CHAP. XIV.Shewing how the education which men generally receive, makes the doctrines of humility difficult to be practised. The spirit of a better education represented in the character ofPaternus.1.ANOTHER difficulty in the practice of humility, arises from our education. We are corruptly educated, and then committed to take our course in a corrupt world; so that it is no wonder, if examples of great piety are so seldom seen.Great part of the world are undone, by being born and bred in families that have no religion.But this is not the thing I now mean; the education that I here intend, is such as children generally receive from virtuousparents, and learnedtutorsand governors.*Had we continued perfect, as God created the first man, perhaps the perfection of our nature had been a sufficientself-instructionfor every one. But assicknessanddiseaseshave created the necessity ofmedicinesandphysicians, so the disorder of our rational nature has introduced the necessity ofeducationandtutors.*And as the only end of the physician is, to restore nature to its own state; so the only endof education is, to restore our rational nature to its proper state. Education therefore is to be considered asreasonborrowed atsecond hand, which is, as far as it can, to supply the loss oforiginalperfection. And as physic may justly be called theartof restoring health, so education should be considered in no other light, than as the art of recovering to man the use of his reason.2. Now as the instruction of everyartorscienceis founded upon thewisdom,experience, andmaximsof the several great men that have laboured in it; so thatright useof our reason, which young people should be called to by their education, is nothing but thebest experience, andfinest reasoningsof men, that have devoted themselves to the improvement of human nature.All therefore thatgreat saintsanddyingmen, when the fullest light and conviction, and after the highest improvement of their reason, have said of the necessity ofpiety, of the excellency ofvirtue, of the emptiness ofriches, of the vanity of theworld; all thesentences,judgments,reasoningsandmaximsof the wisest philosophers, when in their highest state of wisdom, should constitute thecommon lessonsof instruction for youthful minds.This is the only way to make theyoungandignorantpart of the world the better for thewisdomandknowledgeof the wise and ancient.3. *The youths that attended uponPythagoras,Socrates,Plato, andEpictetus, were thus educated. Their every day lessons and instructions were so many lectures upon the nature of man, his trueend, and the right use of his faculties; upon the immortality of the soul, its relation to God, the beauty of virtue, and its agreeableness to the divine nature; upon the necessity of temperance, fortitude, and generosity, and the shame and folly of indulging our passions.*Now as Christianity has, as it were, new-created themoralandreligiousworld, and set every thing that is reasonable, wise, holy and desirable, in its true point of light: so one would expect, that the education of youth should be as much bettered and amended by Christianity, as thedoctrinesof religion are amended by it.*As it has introduced anewstate of things, and so fully informed us of thenatureof man, and theendof his creation; as it has fixed all ourgoodsandevils, taught us the means of purifying our souls, pleasing God, and becoming eternally happy; one might naturally suppose, that every Christian country abounded withschools, not only for teaching a few questions and answers of acatechism, but for the forming, training and practising youths in such a course of life, as thehighestprecepts, thestrictestrules, and thesublimestdoctrines of Christianity require.4. *An education underPythagoras, orSocrates, had no other end, but to teach youth tothink,judge, andactasPythagorasandSocratesused.And is it not as reasonable to suppose, that a Christian education should have no other end, but to teach youth how to think, and judge, and act according to thestrictest lawsof Christianity?At least one would suppose, that in all Christian schools, the teaching youth to begin their lives in thespiritof Christianity, in suchseverityof behaviour, suchabstinence,sobriety,humility, anddevotion, as Christianity requires, should not only bemore, but anhundred timesmore regarded, than any, or all things else.For our educators should imitate ourguardian angels, suggest nothing to our minds but what iswiseandholy; help us to discover and subdue everyvain passionof our hearts, and everyfalse judgmentof our minds.And it is as reasonable to expect and require all this benefit of a Christian education, as to require that physic should strengthen all that is right in our nature, and remove that which issicklyanddiseased.5. But alas, our modern education is not of this kind.*Thefirst temperthat we try to awaken in children, ispride; as dangerous a passion as that oflust. We stir them up to vain thoughtsof themselves, and do every thing we can, to puff up their minds with a sense of their own abilities.*Whatever way of life we intend them for, we apply to thefireandvanityof their minds, and exhort them to every thing from corrupt motives: we stir them up to action from principles ofstrifeandambition, fromglory,envy, and a desire of distinction, that they may excel others, and shine in the eyes of the world.And when we have taught them to scorn to be outdone by any, to bear norival, to thirst afterevery instanceof applause, to be content with nothing but the highest distinctions; then we begin to take comfort in them, and promise the world some mighty things from youths of such a glorious spirit.If children are intended forholy orders, we set before them some eminentoratorywhosefinepreaching has made him theadmirationof the age, and carried him through all thedignitiesandprefermentsof the church.We encourage them to have thesehonoursin their eye, and to expect the reward of their studies from them.If the youth is intended for atrade, we bid him look at the rich men in thesame trade, and consider how many now are carried in