instruction in righteousness such instructions as are drawn out of the Scriptures to instruct and direct us how to lead a righteous and holy life It is sometimes also used for correction Heb. 12.5 My son despise not the chastening of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies such a teaching as fixeth in the mind and fasteneth upon the heart those instructions which are useful to inform the judgment and reform the life To this effect Zanchy interprets this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat admonitionem non simpliciter sed talem quâ in mentem pueri ponas ingeras quae sunt illi ad salutem necessaria And Camerarius Significat efficacem admonitionem quâ aliquis ad meliorem mentem revocatur The Apostle adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that those instructions and admonitions which we give our Children must not be what our own hearts or our own wisdom prompts us to but they must be drawn out of the word of the Lord. The Ethiopick Translation renders the words thus Enutrite erudite in Doctrina Dei bring them up and instruct them in the Doctrine of God The Doctrine of God is an Epithet given the Gospel Tit. 2.10 When therefore the Apostle exhorts Parents to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord the sense and meaning of those words is to this effect That they should labour by instruction correction and dayly admonitions to train up their Children in the knowledge faith and obedience of the Word of God and thus the generality of Expositors interpret this place As Beza Monitis ex verbo Dei petitis Draw the Counsel and Admonitions which you give your Children out of the word of God And Vatablus Date eis vivendi modum secundum doctrinam monita Christi Give them Rules and Directions how to order their Lives according to the Doctrine and Commandments of Christ Zanch. Vt pueri instituantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est in verâ Dei cegnitione verâ Pietate veraque religione doctrinam coelestem in liberorum animos semper instillando To bring up our Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is to bring them up in the true knowledge of God true Piety and the true Religion by a continual instilling heavenly Doctrine that is the word of God into our Childrens minds And Piscator Erudiant instituant in Doctrina Christiana Let them bring them up and instruct them in the Doctrine of Christ Corn. Lapid Vos O Patres educate illos in Doctrina Christi date eis Christiana monita quibus bene Christiane vivendi modum addiscant Do you O Fathers educate your Children in the Doctrine of Christ give them Christian counsel that they may learn to live well and as becometh Christians Our English Annotations explain those words In the admonition of the Lord thus Such Admonitions Instructions and Precepts as are taken out of the word of God and are acceptable to him I might mention Theodoret Chrysostom who discourseth very largely on this place about the education of Children in the knowledge of the Scriptures and divers others who give the same sence of this Text but I suppose it needless to adde any more VVhat is implied in those words Bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord may be gathered by comparing this place with 1 Tim. 4.6 where the same Apostle speaking of Timothy saith He was nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine And what those words of Faith and good Doctrine were in which Timothy was nourished up we may learn from 1 Tim. 6.3 Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness So that to bring up our Children in the nurture and admontion of the Lord is to nourish them up from their Childhood in the knowledge of the word of the Lord and especially to instill such portions of the Gospel into their minds as may breed in their hearts faith in Jesus Christ and may bring them to lead godly and holy Lives SECT 2. Servants as well as Children are to be instructed IT may be some will say These Scriptures which you have produced speak fully of teaching Gods word unto our Children but here is nothing spoken of instructing our Servants How doth it appear that we are to teach Gods word unto our Servants as well as unto our Children I answer 1. In Deut. 6.7 8. Where the Lord commands us to lay up his words in our hearts and to teach them diligently unto our Children there is added Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and vers 9. Thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and on thy gates which Precepts imply thus much That it is our duty not only to teach our Children but that we are also bound to instruct all that go out and all that come in at our doors even our whole houshold in the knowledge of the word of God 2. In those fore-quoted Scriptures wherein the Lord commandeth us to teach his word unto our Children we are commanded to teach our Servants also for our Servants are comprehended in this word Children This will be made evident by considering how the word Children is used in other places and the use of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is usual with the Scripture to call those persons whom we either do or by our duty are obliged to instruct our Children 1 John 2.1 My little Children these things I write unto you that ye sin not 2 Cor. 6.13 I speak as unto my Children Psal 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The People of a Nation that are united under one form of Government are called the Children of that Nation Thus we read of the Children of Israel and the Children of Judah 2 Chron. 13.18 The Children of Israel were brought under at that time and the Children of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers The Children of Israel signifie the ten Tribes that were under Jeroboam's Government and the Children of Judah the two Tribes that were under the Government of the house of David Now if all the People that belong to one Nation are called the Children of that Nation why may not all the members of a Family be called the Children of that Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Hebrew word that is used for Children Deut. 6.7 is translated by the Septuagint Zeph. 1.8 Amos 3.1 and in many other places by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an House or a Family And younger persons are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Prov. 7.7 I discerned among the youths where the Hebrew word translated youths is the same with that which is rendred Children Deut. 6.7 It is also of
that comprehensive signification that it includes all Inferiours and such as are in subjection to others as well as Children 2 King 16.7 So Ahaz sent Messengers to Tiglath-Pileser saying I am thy Servant and thy Son And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Servants as well as Children It is rendred a Servant Mat. 8.13 Mat. 14.2 It is translated a Child John 4.51 Mat. 2.16 So also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is another word used for Children signifieth not only Children in a strict sense that is such as come out of our Loyns but such Persons as inhabit one and the same place are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 13.34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy Children together And such as are under the care and instruction of one and the same person are called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mans Children Thus the Apostle writing to the Corinthians whom he had instructed and begotten to Christ calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Sons 1 Cor. 4.14 As my beloved Sons I warn you I may adde this farther That the Master of a Family is called Pater Familias The Father of the Family Naamans Servants call their Master Father 2 Kings 5.13 His Servants came near unto him and said My Father And it is usual in Scripture for Superiours to call their Servants and Inferiours by the name of Sons or Children I will produce of many instances which might be named only these two the one of Joshua who calls Achan son Josh 7.19 Joshua said unto Achan My son give I pray thee glory to the God of Israel and make confession to him The other of Christ who tells his Disciples that he was their Lord and Master John 13.13 yet he calls them by the name of Children John 21.5 Jesus saith unto them Children have ye any meat 3. The practice and example of the Servants of God in former Ages proveth it to be our duty to instruct our Servants as well as our Children If we observe what they did we shall find they were careful to train up their houshold in the knowledge and fear of God Thus did Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment So also did Joshua Josh 24.15 As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Cornelius being a devout man himself trained up all his house in the fear of God Act. 10.2 A devout man and one that feared God with all his House 4. In all Religious Exercises we find Governours of Families enjoyned to regard with an equal care their Children and their Servants whether they be Men or Maid Servants As for instance in the sanctification of the Sabbath they are commanded to look after their Servants and them that sojourn with them as well as their Children Exod. 20.8 Remember the sabbath to keep it holy In it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy stranger that is within thy Gates So also in the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles the whole Family was to keep the Feast unto the Lord Deut. 16.14 Thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man servant and thy maid servant 5. Instruction is as necessary for and will be as beneficial to our Servants as our Children as shall be shewed afterwards and therefore we should not think much to bestow our pains in teaching them such things as are necessary to salvation Seeing 1. They have immortal Souls which are as precious to God as our own Souls or the Souls of our Children Ezek. 18.4 Behold all Souls are mine 2. Jesus Christ hath done as great things for our Servants as he hath done for us or our Children He died for them as well as for us He makes the Bond as well as the Free Members of his Body and Partakers of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been made to drink into one Spirit He makes no distinction of Bond or Free in the communication of his benefits but the bond man and the free man are all one in Christ Gal. 3.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 3. God the Father will do as great things for our servants as he will for us or our Children if they seek and serve him he will give them his Spirit Joel 2.29 And also upon the Servants and upon the Handmaids in those days I will pour out my Spirit He will give them an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven Col. 3.22 24. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be He will give them all good things Psal 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Shall we think much to spend a little time and to take a little pains in teaching our Servants when God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ doth such great things for them It is evident from these Scriptures which I have produced that it is our duty to teach Gods word unto our Children and not only to our Children but also to our Servants yea that there are many clear express and strict Commandments given to us by the great God for our performance of this Duty Now how shall we be able to appear before God at the day of Judgment if we live in the neglect of a known Duty which is so often and so earnestly pressed upon us by God himself SECT 3. The ignorance of Children and Servants proves the necessity of Family-Instruction The Evils of Ignorance Arg. 2 THe great ignorance that is in our Children and Servants sheweth Family-Instruction to be a necessary duty Children before they are instructed have no knowledge of the things of God Deut. 31.13 And that their Children which have not known any thing And not Children only but the greater part of such as are grown to mans estate have little or no knowledge of God Psal 14.2 The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God And what account doth he give of the Children of men Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God There is none comparatively there are so few understanding men that they seem to be none compared with the multitude of ignorant persons or if it relate to men in an unregenerate condition they are all destitute of the true and
saving knowledge of God and Jesus Christ Even in those places in those families and in those Churches where persons injoy great means of knowledge if inquiry be made what understanding in the things of God such persons have attained unto there will be found much ignorance in many that have a long time injoyed great advantages to get knowledge The people of Israel had greater means of knowledge than any Nation under Heaven Psal 147.19 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation yet hear how God complains of Israels ignorance Jer 4.22 My people is foolish they have not known me they are foolish children and they have none understanding they are wise to do evill but to do good they have no knowledge The Hebrews who had excellent teaching a long time in so much that in respect of the time and means they might have been Teachers of others were so raw and weak in knowledge that it was needful for them to be instructed in the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God The Church of Corinth had many eminent Pastors and Teachers as Paul Apollo c. and did excel in gifts 1 Cor. 5.7 In every thing ye are inriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge so that ye come behind in no gift Yet in this eminent Church there were some found that had no knowledge of God 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Now in regard there is naturally much blindness and ignorance in the minds and understandings of our children and Servants it is necessary we should labour and take great pains with them to bring them to the knowledge of God by instructing them out of Gods word if we have any regard either to the glory of God or to our own good or the good of our Children and Families For 1. The permitting of our Families to remain without the knowledge of God will bring down Gods Judgments upon them for God is wont to pour out his fury upon those persons and Families that have no knowledge of God Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Ignorance of God was one ground of the Lords controversie with the Land of Israel Hos 4.1 The Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land If where the knowledge of God is wanting in a Nation God hath a controversie with that Nation may we not also conclude that God hath a controversie and will plead his controversie with those Families where there is no knowledge of God 2. Our Children will prove great Crosses and bring much grief and sorrow upon us if we train them up in ignorance Prov. 17.25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her that bare him Prov. 19.13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father And as they will be a great grief to their Parents who are nursed up in ignorance so they will walk in such courses as will pierce themselves through with many sorrows Hos 13.13 The sorrows of a travelling woman shall come upon him he is an unwise son 3. If we do not instruct our Children and endeavour to instil knowledge into them they will become useless persons and spend their days in vanity and do no service for God or their Generation They will be unable to undertake and manage common and easie employments Eccles 10.15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City What is more easie to find out than the way to a City where there is much commerce and frequent going to and fro Such persons as are foolish and indiscreet though they labour and toil in common and easie things as easie as to find the way to a City they can bring nothing to any effect And as foolish children will be unable to manage any employments of themselves so so they are unfit to be employed by others Prov. 26.6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage 4. If our Children and Servants be not taught to know the Lord they cannot live godly lives but will be alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart They will be so far from leading godly lives if they be brought up in ignorance of God that they will prove vitious persons when the Israelites neglected the knowledge of God they became a sinful nation a people laden with iniquity Isa 1.3 4. Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinful nation A people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers Children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy One of Israel to anger they are gone away backward The Apostle ranketh such as are without understanding among haters of God and the chiefest of sinner Rom. 1.30 31. If our Children and Servants be destitute of the knowledge of God they will be easily drawn to the vilest and most abominable sins such as Idolatry Gal. 4.8 When ye knew not God ye did service to them which by nature are no Gods Blasphemy Psal 74.18 The foolish people have blasphemed thy Name Persecution of the people of God so far as to kill and destroy them Joh. 16.2 3. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service and these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Adultery Prov. 7.7 10 21 22 25. I beheld among the simple ones I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding and behold there met him a woman with the attire of an Harlot With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him he goeth after her straight-way as an Ox goeth to the slaughter till a dart strike through his Liver as a Bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Such as have no instruction or being instructed do not obey the counsels that are given to them are in the ready way to run into all kind of evil Prov. 5.13 14. I have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation and the Assembly If we tremble at the thoughts of having our Children prove Blasphemers Idolaters Adulterers Persecutors of the people of God and
should instruct them how to follow their Calling and how to speak and walk and to order their conversations aright in all things we should shew them the path of Life and guide them therein that they may obtain eternal salvation in the world to come 4. God teacheth his children and servants out of his holy Word Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law The Lord builds up all his houshold in knowledge faith and holiness upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is the Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.19 20. Ye are of the Houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone He instructs penitent persons by making known his word to them Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my Reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you David describes Gods teaching his people Israel thus Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel In like manner when we teach our children and servants we should teach them out of the word of God and establish them in the knowledge belief and practice of the Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles 5. The Lord condescends to teach such as are of a froward and perverse disposition The Children of Israel were a perverse generation Deut. 32.5 They are a perverse and crooked generation yet the Lord taught and instructed Israel Vers 10. He found him in a desart Land and in the waste howling Wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye And this he did notwithstanding they were a very froward people as Moses tells us again vers 20. They are a very froward Generation In like manner though our Children or Servants should be of a froward perverse spirit yet we should not forbear instructing them 6. The Lord imprints and fastens in the minds and hearts of his Children and Servants those Instructions which he giveth them hence he is said to seal their instruction Job 33.14 He openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction So should we endeavour to imprint those Instructions which we give our Families upon their minds that they may retain them in their memories as long as they live SECT 7. Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children Quest IT may be some will here demand Is it not the Duty of Mothers as well as of Fathers to teach their Children Answ Although the Scripture doth forbid Women teaching in publick Assemblies 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law 1 Tim. 2.11 12. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence Yet it doth allow them to teach their Children and Servants and though this work doth lie chiefly upon Fathers to teach Gods word unto their Children as appeareth by the special charge that is given to them Ephes 6.4 Isa 38.19 Psal 78.5 yet it is the duty of Mothers also to instruct and watch over their Children and Servants For the proving hereof and the stirring up of Mothers to joyn with and to be helpful to their Husbands in instructing their Children and Servants I shall propose to them these following Considerations 1. It hath been the practice of godly women in former times to instruct their Children in the knowledge of the Scriptures which the holy Ghost hath left upon record as a monument of their praise as long as the world shall continue and as a Pattern to be followed by all women that fear God Solomons mother though she was a Queen did not look upon it as a work beneath her to instruct her Son but taught him a Prophecy containing excellent Lessons concerning Chastity and Temperance defending the Oppressed c. Prov. 31.1 The words of King Lemuel the Prophecy which his mother taught him What this Prophecy was that his mother taught him is set down in the following verses Solomon was instructed by his Father Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son he taught me also yet Solomon's mother did not think her self excused from teaching her Son because his Father instructed him but she joyn'd with her husband and teacheth him a Prophecy Now if those women who haue godly Husbands that instruct their Families must also instruct their Children how much more is it the duty of those women who have careless and negligent Husbands that regard not their Families to be diligent in teaching their Children and Servants Another example we have in Lois and Eunice Lois being converted to the Christian Religion trains up her Daughter Eunice in the faith of Christ Eunice being instructed in the faith of Christ instructs her Son Timothy 2 Tim. 1.9 2. Children are commanded to hearken to and not forsake the instruction which their Mothers as well as which their Fathers give them out of the Law of God Prov. 1.8 My Son hear the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother which implies That Mothers as well as Fathers are to teach Gods Laws to their Children 3. It is mentioned as one of the Vertues of a vertuous woman That she looketh well to the ways of her Houshold Prov. 31.27 and this oversight that she takes of the ways of her Houshhold conduceth so much to the good of her Children that it will cause them to bless God for her as long as they live as the next verse implieth Her Children arise up and call her blessed vers 28. And the Apostle Paul adviseth elder women to be Teachers of good things Tit. 2.3 And he tells them both whom they should teach younger women and what Lessons they should teach younger women vers 4.5 which is to be understood of instilling those Principles into their Children and Maid Servants how they should demean themselves when God shall bring them into a married estate and also of instructing their Neighbours and Acquaintance when they visit them and have occasion to confer with them 4. The Mother as well as the Father doth concur to the conveying of a sinful nature unto their Children Psal 51.5 In sin did my Mother conceive me And therefore Mothers ought by their prayers and tears and instructions and the use of all good means to endeavour after the Conversion and Regeneration of their Children as well as their Fathers 5. Children are very apt to follow their Mothers example in so much that it 's become a Proverb As is the Mother so is the Daughter and the truth of this Proverb is such that God himself alloweth of it Ezek. 16.44 Behold every one that useth Proverbs shall use this Proverb
grief to their Parents Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give wisdom but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame Prov. 17 25. A foolish Son is a grief to his Father and bitterness to her that bare him 5. The neglect of instructing our Families and training them up in the fear of God causeth God to inflict many great and sore judgments on our Families and such as shall continue upon them from Generation to Generation 1 Sam. 3.13 14. I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not and therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's House shall not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever SECT 7. Family-Instruction will propagate Religion to a thousand Generations Motive 7 BY instructing our Children and Servants in the knowledge of the Scriptures and training them up in the fear of God we shall be a means of erecting many godly Families and shall greatly propagate the true Religion and Power of Godliness and shall prove great Blessings not only to the present Generation but also to the Generations that are to come For if we instruct our Children and the Lord bless our Labours and we have no cause to doubt of his Blessing if we be diligent and faithful in our work our Children will teach their Children and their Children will teach the next Generation and so by our means the knowledge of God and his Gospel will be transmitted from Generation to Generation as long as the world stands For Children are very apt to walk in all those ways that they see their Fathers walk in 1 King 22.43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his Father he turned not aside from it doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Solomon gives this reason why he taught his Children his Father taught him when he was a Child Prov. 4.1 3 4. Hear ye Children the instruction of a Father and attend to know understanding for I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also and said Let thy heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live That if we teach Gods Word unto our Children they will teach it to their Children and their Children will teach the next Generation and so the knowledge of God and his holy Word will be transmitted from one Generation to another is implyed in Psal 78.2 3 4 5 6. I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known unto their Chidlren that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare unto their Children that they might set their hope in God c. And as our Children so also our Servants whom we have instructed when God shall give them Families they will teach their Housholds the ways of the Lord and such as spring out of their Loyns will tread in their steps and instruct their Families whereby the Kingdom of Christ will be greatly inlarged Solomon instructed his Servants 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom And we find the Children of Solomons Servants who were generally reputed to be Profelites that had embraced the Jewish Religion spoken of in the Scriptures and giving evidence of their Piety for many Generations after Solomon's death they evidenced their Piety by adhering to the Jews who were the People and Church of the living God and that when they were in a low condition and under great misery by reason of the Babylonish Captivity 2. By their returning out of Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem Ezra 2.1 55. after they had dwelt in Babylon seventy years where they had built Houses and planted Vineyards Jer. 29.4 5. and could not leave those Houses and Vineyards without much loss 3. The Children of Solomon's Servants are reckoned up amongst those that were most forward to come out of Babylon unto Zion Neh. 7.5 6 57. 4. They went out of Babylon to Jerusalem to build the House of the Lord which was a great costly and difficult work Ezra 1.3 5. compared with Chap. 2.1 55. and that is a further evidence of their Piety that they went not up to Jerusalem for their own ends but that the Lord had stirred up their spirits to go thither to build the Lords House This example sheweth that Instruction is a means to propagate Religion to many Generations for from Solomon to the carrying away of the Jews into Babylon were thirteen Generations Mat. 1.17 and from their going into Babylon till their return from thence seventy years Jer. 29 10. And we find the Children of Solomons Servants retaining a savour of true Piety from Solomon's days till their return from Babylon By the means of Family-Instruction rightly managed what is promised Isa 60.22 A little one shall become a thousand may be verified of our Families Religion may be so propagated by training up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God that from one little Family that feareth God may in process of time arise a thousand godly Families And what is said of Israel Isa 27.6 Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit The like may be said of those godly persons that train up their Families in the fear of God they shall do much towards the filling of the face of the world with the fruits of Righteousness Religion will be so propagated from one Family to another and from one Generation to another by the means of Family-Instruction that hereby may be fulfilled what is spoken of Isa 58.12 They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise up the foundations of many Generations and thou shalt be called The Repairer of the Breach and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in And hereby we may become an Eternal Excellency the Joy of many Generations and many Children that are yet unborn shall rise up and call us Blessed and will have cause to bless God on our behalf to all Eternity It is said of Abraham who instructed his Family All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him Now he became a Blessing to all Nations not only upon the account that the Messiah came out of his Loyns of which the Holy Ghost speaks Gen. 22.18 where he attributes the Blessing of all Nations not to Abraham but to his Seed In thy Seed shall all the Nations
