§. 8. Of Parents prouidence for their children. to 5. Obiect. Mothers that are of great wealth and high place cannot endure the paine of nurſing, nor take the paines in handling young children as they muſt be handled.

§. 8. Of Parents prouidence for their children.

The head, whereunto all the particular duties, which parents owe to their children, may be referred, is A prouident care for their childrens good. This extendeth it ſelfe to all times, and to all things.

To all times, as to the infancie, youth, and man-age of their children: and that not only while parents liue, but after their departure.

To all things, namely, tending both to the temporall good of their children, and alſo to their ſpirituall good.

Children are of the very ſubſtance of their parents, & therefore ought parents ſo farre to ſeeke their childrens good as their owne.

The patternes of holy parents recorded and commended in Scripture, doe liuely ſet forth this prouident care.

But this generall we will exemplifie in the particulars: and in order declare how parents muſt prouide both for the temporall, and alſo for the ſpirituall good of their children in euery degree of their age.

They who at any time in any thing are negligent and careleſſe of their childrens good, offend in the contrary to this generall dutie. The heinouſneſſe of which offences will appeare in the particulars.

§. 9. Of a mothers care ouer her childe while it is in her wombe.

The firſt age of a childe is the infancie thereof. I will therefore firſt ſhew how therein parents muſt procure the temporall good of their children, and then their ſpirituall good.

The firſt part of a childs infancie is while it remaineth in the mothers wombe. Here therefore the dutie lieth principally vpon the mother: who ſo ſoone as ſhe perceiueth a childe to be conceiued in her wombe, ought to haue an eſpeciall care thereof, that (ſo much as in her lieth) the childe may be ſafely brought forth. ( The heathen Philoſophen, by light of nature, obſerued this to be a dutie; and preſcribed it to mothers.) A mother then muſt haue a tender care ouer her ſelfe when ſhee is with childe: for the childe being lodged in her, and receiuing nouriſhment from her (as plants from the earth) her well-being tendeth much to the good and ſafetie of the childe: but the hurt that commeth to her, maketh the childe the worſe, if it be not a meanes to deſtroy it.

Why was the charge of abſtaining from wine, ſtrong drinke, and vncleane things, giuen to Manoahs wife, but becauſe of the childe which ſhe conceiued?

In this caſe there is a double bond to make mothers carefull of themſelues.

- 1. Their owne,

- 2. Their childs good.

Husbands alſo in this caſe muſt be very tender ouer their wiues, and helpfull to them in all things needfull, both in regard of that dutie which they owe to their wiues, and alſo of that they owe to their children. Why was Manoah ſo deſirous to heare himſelfe the forenamed direction which the Angell gaue to his wife? and why did the Angell againe repeat it to him, but to ſhew it belonged to him to ſee her obſerue it?

They who through violence of paſſion, whether of griefe, or anger, or through violent motion of the bodie, as by dancing, ſtriuing, running, galloping on horſebacke, or the like: or through diſtemper of the bodie, by eating things hurtfull, by eating too much, by too much abſtinence, by too much baſhfulneſſe in concealing their deſires and longings (as we ſpeake) cauſe any abortion or miſcariage, fall into the offence contrary to the forenamed dutie. If women were perſwaded that in conſcience they are bound to the forenamed dutie, they would, I thinke, be more carefull of themſelues. For if through their default, they themſelues or their childe miſcarry, they make themſelues guilty of that miſcariage: if both miſcarry, they make themſelues guiltie of the bloud of both; at leaſt in the court of conſcience before God.

But they who purpoſely take things to make away their children in their wombe, are in farre higher degree guiltie of bloud: yea euen of wilfull murther. For that which hath receiued a ſoule formed in it by God, if it be vniuſtly caſt away, ſhall be reuenged.

So farre forth as husbands are careleſſe of their wiues being with childe, denying them things needfull, they are acceſſarie to the hurt, which the woman, or childe taketh, guiltie of the ſin, and liable to the iudgement.

§. 10. Of prouiding things needfull for the childe, ſo ſoone as it is borne: and of crueltie contrary thereunto.

The next degree of a childs infancie, is while it is in the ſwadling

bands, and remaineth a ſucking childe. In this alſo the care eſpecially lieth vpon the mother: yet ſo as the father muſt afford what helpe he can.

