Who Reasons Dictates solidly pursue Without Regard to Terms of Old or New Keep close to Nature in her own plain away By no new Lights and Notions led astray Whilst all their Art amounts to only This Nego Sequelam ergo Falleris A New Method OF EDUCATINâ— Children c. Of the Capacity of Children together with a True Method of their Education IT is a Truth generally acknowledged by Christians but seldom so well consider'd as it ought That Man is the compleat Image of God and Nature and contains in himself the Principles and Properties of all things Corporeal and Incorporeal That he is endued with an Elemental or Palpable Body actuated and informed by an Ethereal Spirit which directly answers to the great Soul of the World from whence it is taken and whereof it is an Epitome and Abridgment or if you please the Son and Off-spring And as the Soul of Man does contain all the true Properties of the Elements â—z Earth Air Water and Fire which are as it were the Mothers of the Body that nourish and sustain it so it has alsâ— the Principles of Fire and Light that is Spirit and Life that gives Motion to the Body which bears Relation to the Souâ— of the great World or that mighty Spirit which is the Moving Vivifying Creative and Conservative Power oâ— God Now Man being so wonderfully composed his Soul and Spirit containing the true Nature and Properties of every Being he must consequently have a Simile or Agreement with the innatâ— Nature Qualities Dispositions and Inclinations of all Beasts Fowl Fish Herbs Seeds c. both in the Visible and Invisible World and is thereby become a Microcosm a compleat Image or Resemblance of the Universe The Earth Essentially contains in iâ— self the Vertues and Qualities of all Seeds Fruits and Grains insomuch that whatever is sown into it immediately takes root and attracts to it self an agreeable Matter proper for the Support and Nourishment of its own Body and Spirit The like is to be understood of the Soul it being the Universal Humane Ground wherein whatever is sown whether Good or Evil takes root and powerfully though insensibly draws agreeable Matter out of all the Powers and Qualities of Nature to nourish and improve that Seed whereby it obtains a strong Form in the Soul the Essences whereof can never be destroy'd or defaced especially if the Seeds are sown in the first and tenderest Age of the Child For then the Soul is most empty and consequently most susceptible of Impressions and receiving any thing that is offer'd to it All the Powers of Nature standing then as it were naked unbyass'd by Custom and Prejudice with an earnest and ardent Appetite desiring to be stampt with some Character or other without any regard to either the Beauty or Value oâ— the Impression having no Distinction betwixt Good and Evil. Upon this account whatever a Child is first taught and accustomed to not only takes the deepest root in the Soul but beget Habits and Complexions and denominates the very Constitution it self This no wise Man can deny it being Matter of Fact and common Observation Besides all the Art and Industry of the best Tutors can never wholly remove or alter Qualities and Dispositions so earlily planted Thoâ— by continually representing to them good Examples back'd with Wholsom and Moral Precepts if the Soul be of a mild and gentle Nature they may for some time seem to be subdu'd yet upon the least Intermission and Neglect oâ— such a Method they shall be ready to exert themselves afresh and perhaps with redoubled Vigour Therefore Education and Examples in the Infancy and first Ages of a Child that is from Two to Eight Ten Twelve Years are the very Foundation of Vertue or Vice accordâ—ng as they are us'd or apply'd For â—hen Good and Evil are indifferent to â—he Soul and that which is first imâ—ibed takes the deepest root and begets the strongest habit From hence it is manifest of what â—mportance it is for Fathers Mothers Nurses c. to whom the Care of Children is committed to be watchful that â—he Precepts and Examples of Vertue have the Honour in making the first â—mpression on their Childrens Souls That they labour to acquaint them beâ—imes with the Excellence of Patience Humility and Compassion That they â—epresent to them the Noble and Tranâ—cendent Dignity of Justice and shew â—hem the Deformity of the contrary Vice That they make them understand â—hat there is as much Injustice in Wrongâ—ng a Man of a Penny as in Cheating â—im of a Pound That Writhing of the Neck of a Chicken with Delight is as great an Evidence of the Spirit of Cruelty as the Stabbing a Man They are to â—ccustom their Children to a proper and distinct Method of Speaking I am perswaded much of the Stammering Lisping in many People might have been prevented by a proper and due Management in their Childhood They ought also to be very careful