Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A31087
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Certain proposals humbly offered, for the preservation & continuance of the truly reformed Protestant religion, in these three kingdomes of England, Scotland and Ireland by a professor of the said truly reformed Protestant religion ...
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J. B.
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1674
(1674)
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Wing B96; ESTC R11223
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33,531
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39
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Questions and Answers in a Catechetical way conveyed the sound knowledge of Christ and his great Gospel-Truths into the hearts of those committed to their care Reading the Holy Scriptures also repeating Sermons singing of Psalms and calling upon God in fervent Prayer are all Sabbath-day Exercises in a Family And blessed are those Families that are alwayes so employed But the doing of this in an Interlocutory way with Children and Servants so as to make them understand what they hear and read and be enriched with the well-grounded knowledge of it O this is excellent and one of the best means imaginable to preserve the True Protestant Religion and to transmit it from Father to Son even from one Generation to another And because a clear and distinct knowledge of Fundamental and Substantial Truths with such Texts of Scripture as do most contribute to the right understanding confirmation and defence of them against all opposers whatsoever will be a most precious Antidote as well against all sorts of Erâ—â—â—â— as those of Popery it self I humbly propound to the pious Readers hereof these following Considerations First Let it be considered whether it would not be time well spent if some persons of Wisdom and Ability whether engaged in any Church-Society or otherwise were appointed or themselves did it by their own voluntary undertakement to go from house to house at fit times and seasons there to discourse the weighty things of Religion with their Friends and Neighbours and so to manage this Work as still to leave the persons they thus converse with something more knowing in the great things of Religion than formerly Frequent Visits to this purpose with Line upon Line here a little and there a little would turn to a much better account both with respect to God's Glory the advancement of Christ's Kingdom in the world and the enlightning of many precious souls with saving knowledge than such vain Visits as are every where now in use In some places the Pastors and other Officers of the Churches may do something this way themselves after the example of that holy Person and worthy Servant of Christ Mr. Henry Jesse lately deceased but where the hands of Church-Officers are full of other work perhaps some others in their respective Congregations might be found and prevailed with to do their utmost in it at least so far as might consist with their necessary employments in their respective trades and callings This is brave work and doubtless will be well rewarded by the God of Heaven to the faithful and sincere-hearted Labourers in it What doth the gracious and industrious Parent know but that his continual dropping of heavenly words into his Children's ears or the religious and loving Friend or Neighbour that doth the like with all that he converseth with where a fair oportunity is offered may be a means to work some blessed Conviction yea and a through Conversion too in the hearts of those they thus discourse with Christ may be preached as much and as effectually in personal and interlocutory discourses as in set speeches or Sermons in a Pulpit nay I know many instances can be given where Discourses of this kind have done more this way than all the Sermons that have been attended though preached by men of the greatest eminency for many years as the Apostle sayes in another case 1 Cor. 7.16 What knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy Wife So say I What knowest thou O Parent whether thou shalt save thy Child or what knowest thou O Christian whether thou shalt save thy Friend or Neighbour thy Brother or Sister by such spiritual and well managed Discourses as these However if it be but well designed and endeavoured God takes it well though the desired effect should not follow Methinks that Passage in Dan. 12.3 should greatly move to such an undertakement and earnest endeavour therein They that be wise in the Margin Teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever Secondly Let it be considered whether of all other such as are Parents of Children ought not to be frequent at such work as this I mean not only upon Sabbath Dayes and other Set Seasons for Religious Exercises but in their daily and hourly converse among them for is not this according to the Command of old given to the People of Israel as a work that their whole heart and soul should be continually engaged in What God required of them in this particular is it not recorded for our instruction in Deut. 6. from v. 4 to 7 Hear O Israel thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all thy might and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently Hebrew thou shalt whet or sharpen them unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest in the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Now if this be a Command that is alwayes obliging and to all Parents whatsoever as doubtless it is what then can we in a well-grounded Charity think of those Parents and Professors of Religion too that order their affairs so as very seldom even almost next to never at all are with their Children either Morning or Evening much less all the day long to perform these so frequently to be repeated duties to them Such hurries they are in such multitudes of business and employments they continually take upon them yea so fill and crowd their heads and hearts therewith that they neither have any mind nor can be at leisure for these serious matters Pretences indeed they make of being commanded to be diligent in their Callings and of a necessity lying on them with respect to providing for their Families and such like specious Arguments from abused Scriptures but whether these Arguments will quiet Conscience upon a dying Bed I very much question I know the care of providing for the Houshold lies mostly upon the man who is the Husband to the Wife and the Father to the Children and that it is the Mother's Duty as well as the Father 's to instruct the Children and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord but will this excuse the Father from doing his part too or will it satisfie him in clogging himself with so much other employment and that in such an eager pursuit after the things of this world only as either hinders him in the performance of it or renders him unfit for it As for his poor Children and Family thus neglected by him is not the instructing them in the One thing necessary and the saving of their precious souls of far greater importance than the getting of overmuch of this world for them But if this be not enough especially in such times as
