CAP. 1.

SOme have compared chil­dren to the Earth, their common Mother; diffe­rent moulds there: All must be tilled, which we would have fruitfull, but notwithstanding all our tillage, all are not alike fruitfull.

Some have compared them to flow­ers, soone up, as soone down; quickly flourishing, as quickly fading: This comparison runs well, and instructeth us in our short course; for the whole course of things under the Sun run from us, as upon wheeles, [...]. James 3. 6. (then children are not behinde, nor are out of the num­ber) and then good reason why we should not set our hearts upon them.

Some have compared them to fruits of the earth, some early-ripe, some not yet, some yet later: every thing is good in its season; we follow the last compa­rison.

Some children (for their use this is intended) are, as Sophocles said, [...], Men-boyes, like Summer fruits, quickly ripe, commonly as quickly rotten. 2. Other some (they the most) not so quick for speed, but more sure for use. 3. Some also, whom we mis­call, (and misuse too, the more should be the pity) dullards, hard-heads, &c. what not? many abusive words, and all for that they cannot help. And yet if we could have patience (a chiefe vertue even at this point also) and [Page 3] wait their full time and growth, we may taste them good, very good in their season. Blossoms there be in children of future hopes; ripenesse not yet; nor tyed to one time, no more then all com is ripe for one reaping. Some be Hastings and will on; some Hardings and draw back. Some, &c. Mulc. posit. p. 19.

Looke wee over againe these formes or ranks of children, and observe them every one; we shall finde them all, even the quickest of all, like their age, weak and tender: As the Vine, very fruitfull, as the ground is, or the care about it must be; but must have a strong prop, which it runneth up by, spreadeth it selfe upon, most lovingly embracing; take away that, you see where it lieth; such a thing is childhood and youth both. Trem.

Shall I stop here? No. And Enos Mortalis infestus ae­rumnis do­lo [...]ibusque. also, he that writes himselfe, as he thinks, a strong, and well growne man; even he is but a poore, fraile, weak man Gen. 4. 26. Psal 9. 20.; though he thinks none of all this, but is it not even thus? Amos 2. 11. Hearken what one saith, and no ordinary one; Man in his best state is but altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. Heare what another saith, an [Page 4] excellent Pen-man also; Bernard Ochinus, Preface to his 25. Ser. 2 Pet. 1. 9 His wits are drowned in the body, occupied of pbansies, weak of sight, (he cannot see farre off, seldome farther then the present) sicke and impotent through the fall of Adam, and his own sins; dead therein. What is this man now, he that boasteth great things? he will goe hither, and thither, and there he will doe that and this, and all this to morow. These are his proud thoughts. Poore man! he may bee in good readinesse for his grave by to morrow. And this day knowes hee not, hee can doe no not the easiest thing without an influence from Him, in whose hands is his breath, and all his wayes. Dan. 5. 23. Nay, man must know more then so; He that hath great gifts, yet wants the great, and speciall gift, is but like a stately Ship ready rigged, and set out for a Voyage, but wants a winde. I tremble rather then speak, (said the Greek Fa­ther Chrys. de Spir. sanct. Tom. 6. lest I should lanch forth into (any businesse) and want the gale of the good Spirit. His comparison is; ‘What though my Ship bee ready fit­ted; Pilot good; Marriners skilfull; [Page 5] Cables strong; Anchors firme, and fast; all things in all readinesse, but no breath of winde stirring; that fits not, it doth not blow; What use now of all these preparations? you must wait the winde till that be, stir you cannot: just so it is, though great provision of words, depth of under­standing, quick invention, ready ex­pression;’ If all these, yet if the holy Spirit bee not there, Who is All, and Mat. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. doth all in all; if the gale of this Spirit breath not, all is nothing, and to no purpose: so weake and fraile a thing is man, even when he is at the best.

But what is he at the worst, in him­selfe considered, or as delivered over to himselfe? I cannot well expresse that. Better it were, he were delivered over to the Devill, for so he might be for his after good, 1 Cor. 5. 5. his salvation; but to bee delivered over to himselfe, to be left for ever in his own lap, this is damna­tion sure, to perish for ever. O hold Psal. 81. 11, 12. Acts 14. 16. Rom. 1. 26. us back, Lord, from that we most de­sire, To walk on in our own way; It tendeth straight to the bottomlesse pit. Wee cannot but run thither-ward; All our [Page 6] canning in good things is gone, we cannot serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 19. but we can doe wickedly as we can, Jer. 3. 5. that is, with all our might, then wee can rejoyce too; Jer. 11. 15. such a thing is man left to himselfe, to every good work reprobate. Tit. 1. 16 Such a thing is man, a very carcasse, no life in him, (properly so called) for dead he is, (as wee truly call dead) 1 Tim. 5. 6. Rev. 3. 1. and so he hath been three dayes, yea foure, (that is all his dayes) and then we may more then suppose that hee stinketh, having lien so long in his grave. Have I said too much now, either for the vilifying my selfe, or any other? No sure not enough. Lord make us more vile then this, more base yet in our owne sight, 2 Sam. 6. 22. even as hee whose resolution it was so to bee, and these his words, 1 Sam. 24. 14 Facis quod est tanto Re­ge indignū, cum me [...]e­nuissimum, infimum et infirmissi­num, &c. Jun. ibid. What is thy servant? What honour wilt thou have in pursuing or taking away my life? A dogge, (then fit to lie under the table, to picke the crummes there) A dead dogge? (then fittest for the ditch) so said he, who was afterwards a King, precious in Gods eyes: a likely man to be so, and to bee raised high, who was so vile in his own eyes, so base and low there.

The voyce of the Tall men of the world (who are not raised to a life higher, and out of themselves) sounds higher, Am I a dogge 1 Sam. 17. 43.? Is thy servant a dogge 2 Kin. 13.? Yes, thou art a dogge, thou maist be sure, though thou thinkest not so; old nature thou art, and nothing else; and thou art thy selfe still, and not in another, and that will blas­pheme the Living God; It will rend and teare more then any dogge can; such a thing our old nature is; such is man, so cruell, so fierce, while hee walketh by himselfe, and hath no b [...]ter leader. But so vile though he is, so as wee have heard and read, yet so he is not in his owne eye, but of great and high account there, A man of name and renowne; nay hee that is better then either of those two, may bee wonderfully deceived in the thoughts of himselfe, while hee is but himselfe; hee may thinke himselfe some great one, when he is nothing; A [...]s 8. 9. hee may have a name that he liveth, and is dead; hee may think himselfe rich, and to have need of nothing, and Rev. 3. 1. know not that hee is wretched, and [Page 8] poore, and miserable, and blind, and naked. Revel. 3. 17.

But when this man shall be able to bottome himselfe, to see clearely with­in (the anoynting will teach him:) when hee can discerne what a thing himselfe is, what God is; Now heare him what he saith, ‘Surely I am more Proverbs. brutish then any man, and have not the understanding of a man. There remai­ned no strength in me: for my come­linesse was turned in me into corrup­tion, Dan. and I retained no strength.’ When I say, The man doth clearely see how vile himselfe is, and yet [...]w highly exalted by David his Prince, the [...] heare him what he saith, What is 2 Sam. 9. 8. thy servant, that thou shouldst looke upon such a dead dog, as I am? Making me eate bread at thy Table alwayes, so accounting me thy friend? It is not my theame now to dilate upon mans weaknesse, or wickednesse, or his mi­sery from both; when he is put in feare, when paines are upon him, when his words are fighes, & his complaints teares, then he may know himselfe to be but a man Ps. 9. 20., a poore fraile man, a very no­thing, [Page 9] yea worse then so, hee would count it his happinesse he were reduced to his first principles and were as if hee had never beene. Thus it will be with him, when he is put in feare, when hee lyeth languishing, and thinks the how­ers over long and cannot command his breath.

O that the Lords counsell might take hold of us now in the day of our peace! Remember this, and shew your Esay 46. 8. selves men; Bring it againe to mind, ô yee transgressors. And this is not from our scope, but mightily advancing the same. My end is the childs good, his instruction is at hand: Wee can make no worke therein, unlesse wee take downe his proud heart first; A proud child, (that is the foole all along the sacred Scripture) will not heare in­struction [...]. Naz. Ep. 10.: And such naturally we are all. It is our very Mother-sin, the first that putteth forth it selfe; (as hath been said Childs Patrimony p. 36.) our first care must be, how to keepe downe the working thereof, and to weed it out what we can. It is a sure lesson, the best that can bee taught, but the hardest learnt. And I [Page 10] thought it fittest to begin with it, and to speake of it in the mans eares, for in the childs it had beene much of it lost. To contract all; the summe, and pur­pose hereof is; we must looke up to God in the use of all meanes, whereby Iob 34. to hide pride from our eyes, else wee cannot hide the Law of God in the heart; instructions cannot find enter­tainment there, such an opposite or enemy this mother-lust is to all good. It is the valley which is fruitfull [...]. Basil. Iames 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Psal. 25. 9. Ps. 149. 4., for there the drops stay. Hee giveth grace to the humble. The meeke will hee teach his way. He will beautifie them with salvation. They are the simple ones of the world, the little ones (so in their owne account, and so the world accounts of them too) who waite at Wisdomes doore, and shall be remem­bred. And thus I thought most fit to dedicate my first entrance upon this high service, in all points promoting the Child.

CHAP. II.

ANd now wee are turning towards the child, before we take him by the hand wee must seriously consider, how to order him, and where to begin, for this requires our serious considera­tion, the very extract of our judg­ment and skill.

I doe not meane now, what I must teach him in the first place. That is out of question, the Mother-tongue: nor do I meane what Science first; Musick say some, and they give good reason: A­rithmetick, saith the noble Scholar, as the Child may be, for that will fixe his minde in case he bee birdwitted Inge [...]ium vol [...]ile et desul o [...]ū.; and to say the truth, I know nothing taught in good order but that: for the weakest teacher may find a necessity. I should add the Mathematicks also, a generall [Page 12] containing the other; for as that pro­ceeds gradually, and there is order; so these by Sense; and there is certainty.

I say againe, we had need now of all our wits about us, and to have our un­derstanding part ready even at our fin­gers ends. I meane not that thereby we may be taught where to begin our in­formation; for every man well under­stands this, that the informing the un­derstanding is the maine point. And for this great end and purpose wee must looke through, and through the child; wee must well understand him, before he can understand us. And this is not quickly done; probabilities are our guides, and our conjectures great, yet not without exception, where there is such uncertaine motion as there is in Children. The Quick-wit puts out apace, gives great appearance, so as we may prophesie, and yet be de­ceived; for as there be faire blossomes, so there are nipping frosts: The Dull-wit would offer faire, praise must help him; when he hath it, he holds fast, and may prove somebody. The Quick must not be held in all the hope, the Dull in de­spaire; [Page 13] we must not neglect the meanest wits, but do the worke of the day upon the Day, and leave the event to God, who hath reserved His calling and discovering houres to His owne pe­culiar knowledge. Wee goe on then, and take the Childe as hee is, and so apply our selves to him as wee can. Hee may bee like your Quicksilver, quick, and fleeting; wee must labour to fixe him, and (if so wee can) then to make him flee; yet so, that he make no more haste, then good speed. Most likely hee may bee not so quicke, but naturally more composed and fixed; wee like him the better. Wee must make him rid much way in a little time.

Hee may be much of the nature of a log, not stir a whit, unlesse you lift him, and move hard; This is the Childe whom we should set upon his legs, lead onward, so jogging on. The meanes that we should use will effect it, (if hee be not monstrously deficient) provided still wee use no compulsion, but all di­ligence, we must not put him out of his pace, for then he stands still, but let him [Page 14] march on like a man that hath all his armour about him; though it bee a Snayles pace, yet it gets ground, and by still improving and adding to the heape, by constancy in moving, the Childe may attaine to the top of the Muses Hill, as we read Guil: dis­play of Herauld: p. 217. the Snayle did to the top of the Tower.

There are some, they say, who will be Scholars whether wee will or no: I cannot tell that, but very quick they are; as hee was of old (commonly knowne) his owne Master, and Tea­cher all at once. Nay there was one, if we may beleeve it, that was Tom of all Trades, for he could make every thing belonging to the adorning of his body, yea though hee went in compleat ar­mour; I do not meane him, who was so good at every thing, that hee was for all turnes, at all houres ^b: but it was Omnium horarum. Asinius Pol [...]io Quint. l. 6. cap 4. to make himself and others merry, the very froth of wit, or a good wit ill u­sed. Let these wonder-workers go, and also those monsters in nature, so defi­cient as are not one of a thousand; And let the midling Child stand still, yea and the Harding too (as before) hee [Page 15] whom the Parents have designed to the Cart, and holding of the Plough; with the Parents leave, let him have some instruction, (for he is too young yet for that imployment) which may make him drive the better, and when he comes to it, to hold the Plough stea­dily, not looking back.

We told you before, that our scope is, (I include here all Teachers) to un­fold the understanding, to set up a light there; for the understanding is as is the eye to the body, the candle thereof. The maine work (it cannot be said too often) is the informing of the same, the making that cleare. A main and chiefe thing indeed, for till that be done, the child is in a wood, he doth not goe but stumble; and hath no more comfort in his way, then we have in ours, when the night is darkest. Can he be diligent now? No, hee cannot tell what to doe, then he hateth the worke: Diligence implies delight, and love; That great Centurion, who commands eyes, and Diligo. eares, and all, makes all diligent; Bids them come, and they come, doe this, and they doe it. If you have won your [Page 16] child to the love of his booke, you shall have all at command, hee will use all diligence. But if this love, this delight be not, diligence cannot bee; It is true feare may worke out something, ever in the booke, but then marke we must the fearefull, and unnaturall workings thereof, of feare I meane, it maketh the child wish (as is feigned touching the Ferry-man, who was ever merriest Lucian. Me [...]c: Charon. when others were saddest) for some plague to come upon the earth. I re­member a truer story, for Chrysostome tels it, what fell out in the City where he lived; The Lord had made the earth iron, and the Heavens brasse, such a drought there was and want of bread, Chrysost. in 1. Cor. cap. 15. and then of all things. It pleased the Lord in his owne time, to cause the Heaven to heare the earth, and the earth to heare man, and in the remem­brance of that mercy they rejoyced, and kept holy day. One man amongst the rest walked heavily and discovered as much sadnesse as others did joy; and being demanded why? concealed it not, but told them the very reason; ‘I have, said hee, ten thousand mea­sures [Page 17] of bread-corne, and what to doe with it now I cannot tell.’ Alas poore man! I mention it here that we may consider; if men will doe so for gaine, what will children doe for feare? I will tell you what: for I am sure this generation is not better nor wiser then their Fathers, I will tell you what wee did, when wee were led on in the dark; when our Master began at the wrong end, as was said, when he should at the top, the understanding, the crowne of a man; I will tell, I say, what we did; Be­sides all our excuses, and they were, for the most part, lyes; we wished our Ma­ster no good, none at all, neither going forth, nor returning home, nor lying down, nor rising up: we wished it might raine pouring downe, especially all the morning, though the fruits of the earth lay in the suds, so wee might stay at home what cared we for that: we were content with sore eyes, and kybed heeles, they were good commodities with us, but that they hindred our play; wee would wish our selves dead too, when wee had not learnt to live; and though we could not be sick when we [Page 18] would, yet wee would faigne it pretty well, and finde a time to steale to the Cupboard (not discerned) for provisi­on of a crust against the next day, (when we did forecast trouble.) To a boy play & a dry crust is good cheare. It is not fit to tel all, and this could not be spared. But why all this? what un­happy boyes those! the blame was not ours, we were in the darke, and yet spurred on as the Drunkard doth his horse, when he minds not the dan­ger, nor sees one step of his way; wee have cleared it then, that the under­standing must be unfolded.

How is that? as wee doe let in light into our house, by the doores and win­dowes. An ignorant man lives, we say, like one in a darke house: he is a dark man: and darke let him be, if he will not take the paines to pluck downe the wooden window, thereby to let in so glorious a creature as light is, and so delightfull. God be thanked, the mans house hath windowes, let him set them open; so much light will come in whe­ther hee will or no, as will leave him without excuse, though he may be in [Page 19] the darke for all that.

But touching the Child, our purpose is that he shal not stir one inch farther, then he carries his Torch or Lanthorne in his hand, that thereby the understan­ding may doe its office, and put to me­mory to doe hers; and now we goe sure, because in order making no inversion thereof, for that is to turne the picture.

Our endeavour shall bee to put the Child in a good forwardnesse, before he knows where he began; he shall bee well entred, before he knowes how hee came into the way; hee shall doe his worke playing, and play working; hee shall seeme idle and think he is in sport, when he is indeed serious, and best im­ployed. This is done, when the under­standing is cleared by its owne light; when the Childs owne doore, which he thinks shut, is opened by a naturall key, of the childs owne framing, and using. It is, I say (for I would be cleare herein) thus done, when things are so ordered and explained, as that the con­sequence is made easie by receiving his light, and dependance from the ante­codent.

And this is a familiar way of tea­ching, when the Schoole is otium, in­deed a profitable kind of play, for un­der that notion the work will be both more pleasant, and then more profi­table: but very different it is from those sports and recreations (as wee mis-call them) usuall now amongst boyes. Such a way there is, that is certaine; and wee will grope after it anon, for so sensuall it is, that it may be felt. But I say againe, an infallible way it is, and in point of teaching, all in all, it being lex generalitatis as the Logicians terme it, an excellent helpe both to the judgement and memory, when a child can see himselfe speake, and know what he doth remember.

I cannot expresse the way in one word, and in our Tongue more plainly then in the Latine it is, there we call it precognition, which in more words, thus may be described. ‘It is an anticipati­on of the understanding, that is, a stealing upon it, and catching of it, unfolding unto it, that the childe knowes not, by that medium or meanes he knew before; or, It is that whereby [Page 21] I slip into a childs understanding be­fore he be aware; so as a child shall have done his task, before he shall suspect that any was imposed: this is done by Precognition; for it conveyes a light into the understanding, which the child hath lighted at his owne candle.’

CHAP. III.

THe way of working hereby is when the inward senses of the child are instructed by the outward: And the more help I have of the outward, the surer and firmer the instruction is within, that is certain.

Therefore praise wee God, yea all within us praise His holy name, that the child can see and heare both specially that it hath, that great Organ or instru­ment of knowledge, the eare, (though the eye helpeth most this way, but without the eare we could doe nothing) [Page 22] and that open to Instruction. It is true, some there have been who have attai­ned a great measure of knowledge, yet never saw a letter; and one there was of full age, who plucked out his eyes, and wished his eare like the deafe stone, that he might be the more free for me­ditation. Heylin G [...]g. p. 503.

But as I said before, I say againe; Blesse we God that our children see, and heare, and labour wee for grace, that wee may use and improve these so usefull, so adorning faculties to the glo­ry of the Giver. This is a main point, for too many there are, to whom these excellent faculties are as uselesse as i [...] they were not at all. Nay, they are so far from using, from improving them, that they abuse them altogether, tur­ning them the cleane contrary way. So many members, so many weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse, so it should be; but most ungratefull as we are! we fight against God with His own weapons, and grieve Him with that, wherewith He hath comforted us; we dishonour Him with that, wherewith He hath honoured us.

If I should say, Those Talents spoken of in the Gospel are our senses, I should All Abili­ties are Talents. say but as some before me; but so I say not, yet this I say, God hath given us these to traffick, and gain withall, so to improve by use of them, that there may be a good return made to his glory; for inquired it will be, What hast thou gai­ned? and happy we, if we are found good and faithfull servants; but if wic­ked and slothfull, (mark how these two Math. 25. 25. ver. 23. 26. stand conjoyned in the Text, close to­gether, never parted) then shall wee be (as the expression is) silent in dark­nesse. 1 Sam. 2. 9.

I said well, we are now upon a maine point; Be we circumspect, and care­full with all our care, to improve our senses, for the reason above-said; and for this which followeth.

Our method all along holds hands with our senses, The extract, the Quin­tessence of all the Simples in the world, if they could be gathered, (we shall pick up some in due place) is conveyed, is dropped into the understanding through no other Limbeck but these Mark it once for all, Every Lesson must [Page 24] (next to God) pay tribute to the senses.

God hath imprinted the Vestigia of His power, and wisdome, of all His at­tributes in the glorious Workmanship of the world. Why now this [...] that which may be known of God, is manifest in us, for God hath mani­fested it unto us, by that we see and feel [...]. Acts 17. 27. of Him.

The chiefe work then is, To discipline the senses, and sith they must teach us, first to teach them. A main and prime work this is indeed, and very hard to sublimate our senses (which needed not if we intended no other but Gramma­ticall learning, such triviall points, but wee must make the world his booke) to snuffe the light (for very dimme it is to those great purposes it is intended for) that it may be cleared of the scales, or filme there; And certainly the Snuf­fers must be of gold.

Plato said well, The soule hath broken her wings; It hath indeed, and we may see it so, by her hovering here below, though the treasure be above. The in­feriour faculties thereof have lost much of their activity too, our nature catch­ed [Page 25] a fall, like Mephibosheth, in the cra­dle of our infancy, and could never outgrow it; lame we are, and dimme-sighted too, we cannot see afarre off, no nor well the snares before us, so weak­sighted are we. This is the comfort, The Restorer of all things will restore even this also. We shall see clearly; in the meane time there is an anointing, and that will do the thing; It will clear nature so farre, that she will be able to give us some light in the search, even after hidden things. To them our Me­thod will necessarily lead us first. I have been too short here touching the disciplining the senses; but I have pre­vented my selfe elsewhere, and I love not to make repetitions. Childs Patrimony Chap. 7.

Thus we have scoured the way, and cleared the Text, for plain it is that the senses are the onely medium, the means, whereby to open the understanding, and to let in thereby, there to leave the instruction sure and safe as under lock and key.

We will give but one note by the way, which will be of great use to us all along. ‘We must think all our helps [Page 26] lost, which doe not help us in our way to heaven; which doe not raise out mindes thither-ward. We have our lanthorn in our hand, it were a shame to stumble as in the dark. That is for the man.’

Now we come to the child who hath his light at his fingers ends, though he thinks not so; and how universall the use thereof shall be unto him in his way to Grammar, and higher things; how delightfull also, we shall discerne in our passage anon, but we [...] will well observe the child first.

Wee shall finde him still in action, here and there, and every where with his sticke, or with his gun, or with his casting stones; perhaps i [...] these be not at hand, he is blowing up a feather; I cannot reckon up his Im­plements: I beleeve hee is as well sto­red for the driving his pleasant trade, as is the best Merchant in the Towne for his so gainfull: wee suppose him well sorted with commodities, he hath his Exchange and Warehouse too, both his boxe and his pocket. And we shall see anon, that by his dealings in the [Page 27] world, hee hath learned good part of his Grammar (that dull booke, as it is taught) before he came at it. But we observe for present that the child is all for action, and very earnest therein, never quiet▪ except in motion. It is true, hee should bee better imployed, but wee must take things as they are, and make use of them as we can. Wee must observe too, or else wee observe nothing; That the child is as desiours after knowledge, very curious and en­quiting that way, What is this? what is that? All is newes to him, and thereof our nature is greedy. It is as a little Ape taken up by imitation: what he sees the Governour doe, (hee must take heed what hee doth) the childe will make offer to doe the like, though he hath neither strength to doe it, nor knowes hee the manner how; but such is his defire, hee thinks all possible to him, nor can you gratifie him better, nor please him more, then to suffer him to try his skill by putting his hand to the work, which you must move altogether, but hee will think he hath done the deed, and by [Page 28] his owne strength: he must enjoy his conceit, and make himselfe merry with it; all such encouragement doth good Childs Patrimony P. 99. every where: for when the child finds himself a party in the worke, he speaks of it willingly and with delight, re­members it accurately, and much good there is in all that.

CHAP. IV.

ALL this while the profit and de­light is the Childs, the worke the Masters, and this the hardest piece of it, herein the greatest part of cunning [Page 29] how to find out this precognition, (wee will use this single word all along; for now we have some understanding thereof, what it doth note out unto us, how much it doth import) then how to use it or worke by it. There is most difficulty in the first, for if we can find out this preparatory; (as I may call it) our worke will be easie enough.

