Of the Childs Portion, Title page – Preface 1

Of the Childs Portion · Title page – Preface 1

OF THE CHILDS PORTION, viz: GOOD EDUCATION. By E. W.

OR, The Book of the Education of Youth, that hath for ſome yeers lain in obſcurity; but is now brought to light, for the help of Parents and Tutors, to whom it is recommended.

BY

Will: Goudge. D. D.

Edm: Calamy.

John Goodwin.

Joſeph Caryll.

Jer: Burroughs.

William Greenhill.

Pſal. 34. 11.

Deut. 12. 28.

Come ye children hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you for ever, when thou doſt that which is good, and right in the ſight of the Lord thy God.

Chryſoſt.

As our Seminaries or ſeed-plots are, ſuch are the Land and Nation: As the Parents, houſe and ſchool are, ſuch are the Town and City.

Printed at LONDON: and are to be ſold by Tho: Ʋnderhill at the ſigne of the Bible in Woodſtreet. 1649.

VVEE, whoſe names are underwritten, well acquainted with the ſcope and purpoſe of this Book, Tending to an orderly proceeding in a well-Timed Reformation of our ſelves firſt, and our children betimes, do give our atteſtation thereunto heartily, and in all faithfulneſſe.

Edm: Calamy.

John Goodwin

Joſeph Caryll.

Jer: Burroughes.

Will: Greenehill.

p. 1THE PREFACE, SHEWING the neceſsitie and worth of a vertuous education, and may ſerve as an introduction to Dutie.

OUr great Advancer of Learning, noteth an opinion of Ariſtotle, which is this; aaLib. 7. p. 375. In Engliſh Book 2. p. 263."That of thoſe things, which conſiſt by nature, nothing can be changed by cuſtome, uſing for example; That, if a ſtone be thrown up tenne thouſand-times, it will not learne to aſcend; and that by often ſeeing and hearing, we doe not ſee or heare the better.

That Noble Scholler noted this for a negligent opinion, ſo he cals it (I know not why, becauſe the Philoſopher doth inſtance in Peremptory nature) and p. 2he took pains to informe us touching the ſame; It is true, ſaith he, In things wherein nature is Peremptory; Man cannot make maſſie bodies to hang in the Aire like Meteors; he cannot make an Oxe to flye: That which is crooked, ſaith the wiſe man, bbEccleſ. 1. 15. foreign.Eccl 1:15man cannot make ſtraight. There is a Peremptory bent of nature, which man cannot turne, no more then he can turne back a Spring-tide, or a Ruſhing winde; This is a worke for Him, and peculiar to Him, Who turned I…rdan back; Who made the Iron Swimme; Makes the Clouds, thoſe maſſie bodies, to hang in the Aire, as if they had no weight; Who makes Mountaines Vallies, and rough things even; Raiſeth children of ſtones (ſtony hearts) and made dry Bones live. And the Parents worke, in this caſe, is to ſit ſtill (I meane not any ſlacking of their endeavour) that is, to goe into his cloſet, and ſpread this Peremptory bent of nature, he ſees in his Childe, or not ſubdued in himſelfe, as the King the Letter, before the Lord cc… King. 19. 14., and to ſay (it is Luthers Counſell) ddPoenitendum mihi praecipis, ſed talis ſum ego miſer, quod ſentio me nolle …eque poſſe; quare tuis proſtratus pedibus, &c. Concio de poentent. Anno Dom. 1518."Here is an Heart that cannot turn, that will not turne; turne it, Lord, it is Thy Worke, Thine onelyonly; Turne it, as Thou didſt the Rivers in the South. Thus where Nature is Peremptory; and what we are to do in that caſe: Nothing, but look up to Him, Who cauſed the Sunne to goe back, and ſo the ſhadow in the Diall.

"But it is otherwiſe in things wherein nature admitteth a latitude; for we may ſee that a ſtraight glove will come more eaſily on with uſe; And that a wand will, by uſe, bend otherwiſe p. 3then it grew; and by uſe of the voice, we ſpeak lowder and ſtronger; and that by uſe of induring heate and cold, we indure it the better eeSee a Treatiſe of Vſe and Cuſtome. p. 26. and 39. and 69.. And here in the God of Nature (Who onelyonly can change Nature, and ſupply, what man caſt away, and is wanting) would have Man active and ſtirring, and admits him as a fellow-worker with Himſelfe.

By this I would gaine but thus much; That I might evince the neceſſitie of a vertuous education, and inhance the worth of the ſame; I meane, that we might ſet a price upon it, and no ordinary one neither. It were an eaſie taske here to enter into a common place, and to give a Laudative hereof, which would fill the margent and the lines. Sufficeth it to know, firſt, ffReade Hiſt. of the World, firſt Book, 4. Chap. Sect. 11. p. 14. Quint. de claris Ora…. Iſocrat. Areopag. 217. in ſol.That Nothing (after Gods reſerved power) doth ſo much ſet things in or out of Square and Rule, as education doth. Secondly; That we have no other means to recover our ſickly and craſie nature (I know my words are too ſhort, but I mean not in things that are high, concerning God, for in them ſhe is not ſick but dead) no other meanes to pull it out of the Rubbiſh of Adams and of our own Ruins, and to ſmooth over the face of it againe, beautifying the ſame and making it comely; no other means, I ſay, left us then to apply the Georgicks ggp. 236.of the minde; (as that Noble Scholler Phraſeth it) he means the huſbandry and Tillage thereof. The effects we ſee in the husbanding our grounds: and they are great and admirable. The good Tillage of the minde produceth as great effects, and concerneth man p. 4more, as he thinks himſelfe of more worth then a clod of earth. It hath ſuch a forcible operation, as hardly any length of time or contention of labour can countervaile it afterwards: we remember the old ſaying, the truth whereof is more ancient, then is the verſe:

Ingenuas didiciſſe fideliter artes, &c.

This Culture and manurance of the minde, taketh away the wildneſſe and barbariſme, and fierceneſſe of mens mindes; it ſubdueth ſavage and unreclaimed deſires; But then, as the great Scholler noteth alſo, The accent had need be upon fideliter hhp 82,; that is, The Culture and manurance of the minde muſt not be ſuperficiall: We deale not ſo with our ground; but it muſt be laboured in faithfully, heartily, cōtinually; ſo the husbandman doth in his ground; it findes him work all the yeer long. And he doth his work throughly; he doth not plant here a ſpot, and there a plat of ground; but he tils the ground all over, that what he can, and as the nature of the ground is capable, he may make all fruitfull. And ſo we muſt intend this buſineſſe, as we would that thing, which concerns the Parent and the Childe, more then anything in the world beſides; yea, more then a World is worth; Being confident of this; "That all things by labour and induſtry may be made better then Nature produced them; And that God ſo ordained it, That the induſtry of man ſhould concurre in all things with the Works of Nature, both for the bringing of them to their perfection, and for the keeping of them therein, being brought unto it iiSee D^r. Hack. Apol. lib. 2. cap. 9. Sect. 3. p. 143..

p. 5Having now concluded the worth of a vertuous education, and the neceſſitie of the ſame; it followes, That my own practiſe be ſomewhat anſwerable to the Rule: Therefore have I penned mine own Duty, with mine own hands; which may ſerve for a parent at large, to direct and teach him, his.

This I have digeſted into two parts, each entire of themſelves; but yet as different in the ſubject matter, and manner of handling, as is the ſubject I would informe: In the firſt part, a Childe in its minoritie and younger yeers; the ſecond, a Childe growne up: Both the one and the other, the ſubject of a Parents care, and charge, which in the firſt part is largely treated on with the manner or way, how he may diſcharge the ſame: The way is, to make the Childe know himſelfe, then to know that, which may be known of God kkRom 119. foreign., which is manifeſt: for God hath ſhewed it unto him, by that he ſees and feeles of Him, ſo haply he may feele after Him, and finde Him llActs 17. 27.Acts 17:27.

This then is my ſubject now, even The good culture of the Childe; an old Theame, whereto little that is new can be added either for forme or matter: Yet becauſe it is a work daily repeated and of Infinite concernment to the Childe; And being a parent myſelfe, I obtained of my ſelfe (naturally very indiſpoſed to my pen) to ſet downe out of ſome continued experience and ſome converſation with Children, and Books concerning that Theame, what I thought pertinent to that buſineſſe; The furthering and improving that great worke.

p. 6What now remaines as an introduction thereto, I branch under theſe heads. 1Firſt, making this my ſcope, (the good Culture of the Childe) and being to note ſome wants and Deficiencies therein, I ſhall firſt, briefly obſerve ſuch defects as my riper yeers have diſcerned in my own education, the trayning up my younger yeers, which may be of ſome uſe to others for prevention. 2Secondly, I ſhall note a naturall defect, which troubled me very much; For I thought it the greateſt croſſe in the world, but it proved no ſmall benefit. And this I muſt not paſſe over; becauſe it will be of large uſe both to the Parent and the Childe; a good introduction to Duty unto both. 3Laſtly, I ſhall ſet downe what perſwaded me to put my hand to this work; and that will be of force to engage every Parent upon the ſame bounden Duty and ſervice.

