A Light to Grammar and All Other Arts and Sciences, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
A childe muſt not eſcape for his fault: A diſcreet Maſter that can judge thereof alwayes, and correct it thereafter, Sloth, how corrupting. Diligence muſt be both in the Teacher, and the Learner. What way muſt bee taken to make them both ſit, the one to give, the other to receave Inſtruction.
IN very good time, now we have 1 Part pag. 90. ſect. 13.read our Lecture, and done with our leſſons, a we will keep Seſſions, but in our own Court. We will take the child to task for his negligence. I ſaid well negligence. Let the Maſter look to him, and the Parent by all meanes, he muſt not ſcape for his negligence, nor for his wilfulneſſe neither. But the Maſter muſt be carefull, and the Parent alſo, very circumſpect muſt they both be, that they may diſcerne well, that, we ſpake of, from weakneſſe, from frailty of nature, and invincible ignorance. A very hard matter it is to goe even there, turning no where, neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
The Maſter had need to carry his underſtanding alwaies in his hand, (ſo the wiſeſt Maſter cannot alwayes doe, he muſt doe what he can) that would puniſh a child alwayes for his fault. A fault it is not to miſſe again, and again, and yet a third time, nay a fourth, as the child may be taught; for he may be in a Maze, and no clue in his hand to lead him out. I am perſwaded in my conſcience, That if juſtice were done at this petty point, (ſo it is adjudged to be, but it is no ſmall point) the Maſter might ſuffer thrice for the childs once; for either he informes not the childe at all; or if he doe, it is the wrong way, and by the wrong end; or if any way, then be knocks him firſt, his hand going before his tongue; or if together, (which ſhould never be) the hand is the quicker; a great wrong to the weake child. Certainly, we ſhould doe at this point, as the Judge of all the world doth, and He doth right: For ſpeaking after the manner of men, and to inſtruct our ignorance, He came down to ſee firſt, whether the ſins were according to the cry: A gracious God! and then, if after long patience, He will thunder in His judgements, as certainly He will, yet behold Grace ſtill! Hee will lighten firſt, He will give warning, that certainly the clap is comming: He did ſo, if we marke the Context, even to thoſe Cities, I made reference to. But wee looke too high at ſo low a point, this is too high for us! No, I remember Chryſoſtome aIn Gen. 18. 21. foreign,&c.ſaith, This concerns all, even every Mothers child; we muſt all hearken to this, and doe thereafter. Indeed it concerns men in Judicature more ſpecially, that they proceed leiſurely, not like that ſpeedy Judge bPrimunt ligant, deinde couſas in eam quaerunt. Lid-ford Law. B. Lue! Art. 13. P. 48….Ireade of in Biſhop Iuell, who hanged … man in the fore-noone, and ſate upon him, examining his fact in the after-noon. That other, but an haſty Judge too, for ſo learned Forteſcue cCommend. of the Lawes o… Engl. Chap. 53.cals him, did better then ſo, for he proceeded Secuudum allegata & probata, and ſo condemned the wife for killing her husband, and ſhe was burnt for it; but ſome months after the man ſervant confeſſing that his Miſtreſſe was innocent, and himſelfe was the man of bloods: the Judge now ſeeing his error, and the waſte which haſte makes, weighing withall the fore-mentioned Scripture, ſorrowed ſo much, that he never enjoyed himſelf after till his dying De morte lominis nuſ …ſt con tla io conga.day. So Forteſcue reports alſo. This, I ſay, concernes more ſpecially men in high places, called Gods in Scripture oftner then Men, That, according to their great example, they conſider well before they determine, uſing all their eyes and eares alſo, for it muſt ever be remembred which the learned Knight ſaid; A wicked ſentence is infinitely Hiſt of the World. B.…. Ch 8. ſect. 8.worſe then a wicked fact, as being held a preſident and pattern, whereby oppreſſion beginning upon one is extended as warrantable upon all.