Aristotle a requires it in all Studies, [...]. 1. Post. Text. 1. but hee must understand it of them, whose foundation is laid, either in the light or in the law of Nature. But Lan­guages have no ground in Nature: for though to speake bee naturall, yet to speake this or that Language is meere­ly ex instituto, (as a man is taught) hee being by Nature no more capable of his Mother Tongue then of any other. Hence it is that Grammar learning, as it is taught, is a matter of greater difficul­ty (a great wrong to children) then any study that a man afterwards under­takes. For here can be no such prepara­tory to the understanding (I know not how to expresse it otherwise) which the Philosopher requires in all studies. But here even in teaching Languages, [Page 30] something must bee done in way of preparation to, or anticipation of the un­derstanding; wee must, I say, as a wise man doth an occasion, either find a pre­c [...]gnition or make it. But this we shall understand more fully in our practicke part, in point of Grammar, which when I shall shew, I shall resume this againe, and set down the Rules where­by we have proceeded, which shall hold pace with nature and right reason all along.

There is a greater thing to be done first, wee must begin with God, so the very Heathen by their light could di­rect us; how shall we helpe our selves here? this is a great Science indeed, and precognitions here wee have none. In­deed Divinity hath its principles also, but how are they worked into the un­derstanding? By the Spirit of God, and that either of illumination, or adoption; either of which farre exceed nature, but have no foundation there.

In this we say right fure: no prepara­tion from Nature, whereby to elevate the understanding to that height, as to comprehend God, and the mysteries [Page 31] of Grace: ‘The naturall body indeed, having his spirits, is lively, and with the thought penetrateth the Hea­vens, but wanting the Spirit, (before mentioned) is privat of all these ver­tues, though it wanteth neither: so that when the thoughts are as high as Heaven, they see no more there, then before on the earth, and all for want of the speciall illumination, and Spirit of adoption; whereafter we must breath and pant in our prayers before Him, who is not served with bodily or worldly services, but of spirituall thoughts, which are the just and true sacrifices unto God.’ These are Bernard Ochin. Preface to his 24. Sermons. his words who was of great yeares, and wonderfull reputation, the most no­table Preacher of all Italy, famous for the great example of his good life there. And observe wee should these two words, breath and pant: for though God accepteth weake performances, yet Hee expecteth strong desires; ‘Though Hee accounteth the will for the deed, yet never but when the will is earnest after the deed.’ This by the way; wee will read onward, that wee [Page 32] may take with us his following words. ‘God in His power and light, standeth so hid in darknesse from us, that with blindnesse wee see Him, with igno­rance we know Him, with retiring or going back wee comprehend Him, with silence wee praise Him.’ Nature cannot read this riddle; grace can, for so it follows; ‘It behooveth him who would know what God is, to study in the Schoole of simplicity, and rest vanquished of that inestimable, in­accessible, and incomprehensible light.’

What precognition now from nature, to open the understanding, for the let­ting in this great light? Yes, from Na­ture, and so much light, and preparati­on there-from, as shall, being neglected, leave us without excuse. What though sense cannot lead me exactly, yet I must not put out that light. Though nature cannot doe the thing, but leaves us in a Maze, (as wee may see anon) yet I will take her by the hand, and goe by her clue as far as I can; that I will by Gods help, for I am bound to it. God forbid that wee should neglect the light of na­ture, [Page 33] or conduct of right reason; for this were to cast away our lanthorne, be­cause wee cannot goe by the Sun. So some have done, and wee must reade, and well observe their judgement Matth. 9. 3, 4. 5. 6. & Cap. 12. Principles laid in nature, and right rea­son, will carry us very farre, here, even from the foot-stoole on earth, to the Throne in heaven: By these I proceed a little with the child.

Wee conceive the earth hanging in midst of heaven, no Pillars bearing it up; even that will lead us by the hand to an all-supporting hand. Childs Pat p. 100. Wee have read oft, and seen a creature exceeding strong; there-from I can raise up the minde to conclude an Almighty pow­er: for mark how it is hinted out unto us, Job 40. 19. Hee that made him, can make his sword to approach unto him; That is, there is a stronger then hee, strong enough to pierce the head (that is the seat of life) of the greatest Leviathan Psal 74, 14. Quasi dice­ret annonam fuisse tunc repositam. Calv. ibid. (oppressor) upon earth, and to give his Church strong confidence there-from for ever. Give but the understanding a rise, it cannot cease climbing, till it be at the Pinnacle: And yet though so [Page 34] high it bee, it is but a naturall under­standing still. My meaning then is, which I finde fully expressed by ano­ther. ‘That the minde of man, tracing Learned Reinolds on the fa­culty of the soule, p. 449. the foot-steps of naturall things, must by the act of Logicall Resolution, at last arise to Him, who is the fountain of all Being, the first of all Causes, the su­preme of all Movers, in Whom all the rest have their beings, and motions founded.’ To give an instance more;

We see a murthering engine before us. A brave worke, saith the childe, Who made that? A plaine Fellow, he that blowes the coales. Isay 54. 16, 17. Who gave the Smith breath so to doe? He that is Al­mighty, which yeelds a mighty instru­ction now and alwayes of the same use. Wee might bee large here, all would amount but to this, A man hath a law of nature, and principles answerable, which teacheth him somewhat touch­ing the Beeing of God: And that is all: But God in Christ is all to the soule, and here naturall law hath not a letter to teach us any thing They that wil ground Christ up­on Aristotle (Reason) are as those, who will build a Tovver upon a vvheat­stravv. Bern. O c [...]in Se [...]m. 3. God in Christ reconciling the world is a mystery, an heavenly riddle; nothing can spel it, and [Page 35] find it out but faith alone, faith a learned Divine. And a truth it is more fixed then the earth; more stable then the Heavens: for so saith the sacred Scrip­ture, and so it doth dispoyle Nature of her glory, giving her neither part nor lot in this matter; The world by wisdome knew not God. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Nature polished, Rea­son sublimated, may helpe somewhat for the elevation of our thoughts: yet is it but Nature still, and must move no higher then in her Spheare; & there she gives us her best helpe: but she can­not tell us with all her Philosophy how our meat and drink do nourish; how our cloathes doe keepe us warme; nor whence the wind comes, nor whither it will. And if she cannot tell us earth­ly things, we wil not beleeve her in the Heavenly. It is said indeed; ‘Faith comes by hearing, yet betweene this act of sense, and the work of Faith, there is as great a disproportion, nay far greater, then was betweene the stroke of Moses, and the Rocks gushing out water; or hath ever been betweene the instrument, and the effect, in any worke of this nature: [Page 36] God imprinting that in the heart, which never was nor would bee in the sense so much as formaliter, much lesse eminenter: otherwise there was something to be ascribed to the arme of flesh, which in this worke hath no more power, then Baal his Priest had to cause fire to come downe from Heaven, for the con­suming of their sacrifice.’

This being premised and the way cleared, we go on with the Child, using such helps we have at hand, and thus we would work up his understanding We must not attēpt to draw downe or submit the mysteries of God to our reason: but cōtra­riwise to raise & ad­vance our reason to the Divine Truth. Advanc. p. 133..

Darknesse we are, what communi­on then with light? so soone as the Lord formed the one, and created the other, He separated betwixt both, they cannot stand together. Betwixt a mor­tall creature, and an immortall God, a finite creature, an infinite GOD, what communion? And yet, The worke of Thy hands, Lord, Thou wilt not for­sake. Mee thinks, here reason helps, points us towards a middle thing, that must stand betwixt these and partake of both, so filling up the gulfe, and making both one. I said well, Helps, [Page 37] and wee must account of it so, as a helpe, for the Jews blundring against this very light, and stumbling it out, Mat. 9. 12. fell we know how irrecoverably. Rea­son helps, it concludes, that so it must be: But how or which way, it cannot tell. It is in a Maze; now faith must helpe her out, which breake through all difficulties, and then the way is knowne, but the wonder ceaseth not, 2 Thes. 1. 10. so wonderfully hast thou contrived it, O Lord God Almighty.

Wee procceed then a little further in this Maze (so reason left to it selfe will make it) taking the Clew of Na­ture in our hand, but following the track of sacred Scripture all along.

Wee see misery here below, and man only capable thereof, of the grea­test misery; Wee must take good no­tice of it, and what wee can, fadome that bottomelesse pit: ‘The height, and depth of mercy cannot be soun­ded, but by the measuring line of misery Childs Portion. p. 27..’

And now marke wee must how the Lord, blessed for ever, hath condescen­ded for our instruction if our desires [Page 38] be strong after Him. If we see the ne­cessity, the excellency, the preciousnesse of Him; ye that thirst; Thirst dries up the soule, making it like the earth gaping, for, as was once said, but must be remembred alwaies, ‘God acc­cepts weake performances, but ex­pects strong desires, (which hee works also) ye that thirst.’ And then Iob 20. 17 we heare of water, and wine, and milke, and oyle, nay rivers, floods, brookes, of ho­ney and butter. All this to give in cleare evidence to the soule, That all good is in Christ; All from Him; all must bee referred to Him. He is the Christ, the anointed, the anointing: All healing [...].. Hee heales all our infirmities; pardons all our sins; perfects all our obedience; Is all to us; works all in us; doth all for us. O, all yee that hunger and thirst, come to Him, He is bread indeed, drink indeed. Tast, and see how good this Lord is, for under these familiar things even Nature will make report thereof unto the soule. And the very evidence of Nature given in against us will make us silent in darknesse, as the ex­pression [...] Sam. 2. 9 is. The maid, who so often [Page 39] hath laid her leaven, and seene the working thereof, yet hath not learnt by all that, the worke of grace, and the contrary working of corruption, even she will bee reproved and left speech­lesse. For shee cannot say, but that so much was plainly taught her thereby. If the bread and drinke wee receive daylie doe not raise up our hearts to Him, who gives us our daylie bread; if we doe not relish. Him in them; if these streames from Him refreshing our fainted bodies, mind us not of our soules also (for they have a meat too even their daylie bread) carrying them to the fountaine head, there to bee re­freshed; if not so, then so it is, our Ta­ble will be our snare, our ease will slay us, so foolish we are and ignorant, even as a Beast before the Lord, and at our Tables. If the Salt wherewith we sea­son our meat, teacheth us not the dan­ger of our unsavoury and unprofitable walking Luk. 14. 34., nor learnes us to season our words with a graine thereof in a Me­taphor; if not so, wee shall not have a word to say for our selves, why wee went against that rule Colos. 4. [...].; Hee that sees [Page 40] filthy ragges, and sees not himselfe in them, even at the best no better Esay 30. 21.; or white, and cleane linnen, and learneth not thereby the glory of the Saints Rev. 19. 8., (but in another) in whom he must bee found, else he will be filthy still; if he seeing these, makes not this use of what he sees, certaine it is, hee sees but dis­cernes not, hee sees as an Oxe doth a painted gate, sees and no more.

Thus I thinke it is cleare, that wee have our preparatories from Nature to the understanding of divine matters; and that by these low things (so the Lord hath condescended to our weak­nesse) we may prepare our way to high­er matters, and get a good understan­ding even thereof: And then by such familiar wayes, bee still dropping into our Children (for we may take up the Embleme of a watering pot Nil mihi prae [...]erea, praeterea mihi nil.) as we ob­serve them able to receive. I must re­member for the present, that I must move in a very low orbe, for so low my subject is, to whom I must stoope, and, as I can, raise him and make him capable, I shall winde him up very gently, and with much ease to the same height anon.

CHAP. V.

VVEE have not yet begun with the Child, but now setting upon it, if it be thought a fitting time. When is that? So soone as the Child can exercise his inward faculties, hath any strength there, then we must begin and well husband the time. Now the Child will take in fast enough, like a faire Table-book [...], wherein is nothing yet, but presently there will be some­thing written, which we cannot so easi­ly blot out: It is the Masters wisdome, and for that he shall be counted an un­derstanding man, not to leave the child to his choyse: For now (and so we shall know the nick of time) the Child can distinctly observe that which is before his eyes, and can call it by its name.

The Child hath Arithmetick too, what a jolly fellow is this? (I must in­sert words of incouragement, that pro­moteth greatly the little thing) he can skill of Greek, hee can tell you how many fingers hee hath upon the one hand, then he can number I hope.

He can put the other five to them, and tell what all amounts to; then he can adde; he can take away the one hand, and tell you how many remaines: The best Accountant in the towne cannot an­swer more punctually; then wee will grant he can substract: yes & more yet is his skil, for he can tel you what twice 5. is, so he can multiply; And ten to one, if these ten were ten Apples, he would divide them by 2. to each hand even parcels, and so keepe all for himselfe: otherwise, and in such cases, hee careth not for division, though he understands it for his use very well.

Poore Child! hee hath discovered himselfe too far: for now his skill is so well knowne, hee must to Schoole to learne his Mother-tongue the very next Munday; And there we suppose hee is, where the Mistresse helps to hold the [Page 43] book with one hand, and (if it be as I have seen) a little twigge in the other, which the childe markes very earnest­ly, as wee would have it doe the les­son.

Here is a change now, and that will be pleasing for some houres. The next weeke the childe will tell you when is the next Holy-day, for that is all hee heard at Church, and all he lookes for, he knowes where, for he findes it to be a red letter: And for the Schoole hee hath no minde to it; by his going thi­ther, and returning thence, we perceive well enough, that no man loves a prison worfe: never looks he to see a mery day, so long as he is pent up there. Why? because the Schoole indeed is but a pri­son to his body; and no way is taken to enlarge his minde. What a coyle is there to make him pronounce false? and because hee cannot readily doe so, for very nature teacheth otherwise, perhaps hee feeles the twigge too, and his sense is so quick at that point, that he cannot relish the Schoole.

He heares also of Vowels and Conso­nants, What are they? Latine; poore [Page 44] little Englishman, he cannot skill of that. Then hee must put these together, and spell, What is that? Greeke; indeed so it is to the childe, and to the Teacher too.

Certaine it is, the child understands more of his own tongue in one moneth from his Nurse (after he can speak arti­culately) then he gains from a Schoole in three in any language; which clear­ly sheweth of what force nature is, spe­cially when a little helpt by Art, and made mighty by use: The one and the other, even all three gives us great accommodation here: Nature gives us the precognition; Art, Skill to use it: Vse makes it familiar.

It must not be expected here, that I should give the precognition to every thing that I would have learnt there­by; that were a dead work; Time and place will instruct much, and the very thing in hand. This I say again, we must make it a preparatory to the understan­ding of every thing, so preventing the toyle of conceiving the same: And we must finde a precognition, or make it, as the great Commander said, when [Page 45] his way was blockt up before him. And this nature shewes, that a vowell makes a sound alone, perfect of it selfe; The Consonant not without a Vowell, be­ing indeed of it selfe, but the very essay, and offer of the tongue, and no more.

And if c, g, and t, might but know their power once, and keep it ever, u, and v, distinct in figure, but more in sound; if I say it were observed, it would save us much trouble in after­proceeding; so also if the syllable were distinctly framed according to the plaine rules for spelling, so pronounced, specially the last letter. For the pauses or stops, our breathing will help us there, but the observation thereof, is the chiefest part in good reading.

I confesse my thoughts are not ripe­ned here; if they were, I would not blot paper with them, though it is no dispa­ragement to goe even so low; for the Mother-tongue is the foundation of all; nay indeed wee have a necessity so to doe every day, else wee cannot goe forward orderly; the ground-work of the childs entry being so rotten under­neath. [Page 46] But I may spare my paines o [...] writing upon this Elementary point, fo [...] I finde a short paper for direction this way, from a man of long experience in higher matters, gained by travell, and and otherwayes M. Carew.: And a large tractate there is also, treating on the very same subject, of more large use. M. Hodges.

And surely great need of all this: for the matter of the elementary (the Horn­book) though it be small in shew, yet it is great for processe: and for the man­ner of handling the child, of great mo­ment also, to hearten him on for after­wards. And therefore it would pro­mote the common good not a little, if an able man had the ordering the child at this first staire or step; for a firme ground here, at this low point, raiseth the work mightily, and makes all stand firme. But it is supposed the Master must have answerable pay: a good en­couragement to come down so low, when he shall perceive that reward shal rise up. This will be thought upon when Praemia co­natum exti­mulant. De Aug, li 2. times mend, and the day cleares up, then our judgement, and fore-sight will cleare up too: In the meane time, I [Page 47] know what will not be done; a good Scholar will not come down so low, as the first elementary, and to so low a re­compence also; it shall bee left to the meanest, and therefore to the worst. And there I leave it also even in the Mistresse her hands, for there is no remedy; And so I come to that work which more properly belongs unto the Master.

CHAP. VI.

WEE are making way now to­ward Grammar learning. And what if I set down the accommodation of writing first? Nay, I will not consult about it, I am resolved already so to doe, and that for great reason; for thereby, I shall the better work upon his senses. But what if the Parent will [Page 48] not have it so? (for he must direct the Master, not the Master him) No matter; I am not now to question the Fathers will, which commonly is the worst of his reason, but to shew how it will promote the childe in the thing hee is about, where, by one and the same light, at one and the same time, the child shall see his work, understand it, and remember it too, even all this, and altogether, by the use of his pen. And it may promote him afterwards, for ought we know, as the Harp did Da­vid. I remember one saith very well; To write and reade well is a pretty stock for a poore boy to begin the world withall, and to live comfortably too Mulc. p. 33.. And we must bee perswaded to ground that quickly in young yeares, which must requite them with grace in after yeares: If wee consider so much, we shall relent at the voyce of Reason, which com­mands us to begin with the pen.

But the childe is too young yet, he is Object. not capable; sitting with his pen may make him grow crooked too. All this Answ. may bee, as hee may be handled: hee may sit too long as the most doe, and as [Page 49] the custome is: But we are fully conclu­ded, That the child must be set straight to his work, and not sit long at it, but while he is sitting there, he mu [...] make it his play. Observe him with his little stick puddering in the ashes, drawing lines there, or upon the dirt where he can make an impression; and almost as busie he is, as one was, who would not be driven from it with the sword Archi­medes.. I will tell my observation; I have known some who were not taught to write, yet could draw faces of all sorts, bodies in due proportion; frame seve­rall buildings, Castles, Ships, and the like. I mention it, that Parents and Masters might be perswaded to draw forth Nature [...]. Arist. phys. 2. 2. as you would doe a piece of gold, it will spread and com­passe it selfe, (as gold will Nihil auro ductilius, &c. Alst. phys. li. 13. par. 4. cap. 7. ) beyond an ordinary imagination. Let us follow nature here, for this drawing, whether with stick, or pen, is but Cosen-Germane to writing, a precognition, or training principle thereunto. These two, (and drawing, the most children doe natural­ly) are of one Parentage and pedegree, as is noted by the Philosopher Arist. Polit. 8. 3., and [Page 50] others. We cannot doubt then, but the childe will quickly gain so much, now his hand is flexible, and fit for frame▪ as will serve very much for his use.

But what use is of it? Obj. 2 Answ.

This was implied before, we will adde to it; The use of the pen is great, almost universall; It helps the little thing to judge of artificiall things; what substance is, what formes or fashions are; and this helps not a little in our pra­ctick part. It is the character of the speech, as the speech is of the thought. Besides all this, It fixeth the minde of the childe, (who is Squirrill-headed) confirmeth the understanding; Is the Assurance office, to it and to the memo­ry: For now all is safe; he may lay in, and carry out at pleasure, and no ha­zard worth the thinking of. Then the use thereof is great.

But it will be said sure; That writing Obj. 3 is so farre from confirming memory, that it weakens it, hurts it altogether. And it is confessed of all, even of them that write for it; And the ex­perience of all, that have used their [Page 51] pen, will say as much too.

Nay, but they must not say so, for Answ. then they say not the truth; They did not use the pen, making it subservient to memory; but abusd it, imploying it altogether, and trusting to it, so put­ting the memory out of office, and ma­king it quickly of no use Preface to Childs Patrim. p. 13.. This is the abuse of the pen, and as a great Scho­lar said long since, The most certain cor­ruption, yea death of the memory Scriptio­nem esse [...]rtissi [...]am memorie necem; ait Socrat. a­pud Plat.. If we scribble, scribble, scribble, and then think we have done the deed (as once I did, so wise I was) our memory will doe us no more service shortly, then a man can doe to himself that is in a Le­thargy. The memory must still be kept waking; if we let it sleep, (as it hath been in some diseases) it will die. At this point we must remember the dark man, his memory is even to a wonder, but no wonder at all, for he imployeth and exerciseth the same, and exercise is all.

Wee understand Platoes words now: ‘Before Scripture was found, men were better learned then since, because they were forced to write in their [Page 52] minds, that that afterwards they have written in paper. And having done so they thinke themselves full of learning because full of bookes: But they are fully mistaken, for their learning consisting in their writings, losing them, they lose their Sci­ence.’ So wee have seene the abuse of the thing, which can never be a suffici­ent condemnation of the thing abused, for then gluttony will forbid meat; Let it be noted, ‘It is the ill in me and in thee, which corrupts the good in the thing.’ But we have no need to feare this abuse of the pen from the Child, for hee is under them, that can direct better for present, and give him a Cau­tion for afterwards.

I suppose now the Child is put to Schoole there to learne the Art of wri­ting, which makes a wonderfull rid­dance in the rest of learning.

I should say a word to the writing Master, and though I have little hope he will make use thereof, yet he must heare it, for it is of much use to the Child, and as much concernes the Pa­rent.

The Master must looke to the go­vernment in his Schoole, which is so loose, that though the Child thinks, now he is put thither, he is made, yet the great feare is, and so experience tels us, he is in a way to be marr'd; There hee sees and heares Boyes of all sizes, who know they have a patent there to prate and to bee rude, which corrupts the little Thing, we have now in hand, more then is imagined.

Should not a Master looke to the go­vernment above all? Yes, he cannot doubt of it, nor of this which followes. He must consider well, what Copy hee sets before the Child; his own example in point of behaviour must be straight and exact, for the Child frames after that also, most of all, for there is life in it. And the dead example, the copy in his booke I meane, the Master must see to also; and not so much to its forme, I doubt not but there he is exact e­nough, but to the matter thereof, that it savour of piety, and bee a leading hand thereunto, so fashioning the life, as well as the hand; For we must still re­member, because this Master thinks [Page 54] not of it, That the right manner of handling the Childs wit in his reading and writing is of great moment for af­terwards, and delivereth the next Ma­ster from manifest toyle, the child from marvailous trouble, secureth the Pa­rent also against his feares and sorrows; so prevayling these beginnings are, of such consequence for afterwards.

CHAP. VII.

ANd now I suppose this Art is at­tained, (for we must proceed gra­dually, making cleane riddance all a­long) and then we must grant also, that the Child cannot complaine of diffi­culty afterwards, who can read and write perfectly (as may serve his turne) now. For as Plato said of Arithmetick, and Geometry, they were his two wings, whereby hee could flye up to Heaven, so setting free the imprisoned ignorant: The same may bee said of [Page 55] reading and writing, if the child hath purchased these two, he hath excellent faire wings, which (as his Master is able to help him) will cause him to towre up to the top of all learning. And yet for all our hast wee must not skip nor leape, wee may attaine to the top in due season; but we must remem­ber our season now, and begin at the bottome staire; so wee are upon the Grammar, where our practise shall be very easie, and familiar to the Child, (for the labour is prevented already) and speedy too, for wee must remem­ber he hath two wings, therefore hee can flie. But withal we must grant this, that the Reader, if he have forgot his grammar, (as certainly he hath, though in his younger yeares hee could say it over, and over, as perfectly, as count his fingers: A short time and other imployments will quickly spoyle the memory of all that; but what were conveyed to the understanding by an orderly and naturall way, so much re­maines and no more) such an one I say, cannot goe along with the Child one foot of the way worth his labour: And [Page 56] the Scholar that doth understand may thinke it a dull way, but my little Judgement upon it. It is the onely quick, and sure way; And let him take my word yet further, That hee shall read no more spoken here, but what is really done: So we begin out practise, with hast enough, and yet good speed, for wee have our Preparatories at our fingers ends: and stumble wee cannot, for the Lampe is in our hands. It appea­reth thus (the rules will make it more plaine anon) not by explaining the Grammar to him, for it is already done; If I were to doe it now, and so begin, I should speake Greeke to him, and what use of that? I must recall what he already knowes, and that will doe the thing, and then we have the use in­deed, if wee please to observe what followes.

CHAP. VIII.