Firſt then, (for ſo I make way unto it with ſome digreſſion) I had naturally Linguam impeditam, a ſtammering tonge: my Mother, who could love her Childe, and yet be wiſe (two things, they ſay, incompatible mmNon conceditur ſimulamare & ſa…ere., but ſhe could do both, as all knew that knew her) was tender of me, and the more tender, the more my imperfection was. And ſuch diſcretion ſhe uſed in that caſe, as indeed ſhe did in all points touching her Children; A true Eunice, though having five ſonnes, She had not one Timothy; for inſtructions and prayers both, are too ſhort for that worke; Such diſcretion, I ſay, ſhe uſed towards me, that, had I found the ſame under thoſe hands, whereto I was committed, I perſwade my ſelfe I had every way thrived better then I did, p. 7and in point of pronunciation (a chiefe point in a Scholler) I had not found ſo great diſcouragement, as afterward I did.

I mention my Mother here, not my Father, becauſe that Stay and Staff, the Lord took away from her head, & our Tabernacle in a needfull time, when I was little more then a yeer old, the youngeſt of nine, but one was not, and another there was, newly laide in the cradle: A ſad ſtroke, and as ſad a widow, A Widow indeed nnforeign. 1 Tim. 5. 5. and verſ. 3.1 Tim 5:5; and that ſufficeth for her honour. Then her charge was double, She was Father and Mother both, and ſo ſhe diſcharged both parts, as that thereby ſhe had double honour. No Children in that Countrey, of what ranke ſoever, did owe more to a Mother for her precepts, her prayers and her Practiſe, then we did (it is our engagement,) and no parent expected, and had a more honourable obſervance from her Children, then She had. Mothers may hold their Authoritie and maintaine the ſame, ſay what they will to the contrary; It is their fault, if they doe not maintaine their Right, and it will be their ſorrow. She lived to ſee her Childrens Children, and a greater bleſſing then that too, Peace upon Iſrael, peace and truth all her dayes; And when her Day came, even her appointed Day, then was ſhe taken away from ſeeing the evill to come; She died as She lived (I mention but the practice of her widowhood) like Iacob, bleſſing her children; ſo ſhe fell aſleepe, and was brought to the grave, that ſilent place, like a Sheafe of wheat to the barne, as full of graces, as of yeers.

p. 8I have digreſſed a little here, but I could not remember a Mother, and ſuch a Mother, barely ſo and no more.

1From under her genttle and wiſe government I was put to Schoole, to one of the beſt note in all that Countrey; I ſhall point to the wants there, which my riper yeers have noted in my education then, for ſo our Learned Interpreter, Iunius, hath done before me.

I ſpent ſixe yeers and an halfe in the Grammer Schoole, trained up according to the bad faſhion (for we ſay, as ooPravo noſtri aevi more. Cent. Miſc. Epiſt. 87. p. 494.Lipſius ſaith) of moſt Teachers, then and now. The underſtanding of a Childe is left to its owne information; (which will belong firſt) and its memory is firſt dealt with, and Tasked; a burden though not ſo felt ppNeque ulla aelas minus ſatigatur. Q…intil. 1. cap. 12., yet a burden, and heavier then we would have to be impoſed upon our ſelves, for we will underſtand firſt, and then commit to Memorie, which is the order of Nature: for in true order and place, the Memory comes the laſt of three; The underſtanding ſhould be a leading hand to it, and the ſenſe to the underſtanding; and then the Memory hath its due place, and will doe its due office, when firſt the ſenſe and underſtanding have done theirs; ſuch a reciprocation, reflux or mutuall working there is betwixt them if they worke in order. It requires ſpeciall obſervation.

In all this time ſpent in Grammar (ſixe yeers is a great length in our ſpan) I know not which loſt me moſt time, feare or Play. I know I played away much of the time (for all the ſorrow) but, I know p. 9alſo, feare hindred me moſt, and caſt me fartheſt back. I remember the noble Knights words in his feigned Arcadia, "His qqpag. 11.minde, ſaith he, was fixed upon another devotion, ſo he minded the ſpeech no more then a Boy doth his leſſon, when he hath leave to play.

Feare works the ſame effect that play doth. If the Maſter be as ready to ſmite, as he is to ſpeake, (as too many ſuch there are) the Boyes minde is fixed upon another devotion, how he may ſave himſelfe; his eye is upon the rod or hand, and all his obſervation is how he may award the blow. As for other obſervations, which his leſſon would yeeld, they muſt ſtay a fitter ſeaſon for admittance, when the Maſter and Scholler both are better fitted and tuned, the one to give, the other to take inſtruction. And let him, whom it doth concerne, well conſider this: for it concerns him very much, and the Childe, whoſe good he would promote, as much and much more, whereof more in a fitter place, onelyonly this I adde here.

A Boy will finde out many ſhifts; it is the Maſters wiſedome not to put the Childe to it, for it will ſhew its wit in nothing more, then to hurt it ſelfe; I know it, for I was witty enough that way, and ſo, amongſt other defects, I made my tongue the more imperfect, which may teach the Maſter now to deale tenderly and gently with the Childe upon point of inſtruction.

A Maſter muſt maintaine an awefulneſſe in the Childe, elſe little will be done; and he muſt be as carefull to ſuppreſſe feare, and the working of it, p. 10ſpecially then, when he would give inſtruction, elſe no good will be done; We may note what Wiſdome ſaith, certainly it holds true in ſo tender yeers; feare rrWiſd. 17. 12.Wis 17:12betrayeth the ſuccours, which reaſon offereth. If the Childe deſerve to ſmart, let it ſmart afterwards when the leſſon is done; And then neither will it be Diſcipline ſſRectè vocatur caſtigatio diſciplina quâ delinquens una dolet & diſcit. Bright Rev. 3. 19.Rev 3:19, unleſſe as it ſmarts from the rod, ſo it learnes by it alſo. Hence Teachers may learne a principall leſſon, in due obſervation whereof they may helpe many defects, as, in the neglect of the ſame, they may cauſe not a few, and ſuch, perhaps, as after time cannot helpe nor redreſſe. And ſo I have obſerved two maine defects in the Grammar Schoole, one in point of Inſtruction, the other in point of Correction. I will obſerve no more, for preſent, there (for it will fall in my way againe in a fitter place) but that from thence I was ſent to the Vniverſitie ſoon enough and raw enough: So my Maſter adviſed, and then my Mother was perſwaded, for he was counted an Oracle. It remembers me how Iunius his Grandfather did ſometimes indorſe his letter to his ſonne, who, he thought, at that time, might have ſpent his time to better purpoſe; To ttDionyſio dilecto filio miſſo ad ſtudendum, pro eo, quod alii vulgò inſcribunt ſtudenti. Vita Junii praefix. Oper. Theol.Dioniſius my beloved ſonne ſent to ſtudy. And to ſtudy I was ſent alſo, as a means tending to a farther end, which failed, and though little I did, yet I ſate at it; what awed me ſo (for there was a providence in it) I ſhall tell anon. And ſuch was the good providence alſo, I was diſpoſed to a Tutor, the ableſt amongſt many, and moſt conſcientious of his duty, and as skilfull to teach his Schollers theirs. Touching ſome Tutors, p. 11and their proceeding with their Pupils then and now (if according to the old and moſt ordinary faſhion) as I think it not a patterne for imitation, ſo I know it to be above my Cenſure.

I ſhall note a Defect which I may be bold to cenſure; A fundamentall one it is, yet not ſo properly mine, as that it is not common to the moſt, now, as it was then, ſent to the Colledge as I was, before I was fitted. There we ſhall finde helps from other Arts which will give Forme to Matter; But if we want Matter, what ſhould we do with our Forme?

I was put to Logick and Rhetorick before I was prepared or fitted for either. "Thoſe grave Sciences, (as the Noble Scholler uu2 Book. 99. lat. pag. 75.ſaith) the one for judgement, the other for ornament, doe ſuppoſe the Learner ripe for both; elſe it is, as if one ſhould learne to weigh, or meaſure, or to paint the winde. Thoſe Arts are the rules and Directions how to ſet forth and diſpoſe Matter: And if the minde be empty and unfraught thereof; if it hath not gathered that, which Cicero calleth Sylva & ſupellex, ſtuffe and variety to begin with thoſe Arts, it doth work but this effect; That the wiſdome of thoſe Arts, which is great and Univerſall, will be made almoſt contemptible, and degenerate into Childiſh Sophiſtry. So ſaid that noble Scholler, who hath not a word too light.

But empty, and unfraught though I was, yet to theſe Arts I was put, and my benefit there-from was anſwerable; ſo little, as that I ſhall never recover p. 12thoſe Defects. For Defects, which grow up with us in youth, are as hardly amended in after time, as the errour in the firſt concoction is corrected in the Second. And yet, if I ſhould ſay, that many were then, and now are, ſent to the Univerſitie more empty and unfraught then I was, I ſhould ſay but the truth.

I did not caſt away my howers there, though for want of good order and method in my ſtudies, I ſpent not my time there to much purpoſe. I fleetedRead the L. Cokes adviſe before his ſecond part of Reports, which he borrows (part of it) out of Sen. ep. 108. and flutter'd from book to book, variouſly taſting off many, but digeſting none; ſome rude notions I had of the Arts; but was not acquainted at all with the bodies of Diſciplines. I gathered ſome ends together, ſo as that my collections that way, and proviſion of learning was (as our Advancer xxpag. 222.compareth it) like a Frippers or Brokers ſhop, that hath ends of every thing, but nothing of worth. I have noted this alſo as my owne Deficiency, for ſo it was; more there are, who proceed as inorderly as I did, and that they may be better adviſed and directed, I have noted it; A defect they ſhall finde it, and no ordinary one.

