N01142:70
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, Thirdly, Enquire and Declare, WHO it is, that it to Teach the Children, the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Come ALL HANDS to the Work.
In particular; The PASTORS of the Flock; They must not neglect the Children of the Flock. The Charge of our Lord unto them, is that; Joh. 21.15. Feed my Lambs. It seems proposed, as if it were, at least, one Third part of the Pastoral Charge. O men of God, How many ways may you Devise Good, in this Great Affair; to make the Children under your Charge, Wise unto Salvation! In the midst of many such Devices, I will mention one, which the Excellent Mr. White, in his Manual for Parents, has proposed; That Ministers would sometimes Preach at the Schools, as well as Catechise; Because as he says, The Preaching of the Word, is the Converting Ordinance. And when Sermons are brought unto the Schools, the Children must needs hear ⟨p. 12⟩with more Attention, and […] of such Things as do more immediately concern them, which, in the Public Assemblies, are not so much meddled withal; and the Ministers should condescend unto such Expressions as might work most with them, which would not be so fit for a larger Congregation.
In particular; The PASTORS of the Flock; They must not neglect the Children of the Flock. The Charge of our Lord unto them, is that; Joh. 21.15. Feed my Lambs. It seems proposed, as if it were, at least, one Third part of the Pastoral Charge. O men of God, How many ways may you Devise Good, in this Great Affair; to make the Children under your Charge, Wise unto Salvation! In the midst of many such Devices, I will mention one, which the Excellent Mr. White, in his Manual for Parents, has proposed; That Ministers would sometimes Preach at the Schools, as well as Catechise; Because as he says, The Preaching of the Word, is the Converting Ordinance. And when Sermons are brought unto the Schools, the Children must needs hear ⟨p. 12⟩with more Attention, and 〈…〉 of such Things as do more immediately concern them, which, in the Publick Assemblies, are not so much medled withal; and the Ministers should condescend unto such Expressions as might work most with them, which would not be so fit for a larger Congregation.
The MASTER and MISTRESS, in the SCHOOL, may do much in this Noble Work. We read, The Little Ones have their Angels. Truly, to Teach the Little Ones, the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and make them Wise unto Salvation, it is a stately work; I had almost called it; A Work for Angels. It is an Hard Work to keep a School: and hardly ever duly Recompensed. I suppose, It is easier to be at the Plough all day than in the School. But it is a Good Work: It is Gods Plough; and God speed it! I would not have you weary of it. Melchior Adam did well to call it; Molestissimam, sed Deo longe gratissimam Functionem; A• work, tho' very Tiresome, and Troublesome to the Flesh, yet most highly Acceptable to God. Go on with it Cheerfully; And often Teach the Children something of the Holy Scriptures; often drop some Honey out of that Rock upon them. Who can tell, but you may Teach them the Things that shall save their Souls, and they shall bless God for you and with you, throughout Eternal Ages? Every time a New Child comes to the School, Oh! why should you not think! Here my Glorious LORD sends me another Object, on which I may do something, to advance His Kingdom in the World!
The MASTER and MISTRESS, in the SCHOOL, may do much in this Noble Work. We read, The Little Ones have their Angels. Truly, to Teach the Little Ones, the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and make them Wise unto Salvation, it is a stately work; I had almost call'd it; A Work for Angels. It is an Hard Work to keep a School: and hardly ever duly Recompensed. I suppose, It is easier to be at the Plough all day than in the School. But it is a Good Work: It is Gods Plough; and God speed it! I would not have you weary of it. Melchior Adam did well to call it; Molestissimam, sed Deo longe gratissimam Functionem; A• work, tho' very Tiresome, and Troublesome to the Flesh, yet most highly Acceptable to God. Go on with it Chearfully; And often Teach the Children something of the Holy Scriptures; often drop some Honey out of that Rock upon them. Who can tell, but you may Teach them the Things that shall save their Souls, and they shall bless God for you and with you, throughout Eternal Ages? Every time a New Child comes to the School, Oh! why should you not think! Here my Glorious LORD sends me another Object, on which I may do something, to advance His Kingdom in the World!