to Teach them Temperance in Eating and Drinking and Moderation in their Sleep and Exercises By such Methods as these the Seeds of Vice might more easily because timely be subdued and a Foundation laid for the building up an Excellent and Accomplisht Person But seeing that the common Custom of the World commands us as soon as we are born to be submitted to the Care and Tuition of Women on whose good or ill Management of us in that tender Age a great part of the Felicity or Misery of our Lives depend And considering the Impressions that Women make whilst they are Impregnate and go with Child have a wonderful Influence upon their Issue I think it will prove no worthless Service to propose some Observations and Methods whereby they may be better directed to discharge their Duty 1. A good Diet ought to be observed that is they ought to accustom themselves to simple Meats and Drinks such in which no manifest Quality is too predominant that is not too sweet nor too bitter too salt nor too sharp c. For all Extreams beget their own Qualities and Complections All Strong Drinks are to be avoided for nothing is more inimical to the Nature of Children than things wherein Heat has the Ascendant All Spoon-Meats are very proper and Natural except such as are made of Spirituous Liquors as Wine Ale Beer Cyder c. but if sweetned with Sugar as is commonly practised they are exceedingly Hotter and ought to be avoided by all that value their own or their Childrens Health But Gruels Paps Rice variously dress'd are very wholsom Raw Herbs made into Sallads and eaten with Bread Butter and Cheese are excellently good and for Drink Midling Beer or Ale is the best except Water 2. They are also during their Impregnation to abstain from all Foods that are made Hot in their Preparation by Boiling Stewing Roasting Baking and the like They ought to let them be quite Cold before they eat them for their fiery sulphurous Vapours do mightily generate
windy Diseases and that Epidemical Distemper call'd the Scurvy both in the Mother and Child for those fiery Fumes and Vapours that all hot Foods send forth are of a furious and unpeaceful Temper and contrary to the Natural Heat both of the Stomach and the Food it self So that I affirm the Eating solid Food hot or before these deadly Vapours have separated themselves to be one of the grand Causes of Wind especially in Women and Children as we have largely demonstrated in our Way to Health and other of our Writings 3. They ought to refrain the eating of all sorts of Roots as Turnips Paâ—snips Carrets c. For by reason of their Crude and Earthy Qualities they naturally beget Wind. Unripe Fruit and all things sharpned with Viuegar Oranges Lemons c. are hurtful For being unequal in their Parts they generate cold windy Humours and afford a very small and impropeâ— Nourishment especially to Persons uâ— der the Circumstances we are noâ— speaking of 4. They must be very careful nâ— to exceed in Quantity All Repletioâ— does in a very high degree obstruct the Course of Nature and produces many Diseases and utterly destroys the Health and Harmony both of Body and Mind affecting both with some signal and irreparable Damage being of far more mischievous Consequence than most do imagine 5. They ought to forbear all robust masculine Labour and Exercises as likewise a soft and sedentary Life Both the one and the other ought to be gentle and easie not too thoughtfully engaging the Mind nor over-burdening the Body Such a Course wou'd strengthen Nature by removing Obstructions and causing the Blood and Humours to circulate with more freedom and facility For it is observable in all Countries where Women live live Temperately use moderate Exercises eat simple Foods and drink mostly Water that windy Diseases are hardly â—wn to be found either in them or â—r Children â—astly Above all things they ought â—beware that they do not give place Passion to suffer those irregular â—tions of the Mind to reign and get 〈◊〉 Dominion over them These sort 〈◊〉 Disturbances put the whole Constitution out of Tune and make fierce and violent Invasions on the Sweetness of the good Powers and Qualities making the deepest Impressions on the Child and powerfully incorporating with the â—erverse Seed of their Simile whereby evil Inclinations and Dispositions are begotten and do arise for there is a strong and unconceivable Sympathy betwixt the Mother and the Child both in Vertue and Vice so that there is no evil Indisposition that attends the Mother but the Child participates thereof receiving the Nourishment both of Spirit and Body from her Nothing is more certain than that every Passion when it arrives to Extremity begets its own Complexion for it penetrates even to the Center joyns with its Simile and beâ—es strengthned by it By this means the irregular Meâ— of Mothers