The sixth Proposition is, That even young children very early have imperfect workings of understanding and will; So that those obscure actings of a rational soul begin far sooner to put themselves forth, then many do think; Hence it is that they know and love those that give them suck, we must then consider, that there are imperfect workings of reason and perfect formed ones; These later indeed are not so soon, but the former are very early; Lapide in Psal. 25. speaketh out of Gregory, of a child but five year old guilty of blasphemy; And certainly Austin in his Confessions, doth much bewail his sins, while he was a child, he was but tantillus puer, yet tantus peccator, a little boy, but a great sinner. This truth is very useful, not only to confute Pelagiant and Socinians, who make in a child an indifferency to good or evil; or with Aristotle a blank table to receive any impression, but especially to quicken up Parents to their duty in diligent admonition and institution of them; For Solomon, wiser than any Pelagian, saith, Prov. 22. 15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; The word signifieth, is close bound to his soul, as if it were with ropes: Now if besides this natural folly, there be wicked education and evil example, this will be such a three-fold cord that will not easily be broken: Oh then do not think it is no matter what children do, their sins are but sports and jests, you will not have them displeased or corrected, for this is contrary also to Solomon's counsel, Prov. 22. 5. Train up a child in the way he should go, &c. ⟨p. 419⟩Some render it dedicate, some instruct, it cometh all to one sense, but who must be thus trained? Even a child, in the Hebrew it is Gnal pene, super es viae, which causeth divers Interpretations; Some understand it of the very first beginnings of a child's course, when he in bivio, whether he shall take to virtue or vice; Some for the very time that any entrance can be made upon them; for children are to learn many things by mere memory before they have understanding, neither is that, though in holy things, a taking of Gods name in vain, but a serving of God according to their capacity; Some understand it according to the capacity of the child, as a vessel with a narrow mouth must have liquor poured into it by degrees; all these senses tend to the same purpose, (viz.)
The sixth Proposition is, That even young children very early have imperfect workings of understanding and will; So that those obscure actings of a rational soul begin farre sooner to put themselves forth, then many do think; Hence it is that they know and love those that give them suck, we must then consider, that there are imperfect workings of reason and perfect formed ones; These later indeed are not so soon, but the former are very early; Lapide in Psal. 25. speaketh out of Gregory, of a child but five year old guilty of blasphemy; And certainly Austin in his Confessions, doth much bewail his sins, while he was a child, he was but tantillus puer, yet tantus peccator, a little boy, but a great sinner. This truth is very usefull, not only to confute Pelagiant and Socinians, who make in a child an indifferency to good or evil; or with Aristotle a blank table to receive any impression, but especially to quicken up Parents to their duty in diligent admonition and institution of them; For Solamon, wiser than any Pelagian, saith, Prov. 22. 15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; The word signifieth, is close bound to his soul, as if it were with ropes: Now if besides this natural folly, there be wicked education and evil example, this will be such a three-fold cord that will not easily be broken: Oh then do not think it is no matter what children do, their sins are but sports and jests, you will not have them displeased or corrected, for this is contrary also to Solomon's counsel, Prov. 22. 5. Train up a child in the way he should go, &c. ⟨p. 419⟩Some render it dedicate, some instruct, it cometh all to one sense, but who must be thus trained? Even a child, in the Hebrew it is Gnal pene, super es viae, which causeth divers Interpretations; Some understand it of the very first beginnings of a childs course, when he in bivio, whether he shall take to virtue or vice; Some for the very time that any entrance can be made upon them; for children are to learn many things by meer memory before they have understanding, neither is that, though in holy things, a taking of Gods name in vain, but a serving of God according to their capacity; Some understand it according to the capacity of the child, as a vessel with a narrow mouth must have liquour poured into it by degrees; all these senses tend to the same purpose, (viz.)