theirstately coaches, who began in the same low degree as he now does. We awaken his ambition, and endeavour to give his mind aright turn,by often telling him how rich such and such a tradesman died.If he is to be a lawyer, then we set greatcounsellors,lords,judges, andchancellors, before his eyes. We tell him what great fees, and greatapplauseattend fine pleading. We exhort him to take fire at these things to raise a spirit of emulation in himself, and to be content with nothing less than the highest honours of thelong robe.6. That this is the nature of ourbest education, is too plain to need any proof; and I believe there are few parents, but would be glad to see these instructions daily given to their children.And after all this, we complain of the effects of pride; we wonder to seegrown menacted and governed byambition,envy,scorn, and a desire of glory; not considering that they were all the time of their youth called upon to form all their action and industry upon the same principles.You teach a child toscornto be outdone, to thirst fordistinctionandapplause; and is it any wonder that he continues to act all his life in the same manner?*Now if a youth is ever to be so far a Christian, as to govern his heart by thedoctrinesof humility, I would fain know atwhat timehe is to begin it; or, if he iseverto begin it at all, why we train him up in tempers quite contrary to it?Howdryandpoormust the doctrine of humility sound to a youth, that has been spurred up to all his industry byambition,envy,emulation,and a desire ofgloryanddistinction? And if he is not to act by theseprincipleswhen he is aman, why do we call him to act by them in hisyouth?Envyis acknowledged by all people to be the mostungenerous,baseandwickedpassion, that can enter into the heart of man.And is this the temper to be instilled, nourished and established in the minds of young people?7. I know it is said, that it is notenvy, butemulation, that is intended to be awakened in the minds of young men.*But this is vainly said. For when children are taught to bear norival, and toscornto be outdone by any of their age, they are plainly and directly taught to beenvious. For it is impossible for any one to have thisscornto be outdone, this contention withrivals, without burning withenvyagainst all those that seem to excel him, or get any distinction from him. So that what children are taught, isrank envy, and only covered with a name of a less odious sound.*Secondly, Ifenvyis thus confessedly bad, and it be onlyemulationthat is endeavoured to be awakened in children, surely there ought to begreatcare taken, that children may know the one from the other; that they may abominate one as a greatcrime, whilst they give the other admission into their minds.But if this were to be attempted, thefinenessof the distinction betwixt envy and emulation, would shew that it was easier to divide them in words, than to separate them in action.Foremulation, when it is defined in its best manner, is nothing else but arefinementupon envy, or rather the mostplausible partof that black and venomous passion.And though it is easy to separate them in thenotion, yet the mostacute philosopher, that understands the art of distinguishing ever so well, if he gives himself up toemulation, will certainly find himselfdeepinenvy.8. It is said also, that ambition, and a desire of glory, are necessary to excite young people to industry; and that if we were to press upon them the doctrines of humility, we should deject the minds, and sink them intodullnessandidleness.But these people who say this, don’t consider, that this reason, if it has any strength, is full as strong against pressing the doctrines of humility upongrown men, lest we should deject their minds, and sink them into dullness and idleness.This reason therefore that is given, why children should not be trained up in the principles of true humility, is as good a reason why the same humility should never be required of grown men.Again, let those people, who think that children would be spoiled, if they were not thus educated, consider this.*Could they think, that if any children had been educated by our blessed Lord, or his holy apostles, their minds would have been sunk into dullness and idleness?*Or could they think, that such children would not have been trained up in the profoundest principles of humility? Can they say that our blessed Lord, who was the humblest man that ever was on earth, was hindered by his humility from being the greatest example of worthy and glorious actions, that ever were done by man?Can they say that his apostles, who lived in the humble spirit of their Master, did therefore cease to be laborious and active instruments of doing good to all the world?A few such reflections as these, are sufficient to expose all the poor pretences for an education in pride and ambition.9. *Paternuslived abouttwo hundredyears ago; he had but one son, whom he educated himself in his own house. As they were sitting together in the garden, when the child wasten yearsold,Paternusthus began to him.The little time that you have been in the world, my child, you have spent wholly with me: and my love and tenderness to you, has made you look upon me as your only friend and benefactor, and the cause of all the comfort andpleasure you enjoy: your heart, I know, would be ready to break with grief, if you thought this was the last day that I should live with you.But, my child, tho’ you now think yourself mighty happy, because you have hold of my hand, you are now in the hands, and under the tender care of a much greater father and friend than I am, whose love to you is far greater than mine, and from whom you receive such blessings as no mortal can give.That God whom you have seen me daily worship; whom I daily call upon to bless both you and me, and all mankind; whose wondrous acts are recorded in those scriptures which you constantly read. That God who created the heavens and the earth; who brought a flood upon the old world; who savedNoahin the ark; who was the God ofAbraham,Isaac, andJacob; whomJobblessed and praised in the greatest