The tenth SECTION. The care of children.
TO hide nothing from you, women, who are called to the Sacrament of Marriage, ought to be very perfect; because they have as it were in their mannage the most precious interest of posteritie, they being chosen out to bring forth and educate Children, which are to be members of the body of State.
It hath often been questioned from whence procee∣ded the good and evil nature of men; and I find that many have attributed it to the divers aspects of Pla∣nets, as by a fatal necessity: But to say truly, this Astro∣logie of fools, and webs of spiders, are as it were but one thing, both being fit to catch flies, and not de∣ceive understanding men. I hold opinion, good mo∣thers make the good nature of children; and it hath ever been observed, that great personages who have flourished in some eminencie of virtues, have taken from thence as it were generally the first impressions of sanctitie.
If chast daughters chance to be born of inconti∣nent mothers, it is almost as rare as to see nettles bear gilliflowers. Let us preserve our bodies as temples, to bring forth more virtues than flesh for the publik, and when God affordeth us issue, let it be one of our chiefest cares to train it up in his service. My heart bleedeth when I consider how now adaies many chil∣dren of quality are bred, which are stifled with servile indulgences under the shadow of dandling them. God sends them as creatures, with which he intend∣eth to support the world govern Common-wealths, people heaven, and adorn even the conversation of Angels: but to see how they are used, it seemeth that pieces of flesh are ingendered, which are onely to be licked as bears, to give them true perfections. They are loaden with fat and the kitchin, they are enter∣tained in the full fruition of all the desires of their hearts; they are observed like little Kings, who are not as yet many times above five years of age and already exercise a Monarchy in the houses of their parents. Je∣sus Christ banished Idolatrie from the world with so much sweat and bloud, and it is again daily renewed, when children are set up as certain little Idols, to whom all hearts, respects hopes, fears, and homages are sacrificed. I beseech you, let us not cause them to learn that which we should make them forget; let us not accustom them to mimick affectation of words, to pomp of habits, to liberty, to pleasures. Let us at∣tire them for the service of God, and exercises suita∣ble to their sex and condition; and above all, let us take heed they be not poysoned by the ear, in the fre∣quent conversation of such bad company, who seem to be born for nought else, but to infect purity.