The firſt dutie here required is, that ſufficient prouiſion of all things needfull for a childe in that weakneſſe be before hand prouided. What the particulars be, women better know, then I can expreſſe. For me, it is ſufficient, to lay downe the dutie in generall: which is commended vnto vs in that worthy patterne of the Virgin Marie, who though ſhe were very poore, and forced to trauell farre, and brought to bed in a ſtrange place, where ſhe was ſo little reſpected, as ſhe was not afforded a place meet for a woman in her caſe, but was faine to content her ſelfe with a ſtable in a common Inne, yet ſhe prouided for her childe. For it is ſaid, She wrapped him in ſwadling clothes, Luk 2. 7.

Contrary is the practiſe of ſuch lewd and vnnaturall women, as leaue their new-borne children vnder ſtalls, at mens doores, in Church porches, yea many times in open field. It is noted as a point of vnnaturalneſſe in the Oſtrich, to leaue her eggs in the earth, and in the duſt: in which reſpect ſhe is ſaid to be hardned againſt her young ones, as though they were not hers, Iob 39. 14, 16. Much more hardned are the foreſaid lewd women. The Eagle is counted an vnnaturall bird, becauſe ſhe thruſteth her young ones, which ſhe hath brought forth, out of her neſt. Are not then ſuch mothers much more vnnaturall? They oft lay their children forth in publike places, for others to ſhew that mercy, which they themſelues haue not. The Ciuill Law iudgeth this to be a kinde of further.

§. 11. Of giuing ſucke to children.

Among other needfull things, the milke of the breaſt is fit for [gap]oung babes, and with it they are to be nouriſhed. I thinke none [gap]oubt of the equitie of this. It hath in all ages, and in all coun [gap]ies, beene accounted the beſtfood that can be for young babes. The metaphor, which S. Peter vſeth, taken from young infants in theſe words, As new-borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the [gap]ord) confirmeth as much. So doth alſo the deſire which ſuch [gap]nfants haue to the milke of the breaſts: and the abilitie, and [gap]omptneſſe which is in them to ſucke: and Gods prouidence in [gap]uſing a womans breaſts to yeeld forth ſuch milke: and the conſtant

manner of nouriſhing little infants after this manner, commended in the Scriptures: and (to conclude) the naturall inſtinct which many vnreaſonable creatures haue thus to nouriſh their young ones.

They who on meere curioſitie (where no vrgent neceſſitie requireth) try whether their children may not as birds be nouriſhed without ſucke, offend contrary to this dutie; and reiect that meanes which God hath ordained as the beſt: and ſo oppoſe their ſhallow wit to his vnſearchable wiſdome.

§. 12. Of mothers giuing ſucke to their owne children.

Of nouriſhing children with breſt-milke, there is no great queſtion: therefore I haue with a touch paſſed it ouer. The chiefeſt queſtion of doubt is concerning the partie who is bound to this dutie; namely, whether the mother be bound to doe it her ſelfe or no.

Many ſtrong arguments there be to preſſe it vpon the conſciences of mothers, and to ſhew that (ſo farre as they are able) they are bound to giue ſucke to their owne children. Some are taken from the light of Gods word; and ſome from the light of nature.

Gods word doth in many places by iuſt conſequence imply, that it is a bounden dutie: in other places it doth expreſly commend it by the practiſe of holy women: and againe in other places it taketh it for a granted truth, and ruled caſe, not to be denied.

1. The conſequences whereby the word implieth this dutie are theſe:

1. In the bleſſing giuen to Ioſeph thus ſpeaketh old Iaakob, God ſhall bleſſe thee with the bleſſing of the breaſts, and of the

wombe. By the bleſſing of the wombe, what can be meant, but children? By the bleſſing of the breaſts, what, but milke, whereby thoſe children are nouriſhed? As if he had ſaid; I will bleſſe thee with ſuch women, as ſhall both beare thee children, and alſo giue ſucke to them which they beare. The conſequence then is this: As it is a bleſſing to haue children of a true lawfull wife; ſo to haue thoſe children nurſed of the ſame wife their mother.

Obiect. They haue the bleſſing of breaſts that haue other women to nurſe their children.

