The Christian education of children: according to the maxims of the Sacred Scripture, and the instructions of the fathers of the church / written and several times printed in French, and now translated into English.

The first Means. Speech, Words, or Discourse.

IT cannot be sufficiently deplored, that Parents now adays study so little to render the Conversations, which they have with their children and with their Domesticks, truly Christian. It seems they dare not discover to them the sentiments they

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

have for God. They hide themselves from them to say their Prayers, and to acquit themselves of their least Christian duties: And as if God had not placed them in their houses to give light to such as enter into it and dwell in it, they rob them of their lights, and contribute by a conduct so dimply shining, to form the dark∣ness which is spread over the whole World.

This unhappy proceeding is the cause that they ordinarily entertain themselves with nothing but trifles and things altogether unprofitable; that to furnish matter for conversa∣tion they examine the actions of their neighbour, they censure them and they discover their secret and un∣known crimes; that all their talk is but a concatenation of detraction, of falshood, of vanity, and of pleasure; and that that which should be (as it were) the sensible Communion of Saints in Christ Jesus, and the image and expression of the communion and

society which we have begun with God and with Christ Jesus by Bap∣tism, 1 Joan. 13. becomes a source of malice, and is in effect nothing but a sequel of that miserable con∣versation which our first Parents had with the Devil, Ephes. 2.3. which caused the ruine of all their posteri∣ty, and which rendred all their chil∣dren the children of anger and in∣dignation.

Shall we then wonder that the ma∣jor part of the Children of Christi∣ans live in so great disorders? that they are so perfectly knowing in what is necessary to frequent compa∣nies and to render themselves plea∣sing; and that they know so little what is necessary to go to Heaven and to please Christ Jesus? that they are ignorant of nothing that concerns the Modes which Vanity and Flatte∣ry have introduced into the World, and that they are so ill instructed in the Rules of the Gospel, and in the laws, customs, and ceremonies of the Church?

'Tis long since, Sister, that God would have brought a Remedy to this Disorder.

In the law of Nature, he ordained, according to the Tradition we have from S. Jerome, that the first born of the Family should be exalted to the Priesthood, that they should be ini∣tiated therein by their own Parents, and that they should have no other Doctours and Teachers but them concerning the truths they were to believe and the functions they were to exercise. 'Twas for this, that when he was ready to revenge the crimes of Sodom and Gomorra, Gen. 26.18. he said

that he could not con∣ceal this his design from Abraham, because he knew he would make use of this dreadful example to in∣duce his children and all his Do∣mesticks to walk after him in the way of his Divine Ordinances, and to live holily;

giving thereby all Fathers and Mothers to understand, that the means to become his famili∣ar

friends, and to oblige him to dis∣cover unto them his secrets, and to conceal nothing from them, was the care they should take to instruct their Family.

In the Law of Moses, at the same time when God ordained the days of Feasts and of Solemnities, he com∣manded Parents to instruct their chil∣dren in the Ceremonies which were there to be observed, and to teach them the reasons and the motives of their Institution. Thus after he had prescribed to the Israelites what they were to observe in eating the Pascall-Lamh, Exod. 13.8. he com∣manded them to recite to their chil∣dren on that day what he had done in their favour to draw them out of Egypt and feee them from the tyran∣ny of Pharoah. He would have the Feast of Tabernacles yearly celebrated, and that they should remain seven whole days under Tents made of the branches of Citron-trees, of Myrrhs, of Palms, and of Willows,

to the end their children might learn how God had conserved their An∣cestours the space of Forty years in the Desart under Tents and Pavilli∣ons. Finally, he ordained them to offer up unto him all the first born of the Males, as well of Men as of Beasts, to the end that their children being surprized at these so extraor∣dinary and so frequent presents, might enquire the cause and so come to be instructed of the meaning of these Ceremonies, and as the sacred Scripture says, that the Parents might have evermore in their mouths the recital of the benefits they had recei∣ved from Gods bounty, and that from thence they should take occasi∣on to teach their children his Law, and to make them have it in high esteem, according to that more parti∣cular Commandement which he gave them in Deuteronomy, where he or∣dains them to have his Law in their heart, Deut. 6.6. to entertain their children therein, and to teach them

to meditate upon it, and to think on it in their house and in their journeys, during their rest and during their la∣bour, and finally in all their oc∣cupations, and at all the hours of the day, Deut. 1.18.

In the Law of Grace, the Church which is animated with the same spirit renews every year the Memo∣ry of the Mysteries which Christ Jesus wrought for us, and she en∣deavours to place before our eyes by many ceremonies and sensible signs the marvails which have been so long concealed from the eyes of An∣gels, and whereof they were not in∣formed but by the Ministery of this holy Spouse.

