was driven from his Throne and forced to dwell among the Beasts of the field where he was wet with the dew of Heaven and did eat grass with the Oxen when his understanding returned to him again although he was about seven years under this great and unusual Judgment because he saw Justice and Truth in this stroke of God he extolled and praised the Lord Dan 4 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose Works are Truth and his Ways are Judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase V. God shall have eternal Glory from them that perish as well as from them that are saved His Justice shall be glorified on them that perish and his Mercy in them that are saved When ungodly sinners are cast into Hell in great multitudes God is glorified in their destruction Isa 5.14 16. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in Righteousness Now seeing God shall be glorified in them that perish this may quiet our minds and keep down all murmuring thoughts if it should be our portion to have any of our children cut off in their sins Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu were cut off in the act of sin while they were offering strange fire there went out fire from the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord yet when Aaron heard Moses speak of Gods being glorified he was silent under this heavy stroke Lev. 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace God made all things and all persons wicked as well as good men for his own glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And seeing God made all things and persons for his own pleasure and glory he may glorifie himself according to his own will and pleasure upon every one of his creatures and none may say unto him What doest thou VI. The consideration of the great and wonderful mercy of God in bestowing his grace upon our souls and taking us into his everlasting Covenant may quiet our minds however it shall please him to deal with our Families David met with great afflictions in his Family some of his children proved perverse and were very great crosses to him and died in such a state as he could have little or no hope of their salvation Amnon was such a vitious person that he ravished his own sister Tamar and was slain when his heart was merry with wine 2 Sam. 13.28 by this phrase is signified that Amnon was little better than drunk when he was slain as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 25.36 where Nabals drunkenness is expressed by his heart being merry Nabals heart was merry within him for he was very drunken Absolom who had caused his Brother Amnon to be slain rose up in rebellion against his Father and sought to take his Kingdom and Life from him and was cat off in this act of sin And how did David quiet himself under these great afflictions that befel his House It was with the Covenant that God had made with his own Soul 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my vation and all my desire although he make it not to grow The mercies and blessings of the Covenant are so great and such unvaluable mercies that when we conside the riches of Gods grace and his infinite love in taking our own souls into Covenant vvith himself this consideration may so fill our hearts vvith joy as to swallow up all our sorrows arising either from personal or family-afflictions Wine will chear such as are of a sorrowful spirit and make them forget their miseries Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to them that be of heavy hearts Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more Gods love is better and hath more efficacy to chear such as are of heavy hearts than wine Cant. 1.2 Thy love is better than Wine And if Wine will refresh such as are of sorrowful spirits yea such as are ready to perish under their affliction what efficacy is there in the love of God which he hath manifested in taking our souls into Covenant to comfort us under our greatest sorrows and miseries even such as lie heavy upon our hearts yea such as vve think vve shall perish under them SECT 2. The Case of such as are overwhelmed with grief because they fear their Children are in eternal Torments considered Gods Justice in punishing Sinners to Eternity vindicated TO these Considerations I shall add a Reply to such Pleas as those Parents whose Children have died in their sins may possibly make use of to excuse their immoderate grief and discontent and perplexity of mind under this affliction of losing their Children in such a state as that they can have no hope of their salvation And so I shall conclude this Treatise 1 Plea My Children that are dead in their sins are gone into everlasting burnings where their torments will be endless and intolerable and it so pierceth my heart and distracteth my mind when I think that those that came out of my Bowels my Children for whom I had such a dear affection should be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where they must remain for eternity that I am not able to bear it but sometimes I am ready to fret against God and at other times my heart is so full with grief that I think it will break in pieces and I shall die with sorrow Answ I. If your Children be cast into eternal Torments for their sins it is God hath done it He keeps the Keys of Death and Hell No person is cut off by death none after death are cast into Hell but at Gods appointment Rev. 1.18 I have the Keys of Hell and Death There is not so much as one Sparrow falleth to the ground but at the will and by the appointment of God Matth. 10.29 Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing And one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father If a Sparrow doth not fall to the ground vvithout the vvill of God then surely an immortal Soul doth not fall into Hell Torments but at his appointment for the meanest Soul that ever was created is of
