothers wombe and goeth along from infancy to childhood thence to youth and so on till he bring his childe to a growne yea an old man full of dayes going to the grave in a full age like as a sheafe of corne cometh in in his season c Job 9. 26. In every estate and degree of these Ages even from the wombe to the grave he prescribeth pertinent and profitable directions not to children only but also to Parents Guardians Schoole-masters Tutors Governours of all sorts of Societies yea and to Ministers too whom he fitly styleth Instructors of Instructors So full he is as he hath passed nothing over in this long journey without a due observation whether it concerns the mothers care of the childe in her wombe or after in the infancy or both Parents care about a new birth or initiating it in pietie good manners good literature at home at schoole at Vniversity or any other good Seminary Yea also about calling marriage carryage to Parents
this point is to take a right Scale and measure of his Childes parts and so answerably to fit it with a fit Calling The Parent must labour by all means to hide Pride from the Child I meane The Parent must beat it off from vaine-glory and selfe-conceit young folke have the best opinion of themselves because they discerne themselves worst and to shake it off from sloth that Moth and Canker of our Parts The one Pride will make the man and Childe both to lay open their weaknesses The other Sloth will make them not to know Qui se nescit uli se nescit their strength or not to put it forth And let the Parent having done his endeavour comfort himselfe with this That how weake or unserviceable soever his Childe seemes to be if not doubly deformed in respect of his parts yet there is no member but it is fitted with some abilities to do some service in the body and by good nurture and manurance may grow up to a greater measure And let him consider this with it That as in the body naturall the most exalted part the Head hath need of the lowest the foote so there is not the greatest person but may have use both of the parts and graces of the meanest in the Church I say more though I may not say The head more needs the foote then the foote the head nor will I say though so it is concluded f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 1 Cor. 13. Hom. 34. Aristop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. â— Sc. 5. That the poore man who is as the foot doth not so much need the Rich who is as the head as the rich man needs the poore man for who needs more or who lesse that is not the point but one needs the other that is certaine Nay one cannot be without the other And this that the poore man may not be too much cast downe nor the rich overmuch exalted but that the one and the other may glorysie Him that hath so disposed them so as in the body there should be no lack But now in the last place for maintenance for the Childe how he shall live hereafter The thoughts whereof so take up and tyre out the Parents thoughts so stuffs his heart and disquiets his Rest and peace For this is the great enquiry who will shew us any good Where is this preferment to be had How shall I make my Childe rich and high in the World Where shall I finde a place where he may have great wages and little work This is the great enquiry All the Parents Travels hither and thither is but to make discovery of this point where this fortunate Iland is where is gold and there he would land his Childe and no other reason can he give of all his dangerous adventures but this and this carryeth him and dasheth him upon rocks also because the gold of that Land is good This is the sore Travell and one of the great evils under the Sunne And a folly it is exceeding that of the simplest Idiot in the World for it is as if the Parent should lay out all his whole stock of wealth and wit to purchase and furnish a Chamber for his Childe in a Through fare and provide it no house in the City where it is forever to dwell I cannot take off this vaile of false g What madnesse is it to spend all our labour to possesse our selves of the Cislerne when the fountaine is offered unto us S. C. p. 642. opinion But assuredly if we would follow the counsell of the wise we might shorten our sore Travell at this point and make our way to Comfort more compendious The Counsell is this Our g S. C. p. 249. care must be to know our work touching our selves touching ours and then to doe it and so to doe it as unto God with conscience of moderate diligence for over-doing and overworking any thing comes either from oftentation or distruct in God And negligence is so S. Con. â—49 farre from getting any blessing that it brings us under a curse That which belongs to us in our calling is care of discharging our duty That which God takes upon him is Assistance and good successe in it Let us look to our worke and leave God to doe His owne Diligence and Trust in Him is onely ours the rest of the burthen is His h Let us make good our ends and the meanes we use and God wil make good the issue and turne all to the best Dr. Feat p. 103. We must part our care so as to take upon us onely this care of Duty and leave the rest to God S. Con. 85. In a Family the Fathers and the Mothers care is the greatest The Childes care is onely to obey and the servants to doe his work Care of Provision and Protection doth not trouble them Most of our disquietnesse in our Calling is that we trouble our selves about Gods work whereas we should Trust God and be doing in fitting the Childe and let God