The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their householdsThe catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds

If you say, You have not time to Teach them; I answer, you have no greater work to do, and a little time will▪ serve with willing teachable Youth, and no other are to be intended for the Ministry; what Boys get by hearing their Tutors, they oft bestow small labour to digest, but take up with bare words and second notions: but when they are set to get it from their Books themselves, harder Study better digesteth it; it is they that must bestow much time, the Teacher need not bestow very much: Country Schools may teach them Latin, Greek and Hebrew, ⟨image 6⟩let them stay there till they attain it; you may then teach them the common rudiments of Logic, and see them well settled in Divinity and serious Religion, and then if Academies prove safe and needful, they will go out better fortified against all the Temptations which they must expect.

If you say, You have not time to Teach them; I answer, you have no greater work to do, and a little time will▪ serve with willing teachable Youth, and no other are to be intended for the Ministry; what Boyes get by hearing their Tutors, they oft bestow small labour to digest, but take up with bare words and second notions: but when they are set to get it from their Books themselves, harder Study better digesteth it; it is they that must bestow much time, the Teacher need not bestow very much: Countrey Schools may teach them Latine, Greek and Hebrew, ⟨image 6⟩let them stay there till they attain it; you may then teach them the common rudiments of Logick, and see them well settled in Divinity and serious Religion, and then if Academies prove safe and needfull, they will go out better fortified against all the Temptations which they must expect.

It is certain, that Inconveniences are not so bad as Mischiefs, and it's certain that all our Natures as Corrupt, are Dark, Carnal and Malignant, and need the sanctifying Grace of Christ: and its certain, that as Grace useth all things to its increase, so this serpentine nature will turn Studies, Learning and all such things to serve it self; and that Carnal, Sensual, Malignant Nature cultivated by humane Learning, is too usually ripened and sublimated into Diabolism, and maketh the most potent Servants of the Devil against Christ: And if this be but gilded with sacred Ornaments and Titles, and pretences of the Churches Peace and Order, it is Garrisoned and fortified, and a stronger hold for sin and Satan than open Vice: And it is certain that as the Rage of Drunkards is raised in their riotous Meetings, and as Conjunction, Example and Noise put more Valour into Armies than separated Persons have, so combined Societies of Learned Reverenced Malignity do Confirm the Individuals, and raise them to the height of Wickedness: So that Universities are either, if holy, a Copy of Paradise, or if malignant, the chief Militia of the malicious Enemy of man, except a malignant Hierarchy or Clergy, who are malignant Academies grown up to maturity.