when they be young they will make head against our designes when they are growne up and choose rather to beg then to worke Let the childe heare often that of the Wiseman He that is slothfull Prov. 18. 9 in his work is brother to him that is a great waster And that also cap. 22. 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before mean men And it will not be amisse if the father take the childe by the hand and so go together unto the Ant that they may consider Prov. 6. 6. Parvula nam exemplo est c. Hor. Ser. lib. 1. Sat. 1. See Chrysost ad pop Antio Hom. 12. her wayes be wise for so they are commanded Let the child often heare the Apostles rule 2. Thess 3. 10. If any will not worke neither should he eate And let him understand what the Apostles meaning is Eph. 4. 28. Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour c. Remembring still that the childes calling is to fit him for a calling and his work to fit him for both for his calling and labour in his calling where to he is borne as the sparks flye up-ward Other notes Job 6. 7. there are of ordinary observation which a childe may observe from himselfe and the creatures about him All the members of the body are active in their places for the good of the body and all the creatures a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Tom. 6. in vet Test pag. 54 2. in their courses serve for Chap. 4 sect 5 the good of man how unreasonable and unbeseeming a thing is it That onely man should be a slug amidst so many monitors which call upon him for diligence Besides God is a pure Act alwaies doing I and my Father worke hitherto And the liker we are to Him the more we are versed in well-doing But remember this and you have all That * Math. 25. 26. wicked and slothfull go together 5. Looke well with whom the childe doth converse There is a companion b Lege Isid Pelus lib. 3. epist 124. lib. 4. ep 35. whose words fret like a gangrene and corrupt like a plague sore from whom the childe receivesan impression quickly which will not quickly out again If the Ayer be infectious if the place not wholsome we will remove our children quickly we are not so carefull for their souls saith Chrysost c De Vit. Mon. lib. 3. cap. 7. but that is our great blame for the breath of a wicked companion is more contagious then is unholsome Ayer Above all things avoyd that pest or plague of the minde bad company saith Lyp d Ante omnia pestes illas animorum sodales malos Cent. 1. ep 78. 82. The companion of fooles that is of wicked men shall be destroyed e Prov. 13. 20. A wicked man he is ever the foot in Scripture phrase continuing a foot that is in his wickednesse shall be destroyed that 's out of doubt But why The companion of fooles that 's the doubt and All the question The answer is easie for The companion of a foole will be a foole he will learne folly it needs no question for wisedome hath spoken it It is an old saying and true we cannot come fairely off from f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Theog foule company We must still remember Evill words corrupt good manners Evill soakes into the heart by the eare and eye as water into wooll like a teare g Removenda ab aspectu ne tanquam lachryma ab oculis in pectus cadant Strad lib. 1. Prolus 3. p. 719. it falls from the eye downward upon the breast h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch in the life of Demetrius hath an excellent observation I note it because it cometh double to a Christian The old Spartans were wont upon festivall dayes to make their servants drunk whom they called Ilotae and to bring them in before their children that to their children might beware of that distemper which takes away the Man and leaves a Swine in the roome The Author Censures this custome and that in the observation We do not think this an humane correction of a vice which is so preposterously Ch. 4 sect 6 taken from so depraved a fashion and distemper It cannot become a man It is not a man-like conceit to thinke that a childe will learne temperance by observing intemperance so farre out of Plutarch Wickednesse is both more insinuative and more plausible then vertue especially when it meets with an untutored Iudge c. saith Bishop Hall It is certain A bad a Censure of Travel sect 3. see sect 4. example hath much more strength to draw unto sinne then a good example hath to draw unto vertue as one will draw faster down-hill then foure can draw up which tells us the reason also our naturall bend and weight tends and doth Bias us that way b Omne in praecipiti vitium stetit Juv. And thence it is that one bad companion which was the old complaint teacheth more evill then foure instructors good c Plus noâ—et Gorgias quam prodest Cratippus Our nature is like unto fire which if there be any infection in a roome draws it strait to it selfe or like jet which omitting all precious objects gathers up straws and dust Dr. H. Censure of Travell sect 21. Corrupt dispositions out of a naturall fertilitie can both beget and conceive evill alone but if it be seconded by examples precepts incouragements the Ocean it selfe hath not more spawn Ibid. Vt aqua in areo â digitum sequitur praecedentem ita aetas mollis flexibilis quocunque duxeris trahitur Hier. lib. 2. epist 16. p. 201. Vix artibus honestis pudor retinâ—tur nedum inter certamina vitiorum Tacit. An. 14 4. Servants teach children much hurt I mean such for I have no low esteeme of any office in an house be it never so low and drudging who cast off their Lords service and serve the basest master in the world such who as Sr. Tho. More saith are worse then old lumber in an house They do not fill up a roome only but do much ill service A childe with such foule companions fits as ill as the Fuller with the Collier it will be blackt with them They will be alwaies opening their rotten wares before it so impoysoning the childe with language as black as Hell The childe is not safe in the Kitchin with these but if the servant he or she be good and faithfull of a grave and wise deportment Then the parent hath a Treasure and a good Spyall He shall the better watch over his childe and see into his disposition 6. There is a sicknesse of the fancie as well as of other faculties and the distemper thereof is quickly shewen by the tongue