The next defect I ſhall note, (for there is uſe in it alſo) is this; I loſt the fruit of diſputation quite; The benefit whereof is no little to a Boy, if he be not (through the default of the Moderator) a right Sophiſter, contending about Goats haire, which is Childiſh Sophiſtry, a vaine jangling about nothing; and of nothing comes nothing: or if they contend not with blows, and bad language, I mean, as once it was, with hard iron, inſtead of ſolid arguments. p. 13Let the folly and abuſes hereof be prevented by the wiſe over-ſight of the Governours, ſo ſhall the diſpute be wiſely carried, and then, aſſuredly much▪ Advantage ſhall accrew thereby, both to them that diſpute, and them that heare. I durſt not put my ſelfe forth therein, for then my tongue was very imperfect, when I was not ready, in what I was to ſpeak, as in Diſputations I could not be: but in other exerciſes, Declamations, and the like, I was beſt, becauſe moſt exerciſed therein, and thoſe I had ſo perfect, that I could ſee my ſelfe ſpeake.

Another defect there was, and deſerveth Cenſure; I charged my paper book with many notes, my memory with few, or none at all; & had I gone on ſo, The Scholler had loſt, if not quite his Treaſurer; yet he had put it out of office; "The moſt faithfull Servant in the world, if it be called to an account conſtantly, if not, the very worſt, a very Slug aaNihil aequ… vel a…getur cur…, vel negligent… intercidit. Quintil. l. 11. cap. 2.. Let there be a Recognition of what we heare or reade, a chewing of it againe (for, as conference with others is the life of ſtudie; ſo meditation is the life of reading) then we may book it (we may and muſt take ſome briefe heads of it at firſt bbCertiſſimum eſt quod in librum refertur, …ideliſſ… mum ad…utorem memoriae, cum id quod ſola recordati…ne nitatur, facile poſſ… d… turni…ate temporis, vel penit…s extingui, vel ſaltem conumpi. Bright in Revel. cap 5. I allow not of thoſe who make memory their ſlore-houſe, for at their greateſt need, they ſhall want of their ſtore. L. Coke. …p. 1. before his firſt part.Rev 5) but charge the memory rather then the book, Call it to an account; ſo may a man prove as famous for memory as our Iewell ccRead his life.was, who had the Art indeed; or if not ſo, (for that was extraordinary and there is a different ſtrength of memory, as of other faculties not in all alike) yet this recalling of things and charging of memory, ſo as it p. 14may be par oneri not overcharged, will prove a ſure Art, and moſt uſefull ddSi quis unam maximamque a me artem memoriae quaerat, exercitatio eſt, & labor, Quintil. ibid..

I could give here a full Tale of my Defects, for I know many, and I could cenſure them too, none better; but I ſhall reſerve them for a fitter time and place; theſe are fitteſt for publike, and ſerve beſt to correct others: for from theſe I had moſt diſadvantage, as others ſhall finde alſo, though yet they diſcerne it as little, as once I did.

Another defect I had, nay I have, and that wasII. naturall, as hath been ſaid; It deſerves pardon from all but my ſelfe, but I muſt not pardon my ſelfe; becauſe I troubled and diſquieted my ſelfe moſt about that, which I finde now did work unto me the moſt good; therefore I ſhall ſtay a little upon it, and then give ſome leſſons from thence which may teach others very much, the onelyonly reaſon why I could not paſſe it over.

I muſt ſpeake it, becauſe I conceive there is much uſe of it: I diſquieted my ſelfe about my imperfection in ſpeech very much, ſo much, as more cannot well be imagined; and all that, But a diſquieting in vaine. But yet this good was in it; The Sowre yeelded me this Sweet: It kept me cloſe within, when others were without, perhaps merrier, but not ſo well imployed. It made me look up the oftner unto Him (for I ſaw I had need of Him) Who made mans Mouth eeExod. 4. 11.Exod 4:11, the Dumbe and Deafe, &c. The very thought of my Infirmitie kept me low, every way low, in my thoughts alſo; it kept me from aſpiring, and it was well ſo, elſe I p. 15had been perking too high; I had ſtretched ffforeign. 2 Cor. 10. 14.2 Cor 10:14and tentered my ſelfe beyond my Scantling and proportion. Aſſuredly, I could not have wanted this defect; but it was long before I thought ſo, long before I could caſt Anchor upwards; I had firſt tempted God ten times, ſaying, Can God provide in ſuch a wilderneſſe? I almoſt ſunck down under that thought, ſo heavie it was: for thus I thought.

I was now a Scholler, intended for one; Sixe yeers and more were ſpent in the Colledge; my ſpeech little mended: I muſt bend to ſome courſe; I muſt not be as one that follows crows ggAn paſſim ſequ…ris Corvos … vita ſine propoſit… l…nquida & vaga eſt. Ignor▪ …ti quem portam petat nullus ſecund…s eſt ven…us.with a potgun, or that ſhoots at Rovers; I muſt tend to ſome marke: What may that be? A Divine, Lawyer, or Phyſician? I was deſigned for the firſt, but too ſoon, as others are, that was the great error. A Lawyer? his knowledge is moſt excellent, I ſpeak of humane; and a right true Lawyer is a right honeſt man, as a great Sage hhL. Coke ſecond epiſt.of the law Reports it, and he hath good law & reaſon for it both. But a Lawyer ſells his iiCauſidicus vendere verba ſel…t. Ow…n. pag. 15. l. 22.words, and they are his currant money; I knew mine could finde no quick market. I was fitter for the laſt of the three, for a ſick man likes a ſilent Phyſician, who hath skill to cure him, not words to weary him; he is in paine, words put him to more paine. The truth is, I could thinke upon no courſe, but either to digge or to begge, ſo I reſolved on that, which had moſt labour and leaſt ſhame, to labour with my hands; but that ſhould be in a ſtrange land; and thither I went twice, wherein, though I laboured not with the hand, yet I was fed. All this while, God took a gracious way p. 16with me, if I could have ſeen it: even to make me nothing, and to make me know it; but that is a mighty work for an Almighty hand; and I was framing to it, for I looked upon my ſelfe, as upon the moſt helpleſſe fellow in the world. My Tongue, I thought, was as the Rudder to the Ship, which muſt bring in and carry out all my Commodities, and that was broken. So I lay like a Ship, that had neither Winde nor Tyde; Sedit dum metuat ne non ſuccedat. I ſate ſtill, becauſe I thought it to no purpoſe to goe forward. How much of my precious ſand runne out, while my thoughts were troubled about nothing, or that, which was quite out of my reach! how was I toſſed, like a Ship, in a Storme of my own raiſing! and (as Seneca ſaith) though toſſed much, I ſailed nothing: my feare of ſucceſſe was the Remora, and hinderance to ſtay and ſlugge the Ship from further ſailing: it was the great Arreſt and prejudice of further progreſſe or diſcovery. So while I was ſeeking my ſelfe (the great ſinne of the World, ſelfe-ſeeking) I loſt my ſelfe; and when I would guide my own ſteps, I fell into a Maze, whence I could finde no iſſue; and for proviſion I thought it unpoſſible, when I thought on my Wilderneſſe, and I could not but thinke of it, for in a wilderneſſe I was.

While I was thus moyling, and troubling my ſelfe about Gods Charge (ſo it was) how I ſhould be fed to morrow, and clothed to morrow, that had ſufficient for the day; The Lord beheld the wrigling of the worme, and forbare to cruſh it, notwithſtanding my intermedling with His charge p. 17(which is to keep and feed his people) and the neglect of my owne, which is to give all faithfull diligence; And ſo, as in Pauls paſſage, He brake the Ship, yet brought ſafe to land; He croſſed my friends deſignes, and daſhed all our projects, and placed me in ſuch a calling, and in that place, which was leaſt thought of. And in all this, there was nothing but Grace and goodneſſe; A gracious hand, a good providence, and now I can track it.

That very inſtrument hath brought in a competency, which I thought impoſſible to be; And in ſuch a place hath God pro…ded for me, that is of the beſt note; whereas, if I could have found the way, I would have crept into a mouſe-hole.

