A sons patrimony and daughters portion payable to them at all times but best received in their first times when they are young and tender : laid-out without expence of money only in the improving time and words with them contained (in an answerablenesse to their ages) in two volumes ...

THE PREFACE; PRE∣PARING THE EARE OF him, or her, who is a Childe in understanding.

My deare Childe,

HItherto thou hast been an hea∣rer onely, growing up as my papers fill'd; and as an acces∣sion of yeers, through Gods goodnesse, gave some additi∣on to thy growth and capaci∣tie, so did I to the strength & weight of my Instructions.

I suppose thee now growne up, and thy know∣ledge answerable to thy yeers; for, though a Childe is made a patterne, yet we must not be like it in understanding. When we were Children, we did, and we spake as children, and all was comely; but when we out-grew Childe-hood, we out-grew Childishnesse a 1.1. We had need of Milke and not of Strong Meate, for we were as Babes, unskilfull in the Word of Righteousnesse; but now our stature is increased, it were a shame that we should be Dwarfes in the Inward man, the man indeed. They can have no Apologie or excuse for themselves,

who are growne up to full yeers, yet have a Childes understanding b 1.2. I suppose thee then of full Age, even such an one, as I would have thee,

who, by reason of use, hast thy Senses exercised to discerne both good and evill c 1.3:

Childehood and youth are the Parents seed-time, when they must look to their dutie; The af∣ter-Age is the season of fruit, when Parents expect an harvest of their paines: Children then must look to their dutie, that Parent and Childe may rejoyce together.

But alas! how many Parents are deceived here? even they, who have not neglected their seede-time. They think upon the Instructions they have given; the Intreaties they have used, (what my son, and the sonne of my wombe, and what the sonne of my vowes d 1.4?) These they think on, but how many are quite lost, how few or none take! what may make for ease and delight, that Children learne quickly;

so will the Horse, the Mule, the Asse, and the Oxe; put any of these to the Wheele, they will quickly finde out the number of their Rounds, and never after can be deceived in their Ac∣count e 1.5. This is nature still, and her field is fruitfull.

But, no Earth there is, that requires more la∣bour, and is longer before it yeelds fruit, then Mans nature; so decaied and wilde it is growne, and so rightly compared to the Sluggards field, as the person is to a Colt, an Asse-Colt, a wilde Asse-Colt.

The Philosopher reasons this case very pithily f 1.6;

He that plants a Vineyard, quickly eates the Grape; So in other graines; some few Moneths bring them to our hands againe, and the fruite of our labours to our Eie and Taste: Oxen, Horses, Sheepe, &c. they quickly serve for our use, and much service they doe in Lieu and re∣compense for a little cost. But Mans education is full of labour and cost; The increase is slow, the fruite and comfort farre off, not within Eie∣shot; perhaps the Parent may kenne this com∣fort, perhaps he may live to see it, and to re∣joyce:

perhaps also, he may discerne little hope; he may live to heare of the miscarriage of his Childe, and see that, which, like a back winde, will put him onwards towards the pit, hastening him with sorrow to the grave.

But In hope the Parent must doe his dutie; here∣in also like the husbandman, whose worke is never ended; something he findes still, that requires his eie, and must command his hand; or like the Painter, who cannot withdraw the hand from the table, before he sees his work fully perfected. But herein the Parent and the Painter are very like;

In all his pictures (saith Pliny) more is to be un∣derstood then is expressed; although the skill be great, yet there is alwaies more in the minde g 1.7 of the Workman, then the pensill could expresse to the eie of the beholder. His Ingeny, or Idea, the proportion he hath framed in his mind is be∣yond his Art.

It is so with a Parent; his care may be great, and his skill somewhat, and the Childe may observe both, and much of both; But the

Childe must understand more then it can see, and yet understand it cannot the yearning of the Spi∣rit, the turnings of the bowels, the desire of the heart towards the Childe: It is the Parent, he and she onely, who know the Heart of a Parent. And this, (as one speaks very feelingly h 1.8

Should work very much with the Childe, what Care and Cost, and Labour, and Feare, he hath put his Parents too.