'Tis true that she particularly de∣stines her Pastours to explicate them to her Children. But that also which St. * 1.1 John Chrysostom says is no less true: That the Heads of Families are not to remit all entirely to them of the Church: That as for themselves

they are indeed to be instructed by the Preachers of the Gospel; but that after that, they ought to instruct their children; and like those Birds, whereof the same Doctour speaks, having heard something that is pro∣fitable for the nourishment of their own souls, to bring it home upon the tip of their tongue, to commu∣nicate it unto them.

This moved Venera∣ble Beda to say in the Discourse he made upon the Shepheards who watched when our Saviour was born: * 1.2 Do not fan∣cy to your selves that there are no other Pastours but the Bishops. the Priests, the Deacons, and the Su∣periours of Monasteries? for all the Faithful who have the government of their family are truly Pastours; since they are established to com∣mand and to take care of all their domesticks: and he among you who hath any authority over one or two of his Brethren, is assured∣ly

obliged to exercise in their be∣half the Office of a Pastour, and to feed them to the utmost of his pow∣er with the Word of God. And I say furthermore; Each one of you, my Brethren, although you leade a private life, ceases not to be a Pa∣stour, since you feed a spiritual flock, and watch in the night to conserve it, if you truly endeavour to heap up a great treasure of holy actions and good thoughts, if you govern it with prudence if you employ all your care to nourish and entertain it with the delicious pastures of ho∣ly Scriptures, and if you watch con∣tinually over this holy flock, to defend it against the assaults of the Enemy.

St. * 1.3 Chrysostom says the same in one of his Ser∣mons, where, after he had related the words of Christ Je∣sus to St. Peter; If you love me, feed my sheep, he says,

That one is not to take these words as spoken only

to the Pastours of the Church: They are, (adds he,) for every one of us, to whom Christ Jesus hath committed but a small flock; for although 'tis small, yet 'tis not to be neglected, since Christ Jesus himself says, that his heavenly Fa∣ther finds there his pleasure and his delight. Each one of you hath some sheep in his Family; let him take care to govern them and to feed them. As soon as a Fa∣ther arises from his bed, let him not think of any other thing till night, but to do and say what may contribute to the spiritual good and advancement of his Family. Let a Mother have the same care: 'Tis good she should think of her house∣wifry, but she is to apply her self yet more to the salvation of her whole Family, and to take care that each one of it be saved, and be zealous to gain Heaven.

You are not therefore to perswade your self, Sister, that you have sa∣tisfied

the obligation you have to instruct your Children, because you send them to Catechisms, that they follow you to the Church, that they assist with you at Sermons, and that they faithfully recite the a∣bridgements of the Christian Do∣ctrine: You must furthermore, when you make them render an ac∣count of what they have learned, examine them whether they com∣prehend what they say; and be∣cause they are not capable of them∣selves to make good use of it, you are to apply to the little occasions of their souls that which hath best pleased them, or that which hath the nearest touched them. You are to make preservatives against the vi∣ces you see them most inclined to, and remedies against the imperfecti∣ons which they most ordinarily fall into. You are with words full of tenderness and sweetness to instill into them the love of the Virtues there praysed, the horrour of the Vices

there condemned, and to leave them always in a sacred hunger of this celestial nourishment, I mean in the desire to hear the Word of God, which you are to excite by little re∣wards and by an honest liberty you will give them to recreate them∣selves when they have well remem∣bred what you told them or what they heard from others.

Prevent the Solemnities to in∣struct your children in the Mysteries, the memory whereof are then cele∣brated; and accommodate your self to their age to make them enter in∣to the Spirit and into the practise of those Virtues which are honoured in the said Mysteries. Entertain them frequently with the life and actions of Christ Jesus, and repeat often to them what Tradition and the Gospel teach us of those of his holy Mother. And because children are strongly inclined to hear the re∣cital of such things as they can least imitate, and of events accompanied

with fear and horrour: relate unto them the conflicts of the Martyrs, the temptations of the Anchorets, the miracles of the Confessours: And as there is almost no day where∣in the Church proposes not to her children a meditation upon the life of some Saint; let no Evening pass without proposing to them some action of Virtue, and without pre∣scribing to them some little practise of piety for the Morrow. The Con∣fessarius of the famous S. Lewis, who wrote the Life of that great King, says, That each Evening he caused his Chil∣dren to come into his Chamber, where he always spoke to them some words of edification before he sent them away.

As for example, in the time of the Birth of our blessed Saviour, repre∣senting to them the cold which lit∣tle Jesus endured in the Crib, may you not excite them to suffer for his sake the incommodity of the season, and the cold they feel in the School or in the Church?