afflictions; who delivered theIsraelitesout of the hands of theEgyptians; who was the protector of righteousJoseph,Moses,Joshua, and holyDaniel; who sent so many prophets into the world; who sent his Son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. This God, who has done all these great things; who has created so many millions of men; who lived and died before you was born, with whom the spirits of good men that are departed this life, now live; whom infinite numbers of angels now worship in heaven. This great God, who is the Creator of worlds, of angels,and men, is your loving Father and Friend, your good Creator and Nourisher, from whom, and not from me, you received your being ten years ago, at the time that I planted that little, tenderelmwhich you there see.10. I myself am not half the age of thisshady oak, under which we sit; many of our fathers have sat under its boughs; we have all of us called it ours in our turn, though it stands, and drops itsmasters, as it drops itsleaves.You see, my son, this wide and largefirmamentover our heads, where thesunandmoon, and all thestarsappear in their turns. If you was to be carried up to any of these bodies at this vast distance from us, you would still discover others as much above you, as thestarsthat you see here are above theearth. Were you to go up or down,eastorwest,northorsouth, you would find the same height without anytop, and the same depth without anybottom.And yet, my child, so great is God, that all these bodies added together, are but as agrainof sand in his sight. And yet you are as much the care of this great God, and Father of allworlds, and allspirits, as if he had no son but you, or there were no creature for him to love and protect but you alone. He numbers thehairsof your head, watches over you sleeping and waking, and has preserved you from a thousand dangers, which neither you nor I know♦any thing of.♦duplicate word ‘any’ removed11. How poor my power is, and how little I am able to do for you, you have often seen. Your latesicknesshas shewn you how little I could do for you in that state; and the frequent pains of your head, are plain proofs, that I have no power to remove them.I can bring youfoodandmedicines, but have no power to turn them into your relief and nourishment; it is God alone that can do this for you.Therefore, my child, fear, and worship, and love God. Your eyes indeed cannot yet see him, but every thing you see, are so many marks of his power and presence, and he is nearer to you than any thing that you can see.Take him for yourLord, andFather, andFriend; look up unto him as the fountain and cause of all the good that you have received through my hands; and reverence me only as thebearerandministerof God’s good things unto you; and he that blessed my Father before I was born, will bless you when I am dead.Your youth and little mind is only yet acquainted with my family, and therefore you think there is no happiness out of it.But, my child, you belong to a greater family than mine; you are a younger member of the family of this Almighty Father of all nations, who has created infinite orders of angels, andnumberless generations of men, to be fellow-members of one and the same society in heaven.12. You do well to reverence my authority, because God has given me power over you, to bring you up in his fear, and to do for you, as the holy fathers recorded in scripture did for their children, who are now in rest and peace with God.I shall in a short time die, and leave you to God and yourself; and if God forgiveth my sins, I shall go to his Son Jesus Christ, and live amongst patriarchs and prophets, saints and martyrs, where I shall pray for you, and hope for your safe arrival at the same place.Therefore, my child, meditate on these great things, and let your thoughts often leave thesegardens, thesefieldsandfarms, to contemplate God and heaven, to consider angels, and the spirits of good men living in light and glory.As you have been used to look to me in all your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing, unless you first knew my will; so let it now be your rule to look up to God in all your actions, to do every thing in his fear, and to abstain from every thing that is not according to his will.Bear him always in your mind; teach your thoughts to reverence him in every place; for there is no place where he is not.13. God keepeth abookof life, wherein all the actions of all men are written; your name is there, my child; and when you die, this book will be laid open before men and angels; and according as your actions are there found, you will either be received to the happiness of those holy men who have died before you, or be turned away among wicked spirits, that are never to see God any more.Never forget this book, my son; for it is written, it must be opened, you must see it, and you must be tried by it. Strive therefore to fill it with your good deeds, that the hand-writing of God may not appear against you.God, my child, is allloveandwisdom, andgoodness; and every thing that he has made, and every action that he does, is the effect of them all. Therefore you cannot please God, but so far as you strive to walk in love, wisdom and goodness. As all wisdom, love, and goodness proceeds from God; so nothing but love, wisdom, and goodness can lead to God.When you love that which God loves, you act with him, you join yourself to him; and when you love what he dislikes, then you oppose him, and separate yourself from him. This is the true and the right way; think what God loves, and do you love it with all your heart.14. First of all, my child, worship and adore God, think of him magnificently, speak of him reverently, magnify his providence, adore his power, frequent his service, and pray unto him constantly.Next to this, love your neighbour, which is all mankind, with such tenderness and affection as you love yourself. Think how God loves all mankind, how merciful he is to them, how tender he is of them, how carefully he preserves them, and then strive to love the world as God loves it.God would have all