affect their Children 〈◊〉 often distempering their Minds and 〈◊〉 dies which in a very short time becomâ— so deep and central that they are hardâ— ever cured or eradicated This it is to be an ignorant Bigâ— to Custom and Tradition So uncoâ— trollable is the Dominion they have obâ— tain'd that they sway and biass us against all Reason and Experience So preposterously is Mankind blinded and depraved that we can neither Hear See Feel nor Taste Truth nor the Simplicity of Nature's Operations All Seed partakes of the Nature and Quality of the Ground whereinto it is sown If the Ground be good and the Seed good you may reasonably expect sound and firm Fruit without ble mish or distemper Proper Methodâ— must be observed or all will be spoil'd What Crop can the Husband-man hope for if he neglects to Till and Manure his Land or sows it with improper and unsuitable Seed Or what Profit can he expect from his Horses Cows and Sheep if particular Care be not 〈◊〉 about the well-ordering his Cattle that â—hey may bring forth their Young Ones with Strength and Health The like is to be understood of the Humane Ground if that be not dress'd and cultivated by good Order and Temperance you must not look for a healthy and vigorous Off-spring In a word the whole Education Improvement and Accomplishment of Mankind in a great measure depends on the Management and good Conduct of Women For Proof of which let us a little consider what a powerful Influence from our very Infancy they have over us and what a mighty Interest and Concernment they have in those very things that conduce most to our well-being and have the greatest Effect upon our Constitutions and Dispositions Custom and common Practise has so order'd it That as we spring from them we must be return'd to them No sooner are we born but we are thrown into their Hands As they gave us Birth 't is judg'd reasonable they should give us Education It is not enough â—at we must suffer under the Impressions we receive so earlily from them during the mistaken Methods they too generally observe in the time of their Pregnancy but we must be submitted to their Discipline and Direction after we are produc'd stampt with the Image of God Do they not form in us our first Notions and prepossess the Soul before it has leisure to understaâ—d its own Power and Liberty All the Nonsence of our Conceptions and Irregularity of our Morals is deriv'd from them whilst through an over-fond Tenderness they confirm and encourage those Seminal Principles of Vice that they ought to discountenance and subdue How many Souls are ruin'd by Mothers and Nurses scaring their Children with horrid and frightful Names when they would bring them to comply with their own Humour Hereby the Seeds of Fear are planted which continually subject the Soul to constant and unavoidable Bondage Besides the Examples of their Passions and irregular Actions have a mighty Influence upon our tender Souls insomuch that those first Impressions can never be obliterated or removed They also prepare Childrens Food and order and appoint their Diet and Exercises From hence it appears how much we are under their Conduct and Management as to Bed Board and all things conducing to the Preservation of Life and manner of Living For this cause it is possible to convince an Hundred Men of the Errors oâ— Life before One Woman they being the Mistresses of Intemperance and mightily espouse the Methods of that ancient Gentleman call'd Custom Hence it follows that it is of great Importance That particular Care be taken about the Education of Women themselves since they sow the first Seeds in the Humane Ground When you ask Children why they do This or That They will answer Their Mothers taught them and they saw their Mothers do it So that the whole Care and Instruction of Children especially whilst they are most capable of Impression is committed to them For few or no Men mind it their secular Busiâ—ess calling them to the Management of other Affairs which some term
for the learning of those things they stand most in need to know This sort of Instruction wou'd abundantly advance and beget Frugality and Order even to a Miracle For having obtain'd their Knowledge by their Pains and Industry it wou'd be as valuable to them as an Estate or Money procured by a Man 's own Toil and Labour So innumerable are the Advantages that wou'd hereby accrue that it is impossible to do any more than hint at the many Benefits and Vertues that result from an Early Prudent and Well-methodized Education There wou'd be little Reason then to reflect That Boys and Girls play away that Time with Drums and Babies which they might employ to more profitable Uses and turn to a far better Account And the Reason hereof is evident Because as we have already demonstrated they do all Things by Example and Imitation