THE childe will meet sometimes Figurala Syntaxis. with a construction different in forme and fashion from that he hither­to hath observed: To the understan­ding whereof, both in words and sen­tences, he hath good preparatories from the eye, and eare; from nature, and reason, to frame true construction there, and his voyce thereunto, for that is a chiefe thing.

There are some flowers of speech, (as the Rhetorician calleth them) which will stand the childe in great stead as he go­eth along. He will finde also in the pra­ctise of the Syntaxe one word put for [Page 65] another, as where the word signifies Suns, he must construe dayes: So where he reads the seed of the woman, and of Tres incer­tos soles. Virgil. Abraham, he must understand the son of the Virgin, and the children of Abra­ham; and when the Poet saith, He hath an Horn in his hand, his meaning is, it is a Lanthorn, &c.

The foundation of all this little Art, is grounded in nature; the childs na­turall Logick will doe it; which hath been exercised ever since he saw his The foure Causes. Mother make Apple-pies, for then he could discerne who made them, of what materialls; The forme and fashion, he is exact there, and knowes for what end, as well as the biggest fellow in the towne. And because that followes, and we suppose him in the dark, where the Lanthorne gives him light; he will un­derstand, that is not so, but the light in Subject. Adjunct. the Lanthorne, that was it; and it was put into the Lanthorne, and is taken out; the Lanthorne remaines still; but so you cannot folly from a foole, that sticks closer then so; Now hee under­stands his Subject, and his Adjunct, and somthing more belonging to it then so.

His Mother called him good boy, when by a lawfull kind of mockery, she Ironia. meant the contrary, that he was a very wag, and the Child knows it very well. The child hath heard often, that hee hath a stony heart; that is but a bor­rowed Metapho­ [...]a. word, the child knowes where, and that the meaning must be, that he hath a hard heart; And yet the man knowes not, that so hard his heart is, harder then any kind of metall, for that will gain againe in the fire, and melt, so will not a stone. The Child can Synecdoche take a part of an Apple for the whole, when the Mother will let him have no more; and he can take the whole for a part, when hee can be his owne choo­ser: And he can tell what whole this is, as well as he, who understands homoge­neum, for that is Greeke; he can tell the whole Apple, is Apple, and so is every part, as are Earth, Water, Aire, Fire, Sil­ver, Gold, &c.

The Child reads; Colos. 1. 23. The Gospell was preached to every Creature; that's too ge­nerall sure, for Beasts could not heare it, it is more specially meant then so. He daylie asketh his daylie bread; our [Page 67] desire here must be moderate, yet not confined to our loafe only (a word wee find in our English, but in no other tongue:) wee meane thereby as wee have good warrant, our meat too, our cloathing also, all necessaries: little doth a child think, what a blessing he hath in his hand when Bread is there; For, as the word meaneth, and our Lord al­so, having Bread, he hath All.

Thus the Child hath this necessary additament to Grammar, for hee can make no way without it. And in all this we have not out-compassed his un­derstanding nor burthened it at all. For our precognitions have prepared way thereunto, and prevented the labour. For that was our promise still, and we are sure we have kept our word.

But I shall transgresse presently, if I doe not take leave, as all along I have done, to goe out of the Common-rode way, for there lyeth Prosodia next, straight on in the rode, at the very bot­tome of the way. And there wee have Tone, a very acute and witty word; Spi­rit, as sublime: Time long and short, a great part of a mans understanding to [Page 68] observe it, and yet for his Turne the child shall doe it, nay can do it well e­nough. But what shall wee doe with those things here? Certainly they stand out of place. I said well a little before; This part of Grammar lyeth at the very bottome. It doth indeed even there, therefore I tooke it in, when I was up­on my bottome worke, the Declensions and Verbes, for they are the foundati­on of all. And wee carried it along with us, as the Master-builder doth his measuring line, through the whole stru­cture, up to the very top, and this is the naturall order. Nor doe we goe alone here at this point: There is one who sheweth his Judgement here, as H. Hayne in his Grammar lately prin­ted. he hath his judgement, and learning both, in higher points; For he makes it no distinct part of Grammar, but as that, which hath its use every where, and so it spreadeth it selfe through all, whereby it comes to passe, that the Child well perceives its use in every word hee speaks; attaines to a more perfect understanding thereof in one weeke, then by a verball repetition of it, he can attaine unto in a whole yeare. [Page 69] And so for the whole Grammar, though, haply he cannot give you six lines in ryme, (which will never be re­quired by any understanding man) yet for every line and word, hee can give you good reason, and that we hope one day, will satisfie a reasonable man. And now our practise is gone as far as we can, perhaps farther then needed; wee will set downe also the Reasons of our practise, which may serve as rules for our after proceeding.

CHAP. IX.

1. HEre I must resume againe what was said in the begin­ning of the fourth Chapter, and in­large it a little, for thereon depends very much. It was this, ‘That Gram­mar learning, as it is taught, is a mat­ter of greater difficulty, then any study that a man afterwards under­takes:’ [Page 70] For here can be no such prepa­ratory to the understanding as the Phi­losopher requireth in all studies. Here examples and precepts are alike difficult, either being as strange, and as un­knowne as the other: and therefore like to yeild a poore illustration, where their proceeding is ab ignoto ad ignotum. Whereas in other Studies, if the pre­cepts bee difficult, yet such examples may bee had for explication of them, as are obvious to every mans experi­ence. Hence it must needs follow, that seeing for the study of Latine, and of other Languages, there is no [...] in Nature; there is Reason good enough to leave the ordinary course, and to make a preparation unto rule by experience, which may serve in stead of Nature. But this way of expe­rience, which is nothing else but the very method of Invention, being in it selfe considered, and without the other, must needs be very confused, as being exercised in singulars, which (as the Philosophers say) are infinite, and mu­table, and therefore not scientificall. Besides, it can give but little satisfacti­on, [Page 71] as proposing only the [...], and lea­ving the [...] to the labour of the learner. Nor can it but be long, before it attaines the end, which is the ma­king Analogie knowne. For if the rules of Grammar being already framed by men of Heroick wits that were the first inventors of them, have yet suffered so many alterations of after Ages, be­fore they could bee brought to their true Generalities: and so many sup­plements of other rules, deseried by them afar off, and more clearely seene, and found out of others by occasion of their former labours, together with their owne endeavours, before the di­scipline could be suckt to a perfect and proportionable body; How long may we thinke it will bee before Children, who are led more by the sense then by the understanding, and therefore can hardly use abstraction, will bee able to frame unto themselves generall rules by induction out of particular exam­ples.

On the other side, The Method of Doctrine must needs bee too subtile for Children; as taking his beginning from [Page 72] Ʋniversals and so necessarily requiring substraction, which is not to bee expe­cted from that age. Besides it cannot but be dry, tedious, and livelesse in this case, as being without all Principles. So then there is a mid way to be ta­ken, a Method mixt of both these, be­ginning in experience, as the way to rule, preventing the difficulties of gene­ralities; and ending in rule, as the per­fection of experience taking away the tediousnesse of Induction. And this is the most Cardinall rule, the very hinge whereon the whole frame doth hang and turne it selfe; The most naturall method, setting use aside; whereby wee gaine the Language, which reduceth all Grammars to one, and teacheth them all alike for the manner, Thus.

2. The Child must observe what eye-service he can do himselfe, when he is upon Declension (there he begins, for by one example there, he sooner learnes what part of speech, number, case, and gender, then by saying the rules there­to belonging ten times over) Declen­sion and Verbe; and the service is this, he observes that there are letters which [Page 73] stand in the one and other, as substan­tially fixed, and unchangeable as a roote, the same still in every Case, Tense, and Person therein: Some letters againe are very accidentall, and moveable, of a servile condition, serving onely their turne, Time, and Place, and then away giving place to some other. This must be distinctly observed, and no subtilty at all, but with this direction; That he Mus: [...] Libr [...]i Lapi [...] is shall find these Radicall letters (now the word is easie) in the first or second case of the Noune, (the second never failes, nor the first case in the first, fourth, fifth Declension) and then the Laud: [...] Laudav: i Lauda [...]: Iung: o lunx: i lun [...]tu: same all along; but in the Verbe, three Cardinals, and the Radicals more or lesse, and most times different in all. The same to be observed in the Greeke, but more Cardinals; wee meane by a Cardinall such a Tense, which is, as it were, the hinge on which the Verbe is turned; or where-from all the Tenses are framed or derived.

And this is as proper to the Latine and Greek, as to the Hebrew it is eve­ry whit, onely with this distinction; These servants, these servile letters, are [Page 74] still at the end of the Latine and Greek word, (except in the Tense wherein the first fyllable is doubled) in the Hebrew they are in the beginning, middle, and end, but more stayed, not so fleeting.

3. All this service, the childs pen hath made easie and familiar to him, and more service it must doe then this; for the English must be written anent the Musa, A Song. A Song, Musa. So in the Verb. Latine, after first, then before, and in the same manner he must be exami­ned; and hereof the child shall quick­ly see full use; full indeed, for hereby he hath attained, that which in the stu­dy of language we ayme at, even these two things, To understand others; and to expresse our selves; And this the child must practice in simple words first, be­fore he can effect it in sentences, that being the order of nature to proceed a simplicibus ad composita, materialls first, and then composition, a putting them together. And so expressing one lan­guage by the other in declining and ex­amining of words, faire way is made for Syntax, the formet for the constru­ing, the later for the making of Latin: [Page 75] For all words in any one language of the same Accidents alwayes have the same expressions in another language, in respect of those accidents. So that in construing, having the signification, the childe cannot faile in the adsignificati­on: and in making Latine, having the word, he will not faile in the accident. Where we may note by the way, That the hardest matter, and whereat we stick, is the supplying the child in words, what is Latine for this, and that: for having the Accidents of five, and foure, he hath them in all. My meaning is; The child in his way never sticks at the adsignification of his word; as if rana­rum be the word, he will say of, but he may not know that rana is a frogge, so if the word be ambichant, he knows his Analogie, as audiebant, they did, and there stops. Here use must help us, and that wherein we are so wanting; labour. I know no other help where-from to supply us; But the child goes on in true method, for by the same way he pro­nounceth his word right also, seeing the Analogie, and Agreement betwixt them, their Dorivation, Composition, all three.

[Page 76]4. But here we goe very leisurely as nature doth, and will: if we leap and skip now, we shall fall back again pre­sently. The childe must goe very gra­dually here, specially at the first steps, as up a paire of staires: every step gains a degree of light, which he puts out pre­sently, if he hastens up, and ascends but to ruine. My plaine meaning is this; The child must make a stand at his first word, till he well understands the Ac­cidents thereof; for there comes in the light, which cleares the way to all the rest. But if the Master will hasten the childe to the next step, before he sees his standing on the first, the child doth but step up and fall downe, learne and unlearn all along; for certain it is, there is a gradation in Grammar, so in all Arts, as up a paire of staires, a naturall order, and ascent, which if we break, we are sure to fall back: we may see­mingly move onward, but promote the child never a whit; our labour is rather in circle, then in progression; The child would on apace, and that pleaseth the Parent; for it is not in their Philosophy, to consider, that examples are rules, [Page 77] which is our Position all along: And that in learning them by tale, we rather Multiply then Number; for though we seeme in our stand, but to make Cyphers here, yet we gaine places now, more then two or three, so making one word stand for more then a thousand. I will briefly set down the manner how.

So soone as we are exact in three Declensions, (we must be exact all along, for one mistake in the begin­ning, multiplies in our proceeding) so soone, I say, as we have perfected the three Declensions, with all their Acci­dences, wetake two Adjectives (indeed for some considerable differences to a Novice, we take foure, ater, albus, (not bonus being irregular) audax, dulcis, and in these two we have declined all Ad­jectives, whether Noune, Pronoune, or Participle, and compared them exactly well. The example makes the impres­sion, and from the particular the child is able to conclude the Generall rule, by the help of his Master questioning the childe, so workin up the understan­ding The same is to bee done in a Verb. And this is to Catechize indeed, be it in high matters or in low: for [Page 78] hereby knowledge is distilled, or drop­ped into the minde, by the greatest ease that can be imagined, to the Teacher, and Learner both. I know full well, That Custome, the Universall Monarch or King of the world (faith Herodot) would beare down this with the impe­tuousnesse of its streame, but it shall be found for all that, as firme as the earth, if so be that time (which makes all wise that observe it) and experience may be suffered to give in their ver­dict Vere. di­ctum. A true rc­port. A report of the Truth [...]ort,scue of the Law. Chap. 26.. The childe hath spent some time in learning the Grammar without book, What hath he gained? Not the knowledge of the Vocative Case in the second Declension, when the Nomina­tive endeth in us; nor how many Ca­ses are alike when the Gender is Neu­ter, though he hath said the rule twen­ty times; nor knowes he from what Tense or Person the Praeterperfect Tense is framed, so experience tells us, though As in presenti is as familiar with him, as his bread and butter. But now let him fixe upon the examples here, and work out the rule, which by the help of his Master he will very quickly doe, then [Page 79] he understands it, and it is under safe lock and key, ready for his use alwaies. I could cleare very well, how naturall the progresse is from the sense to the un­derstanding, thence to the memory; how unnaturall and retrograde the other way is. But I have said enough to him that will understand: I will adde but this here; It is the readiest way in the world to nuzzle up the childe, or the man (for hee is a childe in know­ledge) in ignorance, if we keep him in his rode, and content our selves that he saith perfectly by rote. This comes to nothing: we must parcell forth his lesson into questions, whereto, in his rode way, it is not possible he should frame an answer.

And thus if we doe, we shall make Grammars all alike to the child, let me say, and Catechismes also; And now I have spoken that which is of infinite use, and mighty concernment to the Catechist, whether he teacheth men or boyes.

There is an Objection: That the old method produced as good scholars an­ciently, as any new can doe now. I ve­rily [Page 80] beleeve it, and better scholars too; but no thanks to the method. I shall give a full reason for that in a few words, but I referre it to the last both Part, and Chapter. I proceed now onward in my rules directing our pra­ctice.

5. We observe the universall use of all in Analysis, commonly called con­struing and parsing; and in Genesis ter­med Making Latine. In construing, the first & principall care is to finde out the Nominative Case, (by the rule of Lo­gick that Case must be sought first, be­ing the theame or subject of the Axi­om, but the child will sooner finde out the Verb, and let him take his way) the Verb next, (this is the argument or predicat:) both together make the Axi­ome. Where also we note by the way, that the second Concord is taught pre­sently after the Declension, and indeed it is the first in nature, being most sim­ple, and having a Topicall disposition, without affirmation or negation, whereas the disposition of the other is axiomaticall; but no need of this to the childe. It is enough he can finde out [Page 81] the Verb, and his Nominative Case, (for that is easiest) and knowes the rest are additaments, depending upon one of the two.

6. The phrases are to be construed, first rendringword for word, for the learners understanding; then rendring phrase for phrase for his use in translation, that he may understand that all languages have their severall properties, which are by no meanes to be violated, nor the composition of the Authour neither; wherein Caesar is most exact, as he is the best History in the world, (saith a great Scholar) expressed in the greatest propriety of words, and perspicuity of Narration that ever was.

7. His Authours must be such as are most sensuall, I meane such as doe best instruct his understanding, and life to­gether, whether Fables, Colloquies, Co­medies, or Epistles, familiar Histories. Poets also of the very best; for though versifying supposeth plenty of words, and freedome of speech, yet if a childe stay til then, for ought I know, (I know what their slacknesse is) he will never reade a Poet in the Schoole. And then [Page 82] no small want, though I know prose should be well perfected first. But if to a verse, then why not to Homer, Virgil, Ovid, and Horace? we all are sure they are the best, and a childe must be ac­quainted with more kinde of verses then one. But there the childe may find the worst too, and so he may also even in those Poets, which we account, and indeed are most Christian. We never knew any garden weeded so cleane, but something there was which might of­fend there; our instruction was long since, wee know no better now: Wee must imitate the Bee: and then we shall finde honey, or make it so [...] &c. Isoc. ad Dem. w..

8. Concerning Translation, and Imita­tion, &c. what can be said after M. Ascham, M. Horn, and many others? So also touching aydes or helps to speech and invention: Such are Apologues, Proverbs, Emblems, Histories, Cau­ses, Effects, Topicks, the heads or pla­ces which assist us therein. So much hath been said in all this, as I know not what can be added. Besides, it is beyond my scope in this place, which is no more then to shew the way how the childe [Page 83] must be taught his Grammar, where all along the way, the Teacher must ob­serve this, and it is the chiefe of his du­ty at this part; he shall heare more, at the conclusion of the next, but this now.

9. Now the Master must consider all along that the first impressions in children are weak and waterish, no sooner made but gone, like lightning, at once begun and ended. The first and second time their lesson is rather looked on then learned; and the Master must have patience for all that, he must compose himselfe to goe as slowly as the childs conceit requires; if the Ma­ster be quick when the child is slow (then there is much matter offered un­to passion, but then) passion goes on, and the child back. The Masters wise­dome is to stoop to the childe, to see where he sticks. His pen is but a dead thing, the Master must put life unto it; he must so speak that the childe must see him speak, he must (as some have done Childs Patrimony Preface, p. 19.) heare with the eye, and learne to speak by his fingers; and this will not be with some children, till the [Page 84] Master puts his words upon his fingers ends, a thing very possible to be done, nay it must be done.

I may not forget the counsell that Nazianzen gives to his fellow-Pastors, and Overseers; or rather what such should be: ‘Not their words onely, [...], &c. Nazianz. Orat. 6. but their apparell, their going, their sitting, their whole carriage, and de­portment must have a tongue, & speak forth, Holinesse to the Lord; every thing about them must be so regu­lated, so expresse agreeing to rule;’ so lively a copy, as that it bid the lookers on, (and they are many; every ones eye is upon the light, and a City set upon an hill) Mat. 5. 14.) look on us, and as you see us doe, so doe yee. And this is of singular use for them, who teach youth also. But that I specially noted for our purpose now, when I reade that Oration, (it is his sixt) was this expression; ‘I have, said he, set out before you, a Pictured speech.’ [...].. What is that? I will expresse it as well as I can, for that is to our pur­pose, ‘I have made my words so plain, and visible, that your eyes may look upon them, as you may the picture, [Page 85] which the cunning workman hath set out: So plaine have I spoken.’ And so may yee all speake; and alwaies speake ye servants of the Lord! for this is to speake with tongues indeed, when every thing about a Minister speakes; And this is to speake in the language of the most sacred Scripture also, and in the Dialect of the people too; they un­derstand it full well.

But I seeme to teach my Teachers: no, I doe but recite the counsell of an ancient father unto them, that they may learne how to speake with tongues, and to the peoples understanding; They cannot be put in mind too often there­of, that their words may not swim in the braine onely, but sinke into the heart also; For us, who move in a lower spheare, answerably we must speake, stooping, as low as is possible, to the capacity, or else we move in a round. or circle, we doe not goe forward, wee do not promote the Child; whether we would or no, whether pleasing to us or not, we must, if we would doe good, so speake to the child, as if we painted our words, he must see us speake. He must [Page 86] read our words upon our fingers ends, even so; and how I have said so, I had said all; but that I must give further light hereunto, for at this point wee Teachers differ very much, and now it shall be cleared, who goes right, infor­ming the Child the right way.

10. There is a fond opinion abroad, & ever was since I could remember, and will be when I am not, which is this, ‘That every Schoole hath his Me­thod, and every Master his way;’ A great mistake that; As the Host said of Coena da­bia. his various dainties, and doubtfull sup­per, though there seemed a variety, yet all was but Swines flesh diversly cooked; and yet not very diversly nei­ther, for all was either sod or rosted; Iust so here: we all dish in the Grammar to the Child: there should bee no doubt of that, though it is objected and concluded against some, ‘That they doe not serve-up the Grammar to the Child:’ Yes, they doe, and account it, though not as the principall Dish, yet as necessary almost as Bread and Salt to a feast: wee all dish-in the Grammar to the Child I said: What [Page 87] diversly cooked? every Teacher his way? No; there are but two wayes; They serve up the Grammar to the Un­derstanding of a Child, but through the wrong doore, they begin with the me­mory first; We serve it up too, but in very good order by the doore of the Sense, as the man cooked his meat; so proportioning it to the palat of the un­derstanding; and now the Child can taste or relish it, and well remember it altogether.

But it will bee still said, This is a strange and novell way; No; The most fa­miliar way; for what more easie to a Child, then to enter by his owne doore, set open by his owne key. And most ancient too; for, thus it was of old, from that, the Child saw or heard, he put a question to his Father; What is this? What the meaning of that? Then the Father, improving the Childs senses, answered, So and so; so informing the Childs understanding, in that he knew not, by that he knew. So anciently it was. Childs Pat [...]imony p. 99.

Wee affirme then (and it cannot be reasonably contradicted) concerning [Page 88] our handling the Grammar, and theirs, as of old was said of Rhetorick and Lo­gick: ‘Compare them together, and the difference is no more, (though it makes a great difference) but in contraction, and explication, obscurity, Fugnus, paln [...]a. and perspicuity:’ So here; In teaching the Grammar, They begin with me­mory first, that leaves the understanding in the darke: we with the sense, so put­ting to the understanding; then to me­mory; this is explication, for it unfolds the understanding, makes all light there, and so perspicuous, that the Child can see through all even to his memory also. And this is as it should be. For this is a conclusion of experience; ‘That words of a thing not sensible cannot be legible, then, nor intelligible to a Child.’ Therefore, That a Child cannot be said to proceed, unlesse his understanding and memory keepe mutuall correspondency in pace, like two parallels, running on in e­quall extent, as beginning, so ending both together. And thus much, that my meaning might bee full, and fully explained; That the difference might [Page 89] be accorded, the true way taken, which certainly will bee by him, who shall thinke advisedly on the matter. But yet I have not done; having two Rules more concerning our practise, Two also touching the practise of the Child, wherein I shall be very briefe, reser­ving the fuller prosecution thereof to the last, the fittest place.

11. Wee must not neglect Gesture here, for as the tongue speaketh to the eare, so the gesture speaketh to the eye: And they that understand not one the others language, doe understand their minds expressed in gestures, though not exactly, yet to serve the turne.

12. We had almost forgot one Rule, which may seeme strange and of little worth, but yet a rule it shall be where­after he will practise, who will consider the matter. We make some faults wil­lingly, as well as the Scholar will ig­norantly; and as many doubts as wee can, and give good leave for enquiring after resolution thereunto, which shall put the doubt out of all doubt, clearing the understanding therein, and then putting it out of the calender, and de­carding [Page 90] it for afterwards. It is notable, which the great Scholar hath, ‘That the entry of doubts, are as so many suckers, or sponges, to draw use of knowledge, insomuch as that, which, if doubts had not preceded, a man should never have advised, but po [...] sed it over without note, by the sug­gestion, and solicitation of doubts is made to bee attended and applied.’ He that will begin with Certainties, shal end in doubts; but if hee be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in cer­tainties; so for our practise. Now to the Child.

13. Concerning whom, this wee must needs note; That the more care­full the Master is, the more negligent will he be: And for this we shall talke with him to good purpose in the clo­sing of the second Part. For this wee must observe still all along, it wil regu­late our practise also; That wee must not reckon with the Child for his negligence, till his lesson be done: While we are in­structing, we must be as Calme every whit, as they say the sea is, when the Halcyon is building there. Therefore [Page 91] this to the last, but it must not be for­got, it is but deferred.

14. Lastly, wee have not touched upon recreations all this while, yet they lie direct in our way, and they are as necessary in season (and upon good choyse of the Master) as the meat is. But at this point I had two considera­tions. First, that here the Child will carve liberally enough to himselfe, (labor est inhibere) whatsoever he neg­lects, he will not neglect his play; and for his neglects otherwise, hee hath more excuses in his little pate, then hee hath bookes in his butchet. I will not plead for him at this point, onely this I must say; The Child sits too long, I do not say, at his booke, for that troubles him not; hee can sit still and doe no­thing: but he sits keeping a posture too long; and custome will have it so, though it makes against the childs health, and custome of other Coun­tries. Therefore I say; observe we the old verse so much out of use, Puerum nil nisi pura: and spare not, let him take as much play as he will, for then it is as we would have it, true recreation, play [Page 92] and profit both; and this very thing was my after-consideration;

That, for the boyes sake, I have gai­ned of the intelligent Master, to excuse the child, though he doe not give him rime the very next morning saying his part without booke: For I remember well, that was a tedious worke once to me, and of no benefit then nor since: but account it reasonable enough, that he can his Declensions, and Verbes ex­actly well, giving such an account of both every day, as that it may appeare hee takes all the rules of English and Latin Etymologie (the Latine supplies what the English doth want) along with him (for they containe all) and will evidence, That the boy is not led one inch further then his senses (those great intelligencers) shall give him through-passe to the understanding of the same (a mighty helpe to memo­ry, besides delight to boote.) It is in­deed the greatest ease to the Scholar, and the Master, that I can thinke of, whereby to gratifie both; and so will hee say that shall take leasure to con­sider throughly thereof. So much to [Page 93] the Rules, which may serve to promote him that comes after, and thinks fit to Practice the same way.