men to be happy, therefore do youwilland desire the same. All men are great instances of divine love, therefore let all men be instances of your love.But above all, my son, mark this: never do any thing through strife, or envy, or emulation, or vain-glory. Never do any thing in order to excel other people, but in order to please God, and because it is his will, that you should do every thing in the best manner that you can.For if it is once a pleasure to you to excel other people, it will by degrees be a pleasure to you, to see other people not so good as yourself.Banish therefore every thought ofprideanddistinction, and accustom yourself to rejoice in all the excellencies of your fellow-creatures, andbe as glad to see any of their good actions as your own.For as God is well pleased with their well-doings, as with yours; so you ought to desire, that every thing that is wise, and holy, and good, may be performed in as high a manner by other people, as by yourself.15. Let this therefore be your only motive to all good actions, to do every thing in as perfect a manner as you can; for this only reason, because it is pleasing to God, who writes all your actions in a book. When I am dead, my son, you will be master of all my estate, which will be a great deal more than the necessities of one family require. Therefore, as you are to be charitable to the souls of men, and wish them the same happiness with you in heaven; so be charitable to their bodies, and endeavour to make them as happy as you upon earth.As God has created all things for the common good of all men; so let that part of them, which is fallen to your share, be employed, as God would have all employed, for the common good of all.Do good, my son, first of all to those that most deserve it, but remember to do good to all. The greatest sinners receive daily instances of God’s goodness towards them; he nourishes and preserves them, that they may repent, and return to him; do you therefore imitate God,and think no one too bad to receive your relief and kindness, when you see that he wants it.16. I am teaching youLatinandGreek, not that you should desire to be a greatcritic, a finepoet, or an eloquentorator. I would not have your heart feel any of these desires; for the desire of these accomplishments is vanity, and the masters of them are generally vain men.But I teach you these languages, that at proper times you may look into the history of past ages, and learn the methods of God’s providence over the world: that reading the writings♦of the ancient sages, you may see how wisdom and virtue have been the praise of great men of all ages.♦duplicate word removed ‘of’Let truth and plainness be the only ornament of your language, and study nothing but how to think of all things as they deserve, to chuse every thing that is best, to live according to reason, and to act in every part of your life in conformity to the will of God.Study how to fill your heart full of the love of God, and the love of your neighbour, and then be content to be no deeper a scholar, no finer a gentleman, than these tempers will make you. As true religion is nothing else but simple nature governed by right reason; so it loves and requires great plainness and simplicity of life. Therefore avoid all superfluous shews, finery,and equipage, and let your house be plainly furnished with moderate conveniences. Don’t consider what your estate can afford, but what right reason requires.17. Let yourdressbe sober, clean, and modest; not to set out the beauty of your person, but to declare the sobriety of your mind, that your outward garb may resemble the plainness of your heart. For it is highly reasonable, that you should beone man, all of a piece, and appear outwardly such as you are inwardly.As to yourmeatanddrink, in them observe thehighest rulesof Christian temperance and sobriety: consider your body only as the servant of your soul; and only so nourish it, that it may perform an humble and obedient service to it.But, my son, observe this as a principal thing, which I shall remember you of as long as I live.Hate and despise allhuman glory, for it is nothing else but human folly. It is the greatestsnare, and the greatestbetrayerthat you can possibly admit into your heart.Let every day therefore be a day of humility; condescend to all the infirmities of your fellow-creatures, cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice,be a servant of servants, and condescend to do the lowest offices to the lowest of mankind.18. *Aspire after nothing but your own purity and perfection, and have no ambition but to do every thing in so religious a manner, that you may be glad God is every where present, and sees all your actions. The greatest trial of humility, is an humble behaviour towards your equals inage,estate, andcondition. Therefore be careful of all the motions of your heart towards these people. Let all your behaviour towards them be governed by unfeigned love. Have no desire to put any of your equals below you, nor any anger at those that would put themselves above you, if they are proud, they are ill of a very bad distemper; let them therefore have your tender pity, and perhaps your meekness may prove an occasion of their cure; but if your humility should do them no good, it will however be the greatest good to yourself.Remember that there is but one man in the world, with whom you are to have perpetual contention, and be always striving to excel him, and that is yourself.The time of practising these precepts, my child, will soon be over with you; the world will soon slip thro’ your hands, or rather you will soon slip thro’ it; it seems but the other day since I received these instructions from my dear father, that I am now leaving with you.And the God that gave me ears to hear, and a heart to receive what my father said unto me, will, I hope, give you grace to love and follow the same instructions.
Shewing how the education which men generally receive, makes the doctrines of humility difficult to be practised. The spirit of a better education represented in the character ofPaternus.