Nor is this praeter caſum, nor praeter cauſam. It concerns all, then us too, we muſt in our low way, well ſee, and examine firſt, and puniſh after. Is it a fault, ſloth, ſtubbornneſſe, &c. which we are about to puniſh? It is: Yet ſtay the hand; not withſtanding we muſt not thunder yet, The childe ſhould ſmart in a leſſe terrifying way. But if we muſt ſpeak high, as if ſons of thunder, and clap hard too, for ſo the fault may require; yet we muſt be ſure, that we have lightned firſt, I meane, we have let a light into the childs underſtanding, and ſo ſet it up there, that he is convinced clearly, that he might have ſeene his way, and have walked by the light, but he would put it out, and the clap came, he knows now, how deſervedly. We muſt be very carefull at this point, for our pety actions now, teach for afterwards, and make great impreſſions that way. The child will tell you twenty yeares hence, I remember what my Maſter did, how diſcreet he was, or the contrary; Our actions may be made preſidents, when we little think of it. Therefore I ſay again, we muſt not doe, as that light Judge did, command execution now, and call a Jury for examination anon; God forbid; but it is as prepoſterous every whit to doe as many times we doe; Thunder firſt, and lighten after; and moſt croſſe it is to the way of heaven.
I ſhall never forget, for I felt it, That I ſuffered once, as ſometimes children doe, for my ingenuity. I mention it by way of caution, as there is need, for I do not think that any one twigge fell in vain, ſo much I honour the memory of my maſter: I had Iter in my way, and it was my lot to parſe it: A ſtammering boy I was, and making haſte fell ſhort a ſyllable; my Maſter was as ſhort with me, and up I went. Wiſe men have not alwayes their wits about them, nor their underſtanding at their fingers end. But this was the old Diſcipline; my judgement is utterly againſt it, but I think withall, in this lazy age, it would doe moſt good: of that anon. To our purpoſe, inſtruction, and correction muſt ſtill goe together; but in the ſame order ſtill, when the childe ſmarts he muſt learne too; (as was ſaid in due place aChilds Patrimony Preface, p. 10. Book p. 27.) I learned nothing by all my ſmart, unleſſe frowardneſſe. A Maſter may teach that quickly; with the froward the child will be froward; that we remember well. I ſaw not my error, (a great hint to progreſſe) nay to ſay the truth, errour there was none, for as the meaneſt Scholars know well, It argued more ingenuity, to give the word an increaſe but of one ſyllable, then of two, for I was never told, that the old word was Itiner.
I ſay then, and it is an Oracle, if we would in all caſes let in the light firſt, it would ſave us the trouble of thundering, and the poore childe would on apace, eaſed of that terrour, for it is all the trouble he yet feeles in the fleſh, as play is his chiefe joy.
Aſſuredly the Muſick-maſter takes a good way; when he would make the childe ſing, he will not make him cry, for then he knowes the Muſick is marred. It is ſo, if we would ſee it, in Grammar learning; when the childe ſtands quaking, and learnes crying; when hee ſpeaks prayers, and the Maſter threats, all this time is loſt, no good done, but hurt a great deale. Now the Proverb plucks the Maſter by the eare; No man makes haſte to the Market, where nothing is to be bought, but blowes. The ſumme is, we muſt goe gently, and very calmly on, not blowing at all, when we would ſet up a light in the underſtanding, which muſt firſt be done. A little puffe of winde blowes out all preſently. The light you ſet up in a childs underſtanding is, at firſt, as the candle you have newly lighted, and are gone with it, by that time you have gone three ſteps, the candle is out, for you were too haſty, and you did not (as the manner is) ſhelter it well from the winde, for the leaſt breath doth it. Now we have our leſſon, how to teach, and when to correct: we will take this one note with it. Our natures, as well as our conſciences, are more moved with leading, then dragging, or drawing; and pety errours will be better reclaimed with gentle meanes, rather then Catechized with hard words, and blowes.
And now I hope, the Child and I are very good friends: all this while, I have ſpoken to his heart, and to very good purpoſe. I have indeed, and I have ſpoken heartily, as he that greatly tenders the Childs good. But yet for all this, hee, and I are not friends as hee calls friendſhip. and accounts the ſhews thereof. Certaine it is, I am as great an enemy to his negligence; as any one in the Towne; and I have many reaſons why I muſt be ſo; For, for the moſt part, ſuch the negligence is, that it checks the Maſters paines every where: and it is ſo foſtered at home, for the moſt part, that the Parent cannot thinke, and thinke with reaſon; that the Child will prove for afterwards, either ſerviceable to himſelfe, or the place hee lives in. The Parent muſt thinke ſo as reaſon muſt accompany his thoughts, for by that level he muſt walke; and then hee takes the meanes along with him, conducting to the end. Then wee make judgment by the Parents practiſe in the breeding of the Child, That he looks for no more from him, then that he eate and drink and riſe up to play. We have diſciplin'd the Parents houſe already, but that labour is loſt. And ſo is ours too, I ſpeake as all Teachers would ſpeak, our paines with the Child, for the moſt part, runs on, as ſome water doth, to wafte, and all becauſe the Child is not quickned betimes, and rouzed out of his lazy diſeaſe. Some hurt alſo the Maſter may doe the Childe, againſt his will; hee may make the Child careleſſe by his over-much care, yet hee cannot abate an Ace of it. The diligent Maſter, may make the Scholar negligent; nay, paſt all doubt, ſo it is.
