The compleat scholler; or, A relation of the life, and latter-end especially, of Caleb Vernon who dyed in the Lord on the 29th of the ninth month, 1665. Aged twelve years and six months. Commending to youth the most excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord.

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The PREFACE to Pa∣rents of Children.

Tender Parents,

AFter the death of my late dear and precious little one, I looked into what he had left, and found a little Legacy of Grace from God for you and yours, left by him (besides what was lost through the too great care∣lesness of such as were about him in his sickness) but these reliques at last were faithfully set down for you & yours in writing from his mouth, which being of value in my conscience (and those. I con∣verse with, who were Witnesses thereof) I durst not detain, (whoever are so full as to despise them) hoping the distribution hereof will be to the refresh∣ment of every hungry soul.

I intended at first to have sent them with an Epistle directed to your Children themselves, and to his School-fellows especially, (who commend his harmless conversation amongst them before his effectual calling of God in Christ Iesus, had so overlaid through Grace all those endowments,

begetting deep abasements for School-slightiness amongst the most sober sort, to his becoming whol∣ly (as it were) another new creature since their acquaintance with him:) But upon more serious consideration of the trust committed to me, know∣ing I must be accountable; I have for my own se∣curity and clearing (as Paul, Acts 20. 26, 27.) thought it meet to commend it to your managing and improvement faithfully towards their eternal good estate, praying you to discharge your trust herein, on the behalf of your little ones, and see that none of them play it away (by means of your slightiness) lest you weep with them at the last, knowing that you also must give an account of this and them to God, as committed to your charge: And I beseech you beware, that herein, neither love to this World (nor any thing in this World, either the riches, or honour, or wisdom, &c. thereof) nor any weakness in the ensuing Trea∣tise (either in the esteem of that wisdom in You, or real shortness in the Publisher thereof) may make you afraid your Children should follow God so fully after the example herein, lest it come against you, as the Lord hath said, the Queen of the South and Men of Nineveh shall, against some too like this Generation.

How far it may concern your selves to become as little children (in the sence of 1 Cor. 14. 20 and Mat. 18. 3.) like the little subject of th•••• discourse, I leave to your consciences who sha••••

vouchsafe to reade it over humbly, and weigh it uprightly in the wisdom which is from above; but sure I am such bowels of mercy to your poor Children, as be get most sollicitude for the souls of them which remain from the Pestilence, before the woful day come, will prove most profitable, when all earthly promotions will stand them in no stead, but may be bewailed to have hurt the possessors of them: Beware therefore lest your want of wisdom herein expose your tender vessels, newly lanched into the sea of this sinful world, and richly laden with variety of Natures endowments, to miscar∣riage in their great voyage Heaven-wards, for want of your skilful steerage of them amongst those Rocks and Sands, on which so many have suffered shipwrack to their utter undoing, through their over-bold adventure thereby, against such fair warnings, as Prov. 4. 14, 15. Luke 8. 14. 1 Joh. 2. 15, 16. Isa. 5. 12. I will therefore only set up a Sea-mark to warn you of four or five (least seen through self-love) on which multitudes have early been split and bulged, fulfilling the Word of the Lord, 1 Tim. 6. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Towards which those Parents prove unhappy Pilots who are,

• 1. Inordinately fond of Children in minority.
• 2. Vainly inconsiderate in the Schooling of them.
• ...

• 3. Unconscionably worldly in disposing them to outward Callings.
• 4. Earthly-minded or ambitious in bestowing them in Marriages.
• 5. Negligent in Family-duty, or of ill conver∣sation in the use thereof, to the stumbling their Children by bad example.

Indeed most of these have been the sin and shame of Professing-Parents, and the spoil of their poor Childrens souls; and my hope of good times lies much in the expectation of a Spirit of Holiness upon Children, to give them escape from the sin of their fathers, few of whom I fear will live to inherit the Good they look for, through such spoyl this world hath made in their spirit, as declares too plainly they have supposed, as 1 Tim. 6. 5. that, Gain is Godliness, what-ever they say or profess to the contrary; And the most re∣formed Fathers will humbly accept it as great fa∣vour from the Lord, (after such provocation) if they find Grace, in return to the Prayer, Psal. 90. 16. and the fulfilling Psal. 45. 16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, &c. O therefore that Children may enter into more pe∣culiar obligation to Christ as the Lord, with heartiest Hosanna's in the highest, in sence of be∣ing redeemed, (in this evil-day) as the Scrip∣tures speak, from the vain conversation re∣ceived by tradition from their Parents, 1 Pet. 1. 18. and follow Christ soveraignly, Rev. 1.

