The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 2
CHAP. 2.
BUt to proceed further, and to bring this Gentleman from his birth to his childhood and youth, and from his youth to his riperage.2 Tim. 1.5. His education in his Infancy. Albeit he wanted Timothy's education, who through the care and paines which his grand-mother Lois, and his moher Eunice beſtowed upon him, and the bleſſing of God upon their labours, was well acquainted and inſtruction in the Scriptures from a child. Yet have I heard well of his Parents both care and courſe in bringing up him and the reſt of their children, orderly and civilly, and as thoſe times were religiouſly alſo. And although child-hood and youth be vanity,Free in ſome good me…ſure from Popery. and prone enough to Popery and prophaneneſſe, which as the Oake and the Ivy grow up together, and with love and good likeing embrace one another: Yet did the Lord ſo preſerve him in his child-hood and youth from the poyſon of Popiſh ſuperſtition, and the contagion of thoſe common and groſſer ſins, which for want of the light and life of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel reigned then in thoſe parts, as if he had a purpoſe to reſerve him as a veſſell of honor, and for his own houſe; and ſo by little and little, to fit him and prepare him for his maſters uſe and ſervice; which I ſpeak not to this end, as if his veſſel then were altogether free from al ſavour and ſmel of Popiſh lees and lyes, or as if his heart in the heat of youth, had been altogether cleane from the luſts of youth, but to magnifie Gods mercy and grace, in his Parents care and his owne carriage, that he was not ſettled upon any Popiſh dregs, nor addicted unto, on polluted with any of thoſe common and curſed ſins of the time,And prophaneneſſe alſo. as baſe lying, wanton, and wicked ſwearing, rioting and revelling, drinking and gaming, or the fleſhly ſin of fornication, with which many of our young Gentlemen have now blaſted the beauty, and glory of their youth blemiſhed their names, polluted their ſoules and defiled their bodies.To the rebuke of profane Parents. Libidini froena permittentes & naturalem cordis ardorem, qui in adoleſ entia plerunque forveſcit, ſuis horrattbus duplicante, Hieron. adver. Viglāt His childhood.. The greater muſt needs be both the ſinne and ſhame of many of our Gentlemen, who are ſo far from repreſſing ſuch corruptions, or reſtrayning ſuch luſts and lewd courſes in their children, that they do not only lead and draw them by their countenance and example, but hale and force them by their commands and threats into the baſe fellowſhip of ſuch ſinnes and ſinners: Bis peccat qui exemple peccat, his offence is double, that offends himſelfe and by his bad example cauſeth others to offend alſo.
When he was about the age of ſix or ſeven yeares, his Father for ſome offence or fault, did rebuke him ſharpely and correct him ſoundly, and being then in much griefe of heart for his Fathers diſpleaſure, and deſiring to ſee ſome meanes of comfort, and reliefe; tooke unto him a little prayer book, which at that time he had learned, and went apart into his Fathers Chappell, and there by reading and praying aſwel as he could, was comforted with unexpreſſible joys.His Prayers. Theſe be his own words; and he addeth. But being but a child, I knew not what they meant; And the next day I went to the ſame place, uſing the like means, but found not the like comfort. What I ſhould think upon a childs Prayers, and ſuch unexpreſſible joyes upon the ſame, I cannot well tell, yet do I remember what Auſtine reporteth of himſelfe, being but a child, that obſerving others to pray unto God, he learned to thinke and conceive of God, as ſome great and mighty one,Like Austins, who though he were not known by ſight,Aug. confeſ. lib. 1….9. & lib. 3.4. yet could both heare us and helpe us at his pleaſure. Nam puer coepi rogare te, auxilium & refugium meum, & rogabam te parvus, non parvo affect…, ne in Scholâ vápularem, For being but a child, ſaith hee, I began to pray unto thee, my help and my refuge, and I prayed a little one, with no little affection, that I might not be beaten at Schoole. Hee that out of the mouth of babes, and ſucklings hath ordained himſelfe praiſe, may alſo put ſome good motions of his Spirit even upon the hearts of children, and cauſe them to open their lips in prayer, which hee that worketh in them, knoweth how to accept from them, & what anſwer to make unto them, according to his wiſdom and good pleaſure. And if we acknowledge that the elect of God, in the Sacrament of their new birth, being but infants, may and do receive the ſeale of Gods Spirit in their ſoules, which worketh in them, though ſecretly and ſtrangely, yet effectually, and truly ſome meaſure of ſaving Grace and Faith in Chriſt Jeſus: Why may we not thinke that ſome ſparkles of this holy and heavenly fire,Children may have good motions. may upon occaſion no wand then break out from the hearts and lips of young children (being the elect of God) though by reaſon of their weakneſſe of underſtanding and wan… of judgment, they neither know whence they are, nor what they meane? Samuel being but a childe, miniſtred unto the Lord before Eli, when as yet hee knew not the Lord,1 Sam. 3.1.7. neither was the Word of the Lord revealed unto him. Yea hee had communion and conference with the Lord, when the Lord called, Samuel, Samuel, and he anſwered, Speak Lord for thy ſervant heareth. Wee are not (I know) to look for ſuch revelations in theſe dayes, yet ſeeing the Lord is Liberrimum Agens, not bound himſelf, though he bind us to the uſe of his ordinary means, hee may at his pleaſure make ſweet impreſſions of his Spirit and Truth, even upon the mindes and hearts of young children. As I make no doubt but he might doe upon the heart of this his ſervant, being yet a childe, when firſt he was ſo ſenſible of his fault before his father, that he was much diſpleaſed with himſelfe, becauſe he had diſpleaſed him: Secondly, in filiall obedience and patience ſubmitted himſelfe quietly to his fathers ſharpe rebuke and ſevere correction: And laſtly, when he had recourſe unto the Lord, by ſuch meanes and helps of prayer as he had, both for pardon of his ſinne, and comfort of his ſoule in that affliction.Some ſeedes of grace in his childhood. Which now I am the rather induced to thinke of him, becauſe it is well knowne, that being often asked in his riper age, of the time of his calling, and of his converſion, when it firſt began, his uſuall anſwer was, Even of a child, little.Aug. Confeſ. l. 3. c. 4. Hoc nomen Chri. &c. The ſeeds of grace in ſome meaſure might then be ſowne, which untill they were farther increaſed by knowledge and judgement, watered by the Word, and warmed by the Spirit, lay hid under the corruptions of nature, and luſts of youth (as under clods of earth, for a time) but afterwards brake out in the fruits of an effectuall Calling and Converſion in due ſeaſon.