No, nor will we Excuse the very SERVANTS in the Family, from this Blessed Work; Even the Handmaids in the Family, as they are Dressing and Feeding the Children, O Handmaids of the Lord How much may you do, to instil the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures into the Children! If our Servants would once come to take pleasure in such a thing, to keep Teaching the Children something from the Holy Scriptures, O my Children, [for such Servants are worthy to be called, Children!] How much would you Adorn the Doctrine of God your Saviour! It was certainly a good Speech, which I find written by a Person of Quality. It is certainly, the Highest Dignity, if not the Greatest Happiness, ⟨p. 13⟩that Humane Nature is capable of, here in this Vale below, to have a Soul so far Enlightened, as to become the Mirror, or Conduit or Conveyer of Gods Truth to others. Now, even a Domestic Servant, may arrive to this Dignity, this Happiness. Yea, Let all Ranks of men aspire of […] it.
No, nor will we Excuse the very SERVANTS in the Family, from this Blessed Work; Even the Handmaids in the Family, as they are Dressing and Feeding the Children, O Handmaids of the Lord How much may you do, to instlil the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures into the Children! If our Servants would once come to take pleasure in such a thing, to keep Teaching the Children something from the Holy Scriptures, O my Children, [for such Servants are worthy to be called, Children!] How much would you Adorn the Doctrine of God your Saviour! It was certainly a good Speech, which I find written by a Person of Quality. It is certainly, the Highest Dignity, if not the Greatest Happiness, ⟨p. 13⟩that Humane Nature is capable of, here in this Vale below, to have a Soul so far Enlightened, as to become the Mirror, or Conduit or Conveyer of Gods Truth to others. Now, even a Domestick Servant, may arrive to this Dignity, this Happiness. Yea, Let all Ranks of men aspire of 〈…〉 it.
But; Lastly, and yet First of all, O PARENTS Arise; This matter chiefly belongs unto you; we also will be with you. None, I say, None are so much concerned, as Parents to look after it, that their Children be taught the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Our famous King Elfred, procured a […], That every man who had but as much as Two Hides of La•d; should bring up his Children to Learning, till Fifteen-Years of Age at least; that so they might Know Christ, and Live Happily; Else he said, They were but Beasts and […] press it, That Parents give their Children all the Learning they can; especially that which will bring them to Know Christ and Live Happily.
But; Lastly, and yet First of all, O PARENTS Arise; This matter chiefly belongs unto you; we also will be with you. None, I say, None are so much concerned, as Parents to look after it, that their Children be taught the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Our famous King Elfred, procured a 〈…〉, That every man who had but as much as Two Hides of La•d; should bring up his Children to Learning, till Fifteen-Years of Age at least; that so they might Know Christ, and Live Happily; Else he said, They were but Beasts and 〈…〉 press it, That Parents give their Children all the Learning they can; especially that which will bring them to Know Christ and Live Happily.
Parents, What Motive can you desire more than this? 'Tis the way to make the Children Wise unto Salvation. Certainly you Desire the Salvation of your Children. You have had your share among the Causes of it, that they are by N• […] Children of Wrath. And would you not see them Saved from that Wrath? Did you duly Teach your Children the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, there would be a likelihood of their being those Children; 1 Joh. 2.13. Little Children ye have known the Father. And, Oh! what would be the Fruit of this Knowledge? Truly, This is Life Eternal. You Lodge in the little Souls of your Children, the Seeds of Life Eternal; if God please to make them so. What a charming word is that? Gen. 18.19. He will command his Children, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. But if the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures be withheld from the Children, they perish, they perish dreadfully. If the Understandings of the Children be Darkened, they will be Alienated from the Life of God; They will be Slaves to the Power of Darkness; They are in the Broad Way to Eternal Darkness: if they Know not God & the Lord Jesus Christ, their Doom from the Lord will be, Depart from me, I know your not. Oh, Look upon the Children, which you ⟨p. 14⟩have so often set on your knees, which always lie so very near to your Hearts; How can you bear to have them thrown into the place of Dragons? They infallibly go thither, if by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, you do not Save them from thence. Austin says of his Excellent Mother, Toties Filios par•uri•bat, quoties a Deo eor deviar• •••nebat; She fell into Travail for them, as often as she saw them fall into Folly▪ Oh! Parents, Be continually in Travail for your Children, that you may Save them from all Sinful Folly. We read of a Child; 2 King. 4.19. He said unto his Father, my Head, My Head!