4. Learning of him, in all their subjection to Pa∣rents, the holy limits laid down, Eph. 6. 1. that they obey always only in the Lord; that is, as they command according to Christ, whom all are to hear in the highest, Mat. 17. 5. as they would walk well-pleasing to God; for I fear many Pa∣rents who make great profession, are grown very vain, first, towards Children in minority, so fondly affecting them to their hurt, as if (with all their baubles) they were made to be but Apes and Baubles to Childish Parents for their present plea∣sure, instead of discharging faithfully their great trust for their immortal souls in their minority, by wisely nurturing them in the fear of the Lord, timely inclining their tender years towards God, as they would not make themselves sport so long and so far, with the first fruits of their Childrens folly in the witty office of stubborn natures wilful∣ness and sinful speech, as by delight therein to expose the Child to such self-willedness, that at last through the Parents fondness they cannot en∣dure the Child should undergo a moments smart (though never so necessary) to preserve either body or spirit from sickness or sin.

For hence the discerning Child perhaps is fitted (through Satan) more early for such Companions abroad, as were MEETING-MOCKERS, and smarted together at Bethel of old, under the great Fathers displeasure, for want of timely discharge of earthly Parents duty

towards restraining them, 2 King. 2. 23, 24.

Yea, though they may be restrained from this, (through their Parents profession) yet other inor∣dinate affection in neglect of the Lord doth often fulfil the threatning, Ezek. 24. 25. (against Professors fondness) in the lives of their little ones. Let not tender Parents therefore look lightly over such Scriptures as these, Prov. 22. 6. 15. & ch. 29. 15, 19. and ch. 23. 13, 14. Eph. 6. 4.

But if Children be wisely steered by tender Parents through this danger in minority, and grow up soberly by degrees under their care, and now fit for School, how vainly inconsiderate Pa∣rents become, what they learn there, or by whom they are taught, that word, Luke 16. 8. in this may be for a Lamentation: How do the Children of this world grow stricter in their care, lest their Children at Schools should unawares learn the excellent knowledge of Christ, than Professors are, lest their Children at School should learn the vileness of this world.

O the heart-greived complaint of this Scholler (on his sick-bed) over School-pastimes, choaking for a season his first serious convictions, wherein yet he was not long, nor at large, nor an associat ever with any deboist, but with the most sober youths.

And what tender sense had he before his sick∣ness of the Name of God blasphemed, in the conti∣nued upholding and preferring of Heathen Au∣thors

(by Christian Schoolmasters) wherein Hea∣ven and Hell are turned into fictions, to the ha∣zarding Professors Children to setled Atheism, or unsetled profession of Christ, the Eternal Iudg∣ment and Glory to come; but how did the soul of this little one (in need of favour, and dread of wrath, in hopes towards Heaven and fear of Hell) tremble hereat? I desire to remember, with self∣abasement, and exceeding joy for the Angel of the Covenant, who met with him, saying, This is the Way, walk in it.

But how (alas) are our Daughters also brought up by professing-Parents, as if they would have them attain the cursed commendation of Herodias Daughter, Mat. 14. 6. rather than in the educa∣tion and adorning, Psal. 45. 13, 14. become truly lovely to Christ, v. 10. How many, O how ma∣ny, like Micha's Mother, Judg. 17. 4. are at greatest cost for snares to their Childrens souls! How did the pride of our new-blown Gentry (un∣der great profession) bud and blossom in the va∣nities foregoing, before their fall, as before Isra∣els, Ezek. 7. 10. and it were to be wished that abused fulness were not lusted after again by any already under smart for it, unsensible of their sin.

But if Children die in the midst of these de∣lights (or the Plague take them in paths so con∣trary to the expectation of the Lord, Isa. 22. 13, 14.) then how few Parents (thus preparing

them for spoyl before) speak a word of their sing∣ing, dancing, stately tripping, mantling and min∣cing attainments, or any of that vain tribe of their trinkets and trumperies, recounted by the Spirit more particularly, Isa. 3. 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. about the most modish uses whereof perhaps yet they spent more circumspection, and anger at their Childrens dulness, than about their sin and soul-neglects to the last; When conscience also upbraiding the visited Children in the words of Rom. 6. 21. What profit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death: Then perhaps they too late begin to teach the Child untimely to take up some words of God, or Christ, or Heaven, or Faith, or Repentance, (little thought of before) and to apply a promise out of the path, to uphold them in hopes of rest from Him whom they rejected for rule, whilst they could enjoy their vanity, and flatter them∣selves in the Childs good estate (though never so doubtful) especially having the approbation of any easie Prophet they have set up for themselves, as Ezek. 44. 8. in the case.

But why? Parents, why? is not that Learn∣ing on which only you dare lay stress in Plagues and in death (which is so certain to you and your children, yet in a time so uncertain both to you and them) preferred in life, as the great Lesson commended and commanded by the Master,

Mat. 6. 33. chap. 11. 29. who must judge us at the last day according to what he hath taught us, and we may not so easily trifle away, Joh. 12. 48. Be considerate then Parents in your Childrens Schooling, lest the door should be shut, and they as the foolish Virgins (when they can be vain no longer) are willing to learn what may be hid from their eyes.