1.ANOTHER difficulty in the practice of humility, arises from our education. We are corruptly educated, and then committed to take our course in a corrupt world; so that it is no wonder, if examples of great piety are so seldom seen.
Great part of the world are undone, by being born and bred in families that have no religion.
But this is not the thing I now mean; the education that I here intend, is such as children generally receive from virtuousparents, and learnedtutorsand governors.
*Had we continued perfect, as God created the first man, perhaps the perfection of our nature had been a sufficientself-instructionfor every one. But assicknessanddiseaseshave created the necessity ofmedicinesandphysicians, so the disorder of our rational nature has introduced the necessity ofeducationandtutors.
*And as the only end of the physician is, to restore nature to its own state; so the only endof education is, to restore our rational nature to its proper state. Education therefore is to be considered asreasonborrowed atsecond hand, which is, as far as it can, to supply the loss oforiginalperfection. And as physic may justly be called theartof restoring health, so education should be considered in no other light, than as the art of recovering to man the use of his reason.
2. Now as the instruction of everyartorscienceis founded upon thewisdom,experience, andmaximsof the several great men that have laboured in it; so thatright useof our reason, which young people should be called to by their education, is nothing but thebest experience, andfinest reasoningsof men, that have devoted themselves to the improvement of human nature.
All therefore thatgreat saintsanddyingmen, when the fullest light and conviction, and after the highest improvement of their reason, have said of the necessity ofpiety, of the excellency ofvirtue, of the emptiness ofriches, of the vanity of theworld; all thesentences,judgments,reasoningsandmaximsof the wisest philosophers, when in their highest state of wisdom, should constitute thecommon lessonsof instruction for youthful minds.
This is the only way to make theyoungandignorantpart of the world the better for thewisdomandknowledgeof the wise and ancient.
3. *The youths that attended uponPythagoras,Socrates,Plato, andEpictetus, were thus educated. Their every day lessons and instructions were so many lectures upon the nature of man, his trueend, and the right use of his faculties; upon the immortality of the soul, its relation to God, the beauty of virtue, and its agreeableness to the divine nature; upon the necessity of temperance, fortitude, and generosity, and the shame and folly of indulging our passions.
*Now as Christianity has, as it were, new-created themoralandreligiousworld, and set every thing that is reasonable, wise, holy and desirable, in its true point of light: so one would expect, that the education of youth should be as much bettered and amended by Christianity, as thedoctrinesof religion are amended by it.
*As it has introduced anewstate of things, and so fully informed us of thenatureof man, and theendof his creation; as it has fixed all ourgoodsandevils, taught us the means of purifying our souls, pleasing God, and becoming eternally happy; one might naturally suppose, that every Christian country abounded withschools, not only for teaching a few questions and answers of acatechism, but for the forming, training and practising youths in such a course of life, as thehighestprecepts, thestrictestrules, and thesublimestdoctrines of Christianity require.
4. *An education underPythagoras, orSocrates, had no other end, but to teach youth tothink,judge, andactasPythagorasandSocratesused.
And is it not as reasonable to suppose, that a Christian education should have no other end, but to teach youth how to think, and judge, and act according to thestrictest lawsof Christianity?
At least one would suppose, that in all Christian schools, the teaching youth to begin their lives in thespiritof Christianity, in suchseverityof behaviour, suchabstinence,sobriety,humility, anddevotion, as Christianity requires, should not only bemore, but anhundred timesmore regarded, than any, or all things else.
For our educators should imitate ourguardian angels, suggest nothing to our minds but what iswiseandholy; help us to discover and subdue everyvain passionof our hearts, and everyfalse judgmentof our minds.
And it is as reasonable to expect and require all this benefit of a Christian education, as to require that physic should strengthen all that is right in our nature, and remove that which issicklyanddiseased.
5. But alas, our modern education is not of this kind.
*Thefirst temperthat we try to awaken in children, ispride; as dangerous a passion as that oflust. We stir them up to vain thoughtsof themselves, and do every thing we can, to puff up their minds with a sense of their own abilities.
*Whatever way of life we intend them for, we apply to thefireandvanityof their minds, and exhort them to every thing from corrupt motives: we stir them up to action from principles ofstrifeandambition, fromglory,envy, and a desire of distinction, that they may excel others, and shine in the eyes of the world.
And when we have taught them to scorn to be outdone by any, to bear norival, to thirst afterevery instanceof applause, to be content with nothing but the highest distinctions; then we begin to take comfort in them, and promise the world some mighty things from youths of such a glorious spirit.
If children are intended forholy orders, we set before them some eminentoratorywhosefinepreaching has made him theadmirationof the age, and carried him through all thedignitiesandprefermentsof the church.
We encourage them to have thesehonoursin their eye, and to expect the reward of their studies from them.