the Childe It is the Parent he and she onely who know the Heart of a Parent And this as one speaks very feelingly h Chrysolog de Arch sy Serm 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hec. to her son Hector Hom. Iliad 22. p. 814. Should work very much with the Childe what Care and Cost and Labour and Feare he hath put his Parents too But alas Children consider it not for if so they would give all diligence to render back their so due service But if all this work not upon the Childe it should work upon the Parent very much To consider What a barren wild nature his Childe hath taken from him Barren to every seed of Instruction and which is the griefe but not the wonder the more precious the seed is the more barren the nature is unto it the more hard to receive it And yet if this precious seed be not received and the nature of the soyle changed by it Man will sinke lower into misery then a Beast can And in ordinary matters here a Beast may as farre exceed him as he thinks he exceeds a Beast Take a man in his pure Naturalls and we finde it ordinary That a Beast exceeds him which might be further exemplified For many have written very usefully thereof I will take that which I know is of most use and this it is Defects of Reason in Beasts is supplyed with exquisituesse of sense saith Basil i Hex ham 9. pag. 100. Nay there is something more then sense in Beasts and then vegitation in Plants saith he in the same place And so saith the learned Geographer k II. Book cap. 4. sect 6. pag. 229. in his History of the world It is not sense alone which teacheth beasts at first sight and without experience or instruction to flye from the enemies of their Lives Seeing that Bulls and Horses appeare to the sense more fearefull and terrible then the least kinde of Dogs And yet the Hare and Deere feedeth by the one and flyeth from the other yea though by them never seene before and that as soone as they fall from their Dam's c. The truth is and there is great use of it for it tells us what a blow or wound we received by our fall Beasts have many excellencies and much perfection of outward sense And which is of use indeed to hide pride from our eyes they can make good improvement thereof for their safetie and some of them for their Lords-service Only man in his pure naturalls is herein below the beasts as brutish as the Swine l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Protrâ—p p. 44. Fishâ—â—â—s cannot be tamed nor taught Basil Hev Hom. 7. which is the most brutish creature As unteachable as a fish and that is a creature which you can neither tame nor teach But now to instance in a creature most familiar with us and of the very lowest ranke A Dogge And not to speake of his logick which they say he hath and the Hunts-man discernes that so it is This we must note because it is so usefully noted to our hands A Dog will follow m S e Hist of the world 1. Book cap. 12. sect 6. Lege Lipsium Câ—nt 3. Ad. Bel. epi 56. c. Cent 1 epist 44. Cic. lib. 2. de natura deor paper 323. Scal. exerci 202. 6. his masters foot he will keep of the theife and the murtherer he will defend his master if he be strong enough if not and his master be slain for so we reade it hath faln out he will stay by the carkasse till he pine away with hunger or he will pursue the man of bloud and single him forth as if he would tell the beholders That is the man that kill'd my master All this a Dog will do and more then this though this is most strange as experience hath told us And why all this why because he hath received a dry-bone from his masters hand and sometimes a bit of bread Therefore will this Dog put forth his strength to the utmost in way of requitall for his masters peace and securitie Hearken unto this all ye that forget God hearken Will the Dog do all this for a dry-bone and an hard crust n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hex Hom. 9. What will they say for themselves who love not the Lord Jesus what excuse can they finde who forget their Good Master in heaven who feeds them and doth cloth them every day who doth preserve them every moment of the day from whose hands they receive all good and nothing but good nothing which they can properly call evill What will they say so St. Basill reproves unthankfull man so like a swine and fish so untameable so unteachable so farre faln even below a Dog I know not what some may thinke when they spie a Dog here and that he is here for this purpose to instruct his Master we may thinke him too low a servant very faithfull though he be for that purpose But what ever is thought this I think nay this I know and am sure of That there is not a Creature in the World which doth so mightily convince reprove ashame mans ingratitude as the dog doth how so Because he doth so much for so little And man doth so little for so much And let us observe it well and make this as familiar with us as our dog is for we shall have no excuse for the neglect of our service to that Lord who gives us to reape where we sowed not and to dwell were we builded not we shall have nothing to say why we are unmindfull of such a Master The dog hath led me a little beyond my mark but not out of my way my scope here is but this to shew that so we are degenerated so low are we falne the Beasts exceed man in their Naturals and men in their pure Naturalls make not that improvement of their senses for their Masters service their owne safety and mutuall comfort each with other as the Beasts doe no cause we should be proud of our Naturals And for Intellectuals being without that which the Apostle saith our speech should be seasoned with the Salt of Grace they may prove and ordinarily doe like Absoloms haire deadly So I remember a Knight that suffered upon Tower-hill acknowledged who had not returned his gifts to the glory of the Giver Nay more for wee hope better of him they make a man more miserable then the beasts that perish Achitophel is a sad example hereof so is Machevil who say the Italians so I learne out of Bishop Andrews rotted in pson Reason and speech they are the chiefe properties differencing man from a Beast Reason is the Ratio Oratio Crowne of a man his tongue his glory the same word in the sacred Tongue signifyes both But if man shall depose reason taking from it Her soveraignty I mean in earthly matters then will a man be