It is the complaint of a learned Commentator on Iſocrates, and certainly he was right, If you ſhall labour to condeſcend to your Scholars Hier. Wolfius.capacity, facilitating the way, making it very eaſie; if you doe make all cleare before him, then will the boy prove a very ſlug, lazy as may be: His maſter may doe all, hee will doe nothing at all; or ſo careleſly, that nothing comes of it aIn cllectio recta non ignavis, ſed dil…gentibus, ſeſe offert, at que dat. Scal. Exer. 307. Sect.. Doubtleſſe the beſt Maſters are troubled hereat, and it is the great arreſt of their endeavours, as ſloth is the Canker of the parts.
I am upon the Iriſh diſeaſe, I know how well enough it is naturalized amongſt us. Idleneſſe is the common diſeaſe of City and Country, as dangerous, and deſtroying too. It makes Maſter, and Scholar all unprofitable, foreign &c. Chryſ. in Gen. 2.gifts, parts, graces; It ſpoyles all. Worſe then a Moth it eates great holes in the web of our life. Nay, more unhappy then an Ape or Iackdaw (I ſpeake to the Childs capacity) it ſteales from us our very jewels, and beſides, it is very miſchievous alſo. Now that wee have met with this block in our way, it ſhall beare all the blame which is unjuſtly caſt upon the Maſter; and beſides, it ſhall doe us ſome little ſervice, for it ſhall helpe us to cleare an objeetion: Some there are that call former times to their ſuccours; and ſo make a party againſt the preſent courſe, the moſt naturall Method that can bee thought of; and thus they object.
Obj. The old Method in former times, hath produced as good Scholars, nay better, then that ye call the neweſt, (wee doe not call it ſo, wee ſay, and make good what wee ſay, it is the oldeſt) and ſo exact a Method can doe now.
Sol. Wee will gratifie them ſo farre now, as to grant this; There were as good Scholars formerly as now, perhaps better too; for my part, I verily beleeve it. There is an invincible reaſon for it. The old diſcipline is gone, nay that which was but 36. years agoe, we have it not now: The boy is grown idle and lazy, the Parent likes it well. But if the old diſcipline, which ſo croſſed Nature, and a new method, which is (they will call it ſo, whether wee will or no, though) according to Nature, if theſe did meet, and cloſe each with other; then I know what would bee, wee ſhould have very good Scholars now: (though wee love not compariſons) much good would bee done in a little time, whereas little is done now in much time. I am ſure the Objection is anſwered.
Now the Parent may heare how he may be miſtaken, though he hath committed his Child to an honeſt able man; (hee muſt be both:) hee expects now his Child will thrive, and prove a good Scholar, and all very quickly, for he knowes his Childs abilities are good, and the Maſter faithfull, (hee hopes) what ſhould hinder, why his Childe ſhould not prove a good Man, and a good Scholar both together? A happy proceeding, Amen, God grant it prove ſo, even ſo, Amen.
I muſt tell the Parent now, what blocks we finde in the way, which hinder progreſſe mightily; and if he will not put to both his ſhoulders for the removing of them, he will fall infinitely ſhort of what he hopes to ſee. But if he will joyne his hand to the work heartily, walking by the level of right reaſon, and according to his rule, he may finde his hopes, and reap comfort, all in their ſeaſon.
1. Firſt then, he muſt catechize his childe, drop inſtructions into him, whet them upon him, morning, noone, and night; that is the Scriptures Method, Deut. 6. 7.and Rule. Theſe are the ſeaſons for our precognitions ſpoke of and explained before, let that be markt. Now if thus the Parent doth not, what he poſſibly can doe; for, I ſay again, theſe are the ſeaſons, and one more, when he walketh by the way, let him beleeve me this once, a man of ſome experience here: The thing will not be done; when the time comes, it is more then a doubt, he will not finde his hope in his hand; If he abate ſo much as an inch of his proper duty and endeavour touching his childe, he muſt abate alſo, more then an ace of his expectation.