But alas! Children consider it not, for if so, they would give all diligence, to render back their so due service. But if all this work not upon the Childe, it should work upon the Parent very much, To consider, What a barren wild na∣ture his Childe hath taken from him; Barren to every seed of Instruction; and, which is the griefe, but not the wonder, the more precious the seed is, the more barren the nature is unto it, the more hard to receive it. And yet, if this precious seed be not received, and the nature of the soyle chang∣ed by it, Man will sinke lower into misery then a Beast can. And in ordinary matters here, a Beast may as farre exceed him, as he thinks he exceeds a Beast. Take a man in his pure Naturalls, and we finde it ordinary, That a Beast exceeds him; which might be further exemplified. For many have written very usefully thereof, I will take that, which I know is of most use, and this it is;

Defects of Reason in Beasts is supplyed with ex∣quisituesse of sense, saith Basil i 1.9

Nay, there is something more then sense in Beasts, and then ve∣gitation in Plants,

saith he in the same place: And so saith the learned Geographer k 1.10 in his History of

the world.

It is not sense alone, which teacheth beasts at first sight, and without experience or instruction to flye from the enemies of their Lives: Seeing that Bulls and Horses appeare to the sense more fearefull and terrible, then the least kinde of Dogs; And yet the Hare and Deere feedeth by the one, and flyeth from the other, yea though by them never seene be∣fore, and that as soone as they fall from their Dam's, &c.

The truth is, and there is great use of it, (for it tells us what a blow or wound we received by our fall) Beasts have many excellencies, and much perfection of outward sense; And (which is of use indeed, to hide pride from our eyes) they can make good improvement thereof for their safetie, and, some of them, for their Lords-service. Only man, in his pure naturalls, is herein below the beasts; as brutish as the Swine l 1.11, which is the most brutish creature: As unteachable as a fish, and that is a creature, which you can neither tame nor teach.

But now to instance in a creature most familiar with us, and of the very lowest ranke, A Dogge. And not to speake of his logick, which they say, he hath, and the Hunts-man discernes that so it is; This we must note, because it is so usefully noted to our hands. A Dog will follow m 1.12 his masters foot; he will keep of the theife, and the murthe∣rer; he will defend his master if he be strong enough; if not, and his master be slain (for so we reade it hath faln out) he will stay by the carkasse till he pine away with hunger; or he will pursue

the man of bloud, and single him forth, as if he would tell the beholders, That is the man that kill'd my master. All this a Dog will do, and more then this (though this is most strange) as experience hath told us. And why all this? why? because he hath received a dry-bone from his masters hand, and, sometimes, a bit of bread: Therefore will this Dog put forth his strength to the utmost, in way of requitall, for his masters peace and se∣curitie.

Hearken unto this all ye that forget God, hearken. Will the Dog do all this, for a dry-bone, and an hard crust n 1.13?

What will they say for themselves, who love not the Lord Jesus?

what excuse can they finde, who forget their Good Master in heaven, who feeds them, and doth cloth them every day; who doth preserve them every moment of the day; from whose hands they receive all good, and nothing but good, nothing, which they can properly call e∣vill.

What will they say? so S^t. Basill reproves unthankfull man, so like a swine and fish; so un∣tameable, so unteachable; so farre faln, even be∣low a Dog. I know not what some may thinke, when they spie a Dog here, and that he is here for this purpose to instruct his Master; we may thinke him too low a servant (very faithfull though he be) for that purpose. But what ever is thought, this I think, nay this I know, and am sure of; That there is not a Creature in the World, which doth so mightily convince, reprove, ashame mans ingratitude, as the dog doth; how so? Because he

doth so much, for so little; And man doth so little, for so much. And let us observe it well, and make this as familiar with us as our dog is, for we shall have no excuse for the neglect of our service to that Lord, who gives us to reape, where we sowed not, and to dwell were we builded not; we shall have nothing to say, why we are unmindfull of such a Master.

The dog hath led me a little beyond my mark, but not out of my way; my scope here is but this, to shew, that (so we are degenerated, so low are we falne) the Beasts exceed man in their Natu∣rals; and men in their pure Naturalls make not that improvement of their senses for their Ma∣sters service, their owne safety and mutuall com∣fort each with other, as the Beasts doe; no cause we should be proud of our Naturals.

