Milk for Babes, Dedication 2 – Questions

Milk for Babes · Dedication 2 – Questions

To his much honoured Friends, MARY Lady Bakere, of Suſsinghurſt: and UNTON Lady Dering, of Surrendon-Dering in Kent.

Comfort after Croſſes.

WOrthy Ladies, though I have dedicated my enſuing tract (as I am bound) to my Noble Patroneſſe; yet can I not but write a word, or two, to you both. After dedications, cuſtome hath prevailed to draw out an Epiſtle to the Readers: and becauſe I know not who will read my Book; or, if I did, I had little to ſay to them, but wiſh them and theirs as much good as I intend by it: Therefore, becauſe I am ſure, that if it fall into either of your hands, you will reade, and reade, and make uſe of it, for the benefit of your good children; I cannot but expreſſe my intentions fully to you both. God hath ſet you in high places above many others: and though the Waves have gone over you, and (it may be cauſeleſly) have entered into your ſouls, by loſſes, croſſes, and vexations in great proximity to you both (though to one more then to the other): yet, as when the Mountains appeared upon the ſlacking of the floud, the Ark reſted upon the top of them, and Noah could eaſily eſpie them, when other hillocks, trees, and ſhrubs lay covered with waters: ſo when the waters of your miſeries leſſen, and by the favour of God and man, are dried up, you ſtand aloft, and the Church can look earneſtly at you, when others yet lye under a cloud of ſinne, and ſorrow. I humbly beſeech you therefore, that, ſeeing men and women are like Jaacobs ſheep, which conceived by the eye, all gazers may ſee you ſo to ſteer your courſes, that they may behold in you both examples of fortitude to out-face the daring world; of wiſdom, to bridle tongues, & affections in evill times; and of confidence to live above the higheſt waves in the rock of your ſalvation. God ſeems to ſmile upon us a little with the ſweet beams of peace, thorough a thick cloud, and it is to be hoped, that God hath other graces in you to be acted in ſuch a time, for your edification, walking in the fear of the Lord, and comfort of the holy Ghoſt, as the Churches of Judea did, whē they had reſt round about. But whether he ſtorm you ſtill with the fear of war, and bloud-ſhed; or wrap you up in the ſweet ſwadling bands of peace; you are aloft, even both of you above your neighbors, to be made a ſpectacle to the world, angels, and men. Therefore let the counſell of a poor friend be acceptable unto you ſo to live that ye be not ſwallowed up of ſorrow, ſo to live, as ye be not devoured by peace. As it was ſaid of Saul and David of old, ſo may it of proſperity, and adverſity, that adverſity hath ſlain 1000. but proſperity 10000. It is a glorious thing to be in proſperity, and not to be worſe. It is a glorious thing alſo to be in adverſity and to be better. But to be bad in both is to make both a curſe: proſperity, to be made a ſweet Ladder from which to break our necks from, when we think we are climbed up to heaven: and adverſity to be a ſowr Ladder to let us down into hell here, and to bring us at laſt to the burning Lake which torments for evermore. The only way to help all this is, both in proſperity, and adverſity, to live in Chriſt. If like the Eagles you make your Neſt in this rock, your faith ſhall be your victory.

Let proſperity come; faith in Chriſt will ſay; Curſed is he that doth not account one days fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt above all the gliſtering vanities in this world: I will not be flattered out of Chriſt. Let adverſity come; faith in Chriſt will ſay, Farewell mony, farewell life, farewell all things for Chriſt: I will not be frighted from my Chriſt. That you (good Ladies) may be helped to do ſo; with all thanks for your loves, I humbly preſent unto you both, this little Catechiſm expounded, There is none of you both, but have in your families, heard me open theſe grounds either to your children, or ſervants. Then you were pleaſed to approve them, and now you will be pleaſed to love them more, becauſe they lye by you for daily uſe. There will many faults be found with them, as, brevity, plainneſſe, imperfection, and the like: but above all that, they want the living voice, and tender heart to ſet an edge upon them. As to the firſt faults, I confeſſe them, and, in truth, I make this but as a fore-runner to a larger Catechiſm, thorough the whole body of Divinity. If God ſend me health, life, and leiſure, you may ſee that, (if this, mean while be acceptable to the Church) and it will more copiouſly handle all the grounds by way of explication, obſervation, and caſes of conſcience, which are moſt obvious. As to the laſt fault, indeed it wants my voice, but not my heart. For when you are warming your own and your childrens hearts with it, I will follow it with my prayers to make it ſucceſſefull. Could I do more, I would do it: Could I do leſſe, I would not: As becomes him that hath been, is, and (by Gods bleſsing) will be, to both of you (worthy Ladies)

Your poor, yet hearty friend, to ſerve you and yours in Chriſt Jeſus: ROBERT ABROT.

Erratá.

p. 1A Mothers Catechiſme for her Children.

MY good Child, Gen. 3.16.Gen 3:16I have brought thee forth into this world in great ſorrow: I have nouriſhed thee either with my own breaſts, or (as I thought) by thoſe that were better able: I now deſire not onelyonly to ſee thee a member of the Church by profeſſion, but by the power of grace; and, becauſe thou canſt not be thus without the knowledge of God, Joh. 17.2 Pet. 3.18.John 172 Pet 3:18and of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; from the tender bowels of a compaſsionate Mother, I deſire to inform thee in thy eſtate by Nature created, by nature corrupted, and nature reſtored, that, in theſe things which concern thy ſelf, thou mayſt know God, and thy ſelfe, and grow out of fellowſhip with thy ſelfe, into communion with God in Chriſt, that thou mayſt have life.

p. 2Tell me therefore,