N01142:54
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.
We will, First, Enquire, and Declare, WHEN should we Begin to Teach our Children, the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures?
BETIMES! BETIMES! Let the Children have the Early Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. That Princely Preacher, the Prince of Anhalt, would say; The Holy Scriptures, what are they but the swaddling Clothes of the Holy Child Jesus? HE is to be found in every Chapter. I will then say, Let us Teach our Children the Holy Scriptures, as soon as we can after they come out of their Swaddling Clothes. This is the Direction of the Holy Scriptures, Deut. 6.7. Thou shall ⟨p. 8⟩teach them diligently unto thy Children. And Eph. 6.4. Your Children, Bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. But the HOLY SCRIPTURES have not Expressly said, How Early, we shall Begin to Teach our Children, the KNOWLEDGE of them. However, we may easily Determine it.
BETIMES! BETIMES! Let the Children have the Early Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. That Princely Preacher, the Prince of Anbalt, would say; The Holy Scriptures, what are they but the swadling Clothes of the Holy Child Jesus? HE is to be found in every Chapter. I will then say, Let us Teach our Children the Holy Scriptures, as soon as we can after they come out of their Swadling Cloaths. This is the Direction of the Holy Scriptures, Deut. 6.7. Thou shall ⟨p. 8⟩teach them diligently unto thy Children. And Eph. 6.4. Your Children, Bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. But the HOLY SCRIPTURES have not Expresly said, How Early, we shall Begin to Teach our Children, the KNOWLEDGE of them. However, we may easily Determine it.
First; How Early do the Children begin to be capable of Knowing & Minding what is in the HOLY SCRIPTURES? Most certainly we should Begin as soon as we can. As soon as the Children can know, so soon should we Teach them, what they should know. So much there is to be Learnt, it is pity any Time should be Lost. No doubt, they Began so soon with Solomon; Else he would not have said, Prov. 4.3, 4. I was any Fathers Son, a Tender and only one in the sight of my Mother, Then he Taught me.
Again; How Early do the Children begin to Know Other Matters? Why should we not begin to Teach them something from the Holy Scriptures, that may […] them. [Laeca•it hic Infans,] as Early as we Teach them things Less Worthy, Less Useful! Can we Teach them, what they have to us? Methinks, we may then Teach them, what they owe to the LORD, who made both us and Them? Their Little Souls are precious Cabinets. Why should not the Best Things be First put into them? We are so called upon; Matth. 6.31. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Even so, with the First, Let them Learn the Things that Concern the Kingdom of God.
Again; How Early do the Children begin to Know Other Matters? Why should we not begin to Teach them something from the Holy Scriptures, that may 〈…〉 them. [Laeca•it hic Infans,] as Early as we Teach them things Less Worthy, Less Useful! Can we Teach them, what they have to us? Methinks, we may then Teach them, what they owe to the LORD, who made both us and Them? Their Little Souls are precious Cabinets. Why should not the Best Things be First put into them? We are so called upon; Matth. 6.31. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Even so, with the First, Let them Learn the Things that Concern the Kingdom of God.
Once more; How Early do the Children Begin to Know, and to Do, what may be Hurtful to them? 'Tis very Early, that they Learn the Things Condemned in the HOLY SCRIPTURES. Why should they not as EARLY Learn the HOLY SCRIPTURES, which do condemn those pernicious and provoking Evils? Why should they not know the Precepts of God, as EARLY as they know how to Break the Precepts? Why should they not be Taught, that they must Fear God, and Love Christ, and Hate Sin, as EARLY as they can Learn to Sin? Especially since this would be the way to preserve them from Sin. A Child no sooner begins to do any thing Rational, but Satan begins to show it, how to do something that is Criminal. Methinks; ⟨p. 9⟩I see the Image of it; Rev. 12.4. The Dragon stood to devour the Child as soon as it was born, Then say I; It becomes us to be Aforehand with the Dragon, if it be possible: To stand Ready with the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, to rescue the Children from the Venomous Designs of the Dragon upon them.