That is a happy Infirmitie, which makes a man ſtick and cleave to God; that depreſſeth man, no matter how low, ſo it advanceth God: An happie weakneſſe that makes the creature leane, cling, and rowle it ſelfe upon Him, in Whom is everlaſting ſtrength. There cannot be ſo much want in Man, as there is helpe in God; and helpe He will, if we can depend and waite upon him; And in the concluſion we ſhall ſee and ſay, He hath done all things well kkMark 7. 37. When we know the power and wiſedome of our Phyſician, we doubt not of his preſcriptions. foreign, &c. Chryſ. in Gen. Cap. 17. Hom. 40. ….Mark 7:37. We may reade an obſervable anſwer, from a grieved mother, to the demand of a Prophet: It went very ill with her (ſo to ſenſe,) and with her husband too, for God had taken away their deare and onelyonly childe, his breath was newly departed, and then the father and mother both were ſadded to the heart, we may be ſure. And yet when the queſtion was, is it well with thee? with thy husband? with thy childe? She anſwered, p. 18it is well ll2 King. 4. 26.2 Kgs 4:26: Well indeed, which God doth; For as He made all things very good at the firſt; ſo what He doth is very good ſtill. And therefore, though it be not well (to ſenſe) neither with the Father, nor with the Mother, nor with the Childe, yet (to Faith) it is well, for God hath done it, and he doth all things well: And if parents and children can waite in ſilence and expect with patience, they ſhall ſay, it is very well, and now they ſhall ſay as the Mother ſaid, it ſhall be well. I ſpeake not this, as ifverſe 23. ſo I had done, ſo depended, ſo waited; it is myforeign, &c. Abimelech ſaid well to Iſaac, Thou art much mightier then we, he was indeed, and needs he muſt be ſo, for an Almighty Hand went along with Iſaac, hand in hand, in all things, in all places. Nothing is of more power then he is, who is aſſiſted from above: as Nothing is weaker then is he who is forſaken of that Almighty helpe: Chryſoſt. in Gen. 26. 16. Hom. 52. Cant. 8. 5.Gen 26:16Song 8:5 ſhame, that I have p…ofited ſo little by ſo fit a correction. But therefore I ſpeake it, that we may learne under any affliction whatſoever, To waite without wearineſſe; And the more weary and weake we are, the faſter to cling to The Almighty: For weakneſſe with ſuch a ſupport, ſhall doe and ſuffer great things, things beyond expreſſion or imagination…: Of ſuch conſequence it is; To be Nothing in our ſelves, All in God; To feele our owne weakneſſe, and in ſenſe thereof to leane the more ſtrongly upon the Beloved. The inſtructions, I would give from hence, ſeaſonable for a parent, and as uſefull for a Childe, are theſe; Firſt, Let the parent give the Childe his breeding; what ever imperfection lyeth upon it, yet let the Childe be taught, what it is any way Capable of. Capable, will the Parent ſay, what can a poore weake ſtammering child be taught, or what can he doe with his teaching? This is the common Accent, which Parents put upon their childrens defects; The childe is wanting, the parent will make him more p. 19wanting; and he will buſie, and vexe himſelfe about Gods charge; and in the meane time neglect his owne. Let the Parent doe the work of the day upon the day, and leave the morrow to God; And let him doe it cheerefully and in hope. Camerarius mmcap. 37.tels of one, who did write with his feete very exactly, and made his Pen without his hands, for he had no Armes. He tels us alſo, in the ſame Chapter, of two, a brother and a ſiſter, both deafe and dumbe, but ſtrange things of both: They could heare with their eyes, and ſpeake with their hands: So ſolicitous (ſaith my Authour nnAdeo Natura, veluti fidelis mater, ▪compenſando ſolicita, &c. quod enim in aliquibus ſenſibus adimit, in aliis reſtituit. Ibid.) Nature is to recompence and make up what is wanting, reſtoring that to one ſenſe, which it took away from the other: And we know many, who have learned without their eyes, and have proved no ordinary Proficients, not in the Arts onelyonly, but in the tongues alſo, wherein the leaſt jot or tittle muſt be taken notice of. The eare is that great Inſtrument of knowledge. A Parent knows not, whither that qualitie, which is eaſily taught, may bring the Childe: Davids Harpe ſet him before his King; And we know of what uſe ordinary qualities have beene to great Schollars, they have ſupplied their neceſſities, when the Book could not: So Ramus tels us, ſo Alſted. I have heard a Parent ſay upon obſervation of ſome defects in his Childe (whereof many times the Parent is the worſt judge) that his Childe is fit for nothing; for nothing? "Then make him a Parſon or a Vicar, he is not ſo wāting, but you may make him either the one or both. This was the old conceit, and I doubt it is not old p. 20enough to die. But we muſt be ſerious, ſpeaking the words of truth and ſobrietie. If the Childe be ſo deficient, as the Parent thinks him, fit for nothing, then the rather give him Inſtruction; Certainly that will make it good for ſomething. If the Childe be not monſtrouſly deficient, and Gods Image doubly defaced in it (whereat, and in which glaſſe, the Parent may behold himſelfe, and be greatly humbled at the ſight) ſome inſtruction may fit its capacitie, and fit it for ſome imployment in afterwards. I know well there are ſome, whom nature and parts have fixed in a lower Sphere, as uncapable of riſing higher, or being greater, as the earth is of becoming a Star in Heaven. But ooNemo reperitur qui ſit ſtudio nihil conſe…utus. Quint. 1. 1.yet, where a Parent ſees all this wanting, he muſt not be ſo farre wanting to the Childe, that he ſuffers Breeding to be wanting to it alſo: For if ſo, this will fall out; That the Childe, who could not, for the lowneſſe of Parts, be framed to doe much good ſervice, will frame it ſelfe to doe none at all, but the contrary, much hurt; as we ſee in experience. Suppoſe then, for ſo we may, that a Childe be framed by nature, and for Parts but to drive the Cart, or hold the Plough ppNatura ſervus ad ſlivam natus.; why yet if he be fit for either of theſe two imployments, (Servill we call them) before he had ſtrength for that labour, in that emptie ſpace of Time before (for ſo the Parent makes it) which lyeth betwixt 6. yeers and 13. which runs forth like water, whereof is no uſe, to waſte, the Childe might have been fitted, by good culture and Tillage, to have known the nature of the worke he ſhould afterwards p. 21be ſet about, which yeelds many excellent inſtructions, no profeſſion more then Husbandry doth, this working in the Earth; It is an ancient, & it was an honourable qqPlin nat. Hiſt. lib. 18. 3. D^r. Hack. Apol. B. 3. ſect. 3.profeſſion alſo; (though now Cooks are in more eſteeme rrforeign. Clem. Alex. poed. 2. 1 p. 106.) and the Lord condeſcended to the capacitie of none more, then to the capacitie of the Husbandmen, which ſets much upon their ſcore; But for want, not of nature, or parts, but of this culture ſſManifeſtum eſt non naturam, ſed curam de…eciſſe. Q…int. 1. 1.of the minde, which ſhould fill up the empty ſpace of time before mentioned, and the minde too, your Husbandmen, many, or the moſt of them, underſtand no more concerning the leſſons, which the holding of the Plough, the tearing up of the ground, the caſting in of the ſeed, the dying in the earth, the growing of the ſame, the cutting, the gathering, the houſing and threſhing thereof; no more doe they underſtand of all theſe things, or of the leſſons there-from, then their Oxe or Horſe doth, whom they follow. And all this, for want of this culture of the minde, the ſeaſon being neglected, becauſe the Childe was deſigned for the field. For my part had I a Childe to deſigne thither, to the Plough I meane, or to the Sea, or to ſome leſſe ſtirring trade (in all theſe caſes or courſes of life, learning is neglected, as a thing of no uſe) I ſhould as faithfully (for it were my duty) beſtow upon him the culture and manurance of his minde firſt, and as readily I ſhould doe it, and I ſhould thinke to very good ends, as another Parent would doe, that had deſigned his to the Colledge.

The purpoſe then I tend unto, and that I would p. 22conclude from hence, is, but this, What ever is wanting to the Childe, Let not education or inſtruction be Wanting ttforeign, &c. Clem. Alex. ſho. 1. p. 209. Children, who have beene no way apt by Nature, have beene made Apt by education. And they who have been very Apt by Nature, to good, have proved very bad, by neglect and careleſnes. Tranſlated out of the ſame Author, the following page. 210.. Fill up this emptie ſpace, which commonly Parents make ſo, with ſome ſeaſonable inſtructions: And the more unfit and unapt the Child is, the more the Parents care and paines muſt be. Nor muſt the Parent be hartleſſe in the buſineſſe, but, as the Husbandman, (their work is like, ſometime they meete with hard and ſtony places, which by good culture they make fruitfull) he muſt labour in hope. And how unſerviceable ſoever the Childe ſeeme to be, yet He, that had need of an Aſſe, can make uſe of him; whereto, though the Parent cannot deſigne him, yet his Lord can. I remember that Noble Schollar Morneus tels us, That his Maide, would ſweepe out of his ſtudy, and into the Duſt-basket, ſuch little pieces, as he could make very good uſe of, and could not ſpare; ſo by his appointment, in She brought them againe; wherein he taught both the Maide and us not to deſpiſe Small things: there may be, for ought we know, a bleſſing in them; nor neglect the pooreſt, weakeſt creatures; What know we, what the Great God intends them for. Let the Parent doe his Duty: He ſhall finde great ſatisfaction therein, in giving his utmoſt care and paines. A Pilot (ſaith Quintil.) hath a ſatisfying plea, though his ſhip miſcarry, that he was watchfull at the Sterne, and imployed his beſt care and skill there: If Parts be wanting and Grace too (a Commoditie the Parent cannot ſtow in the Childe, yet he muſt be lading it as he can) yet the Parent p. 23hath this comfort, in caſe of miſcarriage, That he he hath ſteered his courſe according to the Rules of Right Reaſon, and by the Compaſſe of Gods Word.

2In caſe of defects and wants in the Childe; we muſt learne ſubmiſſion to Him that made it ſo: We muſt not ſtrive with our Maker. Let the Potſheard ſtrive with the Potſheards of the earth. What weakneſſe or imperfection there is, we muſt think it good, becauſe the Lord ſees it beſt. As we muſt not queſtion His power, no not in a wilderneſſe, ſo not His worke, becauſe, if it be deformed, ſinne hath done it. The work muſt not ſay to the workman, why haſt thou made me ſo? God made us well, we unmade our ſelves. Sinne cauſeth this double decay of Gods Image, on us.