Having before no Prepossession or Prejudice they must of necessity own that for their Sovereign and be subjected to its Conduct Methods and Institutions of a SCHOOL for the advantagious Education of Young Persons Propos'd FIRST There must be a Skilful Master or Governour 1. One that has been well acquainted with the World and knows the Mystery and Intrigue of it He must in general be a good Natural Philosopher and have some Knowledge of the Mathematicks and Astronomy together with a competent measure of Ethicks which is the Life of all In short He must be a Person able to bear the Character he undertakes and instruct the Inferiour Tutors and Assistants in all the particular Methods that contribute to the Promotion of Learning Vertue and True Knowledge It is not much insisted on whether he took his Degrees at the University and his Learning as to point of Scholarship is less to be regarded than his Discretion For as the greatest Scholars are not always the best Preachers so neither are the Academicks ever the best Tutors 2. There must be a Sub-Tutor under the Governour that can speak Latin and French readily and properly But if one that is a general Master of both Languages cannot be found there must be two chosen one for each 3. Twice a Week a Musick-Master must come and teach those that are willing to learn that Science There must be one in the School that understands it also to hear and keep them to their Business and Tune their Instruments Likewise a Painter must come twice a Week to instruct and give Patterns to such Children whose Inclinations lead 'em to practice that Art 4. Now when such Masters are provided as are every way accomplish'd for this purpose you must proceed in a regular Order and Method Which will not only make all Learning easie to the Children but also to the Masters and Tutors 5. Take Ten or Twenty Children from Three Years old to Five or Six at most who are not to be suffer'd to speak one Word of English but all keep silence and observe And as much as may be the Master and Tutors must make it their Business continually to speak Latin and French to them commanding them to do this and fetch that And when the Children do not understand them they are to teach them by Example doing and fetching the thing themselves By this means they will understand the Names of most things about the House in Six Weeks or Two Months and in the interim they must be taught to Read the Languages they learn So that in a Year's time they shall all speak both Latin and French as well as any Children shall do English at that Age. And when these first Children speak the Tongues then all that are admitted into the School will naturally learn it of Course by Conversation and Reading as easily as any learns English from their Mothers c. Nay they shall Speak it better and more properly Pronounce it than most Children do their Mother-Tongue 6. The Maids and Nurses and other Servants shall not speak any other Tongue but what is learn'd and taught in the School and before they arrive to it they shall be silent and do all things by Signs 7. The Day shall be divided into so many Parts as the Children learn Arts or Things The Master and Tutors shall neither Whip Beat nor shew Anger or Passion toward any Child be he never so dull But instead of such Correction shall take the dull Child aside and Commend and Praise him for his Endeavours inform him how many Men of mean Birth have advanc'd themselves to a Noble Pitch of Eminence and Glory by their Learning Vertue and Sobriety and by these Means they shall excite and prompt him on to an honourable Ambition and Emulation This no doubt will have a good Effect For both Wise Men and Fools do a-like love to be Praised But other Methods shall be used for the executing of Justice if at any time the Children become vicious and criminal such as shall not irritate the Spirit or provoke Passion which is a great Enemy to the Souls and and Faculties of most Children and too too frequently practised in most Schools which will be wholly prevented by the good and regular Methods we prescribe For Order when Children are accustom'd to it has as great Power and Influence as Disorder 8. The School shall be at some Distance from other Houses or any Town that there may be no Communication between the Children of the School and other wild Children that they shall not know what Swearing or any such frothy Discourse is or that there is any such thing in the World And so of all other evil Communication So that it will be easie to govern them when Order and Custom have their free Influences and where there is nothing else seen or known but the Practice of Vertue and Study of Learning 9. In the Winter the Children shall go to Bed at Seven a Clock at Night and Rise at Seven in the Morning and in the Summer at Eight at Night and