alone with the rest He stands upon His credit so much that it shall appeare we have not trusted Him in vaine even when we see no appearance of doing any good when we cannot discerne by all our spialls the least shew either for provision or Protection We remember who were very solicitous for their Children and because they could not provide for them nor protect them neither therefore perish they must in the wildernesse We must remember also That the Lord took care of those Children and destroyed those distrustfull parents who thought there was no path in a wildernesse because they could not discerne any nor meate to be had there because their hand was too short to provide it It is dangerous questioning the power of God in the greatest straite If He bring any person into a wildernesse it is because He may shew His power there for provision and protection both God works most wonderfully for and speaks the sweetest comfort to the heart in a wildernesse Note we this then and so I conclude There is much uncertainty in the Certainty of man and all Certainty in the uncertainty of God I tearme it so by allowance of the Spirit i 1 Cor. 1. 25. in respect of mans apprehension There is no uncertainty in God but all Certainty as in Him is all Wisdome all Strength We apprehend that there is a Certainty in man and an Uncertainty in God for if we observe our hearts we Trust Him least but that is our Foolishnesse and Weaknesse There is all uncertainty in men even in the best of men in Princes place no Certainty there There is all Certainty in God as in Him is all Wisdome and Strength put we confidence there Cast we Anchor upwards Commit we all but in well-doing all we have and all we are into his everlasting Armes Then assuredly we shall finde a stay for our selves and a portion for ours Provision
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
to Ioseph Sith thy Father hath made thee sweare concerning the place of his buriall by all meanes go up and bury thy Father d Gen 50. 5. 6. But let us mark that which is most remarkable that which is to be wished were forgotten but it cannot be How God hath reproved this breach of covenant from heaven witnesse that sad sore and grievous stroake which by a Divine hand was inflicted upon that King e Lewis King of Hungary Vladislaus and his whole Royall army who made an oath taken upon the holy Evangelist for the concluding a peace with the Turkish Sultan f Hist profan Medul p. 823. but a broker to unworthy ends yet is an oath the greatest securitie that can be given the onely chaine on earth as one saith g S. Dan. Henry third p. 167. besides love to tie the conscience of a man and humane societie together Mark we must also in that stroake that the like vengeance was remarkably executed upon the Cardinall who absolved the said King from the said oath for being wounded unto death he was found lying in the high way by Gregory Sanose ready to give up the ghost and seemed but to stay to take with him the bitter curses of such as passed by flying from the battel as the due reward of his perfidious absolution What will the Pope now for the league was disannulled by power from the Pope or his Cardinalls that now are for it was by perswasion of Iulian a Cardinall what will they say to this vengeance to this sad stroake for as that breach of covenant was to the reproach of the Christian Lege Barcl Euphor 4. p. 360. Asch Tox. p. 26. Psal 15. name ever since so was that vengeance to the infeebleing the Christians arm to this very day Besides all this we must remember the words that are so plain A good man speaketh the truth from his heart and though he swear to his Chap. 4 § 9 hurt yet he changeth not what say they to all this Nay I cannot tell nor themselves neither But this we can tell It is as familiar for them to eat their words as it is to drink bloud they are infamous all over the world for both i See Mr Bolton direct pag. 232. therewith they are filled as a botâ—le with wine Drunk with the bloud of the Saints Tell the childe this he may understand it and so understand it that he will never look back to this Sodom never return to that Aegypt for a silly fish the Naturalists say will not come to a bloudy hook Now for us men if we shew our selves men we have from hence made Davids conclusion I have sworn and I will perform k Psal 119. 106. it when we have sworn when our words are within that inclosure we dare not break-out we will perform we are fully purposed so to do if in licitis l Juramentum non debet esse vinculum iniquitatis Zanch. de Spons if not we know the rule Remember we must still what the Lord saith to David for as to David so to us He hath sworn to do His people good yet do they provoke Him with many unkindnesses and much hard usage every day and though they do so so often break covenant with Him yet will not He break covenant with them nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips m Psal 89 34. This we must observe for our imitation for they keep us from perishing And thus much that parents may learn and that they may teach their children how sacred a bond an oath is § †9. We may observe children very abusive one with another they will seem not to know one the others name Prevent this evil quickly in teaching them better manners they have no excuse for that fault the childe knows his name and who gave him that name and wherefore for distinction sake he knows that he might call others and be called by the same name If a parent heare a Nick-name from a childes mouth let the childe feel the parents hand Trust me the abuse is not light § 10. We may observe them very quarrelsome striking one the other and very commanding over servants though during their minority or nonage they differ not Their words Ch. 4 § 11.12 should be intreaties they must be commanded not command If they strike they must feel the blow from the hand to whom it doth belong One commander is enough in a house and the childe must be taught awfully to observe that one whether him or her Remember still that a Aug. decivit 14. 