lookes to it that they doe theirs as she is diligent so she will have them to be m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Str. lib. 1. pag. 201. she will not suffer an idle person in her house such an one consumeth like a Canker It was Luthers n Minus nocet ignavus fur quam segnis minister observation it is of use in higher matters A sloathfull Theefe who hath not the slight of conveyance is not nimble that way doth lesse hurt then doth a negligent servant And it agreeth well with that wee read Hee that is slothfull in his worke is brother to him that is a great waster o Prov. 18. 9. An idle person is the barrenest piece of earth in the world Remember alwayes that wicked and sloathfull stand together in the same line p Matt. 25. 26. Acts 20. 31. So now in this great point of houswifry thou hast heard thy duty which engageth thy Tongue First that it be apt to teach to instruct to warne and that with teares Secondly Thy eyes that they looke well to the wayes of thy houshold that there bee no backe-way of consuming nor bad way of gathering Thirdly Thy hand that it be open and diligent working the thing that is good else wee cannot doe good to others for the present nor in quietnesse and rest depend on a providence for afterwards This is the summe of what was last said And now drawing to a conclusion I will put all together Children and Servants for there is no difference in point of care and instruction and so read over once more for that is not said enough which is not learnt enough The chiefe point of thy charge which is this It is not enough to bee vertuous thy selfe but thou must teach others so to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys in Ephes Hom. 21. thou must lead others along with thee in the same good way both children and servants and all by thy owne example to walke holily before God Wee cannot else expect they should walke righteously with man If they be unfaithfull in the great matters they cannot be faithfull to thee in small so as thou canst orderly expect a bâ—essing upon them or from their labours If thou sufferest them to steale from the Lords service especially on the Lords day to give unto thy service or their owne pleasures They are Sacriligious to their Master in heaven they cannot be trusty to their Master on earth Therefore here looke well to thy selfe and them Considering still that there is right government where Christs government is set up and maintained * See Chrysost in Gen. cap. 16 ω. Where his service hath the prime and most honourable place both in the house and heart then things are done decently and in order Herein indeed is the beauty of society and nothing is more beautifull then a family thus ordered and then Persons so ordering This order in thy family shall gaine thee the commendations which they had whose Praise is in the Gospel that is praise indeed and worth the having it is the praise from God and goodmen And a family so ordered will be the Church in thy house which is the honourable title the Apostle gives to some families in a very bad time And this like a comely Nurcery sends forth hopefull plants to the City and Countrey Church and Common-wealth And as this Nurcery is maintained so are they supplyed for from this fountaine of society two in one house arise families and from them Common-wealths And now we have againe the blocke in our way though we have remooved it before I know well that a family may be so governed as we heard and as it should be It is required that these two in one house should bee one in one house with one soule with one mind with one heart serving the Lord. This blessing and gift from above for a good husband as a good prudent wife are both the gift of God and a speciall favour q Singulari modo Trem. Prov. 19. 14. Chap. 18. 22. my prayer is that thou maist receive But if not thou hast heard thy charge and withall how patient thou must bee under that want Thou must waite when God will give Repentance and use all meanes that may hasten the same as the Common adversary doth our destruction and never dispaireth of it while there is place for hope as the Father sweetly and elegantly shewing Chap. 7 § 1 the duty of Ministers But it concernes all in these Chrysost de Lazar Conc. 1. α. cases wives especially that the unbeleeving husband may be wonne by the chaste conversation of the wife and so I leave thee now and thy charge in this supposed condition as I would have thee and them under thee found thee sweetly commanding in the Lord and they willingly obeying and in the Lord still I leave thee I say in thy family like a little Common wealth r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A good housewife is an excellent ornament in an house she is â— grace to her husband and her self In that house all rejoyce children in their mother husband in the wife the wife in children and husband all in God Clem. Alex. Paed. lib. 3. cap. 11 p. 183. reverencing thy husband ruling thy Children commanding thy servants and all in and for the Lord which will finde thee worke enough to keepe thee waking in the season for it and to imploy the strength of thy parts and most pretious time and so both thy time and parts will be well spent in so behoovefull a service Now passe on to the last stage of our life which is Old age CHAP. VII Old Age. Two periods thereof pressing to dutie both Comfort in death whence distilled AND now we are come like a ship from out of the maine Sea of the world which lyeth open to stormes and gusts and rideth at Anchor under the Leeside where the passengers may looke out and see their harbour Wee must now doe in the first place as Sea-faring men should doe in such cases they tell what they saw and what they felt even His wonders in the deepe and they declare these workes of the Lord with rejoycing Å¿ Psal 107. 22. So they who are brought safe to this port or stage of time Old-Age must recount and record the Mercies of the Lord and what deliverances Hee hath wrought for them in their way thitherward This is the first thing to be done even to sacrifice the sacrifice of thankesgiving and to declare his works also with rejoycing And Child I began the Register of Gods Mercies towards thee where thou tookest thy beginning and first entrance into the world at thy Birth and Baptisme There I considered thy outward frame of Body and inward frame of minde where I left off then there I begin now to teach thee to recall to minde and record the mercies of God to thee ever since that
