The Institution of Children in the Christian Religion, Title page – Poem
Contemplations For the inſtitution of Children in the Chriſtian Religion. Collected and publiſhed by Iohn Carpenter.
Prou. 1.8.
My ſonne heare thy Fathers doctrine: and forſake not thy mothers Lawe.
Imprinted at London by R. R. dwelling in Fleete Lane. 1601.
To the right worſhipfull Nicholas Wadham of Meryfield Eſquire, the grace, mercy and peace of God the father in Ieſus Chriſt. ❀
ALthough your worſhips frendly courtiouſnes towardes mee hauehave ſufficiently merited my grateful minde, as your gentle affablitie with all perſons hath deſerued of them to bee commended: Yet, conſidering how farre (beyond ſome others) I am bound (by reaſon of my cure in Bra: where I hauehave often receiued of your temporall things) to beſtowe on your worſhippe things ſpirituall, the which, was I might not of duty denie, I hauehave neuer beene vnwilling thankefully to render: I perpended yet more deeplye what to excog…tate, as wherein I might beſt declare the one and performe the other, or at the leaſt expreſſe a good-will to eyther. But finding that I could not any way elſe ſo well anſwer to the one and ſatiſfie the other in all partes and points, I gladly reſolued to preſent vntounto your worſhip this my Contemplations, as that which I eſteeme a Preſent not vnworthy a Right worſhipfull preſence and like acceptation, that in regarde of the excellencie of the matter, howſoeuer it ſeemeth ſhaddowed vnderunder my poore Pen. For verily therein (as your worſhip reading the ſame may perceiue) are ſummarily collected and briefly cowched the principall Grownds of Chriſtian Religion, ſelected and drawne foorth (as certaine ſweet ſtreames) from the pure Fountaine of the moſt ſacred Scriptures, the which not only the moſt Mightie in his Grace and mercy hath both ordained, preſerued and commended to his Church: but alſo wee (which are of the houſhould of Faith, and hauehave the warrant of his ſpirite, which giueth teſtimonie thereof to our ſpirites) doe conſtantly beleeue to bee the verye Touch-ſtone whereby the diuerſitie of ſpirites is knowen the perfect line, by the which the Temple is meaſured: the rodde whereby a mans wayes are corrected: the Angle with the which the ſpirituall Fiſhers vſe to take men: and to be briefe, the Lanterne for our feete, the light to our pathes; and that bleſſed Table whereon is propoſed to vsus in Chriſt, the powerfull foode of ſoules, whereby men are fed and nouriſhed to life euerlaſting. In regard whereof, as all men are bound to praiſe the high excellencie of that heauenly fountaine, and therein to gloryfie God: ſo am I iuſtly occaſioned to proteſt for the verity and ſweete ſauour of theſe ſtreames, which in the diuine feare and due regarde of duty, I hauehave not only thence diryued: but alſo produced to be alwayes examined and tryed by the authority of the ſame: and therefore do now with the more boldneſſe preſume to preſent vntounto your worſhip: praying you to vouchſafe both this my preſent, your worſhipfull acceptation, and my good will therein, your gentle eſtimation: for the which I ſhall be no leſſe thankefull, then for other your friendly courteſies. And euen thus I commit you with your right worſhipfull Partener to the Almighty.
Norleigh in Deuon the 28. Nouem. Anno Dom. 1601. Your Worſhips poore Neighbour and perpetuall well-willer. IOHN CARPENTER.
Ad Parentes at que Liberos Hexàſtichon.
DIſce, parens, púeros pietate ornare tenellos:
Diſce, puer, verum Relligionis opus.
Quae doceas, diſcas facili, híc coprênſa labore:
quae diſcas, doceas, gratus vtér que labor.
Dū pater et gnátus ſibi múnera debita praeſtāt
per ſanctè ſummo ſeruit vtérque Deo.