12. Obedience is the best lesson that a parent can teach the childe And looke he must that the childe learn it as he looks to have him prove a peaceable man here-after else he will prove a great troubler of the house perhaps of the whole state § 11. We may observe children very ready to uncover that which Nature hath hid no point of their innocency this at these yeares to shew their nakednesse which heathen have shamed to do b Cic Offic. 1. p. 53. Aug. de Civil 14. 17. Clem. Alex. paed l. 2. c. 6. p. 125. c. 10 p. 141. lib. 3. p. 187. Zanch. cap. 1. Gen 1. 21. Nature hath taught us so much at this point and they who had no other light that I need but point at it and referre to the margent But beleeve me children must have instruction and correction at this point they will need both § 12. Children will mock scorn and scoff very ordinarily especially such as are poore impotent or deformed as if such had not the same flesh with them or as if God made not the difference We see it dayly thus If God doth afflict any laying them low such these children will have in derision they will as Iob c Effraenatè in me invecti sunt quasi immissis vel excussis habenis Job 30. 11. saith let loose the bridle before such poore-ones speaking reproachfully with their lips We know the danger and our duty let them not scape by any meanes it is very evil in it self and it tends to more I would children were onely faultie here and that they did not learn it of their Elders who not onely too d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must use our servants as we would be used for they are men as we are Clem. Alex. paed 3. cap. 11. A noble man was wont to make his servants drudge like horses and when they were at their drudgerie his manner was to curse them and to call them by no other name then dogges Not long after falling sick his voice was taken from him and when he would speak he barked Camer tells this story chap. 86. p. 436. as a judgement wrought amongst them and which he saw which may teach us so to speak to and so to use our servants as fellow-servants for so they are as one saith Inferiours
then sufficeth the contrary Chrysost ad Heb. cap. 12. Hom. 29. temperate use of the creatures so as they may refresh Chap. 4 § 15 not oppresse this will be their care And they will looke to it also that the broken meat be taken up that the least crum which can be saved be not lost no not a crum § 15. We that are by nature children of wrath have in our nature so much fiercenesse as that we cannot credit nor beleeve it though another should shed teares over x 2 King 8. 11. Virtutes vitia non sunt priusquam lacessantur it untill the foundations of our natures are discovered The occasion offered and the restraint taken off A swine will keep clean in a meadow Lime will not smoake till you put water to it A Lion sleeps waking with his eyes open and wakes sleeping with his eyes shut To look to he is as gentle as a Lambe but if you pluck him by the eare he will pluck you by the arme though he seemes to wink stirre him or let him loose then you shall know what he is y Solve Leonem senties I meane by all this That we know not our natures how fierce they are till we are tempted by the occasion and so tried Therefore we should looke to it betimes and be jealous over our own hearts and restraine in children whatsoever leads that way I meane to crueltie and fiercenesse And then we shall not suffer children to delight themselves as commonly they do in the vexation and paine of the creature which the more it is in their power the more children will vexe the creature to shew their power in the torture and paine thereof witnesse that rude custome on Shrove-tuesday witnesse also our flyes birds Cats and Dogs tossed up in blankets or set on furiously to encounter mangle and enter-teare each other Children consider not by how weake supports mans life is upheld nor how serviceable the flesh of some of them is the blood of othersome and the excrements of a third the most approved remedy for a sore throat This children consider not nor can they think what ill blood such bloody exercises do breed They consider not that such sports leade to crueltie whereby we come neerest to the Divell who delights in the paine of the creature It is a knowne story and to be observed That a very proud King delighted much in his childe hood to put out the eyes of Quailes This King carryed himselfe afterwards with such pride and insolency that he had his denomination from it and delighted himselfe so much in crueltie and bloud that the people expelled him out of their Citie and Countrey with protestation never to receive any King againe so they changed the name of their Government An Emperour after him delighted as much to see the entralls of flies he killed as many as he could catch and tooke his times for it So the proverb was The z Ne musca quidem Suet. Dom. Emperour had not so much as a flye neere him This man or rather beast in shape of a man delighted as much in the