There is a plausible Objection, against this Early Essay, to give our Children the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
Will not this be to make the Children, Take the Name of the Lord in vain? Would it not be more Discretion, to stay till the Children are themselves come to some Years of Discretion?
It is Easily Answered. Will you never Teach the Children, till you see them have the Grace, that will keep them from Taking the Name of the Lord in vain? Rather Teach them, to Keep them from it. And let our Discretion Teach us to manage the matter wisely, in Teaching our Children. Teach them with all possible Gravity; And Teach them to be Gra•e, in every thing, that relates to God, and their Souls. Consider also the Capacity of the Children: Teach them, what shall be Good for Them; And forbear the Rest, until they shall be more Able to Bear it:
We will, Secondly, Enquire, and Declare, WHAT is that Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, which we are to Teach our Children?
Truly, AS MUCH as ever WE CAN help them to; All the Knowledge, that they can Take in, still as we find them Able to Take it in. More particularly▪
First; The HISTORIES of the Holy Scriptures; We are to Teach Them unto our Children. Children are naturally taken with Histories. Now, instead of Corrupt Stories, and Idle-Fables, Why should we not single out the Histories in the Holy Scriptures for them? Only, It would be advisable always to clench the Histories, with some Admonitions of Piety, which are to be gathered from them. There are none of those Histories, but it may be said upon them; Psal. 19.11. Thy Servant is warned by them.
First; The HISTORIES of the Holy Scriptures; We are to Teach Them unto our Children. Children are naturally taken with Histories. Now, instead of Corrupt Stories, and Idle-Fables, Why should we not single out the Histories in the Holy Scriptures for them? Only, It would be adviseable always to clench the Histories, with some Admonitions of Piety, which are to be gathered from them. There are none of those Histories, but it may be said upon them; Psal. 19.11. Thy Servant is warned by them.
Secondly; We are to Teach our Children the PRINCIPLES of the Holy Scriptures. Tell the Children, What the Holy Scriptures have Taught us to Believe thou GOD, and ⟨p. 10⟩His Perfections, and His Works: About the Fall of Man, and the Method of his Recovery out of that miserable Fall; About the Lord Jesus Christ, Who He is, & what He has done, and what He will do, for His Chosen People. We read, That the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ; are the Milk for Babes. That these things may be the better taught, an Orthodox CATECHISM, is to be Employed. They should say their Catechism, and be Rewarded when they can say it. But then, we should put Lesser Questions unto them; unto which, their YES, or NO, will give us to perceive, Whether they understand what they say. Canvas• the matter with them. Ask them several things about it. Cause them to take much Notice of it. See whether they have taken a Right Notion of it. We read, 2 Tim. 1.13. There is a Form of sound words, which they must hear from us.
Secondly; We are to Teach our Children the PRINCIPLES of the Holy Scriptures. Tell the Children, What the Holy Scriptures have Taught us to Believe thou GOD, and ⟨p. 10⟩His Perfections, and His Works: About the Fall of Man, and the Method of his Recovery out of that miserable Fall; About the Lord Jesus Christ, Who He is, & what He has done, and what He will do, for His Chosen People. We read, That the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ; are the Milk for Babes. That these things may be the better taught, an Orthodox CATECHISM, is to be Employ'd. They should say their Catechism, and be Rewarded when they can say it. But then, we should put Lesser Questions unto them; unto which, their YES, or NO, will give us to perceive, Whether they understand what they say. Canvas• the matter with them. Ask them several things about it. Cause them to take much Notice of it. See whether they have tak'n a Right Notion of it. We read, 2 Tim. 1.13. There is a Form of sound words, which they must hear from us.
Thirdly; We are to Teach our Children the COMMANDMENTS of the Holy Scriptures. There are the TEN Commandments. The Children should be made to know, What is Implied in them, What is Forbidden, What is Required. How, as it has been of old noted, the First Table of the Commandments, is a Lodestone of the Second; the Second is a Touchstone for the First. There are many LESSONS, which are to be inculcated on them; Lessons by which their Manners are to be regulated▪ GOOD LESSONS FOR CHILDREN may be the Title for them.