Parents, What Motive can you desire more than this? 'Tis the way to make the Children Wise unto Salvation. Certainly you Desire the Salvation of your Children. You have had your share among the Causes of it, that they are by N Children of Wrath. And would you not see them Saved from that Wrath? Did you duly Teach your Children the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, there would be a likelihood of their being those Children;
PARENTS, These are the Cries, which the Souls of your Children make in your Ears; My Head, my Head! Oh! That you would fill my Head with the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures! My Heart! my Heart! It will be a very Dungeon of Wickedness, if you do not by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, purity it! It is a solemn Expression of the Martyr Cyprian. There are Parents, who so neglect their Children, that at the Last Day, their miserable Children will cry out, Parents sensimus Purricidas; OUR PARENTS HAVE BEEN OUR MURDERERS! PARENTS, Beware of, Coming under so Bitter a Condemnation. Let the Command of GOD, and the Promise of GOD, at last prevail with you. You have it in those Terms; Prov. 22.4. Train up a Child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. God puts these Children into your Hands. He says, Here, Take this Child; Let it be taught the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. I will Reward all thy pains. Thy well-instructed Child, shall be thy Comfort, thy Credit, a Blessing to Others in the World. If it miss of Salvation, yet thou shalt have peace in thy mind, that thou didst thy Endeavour to make it Wise unto Salvation. But if it want Knowledge, and Saving Wisdom through' any gross Negligence of thine, thy punishment shall be terrible, in the Day of the Lords pleading with thee.
PARENTS, These are the Cries, which the Souls of your Children make in your Ears; My Head, my Head! Oh! That you would fill my Head with the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures! My Heart! my Heart! It will be a very Dungeon of Wickedness, if you do not by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, purity it! It is a solemn Expression of the Martyr Cyprian. There are Parents, who so neglect their Children, that at the Last Day, their miserable Children will cry out, Parentes sensimus Purricidas; OUR PARENTS HAVE BEEN OUR MURDERERS! PARENTS, Beware of, Coming under so Bitter a Condemnation. Let the Command of GOD, and the Promise of GOD, at last prevail with you. You have it in those Terms; Prov. 22.4. Train up a Child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. God puts these Children into your Hands. He says, Here, Take this Child; Let it be taught the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. I will Reward all thy pains. Thy well-instructed Child, shall be thy Comfort, thy Credit, a Blessing to Others in the World. If it miss of Salvation, yet thou shalt have peace in thy mind, that thou didst thy Endeavour to make it Wise unto Salvation. But if it want Knowledge, and Saving Wisdom thro' any gross Negligence of thine, thy punishment shall be terrible, in the Day of the Lords pleading with thee.
Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding, to do your part, that your Children may not want Understanding, or Die without Instruction. 'Tis the wish of Heaven ever you; Deut. 32.29, O that they were wise, ⟨p. 15⟩that they understood this, that [so some render it] they would consider their Posterity.
But then, it is the Interest of all CHILDREN, to Learn the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures Betimes, that so they may be Wise unto Salvation. We have many Children in the Auditory. I wish the Little Ones would now give a great Attention.