not answer our Prayers for our Children whilst we live yet he may answer those Prayers after we are dead which we did offer up to him whilst we lived with them Our Lord JESUS CHRIST prayed for the Jews that were so vile and wicked as to put him to death Luke 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do And as an answer of Christs Prayer thousands of those Jews that were not wrought upon either by Christs Doctrine or Miracles or Godly Life but continued in an impenitent condition till after his death yea were so hardened as to have an hand in the crucifying of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory were notwithstanding converted by the preaching of the Apostle Peter Acts 2 23.37 41. Suppose neither your Instructions nor godly Example nor Prayers should prevail for the conversion of your Children whilst you live but they should be vile and stubborn and disobedient to God and to you unto your dying day yet cease not praying for them It may be the Lord will answer your prayers by making use of others to convert them when you are laid in your Graves 4. We should sin against God if we should cease praying for our Children because we see no effect of our Prayers but do behold much stubborness and perversness in them The people of Israel were a perverse people Samuel saw little fruit of his Instructions or Prayers on their behalf they were set upon their own way and he could not disswade them from desiring a change of Government although therein they did not only reject Samuel but God himself from raigning over them 1 Sam. 8.5 6 7 8. yet he would not cease from praying for them lest he should sin against the Lord 1 Sam. 12.23 Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you If Samuel was afraid to cease praying for a stubborn perverse people lest he should sin against the Lord ought not Parents to continue praying for their graceless and disobedient Children for fear if they should cease to pray for them they also should sin against the Lord 5. If you have prayed for your Childrens Conversion and cannot prevail joyn fasting with prayer Sometimes mercies cannot be obtained from God unless we fast as well as pray Mark 9.29 This kind can come forth by nothing but by Prayer and Fasting If we have a Child that is sick unto death we do not stick at seeking God by Fasting and Prayer for its Recovery 2 Sam. 12.15 16. The Lord struck the Child that Vriah's wife bare unto David and it was very sick David therefore besought God for the Child and David fasted And shall we not much more seek to God by fasting and prayer to recover our Children and Servants from the power of sin and Satan and to deliver them from everlasting Burnings This duty of Fasting rightly performed is of great use both for the obtaining direction from God in the management of our undertakings Ezra 8.21 23. I proclaimed a Fast that we might afflict our selves before our God to seek of him a right way for us and for our little ones and for our substance so we fasted and besought our God for this and he was intreated of us And also for procuring of success in what we take in hand as we may see in the case of Esther Nehemiah and several others who setting upon their undertakings with fasting and prayer prosperously effected what they took in hand though their work was very great and attended with very great difficulties God seldom lets any Fast that is performed in a right manner go without a remarkable Reward Matth. 6.17 18. And therefore it will be very much for our own and our Families advantage to set apart some days of humiliation with our Families to seek God by fasting and prayer to bless and succeed us in this Work of Family-Instruction SECT 20. The usefulness of Faith in reference to Family-Instruction Several sorts of Promises relating to our Families The Case of such as are discouraged from acting Faith upon the Promises because they see no Fruit of their Faith or Labours Direct 20 ACT your Faith upon God for the Conversion and Salvation of such as are under your charge Trust in him by vertue of his Promises to bless and prosper your Labours in teaching your Families We read of Isaac that he blessed his Children in faith Heb. 11.20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come As Isaac blessed his Children in faith so should we instruct our Children in faith believing that God will bless our Instructions for the doing their souls good To do our work in faith believing in God and resting upon God for his blessing is the way to prosper in what we do 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper By believing in the Lord we may obtain salvation for our Houshold as well as for our own Souls Acts 16.31 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House Which is not to be understood as though the Governours faith would avail for the salvation of such of his House as live and die in an unregenerate condition but that upon his believing and using of the means of Grace in faith he shall obtain conversion and so consequently salvation for his Houshold Wherefore seeing Faith is of such prevalencie with God as to obtain converting Grace and Salvation for our Families I shall put you in mind of several sorts of Promises which may encourage and help you to trust in God for Family-Mercies and Family-Blessings and that not only Temporal but Spiritual and Eternal Blessings As for instance 1. God hath promised not only to be a God to his People but also the God of their Families Jer. 31.1 At the same time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my People 2. The Lord hath promised to bless the several Members of his Peoples Families as the Wife the Children the Servants He hath promised to bless the Wife and to make her as a fruitful Vine Psal 128.1 2 3. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways for thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine House Now that we may understand what is couched under this phrase Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine Let us consider what the Scripture saith of the Vine in other places The Vine brings forth Wine which cheareth God and men Judg. 9.13 It casteth forth a pleasant delightful smell Cant. 2.13 To dwell under a Vine implies safety and confidence 1 King 4.25 Also a dwelling in peace without Wars Jars and Contentions Mich. 4.34 The Vine hath no
1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein 3. It is a sign they have little or no love to or esteem of the word of God who do not learn and teach their Children to read it 4. The want of ability to read is usually accompanied with very gross ignorance of God and the mysteries of salvation Thirdly If you cannot read be swift to hear Gods word and get your Neighbours to read to you and labour to retain in your memories what you have heard others read and teach that to your Families which God helps you to carry away in your memories SECT 3. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because they have disordered Families answered Object 3 Mr Family is not well inclined my Chil-Children and Servants are rude loose and disorderly If I had a Family as well ordered as some of my Neighbours I should be very willing to teach and instruct them It is the want of good inclinations and good order in my Family that keeps me from setting on this work Answ 1. If your Families are not well inclined but loose and disorderly they have the more need of instruction 1 Thes 5.14 Now we exhort you Brethren warn those that are unruly Though they have no inclinations to that which is good but walk disorderly yet you should not think much to bestow your pains to instruct them Did not Christ take great pains for us in coming from Heaven to seek and save our Souls when we had nothing of good in us but were in a sinful lost perishing condition The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Luke 19.10 2. Instruction will be a means to breed good inclinations in your Children and Servants and to convert them from their sinful courses unto the Lord if they be such as live in the transgression of the Commandments of God Psal 51.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy Ways and Sinners shall be converted unto thee 3. If your Families be disordered and given to any Vice and you do not labour to reform them by instructing reproving and praying for them God will punish both you and your Families for ever them for their sins you for not restraining them 1 Sam. 3.13 I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not SECT 4. The plea of such as have dull Children or Servants answered How to deal with dull Persons and such as have weak Memories Object 4 Mr Children and Servants are so dull and have such weak Memories that I cannot make them understand or remember any thing and this discourageth me from instructing them Answ 1. Dulness of Understanding and weakness of Memory oft-times proceed from the neglect and disuse of those Faculties good Tools will grow rusty and unfit for service if they be not used It was the field of the slothful which Solomon saw all grown over with Thorns and covered with Nettles Prov. 24.30 31. Though a person may have good parts yet if from his youth he neglect to bend his mind to understand the things of God and to get the word of God into his memory he will find his understanding dull in apprehending and his memo-weak in retaining Divine Objects 2. Though your Children and Servants seem to be very dull and simple yet by instructing them out of the word of God they may become very wise and prudent persons Psal 19.7 The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Solomon speaking of the word of God saith It will give subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 1.4 Though your children be so raw dull and ignorant that they know nothing at all of the things of God yet by instructing them out of the word of God you may bring them to know and fear the Lord Deut. 31.11 13. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing that their Children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God 3. If your Children and Servants be dull of apprehension and have weak memories this should not cause you to desist from instructing them but you should rather take the more pains with them Eccles 10.10 If the iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge then must he put to the more strength but wisdom is profitable to direct The duller any persons are the more need they have of being taught Heb. 5.11 12. Ye are dull of hearing ye have need that one teach you Though we are guilty of much folly and ignorance and dulness the Lord our God doth not cease from teaching and instructing us but guides and directs us continually Psal 73.22 23 24. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee nevertheless I am continually with thee thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel If God who is our Master doth not leave off instructing us because of our simplicity and dulness shall we think much to teach our Servants because of their ignorance and dulness 4. If your Children and Servants be dull and have weak memories you must suit your instructions to their capacities and seeing as Solomon observeth that when a man hath to do with blunt tools Wisdom is profitable to direct wisely consider by what ways and means you may so carry on this work of Instruction as may make most for their edification in regard of the dulness of their understandings and weakness of their memories And to this purpose I shall suggest to you these following directions 1. Let the Scriptures which you teach them be plain and easie There are some things in the Scriptures which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 And there be other things that are plain and easie Now they that are to deal with dull persons must wave those things that are hard to be understood Heb. 5.11 and must teach them such things as are plain and easie otherwise they will profit little or nothing by the instructions which you give them 1 Cor. 14.9 Except ye utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air And therefore if there be any obscurity either in the matter or in the words and phrases of those Scriptures which you teach them explain the sense and meaning thereof as the Levites did when they read the Law to the people Neh. 8.7 8. 2. Let the Scriptures which you teach them be short and such as may be easily remembred as well as easily understood Let them also be comprehensive such as comprehend much matter in few words As for instance Solomon comprehends the whole duty of man in few words when he saith Eccles 12.13
of thine Enemies that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger And we find this Scripture applied by Christ to the little Children who cried in the Temple Hosanna to the Son of David Matth. 21.15 16. These little Children by the Revelation of Gods Spirit knew and understood that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah which thing was hid from many of the Pharisees who were wise and prudent men Matth. 11.25 4. Suppose our Children should not understand for the present some of those Scriptures which we teach them yet they may understand them and reap great benefit from them hereafter it may be after we are laid in our Graves John 12.16 These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified then remembred they that those things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him And in another place we find that the Disciples after Christs death were much helped in their Faith by remembring a word that Christ had said to them in his Life time about his building of the Temple in three days after it should be destroyed John 2.22 When he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said 5. It is not a profaning of Gods Name or of his holy Word to teach our Children the Scriptures whilst they are young but it makes much for the glorifying of God When little Children cried in the Temple Hosanna to the Son of David the chief Priests and Scribes were sore displeased but what said Christ to this He justifies them he saith it redounded to Gods praise yea so far was he from counting it a profaning of Gods Name that he calls it a perfection of praise Matth. 21.16 Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected praise And therefore we should look upon this as a Temptation of Satan when we are perswaded to neglect instructing our Children while they are young lest we should thereby profane the Name of the Lord. 6. Jesus Christ hath given a Charge for the feeding of his Lambs as well as his Sheep John 21.15 Lovest thou me Feed my Lambs He was much displeased with those that would have hinder'd little Children from being brought unto him Mark 10.13 14. They brought young Children to him that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked those that brought them but when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God It is the duty of little Children to praise the Lord Psal 149.12 13. Both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the Name of the Lord. And how can they do this except we teach them to praise the Lord Amongst the Offerings under the Law we find several Creatures offered to God very young Samuel offered a sucking Lamb 1 Sam. 7.9 And Aaron is required to offer a young Calf Lev. 9.2 And they that were poor and could not go to the price of a Lamb were to offer two young Pigeons Lev. 5.7 This may teach us that we cannot dedicate our selves or our Children too soon to the Lord but the younger our Children are when we begin to train them up in the knowledge and fear of God the more acceptable it will be to the Lord who desireth the knowledge of God more than burnt-Burnt-Offerings Hos 6.6 7. We know not how little a time we may live with our Children or our Children may live with us and therefore 't is not safe deferring this work for All flesh is grass Isa 40.6 and grass is of a fading nature In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth Psal 90.6 Mans life is set forth by a more transient fading thing than grass by the Apostle James What is your life It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.16 Whilst therefore God continueth us with our Children and our Children with us we should set upon this work of teaching and instructing them with all speed and with all our might Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest SECT 7. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because their Families are endued with knowledge answered Object 7 My Family are all knowing persons and are well acquainted with the Scriptures already so that it is needless for me to instruct them Answ First If the case be so indeed that all the Members of your Family be knowing persons you have great cause to bless God and to be thankful every day on their behalf 1 Cor. 1.4 5. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ that in every thing ye are inriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge 2. It may be if you examine the several members of your Family you shall not find all of them so eminent and abounding in knowledge as you think them to be before you have made trial Who would have thought that Nicodemus who was a Master in Israel should have been so ignorant in the Mystery of Regeneration that when Christ spake of a mans being born again or else he could not see the Kingdom of God he should reply How can a man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born Joh. 3.4 And when Christ had explained his meaning that he spoke of being born of the Spirit he replied afterward How can these things be Vers 9. Insomuch that our Lord Jesus wonder'd that such a man as he should shew so much ignorance in such things as these were vers 10. Jesus said unto him Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things The Disciples of Christ after they had been a long time with their Master and had been often instructed by him both publickly and privately were so ignorant in the Doctrine of Christs Resurrection that they did not know what his rising from the dead should mean Mark 9.10 They kept that saying with themselves questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean And as they did not understand the Resurrection of Christ so neither did they understand of a long time that he was to die for our sins Luke 9.44 45. Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men but they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not And they were not only his ordinary followers but his twelve Apostles whom he chose to be with him continually that understood not what he taught them when he spake of his Death and Resurrection