rising and refresheth how that instructeth pag. 68. Sin and sorrow will sowre the sweetest earthly Blessings where the root of our comfort pag. 69. The Sun a publique servant teacheth man so to be even to serve his brother in Love and to shew to him the kindnesse of the Lord what the Idol of the world what makes man an abomination from pag. 69. to pag. 71. The Morning the first fruits of the day our season what a Mercy to have it but a greater to take it what our first work and with whom what our engagements to set about it what may be instilled by continuall dropping from pag. 71. to pag. 77. CHAP. VI. VVEeat bread at Noon What that implieth how fraile our bodies what our use therefrom pag. 78. Our right to the Creatures how lost how regained pag. 79. In eating we must use abstinence Intemperance how provoking to God how hurtfull to man and unbeseeming the Lord of the Creatures to pag. 81. When the fittest season to teach and learn abstinence how necessary a grace specially in these times when so much wrath is threatned What use a Parent must make hereof to Children Their lesson before and at the table to pag. 85. When we have eaten we must remember to return Thanks The threefold voice of the Creatures what the Taxation or Impost set upon every Creature If we withhold that homage we forfeit the blessing The memorable words of Clemens Alexandrinus A strange punishment upon one who seldome or never returned thanks so concluded pag. 90. CHAP. VII THe Method in reading the Book of the Creatures Foure Objections with their Answers out of the Lord Verulam to pag. 93. How to reade the Book of the Creatures Extreames corrected and accorded Two primitive Trades An Apocrypha Scripture opened and made usefull to pag. 97 How to teach the Childe to spell the Book of Nature What is the compendious way of Teaching to pag 100. Essayes or Lectures upon the creatures beginning at the Foot-stool Three enquiries touching the earth 1. What form or figure 2. Whence its dependance 3. What its magnitude Instructions therefrom very grave and usefull all from pag. 100 to pag. 107. A view of the Creatures In their variety delightfull and usefull Two Creatures onely instanced in From a little Creature a great instruction What a mercy to be at peace with the stones and creeping things From pag. 107. to pag. 114. The Waters their Surface barres or bound Their weight The Creatures therein the ship thereupon Great lessons from all from pag. 114. to pag. 122. repeated and mans ingratitude convinced 123. The Aire The wayes and operations thereof admirable Whence changed and altered for mans use sometimes for his punishment The windes Their circuit Their wombe to pag. 125. The winged Creatures Their provision and dependance greatly instructing man and reproving his distrust to pag. 126. The Clouds the ballancing of them The binding the waters within them The making a course for the Rain out of them All these three the works of Him that is wonderfull in working to pag. 127. Of Lightning But the Thunder of His power who can understand Job â—6 14. The Snow and the Haile and where their Treasure to pag. 128. The wonderfull height of the starrie Heaven Of the Firmament Why so called and why the Firmament of His Psal 150. power The eye a curious Fabrick of admirable quicknesse How excellent the eye of the soul when cleared with the True eye-salve The heavens outside sheweth what glory is within Chrysostomes use thereof and complaint thereupon to pag. 134. Of the Sunne Why I descend again to that Creature Three things in that great Light require our Mark. Grave and weighty lessons from all three Concluded in Mr Dearings and Basils words to pag. 144. CHAP. VIII THE Day and Night have their course here But after this life ended it will be alwayes Day or alwayes Night A great Instruction herefrom to pag. 147. Our senses are soon cloyed We are pleased with changes What Darknesse is The use thereof A little candle supplies the want of the Sun How that instructeth How we are engaged to lie down with thoughts of God to pag. 153. CHAP. IX A Great neglect in point of education Mr Galvines Mr Aschams Mr Perkins and Charrons complaint thereof The ground of that neglect to pag. 156. The Parent must fix upon two conclusions Of the School Whether the Childe be taught best abroad or at home 157. The choice of the Master Parents neglect therein The Masters charge 159. His work His worth if answerable to his charge to pag. 160. The Method or way the Master must take How preposterous ours Who have appeared in that way to pag. 164. The School must perform its work througly The childes seed-time must be improved to the utmost before he be promoted to an higher place The danger of sending Children abroad too soon When Parent and Master have promoted the Childe to the utmost then may the Parent dispose of the Childe for afterwards to pag. 165. CHAP. X. OF Callings Some more honourable as are the head or eye in the body But not of more honour then burden and service Elegantly pressed by a Spanish Divine and in Sarpedons words to Glaucus to pag. 169. The end and use of all Callings pag. 171. Touching the choice of Callings How to judge of their lawfulnesse To engage our faithfulnesse No excuse therefrom for the neglect of that one thing necessary Our abiding in our Callings and doing the works thereof How Nature teacheth therein The designing a Childe to a Calling Parents too early and preposterous therein 177. Parents may aime at the best and most honourable calling The Ministerie a ponderous work 178 But he must pitch upon the fittest In the choice thereof the Parent must follow Nature and look-up to God THE PREFACE SHEVVING the necessitie and worth of a vertuous education and may serve as an introduction to Dutie OUr great Advancer of Learning noteth an opinion of Aristotle which is this a Lib. 7. p. 375. In English Book 2. p. 263. That of those things which consist by nature nothing can be changed by custome using for example That if a stone be thrown up tenne thousand-times it will not learne to ascend and that by often seeing and hearing we doe not see or heare the better That Noble Scholler noted this for a negligent opinion so he cals it I know not why because the Philosopher doth instance in Peremptory nature and he took pains to informe us touching the same It is true saith he In things wherein nature is Peremptory Man cannot make massie bodies to hang in the Aire like Meteors he cannot make an Oxe to flye That which is crooked saith the wise man b Eccles 1. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man cannot make straight There is a Peremptory bent of nature which man cannot turne no more then he can turne back a Spring-tide or a Rushing winde