Anſw. By the ſame reaſon it may be ſaid, they haue the bleſſing

of the wombe who haue ſtrange women to beare them children. But the ioyning of theſe two branches of bleſſing together, ſheweth that both muſt be taken in the ſame kinde: ſo that as the bleſſing of the wombe is to haue children of a mans wife, ſo the bleſſing of the breaſts is to haue them nurſed of his wife. If it be a bleſſing for the woman which beareth the childe to giue it ſucke, then mothers are bound to performe this dutie.

2. It is denounced as a curſe, that women ſhall haue a barren

wombe and drie breaſts. If it be a curſe for women to haue drie breaſts, then may not women wittingly make them drie: which all mothers doe, that giue not ſucke to their children.

3. Manoahs wife being promiſed to beare a ſonne, had this charge giuen her, Drinke no wine, nor ſtrong drinke. &c. thoſe things were eſpecially hurtfull for her milke. It is therefore implied thereby, that ſhe ſhould ſo order her diet, as ſhe might well nurſe her childe, and haue good milke for him.

4. God by his good prouidence brought it to paſſe, that the mother of Moſes (though ſhe were forced to caſt out her childe) ſhould nurſe her owne childe. Yea the mother her ſelfe was deſirous to doe it, and therefore appointed her daughter [gap]o watch who ſhould take it vp. Theſe two circumſtances [gap]mplie that it appertaineth to a mother to nurſe her children.

5. The Apoſtle layeth this downe as a note of a good woman, who in her place hath beene carefull to doe her dutie, [gap]nd thereupon fit to doe ſeruice in Gods Church (If ſhe haue

[gap]ouriſhed her children, or word for word, If ſhe haue fed her children.) Now the proper food for young babes is breaſt-milk, which, by the Apoſtles rule, the mother muſt giue.

6. The ſame Apoſtle commandeth mothers to loue their

children. How can a mother better expreſſe her loue to her [gap]oung babe, then by letting it ſucke of her owne breaſts? As his is a teſtimony of loue, ſo it is a meanes of preſeruing and increaſing loue: for daily experience ſheweth that mothers [gap]ue thoſe children beſt to whom they themſelues giue ſucke.

Summe theſe ſeuerall conſequences together, and we [gap]all finde the dutie in queſtion to be very ſtrongly inforced hereby.

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1. As a bleſſing it is promiſed, that mothers ſhall giue ſucke to the children that they beare.

• 2. As a curſe it is threatned, that women ſhall not be able to giue ſucke.

• 3. An Angell gaue direction to a mother ſo to carrie her ſelfe as ſhe might haue ſtore of good milke for the childe which ſhe ſhould beare.

• 4. God by his ſpeciall prouidence manifeſted that the proper mother was the beſt nurſe for a childe.

• 5. It is the note of a good woman to performe this part of her particular calling, namely to nurſe her owne childe.

• 6. Women ought to doe all the beſt duties of loue that they can to their children.

Therefore mothers ought to nurſe their owne children. II. Some of the moſt worthy patternes, in whoſe example this dutie is commended to mothers, are theſe.

1. Sarah gaue ſucke to Iſaak. This example is to be noted eſpecially of the greater ſort: as rich mens wiues, honourable mens wiues, and the like. For Sarah was an honourable woman, a princeſſe, a rich mans wife, a beautifull woman, aged and well growne in yeeres, and a miſtreſſe of a family.

Are not theſe excuſes pretended by many mothers for not nurſing children themſelues?

2. The virgin Mary gaue ſucke to Ieſus. This example is to be noted eſpecially of the meaner ſort, for the virgin Man was young, poore, perſecuted, forced to remoue and flie with her childe from countrie to countrie. Are not theſe excuſes pretended by other mothers?

Theſe two patternes doe not only commend the duty, but alſo ſtrippe all mothers that are negligent therein, of all excuſe.

To theſe may be added the examples of Annah, of Dauids mother, and of many others. What if alſo I adde the example of that true, naturall, affectionate mother who ſtood before Salomons throne to plead for her childe? ſhe thus ſaith of her ſelfe, I aroſe to giue my ſonne ſucke, &c. If this had not beene a good motherly dutie, ſhe would not then and there haue pleaded it.

