N01142:30
Corderius americanus. An essay upon the good education of children. And what may hopefully be attempted, for the hope of the flock. In a funeral sermon upon Mr. Ezekiel Cheever. The ancient and Honourable master of the Free-School in Boston. Who left off, but when mortality took him off, in August, 1708. the ninety fourth year of his age. : With an elegy and an epitaph upon him. / By one that was once a scholar to him. ; [One line epigram in Latin]
Boston: printed by John Allen for Nicholas Boone, 1708
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That we may more intelligibly prosecute this Doctrine, we will first a little Entertain our selves with the History of, A Child made Wise unto Salvation, by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. A TIMOTHY, and the Education of a Lovely Timothy, shall be first a little set before us.
Our Timothy is now Addressed by the Aged Apostle Paul, at this time a Prisoner at Rome; with an Epistle written by him, a little before his Martyrdom: An Epistle, which Chrysostom ingeniously calls, Our Apostles Last Will and Testament. In this Epistle, Our Apostle Exhorts his Excellent and Beloved Son Timothy; [a Son, he might well call him, having so many ways both Adopted him, and Instructed him:] He Exhorts him to Steadfastness in the Faith and Work of His Glorious LORD. One Argument, with which he inculcates this Exhortation, is his Education. For one Educated in the Way of Truth, and in the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, to forsake the Way of God, is worse than for another to do so. From such as are Well Educated, there are Better Things expected than from others. Consider this, O Apostates from a New-English Education; Consider it, you that Forget how you have been Educated, lest the Wrath of Heaven tear you to pieces, and there who none to deliver you. When the Son and Grandson perhaps, of those that have been Faithful Servants of God shall first Go off to an Observable Degree of Bigotry, for the Superstition, against which his Progenitors had born glorious Testimonies; and then go on to a Malignity against the People of God among which, he has had his Education; and publish his Malignity with abhorred strains of Profaneness, and Atheism: 'Tis not enough ⟨p. 3⟩to call upon such an one, with the old Jewish Rebuke, […] Thou Vinegar, the Son of Good Wine! It must be said, he is a dreadful Spectacle. He has made himself so; And one may tremble to think, What the Holy God will ere long make of him. Friend, When the Goodness of a Young man, like the Morning Cloud, and the Early Dew, soon passes away, the Justice of God is not long upon the Deliberation, What shall I do unto thee! What shall I do unto thee!
Our Timothy is now Address'd by the Aged Apostle Paul, at this time a Prisoner at Rome; with an Epistle written by him, a little before his Martyrdom: An Epistle, which Chrysostom ingeniously calls, Our Apostles Last Will and Testament. In this Epistle, Our Apostle Exhorts his Excellent and Beloved Son Timothy; [a Son, he might well call him, having so many ways both Adopted him, and Instructed him:] He Exhorts him to Stedfastness in the Faith and Work of His Glorious LORD. One Argument, with which he inculcates this Exhortation, is his Education. For one Educated in the Way of Truth, and in the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, to forsake the Way of God, is worse than for another to do so. From such as are Well Educated, there are Better Things expected than from others. Consider this, O Apostates from a New-English Education; Consider it, you that Forget how you have been Educated, lest the Wrath of Heaven tear you to pieces, and there who none to deliver you. When the Son and Grandson perhaps, of those that have been Faithful Servants of God shall first Go off to an Observable Degree of Bigotry, for the Superstition, against which his Progenitors had born glorious Testimonies; and then go on to a Malignity against the People of God among which, he has had his Education; and publish his Malignity with abhorred strains of Profaness, and Atheism: 'Tis not enough ⟨p. 3⟩to call upon such an one, with the old Jewish Rebuke, 〈…〉 Thou Vinegar, the Son of Good Wine! It must be said, he is a dreadful Spectacle. He has made himself so; And one may tremble to think, What the Holy God will e'er long make of him. Friend, When the Goodness of a Young man, like the Morning Cloud, and the Early Dew, soon passes away, the Justice of God is not long upon the Deliberation, What shall I do unto thee! What shall I do unto thee!