Rise at Six in the Morning For above all things Children shou'd have Rest enough and Sleep enough which does mightily strengthen and refresh Nature and renders them brisk and alart at their Learning 10. As soon as they are up in the Morning they shall spend one Hour in Reading and then eat their Breakfast After which such as love Musick shall play and practice one Hour and those that are for Painting the like The others shall walk in Gardens for the same time with their Tutors and discourse of the Nature and Vertues of Herbs Pâ—ants and Flowers and of the Art of Husbandry and Gardening all in the Language they then learn then they shall all return into the School and learn their Books for one Hour After which they shall be instructed in the Business of the House and the Art of Oeconomicks also the Manner and Preparation of the Food they have each day for Dinner and have the Reasons of every thing discovered to them Then they shall all go to Dinner after which in
and necessary Law and the former from depraved Custom and Tradition great part of which is Vicious and Devilish He is hurried on with the Spirit of Error into all Acts of Violence and Injustice being the Devil's Slave yet boasting of his Knowledge and Understanding which Knowledge and Understanding is not manifested in any thing so much as in the works of Darkness Thus I have given you a short Draught or Delineation of what I judge very necessary to be Copy'd out into Practice Many othâ—r useful Directions might be laid down which shall be made use of if ever these Proposals shall have the good Fortune to be approved of and encouraged I am confident such Methods as these would abundantly contribute to the Improvement of true Learning and the Reformation of Men's Manners There is one evil Practice that I find Parents and Nurses generally guilty of and cannot conclude without some Reflection upon the horrid and wicked Consequences that attend it From the very Cradle they use all means possible to learn their Children Pride and Vanity If they have any thing new or fine they never let them alone till they have made the young Things sensible of the Worth and Value of it thereby laying unremovable Foundations for Self-Conceit and Flattery which grows up in them by degrees till they are seduced into Presumption and a Contempt of others and so begets and nourishes Indignation Self-Love Anger Hatred c. which produces Irreligion Unbelief Superstition Impenitence Aâ—rogance and a long train of Dâ—abolical Mischiefs Pride destroys the faculties of the Intellect and will never suffer it to make a right Judgment Is the Inlet to Credulity and Falshood the Gare of Error and the first step to Oppression and Violence Inhumanity and Madness It blinds all the Inward Senses of the Soul subjecting them to all Malignant Influences destroying the Image of God poysoning the Imagination and all the good Virtues and active Powers of God and Nature It fills the Fancy with dark Ideas and destroys the Harmony of the Universe It is a stirring Power and Quality and may be justly styled the Son of the Devil Every Man hugs and caresses it in himself but abhors and abominates it in another It is a mortal Enemy to Mankind and the Spring head of all War Devastation Depopulation Self-Murder Lying Distraction and whatsoever is odious and wicked in the World What Ignorance Blindness and Madness then does posses Mankind that they shou'd be at such continual Charge and Pains to improve and nourish this Hellish Quality that sets the World and all Nature in a Flame Let all People then in time consider the sad Effects of this Vice and not intail on their Posterity such a Distemper which utterly ruins both the Soul and Body Let them consider what a Christian ought to be and the Condition on which our Eternal Salvation and Happiness depends and examine whether the Educaâ—ion of their Children be correspondent and agreeable to Christ's Rule I say when this is consider'd and compar'd a Man must necessarily conclude that Men do not believe what they talk of and pâ—etend to for if they did they could not be contented with such Vicious Methods in bringing up their Children Poor Peoples Children for want of Necessaries are brought up in Swinishness and Beastiality and the Rich educate their Children in all the Degrees of Court Haughtiness Intemperance and Idleness so that a Man of 1000 l. per an that has four or five Children ought to have an Estate better than the whole for each of them every Child beginning his Trade of Life where the Father and Mother left off insomuch that if an Account were taken of all the Genmen's Families in England you wou'd hardly find one in twenty of their Children that live any thing handsomly in the World Of all the Youths that Yearly come up to London to be Apprentices to Merâ—rs Drapers Silk