III. The places of Scripture which take this dutie for a matter granted, and for a ruled caſe, are ſuch as theſe.

1. Where Sarah ſaith, Who would haue ſaid to Abram that

Sarah ſhould haue giuen children ſucke? In this phraſe ſhe ſetteth forth Gods bleſſing in giuing Abram a ſonne by her. Now in that ſhe expreſſeth the bleſſing vnder this phraſe of giuing ſucke, ſhe taketh it for grant, that the mother which beareth children muſt giue them ſucke.

2. Where Dauid ſaith, thou diddeſt make me hope vpon my

mothers breaſts, he doth not onely imply that his mother gaue him ſucke, but by the phraſe maketh it a ruled caſe that the childe which ſuckes muſt hang vpon the mothers breaſt.

3. Where Salomon ſaith, O that thou wert as my brother that

ſucked the breaſts of my mother, he taketh if alſo for grant, that brothers and ſiſters, as they come out of the ſame wombe, ſo they ſhould ſucke the ſame breaſts, euen the breaſts of her out of whoſe wombe they came, their owne mothers breaſts.

4. Where the woman ſaid to Chriſt, Bleſſed is the wombe that

bare thee, and the paps which thou haſt ſucked, ſhe taketh it for grant (as it was an vſuall practiſe in thoſe daies) that the [gap]aps of that woman, whoſe wombe beare him, gaue him [gap]ucke.

Theſe arguments we haue from the light of Gods word: other we may haue from Gods workes and the light of nature, as

1. God hath giuen to women two breaſts fit to containe [gap]nd hold milke: and nipples vnto them fit to haue milke drawne from them. Why are theſe thus giuen? to lay them [gap]rth for oſtentation? There is no warrant for that in all Gods [gap]ord. They are directly giuen for the childs food that commeth out of the wombe; for till the childe be borne, there is [gap]o milke in the breaſts: anon after it is borne, milke ordinari [gap] floweth into the breaſts: yea a great part of the meat which [gap]ey eat turneth into milke. They make this admirable worke [gap]f Gods prouidence to be in vaine, that drie vp this ſpring, [gap]d ſuffer not their children to partake of the benefit of it.

2. That nouriſhment whereon the childe fed in the mo [gap]ers wombe, and whereby it was there ſuſtained, turneth into

milke, and commeth into the breaſts when the childe commeth out of the wombe. Whence we may gather, that of all womens milke, that womans milke is fitteſt for the childe, out of whoſe wombe the childe came.

3. Together with the milke paſſeth ſome ſmacke of the affection and diſpoſition of the mother: which maketh mothers to loue ſuch children beſt as they haue giuen ſucke vnto: yea and oft times ſuch children as haue ſucked their mothers breaſts, loue their mothers beſt: yea we may obſerue many who haue ſucked others milke, to loue thoſe nurſes all the daies of their life.

4. Other things are nouriſhed by the ſame that they are bred. The earth out of which plants grow, miniſtreth nouriſhment to the ſaid plants: trees that bring forth fruit yeeld ſap to that fruit, whereby it groweth to ripeneſſe: vnreaſonable creatures, and among them the moſt ſauage wilde beaſts, as Tigers and Dragons, yea ſea-monſters giue ſucke to their young ones; whereupon the Prophet ſaith of women that giue not ſucke to their Children, that they are more cruell then thoſe ſeamonſters, Like the Oſtriches in the wilderneſſe: for the cruell Oſtrich, and the hatefull Cucco are the two kinde of creatures which are noted to leaue their young ones for others to nouriſh; the Oſtrich leaueth her eggs in the duſt: the Cucco leaueth hers in other birds neſts. Other creatures (if nature afford them not milke and dugges, as to birds it doth not) feed their young ones other waies, yet by themſelues.

5. Shall I adde another argument which daily experience confirmeth, namely Gods bleſſing vpon this motherly dutie: commonly ſuch children as are nurſed by their mothers, proſper beſt. Mothers are moſt tender ouer them, and cannot indure to let them lie crying out, without taking them vp. and ſtilling them; as nurſes will let them crie and crie againe, if they be about any buſineſſe of their owne. For who are commonly choſen to be nurſes? euen poore countrie women which haue much worke to doe, and little helpe; and ſo are forced to let the childe lie and crie, many times till it burſt againe. Children nurſed by their mothers are for the moſt part more cleanly, and neatly brought vp, freer from diſeaſes;

not ſo many die; I am ſure not ſo many through negligence caſt away. The number of nurſe children that die euery yeere is very great. It hath beene obſerued in many countrie villages, that the moſt part, that from time to time die there, are nurſe children. Are not mothers that might haue nurſed their owne children if they would, acceſſary to the death of thoſe that are caſt away by the nurſes negligence?