shedding of Christians blood and as cruelly abused Gods Image which he had shamefully cast off Indeed there are some men who are cruell to Christians and kinde to Beasts But they have but the shape of men they are a Lege Dialog de bello sacro p. 339. Beasts indeed and therefore do they esteeme more of Beasts then of Christians It is b Lo. Ver. Essay 13. p. 67. reported that a Christian Boy in Constantinople Had like to have been stoned for gagging in a waggishnesse a long billed fowle b I would perswade but this from hence That children be not suffered to bathe their recreations in bloud as Mr. Bolton phraseth it Not to refresh their tyred mindes with spectacles of crueltie nor inured to behold rufull objects without horrour No beast they say takes content in the hurting of any other except in the case of hunger or anger They satisfie their appetite and rage sometimes with crueltie and bloud but their eyes and fancies never It is a debasing of humanitie below beasts to please the eye I say not in beholding one man teare and mangle another but to see poore beasts encountring each other and mangling each other being set on by man we must not make Gods judgements and punishments of sinne for we made the beasts wild our sinne put the enmitie betwixt the Woolfe and the Lambe c Quis seras fecit nisi tu Mor. de verit religionis cap. 12. the matter and object of our recreation Alas sinfull man it is Mr. d Direct 156. Boltons patheticall expression what an heart hast thou that canst take delight in the cruell tormenting of a dumbe creature Is it not too much for thee to behold with dry eyes that fearefull brand which only thy sinne hath imprest upon it but thou must barbarously also presse its oppressions and make thy selfe merry with the bleeding miseries of that poore harmlesse thing which in its kinde is much more and farre better serviceable to the Creator then thy selfe Yet I deny not but that there may be another lawfull use of this Antipathy for the destroying of hurtfull and enjoying of usefull creatures so that it be without any taint or aspersion of crueltie on our part or needlesse tormenting of the silly beasts It is a sure note of a good man He is mercifull to his beast And it is worth our marke That the Lord commands a mercy to a creature perhaps not worth two farthings and for this He promiseth a great mercy the like blessing which is promised to them who honour their father and mother Deut. 22. 6 7. If thou finde a birds nest c. Thou shalt in any wise let the Dam go and take the young to thee That thou mayest prosper and prolong thy dayes This is to lead to mercy and to take out of our hearts crueltie saith Mr Ainsworth It is the least of all in Moses law and yet such a promise is annexed thereunto as we heard so true is that which the learned Knight hath The debts of mercie and crueltie shall be surely paid Think we on this so we have our duty and we shall teach our children theirs and then though the bloud of the creature be not spared for we have dominion over it yet it shall not be abused nor shall we delight our selves in the pain of it which tends to much evil which we must by all means and all too little prevent and at the first while the minde is tender and doth easily receive any impression 15. It is not possible to point at all the evils whereof our corrupt nature is fruitfull nor at all the meanes whereby to prevent the growth of the same I remember how e Ad Dâ—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ω. Isocrates concludes his oration so full of instructions With all our
ant a lillie a raven to think on a providence seeing an oxe knowing his owner and his crib to think what is the duty of a reasonable creature observing the stork and the swallow and our houshold cock all exactly observing their season and I think the last observing it almost to a minute To learn from these and to get as was said of the children z of Issachar understanding in the times and to know what Israel 1. Chron. 12. 31. ought to do He that can do somuch through Him that strengtheneth all and in all he can he shall be made wise by his observation of the creatures for he sets his minde to the thing and the Law of God is in his heart he will receive profit by every thing and teach others how to profit also so I come to the third particular How to teach the childe to spell nature c. 3. Childehood and youth are ages of fancy Therefore the Father I mean a father at large master or teacher he hath the relation of a Father must make great use of the childes senses for they have the best agreement with its fancy hereunto the book of the creatures is very subservient They speak to the senses and the senses make report to the minde So in this way every place will be the childes school for every where it will meet with its lesson and no lesson plainer and more legible to a childe then what he findes in the volume of the Creatures This is a truth not to be doubted of That parent teacheth best and soonest attaineth his end the promoting his childe who verseth the childe most in the open view of the creatures So he cannot alwayes do but this he must do alwayes as he intends his childes profit When he cannot carry his childe abroad to view the creatures he must what he can bring the creatures home to the childe so shall he make the book in the childes hand what ever it be more legible For this the parent shall finde that where he comes short in making representations to his childes eye there the childe will fall short in his