CHAP. X.

AND now I had almost said, Wee have done with the Grammar; but indeed we cannot tell when we have done. For though it be of small use in our Mother-tongue, yet in forraigne tongues of more use it is, of most use in such, which cease to be vulgar, and are rightly called learned tongues; All these three we would still perfect, as well for intercourse of speech, and un­derstanding of Authors, as also for ex­amining the power, and nature of words, as they are the foot-steps, and prints of reason. And all this we cannot doe by any other Art, then by the Art [Page 94] of Grammar: The following words are to be noted. ‘Man still striveth to reintegrate himselfe in those benedi­ctions, from which, by his fault, he hath been deprived; And as he hath striven against the first generall curse, by the invention of all other Arts; so hath he sought to come forth of the second generall curse, (which was the confusion of tongues) by the Art of Grammar.’

But though the Grammar is of so much and so generall use, yet we must not dwell upon it, nor must we make it our ambition to make our childe a Grammarian, and no more, for that were a very meane promotion. He may haply, having knowledge therein, pick up a poore living, if his Salary be duly paid: For Homer, they say, gives many a man his dinner; much good may it doe him. But he will be a de­spised man for all that. A Grammari­an! anciently it was a word of reproach; and it was well knowne, That a base Hypocr [...]te, a Stage-player, a Fidler, had their precedency a mile before him: And a Barber waighed downe [Page 95] this Wordy-man above ten thousand pounds in bad money, and as much more in good Land. What his worth is now, I will not dispute; but if he be a Grammarian, and no more, he is as a meere Logician, and he hath esteem to the top of his worth, and somewhat above it. He is in very deed a Babler [...] Acts 17. 18., a man of ragges, made up of words; ‘Such a one as he was, who stood in the Corne-Market gathering up the Corne, that fell besides the sack in emptying;’ that is a Babler indeed, of Casaubon. no more worth in judgement, then in purse, of no worth in either.

Surely if our work be to promote the childe, wee must not set up our staffe here, here must not be our Pillars: we must not dwell upon words, as the So­phister may doe too long upon Genus and Species. The Grammar teacheth no more but words; it hath indeed some jagges, centons, or old ends of things, nothing of worth. It is the un­fittest booke to gain the knowledge of things by, that I know in the world, I mean such books now which may pro­perly be called so, for all that passe un­der [Page 96] that name, are not Books, said the Noble Scholar Bockes, such as are worthy the name of bookes, ought to have no Patrons, but Truth and Rea­son, Adv. p. 32.. Though Voces and Res should never be distinct, (in learning) yet we must take a more distinct no­tice of things, and not of this, or that, or the third thing, of three things, or of foure, for this were to emprison the un­derstanding, or to keep the immortall soule in a Cloyster, nay to seale it up in a dungeon. We must informe the un­derstanding, what we can concerning this totum scibile, this [...] All that may be knowne of God; and we must take the very way, that God Himselfe hath revealed; for such His Grace, He hath made it knowne un­to us.

It was well answered by one, who was thought that hee could live but in one place; Yes, said he, in any place where it is possible to live, in any place of the world, for I am a Citizen there­of. Certainly so is man, such a Citizen, though he may be confined for many waighty reasons, to this or that place, yet he is a Citizen of the world, for he is the very modle thereof, he is made after the pattern, (I know my word is [Page 97] too low) and for his understanding, it hath for its Range, the whole world too: what a wrong then to consine Asper [...]a­tur certo­rum finium pr [...]scriptio­nem. Sc: Exca. 307. sect. 11. this so noble a faculty, and to impale it with­in a circle (which will not keep in a mouse.) The understanding is quicker then any bird, more soaring then an Eagle, nay it came from heaven, and thitherward it is pointed. It hath ap­pealed thither in its right and straight motion, and therefore to heaven it shall goe; so we say, for it is our main scope, the white we ayme at. We may like enough fall short of it: But hee that threatens a starre, will shoote higher then he that bends to a mole-hill Altius i­bunt qu [...]ad summa ni­tentur quain qui, &c. Quint. O­rat. Prefat..

And so we leave the Grammar, that dull work, and set upon that which is more noble, and besitting so noble a faculty. But it is the work of another day, a second task.

CHAP. I.

WEE left at the Grammar, the understanding where­of wee gained by way of precognition, whereto our sense gave us great accō ­modation, so also to the understanding of higher matters, as it will to the knowledge of all Learning: [Page 2] For if Grammar be conveyed into the understanding by a naturall Light, and through its owne Gates; much more easie it is to carry in all Arts and Sci­ences by the same way; that is out of doubt, if we take the straight and natu­rall Method thereunto.

And this were a worke fecible in length of time, and by such helpes that are at hand: But of no use at all to the Youth, wanting, we suppose, those Trai­ning Principles, which are, as I may say, preparatories, even to those precogni­tions.

My undertaking was in the close of the first part, to ennoble the understan­ding what I could; To sinde it work sutable to the dignity of so high and excellent a faculty. Surely we may say of it; it is the great Peripatetick of the World: So wide is its Range, and it hath its Emissaries, its Scoutes, and Spies, which it can send forth to the very cor­ners of the earth, the depth of the seas, and the highest of the Heavens also. So that wee cannot fit it with any booke so genuine and naturall, as is the booke of Nature, which wee called [Page 3] the [...], for the worlds are its Book, and every creature there its lesson: And very sutable to its capacity is all this, of so large an extent the under­standing is. It can contain Philologie, Philosophie, Theologie, Law, Physick, so the divers Arts inferiour to them. It can widen it selfe even to all, for recei­ving the Vniversality, the Encyclopaedi [...], a world of Disciplines. And so quick, and expedite it is, that though we, ha­ving our pen, should flie (as we purpose to doe, though the more haste the least speed) yet we cannot for all that hold pace with it; so fast will it run through all the Seminaries of Arts, and Sciences, grasping, and catching at all, though all will not fill it up, nor suffice, it can contain but its measure, which serves as a mirrour, onely wherein to view our ignorance; or as a light, enough to discover that we are in the dark.

We will take the advantage of the higher ground, and raise up the child to the Pinnacle, as was said, and there look about us a little. It will learne us what use there is of Generalls to a child, little, or none at all, and then afterwards, [Page 4] haply, to lead the child more wisely. Therefore thither we will rise first in our imaginations, so we may, for in­deed In angissto Ʋiveretur, siquidquam esset cogita­tionibus oc­clusum. Sen we should live pent up in a prison, (as the Philosopher saith) if our minde were confined as our body is.

Note this for the clearing the way; That we make use of the Pinnacle, and our Imaginary there, as in a crowd, and presse of people we use Lictores, and Vi­atores, Sergeants, and Whifflers, ad summovendans turbam, to keepe off the thronging in of singulars. We must look upon things at the first, (though we over-look them) as he did upon his Army, in one lump and masse, as they were once altogether; For in a way so various, should I have minced out things into particulars, they would have so crouded in upon us, that we should have found our selves not in a way, but in a maze. So we will imploy our ima­ginary in the first place, which will quickly run over a large circuit, and let it take scope, and range where it will, we shall the better see what account it will give us at the last.

Yet that this travell of the minde [Page 5] may not be wholly fruitlesse, I will give the childe some generall lessons, which may serve us in stend of precog­nitions, of as great use as those were, which the old father gave his son, about to take his flight.

1. We must take our minde with us, The mind seeth with­cut the eye; the eye never without the mind. we must make sure of that: A great commodity, yet oft-times left behind, or quickly slipt away from under our command, when it should doe us most service. The minde doth all, it is that which sees, which heares [...] Arist. de Intel. c. 30., &c. It is the eye, eare, hand of the soule, and body both; for if the minde be not present we doe not see what we look upon; In­deed sometimes, the sensible, that I heare, or see, may be so vehement, and exceeding, that it will be heard or seene whether the minde will or no: but wee need feare no such matter now.

2. We cannot but remember we We do not hold as some doe. that there is but one sense and that is Tactus. carry about us our five senses, so Orga­nicall or Instrumentall are they to the whole body, yea, and to the minde too. We must needs minde them, for else they will minde us, especially that, [Page 6] which is at the tip of the tongue, and the other which is dissused through the whole body, which is not the out-most skin there, for that is as dead as: doore naile, but that which is very near it, of a glutenous and sinewy substance, most tender alwayes where the sinewes are most, as Tormentors of old knew very well.

Take them all together, and accor­ding to the command we take over them, they will evidence us to be ey­ther beasts or men. They give us the greatest accommodation, so also, for there is no mean, they doe us the grea­test hurt. Some there were who listed Alexander very high, they made a god of him, as the manner is; sometime af­ter, this Great one received a great wound, and outgushed a great deale of blood; ‘Say my flatterers what they will, said he, I see plainly what I am, a fraile man, and no other.’ The Philo­sopher reads us a good Lecture upon this, we must not contemne what he saith: ‘We may be so farre gull'd, and befooled, (for no man could be flattered, unlesse he flattered himselfe [Page 7] first) as that we may think our selves wise; Alas! nothing lesse. We see, and then we covet things, that will never profit: we see, and then we take, that which will doe us certaine hurt. We wise? No not so wise as the beasts, they know when they have enough, enough meat, enough wa­ter; so doth not man, because he hath that about him, which still is cra­ving, give, give, and hee gratisieth himselfe so farre, and saith, take, take: So sense is his carver, not reason; And this is to walk by sense, and below a beast, for this man never saith, hee hath enough; But so a beast saith:’ so saith the Philosopher, or to the like Sen. Ep. 59 purpose. Indeed we may now remem­ber, that one man, and but one, who was led by sense, said, Hee had enough; how enough? A great deale [...] Much, or a great deal. Gen 33. 9. Esaus e­nough. to glut him; it was not such an enough, (I may say) as his good brother had, he had enough indeed, God was his portion, and there the soule [...] i. [...] All things Gen. 33. 11. Iacobse e­nough. for God is All. I am a very little diverted from my scope here, I return, and say onely, we have [Page 8] our five wits if we doe not guard them, they will spoyle us even of our crowne, and Princely dignity: such a necessity there is, if wee will be our owne men, to keepe a strict watch about them, a sure command over them, specially when we are gadding and gazing abroad. This is our wisedome, and for this we shall be counted understanding men.

3. There are(say some) three inward senses performing the offices of the Ani­mall spirit, which useth the body as an instrument. But these three upon the matter are all one, for if we be attent up­on a thing, we doe imagine or consider what it is, and then we can record, or remember it also. These are indeed but three distinct operations, (common to us with beasts, but with some advan­tage on mans side) of one and the same spirit, which the minde or soule useth, and thereby doth exercise those great powers of Vnder standing, Will, Conscience: For from diligent attention there is con­veyed to a man, the understanding of things: from imagination, or dijudicati­on, a chusing, or refusing: from remem­brance, [Page 9] conscience, that great and impar­tiall Judge, for it cannot be bribed, nor ever can it be alone.

4. And now, having these helps about us, the higher we soare, the bet­ter, for the higher, the nearer we come to the highest; and the more discerning we have there, the more we shall dis­cerne our selves, and our owne vile­nesse, which will cause us to walk hum­bly below, and to avoid the snares there.

5. It must be considered for the clo­sing up of the method, else there will be a gaping; That I have led the childe through the earth already, and over the deep waters; upthrough this great gulf, the Aire, to the Starry heaven, and above them. I shall not doe what is already done, but rather adde thereunto.

In the last place, I suppose the child is still asking questions, (so he should be Z [...],read Asch. Schoole. p. 7. [...]. Arist. Met. 3. 1.) and my selfe giving hints thereof, or making answer thereunto. So these premised, we suppose where we are, up­on the Pinnacle of the Temple, for there our prospect hath the largest com­passe, and best fits so capacious a sub­ject. [Page 10] And here we would behold all the works of God, and operations of His Hand; All Hee hath created, and all that Man hath made; All the works of Nature and of Art upon dry land: We would to Sea also; to behold the won­ders there; specially the Ship, the ol­dest house of the new world; and then to the remotest regions of the earth, or aire, to behold all the workes there. And if all this in our Imaginary wee could doe, yet the understanding would not bee satisfied with all this. One world is not enough, nor, had we such another, could it bee sufficient. But where abouts are we now in the world, for where the minde is, there are we? In a Maze sure enough: And by grasping all, we have lost the bene­fit of all, that is certain.

It puts me in minde of a very merry fellow and mee thinkes I have done somewhat like him; ‘He would spend a whole day in fetching a round about Europe, thence stepping into Asia, so striding into Africa, thence leaping into America; then home againe to supper and to bed;’ In good time all [Page 11] this, but wee hope his benefit was not much, which hee made of his travell. This is the way to let the under standing remaine confused, without fruit, as lyeth the field, where they cast over much seed. Hee that goes with a child in his hand, must goe as the child can goe; and he must drop-in instructions, as the Nurse fed him, by little spoonefuls, and even that little, by little degrees too; for of that little, much goes beside, in and out, as Nurses know best: But this we see very well, as the Nurse feeds the body, so we the understanding; Wee must bee dropping drop after drop, and many a drop falls by too. Hee that poures altogether upon a child, or gives it him in a lumpe, loseth all his labour, and choaketh the understanding.

CHAP. II.

VVHat way then with the Youth? to insist upon Gene­rals is to leave him in a maze without any thread in his hand, and to give him singulars is impossible, for they are in­finite unto us. That is true, yet we must give him as many as wee can, though those many will be but a few. We must lead him from the Schooles to the Col­ledges, Innes of Court, Monasteries, yea Shops too, &c. he must go through them all.

But this is impossible also, unlesse wee could carty the Child from place to place, as fast as Fame can flye; which was (if she be not belied her selfe, that hath told so many lyes of others) 2500. miles in one day Liv. 25. Hist. of the world. B. 3. 6. 10.. This cannot be, how then may we help the Child?

I know no better way, then to fur­nish [Page 13] him with Emblemes; To let him observe the Aegyptian manner (that Nation was one of the most ancient Schooles in the World) by Hierogly­phicks; They have the darkest interpre­tation, I will unfold one or two, that the Child may the better conceive the use of them.

The Persian manner was, when they expected a full surrender of all into their hands, To demand a quantity of earth, and water to be sent unto them, which should bee a signe that all was yeelded, and such a message hee sent to the Scythian.

But the Scythian teturned an Hiero­glyphicall answer, sending instead of Earth, and Water, a Bird, a Frog, a Mouse, and five Arrowes: which dumbe shew the Persian interpreted according to his wish; and thought, That the Scythian had yeelded all the elements, where these Creatures live, and his weapons withall; The Scythians meaning was quite contrary, as the event proved; That unlesse the Persian could get wings like a Bird, or dive un­der water like a Frog, or creepe into [Page 14] holes like a Mouse, hee should not es­cape their Arrowes.

By this example wee make judge­ment, how significant this manner of teaching is. So also to verse the Child in Muthologie; To let him heare Para­bles; and see Maps, Travell upon the Globes; To read some lectures there; To give him as many Images, or Re­presentations of things as possible can bee. A sure way of teaching, said the Philosopher.

‘I remember Sextius my old friend, a quick-sighted man taught mee very much by an Image or re­presentation, he set before me, which was this; of an Army so quartered, that it was prepared for the enemy, though hee should march on as in a cloud, in so darke a path, as is the way of the wind: so prepared should e­very man be, still having his succours about him, and doing their office, keeping their watch, and ready to take the Word, present at the Cap­taines Sen. Ep. 59 command, and this is right reason.’ The Philospopher closeth this with a very usefull speech. ‘That mans [Page 15] standing is ever safest, who is lesse secure about it.’ So much the Philosopher hath touching the use of Images, (as he cals them) or representations. Certainly the use of this is great; If wee could make our words as legible (which was said) to Children as Pictures are, their information there-from would bee quickned, and surer. But so wee cannot doe, though wee must doe what wee can: And if wee had such bookes, wherein are the pictures of all Crea­tures, Hearbs, Beasts, Fish, Fowles, they would stand us in great stead. For Pi­ctures are the most intelligible bookes, that Children can looke upon. They come closest to Nature, nay, saith Scali­ger, Art exceeds her. A strange speech, Nat [...]ram s [...]perat Ars. Exer. 207. Ser. 11. but he will have it so; I verily beleeve, said he, ‘That Nature never framed any humane body, (I except onely two, the one of the first Man, the other of Him, who was God and Man) so artificially, so exactly well, as hath the cunning Limner, or curi­ous Arts-man.’

A strange speech, I say againe, and exceeding. But indeed if our eyes may [Page 16] bee Jedges, which see not the body, but the Accident thereof, colour, &c. there may be some truth in the thing, for the eyes Non acci­pit [...]r in sensum sub­stantia: sol [...] ­m [...]do acci­dentia reci­piuntur. Seal. Exer. 30. 7. seeing but the surface, and accidents thereof, may report unto us, that there is more beauty in an Artificiall, then a Naturall body.

Certaine it is, and that is to our pur­pose, That Art is very curious, and though it cannot give this aliquid intus, yet will it frame a thing very lively Plin. 35. 10. Mart. Ep. 1., therefore takes the eye very much, and helpes the understanding not a little [...]. Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 10.. Let it bee considered, how much this one piece of cunning Art may gaine upon a Childs understan­ding; when the Childs eye observes the eye of the Picture upon him wheresoever he stands, so upon every one in the same roome. How shall I avoyd GODS eye? Hee that made the eye, shall Hee not see? It is our Conclusion then, or rather not ours, but the conclusion of experience, that Pictures are easie and legible Bookes, children understand them quickly: But wee have two Cautions touch­ing [Page 17] these, both bid us beware of Pi­ctures.

1. Take wee heed, they bee not such, as I have seene in some neighbour Countries; naked Pictures of both Sexes, and these very ordinary. I ob­served also much brutishnesse in the inhabitants there; And hee that will tell his observation, must say as much now. For their conversation is as it was, and will be till such Pictures, so insnaring, be cast out to the Bats, and Moth, or rather stampt to pieces, as the Idol was. I could say much at this point, and I thinke much to purpose, I will say but this: Pictures are Chil­drens bookes, their scope, and tenden­cy must bee to promote good manners, and the soule of the child, they must not looke towards immodesty; if so, I will say but as one did long agoe: It is too Nimiū est quod intelli­git. Quint. much, which children doe understand.

2. There is another danger yet. They are very bewitching things; a man may be exceedingly taken with the work of his owne fingers. I have read the pe­degree of Pictures, and I have stood, and wondred till I could in some mea­sure [Page 18] bottome my owne heart; That from so low a bottome, they should rise to so high a Top; from so base, and beggarly a beginning, they should grow so rich, and be of such account in the world. It had its rise from a stock; (a woodden beginning) then it was set up in the Court; then crept into the Common House, thence into GODS House. There they began Error min [...] ­mus in prin­cipio fit maximus in f [...]e. Nat. Com. lib. 11. cap. 18. Quod mi­nimum est minimū est, sed in mini­me magnu est et in mi­ [...]imo fidele esse maxi­mum est. to gaze upon it, then to bend be­fore it, after that (for they must not serve the Devill with nothing) to offer unto it, and but a graine of Incense at first, a very little thing: but marke how that little did in­crease, more then did a graine of Mustard-seed; for at last the Father offered his Childe, the Sonne of his body, for the sinne of his soule. That Little little did so increase, at length that it opened the mouth of their Molech (it was an Image) Like as Lucians feigned Fish Luc. de vera Hist. lib. 2., (which swal­lowed up a great Ship smooth) for it devoured many at once, flesh and bones and all together. I mention this, that wee may take heed of a little in [Page 19] point of Gods worship, for a little is not a little. The least deviation from the Rule, the least swerving [...]. [...]c. If the body be a little divided from the head, it dies: If the branch be a little di­vided from the roote, it wi [...]hers; therefore this little is not a little, nay it is all. Chrysost in 1 Cor. Hom. 8. there-from, is like a little separation of the building from its foundation, which quickly causeth a ruine. Therefore saith the Father well, in such cases, A little is not a little. I must not delate here, though so I could doe to good purpose.

But is it not strange (yet nothing is so, to him that knowes his own heart, which hath its Idols too many) that a Esay 44. 1, 10, 7. Hist. of the world. Lact. 2. 2. Foelix in Fol. p. 16. reasonable creature should fall downe before a calfe, and say, Thou art my God; Or before a stock, and say, Awake, Arise, Hab. 2. 18, 19. and save us; Yet so brutish have some been, as we reade more then once. And though the Story be old, so may our hearts be too, and then such practise will be new; for a feare there is, ‘That which should be the childes Book,’ may be the old-mans Baby; so we have known it also; O abominati­on! What, adore the work of the fin­gers ends! Yes, and then in the sacred [Page 20] Scriptures language, thus it is, He that makes the stock his feare, will feele it his sharpest sorrow Hos. 8. 4. [...] for in propriety of speech, and in the sacred tongue, so Idoll signifies.

I would not have the childe want these Bookes, not would I he should be indangered by them, as they may soon be; For as the learned Knight saith; ‘The Devill long since crept into these woodden, and brazen carcasses; and hath nezled himselfe there by a woodden distinction;’ as foolish and weak as that of the Physitians wife, tou­ching pepper; It was hot in working, but cold in operation: By such a like distin­ction as this. They make a great diffe­rence, betwixt the Image they bend before, and an Idol: a wide distinction also betwixt [...] and [...], though the sa­cred Scripture and truth it self knows none such. Juel. Ap. Art. 14. the Devill hath, I say, held his habitation, so as ever since, these carcasses, though they would seeme to promise much in guiding the sense, doe produce intolerable inconveniences by misgui­ding the heart, drawing it from the truth, which is a matter of power, being the immediate work of God, not of man, and fixing it upon a forme or resemblance, which is [Page 21] as farre from the thing, as is the Image from the life of that, which it doth re­present to the soule.

I will tell the child here, for I would have him well informed at this point; How these Pictures, or Images, (I know not what to call them in the childes eares, the sacred Scripture calls them Dunghill-gods) how I say these Images (the best and the most contemptible have all the same Ancestors, descending from the same common stock) have scoffed at, and played upon their Car­vers, and thus by the allowance of their Masters, very Heathens too; An Image is thus brought in debating the matter before his Carver, in this manner; ‘Here I lie before thee an unprofita­ble piece of wood; I am at an indif­ferency, what wilt thou make of me? a bench to sit upon, or a God to look Hor. 1. Ser. 8. upon? I am at thy service, consider the matter, and resolve. The Carver bethought himselfe, so it came in his cap, to shew his skill, and (I little thank him) a God he made me. Now see how I am abused, The dust co­vers mee, I cannot wipe it off from [Page 22] mine eies, The worm consumes me, The mice and the rats defile me, and I stand the while stock still,’ not able so much as to hold my nose. What think we? is not this a notable jeere cast upon the Image-maker? He was served well enough, he conceived that hee could a [...] Chrys. in Esay 2. d [...]. Chr. Tom. 1. Hom. 37. make his God, ^b and frame a work more noble then the work-man, who is more precious then the whole world ^d. What a foole is that? how like the stock he made, or that he sits up­on? Hee shall heare one jeere more, though wee hate the pra­ctise, and the Heathen shall cast it into What Re­ligion is that, which cannot mention without suspicion ofscoffing. B [...]luel Apo!. Art. 7. p. 375. his teeth, because hee hath wrought such a silly sorry worke, and yet ac­counts it something; for thus the Hea­then man jeeres at the stock: ‘The Carver hath made a God of thee, thou art a great one; thou must doe a great deale of service, and look thou dost it, see well to thy charge, else I promise thee thou shalt to thine own place the fire, where if thou canst doe nothing else, thou shalt warme my shins, for though thou art carved, and [Page 23] cost is put upon thee above thy worth, yet thou art but wood, and to Lignumes, &c. Mart. 8. 40 the fire thou shalt goe.’ Let the man think of this as he pleaseth, I am sure it is to the childs understanding, and may make him both think, and practise like a man, if adding thereto we remember him of this which follows.