On theſe and other like reaſons heathen women, and very ſauages, haue in all ages beene moued to nurſe their owne children: and ſome heathen Philoſophers haue vrged and preſſed the neceſſitie of this dutie. Neuer was it more neglected, then among thoſe that beare the name of Chriſtians.

Let mothers know of what ranke or degree ſo euer they be, that (out of the caſe of neceſſitie) they haue no warrant to put forth their children to others to nurſe. We read not in all the Scripture of any holy women that euer did it.

Obiect. Many nurſes are mentioned in Scripture, as Rebekahs nurſe, Mephiboſheths nurſe, Ioaſh his nurſe, and others.

1. Anſw. Such nurſes mentioned in Scripture were commonly drie nurſes. Rebekahs nurſe went with her before ſhe was maried: how can it be thought that ſhe was a milch nurſe? Could they tell when Rebekah ſhould haue a childe? or when he had one, that Deborah (the nurſe there mentioned) ſhould haue milke for her? It is ſaid that Naomi became nurſe to Ruths

[gap]hilde: now Naomi was old, long before this ſhe was paſt [gap]hild-bearing, without an husband for many yeeres: how then was it poſſible that ſhe ſhould giue ſucke? She was therefore a [gap]rie nurſe, as other nurſes mentioned in Scripture.

2. Anſw. The mothers of thoſe children which are ſaid to [gap]aue nurſes (if thoſe nurſes were milch-nurſes) might be [gap]ead: or if liuing, not able to giue ſucke for want of milke, [gap]ipple, or for ſome other like defect: or if able, ſinne in putting forth their children.

3. Anſw. Though it be ſaid that there were nurſes, yet is no where ſaid, that a mother put forth her childe to ſucke.

2. Obiect. Pharohs daughter put forth the childe which ſhe [gap]oke for her owne to nurſe.

Anſw. She bare not this childe, nor was the naturall mother of it, ſo as this is nothing to the purpoſe. Yea it maketh againſt the obiectors, in that the true mother of this childe nurſed it.

3. Obiect. The metaphor taken from nurſes is oft vſed, and applied to God, and to Gods miniſters.

1. Anſw. The vſing of a thing by way of compariſon and reſemblance doth not ſimply iuſtifie it: inſtance the parable of the vniuſt ſteward, and of a theefe.

2. Anſw. The metaphor may be taken from a drie nurſe as well as a milch nurſe: for the compariſons are not vſed of giuing ſucke, but of bearing and carrying in armes, as drie nurſes vſe to carry children.

3. Anſw. The metaphors are moſt fitly taken from mothers that are nurſes to their owne children.

5. Obiect. Mothers that are of great wealth and high place cannot endure the paine of nurſing, nor take the paines in handling young children as they muſt be handled.

1. Anſw. The greateſt that be muſt ſet themſelues to doe that duty which God requireth at their hands, though it be with paine and paines. Note Sarahs example before recorded.

2. Anſw. By this it appeareth, that if other women could beare their children in the wombe nine moneths, and endure the paine of trauell for them, they would hire them to doe it. But ſeeing they doe the one (namely beare and bring forth their owne children with hard labour) why ſhould they not doe the other? If they ſay there is an vnauoidable neceſſity of bearing and bringing forth their children; I anſwer, that conſcience ought to moue them to nurſe thoſe children, which neceſſity forceth them to bring forth. God by this latter o[gap] nurſing children maketh triall of women whether they will for conſcience ſake, doe that duty which they may if they will put off. But becauſe God knew that many will doe no more then neceſſity laieth vpon them, he hath made it a matter o[gap]

impoſſibility for women to beare and bring forth their children by another.

3. Anſw. If women would with cheerefulneſſe ſet themſelues to performe this duty, much of the ſuppoſed paine and paines would be leſſened.

4. Anſw. Though they put not forth their children to nurſe, they may for their eaſe entertaine a nurſe, ſo they giue ſucke themſelues.