some mens light doth so far misguide them as that they think they do God service when they kill his servants John 16.2 Yea the time cometh that whosoever kelleth you will think that he doth God service A man may verily think that his ways are right and good and yet they may be such as will lead him to destruction Prov. 14.12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death And therefore we find God charging us not to lean to our own understandings Prov. 3.5 Lean not unto thine own understanding And commanding us to observe his Statutes and not to do such things as are right in our own eyes Deut. 12.1 8. These are the Statutes and Judgments which ye shall observe to do ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes 6. Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light and suggest his own evil motions under the name and notion of the dictates and motions of the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 11.14 Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light And because Satan can transform himself and make as if he were an Angel of Light we are commanded not to believe every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they be of God 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God And by what shall we try the Spirits whether they be of God This must be done by the VVord of God we must have recourse to the Law and Testimonies what is agreeable to the Scriptures we must own as the Will of God what is contrary to them we must reject as coming from the Spirit of Delusion Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them VVhatever Light or Spirit would draw us off from or perswade us to any thing contrary to This Word that is the Law and the Testimony is to be rejected as no true Light nor true Spirit 7. The Lord commandeth all sorts of persons to read the Scriptures and that not in a slight cursory manner but with diligence and great attention 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading John 5.39 Search the Scriptures The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to weigh and consider diligently what we read to search into the understanding of those things that are hidden and abstruse It is the same word which is used Rev. 2.23 I am he which searcheth the heart and reins Such a search should we make into the Scriptures we should labour to have a clear and thorow understanding of the most abstruse and hidden truths that are wrapped up in the Scriptures It is not only our duty to read the Scriptures but to do it daily Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily And to continue reading some portion of them every day as long as we live Deut. 17.18 19. He shall write him a copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life This is spoken of the Kings of Israel and if they were obliged to get a Copy of the Law and to read therein all their days then surely other inferiour persons that have nothing so much business upon their hands as Kings are obliged to spare some time every day from their occasions to read some portion of the Scriptures Besides our reading the Scriptures privately by our selves God commandeth them to be read publickly in the audience of all the people both Men and Women and Children Deut. 31.11 12. And we find it was the practise of the servants of God in their publick Assemblies to read the Scriptures Josh 8.34 35. He read all the words of the Law the Blessings and Cursings according to all that is written in the Book of the Law there was not a word that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women and their little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them And this they did not at some extraordinary times only but it was their constant course to read the Scriptures in their Assemblies every Sabbath day Acts 1.13 22. Moses of old time hath in every City thens that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day And our Lord Jesus approved this practice by his own example he read the Scriptures to the Jews on the Sabbath days Luc. 4.16 17. And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read and there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias 8. As all sorts of persons are commanded to read the Scriptures so all sorts of persons may reap great benefit by reading the Scriptures Men VVomen Children Strangers all sorts of people may learn to fear and obey the Lord by reading the word of God Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel Gather the people together Men Women and Children and the Stranger that is within thy Gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law Reading the Scriptures is an effectual means to beget Repentance Neh. 8.8 9. So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading All the people wept when they heard the words of the Law And Faith Acts 17.11 12. They received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed The Lord hath promised his Blessing to those that read and practise those things which are written in the Scriptures Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the Words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein 9. The Light that is within us if it be true Light teacheth us that we ought to yield obedience to all the Commandments of God and this is one of the Commandments of God which he doth often inculcate upon us That we should teach his word unto our Children and train them up in the knowledge and obedience of his Laws as hath been already proved from Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children Psal 78.5 He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And several other places So that if we would follow our Light which we have received from Gods word that will teach us to instruct our Children diligently in the knowledge of the Scriptures 10. The great ignorance and folly which is in Children shews that they have need of more instruction than to be called upon to follow the Light that is in them for how little Light have Children before they are instructed God commands his word to be read to Children and why Deut. 31.11 13. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the People together men women and children And that their Children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the Land whither ye go to possess See here how little knowledge is ascribed unto Children That their Children which have not known any thing Observe also what means God prescribes for the bringing Children to know and fear the Lord and that is reading his Law to them Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing that their Children may hear and learn to fear the Lord. Instead of knowledge there is folly in our Children and this folly is bound up so fast in their hearts that it cannot be fetch'd out without instruction Prov. 8. 33. Hear instruction and be wise Neither will instruction do it alone unless correction be joyned with instruction Prov. 22.15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction will drive it far from him Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give wisdom But how will that Child prove that is left to himself and hath neither instruction nor correction The next words will inform us But a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame As he that refuseth to receive instruction regardeth not but despiseth his own Soul Prov. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own Soul So he that refuseth to give instruction to his Children may be said to despise the souls of his Children For if he did regard them he would seek after their salvation and if he did seek after their salvation he would instruct them in the knowledge of the Scriptures which are able to make them wise to salvation There being much folly in our Childrens hearts if we let them live without instruction they will go astray and perish eternally Prov. 10.21 Fools die for want of wisdom Prov. 5.23 He shall die without instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray SECT 17. Heb. 8.11 explained It doth not imply Family-Instruction or Ministerial Teaching to be needless Object 17 IT seems a needless thing for Parents to teach their Children or Masters their Servants seeing the Lord hath promised in the times of the Gospel And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 Answ I. The sense and meaning of this Scripture They shall not teach every man his Neighbour c. is much perverted when it is brought to prove either Ministerial Teaching or Family-Instruction to be needless and of no use in the days of the Gospel For 1. As to the preaching of the Word the Lord Jesus will have that continued and will afford his presence with this Ordinance till the end of the world Matth. 28 19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Till all that belong to the Election of Grace are brought home to Christ and till all that are brought to Christ are made perfect and are arrived unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ God will have the work of the Ministry continued and Pastors and Teachers to carry on this work Ephes 4.11 12 13. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now this work will not be fully done till the end of the world 2. Neither doth this Scripture make void Family-Instruction for the same Apostle who wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews wherein he saith They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother c. chargeth Parents in the days of the Gospel to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 yea in this very Epistle to the Hebrews he saith of such as are dull of hearing Ye need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 which he would not have done if he had thought teaching by men to be needless under the days of the Gospel II. When it is said They shall not teach every man his Neighbour c. The meaning is they shall not only be taught by men but they shall also have the teaching of Gods Spirit whereby the teachings they have from men shall be blessed and be made effectual for the conveying of the knowledge of God Many Examples may be given where this word Not is not an absolute negation but signifies not only take one or two Hos 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt Offerings Sacrifice was commanded under the Law and therefore the meaning cannot be that God did not at all desire Sacrifice but that he did not desire Sacrifice only but mercy also or that he desired mercy more than Sacrifice as the following words intimate And the knowledge of God more than burnt Offerings John 7.16 Jesus answered them My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me That is It is not only mine but also his that sent me III. This Scripture may be understood comparatively of the abundance of knowledge that should be in the times of the Gospel above what was in the times of the Law Knowledge doth so abound under the New Testament Administration that some mean and weak persons in the time of the Gospel know as much of Christ crucified and God reconciled in Christ and other Gospel-Mysteries as they that were Teachers of others knew under the Law Zach. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David Knowledge should so abound that there should seem to be no need of teaching every man his Neighbour in comparison of what was under the Law when the Doctrine of the Gospel was wrapped up in so many Types and Shadows that it was
estrangement from God yet he hoped that God in due time would convert them and cause them to embrace the true Religion which was continued in the Off-spring of Shem Gen. 9.27 God shall enlarge or as the word may be render'd God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. So should we hope concerning our Children that God will perswade their hearts to repent of their sins though we should see them go on in evil and destructive courses a long time together and that because of his promise to circumcise not only our hearts but the hearts also of our Seed to love him with all our hearts and all our souls that both we and they may have everlasting life Deut. 30.6 2. If after all our prayers and tears and instructions and endeavours after their salvation we should see any of our Children or Servants live and die in such a condition as that we could have no hope of their salvation we may quiet our minds with such considerations as these I. Consider Gods Soveraignty He hath a soveraign power over all his Creatures to dispose of their temporal and spiritual estate according to his own pleasure we are in Gods hand as clay in the hands of the Potter Jer. 18.6 O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the Clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine hand O House of Israel And what is the power the Potter hath over the Clay Rom. 9.21 Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour Jer. 18.4 The Vessel that he made of Clay was marred in the hand of this Potter so he made it again another Vessel as seemed good to the Potter to make it If it be in the Potters power to make every Vessel as seemeth good to him if he may make of the same lump one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour may not the great God do what he pleaseth with his Creatures May not He make of Children that are born of the same Parents and enjoy the same instructions one a Vessel unto Honour and another a Vessel of his Wrath and Displeasure for ever All Creatures in Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and in all other places are disposed of by God according to his will and good pleasure Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth and in the Seas and in all deep places And shall we think much or repine against God when he disposeth of our Children or any other Member of the Family as seemeth good in his sight When the Lord said to Eli I will judge his House for ever And I have sworn unto the House of Eli That iniquity of Eli's House shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3.13 