apprehension Nothing comes into the understanding in a naturall way but through the doore of the senses If the eye hath not seen that we are speaking of it can make no report of it to the minde The spirit of the childe as I may say is fashioned and moulded to the pattern and modell of that it looks upon And note we then the childe goes on with ease and delight when the understanding and the tongue are drawn along like parallel lines not one a jot before another It is Comenius his rule the ablest man in that way that yet the world hath taken notice of And this also the parent shall the more easily effect and with quicker dispatch if when he hath laid the book of the Creatures before the childes eye and is reading the lecture from thence he shall put the lecture into questions and make the childe not an hearer onely that is the old manner but a party in the businesse It will much enliven and quicken the childes fancy to see it self joyned as a party in the work though its little it can do A parent must question his childe and in a faire way take an account of him speaking wholly is lost labour The Tutour in Xenoph. a Lib 1. de Inst p. 34. for a lecture to his scholler Cyrus proposeth this question A great youth having a little coat gave it to one of his companions of a lesse stature and took from him his coat which was the greater upon which he demanded his judgement Cyrus answered that it was well because both of them were thereby the better fitted But his master sharply reprehended him for it because he considered onely the fitnesse and convenience thereof and not the justice which should first and especially be considered that no man may be enforced in that which was his own And this no doubt is an excellent manner of instruction saith Charron and it is probable this was the manner which the Iewes took for the instruction of their children b Deut. 6. 20. And when the childe shall aske thee thou shalt say thus and thus But how if the childe did not ask then sure enough the parent did ask the childe or help the childe how to ask If the childe did not question the parent the parent did question the childe We would have the childe ask and enquire for it is a true rule He that doubts and asketh most he profiteth most And he that enquireth after nothing he knowes nothing saith another But the parent will finde the childe very slack and backward this way Few children there are who make any further enquiry but When is the next holy day Therefore here the parent must help and give the hint of a question As it requireth some sense to make an answer not absurd so it asketh some knowledge to demand a question not impertinent it exceeds the skill of a childe Therefore there is no question but the parent must help and give the hint of a question at the least and that will give an hint to further instruction It is past all question that it is an excellent way in teaching to put the lecture into questions We have our great Lord and Master a president unto us whom they found in the Temple sitting among the Doctors both hearing them and asking them c Luke 2. 46. questions It is then no novel way but ancient and authentick though now as the best things are grown out of use and fashion And it sufficeth to point onely at this way of questioning the childe so making it a party which will help it very much to reade in the volume of Gods works and to profit by reading which was the third thing 4. The fourth follows which is To give some essay herein and reade a short lecture out of this great volume of the Creatures that lieth open before us And I begin at the footstooll where we had our beginning At the Earth for it is saith the Father d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Gen. Ser. 1. our countrey our mother our nurse our table our grave An effect it is which in a measure may be perceived by mans understanding but the manner of production cannot be concieved by any spirit compassed with a mortall body Here I enquire first 1. What Forme or figure it hath 2. Whence its dependance 3. What its magnitude c. How farre a childes sense will help in all three Something hereof the sense will report to the understanding but it will leave the understanding of old and young in a wonderment and that as was said is but the effect of a broken knowledge The use hereof we shall see anon The first 1. For the Figure of it It is circular or round we must not look for corners in it Our sense doth not report it so
he said As severall members in one body united so are reasonable creatures in a body divided and dispersed all made and prepared for one common operation And this thou shalt apprehend the better if thou shalt use thy self often to say to thy self I am a member of the masse and body of reasonable substances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not a part for then thou doest not yet love men from thy heart and thou doest exercise thy bountie or talent upon this ground barely that it is a thing convenient and fitting but when thou doest exercise it as thou art a member then thou doest it as one doing good to thy self when thou doest good to others So much of callings and how in the proper use and exercise of them they help to sodder and cement men together Now because there are callings miscalled callings but are not so serving only in the nature thereof and not by accident to enlarge the bounds of Satans kingdome because I say such callings there are falsely so called I will adde a word touching the choice of callings and make