Our Timothy was very happy in his Education. It may be Edifying for us, a little to Reflect on the Occasion of this Education, and the Influence of it.
Our Timothy had a Godly Mother, and a Godly Grandmother. He might suck in Knowledge and Goodness with his Mothers Milk. He might be Taught the Right Ways of the Lord, while his Grandmother had him by his Leading-st•ings. Both of them were Jews; And probably they were Early Converts to Christianity. His Father was a Gentile! Whether a Proselyte or no, we are not informed. But he also was Converted unto Christianity at the same time with his desirable Consort. They had before this, betimes begun to give their little Son, the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. An Early Tincture of Scriptural Piety thus took the Mind of the Child. But when the Parents were brought home to the Blessed JESUS, they wholly committed, as it seems, their Little Son, unto the Care of that Venerable Minister, who had been their Spiritual Father. Having themselves got good by a Minister of God, they must have their Child, in the way of getting the same Good. They begged Paul, to take the Tuition of him; Oh! happy Child, in the Hands of such a Tutor!
Our Timothy had a Godly Mother, and a Godly Grandmother. He might suck in Knowledge and Goodness with his Mothers Milk. He might be Taught the Right Wayes of the Lord, while his Grandmother had him by his Leading-st•ings. Both of them were Jews; And probably they were Early Converts to Christianity. His Father was a Gentile! Whether a Proselyte or no, we are not informed. But he also was Converted unto Christianity at the same time with his desirable Consort. They had before this, betimes begun to give their little Son, the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. An Early Tincture of Scriptural Piety thus took the Mind of the Child. But when the Parents were brought home to the Blessed JESUS, they wholly committed, as it seems, their Little Son, unto the Care of that Venerable Minister, who had been their Spiritual Father. Having themselves got good by a Minister of God, they must have their Child, in the way of getting the same Good. They begg'd Paul, to take the Tuition of him; Oh! happy Child, in the Hands of such a Tutor!
Well; And what was the Effect of this Education? Our Timothy did himself prove a Christian of the First Race; yea, and an admirable Minister, His Labours in the Harvest of the Lord, were Extraordinary; Every one wondered, how any one man, could ever Labour so abundantly. He was of a Feeble Constitution; and of such an Abstemious Temperance, that he was even blamed for it; but one of an Active Soul, One of a Flaming Zeal. The Great Paul could give this Testimony of him, That he did not know another man in the world, who so Naturally took to the doing of Good; ⟨p. 4⟩Who so Readily and Cheerfully Laid Hold on all Opportunities to be Serviceable An Angelical sort of a man; One highly Esteemed by John, as well as by Paul; Those Angels in Flesh Loved him dearly. He was an Angel in the Church of Ephesus; The Ancients agree to call him. An Admirable Young man. At last, he became an Old man. And then, One Day the Votaries of Diana carrying their Images about the Town, and with Masks and Clubs, and Dances, committing a thousand Insolencies, this brave man Stepped out into the Street, and would have persuaded them, to leave off their Idolatries and Impieties: Whereat the Enraged Mob, fell upon him, and Murdered him. He had the Crown of Martyrdom. He obtained a claim to a part in that Resurrection, which his Tutor once declared himself solicitous, By any means, to attain unto. What? And will the Early Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures make such a man?