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
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
yet certainly from the greatest expectation t Act. 12. 11. of the Adversary He will so deliver that all shall see that there is no God that can deliver after this sort u Dan. 3. 29. For He hath appointed the bound which the enemy cannot passe though they think not so and the further they run like a Spring-tide or destroying floud which carryeth down all before it the more wonderfull in the end will Gods power appeare in opposing and stopping the same For those flouds of ungodlinesse which rise so high and open so wide upon the righteous as if they would swallow them up quick shall either break and dash themselves to pieces with their own violence or they shall be a means decreed as in the former examples and in Ionah to bring them to their safe haven the place where they would be so mightie is God in power and so excellent in working and never more glorious then when He opposeth strength with weaknesse in the eye of nature and wisdome with foolishnesse which is as if a man should set a few sands as barres and dores to the Surging Ocean when the surges thereof are many degrees above the sands So much to the second and the establishment the soule hath therefrom The third is 3. What weight these waters have It seemes a matter of more use to consider how good a servant water is so fire also and how hurtfull they are both when masters over us and ours of use indeed to consider how good every thing is in its place order and use and how good service it doth therein But then again how evill it is and what hurt it doth when through mans sinne who hath broken his rank and left his first standing also it is out of that place and order We need make no question hereof but use a great deale I have proposed a question whereto every childe can make answer but I intend the use for who knows not That the waters are heavy Aske the beast that tugs at the wheele when it hath told its rounds * Chaâ—ron which it will soone learn to do it will stand still and tell you the water is weighty so will he or she say that beare it on their shoulders or upon their heads But this wearinesse is and this weight they sinde in the water when they tugge at it to draw it from out of its place for though it is heavy in its own nature yet not in its own and proper place * Elementa non ponderant in proprio loco He that diveth into the waters and lyeth under more then would fill many Hogsheads feeleth no weight from all that Nay suppose a man were in the bottome of the Sea and life within him the water would soone choake him but he would feele no more weight from all those billows over his head then he would from a feather upon his backe for the water is in its owne place and the person is out of his and that is the reason why he feeles no weight but yet he will be choaked with it This is of ordinary use and thus it is applyed when a person is over head and eares in sinne when he and his sinne are affianced yea marryed together when he is joyned to his Idol and is let alone All this while his sinne is delightfull unto him he taketh pastime in it as the Leviathan in the waters and findeth no trouble in it at all but peace and satisfaction rather z Volupâ—aâ—e â—ruâ— maxima voluptas Sin is a light matter with him so also is pardon and forgivenesse of sinne so small a matter in esteeme now as not worth the craving a seeking after in good earnest though he doth in a customary way and for order sake reckon up the fift petition amongst the rest He cannot desire ease for he feeles no burden nor enlargement for he feels not how he is enthralled And the reason hereof is his sinne is in his heart as in its proper place and center and being so it burdens him not But now stay a while till this person be laid upon his sick bed till his way be hedged up with thornes till his moneth come when he must cast forth his sorrows till he be griped a Non reddit oracula nisi constrictus with paines both within and without till death look in at the windows and sinne stares him in the face and now is summoned to make his appearance before the Iudge of the whole world before whom the lying spirit spakes truth b Job 1. Nâ—tura vexaâ—â— prodiâ— seipsam much more the conscience of a man Suppose we I say a person in such a case Nay we will not suppose it we need but antidate the time for it certainly comes and will hasten and then put we some intergatories to this man in this case we shall finde his minde changed Aske him what he thinks now of the cup of pleasure which he drunk down so greedily he will tell you he findes it bitternesse in the latter end it was indeed like sugar under his tongue but now in his bowels it is as the gall of Aspes and to have overcome his pleasure had been pleasure indeed c Vicisse voluptatem voluptas moxima Groâ— 243. Aske him what he thinks of pardon for sinne he will tell you it were news from heaven indeed the best and most comfortable tidings that could be thought of Aske him how he feeles his sinne now he will tell you heavy very heavy the weightiest thing in the world sand is heavy and lead is heavy but sinne exceedeth them all d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de Anna ser 6. p. 946. it presseth down to the nethermost hell into the deep 's among Dragons So he will say And have I feigned all this no sure I appeale to the consciences of all men that are neither a sleep nor seared And to the testimony of all those Ministers and others who have visited the sick and men appointed to dye men put in feare and knowing themselves to be but men men in such a case as was before mentioned I appeale I say to the testimony of all such who have conferred with men put in feare they will give cleare evidence to the truth of that I have said And indeed how can it be doubted For God hath set it down by an eternall Decree That vexation and sin should be inseparable e Jussisâ—â— domine sic est ut omnis inord natus affâ—ctus siâ—i sit Poena But there is a yet clearer voyce which sealeth this truth for when sinne seizeth upon the soul and the weight thereof is felt the soul will then wish it could lye hid in the bottom of the Sea swallowed up therein or covered under the lowest sand of the hills or mountains foundations This we should think on betimes and consider it in our hearts For sin causeth wrath even from the Lamb