If the youth is intended for atrade, we bid him look at the rich men in thesame trade, and consider how many now are carried in theirstately coaches, who began in the same low degree as he now does. We awaken his ambition, and endeavour to give his mind aright turn,by often telling him how rich such and such a tradesman died.
If he is to be a lawyer, then we set greatcounsellors,lords,judges, andchancellors, before his eyes. We tell him what great fees, and greatapplauseattend fine pleading. We exhort him to take fire at these things to raise a spirit of emulation in himself, and to be content with nothing less than the highest honours of thelong robe.
6. That this is the nature of ourbest education, is too plain to need any proof; and I believe there are few parents, but would be glad to see these instructions daily given to their children.
And after all this, we complain of the effects of pride; we wonder to seegrown menacted and governed byambition,envy,scorn, and a desire of glory; not considering that they were all the time of their youth called upon to form all their action and industry upon the same principles.
You teach a child toscornto be outdone, to thirst fordistinctionandapplause; and is it any wonder that he continues to act all his life in the same manner?
*Now if a youth is ever to be so far a Christian, as to govern his heart by thedoctrinesof humility, I would fain know atwhat timehe is to begin it; or, if he iseverto begin it at all, why we train him up in tempers quite contrary to it?
Howdryandpoormust the doctrine of humility sound to a youth, that has been spurred up to all his industry byambition,envy,emulation,and a desire ofgloryanddistinction? And if he is not to act by theseprincipleswhen he is aman, why do we call him to act by them in hisyouth?
Envyis acknowledged by all people to be the mostungenerous,baseandwickedpassion, that can enter into the heart of man.
And is this the temper to be instilled, nourished and established in the minds of young people?
7. I know it is said, that it is notenvy, butemulation, that is intended to be awakened in the minds of young men.
*But this is vainly said. For when children are taught to bear norival, and toscornto be outdone by any of their age, they are plainly and directly taught to beenvious. For it is impossible for any one to have thisscornto be outdone, this contention withrivals, without burning withenvyagainst all those that seem to excel him, or get any distinction from him. So that what children are taught, isrank envy, and only covered with a name of a less odious sound.
*Secondly, Ifenvyis thus confessedly bad, and it be onlyemulationthat is endeavoured to be awakened in children, surely there ought to begreatcare taken, that children may know the one from the other; that they may abominate one as a greatcrime, whilst they give the other admission into their minds.
But if this were to be attempted, thefinenessof the distinction betwixt envy and emulation, would shew that it was easier to divide them in words, than to separate them in action.
Foremulation, when it is defined in its best manner, is nothing else but arefinementupon envy, or rather the mostplausible partof that black and venomous passion.
And though it is easy to separate them in thenotion, yet the mostacute philosopher, that understands the art of distinguishing ever so well, if he gives himself up toemulation, will certainly find himselfdeepinenvy.
8. It is said also, that ambition, and a desire of glory, are necessary to excite young people to industry; and that if we were to press upon them the doctrines of humility, we should deject the minds, and sink them intodullnessandidleness.
But these people who say this, don’t consider, that this reason, if it has any strength, is full as strong against pressing the doctrines of humility upongrown men, lest we should deject their minds, and sink them into dullness and idleness.
This reason therefore that is given, why children should not be trained up in the principles of true humility, is as good a reason why the same humility should never be required of grown men.
Again, let those people, who think that children would be spoiled, if they were not thus educated, consider this.
*Could they think, that if any children had been educated by our blessed Lord, or his holy apostles, their minds would have been sunk into dullness and idleness?
*Or could they think, that such children would not have been trained up in the profoundest principles of humility? Can they say that our blessed Lord, who was the humblest man that ever was on earth, was hindered by his humility from being the greatest example of worthy and glorious actions, that ever were done by man?
Can they say that his apostles, who lived in the humble spirit of their Master, did therefore cease to be laborious and active instruments of doing good to all the world?
A few such reflections as these, are sufficient to expose all the poor pretences for an education in pride and ambition.
9. *Paternuslived abouttwo hundredyears ago; he had but one son, whom he educated himself in his own house. As they were sitting together in the garden, when the child wasten yearsold,Paternusthus began to him.
The little time that you have been in the world, my child, you have spent wholly with me: and my love and tenderness to you, has made you look upon me as your only friend and benefactor, and the cause of all the comfort andpleasure you enjoy: your heart, I know, would be ready to break with grief, if you thought this was the last day that I should live with you.
But, my child, tho’ you now think yourself mighty happy, because you have hold of my hand, you are now in the hands, and under the tender care of a much greater father and friend than I am, whose love to you is far greater than mine, and from whom you receive such blessings as no mortal can give.