We may note this with it; That a good man may have a bad houſe, yet the man never the worſe: And a good wit, and a good minde both (though it is none of the beſt ſignes Natura …ibi peccat in …no, perich…atur in ….) may have a bad dwelling: And if ſo, we muſt comfort our ſelves in this; That God can ſupply the want of eyes, hands, feet; He can give ſome inward ſpeciall gift, which will countervaile that want, what ever it be: The want of the outward▪ eye ſhall intend the minde, perhaps further the inward and more noble light; and ſo in the reſt. It may be alſo, if thoſe had beene open, they had been guides to much evill, and the hands as active that way, and the feete as ſwift, which now are maimed or imperfect.

And as we muſt learne to ſubmit unto Him, not p. 24queſtioning His worke; ſo alſo to depend upon Him, not queſtioning His power; no, not in a wilderneſſe. An happy weakneſſe, as before was ſaid, that puts us off from our owne bottome, and rooteth us on God, Who can provide there and then, when man is at a ſtand. The leſſe likelyhood in the creature, the greater ſhould be the creatures truſt. The Lord many times croſſeth the ſtreame and courſe of meanes, to ſhew his own Soveraignty, and to exerciſe our dependance. He ſetteth aſide more likely and able meanes, and bleſſeth weake meanes to great purpoſe. Things or inſtruments, by which God will worke, may have very meane appearance, as worthleſſe they may be in ſhew, as a dry yyExod. 7. 17.Exod 7:17ſtick, an Oxes zzJudg. 15 16.Judg 15:16goad, or the jaw-bone aaJudg. 3. 31.Judg 3:31of an Aſſe, yet of ſingular efficacy, when God will be pleaſed to work by them, Who (as one ſaith bbMaxima è minimis ſuſpendens. Adv. 132. & 112.) doth hang the greateſt weights upon the ſmalleſt wyars: which may teach us a patient ſubmiſſion unto Him, and a quiet dependance on Him. The ſumme is, and our leſſon; If the Childe have great parts (ſignes thereof there may be) be greatly thankfull; but boaſt not of thy ſelfe, nor Childe, as many doe (a commoditie quickly changed, as a forward Spring is quickly blaſted.) If the Childe have weake parts, be thankfull too, and reſt content; Crave wiſdome the rather to improve them, to make them ſtronger, as too few doe; but ſo we ſhould doe, and it is all we can doe, when we have ſpread our ſelves and our Childe, as the King the letter, before the Lord.

3. The Parent muſt forbeare, and forbid all reproachfull p. 25ſcorning words; they are too ordinary from Maſters, ſervants and others, yea and from Parents too, in caſe the Childe have any noted imperfection, or uncomelineſſe. There muſt be great care taken here. Vilifying words hurt much and ſad the ſpirits. As we are taught touching the Parts of our body, ſo touching our Childe (I ſuppoſe it to be infirme and defective) The more deformitie and uncomelineſſe it hath, the more weakneſſe of parts; the more honour and incouragement let it have; for, we ſhall finde the poore Childe apt to diſcouragement. A Parent muſt ſee to it alſo, that his weake Childe be not ſlighted, by his Brothers or Siſters, which is too ordinary. How deepe ſoever Children are in our affections, and one deeper then the other, yet is it a point of diſcretion to ballance ccNon debent fratres lancium inſtar, &c. Plut. defia…er: Amore.them outwardly, as even as poſſibly may be. One muſt not be like a ſcale, at the top, another at the bottome. He that is apt, nimble and ready, muſt not have all the encouragement, and he that is heavy and dull, none at all. Nay, a Parent muſt look to it that his weake Childe (ſo I ſuppoſe the caſe) hath in praiſe and commendation, above his merit and proportion; He muſt imploy him ſometimes and commend ddRegetur & laudetur: ſaepius vincere ſe putet. Quint. 1. 1.him too, in ſuch things, whereof, perhaps, the Childe cannot skill at all. "We muſt deale with our Children, as with our fingers (it is Plutarchs eeDe fiaterno Amore. p. 360.compariſon, and he ſaith, it makes much, for maintaining the bonds of love betwixt brethren) at writing, and at our muſicke, whether of voice or inſtrument; ſo likewiſe in other employments, we p. 26bring all five fingers. All doe helpe, and the very leaſt finger comes in with its grace, and hath its ſhare, as well as the formoſt, though it hath not the like ſtrength, nor can it adde much to the furthering the worke: Juſt ſo with Children; and then we have the ſcope of the ſimilitude, which tends but to this; That we uſe all gentleneſſe towards the weake Childe, and that we give it no diſcouragement, but praiſe and incouragement rather above its proportion. This is the third leſſon.

We have obſerved both from former and latter experiences; That Parents and Children both, are great troublers of themſelves, becauſe great projectours, and able well enough, they thinke, to guide their owne courſe. He that will tell his obſervation muſt ſay thus; That Parents doe ordinarily deſigne their Children, being yet young, (whereof more in a fitter place) one to this profeſſion, and another to that; The third and youngeſt (the weakeſt alſo both for Nature and parts) to the Miniſtry, as if it were as eaſie a matter to make the Childe a Miniſter (I ſpeake in the Parents Dialect) as to teach him the art of cobling ſhooes. But ſo he hath deſigned them, and accordingly projects for them, and ordinarily as croſſe, as he ordered his Dinner, who put his pottage into a Sieve, and his bread into a platter: not according to their nature and ingeny, which muſt be looked unto; but as the Parents purſe is, and the way towards preferment leadeth. The Childe alſo will be but little behinde the Parent, ſhort ſpirited and p. 27all for the preſent, He hath been drawing Maps of his deſires, and hath calculated his owne inclination, and ſees his fitneſſe for that condition of life, his Parent hath cut him out, and deſigned him unto: And if all things were as ready, as the Childe thinks himſelfe; if the place, whereof the Parent hath the Advo…ſion, were but vacant, that he might ſtep in, how well he could fit it, and diſcharge it alſo in his conceit? Such bubbles theſe young folke are, ſpecially if they have taſted of the Arts, and are put into good Clothes; then they think all things elſe are anſwerable to the vanity of their mindes, which fills them, and pleaſeth them, making them think of themſelves, above that which is meete; That they are ſome great ones ccAct. 8. 9.Acts 8:9.

This is the folly, which we may too ordinarily obſerve both in the Parent and the Childe, both imitating Children: For what elſe are theſe things which they have fained to themſelves, and drawne ſuch faire pleaſing Maps of, but like clay-caſtles, and Pies, which Children have ſet up now, and will downe anone? And yet about theſe follies, theſe windy ſpeculations, doth the Parent, perhaps the Childe too, pierce himſelfe with many dividing, diſtracting, cares; And all this ††foreign.diſquieting in vaine, is, becauſe they think, they are able to order their own ſteps, to cut their own courſe. Note we this then, for this is the leſſon. 44. He that ſits in the Heaven, and whoſe eyes runne through the earth, He it is, Who is the great Pilot, Who ſteers our courſe through the Sea of this World: And p. 28though we think leaſt of Him, becauſe we thinke our ſelves wiſe enough and Some-thing, yet when we have thought all we can think, and wearied our ſelves out with thoughts, and tumbled about the hatches, yet our courſe muſt be, as He, that ſits at the Sterne, will have it. And aſſuredly they that can look up to that Hand (not ſlacking their endeavours, nor letting their hands hang down ddDeſcriptio hominis inertis & animum deſpondentis. Jun. Heb. 12. 12. If we can be patient, God will be profitable: but the Times and meanes we muſt leave to Him, not chalenge to our ſelues. Felth. Reſ. 60. p. 1…6.Heb 12:12) they, who can quietly reſigne themſelves to that all-diſpoſing eye, they ſhall at the end arrive, if not where they deſired, yet where they ſhall ſay is beſt for them. For He onelyonly knows His compaſſe, and will ſteere ſuch a courſe, as ſhall be beſt for the Parent, and Childe both, if they can expect, and waite the Lords time and Anſwer. And for the better ſtaying the Parent from making haſte, and perſwading with him to pluck downe theſe high and vaine thoughts, like Caſtles in the Aire without any foundation, wherewith he troubles and diſquieteth himſelfe in vaine, touching his Childe, Let him take theſe Directions, which are brought to my hand touching this point.

1. We, who are Parents, muſt take ſpeciall care about our Generall Calling, how we anſwer that great and honourable name, which is called upon us, ſo likewiſe for our Children. Thoughts heereof muſt buſie us: And herein we ſhould remember this rule; Chriſtianity is a matter rather of Grace then of Gifts; of Obedience then of Parts. Gifts, may come from a more common work of the ſpirit; and more for others then our ſelves: Grace comes from a peculiar favour of God, and ſpecially p. 29for our owne good. And ſo if the Parent direct the Childe alſo, he ſhall teach it a Trade, which is ſurer then houſe or Land.

2. For a particular Calling, we muſt be very wary, as in behalfe of our ſelves, ſo of our Children, That we walke not above the parts and Graces we ſee in them, for then we ſhall put them into another condition, then ever God ordained them for: The iſſue whereof will be diſcouragement in themſelves, and diſgrace from others. As a warranted Calling, warranted, I meane, by the Word of God (whereof in a fitter place) is no ſmall warrant for comfort: ſo the fitneſſe of our parts for this Calling, what ever it be, is the beſt warrant that any man hath, that he is Called thereunto. And he muſt remember, That no Calling is ſo▪ meane, but a man may finde enough to give account for: And meane though it be, yet faithfulneſſe will commend a perſon in the loweſt condition of life; And unfaithfulneſſe will poure contempt upon the height of Dignity, as a ſpewing upon that Glory. Our Maſter in Heaven, regards not how high a man is, but how faithfull he is eeGod hath given thy Brother a great gift, to thee a little one: He hath proportioned the work accordingly and ſo ſpares thee. Bleſſe His Name therefore, and be faithfull in thy little, ſo maiſt thou receive … great Reward. His great and thy little came out of the ſame Treaſu…y, and was diſpenſed by the▪ ſame Hand. Doe not call God to an account, why He gave thee little and thy Brother much: but labour thou to be accountable for thy Meaſure. Chryſoſt. 1 Cor. 12. Hom. 29.1 Cor 12.