14. This was sad tidings yet when Eli considered it was the Lord who had power to dispose of him and his Family as seemeth good in his sight he quietly submitted his will to the will of God vers 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good No Parents did ever thirst more after the salvation of their Childrens Souls than Jesus Christ thirsted after the salvation of fallen man yet when he saw that it was his Fathers good pleasure to hide the Mysteries of the Gospel from some persons who were wise and prudent in worldly matters with whom he had taken much pains in preaching the Gospel he rested abundantly satisfied in the will and pleasure of his Father Mat. 11.25 26. At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight From verse 19. to 24. Jesus Christ upbraids the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not and tells them what an heavy condemnation they should have at the day of Judgment more dreadful than Tyre or Sydon or Sodom and Gomorrah And at that time when he had done upbraiding those Cities he addresseth himself to his Father wherein he declares his perfect acquiescence in his Fathers will Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight although he had hid the Mysteries of the Gospel from the wise and prudent and we know that eternal perdition followeth the hiding of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and had revealed them only or chiefly at least to such as were in comparison of the wise and prudent men in the world but Babes Now seeing our Lord Jesus did acquiesce in his Fathers good pleasure when he saw many amongst whom he had preached and done his mighty works continuing in their unbelief and impenitent condition and so perishing eternally It concerneth us to submit our selves to the will and pleasure of God if after all the pains that we have taken to convert and save our Childrens Souls he should leave some of them to perish in their sins We must know that he is God and so may dispose of us and all that belongs to us as he pleaseth and howsoever he is pleased to deal with us we must be still and silent under his hand Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God II. Others as good and better than we have met with the same trial viz. some of their children and servants have degenerated and proved vicious and lewd persons and have lived and died in their sins notwithstanding all the pains that their Parents and Governours have taken to convert and save their souls Adam had a Cain who murthered his own brother and was a fugitive and vagabond in the earth and hath the brand of a wicked man set upon him by the Holy Ghost 1 John 3.12 as well as righteous Abel Noah had an Ham who saw and divulged his fathers nakedness and had his fathers curse upon him and his posterity as well as a pious Shem and Japheth righteous Lot had two daughters that enticed him to drunkenness and incest Ishmael in his younger time was so vile that Abraham cast him out of his family for a scoffer Isaac had a profane Esau who sold his Birthright for a mess of Pottage a man hated of God Esau have I hated Rom. 9.13 as well as a godly Jacob. Jacob met with crosses in his Children Reuben his first-born defiled his Fathers Bed Simeon and Levi by their cruelty in slaying the Shechemites after they had drawn them to be circumcised made Jacob's name to stink among the Inhabitants of the Land Gen. 34.30 Judah lieth with his Daughter-in-law Tamar supposing her to have been an Harlot with divers other crosses in the rest of his Children as the selling of Joseph into Egypt c. Aaron lost two sons Nadab and Abihu In
the very act of sin as they were offering up strange fire fire came from the Lord and consumed them Eli's children were such sons of Belial that their wickedness caused men to abhor the offerings of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 17 David met with much affliction in his children Amnon ravished his sister Tamar Absolom killed Amnon when his heart was merry with wine Absolom was cut off in the Act of his Rebellion Adonijah seeks the Crown which his father had devolved upon his son Solomon Our Lord Jesus Christ himself had a select Family consisting of twelve Apostles whom he chose out of all Israel and whom he often instructed with great power for his word was with power Luke 4.32 and yet one of them proved little better than a devil John 6.70 Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil He proved so vile that he betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver and then went and hang'd himself and went to his own place Elisha the Prophet had a lying servant Gehazi who went in his Masters name but contrary to his Masters mind to Naaman the Syrian and demanded and received for his own use a great sum of money as much as two men could carry and two changes of Garments 2 Kings 5.20 21 22 23. These examples with several others which might be produced do shew that though it be a great affliction to have evil children and evil servants yet it is a temptation common to men even to good men yea such as have befallen the best men that ever lived upon the face of the earth whose persons have been very dear and precious in the sight of God and their works and labours have been graciously accepted of him And therefore we should not be disquieted or cast down without measure because God doth not bless our labours with the converting and saving of all the members of our families neither should we conclude from hence that either our persons or our labours are not accepted with God III. Our children are Gods creatures as well as our children God hath a greater right to them and a greater interest in them than we have We were but Gods instruments to bring them into the world It was not we but God created and gave them their beings it was Gods hands that framed and fashioned their Bodies when they lay in their Mothers womb Psal 119.97 Thy hands have made and fashioned me 1 Cor. 12.24 God hath tempered the body together It is God that gave them every part of their Bodies as Skin and Bones and Flesh and Sinews Job 10.11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews And every member of their Bodies as Eyes Hands Feet c. Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned whenas yet there was none of them It was God which created their Souls after he had formed their Bodies Zech. 12.1 Saith the Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth the foundation of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him Ezek. 18.4 Behold all Souls are mine as the Soul of the Father so also the Soul of the Son is mine the Soul that sinneth shall die It was God that drew them out of the womb Psal 22.9 Thou art he that took me out of the womb It is God that hath preserved them alive ever since they were born Psal 66.8 9. O bless our God ye people who holdeth our Soul in life And seeing God hath a far greater right to our Children than we have shall we be discontented when he disposeth of them as he seeth good May not he say to us when we repine at any thing that he doth to our children as the good Housholder said to those that murmured at him Matth. 20.13 15. Friend I do thee no wrong Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own And as our children are the works of his hands so his mercies towards his works are beyond our mercies towards those that proceed from our bowels Psal 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works He desires their welfare both here and for ever more than we can do Job 14.15 Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Now if the Lord whose tender mercies are over all his works and who desireth our Childrens welfare more than we our selves do saw cause to cast away the works of his own hands into eternal torments shall we by our discontent go about to controul God in what he hath done as though we were wiser or more merciful than He IV. Though there be a great depth in Gods Judgments and such as we can't search out the reason of them why sometimes he converteth one and leaveth another to perish in his sins although both are born of the same Parents and live under the same means of grace Yet he is always Just and Righteous and True and Faithful in all his ways The Apostle was a man of a deeper insight into the mysteries of the Gospel than we are yet he confesseth some of Gods ways to be unsearchable Rom. 11.34 O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Whatever Judgments God inflicts upon Nations or particular Persons though we may not be able to fathom the reason of them yet we must believe that all that the Righteous God doth is Just and True and that he never acts contrary to the Truth of his Word or against the Rules of Justice Rev. 15.3 They sing the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Just and True are thy Ways thou King of Saints This Song was sung upon the pouring out of the seven last Plagues in which was filled up the Wrath of God verse 1. From hence it is evident that the Lord doth nothing beyond the Rules of Justice or contrary to his Truth when he poureth out his wrath to the utmost either upon a Nation or upon particular persons When the children of godly Parents sin against God and God casteth them away for their sins he doth not by this act pervert Justice and Equity Job 8.3 4. Doth God pervert Judgment Or doth the Almighty pervert Justice If thy Children have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgression Now when God doth those things which are Just and Right we should be so far from murmuring that vve should praise and honour God although vve our selves should suffer deeply by those Judgments After Nebuchadnezzar
glory from them that perish page 313. 314. 6. We should consider Gods great mercy in taking our own souls into a Covenant of Life and Salvation page 314. 315. The case of such as are overwhelmed with grief because they fear their Children are in eternal torments Gods justice in punishing sinners to eternity vindicated page 315 to 325. The case of such as are troubled because they conveyed Original Sin to their Children considered page 325 to 327. The case of such as are troubled because their Childrens bloud will be required at their hands considered page 327 to 331. Though it be a great sin to be guilty of the bloud of souls yet 't is a pardonable sin page 329. 330. The case of such as are cast down because God hath not answered their Prayers for their Children or prospered their labours considered page 331 332. The case of such as cannot reconcile the Providence of God in casting away their seed with his promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed page 333 to 336. A TREATISE OF Family-Instruction CHAP. I. The Evils that arise from the neglect of Family-Instruction Whence it proceeds that Family-Instruction is neglected Five Arguments to prove it to be a Duty The Instructions we give our Families must be drawn out of the Scriptures Servants as well as Children must be instructed Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children THe neglect of Family-Instruction is a great and yet a common Evil The sad effects thereof such as the decay of the power of Godliness gross ignorance undutiful and disobedient Children evil and unfaithful Servants the growth and increase of sin c. are so plain and visible almost in all places that he that runneth may read them Neither is it the present Generation only which is corrupted through the carelesness of those Parents and Masters of Families who neglect to train up their Children and Servants in the knowledge and fear of God but hereby ignorance and iniquity are like to be propagated unto and greatly increased in the Generations which are yet to come For when God shall give those Children and Servants who were trained up without Instruction Families of their own it is most probale that they will neglect to teach their Children and Servants and that the succeeding Generations which shall spring out of their Loyns will tread in their Fathers steps and so vice and ignorance will descend from one Family to an other for many generations If we enquire into the ground and cause of this evil whence it cometh to pass that Family-Instruction is so much neglected I conceive the reason of most if not of all mens neglect of this Duty may be reduced to one of these four heads 1. Either they are not convinced that it is their Duty to instruct their Families Or 2. Though they know it to be their Duty they want an heart to set about the performance of it Or 3. Though they are willing to instruct their families yet they know not how to set about this work at least they know not how to carry it on in an advantageous successful manner and therefore leave it undone Or 4. They have gotten certain pleas whereby they think to excuse their neglect of this work Wherefore in this ensuing Treatise the design whereof is to excite parents and masters of families to train up their children in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures I shall do these four things 1. I shall prove it is the duty of parents and masters of families to instruct their children and servants in the knowledge and to train them up in the obedience of the word of God 2. I shall produce some motives to excite those who neglect this work of Family-instruction to be diligent constant and conscientious in the performance of their duty in teaching and instructing their families 3. I shall give some directions how this work of family-instruction may be carried on so as to promote the conversion edification and eternal salvation of such as are under our charge 4. I shall answer the most material Pleas and Objections that are brought against training up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures whereby many persons are either kept from or discouraged in the performance of this work I shall begin with the first of these namely to prove that it is the duty of all Parents and Masters of Families to teach the Scriptures unto their Children and Servants and to train up their Families in the knowledge and obedience of the Word of God SECT 1. Scripture proofs for Family-Instruction The Instructions we give our Families must be drawn out of the word of God Arg. 1 WE have many plain and express Commandments from God wherein the Lord straightly chargeth all Parents and Masters of families to teach his word unto their children and servants and requireth them to be very diligent therein I shall mention some places both out of the old and also out of the new Testament where we have express commands from God for the teaching his word to our children and prove that under the name of Children are comprehended our Servants and all the Members of the Family Deut. 6.6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up This being a full and pregnant Text for proving the point in hand I shall observe several things from it 1. What it is which we are to teach our children and that is the word of God These words which I command thee this day thou shalt teach them unto thy Children The Apostle gives this commendation of the Scripture that it is profitable for instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.16 and intimates to us Rom. 2.17 18. That the Jews drew their instructions which they gave to those whom they taught out of the Law of God Behold thou art called a Jew and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law of God 2. Observe who they are whom God commands to teach his word unto their Children and you shall find that this Charge is not given to the Tribe of Levi but to all Israel The Lord calls out twice to the whole Body of the People Hear O Is ael vers 3. Hear O Israel vers 4. If it had been said Hear O House of Aaron or Hear O ye Sons of Levi we might have thought it had special reference to the Ministers of the Word but when this charge is ushered in with a double Call to all Israel to give audience no man can say This Command of teaching Gods word to my Children belongeth not unto me except he be one that is and resolveth to continue an alien to the Commonwealth of Israel I may adde further that