That God whom you have seen me daily worship; whom I daily call upon to bless both you and me, and all mankind; whose wondrous acts are recorded in those scriptures which you constantly read. That God who created the heavens and the earth; who brought a flood upon the old world; who savedNoahin the ark; who was the God ofAbraham,Isaac, andJacob; whomJobblessed and praised in the greatest afflictions; who delivered theIsraelitesout of the hands of theEgyptians; who was the protector of righteousJoseph,Moses,Joshua, and holyDaniel; who sent so many prophets into the world; who sent his Son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. This God, who has done all these great things; who has created so many millions of men; who lived and died before you was born, with whom the spirits of good men that are departed this life, now live; whom infinite numbers of angels now worship in heaven. This great God, who is the Creator of worlds, of angels,and men, is your loving Father and Friend, your good Creator and Nourisher, from whom, and not from me, you received your being ten years ago, at the time that I planted that little, tenderelmwhich you there see.
10. I myself am not half the age of thisshady oak, under which we sit; many of our fathers have sat under its boughs; we have all of us called it ours in our turn, though it stands, and drops itsmasters, as it drops itsleaves.
You see, my son, this wide and largefirmamentover our heads, where thesunandmoon, and all thestarsappear in their turns. If you was to be carried up to any of these bodies at this vast distance from us, you would still discover others as much above you, as thestarsthat you see here are above theearth. Were you to go up or down,eastorwest,northorsouth, you would find the same height without anytop, and the same depth without anybottom.
And yet, my child, so great is God, that all these bodies added together, are but as agrainof sand in his sight. And yet you are as much the care of this great God, and Father of allworlds, and allspirits, as if he had no son but you, or there were no creature for him to love and protect but you alone. He numbers thehairsof your head, watches over you sleeping and waking, and has preserved you from a thousand dangers, which neither you nor I know♦any thing of.
♦duplicate word ‘any’ removed
11. How poor my power is, and how little I am able to do for you, you have often seen. Your latesicknesshas shewn you how little I could do for you in that state; and the frequent pains of your head, are plain proofs, that I have no power to remove them.
I can bring youfoodandmedicines, but have no power to turn them into your relief and nourishment; it is God alone that can do this for you.
Therefore, my child, fear, and worship, and love God. Your eyes indeed cannot yet see him, but every thing you see, are so many marks of his power and presence, and he is nearer to you than any thing that you can see.
Take him for yourLord, andFather, andFriend; look up unto him as the fountain and cause of all the good that you have received through my hands; and reverence me only as thebearerandministerof God’s good things unto you; and he that blessed my Father before I was born, will bless you when I am dead.
Your youth and little mind is only yet acquainted with my family, and therefore you think there is no happiness out of it.
But, my child, you belong to a greater family than mine; you are a younger member of the family of this Almighty Father of all nations, who has created infinite orders of angels, andnumberless generations of men, to be fellow-members of one and the same society in heaven.
12. You do well to reverence my authority, because God has given me power over you, to bring you up in his fear, and to do for you, as the holy fathers recorded in scripture did for their children, who are now in rest and peace with God.
I shall in a short time die, and leave you to God and yourself; and if God forgiveth my sins, I shall go to his Son Jesus Christ, and live amongst patriarchs and prophets, saints and martyrs, where I shall pray for you, and hope for your safe arrival at the same place.
Therefore, my child, meditate on these great things, and let your thoughts often leave thesegardens, thesefieldsandfarms, to contemplate God and heaven, to consider angels, and the spirits of good men living in light and glory.
As you have been used to look to me in all your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing, unless you first knew my will; so let it now be your rule to look up to God in all your actions, to do every thing in his fear, and to abstain from every thing that is not according to his will.
Bear him always in your mind; teach your thoughts to reverence him in every place; for there is no place where he is not.
13. God keepeth abookof life, wherein all the actions of all men are written; your name is there, my child; and when you die, this book will be laid open before men and angels; and according as your actions are there found, you will either be received to the happiness of those holy men who have died before you, or be turned away among wicked spirits, that are never to see God any more.
Never forget this book, my son; for it is written, it must be opened, you must see it, and you must be tried by it. Strive therefore to fill it with your good deeds, that the hand-writing of God may not appear against you.
God, my child, is allloveandwisdom, andgoodness; and every thing that he has made, and every action that he does, is the effect of them all. Therefore you cannot please God, but so far as you strive to walk in love, wisdom and goodness. As all wisdom, love, and goodness proceeds from God; so nothing but love, wisdom, and goodness can lead to God.
When you love that which God loves, you act with him, you join yourself to him; and when you love what he dislikes, then you oppose him, and separate yourself from him. This is the true and the right way; think what God loves, and do you love it with all your heart.
14. First of all, my child, worship and adore God, think of him magnificently, speak of him reverently, magnify his providence, adore his power, frequent his service, and pray unto him constantly.