They who made a god like a four-foo­ted beast, God gave up to a sin, which did abase them into a worse condition then of beasts. And so it is at this day, such, and so just the judgement upon them, amongst whom these pictures are in such request, as saith Sr. Ed. Sands, and a great deale more. What I make my Idol will be my shame, my torment also. Little children think on this, and keep your selves from dumb Idols. Amen.

CHAP. III.

THus wee learne to stoop what wee may, to the low capacity of chil­dren, by making singulars, what we can, plain and visible before them. To verse them in Generalities, is to carry them in a cloud, or to keep them upon the pinnacle, yet because so high we are, and it is a word we reade much of, we will get some informations from it, and some instructions also, by the descent there-from, which may lead us to sin­gulars, and to the chiefe amongst them, which is man, the Compendium or A­bridgement of the great world; we shall teach the child to reade that book first, I mean himself: there we will be­gin, but in order, we suppose we are up­on the pinnacle yet, and our hope [Page 25] is to gaine something there.

1. What a prospect have we here? yet not enough, no not enough to satisfie the eye, much lesse the soule, so capaci­ous that nothing but heaven can fill it, the good things there: Iacobs enough onely fills the soule, (as was said) the foure quarters of the world, the regions of the Aire too, cannot affoord us enough to fill up the eye, and eare, notwith­standing all, there would be a desire af­ter, and a capacity of more. Alas! what a poore thin is all this, which we can reach with our eye? much like the point where the compasse stands, where with you draw the circumference: and that is but an atome, like a mote in the Sun, or a grain of mustard-seed; such a thing is earth, and Sea too, in reference to heaven.

‘Lord give us to see into, and through these things, and then the vanity of them all will appeare: And wee shall know where rest is to bee found, and enough, that we may say; Soule enter into thy rest, for thou hast enough laid up for many yeares; even to all eternity;’ for God is yours, and [Page 26] Christ yours, and then all yours; that was Iacobs enough, to satisfie even in Gen. 33. 11 as before. famine, in the greatest wordly wants or straights enough.

2. What beauty doe wee observe here! All this did the Lord bring out of confusion, as He did light out of the womb of darknesse, and with no la­bour, by His word onely. When the Lord is the doer, when He worketh, all wonder ceaseth. Wee are perswaded now nothing is hard to the Lord, Hee can make it dark at noone, and mid­night as mid-day; ‘If that Spirit will, dead bones shall live; A full Sea shall bee as dry land; Prisoners shall goe forth: They who are in darknesse shall shew themselves: The Captives of the mighty shall bee taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall bee Esay 49. Amos 5. delivered;’ for this is He, that brought this beauty out of confusion, and by His Word, He spake, and it was done.

3. See how insnaring this glory is! The tempter thought he could have ta­ken his Lord with it. But blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Hee hath overcome this Tem­pter, [Page 27] and broke this snare to His children. They can see through this beacuty, and account the glory, and pompe thereof to be no better then a phansie Acts 25. 23. [...].. And indeed the wonder is, That so ma­ny should still be taken with this glory, sith it is the confession of all persons in all ages downeward to this day, who greedily pursued, and hunted after that we call the Glory of the world, That the same thought deceived them, they wearied themselves catching at, they thought, a substance, but when they came better to see into it, it was but a shadow, like some Apples wee read of, which seeme faire to the the eye, the least touch turnes them into smoke, or ashes, into which the Cities were turned, whereabouts they grow. A wonderfull deceit this is, That a rea­sonable creature should stretch out it selfe to catch a shadow: and open the mouth so wide to let in the East wind, or to feed upon ashes.

4. We observe this place exposed to all the injuries of Heaven. O the pin­nacle of honour, how slippery, how troublesome that standing, how open [Page 28] to all winds, and weather! pray for him who hath his Seate there. Let all the Censers of the Saints, and the odors there have an influence upon his precious soule; hold him fast, Lord, by thy own right hand, establish him; Let him Deut. 33. feel underneath the Everlasting Armes, inspire him also, be with his Spirit, put holy desires into his heart, then give him his hearts desire.

5. There is no building Taberna­cles here, a cloud would quickly over­shadow all: Though the beauty may please us, yet hath it no continuance, it passeth away as doth a fancy. The Stayres are before us, a sure way downe by them, and no other: It were a madness to cast a mans selfe downe, when hee may goe downe, so every one will judge: yet so the proud spirit tempted his Lord to doe, Cast thy selfe downe, the Angels shall beare thee up. ‘The disci­ple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord: if the Prince of darknesse tempted the Master of the house, how much more them of his household?’ Mat. 10. 24, 25.

The great Tempters, Satan, and our [Page 29] owne hearts, prevaile mightily by very temptation; (in a figure) thus they tempt; ‘Cast, implunge your selves into sin, the mercy of God shall beare you up: poyson your soules with sin, there is a Counter-poyson: wound your soules deepe enough, the plaister is wide enough: surfet upon pleasures; it is but speaking a word, the Physiti­an is at hand.’ This is the deceit; nay, while we are looking upon the Staires, wee cannot thinke it lesse then mad­nesse, yet thus it is every day. 1. ‘In good things wee separate the meanes from the end;’ wee may have glory, there is no doubt of that, what ever be­comes of grace, which is but the begin­ning or first fruits thereof. Salvation is sure enough, though the meanes of re­conciliation be neglected, despised alto­gether. We are sure of Heaven, though on earth wee walke most contrary thereunto. 2. ‘In evill things we se­parate the end fro the meanes;’ we may walk in our own way, the way of death, and yet have life at the last; no question of al this, but this is neglect neglect the Stairs.

6. Wee goe downe them now: for [Page 30] easie the descent is. So is the way of sin to old nature: And so is the way of Omne in praecipiti vitiū stetit. Gods Commandements to nature re­newed, as naturall as for fire to burne; for sparks, those light things, to flye up. My yo [...]ke is easie, my burden light; my Commandements not grievous; Truth hath said so: New nature will seale unto it. 2. Wee goe gently downe the Staires, and very circumspectly, a slip is dan­gerous: So wee must use the meanes, carefully, and this must ever be remem­bred, his way is safest, which is least secure. Tutissimum ill [...]us iter, quod suspe­ctissimū suit Sen. Ep. 59 3. Wee step in to view the Bell, that artificiall thing: Its sound is yet more admirable: it may bee heard downe the water 20. miles, and more. Indeed sound is the wonder in Nature, put the hand upon it, it checks the sound, every soft substance will doe it: if it receive a cracke, it will never sound cleare a­gaine till it be new cast. Such a thing is man, made of such very mettle; he hath some flawes in him ever since his fall, and will never be perfect till the day of his resurrection. He that expects a Man should walke like an Angell, is much mistaken, you must weigh him as you [Page 31] doe gold, give him his allowance; And if he be yet too light, hee may suspect, he will bee found wanting at the San­ctuary, to which ballance hee must come. Certaine it is (I speake it, be­cause we are apt to take too much al­lowance here) Hee that walkes by the leading of the good Spirit, (which wee should all doe) walketh little short of an Angel, for his way is above on high, so he escapes many snares below. 4. We should passe by nothing of use, and then if we step aside to some old corner of the wall, we might, haply, find halfe a bushell of Flies there, for so I am sure some have done. I doe not thinke that Flies are more about the Temple now (though so anciently when beasts were slaine there, and thence the name Beel­zebub) then in some old unfrequented corner or cranie in the house or wall: But no matter where they bee: this is the little wonder, that they should re­vive againe: yet so experience tels us they doe, nor they onely, but Spiders, Frogs, Swallowes, &c. The wonder is yet a little more; how the spirits of these Creatures should be maintained. [Page 32] It is somewhat stranger then that Beares should live all the winter, yet lye as dead, for their spirits may bee maintained upon the old stock of Grease: but that these poore thin Crea­tures should so live and be revived, is still some kinde of wonder to mee; though we know very well; Flies choa­ked in water, will revive againe being put into hot ashes. I will relate stran­ger things then these (it is a very rea­dy way to make the Child learne as was said [...]) from a very good hand, but the Author doth not desire we should beleeve all we read Cō. Phys.. A boy was star­ved with cold, not found till foure daies after, yet by the hottest applications was revived. In Swounds and Traun­ces, some have beene taken for dead, laid out for the grave, nay brought thi­ther, and there revived; (it was high time to awake) this truth many will seale unto. That which is not so cre­dible is this: In the remotest parts of Muscovy, where it is extreme cold, the men lye frozen all the winter, and then as the Sun beats towards them, revive againe, (like the Tortoise who [Page 33] goes to his bed about the 16. of Septem­ber, and comes out of his mouldy Cab­bin the very same day of April follow­ing.) We need not beleeve all this: But this is certaine, That the spirits are wonderfull tenacious, we cannot drive them from the body, neither with heate not could. As it is said of water, (the Wiseman notes a foole thereby) beate it in a Mortar, it will bee water [...] Luc. de Sexti. still. So these spirits, doe what you will, they will not away, as wee see in the Limbeck-distillations, &c. This ani­mall Spirit, rather then it will forsake its matter, though putrified, and rotting away, it will goe and forme O­ther little Creatures of another kind, as experience shews us in all Corrupti­on. We intend the use in all this, else it had beene vaine; Doth God take care for Oxen? shall the poore flye bee re­membred in the appointed time? or is this for our sakes altogether? for our sakes no doubt this is written; That when we must to our earth, whence we were taken, we may goe downe to that Chamber of death, and make our beds there, in hope, that dead bones shall live; [Page 34] they that sleepe in the dust, shall awake, for they are not dead there, but sleeping. We cannot but remember a short con­troversie marvellously carried, in a full contrariety of words, but meering in a Point of an eternall Truth; the contro­versie was concerning the Rulers Daughter: The Lord Christ said of her, She is not dead Mat. 9. 24.. The standers by laughed him to scorne, (the words of Christ are to the wisest of the World still foolishnesse) and they knew what they did well enough; for, saith Saint Luke Luk. 8. 53., They knew she was dead. What dead, and not dead? Yes, and yet a truth in both. She was dead to Na­ture, and Nature was Judge now: they knew it to be so, being naturall men altogether; they said true enough, though they should not have laughed him to scorne. Our Lords words are true also, nay Truth it selfe, and Spirit too: She is not dead, not dead to Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; the body is not dead to Him. When He shall say to the Prisoners, Goe forth, to them that are in darknesse, Shew your selves, then presently shall the prey bee [Page 35] taken from the mighty, and the lawfull Captive delivered from the King of Terrours. It is no labour to Christ; if He speaks only, the Land and the Sea shall give up their dead, Death shall be swallowed up in victory. It shall bee then, when the Lord Christ shall speake, as wee know, (and it is worth our knowledge) once it was, And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jo­nah upon the dry land.

We will take these sacted Scriptures along with us, and the sent of them which is wonderfull reviving. Now we may suppose, we are going by these dark Chambers, where our beds are al­so, and wee may bee laid thereon, wee know not how soone: Wee must not forget any of this. And so we are come to our home, where we should be most versed; I meane that great singular before spoke of; over that I shall, by Gods grace, reade the next Lecture.

CHAP. IV.

THere is an itching humour in ma­ny, to gad & rome abroad like the Pilgrim in other Countries: In the meane time they care not though known to be stark blinde in their own. Thus it is also nearer home; we are most strangers there; though the best lesson in the world is for a man well to reade himselfe; That is an excellent book, and much variety therein. I shall but dip my pen in it here and there, so as I may not doe what is already done Childs Portion. Chap. 1..

I remember some have likened the great men of the world to the first let­ter of a Patent or limmed book, which though it hath large flourishings, yet it is but a letter. That is true, and hath its use.

But we think we may say, That man even at the lowest is more then a letter, though we may suppose it to be of the most spreading, and largest size; hee is indeed a whole volume, and so many letters, so many lessons, I had almost said wonders: for so have some said before me, who have glossed upon them, and running over the whole Table, have left us many good instructions, which at leasure wee may gleane up by the way Zanch. de hom. creat. 1. 2. p. 680. D. Bartas p. 158. Caussin. p. 504. Cic. denat. Deil. 2. P. 101. Lact. de Opif. ca. 7. &c. Fab. Thet. P. 216. Naz. Orat 34. Amb. Heic. 1. 6. cap. 8.: For thy present use, look childe upon thy selfe, from the top to the bot­tome; look inward too, if thou canst, the Anatomist will teach thee; spell every letter, and then put all together, and thou must needs say, All is wonder­full; how curiously framed am I! And then, so low a thought as this cannot finde place in thee; That so Lord-like a creature, such a curious piece of work­manship, should be framed for low and base work, the service of ones selfe; of men 1 Ccr. 7. 23.; of the world; the lusts of these or any of these; no, ever the more no­ble the thing is, the more excellent its imployment whereto it is designed; if the sunffers be of gold, it doth imply [Page 38] some honourable service. It is good in some cases, that man should know his dignity, his house, his pedegree, being the off-spring of God; that his deport­ment may be answerable, with honour, and majesty. The Father hath a full Bonum ha­bes pi [...]o­rem no [...]i de­p [...]e pictu­ram. Ambr. speech, we will give the full purpose of it; ‘Thou hast, O man, a perfect Ar­tist, He hath curiously framed or limmed thee, excellently ingraven thee; Hee hath made thee the very Image, & picture of Himself, He hath drawne thee according to that pat­tern, as near as could be. Now learn thy duty, deale reverently with thy picture, doe not defile it, nor debase it, but looking upon the Ingravery, workmanship, the superscription thereon, give unto God that which is Gods, answerably honouring thy bo­dy, as the work of His hands, who is wonderfull in working:’ How rea­sonable a request is this? How many creatures they say, so many tongues in in the world, all setting forth the praise of the Creator, so it should be in the great world, and in the little world too; so many members, so many tongues, all to [Page 39] joyne in that great service of praise, which is the uncessant work of the spi­rits of just men glorified. ‘In every creature the Lord doth sparkle out un­to us love, said a great Divine Ochinus.;’ So hath He done in every member of the body, love, bounty, mercy, and upon all the superscription is, Holinesse to the Lord.

We have a world of matter here, for it is a little world wee are upon, but thus I have abridged it.

He that would heare a full Lecture upon this subject, let him reade our se­cond Reinolds Chap. 35.. Had I been Scholasti­call at this point. and shewed a little of a little, Learning I mean, I had shewed my selfe altogether, and neglected the childe. But my scope is his informati­on, and to make my words so many hints, thereby to gain upon his under­standing, which is indeed perfected by the worthiest contemplations, but ena­bled thereto by the lowest enquiry. In this method we passe on a little fur­ther.

Thou hast, child, heard the best tou­ching thy body, what it was once, [Page 40] what it should be now in its proper use, and after its primitive Dedication. The worst is in sight, wee cannot be mista­ken, for we can see, and feele both, how weak, and fraile the body is, so sensi­ble are we. Nay thou canst see that lit­tle infant before thee; what a body is there? how underlayed and under­propt? what cares about it? how ne­cessary all, if not inordinate, for how infirme and helplesse is that little thing Quint. Caducum circa initia animal ho­mus, &c. Declam. 306.! But he will outgrow his infir­mity: No never, no more then Me­phibosheth did his lamenesse, which he caught by a fall in the cradle of his in­fancy; we never outgrow our heredi­tary evils: they rather grow upon us, and get strength by time. Infirmity, (we would include all under that gene­rall word, that we may be the shorter) Infirmity growes up with him, it is that squire of the body, which in all its stages, attends the same, We see it so, we feele it so; I would we might stop here, but indeed we must not. Infirmi­ty might be born with, and well passed over, for it is not properly evill, but there is that we may properly call [Page 41] wickednesse, and that is truly evill, and nothing in the world but that. We usu­ally say, The body is like a goodly In­strument. It is indeed, but quite out of tune, every string thereof; what a jar­ring there is? or more plainly, what a deordination in all the members, and fa­culties of the same? how crosse to that end, wherefore they were framed? ‘So many members, so many tongues to give praise to their Creator;’ so it should be, but thus it is; ‘So many members, so many weapons, where­by we dayly maintaine a warre against God, and our selves.’ Such a thing is the body now, we heare, see, feele it even so, an infirme, sick, cor­rupt, base body; Nay yet more, A ve­ry beast, a rebell. And yet from the be­ginning it was not so: It was as wee heard, but now its dignity is gone, its Dominion, and Lordship is much im­paired: so sin hath enfeebled it, weak­ned, nay indeed, left it as a carcasse to the sowles of prey: But yet not with­out hope, That the time will come when both weaknesse and wickednesse shall be done away; when it shall bee [Page 42] restored to its former dignity, and rai­sed much above the honor it once had, when it shall hunger no more, thirst no more, faint no more, wax pale no more, for it shall be as the Angels in heaven.

Here now I should have carried the childe back to his first originall, and there bid him view himselfe well, how unclean and filthy. And then have pointed him to the fountaine set open, wherein to wash, and be cleane; but this is done in a fitter place Childs Portion. Chap. z. & 3. &c. Indeed I should not here have spoken of the body first, yet purposely so I did, be­cause it is so full in the childs eye: Nor should I have spoken so much touching it, for in comparison, the body will be nothing anon. And yet so much I have spoken, that I might gaine these things of the child, which in reason he cannot deny me.

1. When proud thoughts shall arise, as every moment they will, then, that hee smite them downe with the breath of his mouth; there is no such sword in the world, wherewith to smite the proud thought at once to the ground; he hath an infirme, weake, [Page 43] fraile body, subject, or obnoxious to all, that we call evill in the world: And so much it can endure, paine I meane, as, God for bid, (so one said, who suffe­red a great deale, yet not passing strength) so much should be laid upon it, as it can beare. But suppose it in its full strength, yet is its glory but like a flower, and how soone doth his breath goe forth, and returnes no more, then where is he? we may speak bigge, and have high thoughts, but our breath is in our nostrills, therewith we must smite them downe, for there is roome enough to let it out, before the next morning.

2. Because the body is a venerable Monument, though worne and desa­ced with time, yet I say venerable: We must use it reverently as wee doe the Temple, for that name the Spirit gives 1 Cor. 3. 16 unto it: It is dedicated unto God, nay, wee may say properly touching these living Temples, they are consecrated un­to Him. We are carefull that the Tem­ple hath no out ward pollution, no de­filement at all; so carefull we must bee of our bodies, such an honourable re­spect [Page 44] must they have. They are mighty words which follow. He that defiles the Temple, him will I destroy. If we pollute and defile our bodies, God will pollute [...]. us, He will make us vile, contemptible, as is a louse, or like rottennesse, so much the word implies.

3. Wee must cherish our bodies, they must be served that may be serviceable: We must eat, though not to pamper Nature, yet to repaire it, and if need require, wee may take a little Wine for our stomacks sake, and our manifold infirmities. We need not be long upon this, our eare is open to this counsell; wee will not bee indebted to our bodies. But let this be noted, how sparing good people have beene to­wards their bodies, I may say, how nig­gardly religious. It would seeme strange, if I should relate what Clem: Alex: tels us concerning the Lord Christ in point of Abstinency; but let that passe, certain it is, though one prat­tles be-speaking liberty on the Lords [...]. Ioh. 3. 10. day in the afternoone, from our Lords example, telling us, ‘Statim a Syna­gogâ, from Church presently to din­nerMarke 1. 29.;’ [Page 45] yet when wee are sober, wee shall read of healing first, &c. and that His meat was to doe the will of His Fa­ther; for other meat, and drinke, though He came eating, and drinking, Mat. 11. 19. yet such was His moderation as wee read, as much as we need to imagine; and prattle what they will, Wisdome is justified of her children; Observe wee S. Pauls example, for hee followed Christ, he was in hunger often; that is, he would have eate, but had it not: And in fasting often, when he might have ea­ten, he would not. But that I most ob­served, (the place is not at hand) is con­cerning Chrysostome, ‘I see other men taking their fill of meate, and of wine: I marvell what they meane; doubtlesse there will be a great fire, where wee cast on a great deale of wood We must withdraw the wood if wee would put out the fire. One told his friend, His Ague would not away; no I warrant you, an­swered he, it lieth too soft, and fareth too daintily, to leave his lodging. Mart. 12. 17. Epig. G [...]. 2. [...].. For my part, I dare not take my fill of bread.’ Why? that he knew best; certaine it is, he durst not at some times gratifie his body so far, as to give it its fill of bread. Such was the absti­nence of Gods people, so they denyed themselves, and so used their bodies, as if they had been enemies there unto, [Page 46] beating them downe, and keeping them Durius tra­ctandum ne animo male pareat. Sen. under, as servants, nay as slaves; For it is with our bodies, as with fire, and water, very good servants, but very bad Lords. Nay indeed they cannot bee Kings, but they will be Tyrants, and then behold the most unseemely sight in the world, the Prince goes on foote, and the servant rides on horse-backe, and hath all the honour done unto him, whereas he should have none at all, by Scripture allowance.

Lastly then, now we have given the body its due, and a full portion, wee may remember in the shutting up of all, That there is very little account made of the body, all along the sacred Writ. It is scarce named there, or if so, seldome with much honour; we reade there of a vile body, and dead bodies, and bodies of Beasts, but when the Scripture speakes of Men, then the bo­dy is left out, and the Soule is mentio­ned still. The body (we meane by that all a man cals himselfe) is in the Scrip­ture a very disregarded thing, and ac­counted of by the servants of the Lord, as a Beast, or as a carcasse, in some [Page 47] cases, not worthy the casting of an eye upon it. It is most worthy our conside­ration, how sharply the Lord Christ reproved Peter, when out of an inordi­nate [...]. Mat. 16. 22. affection, hee did bespeake pity and commiseration toward his Ma­ster, ‘Get thee behind me Satan,’ The salvation of soules is before Mee, and thou dost bid Mee to intreate My selfe kindly, to bee gentle, kinde, pitifull to my body; I tell thee, I tooke this body, it was prepared for this very end of old, that I might not spare it: there­fore in that thou dost chide, and rebuke [...]. thy Master, and wouldst crosse Him in that highest designe, the salvation of Soules, thou art a great blocke in my way, and savourest of nothing in so saying, but of selfe, which as it is cruci­fied in the head, so must it in all the members. We will observe Pauls exam­ple once more; His good friends al­most broke his heart with their love, Acts21. 13 and pity towards him, weeping and blub bering about him, and all their lay was, Goe not up to Jerusalem, if thou dost, thy carcasse will smart for it: ‘What tell yee me of my Cracasse? I [Page 48] know full well, that bounds and afflicti­ons doe abide me. I know my body must smart, but what care I for that? let them bind it, beat it, kill it, doe with it what they can,’ I have cast up my reckoning, and counted the cost, and am bound in my spirit faster then they can bind mee. Gods will bee dont, mine is so meekned that it can submit. So God may have glory, I am well content to be abased, for that is indeed to honour the body: so His Kingdome bee advanced, whether by life or by death, I am carelesse; The will of the Lord bee done. Here would come in now a cloud of witnesses all speaking out, That their bodies, they esteemed them not, beat them, bind them, starve them, burne them, what cared they; It was well observed touching them; ‘They lived, and died, as if not at home in their bodies,’ so mortified where they; wee have whole volumes filled with such, what shall I say, He­roick? rather Christian-like resoluti­ons. I will single out one amongst those Worthies, it being freshest in my me­mory, and read his answer to a friends [Page 49] letter, which was to this purpose, (I ne­ver tye my selfe to words) ‘Sir, mat­ters Bishop Rid'ey to Mr. [...]rest. p. 1569. are fully debared, Arguments heard, and things brought to an issue now, you may see the stake before you: An argument, you will never answer with all your Logick, wee are too hard for you there, you must turne or burne; agree or dye. I pray you, Sir, consider now, you are going towards a scorching element: pity your selfe, shew more love to your body then so, It hath done you much good service, doe not let it now frie in the fire, after all this.’ So hee be­speakes his friend, and pity to his bo­dy, the saving a temporall life.