But if Shipwrack be not in this danger neither, a Rock is in sight, and Sands about it, that split or suck up many a stately Vessel that saileth too nigh, and that is called a CALLING (though the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus the Scripture more calls so, is seldom so called now by Professors) and in this how unconscionable are Parents in the dispose of their Children to their undoing! for how little are they bounded by such Commands and Counsel in the case; as Titus 3. 14. 1 Cor. 7. 24. How few Children therefore abide with God in their outward Calling, and how many with the World, the Flesh and the Devil, either in the dishonest nature thereof, or sinful entrances thereinto, vile customs therein, or to effect their freedom (so called, though the very servants of corruption) therefore, which yet if never so honest in all should be minded, to the neglecting the Invitation of the Gospel to Christ becomes as pernicious as open prophaness; where∣fore he complains of souls so swallowed up in the most lawfull outward callings, as the Epidemical

means of perdition, Luke 14. 18. Mat. 22. 5.

How many poor Children herein are, instead of being (as Samuel) lent to the Lord, sold to the world by their parents as long as they live, defer∣ring soul-concernment till death, when they la∣ment too late they had not such a Mother as Samuel and Timothy had in their youth, and mourn at the last, as Eccl. 12. 1. wishing in the day of wrath (when riches profit not) that their Parents had lesse indulged their bodies for a moment, and more their immortall souls.

Yet Fourthly; If this be escaped, the earthly mind and ambition of Parents in marriage adds a multiplying Cypher; as after Ahabs sin, so obnoxious before, 1 Kings 16. 31. and a Sydo∣nian with silver, is now far more esteemed than a daughter of Sion without it, or with little less; as if the half Language of Ashdod already, were intended to be perfected, rather than our posterities more compleatness in Christ. O shameful Profes∣sors! How unlike Rebecca are you herein, Gen. 27. 46. Surely Smithfield would better become such your Marriage-Markets, than a Congre∣gation of Christ: How few hereby find a Wife, as Solomon speaketh, Prov. 18. 22. (that is, to the end God instituted them) but seeking money (as a HELP-MEET to them) get a Woman with the World, and the Devil with her unawares (as Eve, when the mouth of the Deceiver) to a bitter day, perhaps a Saphira

helping (by hypocrisie) to save their earthly Estates, and lose their Souls. Herein Parents add to their prayer for Childrens Conversion, their pains to effect their Perdition; as one that prayeth a fire may go out, adding fuel thereto, so are these provisions for Lust under prayer for Life. Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things? yet among many Nations, was there no King like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him King over all Israel, Neh. 13. 26. Nevertheless, even him did outlandish-women cause to sin.

But lastly, How doth neglect of Parents in∣struction of families, or ill example therein before their Childden, either in pride, covetousness, wrath, lightness, or other ill carriage (unbecom∣ing profession in Parents) expose their obser∣vant Children, and make fruitless and frivo∣lous their performances amongst them, when they shall discern them to fulfil Tit. 1. 16. before them; Beware therefore of this above all, that you lay not a stumbling example before them, but that in simplicity and godly sincerity you shew them your good conversation in Christ, filling up faithfully every relation in secret (according to your open profession) that they be not stumbled by finding the contrary: for O the wound which Christ an•• Truth and souls have received by eminent l•••• gifted Professors of contrary conversations! 〈◊〉〈◊〉 little have either the lusts or Inhabitants 〈◊〉〈◊〉

world fallen before them! How would Abraham be ashamed of such Children, who so have shamed their profession in their opportunities, Heb. 11. 15. wherein else they might have shined to the conviction and conversion of many, Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 16.

O tender Parents, for the Lords sake then, and for the sake of the soules under your charge, pray for your own return to the attaining again the holy Examples of Fathers in Christ, that they who dwell under your shadow, may revive as the Corn, and grow as the Vine, the sent whereof shal be as the Wine of Lebanon, Hos. 14. 7. That your Children and Servants may bless you in the name of the Lord; and add not to their corrupt Nature any of these hazards afore∣said, under your education, in the sence whereof, and how many poor Children lately may have been carried Christless thither, and like sheep layd into the grave (whose Parents thought it time enough perhaps to teach them soul-concernments at lei∣sure) this earnest of encouragement to poor en∣deavours for the souls of Children, is published in love, which its hoped by your acceptance and help may provoke very many to the salvation of souls. And a special double Note is placed in the Margent, pointing to the sick-bed lamentation of ••••••s little one for the loss of first convictions in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 most harmless manner of trifling away his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (with his most innocent School-fellows)

choaking for a season the tender Seed in his soul, the reviving whereof (by especial grace, in an acceptable season) stood him in so much stead (as you will see) in the face of Death and Iudgment, whereunto none of his great natural parts nor School-attainments durst approach: Be pleased to peruse it therefore, and improve it unto the most special care of your Childrens eternal wel∣fare, and pursue your frequent prayers for their conversion in the paths thereof, so, as by all means to promote (and by no means to betray) your prayers, that the account of them may not be with grief, but joy; which is the earnest prayer indeed of

Your and your Childrens wel∣wisher in the Gospel of Christ, I. V.