This Country once had a Brave man in it, whose Name was Mr▪ Giles Firmin. That man was pious, from his Early Childhood. And that which brought him to his Piety was this. When he was a School-Boy, he with other Lads went unto the Lectures of the famous Rogert; where they could not get into the Thronged Auditory. The Zealous Preacher saw them in the Porch, and lifting up his voice, he called unto them. Children, I hope you are come hither for a Christ; Remember what I say unto you; If you will have a Christ for your Saviour, you shall have him. This word struck little Firmin to the Heart; By this Word, God Quickened him; he became a Godly Child, and he dyed not long since, a very Old man, and one of the best men in the World.
This Country once had a Brave man in it, whose Name was Mr▪ Giles Firmin. That man was pious, from his Early Childhood. And that which brought him to his Piety was this. When he was a School-Boy, he with other Lads went unto the Lectures of the famous Rogert; where they could not get into the Thronged Auditory. The Zealous Preacher saw them in the Porch, and lifting up his voice, he call'd unto them. Children, I hope you are come hither for a Christ; Remember what I say unto you; If you will have a Christ for your Saviour, you shall have him. This word struck little Firmin to the Heart; By this Word, God Quickened him; he became a Godly Child, and he dyed not long since, a very Old man, and one of the best men in the World.
I will now say, Children, I hope you are come hither that you may be made wise unto Salvation. And if any of them, are not Attentive, I hope you that are their Tutors, will afterwards Repeat unto them the Admonitions which are now provided for them.
Come, ye Children, Hearken to me, I will teach you, what you ought to do.
You ought, First, To be Willing to be Taught the Fear of the Lord. When your Teachers would Learn you something of the Holy Scriptures, be willing to Learn. Be not •o•••e to wait upon their Teaching. Do not strive to get away from their Teaching. Be not so set upon your Childish & Foolish Play, as to count every minute a weary Hour under their Teaching. Rather come to your Teachers, and beg it of them, I pray, Teach me something. Oh! Count it a Privilege, to be Taught any thing of the Holy Scriptures. Prize, Prize the Sincere Milk of the Word. Prize, Prize the Word of God, as being Sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb. Count the Knowledge of GOD, and CHRIST▪ ⟨p. 16⟩and Heavenly Things, a more precious Thing• than any in the World
You ought, First, To be Willing to be Taught the Fear of the Lord. When your Teachers would Learn you something of the Holy Scriptures, be willing to Learn. Be not •o•••e to wait upon their Teaching. Do not strive to get away from their Teaching. Be not so set upon your Childish & Foolish Play, as to count every minute a weary Hour under their Teaching. Rather come to your Teachers, and beg it of them, I pray, Teach me something. Oh! Count it a Priviledge, to be Taught any thing of the Holy Scriptures. Prize, Prize the Sincere Milk of the Word. Prize, Prize the Word of God, as being Sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb. Count the Knowledge of GOD, and CHRIST▪ ⟨p. 16⟩and Heavenly Things, a more precious Thing• than any in the World
Yea, Secondly; You ought never to be Satisfied. Know as much of the Holy Scriptures as ever you can, and never count that you know enough. Get your Catechism exactly by Heart. Become able to Read the Bible. Read something of it every day. A•k abundance of Questions about what you Read. You are fond of Ornaments▪ […] Despise all Ornaments in comparison of this; To be Adorned with the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
Yea, Secondly; You ought never to be Satisfied. Know as much of the Holy Scriptures as ever you can, and never count that you know enough. Get your Catechism exactly by Heart. Become able to Read the Bible. Read something of it every day. A•k abundance of Questions about what you Read. You are fond of Ornaments▪ 〈…〉 Despise all Ornaments in comparison of this; To be Adorned with the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures.