The good man answers to this pur­pose. ‘You write plainly, Sir, I thank you for that, and I like it well, you tell me what I must trust to; now the Lord bee praised, I know whom I have trusted to. But I pray you, doe you consider? I have considered ve­ry well, you speake of turning or burning, the Stake, and the Faggot: I tell you one graine of Gods truth is more, and ministers more joy to [Page 50] me, then all that you call torment, can cause paine: Againe you tell me, I must dye, so much I can tell my selfe, I must dye whether I agree or no, sure enough. But not in the fire, you will say, perhaps yes, in some fiery disease, which may scorch the body more then fire can: or God may (to a revolter) kindle a flame within him, pierce him through, and through with fiery darts (that's a burning indeed worse, then that in Taberah.) Alas Sir, you are quite out, Numb. 11. 3. you speake but of a Faggot fire I am sure; the paine that the body en­dures there, is but like the mirth of fooles: Not so much, compared to that paine, which is properly so cal­led, as the least drop to the widest Ocean. What is that? Nothing. A­gaine, you speake but of a bodily death, we know that. Alas, I pray you remember your selfe, The death of the body! had I a body, and a body, many bodies, I could surrender them all, sacrifice them all to fire for Him, who gave his body, and blood both for me: hee hath a hard heart that [Page 51] doth not beleeve this. God forbid, that I should save my body, and destroy my soule: God forbid, that I should make an agreement with the adversary, and so cause a divorce, an eternall separation betwixt my God and mee; God forbid, that I should, to escape this death, which is common, incurre the guilt of eter­nall damnation.’ Now I have said all, and it is no more then the words of these Worthies, if we please to looke a little further, then upon one letter, for though I cannot tie my self to the same words still, yet I must be a faithfull re­later.

And now it doth fully appeare what esteeme the Saints of old have had of their bodies, and how farre they went in mortification there. Of great use to the child and man both, for if we would bee as they are, wee must doe as they did.

CHAP. V.

WEE have heard that the body is like a stately house, some­thing ruined, but stately still; though it be the receptacle of all diseases, and the center where all kindes of miseries doe meet, yet is it proud enough, because it hath a specious out-side. What kinde of thing is the soule then? It is beyond [Page 53] our expression or imagination; but thus we reason:

If this out-side be so glorious, which is but as the back, the out-house, or the like, what is the inmate, the dweller there? If we see a goodly Palace, wee can conclude, That it was not built for the Shepherd and his dogge: It is true, we reade of specious, and goodly Tem­ples, and within an ugly beast, but that beast was acounted a god by them; such beasts they were Clem. Alex. paed. 3. 2. [...], &c. Basil. p. 244.. But still if the house be specious & rich, so we presume is the dweller there too. What an house have we, how beautified, how adorned, what is the inmate then, how glorious, how excellent, how precious is that, which we call the Causs. de Elog. li. 3. cap. 1. soule! I will not gaze upon that wonder, so wonderful it is yet this, how wonderfull a thing the soul is, the operations there-from doe shew. Wee may speake the language of the Spirit, and say thereof, This invisible thing is made visible, and legible, by that we see it doe, for thereby its power, and excellency is made so plaine, that hee who runs may reade it. And for its pre­ciousnesse, we must remember the price [Page 54] was paid for it, for that will declare it. But we need not goe so high yet. The childe haply marks this rather: If we doe not count our soules precious, the Devill will reprove us,; Job 2. 4. Skin for skin, all that a man hath will he give for his soul; so Iunius reads it, and from thence Salvian Quis fu-to est vi'es [...] zobis ani-mas vestras haheri, quas etiam diabo-lus putat esse preciosas. Eccl. cap. 3. p. 437. gives us an easie lesson; ‘What madnesse is this,’ That a man should have a base esteeme of his soule, which the Devil accounts precious?

Again the child reads, That so many souls went down into Aegypt, he knows the meaning is, so many persons: Hee reads also, Josh. 10. 34. ‘That all the soules there were smote with the edge of the sword;’ that could not bee; for the edge of a mans sword cannot reach the soule. We must beware of men, but wee will not feare them: some injury they may doe to the body; but the soule is out of their reach; it is to be understood then, as before, every person there was slaine: And because the soule is the excellency of a man, the very all of a man, therefore it is put ordinarily for the whole man, for if I say his soule, I have said all. There­fore it is, we are bid to take no care [Page 55] for the body (in comparison) to make no provision for the flesh: The soule is all, that must take up all the care: The Apostles salutation is notable; ‘I wish 3 Joh. 2. thou maist prosper, and be in health, as thy soule prospereth;’ Yes, that is prosperity indeed, for what is the gain of the whole world, if the soule be lost? what is the bodyes prosperity, if the soule wither? we know we bestow but ordinary care upon ordinary matters, but for our jewells, they have our eies, and heart too: And if danger come, fire, or the like, let the lumber alone, out goe the jewels, all the precious things. This practise argueth clearely to the weakest understanding, what wee should doe touching our soules, look to them with all our care: For a man to intend his minde about low, and poore things of the world, is to doe as we reade a great Emperour did, who busied himselfe about flies, when hee should have attended the great affaires of the State, or Empire; or to doe as another did, who mustring a great Ar­my, then commanded them to gather cockle-shels along the Sea-shore.

And now change but the person, and we doe the same as they did: Man, that Lord-like creature, is not wiser at that point of practise; Hee letteth the sub­stance goe. The All of a man, that is altogether neglected, as a worthlesse thing; And he catcheth at flies, gathe­reth shells, poore empty things, and yet, inferiour to those before mentioned, is lifted up with conceit of some great purchace. This puts me in minde of a strange story, concerning a man whose minde changed as his shadow did: ‘In the morning his shadow was stretch­ed Dion Orat. 67. forth, then his minde was lifted up, he had high thoughts of himselfe, that he was a very tall man, some great one. Towards noone he shortned again, and at high noone (for then his shadow was shortest) hee was asha­med to be seen abroad, such a dwarse he seemed to be: Towards night he lengthned againe, and about Sun-set he thought himselfe as tall as he was in the morning, for such was his sha­dow.’ The childe will say, this was a foole sure, hee was indeed: And such another is he, no wiser, and as full of [Page 57] changes, and more unconstant then the Moone, who is taken with any world­ly thing; for at the best it is but a sha­dow, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, and the minde being fixed on it, so variable, and changeable, must the minde be too; it must ebbe, and flow, rise, and fall, being carried with the streame, and current of humane things. This is not distinct enough.

Suppose we then, that thou shoul­dest see a man, his house being in a flame, carrying out the old lum­ber, baggage, stuffe, some contemptible trash, but having a Chest of silver and gold in his Chamber, should take no care about that; would we not judge such a man to be very weak, and simple; such another is hee, who mindes every thing more then his soule. Suppose againe, that wee should see a Captain, or Commander gratify­ing his enemy what he can, victualling his Camp, sending him provision every way, doing all that could be done, to help his enemy to make him strong; In the meane time, should starve up him­selfe, and those about him, exposing [Page 58] himselfe and them to the very fury of the Adversary. We must needs think, such a man hath a crackd brain, he is not his own man sure. Such another is hee, who pampers his body, is all for that, for in so doing he weakens him­self, and fights against his own soul.

Now look abroad in the world, see whether men, for the most part, do not just so. But thy observation is sleight; entreat thy father [...]o help thee to make enquiries into this matter. Certainly, if thy Father doth not finde himselfe ca­ring and providing for every thing in his house, or about him, more then for the soules there, his owne or theirs, yet so he will observe it to be, noting the practise of the most in the world: For thus it is, they hate a precious jewell in their keeping, more worth then a world, yet they esteeme their Oxe and their Asse before it, nay, lower and ba­ser things then those, farre before their precious soule: Right Gaderens they preferred their swine before Christ; so doe these much the same; they provide better for them, their swine I meane, they better look unto them, then to the soule.

I dare not cast the first stone here, it is more proper to examine my selfe at this great point. But certaine it is, Au­gustus his tannting proverb will reach most of us, as well as it did Herod, (who, more then probable, killed his owne Sonne, when he slew the Beth: Macrob. Sat. 2. 4. Children) ‘It is better (said Augu­stus, so he taunted him,) to be Herods hogge, then his Son.’ It is no jesting matter, but a very sad thing, for the Application is easie.

We must be more particular yet; for wee say, that Physick doth not cure Man in specie; but this or that Man in individuo: So then from these premisses we have concluded this Man, who is so carelesse of his Jewell, to be one of So­lomons fooles. Nor is it possible for him to evade here. For he hath a Treasure in his hand, that is graunted, and hee hath no heart unto it, that is as cer­taine.

Then he is a foole past all question; and till he knowes it, he will never be wiser; till he can say, heartily with Da­vid, ‘I was as a Beast before thee, I had not the understanding of a Man [Page 60] in me;’ Till he knoweth himselfe to be void of knowledge, so simple, till then, hee will never cry for wisdome, nor lift up his voyce for understanding; hee must know first before he will un­derstand; hee must prise Wisdome first, accounting her precious, before he will seeke her as silver, and dig, &c. But cer­taine it is, for the present he is the foole, for he neglects the Treasure, and fol­lowes after trifles, things that will not helpe. His care is not for the soule, as the Scripture counts a care, a well or­dered and diligent care, but all is for the body, the things thereof, things that are not, and are of no account Pro. 23. 5.: These shadowes, shels, empty things, poore, and beggarly, though they are, take up the strength of his soule, and drinke in his spirits: Such a foole is he. But whence this folly? this deordi­nation? this confusion in the soule? whence this darknesse in the mind? Childs Portion. Chap. 2.

This leads him by the hand to the rock whence he was hewen; where hee lost his strength, his dignity, himselfe, and what-ever he was, he is now most miserable, and as weake as water.

And here I leave this man ever to contemplate on the face of this deepe, and wee shall waite till the Spirit shall move thereon, where by one deepe may call upon another deepe, the depth of misery to the depth of Mercy. Wee know this winde bloweth where it li­steth, the gifts of this Spirit are free God doth blinde men when He withdraweth His light. He spreadeth a vaile of ignorance, when He hideth his face. He hardeneth by withdraw­ing His grace: He cha­seth away the sinner, when Hee doth not call him, and draw him be­fore. B. O [...]h. Ser. 22.. ‘I meane then, we shall here wait, till Hee who cōmanded the light to shine out of darknesse, shall shine in his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Je­sus Christ.’ And when this great worke is done, when this Arme of the Lord is revealed; when this Salvation is made knowne to the soule, we are sure of these things, everlasting Truths, streaming forth from this full fountaine, this sea of mercy.

1. Now this Man can put a right esteeme upon things, hee can esteeme them as they are; trifles, as trifles; Low, earthly, beggarly things, as such in­deed; [Page 62] and no better: He is all for Hea­ven, the good things there. The sub­stance, that is it; for shadowes, let them go. One graine of grace, though but as a Mustard seed, hee esteemes more then the richest earthly pearle; and he can part with all, the dearest af­fections of his heart, and buy the field, knowing well, That Heaven did never cost deare. Hee is all now for the soule, soule-blessings, soule-mercies: for the body, it shall be respected in due place, and to its worth, but, if it doth require more then its share, it shall fare the worse for that; It shall be kept as a ser­vant, nay as a slave. But the soule, and the prosperity thereof, shall be advan­ced, next to Christ Himselfe: and if any thing shall come betwixt Christ and it, and stand in competition there, away it shall, it shall bee thrust away, whether goods, good name, life, all shall goe, shall be sacrificed, as wee heard before.

2. When things of Heaven shall be He puts no other esteem up on his lear­ning and wisdome thē that he hath some­thing of worth to esteeme as Nothing to Christ. so Naz. clearely revealed, the things of the earth will bee of little or no account with him, onely to accomodate him [Page 63] in his way, and no more: they have no more lustre in his eye, then a star hath in ours, when the Sun shines forth in his strength. The good things of Christ made knowne to the soule make a prey of all things here below. If swallowes up all our naturall knowledge, all that we call flesh. It makes all new, as if it were not the same, we are sure of that. All that before was lovely, and is so still in its proper place and spheare, is now, (in comparison) but as dung, or, if you will, as that you cast forth to the dog [...]. Phil. 3. 8.

3. When Christ shall manifest this great redemption, the soule will never seeke to other saviours; He is a migh­ty Redeemer; Hee will redeeme out of all adversity. Sins are multiplyed, par­dons shall be multiplied; The sea [...]; Exod. 37. 29. Chap. 30. 38. of misery is large, and wide, such is the sea of this mercy, what need we eeke­out that which is infinite? Nay though the Lord should hide Himselfe, and the Spirit should faint, yet he will not run out after other Comforters; He knows that the odour but of one onely Name, is as an oyntment poured forth over all [Page 64] the Churches; ‘The holy anointing Oyle, and the pure Incense, is made up already according to the worke of the Apothecary. Cursed is he that makes like unto that, hee shall be cut off from his people.’ I remember a pretty story, fit enough for a child even in so great a businesse. Aelian [...], &c. Aelian de Var. bist. 1. 4. c. 39. tels us, a great person sent to his great Lord, a present of Roses, perfumed with the best Spices. ‘I should have thanked you for the present, said the Lord, if you had not marred it with making it; The Rose was sweet enough, the composition spoyled it.’ Certainly the odour of Christ His death is of power enough to revive the most fainting spirit; and to perfume that sweet smel­ling odour with any thing else, is dead­ly, we are fure of that too.

4. When such a deliverance as this is made knowne to him; even that through Christ, hee hath obtained an eternall redemption; he is quick swallow­ed 1 Cor. 6. 20. up in this Ocean of mercy, and is no more now himselfe, being bought with such a price; What he is, Hee is for Him, Who bought him; And if [Page 65] any thing there be, which shall seeke to turne him away from this Lord his God, though it bee as deare as his right arme or eye, nay as his owne soule, hee Deut. 13. 6. will not consent nor hearken thereto; his eye will not pity that lust, nor spare; he will thrust it from him, for it would thrust him from the service of that Lord, Who redeemed his soule from all adversity.

It is deeply charged upon the anci­ent people the Jews, and it lyeth as a reproach upon them to this day, That they suffered themselves to bee thrust away from the Lord their God, who brought them out of Aegypt, from the house of bondage. This, I say is charged upon them often, I know not how of­ten, but it is worth our inquiry. So un­thankfull, so abominable were they, They provoked Him at the Sea, even at the Ps. xc 6. 7.red Sea: When the deliverance was fresh, and such a deliverance as that, yet even then they provoked Him, at the Sea, even at the red Sea. And may not then such a delivered person as this, wee speake of, suffer himselfe to be thrust a­way from the Lord, that bought him, [Page 66] so provoking his Lord, even as they did, may it not be so? No, not possible; for we doe suppose, This man under­stands the wonderfulnesse of his redempti­on, the freenesse of that mercy; then he cannot hearken to that lust, which would thrust him away from the Lord, That bought him; he will say, How can I doe this, and sinne against the kind­nesse of my Lord? which is under­stood, and remembred, for so it is sup­pofed.

Now for these people before menti­oned, Pf. 106. 7. It is said of them; They under­stood not the wonders in Egypt; they re­membred not the multitude of mercies. What followes then? that which ever followes the want of observing Gods works; and forgetting His mercies; They turned away from their Rocke, their Redeemer, they provoked Him at the Sea, even at the red Sea.

The understanding this wonderfull salvation; the recording such a mercy, keeps up the soule, even to its height, to walke still with God below: If wee could but understand; and marke com­mon mercies, we should find our selves [Page 67] mightily engaged unto duty thereby: we should not easily give way to that lust, which would thrust us away from that Lord, who feeds us, cloathes us, makes His mercies new every mor­ning, reneweth our strength every mo­ment: The very thoughts of these are great engagements; But the understan­ding such a deliverance as this, recor­ding such an unspeakeable mercy, binds the soule to God in bonds, as strong as iron, and brasse; If there bee atumult, and disorder in the soule, as there will be sure enough; thus the man reasons, and overcomes; How should I doe this, and sinne against the Lord that bought mee? How should I bee as those who provoked him at the Sea, even at the Red-Sea? Let the redeem­ed of the Lord say so, nay we are sure so they will say after such a delive­rance as this, fully understood, and recor­ded.

5. This person is now a secure per­son, his spirit is now at rest, he knowes God hath dealt bountifully with him. Now his feares, and troubles, and sor­rowes are under his feet; Let the raine [Page 68] fall, and the windes rise from all quar­ters, and the Sea of this world rage, he stands for all that like a rock, all these may Lavant, non laedunt. Riv. Praef. in Exod. wash him, they cannot wast him; they may threaten, they cannot de­stroy, no not hurt him: If the Ship save him not, a plank shall; and if the extre­mity bee such, that the Sea-Monster swallowes him up quick, it is but to doe his Lord and him service, for now hee shall be conveyed to the Haven where hee would bee, and no hurt in all that. We cannot bee mistaken here: We mean all this while, God doth manifest the riches of His mercie to him; this is not alwayes.

The Lord doth hide his face, even from his dearest, and then if but a little, no little trouble, as when the Sun with­drawes, there followes darknesse; But even then when God absents Himselfe, there is more praise, and stronger prayets. And this is the courage and comfort to his soule; That as the Lord hath made him put his feet upon the necks of his enemies: So through God, that makes strong, and gives power, [...] phil. 4. 13. he shall doe to all his enemies, against [Page 69] whom he fights, hee shall feele them no more again for ever. So it shall be, but hee is yet as a Souldier in the field, he may have some fainting sits; he is not yet attained to that height of security, that his face shall waxe pale no more: But he knowes whom he hath trusted, and though youths shall faint, for they are confident of their owne strength, yet he shall mount up with wings as Ea­gles, &c. Esay 40.

6. This man is one of the humblest persons in the world: what should hee be proud of? what hath he, he hath not received? He was vile in his own eyes, ever since God accounted him precious: ever since God regarded the low estate of his servant, hee walked alow by the ground humbly with his God. He keeps Court in his owne breast, there he judgeth himselfe, no man else. He censures no man; Hee prayes for every man, the love of Christ is spread abroad in his heart; now he can spread out himselfe for others; what he is, what he hath, is for them in reference to Christ; His heart is enlarged. O that all were as he is, ex­cepting [Page 70] his bands, if any about him! O that the bounds of Christs Kingdome were enlarged, His glory advanced, Je­sus Christ exalted every where; in all His Attributes, in all His Excellencies! whether by life or by death, therein he is carelesse, so the thing be done, that is his ambition, there in he laboureth [...]. 2. Cor. 5. 9., we are certain of all this.

Lastly, for we will break off; This man thirsting to see Gods glory, and ha­ving the joy of his life in immortality, (so we suppose) in respect of which hee accounteth all dung, as was said; This man, I say, is not taken with favours, nor troubled with frownes: But as Letter 13. M. Deering said long since, seeing the goodnesse of God such towards him, he waighs not all the world (except sin) a feather, and with as glad a mind he can [...]. Basil. p. 210. spit blood, as cleare spittle; Nay though God should beate him every mor­ning, and correct him every night, yet he is silent, and can rejoyce in his por­tion, pressing down, running over. His heart is fixed now, his heart is fixed; now his eare is prepared, let me say, and his back too; In patience he can possesse [Page 71] his soule; Now he can say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; Nay, Smite Lord, for thy servant beareth: He is fitted now to doe the whole pleasure of the Lord, and to suffer the same too. His Fathers will is his will: Speak Lord, smite Lord, doe what thou wilt, thou dost all things well; he can now heare, he can now beare, all things rea­dily, patiently, silently, nay and rejoyce in all: for he sees love in all, and eter­nall love: he sees pleasures at the foot of the account, and all shall further the giving up his account with joy.

In the meane time, though the Sea of his conflicts rise high, and the flouds of great waters make a noyse, yet is hee quiet, secure, at peace round about; how so? God is friends with him, and then all is peace; he hath spoken sup­plications to his God; his God in Christ hath spoken peace to his soule; He hath commanded him to come under the shadow of his wing, where he is secure and at peace; he can mock Job 39. 22. Job 5. 22. Childs Portion. p. 171. Prov. 31. 17. explai­ned. at danger, and laugh at famine, and the sword, for God is his rock, the mighty God of Ja­cob is his defence; he will not be afraid, [Page 72] not he; though the flouds rise, yet there will be a standard set up against them: Nay though his God strikes him, it is but to correct him, to sweeten his af­ter-comforts; he knowes his God will doe him no hurt [...]. &c. Chrys. in cap. 18. Matth., for the Father will not hurt his childe, we are sure of that; These are mighty words, I know it well, yet no other but what a mighty servant of the Lord, Luther, said long since, for the comfort of all those, whose God is the Lord, who can stay them­selves upon God Almighty: ‘Strike Lord, where Thou wilt, when Thou wilt, how Thou wilt, it will be a mer­cifull stroak, and I beare it; I beare any thing now my sins are pardoned.’ Mel. Ad. vit. Luth. p. 168. w. c Spiritus Domini gu­bernet te to­tum, & ra­piat ex Tu­is in Sua, ex buman is in Divin [...]. No­stra snnt ca­ro, foenum, et stipu'a, Dei omnia sunt, ver­bum veritus et vi [...]a, quite custodiat, et gubernet. Mel. Ad. I said I would break of. And yet we will reade a short prayer first, it is the same in effect which one c M. Merlinus put up for his friend O siander. ‘Now the Spirit of the Lord fall down upon thee, make a seizure on thy whole man; be Lord and King there, ruling thee wholly. The Lord pluck thee from under the power of thy selfe, from out that rubbish, and bring thee to Himself, to behold His beau­ty, [Page 73] strength, glory there; for all is there. Alas, what we call ours, wee must call nothing, yea worse then no­thing, an abomination. Cease not then to cry mightily, till God shall an­swer, He is thine, for then all things are yours; And then thou art fitted to doe and to suffer; to teach, and to be taught. The Lord keep thy soule as under watch and ward, guide thee by His counsell, afterwards bring thee into His Kingdome. Amen.’

And so much to the whole Composi­tum, the body, and the soule put together; The excellency of the one, and of the other, but lost in both; How repaired; The exceeding mercy in that work of mercy; The Conclusions there-from.

CHAP. VI

VVEE have viewed Natures great work, rather the work of God actuating Nature: Now we must take a view also of some inferiour works of Nature, and Art both, employed all about mans body: Take good notice then, run over the body again, and not with a carelesse eye; observe well eve­ry thing about thee, from that which honours thy head, to that which covers thy heele. Thou wilt consider then, what creatures, and how many, have and do continually contribute towards thy accommodation. That is the first Consideration.

2. Then again, How many like thy selfe, but perhaps much better, have been, and are employed dayly about [Page 75] the adorning thy poore carcasse. Thus observe the workes of Art about thee. A child cannot consider this: yet wee must informe him what we can. Where is the man, who thinkes hereof as hee should, considerately? yet doe these things require our serious thoughts and we shall very much gaine upon a childs understanding hereby.

First, what a retinue, how great a company hath this poore man, alwaies ready pressed to doe him service? The Sun, the common servant of the world, see with what speed he comes, obser­ving his appointed time, that hee may not faile man of a minute. This is con­fiderable, and demonstrable too. ‘I have been curious (said a great Scho­lar Bellar. de asc. mentis p 111. in his time, too great to thinke himselfe nothing) in searching into this secret, how many miles, the Suns race is in a minute, and thus I found it demonstrable. I observed the first pearing of the Sunne to my eye in its rising, then presently I began to reade the 37. Psalme, before I had read the Psalme the second time, the Sun was up, so quick, and speedy is the mori­on [Page 76] of that mighty body,’ and so for mans service altogether, which reads him a great lecture, but of that anon. Come we lower; The Moone doth him service too, who knowes how much, every man knowes a great deale. Low­er yet, The Winds, and the raine,fulfil­ling His word, hearing the earth, that the earth may heare man. The Birds of the ayre they are at mans service: The Beasts of the earth they groane under the hard usage of their Lord. Some sweat and toyle at his worke, other yeild him cloth and meate both. The wide Sea also, the Creatures there they are not behind to doe him ho­mage; what a thing is Man! All above, below, and about him, all to doe him service. What an honour is this, how great an engagement too? that must be considered also. And who is so weake that cannot reason thus, If all these be for my service, how reasonable is it, that I should serve my Creator, Him only, and according to his rule, with reverence and godly feare?

But a soft pace goes far, wee are too quick for the Child; if wee are so curt, [Page 77] and short, wee shall doe him little ser­vice; I will then briefly cleare the first proposition, ‘That all Creatures have, and doe continually contribute to­wards mans accommodation;’ then, I will helpe him to make Conclusions thence serving much for our use.