The maine work then of a Parent with his Childe at this point, is, to take a right Scale and meaſure of his Childes parts, and ſo anſwerably to fit it with a fit Calling. The Parent muſt labour by all means to hide Pride from the Child, I meane, The Parent muſt beat it off from vaine-glory and ſelfe-conceit (young folke have the beſt opinion of themſelves, becauſe they diſcerne themſelves worſt) and to ſhake it off from ſloth, that Moth and p. 30Canker of our Parts. The one (Pride) will make the man and Childe both, to lay open their weakneſſes; The other (Sloth) will make them not to knowQui ſe neſcit, uti ſe neſcit. their ſtrength, or not to put it forth.

And let the Parent, having done his endeavour, comfort himſelfe with this, That how weake or unſerviceable ſoever his Childe ſeemes to be (if not doubly deformed) in reſpect of his parts; yet, there is no member, but it is fitted with ſome abilities to do ſome ſervice in the body, and by good nurture, and manurance, may grow up to a greater meaſure. And let him conſider this with it; That, as in the body naturall, the moſt exalted part, the Head, hath need of the loweſt, the foote: ſo there is not the greateſt perſon, but may have uſe, both of the parts and graces of the meaneſt in the Church. I ſay more, though I may not ſay, The head more needs the foote, then the foote the head: nor will I ſay, though ſo it is concluded ffforeign. Chryſoſt. 1 Cor. 13. Hom. 34. Ariſtop. foreign. Act. 2. Sc. 5.1 Cor 13Acts 2, That the poore man, who is as the foot, doth not ſo much need the Rich, who is as the head, as the rich man needs the poore man; for who needs more, or who leſſe, that is not the point: but one needs the other, that is certaine: Nay, one cannot be without the other. And this, that the poore man may not be too much caſt downe, nor the rich overmuch exalted, but that the one and the other may glorifie Him, that hath ſo diſpoſed them, ſo as in the body there ſhould be no lack.

But now in the laſt place, for maintenance for the Childe, how he ſhall live hereafter: The thoughts whereof ſo take up and tyre out the Parents p. 31thoughts, ſo ſtuffs his heart, and diſquiets his Reſt and peace: For this is the great enquiry, who will ſhew us any good? Where is this preferment to be had? How ſhall I make my Childe rich and high in the World? Where ſhall I finde a place where he may have great wages and little work? This is the great enquiry: All the Parents Travels hither and thither is but to make diſcovery of this point, where this fortunate Iland is, where is gold, and there he would land his Childe; and no other reaſon can he give of all his dangerous adventures, but this (and this carryeth him, and daſheth him upon rocks alſo) becauſe the gold of that Land is good. This is the ſore Travell and one of the great evils under the Sunne; And a folly it is exceeding that of the ſimpleſt Idiot in the World, for it is, as if the Parent ſhould lay out all his whole ſtock of wealth and wit, to purchaſe and furniſh a Chamber for his Childe, in a Through▪ fare, and provide it no houſe in the City, where it is for ever to dwell. I cannot take off this vaile of falſe opinion; But aſſuredly, if we would follow the counſell of the wiſe, we might ſhorten our ſore Travell at this point, and make our way to Comfort more compendious. The Counſell is this; "Our ggWhat madneſſe is it to ſpend all our labour to poſſeſſe our ſelves of the Ciſ…erne, when the fountaine is offered unto us? S. C. p. 642▪ … S. C. p. 249.care muſt be to know our work (touching our ſelves, touching ours) and then to doe it; and ſo to doe it, as unto God, with conſcience of moderate diligence, for over-doing, and overworking any thing, comes either from oſtentation, or diſtruſt in God: And negligence is ſoS. Con. 249. farre from getting any bleſſing, that it brings us p. 32under a curſe. That which belongs to us in our calling, is care of diſcharging our duty: That, which God takes upon him, is Aſſiſtance, and good ſucceſſe in it. Let us look to our worke, and leave God to doe His owne. Diligence and Truſt in Him is onelyonly ours, the reſt of the burthen is His hhLet us make good our ends, and the meanes we uſe, and God wil make good the iſſue, and turne all to the beſt. D^r. Feat. p. 103. We muſt part our care ſo, as to take upon us, onelyonly this care of Duty, and leave the reſt to God. S. Con. 85.. In a Family the Fathers and the Mothers care is the greateſt; The Childes care is onelyonly to obey, and the ſervants to doe his work; Care of Proviſion and Protection doth not trouble them. Moſt of our diſquietneſſe in our Calling, is, that we trouble our ſelves about Gods work, whereas we ſhould Truſt God and be doing, in fitting the Childe, and let God alone with the reſt. He ſtands upon His credit ſo much, that it ſhall appeare we have not truſted Him in vaine, even when we ſee no appearance of doing any good, when we cannot diſcerne by all our ſpialls, the leaſt ſhew either for proviſion, or Protection. We remember who were very ſolicitous for their Children, and becauſe they could not provide for them, nor protect them neither, therefore periſh they muſt in the wilderneſſe: We muſt remember alſo; That the Lord took care of thoſe Children, and deſtroyed thoſe diſtruſtfull parents, who thought there was no path in a wilderneſſe becauſe they could not diſcerne any: nor meate to be had there, becauſe their hand was too ſhort to provide it. It is dangerous queſtioning the power of God in the greateſt ſtraite. If He bring any perſon into a wilderneſſe, it is becauſe He may ſhew His power there for proviſion and p. 33protection both. God works moſt wonderfully for, and ſpeaks the ſweeteſt comfort to the heart, in a wilderneſſe.

Note we this then, and ſo I conclude. There is much uncertainty in the Certainty of man, and all Certainty in the uncertainty of God: I tearme it ſo, by allowance of the Spirit ii1 Cor. 1. 25.1 Cor 1:25in reſpect of mans apprehenſion. There is no uncertainty in God, but all Certainty, as in Him is all Wiſdome, all Strength: We apprehend that there is a Certainty in man and an Uncertainty in God, for, if we obſerve our hearts, we Truſt Him leaſt; but that is our Fooliſhneſſe and Weakneſſe. There is all uncertainty in men, even in the beſt of men, in Princes, place no Certainty there: There is all Certainty in God, as in Him is all Wiſdome and Strength; put we confidence there; Caſt we Anchor upwards, Commit we all (but in well-doing) all we have, and all we are, into his everlaſting Armes, Then aſſuredly, we ſhall finde a ſtay for our ſelves, and a portion for ours, Proviſion and Protection both: He is all to us, and will be ſo, when we are nothing in our ſelves.

And ſo much touching my Wilderneſſe, and Gods providing for me even there, though I tempted him ten times. I call it a wilderneſſe; for ſo I may, becauſe ſo, my fooliſhneſſe in my wayfare made it: And Gods proviſion for me was very remarkable, and therefore to be remembred for the Parents ſake and Childrens too; of great uſe and concernment to both. Indeed, he that can ſay p. 34no more of his Travels, but that he paſſed through a Wilderneſſe, hath ſaid little to commend his Pilgrimage, but much to magnifie the power of That Hand, whereby he had a ſafe Convoy through the ſame. It is a poore and worthleſſe life, ſuch mine is, that hath nothing worthy to be remembred in it, but its Infirmities: But yet there is nothing ſo magnifies Gods power **2 Cor. 12. 9.2 Cor 12:9as mans weakneſſe doth. "When I ſhall give account of my life, and caſt up the ſumme thereof (ſaith Iunius kkMiſerationes Domini narrabo, quum rationes narrabo miſerae vitae meae, ut glorificetur dominus in me, qui ſecit me. vitâ Junii. affix. Oper. Theol., and ſo he begins) I ſhall tell of the mercies of the Lord, and His loving kindneſſe to me ward: And then he goes on reckoning up the infirmities of his body, ſome of his minde too: but that he puts a Marke upon, is, what extremitie he was in at Geneva, and how graciouſly the Lord diſpoſed thereof, for that was remarkable indeed. Beza alſo ſpareth not to tell us, nay he fills his mouth with it, how troubleſome the Itch was to him (not ſo eaſily cured thenDeut. 28. 29.Deut 28:29 as now) and what a deſperate way the Smart the Chyrurgeon put him to, and bad Counſell put him upon; Such it was, that there was but a ſtep betwixt him and death; but God wonderfully put to His Hand, inter Pontem & fontem. Beza could not but confeſſe that Mercy as we finde it in his Epiſtle before his Confefsions. And ſo farre, That the Parent and Childe both may learne to account Gods works, and, if it might be, to call His mercies by their names, and to reſt upon Gods providence, as the ſureſt inheritance.

Now I come to give the reaſon of my paines, in p. 35all this which follows, and what ingageth a Parent unto this Duty.