2. The boy (and girle too) hath naturally a lazy, ſluggiſh humour; Let him doe what he will, he will doe juſt nothing, or as good as nothing. or worſe then nothing; he will be idle all the day long; and idleneſſe, we have heard what that will doe, rather what it will undoe. The Parent muſt purge out this bad humour what is poſſible, and the ſooner the better. Let the child rather pick ſticks, or gather wooll, then ſtand idle. If the Parent lookes not to this, and doth as hath been ſaid, I can aſſure him, the Maſter cannot, for he knowes it is vaine labour to countercheck that, which is countenanced and foſtered at home.
The Maſter doth but his owne task, and that hath been compared long ſ…nce to the Mid-wives worke. We underſtand that well enough for our uſe: Then we underſtand the Maſters work; The Maſter findes that in the childe, which he works upon, he doth not put it there, he findes wit and abilities, and nature forward to put all forth, and now the Maſter, as the Midwife, promotes exceedingly. But if nature be in a Lethargy, (lazineſſe is ſuch a diſeaſe) then the Maſters may ſleep too, and doe as much good as talk to a lazy boy. I doe not ſay a dull boy, he never troubles me, he will doe well enough, for he mindes what he doth; I ſay a lazy boy; the boy muſt doe his endeavour, elſe we are at a ſtand. Why? it is the law of nature, man muſt put forth his endeavours, if he meanes to live; God gives us corn, we muſt make it bread; the grape, we muſt make it wine; wooll, we muſt make it cloth; wood and ſtones, we muſt build the houſe. Still God ſheweth us by His works in nature, That mans labour muſt concurre, and meet with His of Providence. It is juſt ſo here betwixt the Maſter and the Scholar. But I am of the ſame minde I was, The more the Maſer doth, the leſſe the Scholar will doe, if after the common manner. Nay, I cannot ſee with reaſon how it ſhould be otherwiſe: For the eaſie gaining of a thing makes us all ſlack. This extundere, the purſuit after a thing; wich difficulty in attaining the ſame, whets our endeavour, and ſweetneth it when we have it. That I cry after, and lift up my voyce for; That I ſeek as ſilver, and ſearch for as hid Treaſures, that, that is a treaſure indeed, and ſo will be accounted of.
They ſay the fleſh of thoſe Fowles is ſweeteſt, which have no other meat foreign, &c. Cl: Alex. ſtr. 2. p. 263.but what they ſcrape out with their feet, and gain with their labour. So is the water the ſweeter, the deeper you digge for it. The eaſie attaining to any thing takes off from our eſteeme we have of it, and as that falls in our judgement, ſo doe we in our endeavour.
The Commander ſaid well, His men ſhould gain their drink by ſweat, and then it would be wine; and win their bread from the roots of trees, and then it would be dainties. Nor did the old Father dote, when he told his ſon, He left him a treaſure hid in a field; the young man fell to digging, &c. but no treaſure all that while; yet by his good husbandry, he made the field very fruitfull, and that was the treaſure the Father meant. I ſay then, and ſuch my judgement is, I ſay not under correction That the child profiteth moſt, there where he hath leſſe information, more exerciſe, and moſt puniſhment: And I thank God that ſo it was with me; for thereby it comes to paſſe, God ordering it ſo, that I have been the more induſtrious ever ſince; And what a man gets by his owne labour is ſure, and beſt pleaſeth as we heard. But yet, this I muſt ſay alſo; It is a way I ſhall never allow, for it is to make the childe to ſerve in rigour, (fit enough for his lazy nature, which will be taught no good, but by a bad method) exacting the full tale of bricks, and allowing no ſtraw; requiring the task, and not making it poſſible, by ſhewing the way of performance. No; that is pety tyranny, or oppreſſion, no better. I would rather, if it might be, the child were led on with delight, carrying his candle in his hand, and then if he ſlumble as one in the dark, fetch him up as you doe your horſe, and let him feele the ſpurre in its place. And we ſhould doe prety well here, and diſcipline the childe well enough, with the Parents leave alſo, if the child were quickned at home: but there he is ſuffered to go on ſo ſlack and lazy a pace, that he will not be put out of it by our ſpurre. Yet for all that, ſomething we muſt doe; elſe we ſhall undoe the childe quite, who is halfe undone already. The childe muſt know and feele too, (that is his knowledge) that there is a double part in the Schoole, nay in every place that is for inſtruction, one the Maſters, the other the Childes. And they muſt doe each their work mutually, elſe there will be a vain work. The Maſter muſt ſpeak, the child muſt hearken; The childe muſt ask, as the Maſter muſt give him the hint of a queſtion; the Maſter muſt anſwer calmly. And thus the leſſon goes on till the Maſters work be done. And now the child ſets to his work preſently, for it is the opportunity of time, he muſt foreſlow no time, to recollect, to faſten that which was ſaid, to make in it a ſure word, his own for ever; The boy muſt uſe all diligence, that doth mighty things, elſe the Maſter labours in the fire, and ſo will the child too, if he be not well inſtructed withall, that the bleſſing is from heaven, a thing the childe heares little of, but it is all in all.