Thirdly; We are to Teach our Children the COMMANDMENTS of the Holy Scriptures. There are the TEN Commandments. The Children should be made to know, What is Implied in them, What is Forbidden, What is Required. How, as it has been of old noted, the First Table of the Commandments, is a Loadstone of the Second; the Second is a Touchstone for the First. There are many LESSONS, which are to be inculcated on them; Lessons by which their Manners are to be regulated▪ GOOD LESSONS FOR CHILDREN may be the Title for them.
But there is one very Great Article, which is often to be insisted on. The Children have, mostly, been Baptised. O make 'em know the Intent and Meaning of their BAPTISM. As soon as ever you can, inform them, that they have been Baptised! and beget in them an awful Sense of their Baptismal Obligations▪ Tell them, Now, my Child, you must be a Servant of a Glorious CHRIST, and be afraid of Defiling your self with […] Sin, since you have been wasted in the Name, of the most Holy Lord. Say to them; as he, 1 Chron. 2•.9. My Child, Know thou the God of thy Father, and serve Him with a perfect Heart, and a willing Mind; If thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou Forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever. You cannot imagine, how much Efficacy this Teaching may have upon them.
But there is one very Great Article, which is often to be insisted on. The Children have, mostly, been Baptised. O make 'em know the Intent and Meaning of their BAPTISM. As soon as ever you can, inform them, that they have been Baptised! and beget in them an awful Sense of their Baptismal Obligations▪ Tell them, Now, my Child, you must be a Servant of a Glorious CHRIST, and be afraid of Defiling your self with 〈…〉 Sin, since you have been wasted in the Name, of the most Holy Lord. Say to them; as he, 1 Chron. 2•.9. My Child, Know thou the God of thy Father, and serve Him with a perfect Heart, and a willing Mind; If thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou Forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever. You cannot imagine, how much Efficacy this Teaching may have upon them.
Fourthly; The Children should LEARN TO READ the Holy Scriptures; and this, as Early as may be. To School therefore with them. Let them not be Loitering at home, or playing abroad, when they should be at School. Be more concerned for their Schooling, than for their Clothing. If there be any, as I suppose there cannot be many, so necessitous, as to call for it, let us in this Town go on with our CHARITY-SCHOOLS. When the Children can Read, the Holy Scriptures, charge them, and cause them, every day to Read that Book of Life. Hire them to Remember what they Read; To get Select Sentences of the Holy Scriptures into their Memories. And then; Show them, how to make PRAYERS out of what they Read. Help them to turn all into Prayers, That they may be Wise unto Salvation, Oh, Teach them to Pray! When once it comes to be said, Behold they Pray! 'tis likely, that it may quickly be said, They are wise unto Salvation. The Bible was well called, by one of the Ancients, Epistola Omnipoten•is Dei ad Creaturam suam. A Letter from the Almighty GOD, unto His Creatures, It should be considered as a Letter from the Almighty God unto our Children. They should be taught accordingly to Read it, and Reverence it, and Answer it.
Fourthly; The Children should LEARN TO READ the Holy Scriptures; and this, as Early as may be. To School therefore with them. Let them not be Loitering at home, or playing abroad, when they should be at School. Be more concerned for their Schooling, than for their Cloathing. If there be any, as I suppose there cannot be many, so necessitous, as to call for it, let us in this Town go on with our CHARITY-SCHOOLS. When the Children can Read, the Holy Scriptures, charge them, and cause them, every day to Read that Book of Life. Hire them to Remember what they Read; To get Select Sentences of the Holy Scriptures into their Memories. And then; Show them, how to make PRAYERS out of what they Read. Help them to turn all into Prayers, That they may be Wise unto Salvation, Oh, Teach them to Pray! When once it comes to be said, Behold they Pray! t'is likely, that it may quickly be said, They are wise unto Salvation. The Bible was well called, by one of the Ancients, Epistola Omnipoten•is Dei ad Creaturam suam. A Letter from the Almighty GOD, unto His Creatures, It should be considered as a Letter from the Almighty God unto our Children. They should be taught accordingly to Read it, and Reverence it, and Answer it.
This it will be, for the Children to know the Holy Scriptures.