are taken by example we have heard q pag. 11. Therefore the parents care and foresight at this point is more especially required and no more but what he will take in putting forth his cloth to making he puts it forth to such an one who can make it so as that it shall give a gracefull comelinesse to the body and commend the workman So carefull a man is in putting forth his cloth not so in putting forth his childe though as was said both put forth to making daily experience tells us so much and the little good the childe hath found now after six yeers schooling either for the informing his understanding or reforming his manners The little in both which the childe gained speaks it out plainly that a wise choice was not made And if the parent could understand the language he should then heare that his losse hereby were more and the injurie greater then the thief had done him who hath taken away his purse or broken his house Therefore let a parent shew his discretion in the choice of him to whom he will commit his childe for he must remember that he puts the childe out to making as he doth his cloth and he cannot but remember also that there holds little proportion betwixt his childe and his cloth though he would have them both made and then certainly he will choose a workman for both And now that I think of this that when a childe is put to a master he is put out to making for so much we must needs grant And when I think again what a treasure a childe is and what a charge comes along with it and then again what a faire opportunitie the master hath in his little nurcerie or seminary to prune and manure this little plant so as it may grow fruitfull that the Church and State and Parents that all may rejoyce together when I consider the opportunitie the master hath even to his hearts desire so farre exceeding the opportunitie which the Pastor hath at least doth take as that he hath not a day for a week nor scarce an houre for his day nor hath he the opportunitie to call his disciples to an account When I consider this I shrink at the thought of this charge for I must needs think that a masters charge is very weighty and that his neglect must be very much if he do not very much good So much touching the choice of a school-master and the weight of his charge if he be answerable unto it the use the Church hath of him is much more then is ordinarily conceived and the service he doth greater then he is by the most accounted for but he serveth a good master The God of recompences Whose paiment is sure If saith the Father r Chrysost in Eph. Hom. 21. ω. they who draw the Kings picture have an answerable respect and reward what are they worthy of who adorne and polish Gods Image such is man in what esteem should they be had or what reward do they deserve If this their due be not paid them there is yet comfort in this that they who do the Lords work diligently in helping what they can to repair and beautifie this Defaced Image shall have reward answerable to the greatnesse of their service a great reward For the place of paiment it is not set down whether here or hereafter that must be left to the wisdome of our great Master but the paiment is certain and answerable to the honour of the work And so much also briefly to the dignitie of this work As briefly now touching the method or way of performing the same The way the Master must take with his Scholler I shall but point at it again is clean contrary to the common practise which is the tasking the memorie in the first place But I will not repeat what was before spoken s these two Preface p. 8. Book p. 97. 98. things I will addde 1. The Master must make the Mother-tongue I mean that wherein the childe is daily versed and understands a precognition to that tongue he understands not it is the onely ready means to informe a childes understanding in both and to speed his course 2. A Master must make great use of the childes senses but so he doth not do unles he makes the same use of examples It is most certain that a childe understands more by one example if in all mildnesse he be taught how the example containes the rule and concludes it then by saying the rule twentie times over The rule is too generall But the eye can fix upon the example and so fixeth the understanding and then the understanding is a leading-hand to memory now the childe goes on with ease and delight It is an old saying but the truth thereof is more ancient That by precepts the way is long but by examples we make a short cut and very compendious This is the principall thing to be noted and practised in the promoting the childe provided still we do not cast-off the dull Boy for he may prove a solid and understanding Man The childe seemes the duller the quicker the Master is and because he leades on the childe in a dull way Our proceeding at this point is very preposterous and indeed Lilly hath led the way and we follow him hood-winkt as if we would not see more low statured-men though we are then he did an hundred yeares ago and more and standing ever since as it were upon his and others shoulders He begins with composition first whereas he should have begun with simple tearmes as all know who are acquainted with Art or reason Your Master-builder from whose Art we borrow our word of Art knows that very well for he fits his Stone and Timber first then raiseth the building and when the first work is done he counts all is done Nature proceeds orderly without skipping or leaping t Naturanon sacit saltum so must Art too and so must we also For if we would build like good work-men we must fit our materialls first simple words I mean before we joyn them And when we have done so according to the rule of Grammar and Art for it takes all along with it The childe is as fit for Aesop Cicero or Ovid as for the Childish book Yet Pueril such our customes are and so we fit our books this part of Ovid for this form that part for another Virgil to the fourth and Horace to the fifth so making the formes more and our labours too but the benefit the lesse All books are alike to the English and Latine Scholler when once the grounds are well laid in letters and syllables for the English tongue and in declension and verb for the Latine though yet there must be great choice of the matter such ever as is best sutable which will be ever that which is most sensuall But the main thing is and which gives strength to the building what
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