I ſaid before, till the Maſters work bee done; It is never done. Something in point of information, ſomething in point of reformation, about the child or himſelfe, findes him work ſtill. Let me ſay it once for all: The Maſter may learn much by teaching the childe; A great deale of good Divinity from that little thing, which is old Natures right. I know no ſuch looking glaſſe in the world, wherein to ſee the mans heart, as is the face of the child. Therefore I ſaid well, The Maſter hath ſtill ſomething to doe, either about himſelfe or the childe, and when he cannot make the childe better with all his care, then his care muſt be to make himſelfe better, then there is no loſt labour. The longeſt day is ſhort enough for this work; In the winter he muſt take the night too, and and all too little to doe a great deale of good in. which ſhould be his ambition.
The Maſters recreation muſt be with the childe, (he will make him merry ſometimes, ſo muſt he the childe, and then the work goes on) I have read and ſeen an old Grand-ſire ſporting with his young childe, ſo refreſhing his own ſpirits, and the childs both: Aſſuredly we may learn and teach both, no fitter way; for as (ſo I told you) the boy muſt be ſerious in his play, (we allow no time for calviſh mirth) ſo muſt the Maſter what poſſibly he can, play in his worke: he muſt doe it with all the delight that may be; then it is no burden. But this is the point, He muſt uſe diligence, bIt is order, purſuit, ſequence, and interchange of applications, which is mighty in Nature, Adv. p 178., that he muſt: And what will that doe? ſtrange things, See the omnipotency of induſtry cHoly War. 2. 12. pag. 60. Induſtry in a…ion is like importunity in ſpeech. p. 154., ſaid one very ingeniouſly as he doth all; But then adde too, he muſt be a man of an unblamable converſation, that he muſt: he walks before boyes, they mark; where you would not have them mark; and they underſtand too much, where you would have them underſtand nothing, like a ſieve, they will let goe an hundred good inſtructions, when but one bad example will ſtick by them, while they live. He muſt look to his converſation, he muſt walk reverently there, elſe he is doing, and doing, and yet doing nothing, or which is worſe, he doth a great deale of hurt. As examples in Grammar (for they are rules as was ſaid) make the quickeſt penetration into the underſtanding, ſo doth the example of the Maſter into the manners of the Diſciple; nay a greater penetration into the life, for the example is lively. It hath been ſaid, A bad man may be a good Citizen, but that diſtinction was not ſubtle enough for the Devill, for taking away the bad man, the good Citizen followed for company. Good and bad cannot ſtand ſo neare together: if a bad man, then no good Citizen, no, nor a good Teacher: he muſt have the Character of a right Orator, as well a good Man, as a good Speaker; elſe he may tickle the Quint. Orat. 12. 1.eare, but never gain the heart, Like a fire of green wood, which is fed with it as it is fuell, but quenched as it is green. The Maſter muſt be a pious man, there is no remedy, for he is the childs Catechiſme, the child hath it by rote. He muſt be an exact copy; I pray you let us mark that, and the reaſon, why? The Philoſopher gives it; Men abandoned to vice, doe not ſo much corrupt manners, as thoſe that are halfe good, and halfe evil. And it is no more but what the Leper gives us Levit. 13.cleare intimation of, for if he was halfe whole, nay three parts whole, and one part leprous, then he muſt be ſhut up moſt infectious; For putrefaction is more contagious before Maturity, then after. The Maſter muſt ſet anexact copy; his example muſt be ſo, even thus. He muſt pray with the child, he muſt pray for the childe; he muſt heare for the childe, (the childe muſt heare from him again, all that is for his uſe) he muſt heare with the childe; He muſt be reverent in his carriage here and there and every where, then ſome hope there is, the child will prove good, and grave alſo in his ſeaſon, elſe none at all.