this charge Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children is given to the same persons that are commanded to love God with all their hearts vers 5. and to the same persons that are enjoyned to treasure up Gods word in their hearts vers 6. So that every one that is obliged to love God and to lay up Gods word in his heart is obliged also if he be one unto whom God hath given Children to teach Gods word unto his Children 3. Take notice what is meant by teaching Gods word unto our Children It implies 1. That we should train them up in the knowledge of the Scriptures To teach is to convey knowledge and understanding Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge and to this effect the Persian Translation renders these words Expones ea filiis tuis Thou shalt expound them unto thy Children thou shalt cause them to understand the sense and meaning of my word 2. To teach our Children the Scriptures is to train them up in the obedience and practice of those things which the Lord requireth of us in his holy word There is a teaching to do as well as to know the will of God Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will Matr. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 2 Chron. 6.27 Thou hast taught them the good way wherein they should walk 4. Observe in what manner and when we are to teach Gods word unto our Children this work must not be done in a slight superficial manner but with all diligence Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children And as for the times and seasons when we are to teach them Moses intimates that it must not be seldom but this work must be done frequently we should embrace all convenient seasons to be dropping some portion of Gods word into them Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up 5. We have the persons described whom we are to instruct out of the word of God and they are our Children Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children Now under the name of Children are comprehended our Servants and all others in the Family that need instruction as shall be shewed more fully afterwards Another Scripture wherein God commands us to teach his word unto our Children we have in the Psalms of David Psal 78.5 6 7. He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known unto their Children that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his Commandments Here we may observe 1. What it is which Parents are to teach and make known unto their Children The Law and the Testimony that is the holy Scriptures which are often called by this name the Law and the Testimony as we may see Psal 19.7 Isa 8.16 20. 2. We have a strict Command and a solemn Injunction from God given unto Parents to make known the Law and the Testimony unto their Children He commanded our Fathers that they should make them known unto their Children 3. We may take notice that this practice of Parents teaching Gods Laws unto their Children should be continued from one Generation to another unto the end of the world That the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare unto their Children 4. Here are three things hinted that Parents should aim at in making known Gods word unto their Children 1. The bringing their Children to believe and hope in God That they might set their hope in God 2. The fixing and imprinting in their memories the word and the works of God And not forget the works of God 3. The training of them up in the practise and obedience of Gods Commandments But keep his Commandments The Psalmist shews in the eighth verse what the want or neglect of Parents making known Gods Laws to their Children produceth Children prove stubborn and rebellious or if they make a profession of Religion they soon discover their hearts are not right with God And might not be as their Fathers a stubborn and rebellious Generation a Generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God Besides these Scriptures already mentioned I might produce several others where God commands Parents to make known his word unto their Children as Isa 38.19 The Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth By Gods truth which Fathers are here enjoyned to make known unto their Children we may understand his word for his word is called his Truth John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth See also Deut. 4.8 9 10. What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thine heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons specially the day when thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather the People together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the Earth and that they may teach their Children Here we may observe 1. That Gods word was given to the Jews for this very end that they might be brought to fear the Lord and that they might teach his word unto their Children I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me and that they may teach their Children 2. The Lord chargeth them very strictly to teach their Children his works which they had seen but more specially his word which he delivered to them in Horeb Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently teach them thy sons and thy sons sons To these places which I have cited out of the old Testament I will adde one out of the New wherein God chargeth Parents to train up their Children in the knowledge and obedience of his holy word Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord The Apostle doth not say And ye Ministers as limiting this work to them but And ye Fathers implying that it is the will of God that all Parents should bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But some may say What is meant by the nurture and admonition of the Lord The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred Instruction 2 Tim. 3.16 and the instruction the Apostle speaks of there is
that which is lacking in your Faith Phil. 1.4 Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with Joy He put up no prayer at any time but he remembred them all and it was not irksome to him so to do but he did it with Joy And as the Apostle Paul so also others of the Servants of Christ have been wont to labour and strive mightily with God in Prayer for those whom they have taught and instructed in the ways of God Col. 4.12 Epaphras who is one of you a Servant of Christ saluteth you always labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in the whole Will of God He did not only pray but laboured in prayer and that fervently not sometimes but always and that not for his own concernments but for you besides it is not said in prayer but in prayers intimating that he put up a multitude of prayers for them and it was no small measure of grace that he laboured thus earnestly for on their behalf but that they might stand perfect and compleat in the will in all the will of God 3. Prayer will do great things with God for others as well as our own Souls Jam. 5.16 Pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much By praying in faith and with fervency we may obtain converting grace remission of sins and eternal life for our Children and Servants and others as well as those of our own Families 1 John 5.16 If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death This promise may give us great encouragement to pray in faith for the conversion and salvation of such as are visible and open sinners If any see his Brother sin c. If we consider 1. The persons to whom this promise is made and they are every one that believeth in the Name of Jesus Christ It is not a priviledge that did belong only to the Apostles or extraordinary men of God but it is said If any man that is any man that believeth in Christ as appeareth from the thirteenth verse 2. The persons for whom Believers may obtain Life and Salvation upon praving to God for them and they are his Brethren sinning Brethren If any man see his Brother sin he shall give him life for them He first speaks of a Brother in the singular number and then saith Life for them in the plural which shews that the word Brother is to be taken collectively as Beza observes for all or any Brother for whom a Believer shall pray to God If you ask Who is meant by a Brother I answer The Apostle seemeth to use the word Brother in this Epistle in the same latitude with Neighbour which may be proved from several passages in his Epistle as Chap. iii. 14 15 16. Chap. iv 20.21 And Piscator expounds the word Brother Fratris nomine intelligit proximum qui eandem nobiscum fidem ac proinde eundem in coelis patrem profitetur 3. He excepts no sins but the sin unto death that is as most expound the place the sin against the Holy Gaost which is a sin that shall never have forgiveness As for any other sins if Believers ask of God Repentance and Forgiveness of sins for them that have sinned that so they may have Life and Salvation God will grant them their desire Another Scripture that sheweth the efficacy of prayer in order to the obtaining for others forgiveness of sins and Grace whereby they may be qualified to receive forgiveness of sins we have Jam. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall save the Sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him Ishmael was a wild Child Gen. 16.11 12. yet when Abraham prayed Gen. 17.10 O that Ishmael might live before thee God answers him verse 20. As for Ishmael I have heard thee And though the Lord adds afterward But my Covenant will I establish with Isaac Yet this as Rivet observes seems rather to be an excluding of Ishmael's Posterity than his Person from the Covenant unto whom the same day that God gave him this answer Abraham administers Circumcision the Seal of the Covenant When the woman of Canaans Daughter was grievously vexed with a Devil her prayer prevailed with Christ to deliver her Daughter from the power of the Devil Matth. 15.22 28. Objection I have prayed often to God to give my Children Grace and to convert and turn them from their sins but I do not see that my Prayers avail any thing with God for my Children they abide still in a graceless condition Answer 1. Do you instruct them diligently as well as pray for them Do you watch over them Do you shew them a good example Do you reprove them Do you give them due correction If you do not use other means as well as prayer possibly that is the reason why your prayers avail not for their conversion The Apostle Paul who earnestly desired and prayed for the salvation of the Jews Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved joyned with his prayers the use of all means to effect their salvation Rom. 11.14 If by any means I might provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them So must we joyn the use of all other means with prayer if we would have our prayers become effectual for the conversion and salvation of our Children 2. Though we see no present return of our prayers yet we should continue praying and not faint or be discouraged until we have obtained what we pray for Luke 18.1 He spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Though the Lord may be silent for a season and seem not to regard our Prayers to try our Faith and Patience yet he may purpose to give us all that we pray for He dealt thus with the Woman of Canaan when she came to him with a Request on the behalf of her Daughter at the first he answered her not a word Matth. 15.23 And when the Disciples intercede for her he seems to discourage them from making any farther request for her by saying to them ver 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and afterward when she continued to cry after him he seemeth to beat her off and reject her prayer by telling her Verse 26. It is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and cast it to Dogs Yet she still holding on her suit at length Christ yields her the whole desire of her heart Verse 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith Be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour 3. If God should
and instruct our Children or Servants because they are stubborn and rebellious 3. Though our Children and Servants should be hard-hearted and rebellious yet we should not forbear or cease to instruct and teach them the good word of the Lord For 1. This will be a means to break their hard hearts and lead them to Repentance and keep them from being rebellious for time to come It will break their hearts though they be as hard as the Rock Jer. 23.29 Is not my word lik as a fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces It will be a means to lead them to repentance though they be of such a refractory spirit as to oppose the the Truth and should be such slaves to Satan as to be led captive by him when and to what he pleaseth 2 Tim. 2.24 c. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive at his will It may keep them from being rebellious for time to come Psal 78.5 7 8. He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God and keep his Commandments and might not be as their Fathers a stubborn and rebellious Generation 2. We should sin against God if we should leave off teaching our Children or Servants because they carry themselves unkindly and disobediently towards us The people of Israel carried themselves stubbornly and rebelliously both against God and against Samuel 1 Sam. 8.7 19. yet Samuel tells them he would not cease to pray for them and to teach them lest he should sin against God 1 Sam. 12.23 Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way It is the Will and Command of God that rebellious and hard-hearted persons should be taught his Word as we may see Ezek. 2.3 4 7. where the Lord acknowledgeth the Children of Israel to be rebellious impudent and stiff-hearted and yet he saith to the Prophet Thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are most rebellious And if it be Gods Command that the Rebellious should be taught his Word it must needs be a sin to forbear teaching our Families though some or all of them are rebellious persons for then we sin when we transgress any of the Commandments of God 1 John 3.4 Sin is the transgression of the Law 3. Though our Children should for the present rebel against those Instructions and Commands which they receive from us yet afterward they may consider their ways and repent and follow those Counsels and Instructions which we have given them The elder Son spoken of in the Parable at first refused to obey his Father but afterwards he repented and did what his Father commanded him Matth. 21.28 29. A certain man had two Sons and he came to the first and said Son go work to day in my Vinyard he answered and said I will not but afterwards he repented and went 4. If your Children be hard-hearted weep over them when you instruct them that may be a means to break their hearts Acts 21.13 What mean you to weep and to break my heart It is said Job 14.13 The Water wear the Stones Seeing waters will wear the stones why may not you hope by your tears to dissolve and break the stony hearts of your Children SECT 6. The Plea of such as say their Children are too young to be instructed answered Object 6 Mr Children are young and it is too soon to begin to teach them the Scriptures they can't understand any thing as yet if I should go about to teach them and besides I am afraid I should prophane the word of God and take the Name of God in vain if I should teach them whilst they are young and therefore I will let this work alone until they are grown up unto years of discretion then I will do it Answ 1. We can't begin too soon to teach our Children the word of God As soon as they have learned to speak we should endeavour to learn them the Scriptures Isa 28.9 Whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine Them that are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the Brests It is said of Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the Vulgar Latin Ab infantia From thy Infancy and by Schmidius A primâ infantia From thy first Infancy the same greek word is translated Luke 18.15 Infants and Acts 7.19 Young Children Luke 2.12 A Babe The word imports that Timothy was taught the Scriptures very early as soon as ever he was capable of learning them That Precept which is given Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the Way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it implies that we should begin betimes to teach our Children the ways of the Lord. The Hebrew word used there for a Child as Schindler observes totam aetatem teneram complectitur comprehends all a mans tender years as Infancy Childhood Youth It is rendred a Babe Exod. 2.6 The Babe wept and it is applied to one that hath not capacity to discern between good and evil Isa 7.16 Before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good So that when Solomon saith Train up a Child in the way that he should go this Precept reacheth our youngest Children and intimates we should begin very early with them to teach and instruct them as soon as there is any capacity in them to learn 2. Satan begins betimes to corrupt our Children and to teach them that which is evil We see many Children learn to lie as soon as they can speak Psal 58.3 They go astray as soon as they are born speaking lies Others learn to mock the people of God 1 King 2.23 There came forth little Children out of the City and mocked him Others learn other vices And shall not we begin as early to teach them good things as Satan begins to teach them wicked and evil things 3. There is a greater capacity in Children to learn and understand than many are aware of They are capable of receiving the holy Ghost whilst they are in their Mothers womb Luk. 1.15 41. And such on whom God pours out his Spirit whilst they are Infants are capable betimes of knowing the things of God We read Psal 8.2 Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because