And for Intellectuals, being without that, which the Apostle saith, our speech should be seasoned with, the Salt of Grace, they may prove, and ordi∣narily doe (like Absoloms haire) deadly. So, I re∣member a Knight, that suffered upon Tower-hill, acknowledged, who had not returned his gifts to the glory of the Giver. Nay more, for wee hope better of him; they make a man more miserable, then the beasts that perish: Achitophel is a sad ex∣ample hereof, so is Machevil, who, (say the Ita∣lians) (so I learne out of Bishop Andrews) rotted in pson.

Reason and speech, they are the chiefe proper∣ties differencing man from a Beast. Reason is the * 1.14 Crowne of a man; his tongue, his glory, (the same word in the sacred Tongue signifyes both.)

But if man shall depose reason, taking from it, Her soveraignty (I mean in earthly matters) then will a man be carryed like a horse, that hath cast his rider; and he will abuse his Tongue also, vili∣fying that which should have honored him; and in so doing he will liken himselfe to the most stin∣king place, that we can passe by, and to the most odious name, that is named under the Sunne; and so in the end, will fall lower then a Beast can. A Beast can fall no lower then the Earth, nor doth it apprehend any evill till it feele the same; and when it comes it is soone over, and there's an end. Which remembers me of Pyrrhoes Hog, that did eate his meate quietly in the Ship almost covered with waters, when all the men there were halfe dead with feare. But now, reasonable Creatures are sometimes perplexed with unreasonable fears; A mans apprehension may present evils, that are not, as impendent; which may make his knees smite together; and with all, the apprehension of the time, that is past, and of that which to come, may torment him too before he come to the place of his torment.

Bee not like the horse and mule then, which have no understanding, for then thy condition will bee much worse and lower then theirs in the latter end.

It may be I shall never call thee to an account, nor live to see how thou hast thriven. But consi∣der this first, what an Heathen o 1.15 spake, it is very worthy a childs consideration; We are charged that we doe ill to none, much lesse to a parent: but it is

not enough for a child not to hurt his parents, he must doe them all the good he can; his whole deportment must be such, such his words and deeds, that thereby he may glad the heart of his parent, else it is wicked and unjust. Marke it, for thus much it implyes: It is not enough that the child doth not actually or positively give the parent cause of sorrow, that were monstrous; he or she must not privatively rob them of their com∣fort, or stop them of their rejoycing, even this were impious and unjust: It is not enough, not to grieve the parent, not to give them matter of sorrow, the childe, that doth not more, doth not his dutie; he must give them matter of comfort and gladding of hearts.

This a childes dutie; let a childe thinke of it, and that an Heathen spake it, from whom a les∣son comes double to a Christian.

Consider again what the Lord saith, It is a peo∣ple of no understanding, therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them p 1.16. Consider with that Scripture, what the Apostle saith, q 1.17 In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God, &c.

If this and that be considered, Thou wilt cry r 1.18 after knowledge; and lift up thy voyce for un∣derstanding: wisdome is the principall thing, therefore thou wilt get wisdome, and with all thy gettings thou wilt get understanding s 1.19,

which only consolidates a man, making him like armour of proofe, or like a rocke, for it fixeth the heart on Him in whom is everlasting strength.

Thou must consider also; That an account must be given, and the greater thy receits have been, the greater thy accounts must be. Line upon line,

and precept upon precept, fills up the score apace. A man looks to reape liberally, where he sowes li∣berally: And as God did bountifully reward the faithfull servant, so did He severely punish the un∣faithfull and negligent. In the last place, consider this, and it sufficeth;

That a worthy name is cal∣led upon us, even the name of Christ, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is na∣med. t 1.20

A name, which will honour us, if we ho∣nour it; which will highly exalt us, if we exalt it. * 1.21 And this we do, when our conversation is honour∣able, and as becommeth, in heaven, though amidst the things of the earth. If there be a precise walk∣ing, a good and suteable conversation, worthy that name u 1.22, then the Christian is the honourable per∣son, as the fruitfull vine, the best amongst the trees; or as those, which were very good x 1.23; But if we de∣file y 1.24 that name, by an unworthy conversation, then are we the basest of men, like the barren vine z 1.25, fit for nothing but the fire; or unsavoury salt, very bad, and to be cast out a 1.26. It is a good conversation, which commends a Christian, and that only, and which proves him so to be: not miracles if a man could work them; not revelations, if a man could see them; not signes and wonders, if such a power were given from above. It is the conversation, which is all in all, and justifies before men.