the light of the smallest rush-candle He I say that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as He is pure n Verse 3. He cannot think of such a Kingdome but he must have strong motions thitherward and after holinesse for nothing uncleane can enter there Hopes on high will raise the thoughts on high 3. We solemnly promised in Baptisme and received that Sacrament as our presse-money binding us to performe even presently to begin so soone as we could discerne of good and evill to serve the Lord in all well-pleasing who chose us to be souldiers against His and our enemies the Divell and our Lusts which all fight against our soules And through faith in His name that great engine which spoyleth principalities and powers we should do valiantly as good souldiers of Iesus Christ o 2 Tim. 2. 3. But here we take a scale of our misery and looke how low we are falne and what darknesse lyeth over our hearts when the most of us take part even with the adversary that hateth us delighting in nothing more then in the shame and paine of the creature We feare him not he that feares he feares to sinne who made no scruple to tempt our Saviour Christ whom himselfe called the Sonne of God And cannot be terrified though he be in chains therefore restrained else hee would deale with the world as with Iobs house and with us and ours as with Iobs goods children and body from doing ill and all that is contrary to God and Goodnesse no not by the fearfull word of the Almighty How great then is our folly and madnesse who hold communion and faire quarter with such an enemy who delights in proud wrath yet such is our darkenesse so we do It is a paradoxe indeed clean crossing conceit and reason That we should feare a Beare and p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes 21. a Lion yet not feare the Divell for then we should feare to sinne q Hist of the world fiâ—st B. c. 11. sect 8 ω. That we should be better and unplacable enemies to our enemies and yet hold a league with Satan yea and account him a familiar so some do who yet is the grand enemy of mankinde r Ibid sect 6. And now what shall we say to those unworthy wretches who are in a league with this unclean spirit and do thinke they can impale him in a circle a circle which cannot keep out a mouse so insconce themselves against this great monster and think they can terrifie him also whereas in very truth the obedience which the Divell seemes to use is but thereby to possesse himself of the bodies and soules of them who hold such familiaritie with him such it is and so willing a subjection and vassallage it is as if the Lord of the creatures counted it his glory to be in slavery and bondage to proud wrath Å¿ Prov. 21. 24. I cannot but remember here how sadly and feelingly Saint Basil t Tom. 2. p. 418. Regulae fusius disput Inter. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complains at this point Thus he speaks Horrour and amazement takes hold of me when I consider how good a Lord and Master we have how great and magnificent a benefactour yet notwithstanding how little He is feared how poorely served how unwillingly if at all obeyed On the contrary how cruell and devouring an adversary the Prince of darknesse is yet how much feared how cheerefully served how willingly o-obeyed We are broken away from our just and righteous Master who created who redeemed us and have sold our selves to a proud Lord whose lusts we do though he doth all against us to the extent of his chaine all the hurt he can all our dayes by all means And which aggravates our defection and base servitude for what a poore reward have we done this For a poore bait of profit or pleasure which is taken with delight but presently will be gravell in the teeth rottennesse in the bowels bitternesse in the latter end For so poore a thing such a scrap as this we are revolted and gone And this is the great condemnation yea more It will be the great reproach scorne and taunt which in that great day the Divell will cast even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Cbrist Himselfe and upon man thus beguiled and revolted for this will be the scorne and taunt Here is the man created in Thy Image bought with Thy bloud fed by Thee preserved by Thee all His dayes This reasonable man have I Thine and his professed enemy gained from Thee not with strong wrestlings neither but as easily as one can win a childe with an apple I offered him some profit a poore and shrunken commodity he eagerly ran after it I presented him pleasure but masked and under a vaile he embraced it he greedily swallowed that bait and Hell with it sinne is but Hell disguised as pleasure is but paine unmasked and so was content to be my slave for ever my slave who never wrought him any good or willed him any but all the ill and hurt I could For the love of such a Master was this man content to have his eare boared that he might not depart from me for ever Thus Saint Basil complained and this he adds more which is more then all the rest That the consideration of this reproach and taunt which the Divell will cast upon Christ and the man of His right hand was more astonishing to him then thoughts of Hell it selfe For the thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what a good Lord we neglected and how cruell a Lord we served and what wages we had for our worke will be more tormenting to the damned in hell then will be the paines therein But to return and to say as they doe who have better learned Christ We must know 1. That Satan is a devouring enemy still watching our destruction 2 As his name is such is he he will accuse us for those very sins he now tempteth us unto and will upbraid them to us unto the confusion of our faces 3 That we have no means to avoid his baits but by flying from them nor have we any other means to impale and insconce our selves against this Monster but in the Name of the Sonne of God the onely Name that terrifies him indeed being call'd upon and beleeved on in Truth And then by flying from and avoiding his baits those great Enchanters whereby he bewitcheth us beguiles and overcomes so many And here it is not impertinent to remember an usefull answer to a grave and weightie question proposed to an honest and learned u Isid Pelus lib. 2. ep 164. friend by way of wonder The question is this How it comes to passe That the divell now wounded in his head and spoyled by our great Captain and Prince of Salvation should yet prevaile so mightily in the world and carry so many captive as he doth and