If they complain that they are de∣nied the things they desire: Why may you not say to them; Well, my children, consider how many o∣ther things you have: Alas! our Saviour Christ had not a little bed as you have to lye on, nor fine lin∣nen, nor a good Coat to cloath him: He was almost naked in a manger and upon straw; and yet all things belonged to him, although he would not make use of them, but left them for our use and comfort: Is it not then very reasonable we should want some small matter for the love of him? Go, he can and will reward you in Heaven.

If they finde it painful to follow you to the Church; tell them, that they are far from doing as our Lord did, Luke 2.41. who stole himself away from his Parents to remain in the Temple, and who made every year a long journey to go thither with them.

If they shew some Impatience in

their small sufferings, say to them: Ah, my children, how far are you from enduring the torments which so many Saints suffered for Christ Jesus? How will you endure Mar∣tyrdom when you shall be men, if you cannot now endure the pricking of a Pin? And if you cannot bear a little blow from your Brother or from your Sister, when will you be so perfect and patient as to turn your other Cheek to him who hath struck one of them?

Instill into them a great love and a great esteem of their own littleness and Infancy: Repeat frequently un∣to them that which is advantagious for Infants in the Gospel: Tell them how our Lord reprehended his A∣postles Matt. 18.19. for hindring such Infants as they are, to come unto him; that he took one of them and placed him in the middle of his Disciples; and that he said several times, that one must become like them to enter into Heaven. And

thus at the same time they grow according to the Body, make them conserve in their Soul a great love for the qualities and the dispositions of Infancy.

Bring them up in a great respect and in a great confidence for their Guardian Angels. Let them know principally the life of that Saint whose name they bear; and the ob∣ligation they have to imitate him or her. And as it is said of Christ Je∣sus Matt. 2. that he grew in the house, and under the conduct of his holy Mother, in Wisdome, in Age, and in Grace before God and before Men; let your children advance by your care by little and little in the knowledge of the sacred Myste∣ries, and in your colloquies and your instructions let all things serve you, as St. Paul says, to make them encrease in Christ Jesus Ephes. 4.15.

Above all, teach them to prefer God and his Commandements before all other things. Tell them often

that they ought to have for him much more tenderness and more respect than they have for your self. Imi∣tate that excellent Mother of whom mention is made in the Book of Maccabees, who to encourage her children to endure constantly their torments for the defence of the Jewish Religion, excited them to look upon God as their Father, and to esteem themselves happy in sacri∣ficing their lives for the glory of him of whom they received them, and who had prepared lives much more glorious for them in Heaven. Imi∣tate the admirable art she made use of to strengthen the youngest of her seven children, whom the Tyrant endeavoured to withdraw from the resolution of dying; and do you, as she did, make use of the considera∣tion of such things as you have done for your children, thereby to engage them to persevere in Virtue: Take compassion my Son, (says she to him,) 2 Maccab. 7.17: upon a Mother who

hath born you in her bosom, who hath nourished you whole years with the Milk of her Breasts, and who hath educated you with tenderness even till this time: I demand of you, my Son, by all these considerations, that you will lift your heart and your eyes towards Heaven, and that in imitation of your Brothers you will receive death with joy, that I may have the satisfaction to see you partaker of their glory.

'Tis thus, that you should make use of the power, which the grati∣tude and the love your children have for you gives you over their spirit, to engage them to raise up them∣selves to God, and to honour him to whom alone they are indebted for the care you employed in their Edu∣cation. And because there are occa∣sions in this life where the tender∣ness and the respect which children have for their Parents may prove a scandal to them, and may hinder them from loving and following truth; make them to know that

there is none but God alone to whom we owe an entire submission and without any condition; that there are no persons, no estates, no digni∣ty, no profession in this life, which we ought not to love with limitati∣on; and that thus they owe you nei∣ther Obedience nor Complacency in such things as would be contrary to the Law of God. Repeat often and explicate unto them these words of our Lord: If any one comes to me, and hates not his Father and his Mo∣ther, and his Wife, and his Bro∣thers, and his Sisters, and moreover e∣ven his own life, he cannot be my Disci∣ple, Luk. 14.20.

