The Reformed School, Title page – To the reader
THE REFORMED SCHOOL.
BY JOHN DƲRY.
LONDON, …ted by R. D. for Richard Wodnothe at the Star under S. Peters Church in Corn-hill.
The Publiſher to the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
NOthing from without hath ſupported my ſpirit in the courſe of life, wherein God hath led me hitherto (through manifold private difficulties and publick deſertions,) but the uſefulneſſe thereof towards the Publick. & whiles the graciouſneſſe of Providence hath from time to time ſuccoured me, chiefly then when I was ſinking under my …rdens; I have been taught from within, to look up to God alone in well-doing, till he bring his Salvation out of Sion: for, to propagate this Salvation of his with my poor talents, and to ſtirre up others to contribute …eir help thereunto, is the utmoſt aim which I have in the Agency for Lear… ing; wherein the goodnes of the Par…ament hath owned me. And althoug… towards the buſineſſe it ſelf, nothi… hath been further done then to na… me for it; (which for the time ha… made my burdens ſomewhat heavie… yet becauſe my genius doth leade… this way; and I hope ſtill in God th… he will not leave me without encouragements: therefore I am not weary in well-doing, ſo long as I have opportunity. Having then, upon a motion made by ſome, made my ſelf Inſtrumentall to draw forth from others theſe following Directions, towards the Reforming of Schools, and the Advancement of Piety and Learning therein; I thought it expedient to acquaint thee with them, Chriſtian Reader; that if thou doeſt think thy ſelf any way concerned either in furthering the benefits of ſuch a way of Education towards others; or in partaki… thereof for thine own, thou mayeſt bethink thy ſelf how to do that which is fitting and conſcionable; that ſuch an Endeavour as this may be ſet forward towards the Publick Good. For mine own part, I ſhall confeſſe freely, that amongſt all the Objects whereunto I have dedicated my thoughts and pains (whereof the extent is as large as every Good and Rationall Work in the whole life of Chriſtianity) there is not any one which doth lie nearer my heart then this of the Education of Children in the way of Chriſtianity. For, all things being rightly weighed, we ſhall perceive that this Endeavour alone, or nothing, will be able to work a Reformation in this our Age. For whiles the Magiſtracy and Miniſtry is made an Object of violent Contradictions, and thereby almoſt wholly put out of frame and made uſeleleſſe, as to the Reforming of Vices in Church and Commonwealth; it cannot be expected, although they be never ſo knowing and willing, that in the execution of their places, they ſhould be able to bring matters to perfection. Therefore, to meddle directly with the multitudes of Aged people (the Objects of their charges) who are now ſettled and habituated in the way of their own chooſing, and to think to draw them from it, is to attempt, without diſcretion, an impoſſibilitie. For it is not poſſible, that the extraordinary ſtrains and diſtempers, whereinto we are fallen in theſe times, can be reformed without ſome extraordinary abilitie, either of outward Authority and Power to reſtrain exemplary diſorderlineſſe; or of inward Conviction, to leade men captive under the yoke of Chriſt, which are things … decayed, now adayes, amongſt the profeſſions of men. Seeing then, the corruptions of thoſe that are of age, are too ſtrong and ſturdy to be conquered by ordinary and weak means, and none extraordinary or ſtrong enough, are apparent; it followeth, that there is none other way left, but to deal with the young ones, before any corrupt habits, and perverſe engagements be confirmed upon them; that they may be trained up from their Infancy, to a courſe of Reformation, both of Virtue and Learning. But becauſe the training up of Schollars in one School or two, though very great and moſt exactly Reformed, will be but an inconſiderable matter, in reſpect of a whole Nation, and have no great influence upon the youth thereof, where ſo many Schools remain unreformed, & propagate corruptions; therefore the propagation of reformed Schools is mainly aimed at; and to that effect, the training up of Reformed School-Maſters, is one of the Chief parts of this Deſigne. Now to endeavour to make out this, that the readieſt way to Reform both Church and Commonwealth, is …o reform the Schools of Education therein; and that the way to Reform theſe, is to ſend forth Reformed School-Maſters amongſt them, is, as I ſuppoſe, altogether ſuperfluous: For it cannot be thought, that any rationall man ſhould be ſuch a ſtranger unto the affairs of humane Societies, as not to ſee, that from the ordinary Schools, all Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, and Officers of State are taken throughout the Nations of the World, to be ſet over others; and that the impreſſions both of vice and virtue, which they have received in the Schools, are exerciſed, and become effectuall, for good or evil, afterward, in their places towards the Church and Common-wealth: ſo that the Schools are to be looked upon▪ as the Ordinary and Naturall fountains of a Settlement, as of our Corruption, ſo of our Reformation; if God will bleſſe us with any. And the School-Maſter in a well ordered Common-wealth, is no leſſe conſiderable then either the Miniſter or the Magiſtrate; becauſe neither the one nor the other will proſper or ſubſiſt long without him. I ſhall not need to adde any thing further concerning this ſubject, to make thee ſenſible, either of the Uſefulneſſe of the undertaking, or of the Scope of my negotiation in it.