If I do not the works of my Father, beleeve me not b 1.27. Our Lord said thus of Himself; His work should testifie of Him, c 1.28 and be a foundation of their faith; works are the standard, by which we must be mea∣sured also, whether we are in Christ, and Christ in

us. If we do not the works of Christ, such as He hath proposed for our example, It is a vain beliefe, a conceit only, To think we are Christians. Our works tell the world what we are, for those, the world sees and heares, and by them we either glo∣rifie our Father in heaven, or give cleare evi∣dence, that we have denied the Lord, That bought us, d 1.29 Redeeming from a vain conversation e 1.30.

Chrysostome speaks usefully to this point, where he speaks concerning the title of Lukes f 1.31 second Treatise.

Thus he speaks, It will not profit, though we could say; In thy name we have pro∣phesied, cast out divels, cleansed Lepers, wrought miracles, &c. neither this, nor that commended the Apostles, but their Acts, their Doings. And these are, To be chaste, modest, tem∣perate, meeke, gentle, kinde, pitifull; To bridle our anger, to subdue our passions, to mortifie our affections: In a word, to exercise all grace. This is Action, this Doing; this tells us we are Christians in deed, living Christians. And it takes of that great objection, which is put in our way (saith the same Father, and it is of infinite use) when we stirre up our people to follow Paul, as he followed Christ: we say unto them, ye must imitate Peter, ye must follow Paul; ye must be like Iohn, and ye must doe as Saint Iames did. What? even so; just to that Coppy? will our people say. We cannot; it is not possible we should; there is no strength in us to do as they did: They made the lame to go; They raised the dead; cleansed the lepers: so they did, we

cannot do so, we cannot follow them. Say not so (replyes the Father) say not, that we per∣swade to impossibilities, things above all strength; we tell you not, That you must re∣store the sick; worke miracles, &c. If so you could do, it would do you no good, it could give you no boldnesse before the Lord in that day: A mira∣cle doth not bring unto Heaven, but a conversation heaven-ward. Imitate the conversation of the Apostles, and ye shall have no lesse then the A∣postles did receive. Follow peace with all men, and holinesse; go about doing good, abounding in the worke of faith, in the labour of love, in the patience of hope g 1.32. So the Apostles did, do so, and ye shall have an Apostles reward. For signes and wonders made not the Apostles happy, but a pure life.

The summe is, and this our greatlesson, we have a worthy name, our conversation must be an∣swerable; we must live, act, do, worthily. We must by a good conversation, build up our selves and others. If we answer our name, we will to our power do worthily in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem ^h.

I conclude with a short prayer, and a short ex∣position on the same. It is Hierom's prayer for his friend: and his exposition upon it too i 1.33. * 1.34

My prayer and heartie desire is, That the Lord would in that day acknowledge the childe a∣mongst those his children, who are very good k 1.35.

That's the prayer; his exposition, this;

The Lord loveth those who are upright in their way,

who

are hot; that is, who are burning and shining lights; who are seething hot, fervent in prayer, zealous of good works: such He loves, in such He rules, with such He dwells, and delights. And He turns not away from those that are cold, sinners of the Gentiles, publicans, notorious sinners, key cold, dead in trespasses and sinnes; from such cold wret∣ches, (such we were all) He turnes not away. But there are middling persons, of a middle temper, halting betwixt two; or, like a cake halfe baked, neither good nor bad; neither hot nor cold, such the Lord hates, He speweth them out; that is, they are an abomination; His eyes can be no more towards such, then ours towards our vomit, which our overcharged stomacks have cast up, and now our eye doth loath x 1.36.

