two, pertinent to the fubject Matter in Hand.

Whereas God Almighty is the Lord and Governour of the Universe, as having by Right of Creation the fupreme Dominion over all Creatures: 'Tis plain that the Sons of Men can have no Claim or Title to any of them, without his previous Allowance. And therefore is every Man obliged to feek by Prayer and Supplication an Interest to use them for the fupply of his Wants and Neceffities: Neither is his Ingratitude to be excufed, if, when he hath made ufe of the Riches of God's Bounty and Liberality in any Sort, he neglect the necessary Return of Praise and Thanksgiving. And therefore that Opinion couftantly received among us, (which we took notice of in the Entrance to this Difcourfe) must be allowed by all the World; viz. that whofoever ufeth the Creatures without previous Interceflion, and fubfequent Thanksgiving, is chargeable with Theft or rather Sacrilege, inasmuch as he invades Gods Soveraign Right and Title to the Disposal of his Creatures, and fets up for Propriety, when he is at best but a precarious dependant Being. On the other Hand, the use of every Creature appointed for Food and Suftenance is freely allowed us, and nothing is unlawful when fanctify'd with Prayer and Thanksgiving

The fecond Thing I would have to be remarked is, that tho' in all our Offices of De votion we generally use the Hebrew Tongue,. because it is generally understood thro' the

great

great Care that is taken for the Inftruction of our Children in it; yet have we Verfions into other Languages for the Ufe and Edification of fuch as are ignorant of the Hebrew, as judging it impoffible for Men to pray with inward Afection, and a ferious Attention, without understanding the Subject of their Prayers; but how they should understand this, whilst their Offices of Devotion are in an unknown Tongue is altogether inconcei vable.

CHA P. V.

Of the Schools amongst the Hebrews.

T

HE Neceffity as well as Ufefulness of Schools for the Inftruction and Education of Youth, is fo apparently manifeft, that, in the Opinion of our Doctors, Mankind could fcarcely fubft without them; because, otherwife Men could neither preserve the Dignity of their Nature,as reafonable Creatures, nor have any Thing but their outward Shape, to distinguish them from Brutes, as being deftitute of thofe Accomplishments of the Mind, which principally conduce to that End: Which Accomplishments proceed originally from God Almighty the Author and fupreme Giver of all Excellencies whatfoever; and can be preserved by no other or dinary Means than by being conveyed from one to another in fettled Method of Inftru

ction, which is the general Defign of the Inftitution of Schools. Hence we find that .our first Parent was endowed with an extraordinary Measure of Knowledge by the bountiful Inspiration of his Maker, whereby he was enabled to give Names to all Creatures agreable to their respective Natures; and which we may juftly prefume he took all poffible Care, at least as far as was necessary, to tranfmit to his Pofterity. And tho' it could not be fupported in all the Advantages with which it had been delivered, yet did it more or lefs appear in all the fucceeding Generations, and diffus'd it felf proportionable to the Increase and Propagation of Mankind; and fo gave conftant Birth to New Schools. Cain indeed applyed himself chiefly to the Invention of Mechanical Arts, and his fordid covetous Temper divefted him from more ingenious Studies; however this did not hinder him from Communicating fome useful Pieces of Knowledge to the World. But. his younger Brother Seth, as he differed from him very much in Principle, fo he betook himself to different Purfuits: He inftructed his Pofterity in vertuous Practifes; and encouraged them by his own Example: He was skilled in Aftronomy, and taught his Children the Secret of Acquiring a Reputation in that Science: That he erected Two noble Pillars for the Prefervation of that Knowledge which he had arrived to, which should stand the Shock of an univerfal Deluge, as well as Conflagration, foretold to him by his Father Adam, is fo well known to the Learn'd

that I fhall forbear to mention it here, Nor fhall we need to affert, that this Defign had the defired Succefs, tho' Jofephus is pofitive, that one of them was extant in his Time. However, this we may fay, that Learning was propagated in Seth's Pofterity, and was preferved in the Perfon of Noah and his Family, in the Time of the universal Deluge.

And here a new World begins, with which we shall find, that Learning kept Pace and fpread it felf amongst the Pofterity of Sem, who is generally believed to have formed the first regular School, and to have set up fome fpecial Places for the Profeffion and Propagation of Learning.

To this parpofe 'tis obfervable; that, whereas Noah in blessing his Son Fapher, says that he shall dwell in the Tents of Sem, feveral Expofitors naderstand this of the Schools of Sem; which were alfo famous in the Days of Rebecca. For whereas 'tis faid, that she, when the Children ftruggled within her, went to enquire of the Lord, the Chaldee Paraphrafe expounds it, She went to the Schools of Sem the Great.

Thefe Schools were afterward continued and fupported by Heber (a Man-fo confiderable, that the Hebrews took their Name from him) as we are informed by that Affertion of our Doctors, viz. that Jacob ftudied in the Schools of Sem and Heber; and by Confequence were standing in the Time of the Patriarch Abraham, whofe great Abilities and Proficiency in Learning we are lead next to confider. Concerning him, 'tis obfervable,

K

that

that notwithstanding all the Disadvantages of Birth and Education, yet he raised himfelf to a wonderful Eminency in all Parts of ufeful, (particularly Divine) Knowledge. He fhook off the prejudices of Education, and fully difcovered the Sotifhnefs of that Idolatry and 'Superftition which had overspread his Native Country, and by a great Sagacity promoted by his Contemplation of the Hea venly Bodies, and the wonderful Harmony of the Works of the Creation in general, affifted with the fingular Bleffing of Heaven, he came up to the Knowledge of the great Creator; forfook his Country and abominable Religion, and became a Zealous promoter of the Worship and Service of the true God, which he not only faithfully professed and adher'd to, but endeavour'd by publick Preaching to inftruct others in. In which glorious Design, we are affur'd he met with good Success. For whereas 'tis said, that he remov'd the Souls that he had gotten, the Chaldee Paraphrafe interprets this of the Souls that he had fubdu'd to the Law of his God; and other Expontors, of the Souls which he had profelited and converted to his Perfwafion. An Interpretation fo much the more probable, for that we may obferve how God fays of him, I know that he will command his Chitdren, and his Houfhold after him, and they fhall keep the way of the Lord. Which we fhall take for granted was accordingly done, though little mention be made thereof in Scripture, and we can only argue from remote Probabilities as where it is faid, that faceb