men c. there is not one in twenty that serves his time out or lives on his Trade which can be attributed to nothing else but the effects of those Poysonous Weeds of Pride and Arrogance their Parents sow'd in them in their Childhood The same is to be understood of common Servants are they not Bold Surly Nasty and Ignorant So that you must teach them every thing before you can have any Service from them and when they can do your Business upon any light Occasion they grow Sawey and Impudent and will leave you without any Acknowledgment of your Kindness to them which only proceeds from the want of Publick Schools and due and timely Methods of Education Let no Person therefore that falls under this Character think to excuse himself by murmuring at and upbraiding his Creator as if he had dealt unkindly with him but if the Blame must be laid somewhere else besides than upon himself let him charge his Miscarriage upon his Father and Mother who by their Ignorance and Madness have stifâ—ed and beclouded Vertue and advanc'd and encouraged Wickedness and Folly whereby Men become Contemptible in this World and Miserable in the next The True and most Natural Method of teaching Children to read Latin French Dutch Italian or any other Language as well as their Mother-Tongue with great Ease and Pleasure so that they shall pronounce all their Words fully and properly which is the greatest difficulty in the Learning of Languages THE understanding Tongues and Languages is a sort of Learning highly useful and convenient and unspeakably serviceable as well in the management of any Trade Business or Employment the Divine Providence shall place us in in the World as in the Spiritual Advantages in reading the Holy Scriptures and other good Books The common Method is not only tedious and difficult whereby many are discouraged and grow weary before they are able to read tolerably but also very chargeable so that poor People are not able to defray the Charge of Schooling for their Children Upon consideration of these things I gave my Mind to think of some more expeditious Course and more natural Method viz. A more easie quick and familiar way of learning Letters so that it be very delightful both to Schollar and Teacher First Teach your Child the Letters and to spell a little in the Primmer which may be done in a quarter or half a Year by often naming the Letters to them and asking what they are for the frequent Sounding or Speaking them goes in at the Ears and penetrates to the Center it being the Sense that records what is spoken so that the oft repeating and speaking of the Letters in the hearing of of the Child makes a deeper Impression upon the Powers of the Mind When this is done take any Book that treats of Temperance and Veâ—tue and distinctly read one two or three words or so many as your Child or Schollar can readily speak after you and so proceed making the Child point to each Word and look with the Eye upon them
the Effects of true Faith for and of things that are durable and eternal Especially if we reflect that Mankind has not in any degree liv'd answerable to the Rule and Condition on which Salvation and Happiness is promised and intail'd Hence it is plain that most Men in the World do bely themselves when they say they have Faith and that they believe for Christ saith That if we had Faith tho' no bigger than a Grain of Mustard Seed we might be able to remove Mountains that is all Sins and Evils that lie in our way Faith is an ineffable Spirit and Divine Power It is higher than all Heighths and deeper than all Depths It is a Spiritual and Holy Virtue that does penetrate even to the very Centre of all Beings and Commands over all the Celestial and Terrestrial Powers having as it were the mighty Fiat in its self making something where there was nothing Man's Soul is its Chariot where it rides in Glory and Triumph altering and changing all Essences Forms and Qualities All things submit to its Influences and nothing is able to withstand its Power Now the true Season of Sowing and Planting this true Faith in Children is from three or four Years of age to ten or twelve and being well fastned and secur'd to them in those young and tender Years a small Industry afterwards will improve it to a very high degree And as it lays a sure and deep Foundation for all things both in Virtue and Vice so it is clear and most true thaâ— the that believes God's Commandments and his Law of Justice and Retaliation dares not abuse nor violate any of his Kind nor inferior Creatures nor be Intemperate Idle Lewd or Disorderly I say and affirm That it is impossible for Men to be so extreamly Brutified and Act as they do had they but the least Grain of true Faith It is only Talk and nothing else there being no greater Evil in the World than the evil Education of Children and