Well; And what was the Effect of this Education? Our Timothy did himself prove a Christian of the First Race; yea, and an admirable Minister, His Labours in the Harvest of the Lord, were Extraordinary; Every one wondred, how any one man, could ever Labour so abundantly. He was of a Feeble Constitution; and of such an Abstemious Temperance, that he was even blamed for it; but one of an Active Soul, One of a Flaming Zeal. The Great Paul could give this Testimony of him, That he did not know another man in the world, who so Naturally took to the doing of Good; ⟨p. 4⟩Who so Readily and Chearfully Laid Hold on all Opportunities to be Serviceable An Angelical sort of a man; One highly Esteemed by John, as well as by Paul; Those Angels in Flesh Loved him dearly. He was an Angel in the Church of Ephesus; The Ancients agree to call him. An Admirable Young man. At last, he became an Old man. And then, One Day the Votaries of Diana carrying their Images about the Town, and with Masks and Clubs, and Dances, committing a thousand Insolencies, this brave man Step'd out into the Street, and would have perswaded them, to leave off their Idolatries and Impieties: Whereat the Enraged Mob, fell upon him, and Murdered him. He had the Crown of Martyrdom. He obtained a claim to a part in that Resurrection, which his Tutor once declared himself sollicitous, By any means, to attain unto. What? And will the Early Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures make such a man?
I now with some Enforcement, can tell my Hearers over again.
That they who would be wise unto Salvation, must know the Holy Scriptures: And that for Children to know the Holy Scriptures, is Early Wisdom, and Saving Wisdom.
I can demand their Attention to several Propositions; And such too, as it were to be wished, all our Children were well acquainted with.
I. To yield Obedience unto God, in the Ways and Rules of His Holy Religion; This is to be, WISE UNTO SALVATION.
I. To yield Obedience unto God, in the Wayes and Rules of His Holy Religion; This is to be, WISE UNTO SALVATION.
There is an Holy Religion, wherewith we are to Glorify GOD in this World. By doing so, we secure our Title to an Eternal Glory with God in another and a better World. Now there never was a Truer Assertion, than that; Psal. 111.10. The Beginning of Wisdom, […] the Fear of the Lord. All they that give themselves to it, have a good Understanding. It must needs be our truest Wisdom, to Glorify the GOD that made us; For by doing so, we Answer the End for which He made us. There is nothing so Reasonable as to be Religious. It must needs be our Truest Wisdom, to make sure of Eternal Glory in another and better World; For we can be sure of nothing in this World; We are sure, that we ⟨p. 5⟩shall shortly be stripped of everything in this World. There is nothing so Profitable, nothing so Necessary, as to be Religions. The Rules of Religion are prescribed by the Only Wise GOD; The GOD of whom we are assured, Psal. 145.5. His Understanding is Infinite. They must needs be Wise Rules; It must needs be our Wisdom to adhere unto them.
There is an Holy Religion, wherewith we are to Glorify GOD in this World. By doing so, we secure our Title to an Eternal Glory with God in another and a better World. Now there never was a Truer Assertion, than that; Psal. 111.10. The Beginning of Wisdom, 〈…〉 the Fear of the Lord. All they that give themselves to it, have a good Understanding. It must needs be our truest Wisdom, to Glorify the GOD that made us; For by doing so, we Answer the End for which He made us. There is nothing so Reasonable as to be Religious. It must needs be our Truest Wisdom, to make sure of Eternal Glory in another and better World; For we can be sure of nothing in this World; We are sure, that we ⟨p. 5⟩shall shortly be strip't of everything in this World. There is nothing so Profitable, nothing so Necessary, as to be Religions. The Rules of Religion are prescribed by the Only Wise GOD; The GOD of whom we are assured, Psal. 145.5
One main stroke in Religion is, FAITH towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is in the Bible often called by the Name of, Wisdom. 'Tis most Justly called so. It Beholds, It Receives, It Enjoys, that Glorious CHRIST, in whom there is, The Wisdom of God. And, The End of our Faith will be the Salvation of the Soul.
One main stroke in Religion is, FAITH towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is in the Bible often called by the Name of, Wisdom. 'Tis most Justly called so. It Beholds, It Receives, It Enjoyes, that Glorious CHRIST, in whom there is, The Wisdom of God. And, The End of our Faith will be the Salvation of the Soul.
Another main stroke in Religion is, REPENTANCE towards God. Repentance is a Resipiscence, of Growing Wise again. It must be Wisdom, to Abhor Sin, to Avoid Sin; Sin is always Folly; To Sin, is to Do very Foolishly. And, Repentance, This will be unto Salvation.