This onelyonly I would have thee further to obſerve, judicious and truely Chriſtian Reader (for none but ſuch can ſee any thing in this buſineſſe) that the Authour of this new Model of ſchooling was intreated to put it to paper, upon a ſerious motion made to him, and to ſome Friends of his, by others; for the entertaining and regulating of a Chriſtian Aſſociation, whereof all the Members might be ſerviceable to each other, and to the Publick: therefore he ſpeaks not in his own name alone concerning the Aſſociation, but in the name of thoſe, who were jointly called upon to give their aſſent thereunto, who agreed with him in theſe Propoſals. The Motion is not as yet come to maturitie in the Reſolution of thoſe that firſt made it, and the cauſe is of ſome Conveniences to effect it, and the fears of unſettlement, after that it ſhall be ſet upon: and till there be a further ground laid for the proſecuting of this Deſigne; it is needleſſe to give the Directory concerning the Education of Girls. In the mean time, I have thought good to publiſh this, with an addition of ſome directions for teaching of Logick; that ſuch as can judge, may ſee that there is an eaſier and readier way to attain the perfection of Virtue and Happineſſe, known and practicable, then as yet hath been publiſhed to the World, or put in practice by any; and that to ſet theſe wheels agoing, nothing is wanting, but a quiet place of abode, and ſome aſſurance of neceſſary Protection.
Let thy prayer go along with it, to ſupply theſe wants, if thou haſt any Rationall or Spirituall apprehenſion of the good ſought thereby unto all: and if thou canſt, ſay with the Prophet Pſal. 14. v. 7. O that the ſalvation of Iſrael were come out of Sion! when the Lord bringeth back the Captivitie of his people, Jacob ſhall rejoice, and Iſrael ſhall be glad. To the expectation and accompliſhment of this hope and promiſe, I leave thee, in him who is the God of our Salvation, and the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afarre off upon the Sea, Pſal. 65. ver. 5. in whom I reſt,
Thy moſt willing Servant, for the advancement of Piety and Learning, Samuel Hartlib.
THE REFORMED SCHOOL.
Concerning an Aſſociation for the Education of Children.
UPON the motion which is made of entring into a Societie, wherin a certain number of Children, Boyes & Girles, ſhould be educated unto Religion, to Morall Sciences & Virtues; we ſhall return this Anſwer.
1. That we hope never to bee found unwilling to contribute that which we can, towards the Advancement of Godlineſs in any Body or Societie; or towards the Reformation of Vices, which bring the judgments of God upon this Babylonian Generation wherin we live.
2. That we conceive the wayes of Chriſtian Aſſociations amongſt thoſe that are of riper years; and the Rules of Chriſtian education amongſt thoſe that are not yet come to years of diſcretion, to be moſt conducible unto theſe ends: therefore as we ſhall bee willing to become ſerviceable, and concurre with ſuch as entertai… theſe thoughts; ſo wee ſhall deſire to ſee the hand of Providence leading, and opening a door for action to us.
3. And that we may be able to diſcover whether yea or no, how far, what way, and with whom this Aim ſhould be proſecuted; we ſhall offer (to thoſe that make the Motion to us, and to all others whoſe inclinations may bend this way) theſe following points to be taken into conſideration: that if upon the Propoſall thereof, any juſt Engagement doth follow; we may ſee God before us in the proſecution of this Enterpriſe.