a feather in the one it may be as heavy as a stone in the other it was Nabals m 1 Sam. 25. case Let me ever finde out something even in the midst of my mirth Christian-like to leaven it so I may more likely finde something in my sorrow to sweeten that also The maine and principall lesson is That we sawce our earthly joyes with godly sorrow so should all our worldly sorrow be mixed with spirituall joy We must not let earthly contentments take up all the roome in the heart for then sorrow when it comes will look for the like freedome commanding there and stopping up the least cranny for comfort to enter in at So much to temper and moderate our mindes in the sudden flushes of joy There is a more constant running out of our affections in a more constant tenour of earthly things which some at sometimes may finde if so and our affections are enlarged beyond their bounds such like sad and sober thoughts as these may call them in if they take place Is my estate prosperous And do I over greedily seeke or highly esteeme or intemperately joy in the comforts which prosperitie affords Let me think now that the wicked have these things too and more abundantly and Gods dearest children often want them And what are they that my heart would close withall Nothing for nothing they avayle in the day of wrath n Prov. 23. and Prov. 10. 10. Trem. when we most need them they stand farre from our help Are they pleasures my heart would relish let me consider they are but for a moment but the torment of sinne is everlasting o Breve momentaneum quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat Have I contentments on every side peace round about all things as my heart can wish Then I must stirre up and quicken my self the more standing waters gather mud and dirt wines not racked gather Lees. I must suspect my way that it is not right for in the world ye shall have afflictions we have our Masters word for it and that is as much as the earth and heavens have for their continuance Can I expect two heavens all contentments here and pleasures for ever more hereafter can I expect to triumph in heaven and yet not to performe any worthy service in the Lords Battell upon earth against His and our enemies Can I expect a weight p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 5. Ser. 33. of glory when I go hence and no weight from the crosse here Can I think it reasonable that the Captain should beare all the brunt and endure all the hardnesse and the Common souldier endure nothing These considerations and such like may give some sharp taste to allay the lushiousnesse of our contentments that we may not over-joy our comforts § Discontent 7. We are as prone sometimes to overlook our blessings also and overgrieve our crosses when our minde is overshadowed with discontent that great disturber of our peace and quiet It is an unreasonable passion what else to call it in proprietie of speech I know not but this know it makes a man complain he knows not for what and to quarrell with his estate be it never so good Like a thorn in the foot or an arrow in the side it makes all places and conditions uncomfortable It puts a man out of conceit with his own estate which a wise man thinks the best and into a good opinion of an others condition be it farre meaner for what matters it what my condition be if to me it seems bad q Si cui sua non videÌ„tur amplissi ma licèt totius mundi Dominus su tamen miser est sen ep 9. Sapiens neminem videt cum quo se commutatatum velit Stulâ—ilia laborat sastidio sui Quid resert qualis fit status tuus si tibi videtur malusi Sen. ep 9. if so I must needs walk most unquietly with my self and most unthankfully towards God Those sonnes of Eliab enjoyed no small priviledge but yet that seemed nothing unto them Aegypt where they served in clay and brick was now esteemed farre beyond all when their present discontent like dust cast into the eye had taken from them the sight of all their good things r Numb 16. They are a sad example to us that we murmure not as they did and it tels us also how unreasonably a discontented minde will reason It was an answer worthy our marking which a servant gave touching his master he was asked What he left his Master doing I left him said he seeking out cause of complaint many blessings standing round about him the while Å¿ Plut. De tranquil Hor. lib. 2. ep 3. it is the case and manner of many and it is saith the same Authour as if a man should seale up his hogshead of good liquour and drink that which is sowre and hurtfull Thus disquieting an humour discontent is the remedies against it are First that we suffer not our minde too much to fix upon our grievance for this were like a foolish patient to chew the pill and then we shall so much taste the bitternesse of one crosse that we shall disrelish the comfort of twenty blessings 2. It is good to look to those below us It is certain no mans estate is so happy but if his discretion be not so much the more he may finde something in it which would sowre all nor is any mans condition so low but he may finde something which will sweeten the meanesse of it Thus then I may reason I live not so high as others do nor am I acquainted with others temptations Great gates give room enough for great cares to enter in at I am sure great temptations I am not so rich as others nor am I disquieted with their cares and feares As the rich have advantage of the poore in possessing so have the poore advantage over the rich in parting I carry not that pomp and state which he or she do who ride in their coach nor perhaps am I in so mean a condition as he that drives it I have not so much ease as he or she who sit in their Sedan and yet that you cannot tell for some bodies sit there that have little ease but this I am sure of that in respect of bodily toyl I go at more ease then they who sweat at so unbecoming and beast-like a burden t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. Cynicus p. 8â—3 Legâ— Clem. Alex. paed 3. 11. p. 185. I have not anothers velvet nor their fare nor their ease nor have I their stone or their gout I must set one thing against another u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys de Lazaro conc 1. lege Diod Sicul. bib lib. 12. α. it may much quiet me And thus farre the Heathen have carried us by their false light for to this purpose they have reasoned the case and so satisfied themselves in their present