certainly Parents must and are obliged to make a Retaliation for their Neglects and ill Management of their Children All the great Wickedness Violence and Pollutions that are frequently committed in our parts owe their Original to Mistakes in this Point And shall not there be a Reckoning For certain there must be an Account given and tho' Men forget themselves yet in God's Providence and his Law in Nature there is no Forgetfulnes Raro Antâ—cedentem scelestium deseruit pede Poena Claudo Tho' Justice and Punishment come slowly oftentimes yet they surely come And Men shall then when it is too late bewail their Neglect of that Duty which now they might with the greatest Ease and Satisfaction perform Some further Thoughts concerning the Education of Children by another Hand In a Letter to a Friend Esteemed and Worthy Friend THE Subject you were pleased to recommend to my Thoughts which was concerning the Educution of Children I have consider'd and according to my Capacity have given here at present what hath rise in my Mind concerning it which I humbly submit to your better Iudgment having engag'd my self herein nâ—t with any Thoughts of my own Ability to perform so great a Task but purely in Obedience to your Motion My first Consideration in this Matter is the great Benefits which must certainly accreu by the well performing so Noble and Worthy a Design it being the chief Means to attract the Divine Blessings on that Nation that universally and earnestly engage themselves therein It lays a solid Foundation of Virtue Wisdom Iustice Temperance Industry Ingenuity Love to Mankind Truth Humility c. and at the same time roots out the contrary Vices A Child in its tender Infancy is the most helpless Creature Which by the way teaches us that this is not our home In this state the Mother hath the Care and Direction and that her Tenderness and Love to her Infant may not run her into Error she ought to consider the Needs and Necessities of Nature and provide against them what exceeds those Bouâ—ds may prove burthensome to the tender Babe For good Nature hath provided the Breast and whilst the Infant hangs there it is well provided for without fear of Surfeits and Excess Cleanness and Necessity ought to be observed in its Dress or Cloathing rather than Custom or Fashion and for Food where may we take a better Pattern than from Nature The Mother's Care extends ovâ—r the Child for near the first seven Years with respect to the Necessities and Weaknesses of Nature in those tender Years and here ought to bo great Caré taken both of Body and Mind to lay a solid Foundation of Virtue and Goodness What Children ought to be instructed in the Method of it the Grounds from whence the Capacity of Children ariseth ought to be taken notice of and well observed of which I can give but brief hints without enlarging beyond my intended Bounds I conceive that a general Rule or Maxime to be laid down for the Education of Children may be That Examples of what you would instruct them in ought constantly to be presented to them The Capacity of Children to receive and learn what Men are capable to offer to them may easily be apprehended for that they participate of the same Power and Faculties of Mind and Body with Men it must be owned that they are in the Bud not yet come to ripeness there is as certainly a growing in Understanding as well as a growing in Stature also a growing in Virtue or gaining Strength in the exercise of Truth Modesty c. It must considered that there are opposite Vices which the degenerate Nature of Man is proâ—e to embrace and entertain and if they are used before Children the base Example prevails in viciating them more than all precepts to the contrary can oppose For where Pride Sloth Voluptuousness Fraud Self-Love c. are exercised Children are readily infected and become as Seed sown into a fertile Ground that in time takes such rooting that it is hard to be weeded out if not almost impossible But according to the Nature of all Weeds spreads the whole Country and on this occasion it is said by the Wise Man Prov. 24 31 32. I went by the Field of the Slothful c. and lo it was all over grown with Thorns and Nettles had cover'd the Face thereof c. Therefore all Example of Vice ought most carefully to be supprest for that they ruin the present Practicers and sow a Seed for the corrupting and spoiling the next Generation This consideration cannot be too much nor too earnestly pressed for Knowledge accompanied with Vice serves but to exalt it to its Perfection and when a Nation or Person have thus fill'd up their Measures they are fit Objects for Ruin and Destruction The Nature thereof is such that it draws Divine Vengeance on their Heads except infinite Love and Forbearance steps between to give an Opportunity for Repentance This being premised and due