Next to this, love your neighbour, which is all mankind, with such tenderness and affection as you love yourself. Think how God loves all mankind, how merciful he is to them, how tender he is of them, how carefully he preserves them, and then strive to love the world as God loves it.
God would have all men to be happy, therefore do youwilland desire the same. All men are great instances of divine love, therefore let all men be instances of your love.
But above all, my son, mark this: never do any thing through strife, or envy, or emulation, or vain-glory. Never do any thing in order to excel other people, but in order to please God, and because it is his will, that you should do every thing in the best manner that you can.
For if it is once a pleasure to you to excel other people, it will by degrees be a pleasure to you, to see other people not so good as yourself.
Banish therefore every thought ofprideanddistinction, and accustom yourself to rejoice in all the excellencies of your fellow-creatures, andbe as glad to see any of their good actions as your own.
For as God is well pleased with their well-doings, as with yours; so you ought to desire, that every thing that is wise, and holy, and good, may be performed in as high a manner by other people, as by yourself.
15. Let this therefore be your only motive to all good actions, to do every thing in as perfect a manner as you can; for this only reason, because it is pleasing to God, who writes all your actions in a book. When I am dead, my son, you will be master of all my estate, which will be a great deal more than the necessities of one family require. Therefore, as you are to be charitable to the souls of men, and wish them the same happiness with you in heaven; so be charitable to their bodies, and endeavour to make them as happy as you upon earth.
As God has created all things for the common good of all men; so let that part of them, which is fallen to your share, be employed, as God would have all employed, for the common good of all.
Do good, my son, first of all to those that most deserve it, but remember to do good to all. The greatest sinners receive daily instances of God’s goodness towards them; he nourishes and preserves them, that they may repent, and return to him; do you therefore imitate God,and think no one too bad to receive your relief and kindness, when you see that he wants it.
16. I am teaching youLatinandGreek, not that you should desire to be a greatcritic, a finepoet, or an eloquentorator. I would not have your heart feel any of these desires; for the desire of these accomplishments is vanity, and the masters of them are generally vain men.
But I teach you these languages, that at proper times you may look into the history of past ages, and learn the methods of God’s providence over the world: that reading the writings♦of the ancient sages, you may see how wisdom and virtue have been the praise of great men of all ages.
♦duplicate word removed ‘of’
Let truth and plainness be the only ornament of your language, and study nothing but how to think of all things as they deserve, to chuse every thing that is best, to live according to reason, and to act in every part of your life in conformity to the will of God.
Study how to fill your heart full of the love of God, and the love of your neighbour, and then be content to be no deeper a scholar, no finer a gentleman, than these tempers will make you. As true religion is nothing else but simple nature governed by right reason; so it loves and requires great plainness and simplicity of life. Therefore avoid all superfluous shews, finery,and equipage, and let your house be plainly furnished with moderate conveniences. Don’t consider what your estate can afford, but what right reason requires.
17. Let yourdressbe sober, clean, and modest; not to set out the beauty of your person, but to declare the sobriety of your mind, that your outward garb may resemble the plainness of your heart. For it is highly reasonable, that you should beone man, all of a piece, and appear outwardly such as you are inwardly.
As to yourmeatanddrink, in them observe thehighest rulesof Christian temperance and sobriety: consider your body only as the servant of your soul; and only so nourish it, that it may perform an humble and obedient service to it.
But, my son, observe this as a principal thing, which I shall remember you of as long as I live.
Hate and despise allhuman glory, for it is nothing else but human folly. It is the greatestsnare, and the greatestbetrayerthat you can possibly admit into your heart.
Let every day therefore be a day of humility; condescend to all the infirmities of your fellow-creatures, cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice,be a servant of servants, and condescend to do the lowest offices to the lowest of mankind.
18. *Aspire after nothing but your own purity and perfection, and have no ambition but to do every thing in so religious a manner, that you may be glad God is every where present, and sees all your actions. The greatest trial of humility, is an humble behaviour towards your equals inage,estate, andcondition. Therefore be careful of all the motions of your heart towards these people. Let all your behaviour towards them be governed by unfeigned love. Have no desire to put any of your equals below you, nor any anger at those that would put themselves above you, if they are proud, they are ill of a very bad distemper; let them therefore have your tender pity, and perhaps your meekness may prove an occasion of their cure; but if your humility should do them no good, it will however be the greatest good to yourself.
Remember that there is but one man in the world, with whom you are to have perpetual contention, and be always striving to excel him, and that is yourself.
The time of practising these precepts, my child, will soon be over with you; the world will soon slip thro’ your hands, or rather you will soon slip thro’ it; it seems but the other day since I received these instructions from my dear father, that I am now leaving with you.And the God that gave me ears to hear, and a heart to receive what my father said unto me, will, I hope, give you grace to love and follow the same instructions.