The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

A third duty to be performed in infancy, (especially belongs unto the mother, the former were common to both parents, but this is her special duty) to nurse it. Not to throw it from her so soon as she hath brought it into the world, but as God hath given her, as her womb to bear, so breasts and milk to nourish her child; so let her be thankful to God for the blessing, and use them to that end that he gave them. For this is so natural, that even the beasts will not omit it, the poorest and leanest beasts that is, yet will suckle her young ones her self, and will not be so unnatural, as to post them over to another. And this is noted of the good women in scripture that they did much rejoice in suckling their children with their own breasts, as Sarah saith, that now she shall give suck, a thing that greatly gladded her heart. And it is noted as a plague and punishment to have a barren womb and dry breasts, and therefore it is foul fault when God hath given a good blessing for one wilfully to turn into a curse. Those women therefore that have failed in this duty, must be humbled as having omitted a good duty, that god required at their hands, & those that have done it, must do it still. For in the primitive Church, when widows were to be chosen that should have the sick and weak servants committed to their charge and tending, none were to be admitted to this office but those that had nursed their children themselves; though they were otherwise good women and virtuous, yet if they had not been so merciful to their children, ⟨p. 9⟩there was a suspicion left, that (howsoever God would change and alter their hearts) if they were unnatural to those, that were so near to them, ye would be negligent to those that were further of them; and therefore they were not to be trusted with this office. So much for the duties which parents must perform to their children in their tender years. Now those follow which must be performed when they grow to more ripeness of years.

A thirde dutie to be performed in infancie, (especially belonges vnto the mother, the former were common to both parents, but this is her speciall dutie) to nurce it. Not to throw it from her so soone as shee hath brought it into the world, but as God hath giuen her, as her wombe to beare, so breasts and milke to nourish her child; so let her be thankfull to God for the blessing, and vse them to that end that he gaue them. For this is so naturall, that euen the beasts will not omit it, the poorest and leanest beasts that is, yet will suckle her young ones her selfe, and will not be so vnnaturall, as to post them ouer to another. And this is noted of the good women in scripture that they did much reioyce in suckling their children with their owne breasts, as Sarah saith, that now she shall giue sueke, a thing that greatly gladded her heart. And it is noted as a plague and punishment to haue a barren wombe and drie breasts, and therfore it is foule fault when God hath giuen a good blessing for one wilfully to turn into a curse. Those women therfore that haue failed in this dutie, must be humbled as hauing omitted a good duty, that god required at their hands, & those that haue done it, must do it still. For in the primitiue Church, when widows were to be chosen that should haue the sicke and weake seruants committed to their charge and tending, none were to be admitted to this office but those that had nourced their children themselues; though they were otherwise good women and vertuous, yet if they had not beene so mercifull to their children,