First, the Sun-beame is not more cleare upon the wall, then, That all Creatures are for mans use, All serve him: So God their great Lord hath ap­pointed, I cannot expresse it more fully and briefly, then in the Fathers words; ‘O man, what hath God given unto Chrys. Tom. 1. Hom. 57. thee? nay rather say, what hath He not given thee? Hee hath given the Sunne, the Moone, all the Quire of Stars: Hee hath diffused the Ayre which encompasseth thee; He hath stretched the earth under us, the hea­ven above us, the Sea about us, Hee hath given Mountaines, Hils, Val­leys, Rivers, fruitfull lands, fruitfull seasons, All greene things, all good things. In a word, All wee behold with the eye, all we reach unto with the hand, all wee tread on with the foot.’ We have all, so bountifull a Lord [Page 78] have wee; It is cleared to our sense, that wee live upon mercy, doles of mercy, every moment of time; now the Con­clusions will be as cleare.

And first, (though it is no good or­der, but fittest for the Child) let us give the Creatures their due, then their Cre­ator. Wee have them to use, wee must take heed we abuse them not: if so wee doe, they will abuse us, they will Lord it over their Lords, and make their Lords slaves, so revenging theit Crea­tors quarrell. This appeares in the a­buse of meat, and drinke, which being surfeited upon, will cast their Lord sometimes into the water, sometimes into the fire; And (to passe over grea­ter Holy war B. 3. c. 16. p. 135. mischiefes, which our eye have seene, and our eare have heard) some­times layes him along in the streets, to bee gazed upon as a base slave to that Creature, over which a little before he was Lord. If wee thinke hereon, wee have enough to conclude therefrom, the sober use of the Creatures; That we use them as not abusing the same.

And now wee are upon a great and nice point, but I must breake from it, [Page 79] yet not so abruptly. I say it is a nice and ticklish point, ‘to know the just bounds and limits how far we may goe in the use of lawfull Childs Patrim. p. 80. things, (for there is all the danger In lici [...] is perimus omnes. More dye of Surfets the of poyson..)’ I remem­ber Hierome Ciborum largitatc ebriae 1. 2. ep. 17. saith (the most temperate man that ever I read off) ‘You shal have some sober at their wine, (yet he would have young folke drink none at all, and old folke, to use it as a Cordiall) but drunk with good cheere.’ And Augustine tels us, it was an abominatiō to him to be drunk: ‘God for bid (saith he Ebrietas longe est a me, crapula oute subrepit non­nunquam &c. Cōfes. 1. 10. Hee must be very wake­full, that will keepe his heart from being over­charged with meat and drinke, yet that is our charge ( [...]) Luke 21. 34. It is very hard to stand firme upon the [...]idge of our liberty.) that swinish sin should be objected to me, that I should swallow Wine, till I have swallowed my rea­son, and given my selfe up into the power of the Creature; God for bid. But Lord, Intemperance steales upon me; my meat and drinke, not with­standing all my watchfulnesse, is my snare; I eate and I drinke sometimes so as I feele I have strengthened my [Page 80] enemy and weakened my best friend, Lord forgive mee, Lord fortifie mee at this point. I said it is a great point and a ticklish one. An easie passage it is from the use to the abuse of a thing;’ there is but a step, nay scarce an inch betweeene; and hence it is, that we fall foule by companies. I can­not say a little to it. I will onely put a period to Augustins prayer, for it should be ours, when the meat is before us, and knise in our hand, (the same in the use of all lawfull things) Lord make us watchfull now that we use the Crea­tures, to repaire, not to pamper Nature; that wee use them, not abusing the same. Amen.

2. We must use the Creatures mer­cifully; They are commanded to serve us, wee must not make them serve in rigour; we must use them as Men that have bowels, wee must shew pity to our beast. There is no doubt of this. Wee are by speciall indulgence Lords over the Creatures, a great honour; we must not bee Tyrants over them, an high point of injustice, and sometime sevenged by the Creature it selfe; wee [Page 81] have heard, and knowne, when a man hath beate his horse so long, till the horse beate out his Masters braines. Then learne wee to use the poore beast mercifully, for if we doe not make him wild, a Child may lead him.

3. And use it reverently too, even the least bit of bread or drop of drink: what, use a bit of bread reverently? A Papist I beleeve. No, I doe not meane you should adore a bit of bread; I hold it the greatest presumption in the World (and so our Juel said before mee) to adore that which Longs wife can make. I said we must use the bread reverently, and so I say againe, and it is concluded by the strongest reason that can be: for it comes out of Gods hand into mine, and it is mine by free gift, and made a staffe of bread to me by a free mercy: but that is not all: The bread (I include all there) is not mine, for I am not mine owne, I am bought with a price, I must glorifie God with ail, and in all, then whether I eate or drinke, so I must glorifie God, but so I doe not, unlesse I use the Crea­tures reverently. But the chiese reason [Page 82] is this; These Creatures are a purchase too, nay the purchase of blood; wee had had no comfortable right to them, but in and through Christ. Wee were lost, and we lost the Creature too, Hee re­deemed us, and gave us Title, and claim unto them; and all by blood. What? a purchase, and a purchase of blood? then we must use them reverently sure enough, we are in the strongest bonds that can be imagined.

4. And man must endeavour to be very good, so we have concluded too, All is good about him, very good, sure­ly he doth not give the Creatures their right, unlesse he strives to be good, very good; even better then they, for man is the very best, the most excellent of all. He must strive to be excellent. For all his servants are good round about him; What a shame, what indignity this, that their Lord should bee naught a­midst all good things?

5. Nor ought man to diminish any thing from the works of God, the crea­tures I meane, those that we think the least of all, are very good all: they may differ in bulke and quantity, not in this [Page 83] prime quality. Wee must not speake meanely, and below the dignity which belongs to the works of Gods hands, for this were to derogate from God Himselfe. I think of Melancton now, his sayings, and doings both were very exemplary. ‘Hee bade one that sate next him, to taste the wine as himself had done, and tell how he liked it, which his friend did, then told him; It was no bad wine.’ At which words Est illnd haud ma­lum, pene cum indig­na [...]ione, &c. Cama. vita Mes. p. 62. Melancton was very angry, (in him passion quickly to shewed it selfe, but hee was more quick to shew his command over it) S. said he, Good wine must have better commendations then so, you should have said, It is very good. And now it is very easie to apply. And I hope from henceforward, the child will say, Dry bread is good, and hard cheese, and meate very good, though there be no other sawce, but what he carrieth with him in the tip of his tongue.

6. One thing more while I think of it, for I am in such a throng that I can­not get out; He that hath all good from Gods hands, wee will conclude him to be a mercifull man, a man that doth [Page 84] much good to others. What? hath God bestowed richly upon any man? hath hee filled his hand and his mouth, and his coffers. and his barns with good things? And is this man a niggard? is he close handed? like a fountaine sea­led up? doth he no good with all this good? The childe will cry shame upon him; For he hath concluded that such a mans practise is against the voyce of the Creatures, and the Law of hea­ven.

The childe shall heare again his ex­ample, which is so fresh, being menti­oned but now. Melancton had plenty, as he called plenty; a house full of good things, and see how good he was to every one that needed. It is observed of him that he never denied a poore mans request, if he spake supplications, then did Melanotons lips, and fingers ends drop mercy, like the first drops from a full hony-combe, that is the sweetest Me quod per se fluit maxine lauda lie. Plin. lib. 11. c. 15. Vxor, liberi. &c. Cam. vit. Mel. p. 38.. Nay this is reported of him too; He gave almes, his wife gave almes, and by allowance from both, so did the children and servants also. Now it was as it should be. He by Gods favour had [Page 85] many good things, he did good to ma­ny, nay to all, or such was his desire; and Ʋniversos inquit cupio. i old. p. 41. this is our duty. Now we have given the Creatures their due, man his due, we will labour to give God His due al­so, for by this time the child seeth bet­ter how he stands engaged.

God hath given all these as servants to man, all minister to him; nay the Angels also, for so I should have said; how should this engage his heart to serve his Lord? what, all for him, poore little creature! there is not such adiminu­tive in the world: ‘For the Nations are but as a drop of the bucket, or small dust of the ballanceEsay 40. 15..’ What is man then, who beares out himselfe? So lit­tle. comparatively) that you cannot see him, for he is nothing. For this nothing hath God, created all things, even to serve this little little Master, whom they call Lord, and they say well, But this doth wonderfully engage to duty. Hath God so honoured him? The Sun for him, Moone for him, Ayre for him, &c. for so I should goe over all; All for him, how reasonable a thing is it, that he should be all for his God, [Page 86] that he should serve Him, feare Him? so it should be, nay so it must be; if man looks, that the creatures should serve him, He must serve his Lord, else very likely, the Creatures will rebell, and rise up against their Lord: they will obey and awe him, while hee keeps himselfe as an obedient servant to his great Master: for so we know, the Vi­per, the Lyon, the fire did, those hurtfull, those devouring Creatures.

But if this Man be a Rebell against his God, the weakest, and most con­temptible creatures may doe, as they have done, rise up against man, and he shall fall before them, because hee is fallen from the service of his God. For thus it hath been; A gnat, a flie, an haire, a crum have choked him; frogges, mice have annoyed him; toads, rats have eat him up; so have lice also; so weake a Childs Patrimony Preface, p. 41. thing is man, when he forsakes the God of his strength, the rock of his sal­vation.

Man must serve his Creator; no doubt of that; so he doth I hope, for who doth not serve God? I am perswa­ded; nay no matter what I am perswa­ded [Page 87] of, we know, That the Heathen did serve God, they glorified Him too; The sacred Writ gives cleare intimation hereof, They knew God, and they glo­rified Him, but here they fell short, as we doe by thousands in the manner, and that is all in Gods service: They glo­risied Him, but not as God That but, Rom. 1. 21. and not as corrupted all their service; so now we must have a reasonable ser­vice, such a service as reason tells us is suitable to God our Master in heaven, Who created all things, to serve His Glory as the chiese end, and man in subordination thereto; we must serve Him as God. That service which will passe as currant money betwixt me, and my Governor, (yet I will addresse my selfe with care, and reverence in my service before him) will bee too light in the ballance, when wee come before God. ‘Bringest thou such a service to Mee? Goe offer it to thy Governor, who hath his breath in his nostrils, as thou hast, see whether he will accept of thy person, or thy ser­vice: for blinde, and lame it is: and if he will not, a man as thou art, then [Page 88] venture not to come before Me with such a service, for in My hand is thy breath, and all thy wayes; I am God, as a God I must be served, and then thou glorifiest mee.’ Wee have this more then intimated in the first of Ma­lachi Ve [...]se 8.. I have often thought of the Text, and this I will say, There is not any in all the sacred Writ, which hath a better edge, or sharper point to pierce the side of him, or her, so to awaken them, when they are addressing them­selves in their service before God: we must serve Him as God, not as we serve our Governour; wee leave the waight of this service upon that Chapter, and the first to the Ramanes, verse 21. All the Creatures serve man; he must serve God, but as God, as the great Monarch, our Master in Heaven, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. In that manner, man must serve God, as God.

2. He must be thankfull to Him al­so: Hath he all things to use? Is his Lord so bountifull to him? doth he pro­vide for his necessity, for his delight al­so? (this moved a Heathen Vsque ad de [...]ias a­mamur. S. n. le Benef. lib. [...]. L [...]p 5..)

Man must be thankfull, and chear­full [Page 89] in thanksgiving, for so it is expe­cted, else hee may reade what fol­lowes. Deut. 28. 47, 48..

I debated upon this large Theame in a fitting place, I shall be the shorter here, and borrow nothing thence. Childs Patrimo­ny. p. 68.

The learned Knight hath a feeling speech; ‘It is a note of much unthank­fulnesse to entertaine the blessings of God with a sullen, and unfeeling dis­position:’ What full of blessings within Hist. 3. 1. 11. and without, made up as it were there­of? the fuller of praise should his mouth be, and his heart, as if filled with thankes, pressed downe, running over; Oh how unworthy a Christian, a Man, that lives continually upon the doles of mercy, to have his mouth wide opened to receive blessings, and closed up, as mute as a fish, when hee should returne praise and thanks! how unbeseeming a sight, to see a man under the continu­all droppings, (shal I say rather) streams of blessings, and yet as dry as a Pumice­stone, as the parched places of the Wil­dernesse! Better had it been for him, that he had seene no good all his dayes; better he had been as the King prayed [Page 90] the Mountaine of Gilboa might be, up­on whom neither dew nor raine had fal­len, for then his condemnation had been light, and easie to be born; but now it will be very heavy, because he is compassed about with blessings; mercies distill upon him from above, like the de [...]v, and rain upon the grasse, and yet behold barrennesse, the heart is shut up, and the tongue filent. I professe heartily now, I have here pen­ned my own condemnation, and have stopt my own mouth: for my self, with thousand thousands, fall short, infinite­ly short here. Certain it is, for it is the conclusion of experience, we are then most apt to forget God, when He re­members us most, and most graciously: When His sootsteps drop fatnesse, then we are leanest; when our Table is ful­lest, then we are more likely to lift up the heele in rebellion, rather then the voyce in thanksgiving. Therefore it is, That the Spirit of God bids us beware, take heed, looke well to your selves, these are the Caveats, the Cautions, there­membrances, the Spirit gives all along, specially then, when our portion is sat­lest. [Page 91] All this I must passe over, though it were very good to build Taberna­cles here, that our thoughts might fixe upon Gods mercies, that so our hearts might be inclined to a proportionable thanksgiving Reade M. wards note out of Brad­ward: in his fruitfull Sermon; A peace-Offering.. I shall only remember Melancthon at this point also; hee was invited to a great feast, and thither he came, and all the words from the Ma­ster of the seast were, Eate, eate, eate, I pray you eate, that's the manner. If he should say as fast, Drinke, drinke, drinke, pray you drinke, wee might thinke he were not Master of himselfe, and were resolved to doe us the grea­test dishonour, to make us, not our owne men neither; this by the way, but so it was. In the very midst of the feast, up riseth the Master to addresse a City complement to his honoured friend Miclancthon, and this it was; I am sorry Sir, I am not better provided for you. Better provided! out uponthee, (astrange returne for his good cheare, but very sitting; hee was never knowne to hee more angry, not his spirit more stirred, for indeed hee saw God quite forgot, and his grace slighted, yeatrod [Page 92] under) ‘out upon thee, what a wretch art thou! Better for mee! the worst Camer. in vita Mel. p. 68. bit here is too good for thee, and for mee. I expected to heare from thee nothing else but praises; thanksgiving had beene comely, and but according to the Rule. Deut. 8. 10. and law of mercies. Certainly thou dost but complement with thy God too, for wert thou thankfull, thou durst not have spoken so slightly of His mer­cies before men. God forgive thee, and let it be thy hearty prayer also, for thy provision here is too much, and too good, unlesse thy heart were better; here is no thanksgiving at all; but that was thy proper service, be­ing the Master here;’ So hee reproved his Host. Indeed it is a custome (it was not so of old) The greater the seast, and the Master thereof, the more out of custome in his own person to bespeake a blessing. Let custome carry it: but I am perswaded, I could conclude a­gainst it, and give reasons strong e­nough to breake this custome, especial­ly amongst the Churchmen, though no man is too high to give thanks to the [Page 93] Highest: Wee will thinke on Melan­cthons words, when wee make a feast or partake of it: we must be thankefull to God; wee see how wee stand bound to it, though we cannot tell the obligati­ons, but so many mercies, so many bonds. But see how wee have forgot our selves; we must be thankfull! who doth not give God thanks? The Hea­then did, we are sure, and wee doe no more then they if we be not thank to Him, as to God, who gives all things Rom. 1. 21. richly to enjoy. As to God, the man­ner is all, wee heard so before, in that manner we must be thankfull.

3. And patient too, under this as­fliction, and under that, under three crosses, and also under foure. The reason is plaine, and therefore wee will bee short here: Suppose the man hath foure crosses: hee hath foure hundred Bles­sings. Hee receives good things every moment. His houre-glasse hath not more sands, then hee receives blessings; hee must then take in good part the evils he feeles so, and yet his sense may be mistaken, for chat which hee calls evill, and grievous to the flesh, God [Page 94] can turne to good, so as thereout shall grow (if he can be quiet, and patient) a sweet fruit of righteousnesse; for it is no riddle now, Out of the strong came sweetnesse. Iudg. 14. [...]4. How ever, greater reason yet, that the man should bee patient; for though his evils be many and grie­vous, God can lay on more, and make them more smart and grievous yet, there is no contending with Him. Hee is stronger then we, but Hee will do us good in the end, if wee can be patient now.

4. And depend on Him in silence; great reason He should have the glory of our dependence, for we are at his finding. And though the man finds his provision short, yet he must remem­ber, that Hee that created all things, and worketh hitherto is not weary, He can and will create comforts too: And let not the man feare, for He that holds Esay 40. up the earth, will sustaine him in his fainting sits, if he can hold his heart in a dependence upon Him.

And now though we have not given God his due, for we shall still fall short at that high point, yet wee passe on to [Page 95] the next proposition; which wee shall cleare first, and conclude from thence after. And although all along. I speake to the Child, and to his capacity; yet we shall see the wild Gallant shall be hampered anon, and bound to his good behaviour; I meane him, who makes play his worke, turnes night into day, and day into night, eates and drinkes and riseth up to play. We will hold him fast enough, or if we cannot, for I be­thinke my selfe, and I see by his gate and action, he is a wild Colt, that is not our fault, we will easily make the cord strong enough, and he shall be held fast with it one day.

The Proposition is;

‘The Artificials about him, whom wee call man, sets all men on worke: that's the point.’

It is cleared to the Child thus.

Behold, Child, the Artificials about thee, what Art, and skill hath sitted to thy body; what variety hast thou there? what a deale of good service is done unto thee? Begin with thy head, the hoirie scalpe, and observe well how many that sets on worke; now the [Page 96] Felt-maker comes in for thy service, ra­ther the Beaver-maker, so fine we are, and a hundred more that are their Ma­sters. Anon the Barber comes, and to worke he goes, Snip snip, as nimble as an Eele. Perhaps the Currier hath fome worke here too, for we weare his leather on our heads; wee allow the head most service, for it is a principall part, and doth the most service to us: we cannot be so large in all, but wee will looke over every part; then go we lower by degrees, and by that time we are come to the heele, we shall well un­derstand, ‘That Man sindes work for all the Tradesmen in the City and Country both.’ And this will sussice for explication. Now we have gained these Cōclusions, which cannot be denied us.

1. Sith Man doth set all on worke, every part about him yeilds matter of imployment, wee must finde im­ployment for him too, that wee must: How unreasonable a thing were it, that all in the family should bee as busie as Bees, or Ants in the Summer, and one amongst the rest, as able as any of the rest, should like a Lord-Dane, [Page 97] anciently, or some Abbey-lubber, lye a­long in the chimeny corner? No, so it must not be: He that hath set so many Trades on worke, must have his Trade too, his Calling wee meane: it is our conclusion, but made in Heaven, and ever since there was a man upon earth: there is no slipping the collar,be hee high, be he low, (the more high he is, the more servants hee hath, and the more servant is he) this Conclusion shuts him in, and will hold him, he must have some trade also, some imploy­ment, some calling, no matter what word wee use, our meaning is, be hee what he may be, how high soever, he must have his worke. Here now the Gentleman, the Idle-man, the Idolif you will (for as an Idol is nothing in the world, so he doth no good in the world) is hamper'd: and the Cord will hold him fast, though he be loose. For if to every man his worke, then to him also, unlesse hee chooseth rather to bee a Beast.

It is true, as in the naturall body, some parts there, are placed rather for ornament, command, oversight, and [Page 98] direction of the body, rather then for toyle, and labour about it: so also in the civill body, but full, To every man Marke 13. 34. his worke. My Father [...]rketh hi [...]he [...], and I worke loh. 5. 17. So the Lord speaketh to mans capacity; The Father, and the Son doe preserve that in being, which is already made, which to us seemes a kind of worke as indeed it is, but with­out labour; But it teacheth us, that we must labour every one, as the Master of the house hath given authority, and to every man his worke Marke 13. 34. Who dares con­tradict this?

2. But now we must work in order, every one in his place, according to his calling, and that must bee ever accor­ding to his gift: He that made the hat, did not busie himselfe with the shane, nor doth the foote guide, but is guided. It is a great point of discretion now for a man well to measure himselfe, not [...] Cor. 10. 14. to stretch himselfe beyond his Last, nor to move above his spheare. A man moving out of his place, is like a mem­ber out of joynt, hee vexeth the body rather then furthereth it.

We would have such a calling, which [Page 99] is most honourable, but we must choose such a calling as is fittest, most sutable, to our strength and parts, I Childs Patrim Chap. 10. have been upon this point of discreti­on before; I will onely adde to it, what I finde supplied to my hand, it is full to our purpose, and of the same use. ‘Wits misplaced are most un­quiet, and seditious, as any thing else strained against nature; light things presse upward, and will yee force fire downe? Heavy things beare downward, and will yee have Lead to leap up? If that wit fall to Preach, which were fitter for the Plough, and he to clime a Pul­pit, which is made to scale a wall, is not a good Carrer ill lost, and a good Souldier ill placed? If hee will needs Law it, which careth for no Law; and professe Justice, that pro­seffeth no Right; Hath not right an ill Carver, and justice a worse Ma­ster? If he will deale with Physick, M [...]jcast. pag. 137. whose braines cannot beare the in­finite circumstances which belong thereunto, whether to maintaine health, or to restore it; Doth hee [Page 100] any thing else but seek to hasten death, for helping the disease?’

I could spare none of all this, so well it fitted our purpose, to every one his worke; but such it must be, as may as­sure us of the fitnesse, and right placing of our strength, and wits thereunto: for then there will bee an agreement, and ease betwixt the work, and the work-man, whereas unfitnesse, and misplacing have the contrary compa­nions, disagreement, and disease. It is not what a Parent would doe, but what the childe can doe; I would put my childe into such a calling as hath more grace & esteem in the world, and so ambiti­ous I may be: But if I see no fitnesse of parts, if he be rather for the field and plough, I will not crosse nature; God speed him well, so he holds the plough, not looking backe; doth his work dili­gently, and faithfully, I have enough; so shall he have too. Nay if his parts be so low, that he must serve lower yet, as some Scullion in a Kitchin, lying amongst the ranges, and every ones man; yet if he be his own man, not serving his own lusts, nor others nei­ther; [Page 101] I mean, if he be diligent there, serving his Master in heaven, I have enough even there, so shall the childe have also; for this is a standing rule, It is not the greatnesse of place, but my fit­nesse for the place, and faithfulnesse in the place, which commends me, now before God, and will honor me at the last be­fore Angels and Men. ‘Sincerity is an excellent kinde of Alchymy, saith one, it turneth iron into gold, and as once our Saviour, water into wine. We mean thus: Sincerity setteth a glosse, puts a lustre upon the meanest parts, the lowest employment, Holding the plough, Keeping sheep, Sweeping the house,’ whereas Hypocrisie and unfaith­fulnesse Childs Patrim. Chap. 10. [...] casteth a spewing upon all the glory of all the most glorious works, Almes, Prayer, Preaching.

S. Augustines words are very signifi­cant. Tu [...]ior [...]st in corpore digi­tus sanus, [...] [...] lippi­ens oculus, &c. In Psal. 130. ‘The finger is but a little thing, cannot do such service as the eye that is admirable for its nimblenesse, and quicknesse, and can guide, and direct the whole body, so cannot the fin­ger: And yet it is better to be a fin­ger: and to be sound, then [...]o be an [Page 102] eye, and to be dimme, and dark, rea­dy to fall out of the head.’ We have made then our second Conclusion: as, To every one his work, so to every one his fitting work.

3. I know every one hath made this conclusion, He will thrive if he can. If he must work, he would not work in the fire; he would prosper, that he would. Then he must know God doth all in the world, therefore God must be loo­ked up unto in all, for in Him we live, and have our being; our breath is in His hands, so are our wayes. The childe knowes how he ends his prayers, just so we must begin our employments, Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Nay we must end there too, our work as well as our prayers. For in Him, and through Childs Patrim. p. 75. Him, and to Him, be praise and glory for ever. Amen.