some enquiry touching the lawfulnesse of the same and how we know them so to be for the lawfulnesse of a calling gives the minde a settlednesse and sure ground for comfort First then I would not choose such a calling which hath more dependance upon the humours of men then upon their necessities which is taken up or laid down according as fancy leadeth not as right reason guideth such callings there are I may not say unlawfull but I would not choose such a calling so I say Nor such a calling would I choose which without more speciall care and fore-sight will be quickly perverted from its own primitive nature and first institution to supply the instruments of luxury excesse pride vanitie such callings there are also and very lawfull they are and some there have been and now are who use them lawfully And they who do contrary do not therefore make the callings unlawfull But yet I only say I would not choose such a calling for my childe considering the ready bent of our natures how hardly we stand firme on firme ground What danger then of falling where by occasion of our callings we stand surrounded with snares and as it were on a precipice such a calling I would not make choice of Now touching the lawfulnesse of a Calling and how we may know it so to be it will be of use first to recall what was spoken before and thence then to consider what influence my calling hath into the good of the universe and how farre as a member I promote there by the good and welfare of the body for this saying of the Philosopher in this case is of universall truth and use That which is not good for the Bee hive or whole swarm cannot be good for the Bee o M. Aurel Aut. Medit. B. 6 sect 49. p 94. But this is too generall 2. We may give more then a conjecture what calling is lawfull what unlawfull by that which was anciently spoken by a man of a very base life and calling I am said he by profession such an one p Boni viri me pauperant mali ditant Plaut whom good men would crush quite starve and shrink up but wicked men put life in me they countenance and keep me in heart Hereby we may take a certain scale what callings will hold weight and what are to be disallowed and to be cast out as refuse 3. We may suspect that for no calling which cannot shew its descent or pedigree in a straight line from the first man downwards on whom was laid and so upon all our flesh This burden In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread That is in the travel and labour of thy body or minde And here the idle Gentle-man with his attendants are discarded as those who live in no calling he and his man are lesse serviceable to the place where they live then is old lumber in an house as was said q Book pag. 44. Greatnesse in place or estate gives no warrant for idlenesse though it doth give allowance for such an attendance or retinue as is sutable to both but yet so as every one must have his office and do his work belonging thereunto If it was the praise of the vertuous woman That she did not eat the bread of idlenesse r Prov. 31. 27. It must follow that it is a dishonour to the man so to do And if she must look to the wayes of her houshold then so must he also else he walks inordinately and without his rule Every one that is grown-up to fitting yeares he that is not his calling is to fit himself for his calling must work the thing which is good with his hands and with his minde else he is like a member in the body out of its place and doing no service thereunto but a disservice rather causing a disgrace like some exuberance in the body 4. Lastly we may suspect that calling that hath not its allowance and legitimation in Gods word Not that every lawfull calling is named there for we cannot quickly give a name to every lawfull calling But that it hath its deduction and originall grant from thence If then I finde no warrant there for the lawfulnesse of my calling I am sure to fall short of comfort in it I may encrease my meanes by it but certainly I shall not encrease my joy So much to instruct us touching the lawfulnesse of a calling and how to judge thereof now a few words 1. touching our orderly walking 2. our abiding therein To the former I would give two rules in way of caution 1. That supposing our calling lawfull and us lawfully called thereunto then That we must give all diligence in discharge thereof I mention this because I observe the most men working hard and very diligent in their way but not from a true rise of duty They do it because otherwise they could not live if there were a means of livelihood if men or children could live without a calling we would care little for callings and take as little pains about them for we observe the calling is left so soon as we have gotten a support by it and can live without it which assureth us That the belly Å¿ Magister Artis ingenâ—â—que largitor venter Pers prol constrains men to work not conscience sense of hunger not sense of duty to live according to Gods ordinance Note we our Great-Grand-Father had means of livelihood enough and of lands good store yet had he his employment designed unto him there No man hath a license to idle away his time Slothfull and Gentile may stand together for a time but wicked and slothfull so we must reade it t Matth. 25. 36. for they are unseparable God hath joyned wickednesse and slothfulnesse and we may be sure they can never be parted A slothfull servant is a wicked
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.
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