The Maſters converſation is a mould, into the faſhion of which the diſciple is caſt; then I ſaid very well a little before, (all the skill is to practiſe there after) As the Maſter hath much work about the childe, ſo hath he as much and more about himſelfe, and this lieth betwixt his owne heart, and God. I profeſſe heartily, I know not what wee can doe (no good ſure) unleſſe we have a continuall recourſe to heaven, and an influence thence.
No creature ſo hardly governed as man, ſo it was anciently concluded. I ſay alſo, it is the tendereſt work in the world, to deale with a childe. It is tender, man is naturally rough; the childe is like it ſelfe, ſlow, the man is quick; the childe is as weake as is imagined, very aukward to his buſineſſe; the mans paſſion is like himſelfe, ſtrong, and quickly breaks out at the mouth, and fingers end, and then he begins at the wrong end. So then, if we have not continall recourſe to heaven, we ſhall be out, and (as the expreſſion is very full) heavenly wide. We muſt then be much with God, that He may be ſtill with us, ſpecially then when we are ſetting upon inſtruction; for then we ſhall have matter for paſſion to work on; therefore we muſt remember our ſelves, ſo calming our ſpirits; for our work hath an influence not into the child only, but into the whole Comonwealth; great reaſon we ſhould importune an influence from heaven. So then we are at our concluſion ſtill; A good Schoole-maſter muſt be as a good Biſhop, (I am ſo charitable, that I do not think there is a bad Biſhop in the world, for I mean really, and allow the name heartily; and doe beleeve verily, there are degrees amongſt men, as amongſt Angels; elſe where order ſhould bee, there confuſion will be; and I know this as wel as any thing elſe, That he is but a man, like an earthe veſſel, frail, &c. weak) as a Biſhop, who overſees himſelfe, there is the chiefe work, next his own houſe, then Gods houſe; and then he muſt be as his Predeceſſors have been, a man of another world, having his converſation in heaven: ſuch a one a good Schoole-maſter muſt be, (how ever they ſtand in the circumference, they meet at this point) his converſation muſt bee in heaven, if he look to doe much good upon earth. Note the example of two famous men, excellent in their time, it is written for our example.
It is ſaid of Bradford, nay I think he ſpeaks it of himſelfe, you may take his record; He ſtudied for the moſt part on his knees. And it is an high expreſſion of Bernard Ochin aHedid not keep to his own rule, if it bee true which is written of him; (which we may queſtion,) which is, That he fell fion bis God, and ſpake of Him without a light: When the rule is, N…n loquendum de Deoſire Lumine., For one hours ſtudy, thou oughteſt to pray a thouſand. It is certain this, he hears moſt, he learns moſt, he teacheth moſt, that prayeth moſt. As it was ſaid of the good hearer, he heares praying, and prayes hearing; ſo it muſt be with the good Teacher too; he muſt pray teaching, and teach praying. He that prayeth moſt, teacheth moſt: Certainly, certainly, he muſt'oe often upon his knees, that will promote the childe in good: His converſation muſt be on high, that would carry the childe thitherward. And ſo I am at a Concluſion, which I ſinde made to my hand, and concludes Maſter and Learner, even both theſe, for here they muſt meet, or never meet in heaven. The Maſter muſt live well, and pray hard; his life muſt be pious, and his prayer devout, for this effects more, and makes better way, then all our diligence can. aPia vita et devola precot op'us poſſunt in ſtud…orum rat. one, qu im dilicentia Alſt. Ency. 1. 4. c. 14 Reg. 14.It is a concluſion of univerſall uſe, and experience: It ſhall ſet a period here.
Now we have gained our point; if we would keep within compaſſe, and order our converſation aright, we muſt with the Mariner bLact. 8. 6., fixe our eye in heaven, and walk humbly with God on earth; the onelyonly meanes to finde out a right way for us and our little ones; a way which tends ſtraight to life, not like that we live now, for it ſhall never run out to death.
FINIS.