1. I conſidered my yeers declining a pace: When the Sunne is paſſed the Meridian, and turned towards its place where it muſt ſet, then we know, the night approcheth, when man, ceaſing from his work, lyeth down in the Darke. It is the Wiſemans Counſell llEccleſ. 9. 10.Eccl 9:10, and it is his wiſdome, to do that, which is in his hand, with all his might mmPrima Actionum Argo Committenda ſunt, extrema Briareo. de Aug. l. 6. 41., before he goes hence; for there is no working in the grave. The putting off this Day, and the next, and halfe a day, coſt the poore Levite and his Concubine very deer, as we read, Iudg. 19. And it teacheth us in our affairs, concerning our ſelves, or ours, in ſetting our houſe in order, That, it is dangerous triflng away the Day-light. I cannot ſay with Iſaac, I am old, or mine eye is dimme; but I muſt ſay, in the following words, I know not the day of my Death. God may ſpare me among mine, yet longer; for my building is not ſo old, but it may ſtand. And yet ſo unſound the foundation is, (for it is of Clay) it may ſinke quickly, as my good Father before me: I may lye down, turne to the Wall, and to the earth, all at once; though yet I have ſcarcely felt, and ſo alſo my Father before me, the leaſt diſtemper.

If this conſideration come home and proves ſeaſonable, I ſhall then ſet all in a readineſſe, and in order, that when Death comes, I may have then, no more to doe, but to welcome it, and ſhut the eye, and depart tanquam Conviva Satur, as one that p. 36hath made an improvement of life, and hath hope in Death. That was my firſt conſideration.

2. I conſidered my Children, all three young, the eldeſt but peeping into the World, diſcerning little: the ſecond, but newly out of the armes, the youngeſt not out of the Cradle. I conſidered alſo, they are not ſo much mine as the Lords, Whom thou haſt borne unto me, ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 16. 20. And therefore in all reaſonable Conſtruction, to be returned back againe unto Him, by a well ordered education, as himſelfe hath appointed. Theſe thoughts ſo over-ruled me at length (for I am not eaſily drawn to take my Pen in hand) and prevailed with me to pen ſome inſtructions, which might treat with them at more yeers, and tell them their Parents Will concerning them, in caſe either he or ſhe ſhould be taken from them, before they were grown up: It is but a dead letter, yet ſomewhat it may worke, through Him, That worketh all things, being as I ſaid, the Parents laſt Will and Teſtament concerning the Childe. My Will otherwiſe, is almoſt as quickly made, as Luthers was, wherein he could commend nothing to Wife, and three Children but Gods bleſſing andMel…h. Adam vita Luth. p. 134. protection. And that is a rich legacy indeed, a mighty portion; but it is not tranſmitted from the Parent to the Childe: This portion, the Parent cannot bequeath, the Childe cannot receive; And yet the Parent and Childe muſt intend this, above all things, even the committing all unto God, and expecting all from Him, ſo as to ſay, and to ſay p. 37heartily, Thou art my Portion, ſaith my ſoule. "Thou art a God in covenant with us, with ours: our God, and the God of our ſeede. Children I have, for thou haſt given them me. They are Thine, more then mine: I was a meanes to bring them into the World, and by Thy appointment, to be as a Nurſe unto them, here. They are thy Charge for proviſion and protection. I beſeech Thee, Anſwer this Truſt, now ſpecially, when, it is Thy pleaſure ſo, that I can take no care of them myſelfe; Thou ſlumbreſt not, Thou dyeſt not, I muſt. So Luther teacheth us to draw our will, and ſo another as precious, hath put it intoSee D…. Sibs. p. 647. S. C. forme. And we are ſure, the Lawyer can finde no flaw here, There is no errour in the Draught.

And though this may make the Parent reſt ſecure, for he hath choſen a faithfull Over-ſeer, or Executor of his will, yet it muſt not make him careleſſe and negligent.

I have, according to my rule, and Gods gracious ſupply, layed-up for my Children, though very little, in compariſon of what ſome may thinke, I might have done, conſidering my time of gathering; yet ſomething it is, and I wonder, that little is ſo much. "A little riches are hardly got, a great deale eaſily iiEſſayes. Facilis ad divitias via quo die poenituerit bonae mentis. Sen. na…. Queſt. lib. 4. cap. 1.; It is the Lord Ver. Riddle, but eaſily read. He that is in employment, and lives as a parcell of the World cut off from kkLucullus caenat cum Lucull….others, llNemini fructuoſa. Trem. Hoſ. 10. 1.Hos 10:1bearing fruite to himſelfe, and mmIndulgeas. Pſal. 49. 18. Trem.Ps 49:18making much of himſelfe, ſuch a one may lay up more, then his heire ſhall have cauſe to joy in. They, who know p. 38me well, will ſay, I was not the worſt husband of my time or purſe: I diſpoſed of both ſo, as one, who was not wholly ignorant, that I muſt be accountable to God for both.

I had no Friar-like contempt of outward things, nor could I much eſteeme them, though perhaps too much, for the more we have of them, the more our Cares; and the more we love them, the more our ſorrow will be nnQuo plus amas plas dolebis., when we muſt leave them, or they us. Too little pincheth, too much enſnareth, the meane betwixt both, is the ſafeſt proportionooIn rebus neceſſariis eſt ſalus, in ſuperfluis laqueus, &c. Salv. de Eccleſ. Cathol. lib. 2. p. 404. Lege Iſid. peluſ. lib. 2. cp. 146.

They that are in a depending Condition, waiting upon God for their daily bread, having neither Barnes, nor Coffers, nor Cupboards to goe unto, as ſome ſuch there are, they can ſpeake of Gods proviſion for them, His ſtrange wayes to bring things about, when they knew not which way to turne; and they can truſt perfectly: whereas they who have all the fore-mentioned full ſtored, do pray for their daily bread, but truſt thēſelves, and Sacrifice to their owne nets. God will provide, is more to a faithfull heart, then all the treaſure in the World, for that proviſion comes forth of a Treaſury, that will never be exhauſted. It is good to be at Gods finding, and to waite upon him, which we cannot doe, but by uſing all diligence in our lawfull Callings. And this I mention here, That we may not, neither the Parent, nor the Childe ſpend our ſtrength, as uſually we doe, even all our ſtock of time & parts, in ſeeking great things; Call them p. 39by what name we will, Honours, Preferments, &c. and haſten we after them, as faſt as we can; They that ſpake, as they were inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt, doe tell us, under the metaphor, whereby they uſe to ſet out the nature of all things under the Sunne, That, what we ſo haſtily runne after, runs away as faſt from ppforeign. …am. 3. 6. 1 John 2. 16.1 John 2:16us. And the Wiſeman qqProv. 23. 5.Prov 23:5gives this cenſure of them; They are nothing, or preſently, they will be, as if they had not beene. We cannot ſay properly, That Riches, Are rrSee Hiſt. of the World. B. 2. C. 3. Sect. 4, for now they are and ſtraight-way they are not. It is but a mans own and earthly wiſedome, that makes him think better of them, then indeed they are; for they are Nothing, and he is of no account, who maketh account of nothing ſſNihil eſt, qui nihil amat. Plaut. perſ.. Ceaſe from thine owne wiſedome; Wilt thou let thine eyes flie (with ſuch greedineſſe) upon that which is nothing? Nothing? Are Riches nothing? "Rather a man is nothing without them, or nothing accounted of; he lives in obſcuritie, which is the Death of his name and Parts, and burieth a man alive, as one ſaith ttDr. Featley.. And ſo it is indeed, and hence ſuch ſtrugling after riches, as for life, there being in humane nature more of the foole then of the wiſe. It is then but the fruit of our owne wiſdome, which muſt be Ceaſed from: If we ſtay a little, we ſhall ſee plainly Riches are not: For when a man is brought to a ſtraight, and that may be before next morning; and when theſe ſhould prove ſomething, and come in for his helpe, then they are not: They are as farre from his helpe, as an p. 40Eagle ſoaring in the Aire, out of his reach: They were in the eye but now, and now againe they are Paſſed, as ſome Rocks, Steeples, or Caſtles on a Pageant, and the heart is empty, more unſatisfied then the eye with ſeeing.

I might remember here, and it might be to great purpoſe, even to take us off from our eager purſuit after the World, That they, who were the greateſt purchaſers of Land, of any we read of, could hardly by their Executors, purchaſe ſo much earth, as to interre their bodies in, witneſſe Alexander V. Patercul.and Pompey, both great, and the richeſt in Land: And William the Conquerour, who, of allHe killed one man after he was dead with the ſtench of his Braines. S. I. H. he attained to by his ſword, after Death, had not a roome to containe his Corps in, without being purchaſed at the hand of another; Men eſteeming a living Dog, more then a dead Lion, ſaith Sam. Dan. I might remember alſo, how Philip the Second of Spaine leſſoned the Prince his ſonne, when he thought of a great Treaſure ſpent, and when his owne ſpirits were ſpent alſo; And how Charles Grimſt. Hiſt. of the Netherl.the Father in the Waine of his greatneſſe, left alone, and carrying the Candle before his Embaſſadour, inſtructed the ſame Embaſſadour; The inſtructionMedull. Hiſt. prophanae. p. 899 is but ſhort; "Goe ſpeake of what thou haſt ſeene me doe, who had ſo many Princes waiting on me, and learne the ſtate of humane things.