My prayer is, thou maist be very good, upright in thy wayes; hot, fervent in prayer, zealous of good workes; else better thou wert cold, key cold: for a middle Temper, as it is most deadly, so it is most abominable.

Thus (as a learned man writeth to his great friend) I could have written unto thee things more pleasing, nothing more profitable. But what I have or shall write, nothing will profit un∣lesse the feare of God awes the heart and inclines it; unlesse He teacheth inwardly, words cannot outwardly. Waxe takes an easie impression from Iron; Iron not so, but very hardly; an Adamant takes no impression at all, by all our force, because of its hardnesse; (so Nazianzen Epist. 130.) And

such hearts we have; understand but so much, and it will humble thee, it will hide pride from thine eyes, and then thy eare is prepared, and heart too. And so much as a preparative to the eare, but the Lord bore it; and to incline thy heart to under∣standing, but the Lord open it.

This is all the parent can doe, and his maine duty at this point, even to spread this peremptory bent of nature, (as was a 1.37 said) before the Lord, whose worke it is to turne the heart, and to open the eare to instruction, which now followes.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Clem. Alex: Strom. p. 51.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chry sost. Tom. 4. quod nemo laedit, &c.
• c 1.3

  Heb. 5. 13. 14.
• d 1.4

  Prov. 31. 2.
• e 1.5

  Charron of wisdome.
• f 1.6

  Plut. de amore prolis. pag. 157.
• g 1.7

  In omnibus ejus operibus in∣telligitur plus semper quàm pingitur: & cum Ars summa sit, Ingenium tamen ultra Ar∣tem est. Pliny. l. 35. 10.
• h 1.8

  Chrysolog. de Arch sy. Serm 33. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hec. to her son Hector. Hom. Iliad. 22. p. 814.
• i 1.9

  Hex. ham. 9. pag. 100.
• k 1.10

  II. Book. cap. 4. sect. 6. pag. 229.
• l 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Clem. Alex. Pro∣tr••p p. 44. Fish••••••s cannot be tamed nor taught. Basil. Hev. Hom. 7.
• m 1.12

  S e Hist. of the world. 1. Book. cap. 12. sect. 6. Lege Lipsium. C••nt. 3. Ad. Bel. epi 56. &c. Cent 1 epist. 44. Cic. lib. 2. de na∣tura deor. paper. 323. & Scal. exerci. 202. 6.
• n 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Hex. Hom. 9.
• * 1.14

  Ratio & Oratio.
• o 1.15

  Plut. de fra∣terno amore.
• p 1.16

  Esa. 27. 12.
• q 1.17

  2 Thes. 1. 8.
• r 1.18

  Prov. 2. 3.
• s 1.19

  Prov. 4. 7.
• t 1.20

  Eph. 3. 15.
• * 1.21

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Nazian. Orat. 21. p 378
• u 1.22

  The Scripture acknowledg∣eth them Chri∣stians, or the anointed of the Lord, who live Christian-like, according to Christ.
• x 1.23

  Jer. 24. 5.
• y 1.24

  Read page 36.
• z 1.25

  Ezech. 15. 4.
• a 1.26

  Christians are the worse, the better they should be; the more sacred their name, the more ac∣cursed their guilt, &c. Read Salv. de Guber. l. 3. ω. the end. and Li. 4. with∣in two leaves of the end. Christiani deteri∣ores sunt, &c. Reatus impii est pium crimen.
• b 1.27

  John 10. 37.
• c 1.28

  Luk. 7. 21.
• d 1.29

  2 Pet. 2. 1.
• e 1.30

  1 Pet. 1. 18.
• f 1.31

  Tom. 5.
• g 1.32

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Nazianz. Orat 3 p. 77.
• i 1.33

  Hier epist. l. 1. ep. 55. p. 47.
• * 1.34

  k Ruth. 4 11.
• k 1.35

  Ier. 24. 5.
• x 1.36

  Bright. on Re∣vel. cap. 3. 15. 16. Mediocri••as hic est pessima. Nihil in te medi∣ocre esse conten∣tus sum, totum summum, totuni perfectum desi∣diero. Hier. Lib. 2. Epist. 15. ••. pag. 187.
• a 1.37

  Preface to the first part.