But, Thirdly, Be sure to Do what you Know from the Holy Scriptures that you ought to do. As now; Do not you know from the Holy Scriptures, that you ought to Keep Holy the Lords Day, and to Honour your Parents, and rather suffer any thing that tell a Lye: Do not you know from the Holy Scriptures, That you ought to Pray […] Secret every day, and Pray without Ceasing? Oh! Do these Things, my Children. Be sure to Do• such Things. What have the Holy Scriptures told you, concerning Early Religion? In them you have heard your Saviour say, Prov. 8.•7. They that seek me early, shall find me. There the voice of your Saviour in, Matth. 19.14. Suffer little Children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Well then, Betimes, now in your Childhood, Oh! Come to a Glorious CHRIST put your selves into His Hands. Beg of Him, I beseech, them O Lord, to deliver my Soul, Why, why, should your Childhood be nothing but Vanity! Nothing but a Long Step in the Arms of Death and Darkness.
But, Thirdly, Be sure to Do what you Know from the Holy Scriptures that you ought to do. As now; Do not you know from the Holy Scriptures, that you ought to Keep Holy the Lords Day, and to Honour your Parents, and rather suffer any thing that tell a Lye: Do not you know from the Holy Scriptures, That you ought to Pray 〈…〉 Secret every day, and Pray without Ceasing? Oh! Do these Things, my Children. Be sure to Do• such Things. What have the Holy Scriptures told you, concerning Early Religion? In them you have heard your Saviour say, Prov. 8.•7. They that seek me early, shall find me. There the voice of your Saviour in, Matth. 19.14. Suffer little Children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Well then, Betimes, now in your Childhood, Oh! Come to a Glorious CHRIST put your selves into His Hands. Beg of Him, I beseech, them O Lord, to deliver my Soul, Why, why, should your Childhood be nothing but Vanity! Nothing but a Long Step in the Arms of Death and Darkness.
Remember; Children; There have been many Children in the World, who have in their Early Childhood, by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, been Wise unto Salvation. You have in your Hands, the Narratives of many such, that have been in our Days. And such there were in the Days of Old. Origen was one▪ Little Origen, when he was hurt a Child, would Rejoice the Heart of his Father, by his Readiness to Learn the Holy Scriptures, which he set him to Learn. And while he was yet a Child, he had so much of GOD in him, that as he lay asleep, his Venerable Father would lay his hand on the Breast of the Child▪ and say with unspeakable Joy; Here's a Little Temple of God! And ⟨p. 17⟩there was a late Child at Antioch; One little more than seven years old; The Lad was Examined about what was in the Holy Scriptures, by bloody Persecutors, who stood ready to Murder him; He notably told them, There can be but One God, and our Christ is the True God; They asked him where he Learned this; He replied, I Learned it of my Mother, It was with my Mothers Milk that I sucked it in. On this, they horribly scourged the Lad, and then butchered him with hideous Torments: He smiled under his Torments, and he dyed a Martyr of the Lord. Oh! That our Children were so Disposed!
Remember; Children; There have been many Children in the World, who have in their Early Childhood, by the Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, been Wise unto Salvation. You have in your Hands, the Narratives of many such, that have been in our Days. And such there were in the Days of Old. Origen was one▪ Little Origen, when he was hurt a Child, would Rejoice the Heart of his Father, by his Readiness to Learn the Holy Scriptures, which he set him to Learn. And while he was yet a Child, he had so much of GOD in him, that as he lay asleep, his Venerable Father would lay his hand on the Breast of the Child▪ and say with unspeakable Joy; Here's a Little Temple of God! And ⟨p. 17⟩there was a late Child at Antioch; One little more than seven years old; The Lad was Examined about what was in the Holy Scriptures, by bloody Persecutors, who stood ready to Murder him; He notably told them, There can be but One God, and our Christ is the True God; They ask'd him where he Learn't this; He reply'd, I Learn't it of my Mother, It was with my Mothers Milk that I suck't it in. On this, they horribly scourg'd the Lad, and then butchered him with hideous Torments: He smiled under his Torments, and he dyed a Martyr of the Lord. Oh! That our Children were so Disposed!
