The Grammar School, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
How to vnderstand and remember any morall matter.
Spoud.
YEt one other point remaineth, which is of great vse, and very fit to bee asked here; how children may be made to vnderstand, and conceiue of any ordinary matter meete for them? as the points of the Sermons, the History of the Bible: for euen most of these things may seeme to be aboue childrens capacities; and I see vnderstanding to be the life and substance of all.
Phil.
This point hath been taught throughout in part:A principall helpe of vnderstanding, how to make children to vnderstand any thing and remember. but this I say vntounto you againe, and you shall finde it most true; that for any one who would conceiue of any long sentence and remember it, let him diuide it into as many short questions as he can, and answere them (though closely) in his minde; it shall giuegive a great light. So do with your schollars in any thing which you would hauehave them to vnderstand: diuide the long question or sentence into many short ones; by the short they will vnderstand and conceiue of the long. I shewed the maner in examining young schollars, at In speech, and in Sententiae pueriles.
For other helpes; as for marking the summe and drift of eueryevery thing, and also for obseruing what goeth before, what followeth after, the propriety of words, those circumstances of examining and vnderstanding, casting the words into the naturall order, and the like: I referre you to the Chapter of construing ex tempore; where these things are handled at large.
Spoud.
Yet for my further direction, giuegive me one ensample in a sentence, in the storie of the Bible, because wee were speaking of that last, and how to teach children to vnderstand that. I take it there is the like reason in the Latin, and in all things.
Phil.
There is indeede the same reason. I will giuegive you an instance in a sentence or two in the first Chapter in Genesis: and the rather because this is vsed by many, to cause children to reade a Chapter of the Bible, and then to aske some questions out of that. For example:
1 In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth.Examples of asking questions, to helpe vnderstanding.
2 And the earth was without forme and voyde, and darkenesse was vponupon the face of the deepe, and the spirit of God moued vponupon the waters.
3 Then God said; Let there be light, and there was light, &c.
I would propound my questions thus, sundry wayes, out of the wordes, and that they may answere directly in the very wordes:
Q. What did God in the beginning?
A. He created heauen and earth.
Q. When did God create heauen and earth?
A. In the beginning.
Q. Were not heauen and earth alwayes?
A. No; God created them.
Q. What a one was the earth?
A. The earth was without forme or fashion.
Q. Had it any thing in it?
A. No; it was voyde or waste.
Q. Was there nothing vponupon it?
A. Yes; darkenesse was vponupon the deepe.
Q. Was there nothing else mouing?
A. Yes; the spirit of God moued on the waters.
Q. What said God then?
A. Let there be light?
Q. Was there light as he commaunded?
A. Yes; there was light.
Q. Was there no light before?
A. No; God commaunding created it: there was nothing but darkenesse before: darkeness was vponupon the deep.
These questions and answeres arise directly out of the words; & are the same in effect with those in the little booke, called The Historie.
Spoud.
These verely giuegive a great light, and are marueilous easie, and do cause that a childe may conceiue and carie away most of them; whereas reading them ouer hee marked little in them. But yet here are some things darke, and ouer-hard for children to vnderstand: as, what is meant by created, by the deepe, and the mouing of the spirit vponupon the waters, &c.
Phil.
It is true;These short questions giuegive a great light to harder points, how they are to be vnderstood. but yet by this meanes a childe shal hauehave a great light and helpe for vnderstanding, conceit and memory in most. And for those things which remaine obscure, the learner is to marke them out, and inquire them of others, or of the notes & short Commentaries vponupon them; and so by the other helpes mentioned: and especially considering the drift of the Holy Ghost, and comparing with more plaine places where like phrases are vsed. But here it shal be the safest, in posing to aske those things which arise clearly & naturally out of the words, & may be fully vnderstood; to omit the rest vntil God shal make them as euident. The easiest being first learned perfectly, the rest will come in their time, and the fruite according to your desire.
And let me tell you this for your owne benefite: In your priuate reading Scriptures,Helpe in priuate reading. or other bookes, where you would fully vnderstand and lay vp, vse thus to resolue by questions and answeres in your minde; and then tell me what you doe finde. The benefit which I doe conceiue of it, makes me bolde thus to aduise you: but this by the way.
Spoud.
Thus you will binde me vntounto you for euer, in directing me in eueryevery thing, so plainly and so easily; and not onelyonly for my children, and how to doe them all this good, but euen for mine owne priuate. Though I cannot requite you, yet the high God, who hath giuen you this heart, and who neuer forgets the least part of the labor or louelove which any of his seruants shall shew to his name, he will certainely reward it.
Thus hauehave we gone through all the maine and principall matters concerning this our function, for all parts and exercises of learning, which I doe remember; so farre as doe belong to our calling: so that now I should leaue off from hindering or troubling you any further. Yet neuerthelesse, whereas I remember that you said, that God might direct this our conference, not onelyonly to our owne priuate benefite, but also to the benefite of many thousand other; and verely I see that hee may turne it to a perpetuall blesing: giuegive me leaue to propound some other doubts, to the very same purpose, to remoue whatsoeuer may hinder or bring scruple to any, and to supply what yet may seeme wanting or hard to be effected.
Phil.
Goe on I pray you: I shall resolue you in all, according to my poore ability, as I hauehave in the rest. Now indeede we hauehave a fit time: and God knoweth whether euer we shall hauehave the like opportunity againe. Therefore propound whatsoeuer may tend hereunto.