spend our time in doing those works which God hath given us to do and in so doing we shall glorifie God and follow the Example and Pattern of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now this is one work which God hath given you to do to teach his Word to your Children and hath commanded you to be diligent in it Deut. 6.6 7. SECT 9. The greatness of a Family is not a sufficient Plea for the neglect of Family-Instruction Object 9 SOme also may say My Family is so numerous that I am not able to instruct them if I had a lesser Family I would do it but I know not how to carry on this work in such a great Family as I have Answ 1. The more Souls you have in your Family the more diligent you had need to be in this work of Family-Instruction for you will have the greater account to give to God at the day of Judgment The accompt we must give to God at the day of Judgment is very strict He will call us to an account for every word yea for every idle word Mat. 12.32 I say unto you That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment Now if we must give an account for every word every idle word that we have spoken shall we not much more give an account for every person whom God hath committed to our charge Is not a man of far more value than a word 2. If you neglect teaching your Family because of the multitude of persons that are in it you are not like Christ you are not of the same mind and spirit that Christ was of for the greater the number of people was which resorted to him the more his Bowels of Compassion were stirred up to teach them Mark 6 34. And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them and he began to teach them many things Neither are you like the Righteous concerning whom Solomon saith Prov. 10.21 The Lips of the Righteous feed many 3. Your Family is not greater and more numerous than Acraham's Family was for he was able to raise more than 300 fighting men out of the Servants born in his own house Gen. 14.14 When Abraham heard that his Brother was taken captive he armed his trained Servants born in his own House three hundred and eighteen and pursued them unto Dan. And notwithstanding Abraham had such a numerous Family yet he taught them all to keep the ways of the Lord Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment And those three hundred and eighteen Servants whom he carried with him to rescue Lot mentioned Gen. 14.14 were trained or as it is in the Margin instructed Servants which may be understood of their being religiously trained up that they were instructed in the grounds of Religion as well as of their training to civil or military Employments as Ainsworth and Calvin observe Vatalbus his Note upon that Text is Pueros quos ut quidam volunt instruxerat Arte Bellicâ ac etiam Lege Divinâ And that which will confirm this exposition that these trained men were trained up in the knowledge and fear of God is this The same Hebrew word which is used here for trained men is used for Religious Education Prov. 22.6 Train up or as it is in the Margin catechise a child in the way that he should go 4. If your Family be numerous you may render the work of instruction the more easie by calling the whole Family together when you instruct them and then you may at the same time with the same ease instruct many as few Israel being a numerous people and they being all to be instructed Moses counsels the Levites to gather the people together that the work might be done with the more ease Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law Do you thus if your Family be numerous at certain stated times appoint your whole Family to come together and then you may with ease instruct all of them SECT 10. Great as well as mean men must instruct their Families Object 10 I Am a great man and this work is beneath me to teach my Children and Servants Answer 1. Art thou greater than Abraham who was a great Prince Gen. 23.5 6. The Children of Heth answered Abraham saying Hear us my Lord thou art a mighty Prince amongst us and who is stiled the Father of the Faithful and a Father of many Nations Yet he did not think it to be beneath him to teach his Family Gen. 18.19 Art thou greater than David who was King of Israel Yet he did not think much to teach his Family Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also He did not only teach Solomon but his other Children also Psal 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Yea he did not think much to teach Transgressors the ways of the Lord Psal 51.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways 2. The Great GOD condescends to teach the meanest and poorest of men Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Doth the Great GOD condescend to teach all sorts of men the Poor as well as the Rich Children as well as grown Men yea such as are Sinners and shall any man think himself too great to teach and instruct his Family 3. It is an honour to be employed in doing any work or service for God and Jesus Christ John the Baptist was a great man Christ saith of him Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Matth. 11.11 Yet this great man did not think himself above the meanest service that he could be employed in for Christ but thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him Matth. 3.11 He that cometh after me is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear To teach the word of Christ unto our Children and Servants is more honourable work than to carry Christs Shoes after him Now if John the Baptist thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him what great pride of spirit is it for any man to say or think it is a work beneath
way and while he opened to us the Scriptures If you endeavour to water your Families with the dew of heaven God will water your souls Prov. 11.25 He that watereth shall be watered also himself 3. If you do this work out of obedience to the command of God and act your faith on the Lord Jesus for the pardon of the imperfections that attend this work though you do not find so much comfort and delight in the doing thereof as you wish you could but are sensible of some driness and flatness of spirit yet your work shall be accepted of God Acts 10.35 In every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him 4. If you apply your selves to Jesus Christ he will take away your driness and refresh and replenish your Souls with the Graces of his Spirit It is said of Jesus Christ That he shall be as Rivers of Water is a dry place Isa 32.2 And he hath promised such of his Servants as find their Souls to be like the dry ground that he will pour out his Spirit like flouds of water upon them that is in an abundant measure Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Off spring SECT 14. The Plea of such as say 'T is the Ministers work to instruct their Children answered Object 14 THis is the Ministers work not mine to catechise and instruct my Servants and my Children and why then should I take it in hand Answer Besides what the Ministers of Gods word are to do in this kind it is the duty of Parents and Masters of Families to teach and instruct their Children and Servants as hath been proved already by many clear Texts of Scripture I shall re-mind you of some of them Isa 38.19 The Father unto the Children shall make known thy truth Psal 78.5 He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Deut. 6.6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children This Precept is not given only to the Priests or Levites but to the whole House of Israel vers 4. So that it is a frivolous excuse for any man to think to put off this work from himself by saying it is the Ministers work to catechise his Children for God commandeth all Parents to teach his Word to their Children Yea it is a notorious falsehood for any man to say This is none of my work to instruct my Family whenas the Lord hath given so many and such strict Precepts to every man to instruct his Children SECT 15. Only such as are called of God are to take upon them the work of the Ministry Family-Instruction will not bring the Ministry into contempt Object 15 IF every man should take upon him to teach and instruct his Family this would be the way to make every man turn Preacher and would cause the Ministers of the Word to be slighted and despised and this makes us not only forbear this work our selves but also to dislike it in others because we would not have any take upon them the work of the Ministry but such as are called to it and we would not have the publick Ministry brought into contempt Answ 1. Family-Instruction and the work of the Ministry are two distinct works The one belongs to every Master of a Family the other belongs only to such as are called and sent forth by God to preach the Gospel Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent And God hath not called all men to the work of the Ministry 1 Cor. 12.28 29. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers We may learn from this Text 1. That none are to be Teachers in the Church but those whom God sets there 2. That God doth set some not all to be Teachers in the Church Under the Law no man was to take the Office of the Priesthood without a call from God Heb. 5.4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron Yea God made it death for such as were not called to intermeddle with the Priests Office Numb 18.7 Thou and thy Sons with thee shall keep your Priests Office for every thing of the Altar and within the Vail and ye shall serve And the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death What work our Lord Jesus did in and for the Church of God he did not do it without a Call Heb. 5.5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And God hath ordained under the Gospel that every man should improve those gifts which he hath distributed to him within the sphere and compass of his Calling 1 Cor. 7.17 As God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all Churches Those works which are in themselves good works become sinful when they are done by those that have no call to do them and instead of being rewarded they have been punished by the Lord. To burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense was a very good and acceptable work David wisheth that his Prayer might be like Incense Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense Yet when Vzziah undertook to burn Incense who had no Call to do it it is called a Transgression and he was punished with Leprosie all his days 2 Chron. 25.18 21. It appertaineth not unto thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God And Vzziah the King was a Leper unto the day of his death The more knowledge any man hath of the Scriptures the less fear there is of his taking upon him the work of the Minstry without a Call from God what this Call is and how a man may discern when he hath it would be too great a digression if I should here undertake the explanation thereof because the Scriptures are so full so plain so express in this point That only they that are called of God should take upon them the work and Office of the Ministry So that this Objection Every man will turn Preacher if he take upon him to instruct his Family in the knowledge of the Scriptures is of no force to hinder this work of Family-Instruction 2. Neither will
