Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/151

 Rh

their capacity and practise only to set them to others to aske: for it is the part of a bad master to set his Schollars too hard a taske, that they might runne to their fellowes to make exercises, this is the way to non-proficiency. But Moses in the Ceremoniall Ordinances did point out Christ, and so as a good Schoole-master directed unto him; and by shewing unto the Jewes their weaknesse and inability, convincing them of sinne, terrifying their consciences, he did drive them unto Christ, and informed them how to walke being in Christ, that they might inherite the promise. Thus the Law entred that sinne might abound, it discovered sinne, wrought wrath, wounded, terrified and killed, and withall revealed the remedy to be had, not in the Law, but in Christ, that the distressed might not rest in the Law, but seek unto Christ, and live. In a Schoole we must have rods to keep refractory boyes in awe, and idle boyes to their bookes, according to the common Proverbe, A rod in a Schoole is alwayes in season. This was found with Moses in his Schoole, and used as occasion was offered. The Ceremonies were as an hand-writing against them, as they witnessed their uncleanenesse, or bound them to the debt of the Law: and a curse was denounced against them that should not continue in all things that was written in the booke of the Law to doe them. Schoole-masters must have Apples and toyes to traine up boyes of better and softer natures, who be won with a Nut and lost with the shell: This the Schoole of the Law wanted not in the hand of Moses, as the outward temporall blessings of this life plentifully spoken too, and distributed by the hand of Moses in his Booke: The Jewes were as Infants and little children that are much pleased with rattles and other toyes: and Moses the rather to winne and keepe them in obedience, doth make large promises of corporall blessings and an earthly inheritance, as did befit the state and condition of that people. But if these prevaile not, he hath his Ferula and gentle rod, which is the commination of temporall calamities and judgements to be inflicted upon transgressours. It is expedient a Schoole-master have some other practises besides Rods and Nuts to breake their wils, and make them corrigible and teachable, tractable and gentle, which the Law provided for aboundantly, having to doe with a stiffe-necked people, and stubborn Schollars. Three kinds of impositions Moses propounded unto his Schollars to beare.