Thus much, that man may know, That he stands betwixt God and the Creatures, receiving all the comfort and profit of them with the one hand, and returning all the praise for them with the other hand unto the hands of the Lord. 2. That man must work the [Page 103] thing that is good, and be fitted for his work, and if he looks to have praise from the Lord, he must doe his work faithfully, and look up humbly. Then at the conclusion of his work, and day, he may speak in good assurance, I have glorified Thee on earth, I have done the work Thou gavest me to doe, now glorifie thy servant, with the glory that Christ hath purchased for me, even so, Amen.

CHAP. VII.

WEE have well observed the body, and the things, that serve, and adorn the same; how Nature hath supplied Man, and what supply from Art; Wee will look about the house now. I have already given the childe some lessons, which may serve him in some stead, 1. when he riseth up; 2. when he sitteth at meat; 3. when he li­eth down, 4. when he walketh abroad: so [Page 104] I shall be the quicker here, but running over, or skimming of things, first what is done in the house, some meane services there, then the Creatures abroad, we will glean there.

1. We will not then neglect the Maid scumming the pot, there to the Spi­rit doth allude: A happy thing when Ezek. 2. 4. affliction is to us as fire to the pot, seeth­ing out our scum; but if our scum will not out, then what can we expect, but going out of one fire, another fire shall de­voure us Ezek. 5. 15.?

2. I would gain but this here, That the most homely places, and services in a house may yeeld us wholesome, and savoury instructions. The most stink­ing kennell may be a meanes to purge us, that our throat be not like an open Sepulchre Rom. 3. 13., nor our communication corrupt Eph. 4. 29., like that we stop our nose at.

3. We observe the Maid scraping her trenchers, and washing her dishes; where the child doth learn, what small account the world hath of their best servants 1 Cor. 4. 13. [...], for they have, and still doe, bear up the Pillars thereof, yet are they accounted of as we know and reade: [Page 105] we will see the dish wiped also; That tells us from Gods owne mouth, what shall be done to that City or person wherein such and such abominations are found, God will wipe him as a man wipeth a dish, turning it upside down 2 Kings 21. 13..

2. We looke abroad now, and be­hold the hen gathering her chickens: so the Lord will gather His out-casts. Men may cast them out, He gathers them in; It is said, Hee made His ser­vants houses, for they feared Him Ex. 1. 21.. And touching those two so faithfull ser­vants, it is said, But the Lord hid them Jer. 36. 26, that is, Hee spread the great wing of His protection over them, then they were safe enough. S. John was obser­ved still leaning on Jesus bosome Joh. 13. 23.; no such pillow in the world, there is secure rest. All his Disciples doe so, the whole Church is observed, Leaning upon her Beloved. They run thither, they com­mit all to Him, and under the shadow of His wing, they have sure confidence. Our eye is not yet off from the hen, and her chickens, see how they wait upon the hand that feeds them, then they put their bills to the water, and look [Page 106] up, it is more then every man will doe.

3. We observe the swine, the most brutish creature that is, see how they run when the paile calls, that is their bell. We doe not look carelesly upon the Sow in the mire, a very great means to keep the man clean.

We will suppose now as we may, That the Sheep is with the Sow in the same mire; and if so, we will divide the whole world betwixt them two, and distinguish clearly thus; The one is where the would be, well content with its portion; The other not so, In the mire she is, but it is death to her to bee where she is.

The maintaining of these creatures before mentioned, put us to no ex­pence. For three things there are, which seeme of no use to man, the one for their littlenesse, the other for their slutrishnesse; crummes, outshaken eorn, and wash: see the wise providence of our God now: That nothing may be lost, He hath provided creatures for the re­ceiving of these, Poultry, and Swine; if we suffer any thing to be lost, we have [Page 107] no excuse, ir might have beene put to the wash, or given to the Hen and her Chickens.

4. Wee goe to the stable, and ob­serve the Horse there, higher then a Lion, and though not so strong, yet too strong for the tallest man in the Parish, but that the good Providence is such, that he knoweth not his strength, and so a Child may lead him.

5. See how acquainted the Oxe is with his Master, we know whom that upbraideth Esay 1. 3. even me and thee.

6. Goe we to the barne, observe the least graine there, so little, you can but see it, yet hath it spread it selfe, and become a great tree Mat. 3. 31. Tremel. Truth of grace will quickly spread, labour wee after sincerity, after an honest heart; a little grace there will increase mightily, for it is with the increase of God. 2. Wheat, the chiefest graine, none so common for use, none whose flowre is purer, none so carefully laid up. The Child must marke his Parents now, (servants may bee negligent) see how they pick it up, not a graine shall be lost. This shews the happy peace, and security of [Page 108] all them who truly feare God: Though the be sisted with temptations &c. as wheat with a sieve, yet shall not the least graine fall upon the ground. 3. We Amos 9. 9. must observe the Sieve also; The Foole thought he could make it hold water, so hee set about the stopping up the holes, but when he viewed it well, hee spake out plainly, hee could not tell where to begin. To such a confusion the Church may be brought, they that beare good will to her, and would mend her breaches, may not know where to begin. It was the state of the Germane Church an hundred yeares agoe, saith Melancthon, using the very Cam. in vita Mel. p. 29. comparison; so confused they were in Doctrines and in Manners both. And then hee with others prophesied, of those after desolations, that very de­luge of wrath, under which those Churches lye now quite covered, wai­ting when the Lord will withdraw His hand, and call in those waters, that the face of that land may againe appeare.

But let us note herewith, That hee was a Foole, who could discerne no­thing but confusion. Indeed the face of [Page 109] things may bee so overcasted, as that a naturall eye can discerne nothing but [...] and [...] all things like a de­solate and empty wildernesse. But a cleared eye sees a spirit moving there all that while: and hee knowes Light will come anon, the clearer, the thick­er the darknesse was, and then he can track the prints of a Providence, which he cannot doe lesse then adore: For it is His way, whose manner is, To carry His Church into Babel, there to give Deliverance; To give her into the ene­mies hands, thence to worke Redemp­tion; Mic. 41. To bring her into the wildernesse, there to speak comfortably to her; that she Hos 2. 14. may speak out to His praise; How, &c. Job 26. 2, 3.

7. To the garden now, wee would observe there, what might bee obser­ved, so in the Orchard too, but this cannot be, such variety there is, Seeds, Herbs, Flowers, Plants, Trees, we can ob­serve but this; and it is a great obser­vation; What ever evil comes upon the earth, yet the tree which brings forth fruit shall bee spared. But if barren Deut. 20. there, better it had never beene there, for we know its doome. There may be [Page 110] a Snake there, the best places are not priviledged from such Creatures, but if the Swine come thither, they make havock. The Bees are commonly there­abouts, but wee cannot stand to looke upon them, nor is it safe, for if they be Ira modum supra est, Virg. Georg. 4. stirred, they be very angry. There are bookes written of them, and yet all fearce enough to satisfie touching the beauty of their commonwealth. ‘A certaine Philosopher giving himselfe 30. yeares to study the knowledge of B. Och. Ser. 3. all the properties in the Bee, could ne­ver perfectly attaine his designe.’ And very likely, for if a man will bee too curious in his inquiries, hee may lose himselfe in the search. We must reade the booke of the Creatures, but not dwell upon them. Wee leave the Gar­den, and will goe no farther then the Fathers Wind-mill.

CHAP. VIII.

IT shall not bee said, that the Child hath lived in a Tub, and never was so farre as his Fathers Wind-mill, Thither I will carry him, from thence to Church, then I shall make towards a Conclusion.

If in our way now, we chance to see or heare a Toad, let it instruct us; it doth better service then wee, and is lesse poysonfull, if wee are as we were, in our blood Eze. 22. 16., and in our owne way, the way of sin, and death: which considera­tion is enough to smite to the earth the wisdome of man, and to make him all humble, and subject to God. The sight thereof remember us also of that person, who being at the last point of time, which he had throwne away, and feeling his heart ready to breake, his eye-strings also, then said, ‘Oh that I had beene made a Toud,’ even such a Creature! for then I had glorisi­ed [Page 112] my Maker in such a being; but I have dishonoured him altogether, and so making my selfe vile. Sam. 3. 13., I must looke now to be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30..

If the little Worme be at our foote, it teacheth us, That so low the Lord bringeth even His Church, His owne people, ‘so as they have bowed downe, and laid their body as the ground, or as the street to them,’ that went o­ver Esay 51. 23.. And when her estate is so low, she is called Iacob, a poore Worme, one that saw very much evill in a few daies, but it never hurt him: therefore hee must not feare Esay 41. 14. for all that, nor doubt, but that, small though he be, yet he shall rise againe and be exalted, he shall, like a Prince, have his Charrets and Horse­men, so he shall prevaile with God, and shall bee called Israel. So much the Worme in our way may teach us. The stones yeeld us a good lesson also; if wee looke upon them wee see our hearts, as face in water answers face. Iron will melt in the fire, so will brasse, so will not a stone. Neither mercy nor misery can melt the heart; If the premisses are true, then say what they will, the con­clusion [Page 113] is cleare, That in point of con­version we are us dead as a doore naile. The voyce of the Sonne of God. that onely makes us heare and live. And now we are come as farre as the Wind­mill, where, against all expectation, we shall finde a very precious stone, nor shall the Millar doubt thereof, by that time we have viewed it well. ‘There Guilliam disp. of Herauld. p. 136. is a stone, saith the Herauld, more precious then that wee weare upon our finger, though it be too heavy to be appendant at the eare;’ And this is the Milstone: he gives good reason for what he saith, and better Scripture. The Milstone, saith he, brings in many a man his living. It was noted long ago, Advanc. [...]. 1. 86. that Homer hath given more men their livings, then either Sylla, or Cesar, or Augustus ever did, not withstanding their great largesses, and donatives, and distributions of lands to so many legi­ons: so wee may say of this stone, it hath done more this way then all the precious stones in the World; for it maintaines that precious thing, which we call life, therefore the Mil-stone is put for any thing that brings in a [Page 114] mans livelihood Quicquid [...]ni [...]is [...]itam ex [...]e [...]essita [...]e [...]erat. lu­ [...]us. Dcut. 24. 6.. What lesson learne we hence? for therefore came weehi­ther. A mighty lesson; fitter for men of more account, and higher place in the World, but for every man a very fit lesson.

It teacheth us to beware we meddle not with that, which is a mans li­ving, which brings him in his bread, though it seeme never so meane, and contemptible in our eyes as the Mil­stone doth, so contemptible though it be, yet, it is dangerous to heave at it, it may prove a burdensome stone: For if I take it away from the man, (wee Deut. 24. 6. know what it doth import, for it is his living) I take away his life with it also, that I doe. The words are expresse; ‘No man shall take the nether, or the upper Milstone to pledg, for he taketh life to pledge. Life is a precious thing;’ then so is that, which maintaines life. If I take away lively hood, life is taken away too. Nay it is the highest degree of cruelty against the body, that wee reade of.

I will relate a story touching as bloo­dy a person, as any our modern Histo­ries [Page 115] make mention of. D. Alva was his name. imployed by Philip the se­cond for the regaining the Low Coun­cries to the Crown of Spain; In prose­cution of which great designe, he spent as the King spake, or rather sighed on his death-bed, a great treasure, a masse of money, but made no other returne thereof to his great Master, but in Bar­rells, Grimston. Hist. p. 413 or Tuns of blood. Amongst other his nororious, and bloody practises, this is scored up in the reddest letters. Hee had besieged the town of Harlem, and shortly after parling with the poore people there, it was compounded, they should yeeld the Town, and have their lives: The peeled people were well apaid, life is well bought at any reaso­ble rate. One day passed, and a second came, all that while they were pent up from livelihood. They call out for bread, bread, for they thought that was included in the bargaine; if life, then meanes to support life; No, said the Generall, yee were mistaken, ‘I gave you your lives, I told yee not you should have bread too.’ This I say is scored up in red letters amidst a thou­sand [Page 116] more his bloody executions, but exceeding all in bloody cruelty. Indeed with our good God, life is more the food, but with man, food is more then life. It more then seems then, if I take away life, I am a murtherer; but if I take away the Milstone, that is bread, I am such an one, a murtherer I meane, but in an higher degree, and more notori­ous. Deliver us from blood, good Lord; for though life is very precious, yet to man, that which maintaines life, is yet more precious.

And now we have so touched this stone, that we finde it to be a very pre­cious stone. The finest rubie is not to be compared to it, for God accounts it as precious as life, and man accounts it more precious; so we leave the Mil­stone, for we have seene into it, and through it. We goe now towards the Church, for that is the way to make the lessons wee have heard profita­ble.

CHAP. IX.

I Should now lead the childe from thence into the field: but we have been there already to my cost, and we have been very circumspect there, for we have viewed above, below, and round about us. No more remaines now, but that we return to the Temple againe, for there we were first; and there we will be last, for after we have viewed that sacred place a little, we shall make towards a sitting Conclu­tion.

To the Church then we goe, but we will not goe in. Thou shalt peep into it, thrusting in thy head or so, but no further, then as thou maist discerne [Page 118] how neat, and costly all things are there, (so we suppose) no further shalt thou goe.

For me to present my selfe there, or to present thee there, is a matter of eost, a chargeable work, and properly the Parents. We must remember how it it was under the Law; The poorest came not to the Temple, but some­thing he brought according as his estate was, but the meanest some­thing.

That is true, for that was a very Obj. chargeable service; But that burthen is taken off now.

It is indeed; God blessed for every, Answ. hath taken off that yoak. But yet now the shadow is gone, the substance is come, there is that, we may call cost, remaining still, what it is we shall know presently: Cursed is he still, that ser­veth the Lord with that which costs him nothing; we cannot goe to a Play­house, but it will cost something, and as the place is higher or lower, so must the cost be: And think we then, the presenting our selves before the Lord in His house, shall cost us nothing? Who [Page 119] made us so familiar? as a great person said to one, who was too bold with him. Look childe; behold the place well, goe round about it, look in, see the beauty of it. Why all this beauty? It is the house that God hath builded for the honour of His great Name, that it is. We must carry our selves reve­rently there. If thou dost heare any laughing, talking, brawling there, or seest any more irreverent carriage, know, that so it should not be, but a Christian like deportment every where. Of two extreames we say not which is better, being both extreme naught: But certainly it is a more seemly, a more becomming sight, even a devout and humble superslition, then a prophane and bold rudenesse, not to­lerable in a common house. This, as we said, is Gods house. And yet thou must not conceive, that the earth, or stones, or wood there, such materialls have any holinesse in them, any at all: No, take heed of that vain thought. But in relation, and reference to the great things done there, the place is an holy place; Gods Name is called on there, Holy [Page 120] and Reverend is His Name. Tidings of great joy are heard there, the ever­lasting Gospel, that, by which we must be judged; by which we stand or fall at the last day; This is published there, and made knowne to the children of men. There the reproach of Aegypt is rolled away Josn. 5. 9.: There the Lord Christ doth even now at this day, as great things as He did in the dayes of His flesh; He healed the withered arme; opened the eyes that were shut; made the lame to goe; great things these: He doth the same things now: He by the ministry of His faithfull servants (He is the great Prophet) doth open mens eyes, doth turn them from darknesse to light, and from Acts 26. 13., &c. Wonders no doubt! works for which the Lord Jesus Christ shall be admired. 2 Thes. 1. 10.. And can we think, we may come to Church (we may bring our bodies thither, so the beast doth too) present our selves there, see all these things done upon our souls, and be at no cost? A bewitching, a be­fooling thought this. Certain it is, we must remember the Sabbath, we must prepare for it, (as the ancient and lau­dable [Page 121] custome amongst us did teach) we must retire our selves the night be­fore, and they with us under our charge, we must sanctifie our selves this night, using the meanes, the Lord hath appointed, and sanctified: we must take paines with our heart, so aukward and untoward, (this is to be at cost) if we look to see such great things on the morrow; We must never forget, what Joshuah spake, (we will fixe upon that Text a little, the Lord fixe it upon our hearts for ever: it will cleare unto us, that to morrow, if we doe any good at the Temple, we must be at some cost to day) we must not, I say, forget what Joshuah said; we reade the context first. The Lord was about to doe great things before their eyes: His mighty Arme would make the waters of Jordan stand upon heaps: the Priests to stand in the midst thereof upon firme ground, as dry as the stone in the street, and some good while they should stand (while the people passed over apace) with a wall of waters at their back, like vali­ant men; this great work the people should see the very next day; but yet [Page 122] see they might, and not see; see, and not perceive; see, and yet not lay it to heart, unlesse they would be at cost with themselves, in all the meanes, and wayes of grace, and sanctification: Therefore Joshuah said unto the people, Sanctifie your selves, for to morrow the Lord will doe wonders among you. This is the Text so notable. And the Lord write it in the tables of our hearts, and keep it as a sure word there for ever; That we may ever remember it, and do according, when we expect the Lord shall doe great things in us, for us, be­fore us, as the turning Iordan back: The turning our hearts to Him, which is in its own way like Iordan when the banks were full: The making our feet Josh 3. 5. stand firme in the Covenant, when the waters of affliction are at the back, and threaten they will run over all; yet to stand like men of warre; yet to stand fast, not yeelding an inch. When wee expect these great cures; these won­derfull deliverances; these mighty works; these unspeakable mercies, (call them what we will, so we have them) wrought for or upon our soules, [Page 123] in expectation thereof we should come to Church) which are the opening our eyes, ‘The turning us from darknesse to light, from the power of Satan to God: The rolling away the reproach of Aegypt from off us:’ when I say we expect all this, wee must remember Ioshuahs Counsell, and practise there­after; Sanctifie your selves, for to morrow the Lord will doe wonders among you. This concernes us as much as it did the peo­ple of old; if wee are not sanctified for the worke, it is extraordinary, if wee receive good from the worke; certain­ly wee must be at cost with our selves, as the Scripture counts cost, wee must take paines with our hearts, so plow­ing up our fallow ground: else to goe to Church is not worth our labour, for the seed there will fall amongst thornes.

There was an old Ceremonie in use amongst us, I will not compare it with the new, but I will say it was as harm­lesse, as that we call most harmelesse. The Ceremony was, To salt the Child at the Church doore. I hope I shall never dare to add or take away, to or from Gods Will, or Word, so much as one jot. [Page 124] But let me say, the Morall is good, and concernes all together. Every one shall be salted with fire, and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt: Have salt in your selves Marke 9 49, 50. What is the meaning of this? For sure­ly we cannot salt with fire. The Child can tell us in a word; It is no more but this; burne out your corruptions, purge out your blood, cleanse your selves from your silth, else your persons will be no fit Sacrifice, not your prayers, nor your praises. Your speech must be sea­soned with salt, then so all your services, sure enough. The summe is, we must Purge, cleanse, sanctifie our selves It Obj. will be said, wee sanctifie our selves! It is impossible. It is God that sancti­fies, Hee purgeth, He doth all, it will never be done else. That's true; God Answ. doth all, He doth circumcise, He wa­sheth, He cleanseth, and it is His pro­mise so to doe. But now when Hee graciously affordeth us the meanes, then He doth, in effect bid us, as wee reade often; ‘Circumcise your hearts, sancti­fie your selves, purge, cleanse; here are the meanes sanctified for this high service, use them,’ and looke up [Page 125] to Mee, this is to circumcise our hearts, to sanctifie our selves, as when wee have salt, (Metaphots teach Children very much) wee must rub, it into our meat.

And now my fingers are upon a great sore, a Plague-sore. I will lay it open, that we may see the blood, but all the salt in the parish will not cleanse it out, but, had we salt in our selves, that would doe it. The Reader may won­der now what I meane, a little pati­ence, he shall know presently, and the wonder will cease, I shall tell him no more but what he knows, and every one will grant: I shall set downe the common observation, the same which he hath made, and which I have made ever since I was able to looke abroad, and make any observation, which I could doe 34. yeares agoe. I say I will set downe the observation of every man, who hath his eyes in his head, and can observe to purpose. Then wee shall heare some complaints, which the Reader shall beleeve too, if he will be­leeve his owne eares. When this is done, the foundations of all our woe, [Page 126] and misery will be discerned in point of manners, then let them come in for helpe, that will, and can. The observa­tion is, That at your great Assemblies, where the people meet to serve their God, and expect to see those great wonders (we speak of) wrought there: the Servingmen for the most part, those wicked and slothfull servants (do not pardon me, I offend not, nor have I a low esteem of the meanest officer in a house, no, I honour him if hee bee faithfull) these Servingmen, fruitlesse Creatures, very Cretians, come not to Church, or if they come they stay not: They come many of them, as Whifflers, to make roome for their Lords, and their Ladies, when that is done, their worke is done: out they goe, you may take them napping on their Coach­boxe, or sitting close in a warmer place, with their cup at their nose. This observation is common, is it not thus, even thus? Now wee must heare the complaint, there is no remedy. The Lord, and Lady both tell us, their Coach-man is a drunken, that is their English; hee brought them to their [Page 127] great friends house; In they went to the Parlour, the servant into the Cel­lar; when they were to returne, there was no man, he was gone they found a Beast in his roome, for he was not his owne man, he could not be theirs, be­ing swallowed up of Wine, and strong drinke.

Doe wee wonder now? no sure. It were a wonder if it be not so; a won­der if they are not as plague soares in a house, firebrands there. For the servant went in with his Lord, and Lady, to the great mans house, and there hee sate by it, till he could not well stand. But so he doth not doe, when he goes to Gods house, if he goes in, he goes out presently; or suppose he stayes there; the polluted himself even then, or a lir­de before in the Cellar we spake of, and now if wee finde him at Church, you find him asleepe there. Now he that hath an eare, let him heare; or an hand, let him come unto helpe; or bowels, let him make lamentations. And for us Governors (high and low, rich and poore, all fall foule here) are our com­plaints right? can wee expect a reaso­nable [Page 128] service, from unreasonable men? Tit. 1. 12. Can wee looke that these Cretians should serve their Masters, who rebell against their great Master in Heaven? Can wee hope, that they should bee within command, and walke according to rule, who come not within the verge of the Spirits walke? That they should bee wetted with the drops of Heavens raine, who came not to the place where the heavenly dew fell? or if they come, then place, and service to be performed there, then the horse hath which hee drives. ‘Remember this, and shew we our selves men, bring it to mind ô we transgressors:’ And pity soules, our owne, and theirs, committed to our charge. Shall our servants be at a losse for serving us? or can we recom­pence to them that losse with the grea­test wages? Wee must, we must, wee are bound to it, being sworne servants to our great Master, we must looke (to our selves first) wee must governe our owne house, walking exactly there: and then a vile person will be contem­ned, and hee that hath spued so often [Page 129] there, shall bee spued out. A well go­verned man, a good Governour, who answers his name, can no more endure such a carcasse in his house, then the Sea can a dead corps, it is not quient till it worke the dead out.

This is of infinite concernment, let us consider better of it. Can wee thinke, hee can give us a reasonable service, who swallowes Wine and strong drinke till hee bee swallowed up of the same? That hee can bee faithfull to man, who robbes God of His Day, and of His service eve­ry day? That he should walke in a way of obedience towards his Master on earth, who carrieth himselfe presump­tuously in a way of rebellion against his Master in Heaven? To thinke thus, is not to consult with Reason. Wee must then according to our patterne Psal. 101. and rule keepe Sessions in our owne hearts and families every day, so or­dering our selves and them, as those that walke under that engagement and bond of duty, if wee looke that Children and servants shall [Page 130] walke decently and in order. Wee must sanctifie our selves and ours as wee heard, and then present our selves, and them before Him, who is all to us, doth all for us; wee must sanctifie our selves to day, if wee looke for great things to morrow. And so I have prepared the way to Church, which was as much as I intended, and if it bee done it is enough, and it may prepare the way to our Conclusion.

CHAP. X.

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 [Page 132] 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 [Page 133] 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 In Gen. 18. 21. [...],&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 Primunt 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 Com­mend. 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 [Page 134] 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 [Page 135] 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 [Page 136] 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 Childs 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 [Page 137] 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 [Page 138] 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 [Page 139] 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; [Page 140] 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 In 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, [...] &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 [Page 141] 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, [Page 142] 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 [Page 143] 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 [Page 144] 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, [Page 145] 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, [Page 146] 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 [...], &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, [Page 147] 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 [Page 148] 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 [Page 149] 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 [Page 150] 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, It 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 Holy 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 [Page 151] 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 [Page 152] 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 [Page 153] 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 [Page 154] 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 Hedid 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.’ Pia 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: [Page 156] 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 Lact. 8. 6., fixe our eye in heaven, and walk humbly with God on earth; the onely 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.