may be their Lot was cast under your Roof that you might convert them to the knowledge and belief of the Truth therefore try both by convincing Scriptures and by a convincing Conversation to recover them from the Error of their ways And for your better Encouragement consider 1. VVhat a blessed and glorious work it is to reduce a man from Error to Truth and to bring back a stragling sheep to the fold of Christ by so doing you will be instrumental to save a soul Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a Soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins 2. If you set your hearts to this work and labour diligently in it it is very probable that God will make you successful There is a promise that such as err shall be brought to the knowledge of the truth Isa 29.24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine And what is a more likely way to obtain this promise than to be diligent in using means to reclaim those that err from the Truth II. If you have not parts and abilities sufficient to convince them of their Errors and to perswade them to embrace the Truth get some others that have greater abilities then your selves to deal with them especially some godly Ministers who may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 III. If they remain obstinate and either will not be instructed or after instruction persist in their erronious Opinions remove them out of your Families 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House If persons that teach false Doctrine are not to be received into our Houses then such as have embraced false Doctrine and do pertinaciously adhere thereunto are to be cast out of our Houses What the Apostle adviseth concerning Church Censures Tit. 3.10 A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject The same may suit in this case if your servants hold dangerous Errors and after several admonitions and much means used to reclaim them do obstinately adhere to their corrupt Principles cast them out of your Families lest they leaven the whole Family with their evil Opinions 1 Cor. 5.6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump SECT 24. They that neglect Family Instruction are worse than Infidels and Idolaters Though others neglect this work we must not Object 24 NOne of my Neighbours do take this pains with their Families and why then should I Would you have me singular That is the way to be laugh'd to scorn and to be under reproach Answ 1. Take heed of bearing false witness against your Neighbour it may be several of your Neighbours make conscience of this duty of teaching and instructing their Families though you know it not It is a grievous slander to say None of your Neighbours take any care of their Families to teach them to know and serve the Lord it is in effect to say they are as bad or worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel The Soul is of far greater value than the Body and if so then the neglecting to provide for the Souls of those of our own House is a greater sin than the neglecting to provide for their Bodies Idolaters train up and employ their whole Families to serve their Idols Jer. 7.18 The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink-drink-offerings unto other gods that they may provoke me to anger Here are men women and children all employed about the service of idol gods If Idolaters train up their children to serve their idol gods are not they worse than Idolaters who will not train up their Families to know and serve the true God So that you charge your Neighbours with a very great sin and an high crime when you say that none of them instruct their Families 2. Suppose none of your Neighbours should instruct their Families yet you must instruct yours Joshua resolved that though all Israel should neglect the service of the true God and turn aside to idols yet he and his House would serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Lands ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Your Neighbours neglect of their duty will not excuse you at the day of Judgment nor shelter you from the wrath of God nor mitigate your Torments in Hell if you suffer your Families to die in ignorance and so to perish eternally for want of instruction 3. You are not singular in this work for the wisest the most holy the best men that ever lived have been careful to train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord as Abraham Gen. 18.19 David Psal 34.11 Joshua Josh 24.15 Yea which of all the Saints and Servants of God ever neglected it 4. Suppose your Neighbours should reproach you for instructing your Families and call you by any odions names this should not at all dishearten you from this good work of Family-Instruction For 1. It is a blessed and happy thing to suffer reproach for doing any work that Jesus Christ sets us about 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified Matth. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven 2. In this work you do Christ service and those that serve Christ shall be honoured by God John 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father honour And if God honour you you need not care who despiseth or reproacheth you SECT 25. How to deal with such as refuse Instruction Objects 25 I Would very willingly instruct my Family if they were willing to be instructed but my Family will not submit to instruction and what can I do in this case Answ 1. Enquire whence it comes to pass that God afflicts you with this sore Judgment of rebellious Children and Servants that will not submit to instruction When God makes any members of our Families prove Crosses to us he is usually bringing some sin to our remembrance and
Eccles 8.11 They would always have gone on resisting the Spirit of God and doing those things which are grievous in the sight of God Psal 10 4 5. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts his ways are always grievous Acts 7.51 Ye do always resist the holy Ghost They would continually have sinned against God in their hearts and lives Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Time would have been so far from leading them to Repentance that the longer they had lived they would have been the more subtil and obstinate sinners and would have been longer accustomed to do evil and the longer a man hath been accustomed to do evil the harder it is to bring him to Repentance Jer. 13.23 Is there any inequality in punishing them for ever who would have sinned for ever Now if God hath dealt righteously with your Children why should you fret or be disquieted at the righteous dealings of the Just and Righteous God Was it meet that the Lord should have perverted Justice for your sake or the sake of your Children III. The Lord hath fulfilled his eternal counsel and declared his truth and faithfulness in fulfilling his Threatnings denounced against impenitent sinners by condemning your children who died in their sins unto eternal torments God hath plainly revealed it in his holy Word that it is his eternal and unchangable purpose to cast into eternal torments all wicked and ungodly persons that live and die in their sins without Repentance The Scriptures are full of Threatnings to this effect as Psal 9.17 Luk. 13.3 5. Mat. 13.41 42. Mat. 25.41 Rev. 21.8 with a multitude of other places why then should you fret at Gods fulfilling his eternal counsel and at his faithfulness in fulfilling his word As Bildad said to Job 18.4 He teareth himself in his anger shall the Earth be forsaken for thee And shall the Rock be removed out of his place The like may I say to you Why do you tear your selves in your anger Should the Lord have forsaken his eternal counsels which are more firm than the Earth or Rocks and would have brought greater confusion than the removing the Earth or the Rocks out of their places for your sakes Would you have had him altered the way and course of mans salvation for the sake of your Children Would you have had him proved unfaithful in not fulfilling his word to spare your Children from eternal torments This in effect is to have desired that he would have denied his own Being and ceased to be God rather than to have condemned your Children For if God should depart from his faithfulness he should deny his own Being 2 Tim. 2.12 He abideth faithful he cannot deny himself IV. Murmuring and fretting against God for condemning your Children who died in their sins unto eternal torments is the way to fall into the same condemnation with your Children For those that resemble Dogs by their barking and snarling and being angry at what God doth shall be shut out of heaven Rev. 22.15 Without are Dogs The Apostle cautions us against murmuring lest we should thereby provoke God to destroy us 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer And therefore instead of murmuring against God for destroying your Children admire his great and wonderful mercy that you as well as they are not consumed and cast into everlasting burnings Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not V. Your excessive sorrow for your deceased children who died in their sins doth not please God nor any way benefit you or your children It doth not please God he is troubled that you do not joy more in having him for your God and Portion and Saviour than you grieve at the loss of your children but that your grief for your children should swallow up your joy in God and may say to you as Elkanah did to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Why weepest thou And why eatest thou not And why is thy heart grieved Am not I better to thee than ten sons When any affection exceedeth its due bounds it is sinful and that which is sinful displeaseth God Your excessive sorrow will no ways benefit your deceased children If you could shed Rivers of Tears for them they would avail nothing for their Release or the mitigation of their torments Prayers and Tears may do great things for the Living but they are not any way profitable for the Dead And as Prayers and Tears profit dead men nothing so neither can any other work that is done by any man under the Sun be any way beneficial to the Dead Solomon speaking of the dead saith Eccl. 9.6 Neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun When once God hath passed sentence upon them for their eternal state no Creature can prevail with him to change his mind Job 23.13 But he is in one mind and who can turn him Not one Soul that is cast into hell can by any means be redeemed from thence again Psal 49.8 For the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever And as your inordinate sorrow doth not benefit your deceased children so neither do you your selves reap any advantage by it it is so far from doing you good that it hurts you both in body and soul and estate It hurts your bodies as it dries and consumes them and hastens your death Prov. 17.22 A broken spirit drieth the bones 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the world worketh death It hurts your Souls as it hinders your communion with God and your performing that service you owe to God and tends to the destroying of the Kingdom of God in your Souls which consisteth not only in righteousness but also in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 It hurts your Estates as it unfits you for the works of your Calling And therefore seeing that your excessive grief doth not please God nor benefit your Children or your selves nor any other person but you disquiet your selves in vain let this put a period to your immoderate sorrows VI. Turn your excessive sorrowing for the loss of your deceased Childrens souls into zealous endeavours after the salvation of your own soul and the souls of your surviving Children Instead of unprofitable mourning for the dead rise up and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling and save if it be possible all that are committed to your charge As the Lord called off Samuel from mourning for Saul to anoint an other King 1 Sam. 16.1 And the Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel Fill thine horn with oyl and go c. So
he calls you off from mourning for your children whom he hath rejected to make sure of your own and your surviving Relations Salvations VII Turn your indignation which is apt to arise in your hearts against God because he hath cast away your Childrens Souls into indignation against sin which was the cause why God cast away their Souls Hate all sin in your selves and hate all sin in others with a perfect hatred and never be reconciled to it as long as you live for the mischief that it hath done to you and your Children Seek by way of holy revenge the utter destruction of all sin Root it out of your hearts and of your Families and do what you can to hinder it from growing any more SECT 3. The Plea of such as are troubled because they conveyed Original sin to their Children answered Plea 2 MY Children that died in their sins and are now gone down into everlasting burning received their corrupt natures from me I was instrumental to convey unto them their Original Sin and their Original Sin caused their Actual Sins which caused their Damnation and this troubles me so exceedingly that I know not what to do I am ready to curse the day in which I entred into a married condition I might have kept my self single and then my wicked Children had never been born and sometimes I am ready to curse my Parents who conveyed a sinful nature unto me Answ 1. It is true that Parents do convey sinful natures to their Children Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 2. Though it be thus Children must not blame their Parents for the blemishes they receive from their birth Isa 45.10 VVoe unto him that saith unto his Father what begettest thou or to the woman what hast thou brought forth Deut. 27.16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or Mother and all the People shall say Amen Neither should we blame our selves for entring into a married state of life For Marriage is honourable in all Heb. 13.4 The Lord Jesus honoured it with his Presence and working one of his first Miracles at a Marriage Feast Joh. 2.1 2 11. Though Parents convey sinful natures to their Children yet Marriage is no sin 1 Cor. 7.28 But and if thou marry thou hast not sinned and if a Virgin marry she hath not sinned 3. Your being instrumental to convey corrupt natures to your Children should make you look more throughly into the odious nature of Original Sin and to loath your selves and to be deeply humbled for it but it should not make you to repine that you were instruments of bringing Children into the World for Children are counted blessings of God and the man is called happy that is full of them Psal 127.3.6 So Children are an Heritage of the Lord. And the fruit of the womb is his reward Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them 4. The Lord did provide a remedy against your Childrens sinful natures which they derived from you He hath sent forth his Son to save us from our sins and to make us partakerr of the Divine Nature His bloud is compared to a fountain which cleanseth from all sorts of sins it procureth the pardon of Original as well as Actual Sin Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness 1 Joh. 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin He was sent by God not only to pardon our sins but to give us grace to turn from our sins Acts 3.26 Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities And God made a free offer of his Son Jesus Christ with all his saving benefits to your Children Rev. 22.17 It was their refusal of the remedy provided in and by Christ which was the cause of their condemnation John 3.19 Their neglect of the great Salvation of the Gospel brought upon them eternal destruction Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 5. As God provided a Seviour for them so you if you did not neglect your duty were careful to train them up in the knowledge of this Saviour and to acquaint them with all the counsel of God what he would have them believe and what he would have them do in order to their salvation and did exhort them to wait upon God in all his Ordinances when you saw them do any evil you reproved them and warned them of the danger of their evil ways If thus you have discharged your duty towards them in warning them to turn from their evil ways and declaring to them the will and counsel of God concerning their salvation which may be reduced to these two heads That they should repent and turn from their sins unto God and believe in his Son Jesus Christ you are clear from their bloud although they died in their sins Ezek. 3.19 If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul Acts 20.20 21 26 27. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God SECT 4. The case of those who are troubled because their Childrens bloud will be required at their hands considered Plea 3 MY Childrens Souls are lost through my negligence and carelesness if I had discharged my duty towards them it would have been some relief to me but I have been wanting in my duty towards them And now what can I expect but that God should require their bloud at my hands and this is such a trouble to me that my Children through my negligence should be cast into everlasting burnings and that their bloud should be required at my hands that I know not what to do I cannot rest either night or day by reason of my sin in destroying my Childrens souls and the misery which hereby I have brought upon mine own soul Answ 1. This is a great sin and ought to be much lamented that you should be guilty of the loss of your Childrens souls And it is a wonderful thing that many Parents make so light of it it is an argument that they are under a spirit of slumber and judicial hardness of heart How great an evil it is for Parents to be guilty of the bloud of their childrens souls and how they ought to be affected with it I have shewn before Chap. 2. Sect. 2. But though this be a great sin a sin to be lamented as long as you live yet