these when the true Protestant Religion is so much in its wane and Popery every where spreads so fast as it doth I say if this be not enough to convince and reform such Fathers of Children as to this part of their Duty I shall leave them to and pity them for this their Sin and Folly and in the mean while will apply my self to the Mothers of those poor neglected Children earnestly advising and perswading that what is wanting on the Father's side may be made up by them and indeed the Mothers of Children for the most part have every where more opportunity for this work as being more constantly at home and wâ—â—â—â—â—oors and to converse more with their Children than their Fathers can They therefore if God gives wisdom and skill to educate the Children which they have brought forth or as Mothers-in-Law are providentially intrusted with may be much employed this way and with the blessing of God upon their faithful endeavours herein may become Mothers a second time unto them in their spiritual Births I have known some women that have been much honoured of God for their Holy Labours and Divine Successes of this kind among their Children and their Childrens Children and this while their Husbands have been meer Sots yea sometimes Opposers and Hinderers of it Instances we have in Scripture also that may greatly encourage unto this work How came young Timothy to be so well instructed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his Childhood or Infancy as the Greek word imports to have known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 I say how came this to pass but by the Godly and Religious care and endeavours of those two holy women his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice as is recorded 2 Tim. 1.5 What a pleasant Story doth Solomon tell us of himself concerning his own education when he was young See what he sayes of the Instructions which he received both from his Father and his Mother First From his Father whose words he repeats throughout the whole fourth Chap. of Prov. some of which are these Hear ye Children the instruction of a Father and attend to know understanding for I give you good Doctrine forsake you not my Law for I was my Father's son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother he taught me also and said unto me let thine heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live get wisdom get understanding forget it not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her She shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee Hear O my Son and receive my Sayings and the years of thy Life shall be many I have taught thee in the way of wisdom I have led thee in the right paths when thou goest thy steps shall not be streightned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble take fast hold of Instruction let her not go keep her for she is thy Life These and many other were the most excellent counsels to the end of the whole Chapter which Solomon sayes his Father gave him in all which how earnest and affectionate was David in pressing those things upon his Son Solomon and how many Arguments doth he use to perswade him thereunto But that which all Fathers of Children should do well here chiefly to mind is the chief Matter of that Instruction which David gives to his Son Solomon namely that he should get wisdom that is Grace for so the word must be understood and that he should be sure to get this above all things else even above all other gettings whatsoever and he gives the reason of it for this saith he is the principal thing as if he had said this O my Son Solomon is of far greater worth and value than the Kingdom and Crown that thou art born unto the Scepter that thou shalt ere long sway and the Throne that thou shalt fit upon more excellent far more than all the Kingly Dignity and Honour that thou art capable of or canst enjoy in this world Hence it was that Solomon himself having learnt this Lesson from his Father sets it forth in that manner that he doth in Prov. 3. from v. 13. to 19. Happy is the man saith he that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the gain thereof than fine Gold she is more precious than Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Thus he goes on saying much more concerning the inestimable value of that wisdom which his Father taught him to search after and which himself afterwards so earnestly prayed for at his first coming to his Kingdom as is recorded in 1 Kings 3. from 6. to 13. And as we have this pleasant Story from Solomon's own mouth of his Father's instructing him when he was young let us see what he sayes of his Mother's Instruction also his Mother Bathshebah as it is likewise recorded in Prov. 31. from 1 to 10. The words of King Lemuel that is Solomon the Prophecy that his Mother taught him What my Son and what the Son of my womb and what the Son of my Vows Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong Drink lest they drink and forget the Law and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction open thy mouth to judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy Behold here the counsel of a Mother to her Son of a Queen-Mother to the King her Son how happy were it if all the Kings of the Earth were thus instructed and did act accordingly 3ly Since the H. Ghost insisteth so much upon the instruction of young ones since he gives so strict commands to Parents concerning it and to others that are in the room of Parents and since he commendeth and blesseth those that have been faithful in the discharge of this so necessary and great a Duty as he did Abraham Gen. 18.19 Saying Abraham shall surely become a great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him Why so For I know saith he 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 I say this also being duly considered would it not be an excellent and praise-worthy practice if young persons of their own accord Males with Males and Females with Females