Whereupon St. * 1.4 Hilary says these admirable words:

This discourse of Christ Jesus appears harsh, and it seems to be a rude and insupportable precept, to force and engage one to a kinde of impiety towards Fathers and Mo∣thers, as to the highest degree of

Christian perfection yet God com∣mands in this nothing that is harsh, nothing that is not well beseeming his goodness, nothing that is con∣trary to his other Commande∣ments: And Fathers and Mothers cannot be offended that he thus or∣dains us to hate them, although we owe to them in that quality much tenderness and affection; since it is also enjoyned us to hate our selves. Christ Jesus knew that there are many Fathers and many Mothers who have such an incon∣siderate love for their children, that when they see them persevere in the glory of Martyrdom, they conjure them to yeild to the times, they entreat them to change their opini∣ons, and they employ (to weaken them) the motives of a Piety which is altogether irregular. Thus the Hatred (says this great Saint) which Children then conceive a∣gainst their Fathers and Mothers, is honourable; and it is just and

advantagious to hate them, who strive to divert us from the love of Christ Jesus,

Avoid therefore, my Sister, the fault which this Saint reprehends in Parents, and from which they finde much difficulty to defend themselves, unless they have a zeal altogether sincere and disinteressed for their Children. Imitate those Parents of the first ages of the Church, who never made shew of greater joy than when they saw their children ready to be sacrificed for the defence of Truth and for the cause of Christ Jesus. Reade I pray you the Lives of Saints and the History of the Church, and you will see a great number of these Examples of Con∣stancy.

You shall there meet with a holy Mother, nam'd Theodora, who after she had encouraged her eldest Son to suffer constantly such miseries as they forced him to undergo for the Faith, and had exhorted him with

much ardour to consider that he should purchase by these soon-pas∣sing torments an eternal happiness, she her self was thrown into the Fire with this her dear Son and two other of her Children.

You shall there see a holy Mo∣ther, who having a son called Me∣liton among the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, * 1.5 who had been exposed stark∣naked in a frozen Pond in the greatest rigour of Winter, and in a Country where cold was in extremity; and who beholding that although they had broken his Legs, (as they had done them of his companions, who expired in that last torment,) he was nevertheless yet alive, contented not her self to ex∣hort him to perseverance, but ha∣ving observed how they hurried a∣way upon Carts the Bodies of the other Martyrs, to bring them to a prepared Wood-Pile where they were to be burnt to ashes, and that they

left her son behinde in hopes to in∣duce him to adore the Idols and to make him renounce Christ Jesus; she took him upon her shoulders to carry him her self all alive as he was to his companions. But this blessed childe dying in his dear Mothers arms in the way thither, she nevertheless marched on with her now dead burden till she came to the burning pile of wood, into which she cast the Body of this Blessed Martyr, that he might have the glory to be consumed by the fire for the interests of Christ Jesus, as were the Bodies of the other Mar∣tyrs which had been before thrown into it.

You shall there see a Dame of qualitie named Dionysia, whose ex∣ample, (according to the relation of an Affrican Bishop called Victor who writ the Hi∣story of the Martyrs of the Church of Affrick, * 1.6 persecuted by the Wandales,) was the cause of the

salvation of almost all her Countrey, You shall there see that this gene∣rous Woman perceiving that her only Son by name Majoricus, who was very delicate and very young, began to tremble at the apprehensi∣on of the torments which she endu∣red, darted upon him such piercing looks, and employed so forcibly her maternal authority to reprehend him, that she rendred him even more va∣liant than her self; insomuch as this young Champion fought Faiths bat∣tel with joy, and remaining victori∣ous over his torments and over death, gathered the Palm of Martyrdom. After he had breathed forth his bles∣sed Soul, the noble Mother having embraced him as a holy Sacrifice which she had offered to God, and to which she ardently wished to be for evermore united, carried him home, caused him to be buried in her house, and poured forth her Prayers almost continually over his Sepulchre.

How heroick, Sister, are these Actions, and how pure and disinte∣ressed was the charity which produ∣ced them? What zeal, courage, and constancy appeared therein? And how well did these Mothers know what love they should bestow on their children? since they used not the authority they had over them but only to encourage them to confess Christ Jesus, and not to be ashamed of the Gospel.

But because (according to the observation of a holy Father)

the Discourses one makes use of to excite to Vir∣tue, * 1.7 carry with them I know not what kinde of repulse for them to whom they are addressed; and with whatever sweetness one seasons them, they still cause a sad∣ness and a dejection in their spirits: therefore, Sister, you may make use of another means than that of Words to instruct them, and you may handsomely gain that of them

by Lecture, which the fear of ti∣ring them caused you to smother in silence, and not to inculate unto them by Discourse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chrys. ho. 9. in 3. ad Colos.
• * 1.2

  S. Beda. hom. de Nativ.
• * 1.3

  St. Chry. Ser. 77. in Matt.
• * 1.4

  S. Hilary, upon the words of the 118. Psal. Iniquos odio habui.
• * 1.5

  Meliton one of the 40. Mart.
• * 1.6

  Victor. Affric. l. 3. c. 1.
• * 1.7

  S. Chry. ho. 20. super Ephes.