The ſumme of all riſeth to this; Thoſe things, which we ſo greedily graſpe after, and lay out our p. 41precious ſtock of time and wit upon, are no enduring Subſtance; But yet that is not the worſt; They are paſſed and gone, and many times there remaineth but Sighs behinde, when a man remembers the getting and expending of them, that he was unrighteous in both. But take them at the beſt, They cannot keepe the heart from trembling, or the knees from ſmiting one againſt another. All outward ſtrength cannot keepe out, ſhall I ſay an Armed-man; nay, not a ſilly frog out of the Chamber, where the God of Hoſts will bid it goe. The greateſt Pompe cannot prevent a Conſumption by the baſeſt Vermine; of which truth, Pharaoh, Herod, more lately Philip of Spaine, before mentioned, and others neerer home, are very great Examples. The ſerious conſideration whereof, may prevent the bewitching of profit, the great Enchantreſſe of Mankinde; ſo as we ſhall not be enſnared by deceitfull riches, which make us beleeve that they can ſatisfie, and ſtay the heart in the day of wrath, whereas they are no ſtrong Wall vvProv. 11. 4.Prov 11:4, but onelyonly in a mans owne conceit. But righteouſneſſe delivereth from death xxChap. 18. 10, 11.. All things are nothing without this, This is all without them: Therein is the ſubſtance, the Kernell, the quinteſſence of all. "The yy1 John. 2. 16.1 John 2:16World paſſethaway, and the luſt thereof, but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever; faſt, like mount Sion, an everlaſting foundation. "Godlineſſe aa1 Tim. 6. 6. and 4 8. foreign, &c. Chryſost. in Gen. 48. Hom. 66. ….1 Tim 6:61 Tim 4:8Gen 48is great gaine, it is profitable for all things, having the promiſe of the life that now is, and of p. 42the life that is to come. And therefore if the Parent had but one requeſt to put up for the Childe it ſhould be, That the Lord would be its portion, That He would bleſſe him indeed, for whom He bleſſeth are bleſſed bb1 Chron. 4. 10.1 Chr 4:10: And if he had but one inſtruction, it ſhould be, for the getting the principall thing: Get Wiſedome, and withall thy getting, get underſtanding ccProv. 4. 7.Prov 4:7.

The laſt Conſideration containeth in it the very pith of reaſon and equitie, and mightily engageth the Parent to give All diligence at this point touching the good Nurture of his Childe; when I have cleared ſo much, I have done.

3. A Childe is the Parents Image right; A branch from a ſinfull ſtock; An off-ſpring from a corrupted fountaine: The Parent is the Channell, which conveyeth unto it Sinne and Death. This is that hereditary evill, which is truely and really ſtated, and fëoffed upon every Childe of Adam: But if we will ſee the firſt originall of the conveyance, we muſt deſcend as low as Adam, who was the ſonne of God; made (as every thing elſe) very good, with this excellency and prerogative royall above other things, in Gods Image, that is, in Holineſſe and righteouſneſſe: But being in this honour, he underſtood not, but ſought out many inventions ddEccleſ. 7. 29.Eccl 7:29; that is, They would finde out ſomething beyond God, and ſo (for it was not poſſible to be otherwiſe) they found ont their owne finddings, Sinne and Sorrow. They reached forth p. 43their hand unto the forbidden fruit, and did eate, ſo they fell from their ſtedfaſtneſſe and glory. Then they knew both good and evill; Good, if they had obeyed; Evill, that they obeyed not. Now they had experience and feeling of their good they loſt, and the evill they brought upon themſelves.

Thus ſinne entred into the World, and by ſinne death; that is, more evils and weightier then we can think them: For we muſt note, That the Actuall ſinne of Adam determined not the bound of Miſery; but brought a ſecond Miſery with it, the Miſery of our whole Nature. While Adam ſtood, we ſtood in him, his obedience kept his whole eſtate and Nature entire: But when he fell, we fell in him; for, though the ſinne were a limited thing in act of eating; yet, it was an unlimited exceſſe in reſpect of the Committer, and the frame of his revolting heart; and therefore it was juſt with God to plague his whole Nature for that ſinfull Act. So then; The ſame hand, that was reacht forth to this fruite, reacht it alſo to the fruite of their loynes, wherein that fruite was, ſeminally, as branches in a common ſtock. And thus the Childrens teeth were ſet on edge; ſo the next verſe tels us; And Adam begat a ſonne in his owne likeneſſe, his owne indeed; that is, With that generation, Sinne was alſo derived: for he begat now not the Body onelyonly, p. 44but a Man in his receptiveneſſe of the ſoule, and in thoſe bands and ties, which knit body and ſoule, to wit, theſe ſpirits of reaſonable Nature; and by the infection of theſe ſpirits, the ſoule is alſo corrupted.

We cannot with ſobriety enquire further into this thing. I know the diſpute (how this ſinne is propagated from the Father to the Childe) is very large; But we may ſay of it, as the Philoſopher of that Diſpute, touching that ſuppoſed voide place, It is an empty and vaine Diſpute ccforeign. Ariſt phyſ. de vacuo., voide of uſe, and to none effect. It was a wiſe and ſeaſonable reproofe, which a Mariner, in a dangerous tempeſt, gave to the Philoſopher troubling him with a Diſpute touching the Windes, We ffforeign. Aul. Gell. lib. 1. cap. 2. ….are at the point of ſinking, and you trifle out the time with a vaine diſcourſe. Enquiries touching this point have blotted much Paper, and ſpent much precious Time, and all to little purpoſe; for ſo we give time to a growing miſchiefe. It is as if, while the fire rageth on the ſides and tops of houſes, a man ſhould hold his hand, and moove his tongue, not joyne force to quench it; but onelyonly, aske, how it begunne, where and when? It was a good anſwer to one, who would know, by what Chinke ſinne entred into the Childe? ggHiſt. of the Counſ. of Trent. l. 2. p. 174That Chinks were not to be ſought, where a gate ſtood wide open. The Apoſtle ſaith, That by Adam ſinne entred into the world. It ſufficeth to p. 45know; That God, by juſt imputation, realizeth the infection into the whole race of Adam; in whom we were as in a common Lumpe, and in his leaven ſowred: In his Loines we were, and there we ſinned, and ſo did partake of his guilt, which like a common infection, worſe then a leproſie, we took from our Parents, and tranſmitted it to our Children: a Seede of evill doers; So we ſprang up, as the ſeede doth with ſtalke and huske, though the fanne made the ſame difference, betwixt the wheate in the heape, and the other fitted for the ſeede, as grace doth betwixt the Parent and the Childe: Though the Parent be accepted in the righteous one, and his ſinne covered, the guilt remitted, yet ſinne and guilt are tranſmitted to the Childe.

Hereby the Parents ſee matter of great humiliation hhBook pag. 32; they feele a tye alſo, and an engagement upon them to doe their utmoſt to prevent the evill, whereof they have beene a Channell of conveyance unto their Childe. It is their Image, They its debtors: It is very equall, and a point not ſo much of mercy, as of juſtice, That we ſhould (for I am a Parent too) labour by all meanes, and take all occaſions, whereby, through Gods bleſſing, our owne and bad image may be defaced; and the New, which is after Chriſt, formed on, and in the Childe. This is that we ſhould endeavour with all our might, giving All diligence: It is an heavy and p. 46grievous judgement which we reade threatned againſt Parents and Children, I will recompence your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together iiEſa. 65. 7.Isa 65:7: That is; Becauſe the Fathers have committed an abomination, and ye their Children have done according to the ſame abomination, therefore the wickedneſſe of the wicked ſhall be upon him kkEzech. 18. 20.Ezek 18:20: I will lay your ſinnes together as upon heapes, viſiting you both Children and Fathers in your heapes of ſinne. O pray we, in our prayer pray llforeign. Iames 5. 17.Jas 5:17, wreſtling and weeping, pray we earneſtly mmHoſea 12. 3. 4.Hos 12:3Hos 12:4, "Remember not againſt us former iniquities nnPſal. 79. 8.Ps 79:8: Recompence not our iniquities, and the iniquities of our Children together, nor meaſure out unto us our old Worke into our boſome. This Mercy we ſhould pray ſo for, and long-after, even from the heartroot we ſhould long. For if the curſe was heavy and ſore, which we reade of, Pſal. 109. 14. then is the mercy great, and greatly to be ſought after from the Lord; Let not the iniquitie of the Father be remembred with the Lord againſt the Childe; and let the ſinne of the Mother be blotted out. Whenſoever the Lord viſits the Childe for Sinne, certainly it ſhould call the ſinne of the Parent to remembrance oo1 King. 17. 18.1 Kgs 17:18; and ſo it will doe, if the conſcience be not aſleepe, or ſeared: Then he will diſcerne, that there was a great, and weighty reaſon, that made the Woman of Canaan thus to petition Chriſt ppMatt. 15. 22.Matt 15:22: Have p. 47mercy on me, O Lord, thou Sonne of David, my Daughter is grievouſly vexed with a Divell: She counted the Childes vexation hers, ſo would ſhe, the mercy. We have filled our Childrens bones with ſinne, which will fill their hearts with ſorrow; It is our engagement to doe all we can, though that All be two little, to roote that ſinne out, which we have beene a meanes to roote ſo faſt in. I ſhall in another place, the Second Part qqChap. 2., ſpeake more unto this roote of bitterneſſe, and the fruits ſpringing thence, whereby all are defiled: Here I have onelyonly pointed unto it, as it engageth the Parent upon this ſo neceſſary, and principall a ſervice touching the good culture, and breeding of the Child: And we ſee what an engagement it is, the greateſt and ſtrongeſt, that can be thought of. And ſo much as an Induction to Duty, what this Duty is, comes now to be handled.