to be performed every day Psal 145.2 Every day will I bless thee Psal 92.1 2. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most High to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night It is a duty to be performed not only by our selves when we are alone but all the members in the Family should joyn together in blessing and praising God Psal 135.19 Bless the Lord O house of Aaron Psal 34.3 O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Deut. 14.26 Thou shalt rejoyce thou and thy houshold Now how can our Families bless and praise God for his mercies if they be not taught that all the good things they have come from God and also taught who that God is that gives them all good things and how and in what manner they should express their thankfulness unto him We find that when the Scripture speaketh of praising God it often intimates that we should praise him with understanding Psal 47.6 7. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises For God is the King of the Earth sing ye praises with understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Which implieth that the Lord cannot be praised by the sons of men in an acceptable manner if they be not endued with knowledge and understanding 3. It is our Duty to exhort our Children and Servants to flee from sin and to follow after Righteousness to love and fear and serve the Lord and to walk in his ways c. Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Now if we would have our exhortations to take place we must joyn Doctrine or Instruction with our Exhortations 2 Tim. 4.2 Exhort with all long suffering and doctrine If we do not instruct them wherein the nature of those Duties lieth unto which we exhort them and how and in what manner they should be performed we shall be like those that beat the air our Exhortations will be of no advantage to them 4. It is our Duty to reprove our Children and Servants when we see them negligent in their duty or committing any sin against God Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him If we must rebuke a Neighbour then much more those of our own house when they sin against the Lord. Now instruction makes way for reproof one word of reproof to a man instructed with wisdom and understanding will do more good than an hundred stripes will do towards the reformation of an ignorant foolish person Prov. 17.10 A reproof entreth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool We shall find it a very difficult matter to fasten a reproof upon our Children and Servants so as to make it take place and do them good if they be without understanding The like may be said of other Duties which we ought to perform towards our Children and Servants they cannot be performed successfully if we suffer our Families to be without Instruction SECT 6. We have Gods example for teaching our Children and Servants Arg. 5 GOD teacheth and instructeth his Children and Servants and therefore it is our Duty to teach and instruct our Children and our Servants for we ought to be followers of God Ephes 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children In order to our imitation of God in this practice Let us consider 1. Who they are whom God teacheth all his Children and Servants from the greatest of them to the least he leaves not one of them without instruction Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. Deut. 33.3 Yea he loved the people all his Saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words So should we teach and instruct every one of our Children and Servants from the least to the greatest 2. God begins to teach his Children betimes Psal 71.17 O God thou hast taught me from my youth So should we begin early with our Children 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures 3. God teacheth his children and servants knowledge Psal 94.10 He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know He teacheth them to know himself Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord And to know and believe in his Son Jesus Christ John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me And to love one another 1 Thes 4.9 Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another He instructs them to shun and to avoid evil company and evil examples Isa 8.11 For the Lord spake thus unto me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people He teacheth them by his grace to deny all ungodliness and to live righteous and holy lives Tit. 2.12 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world He instructs them how to order and manage the works of their Callings with Wisdom and Discretion Isa 28.24 25 26. Doth the Plowman plow all day to sow Doth he open and break the clods of his ground When he hath made plain the face thereof doth he not cast abroad the Fitches and scatter the Cummin and east in the principal Wheat and the appointed Barley and the Rye in their place For his God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him He instructs them how they should walk and what they should say and do and how they should order their Conversations aright in all things Psal 32.8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go Exod. 4.12 15. I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say and will teach you what ye shall do 2 Chron. 32.22 The Lord guided them on every side Psal 107.7 He led them forth by the right way He shews them the Path of Life and guides them in the way to Heaven Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me unto glory Herein we should imitate God we should teach our Children and servants to know God and his Son Jesus Christ and to believe in Christ and to love one another and to forsake evil company and to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world We
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
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
A TREATISE OF Family Instruction Wherein it is proved to be the Duty of Parents and Masters of Families to Train up their Children and Servants in the Knowledge of the SCRIPTURES With Directions how this Work may be done so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all such as are under their Charge Useful for Parents and Masters of Families By Owen Stockton Minister of the Gospel Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children LONDON Printed for H. Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls MDCLXXII To Parents and Masters of Families more especially to such as are Inhabitants of Colchester in Essex Men Brethren and Fathers IT is God that setteth the solitary in Families a Psal 68.6 And when he buildeth us houses and committeth to our charge the Education of Children or Servants he reposeth a great trust in us For our Children are more his Children than ours b Ezek. 18.4 Behold all souls are mine As the soul of the Father so also the soul of the Son is mine And our Servants are more his Servants than ours As the soul of the Master so also the soul of the Servant is his Both children and servants are committed to us not so much for our own use and service as that we should train them up to know serve and glorifie God What Pharaoh ' s daughter said to Moses his Mother c Exod. 2.9 Take this child and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages The like God saith to us Take these children Take these servants and educate them for me and I will give you your reward Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. The charge which the Lord giveth us concerning every one that he commits to our trust is strict and weighty much like that which is mentioned 1 Kings 20.39 Behold a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said Keep this man if by any means he be missing then shall thy life be for his life At the Day of Judgment every one of us shall give an account of himself to God d Rom. 14.12 And not of our selves only but of all the souls also that are under our charge as we may learn from the words of the Apostle e Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account At that day when we the children and the servants whom God hath given us shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ if any of them be missing and it be found that they perished either through our negligence or our evil example or any other way through our means our lives shall go for theirs When Laban committed the keeping of his flock unto Jacob he required at Jacob ' s hands every beast that was lost although he was his near kinsman f Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of beasts I brought it not unto thee I bare the loss of it of my hands didst thou require it whether stoln by day or by night If Laban required at Jacob ' s hands every beast that he lost God may much more require at our hands every soul which he entrusts us withal and if any be lost through our carelessness cause us to bear the loss of it for one soul is of more value than all the beasts in the whole world Wherefore the Apostle Paul called unto Timothy g 1 Tim. 6.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed unto thy trust So may I call unto you my beloved Brethren O keep those children keep those servants whom the great God hath committed to your trust Keep them from sinning against the Lord. Keep them from walking in the broad way that leads to destruction Keep them from perishing by ignorance error or a sinful conversation least their bloud be required at your hands for not shewing them the path of life and h Ezek. 3.17 18. warning them to turn from their evil ways Keep them as our Lord Jesus kept those whom his Father committed to him of whom he saith i John 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition And how did Jesus Christ keep those whom his Father had given him By praying for them k Ver. 92.11 I pray for them Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are And by instructing them I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world And whence did he draw the Instructions which he gave them Out of the Scriptures l Luke 24.27 Begining at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself He gave them his Word whereby they were brought to know and believe in him m John 17.8 I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me He did not only teach them to know but also to obey the Word n Vers 6. They have kept thy Word And they keeping his Word were kept by his power through faith unto salvation As soon as Manoah had but the promise of a child he went to God and desired to be taught how he should order and educate his child o Judg. 13.8 Then Manoah intreated the Lord and said O my Lord let the Man of God which thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born Would you that have not only a promise but the actual enjoyment of children and servants know what God would have you do unto them You need no Angel or Man of God to come from Heaven to tell you Do but search the Scriptures and there you shall find that the Lord requireth you to instruct and train up your children and servants in the knowledge belief and obedience of his holy Word Hear what God himself saith to you concerning this matter p Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children q Eph. 6.4 Ye Fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And as God commands you to teach your children so he hath put great advantages into Parents hands for doing this work in regard of their daily presence with their children their authority over them the interest they have in their affections and their dependance on their Parents for their present and future subsistence How much it conduceth to
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 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
great worth and excellency there is in an immortal Soul The Soul of the poorest Child or Servant in your Families is more worth than all the substance in your houses than all the Riches you have gotten or can get as long as you live yea than the whole world Mark 8.36 What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own Soul And therefore you should spend more thoughts and pains about saving your Children and Servants Souls than you would do to gain the whole world if there were a probability that by your care and industry you might get into your possession all the good things that are in the world There is such an excellency in the Soul that when any one sinner is brought to repentance whereby his Soul is put into a state of Salvation all the Angels of Heaven rejoyce at this glad Tidings Luk. 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth 2. By converting your Children and Servants you shall recover their souls from the power of the Devil Before their conversion he rules and carries them captive to this and the other sin as he pleaseth Ephes 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 But when they are converted they are freed and delivered from the power of Satan The Conversion of a sinner is the opening of his eyes and turning him from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 It is Gods delivering of a sinner from the power of darkness and translating him into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 If your Children were under Turkish Slavery would you spare any pains or cost to redeem them from the hands of the Turks It is far worse to have them under the power of Satan than under the power of the Turks Suppose the Devil had gotten possession of your Childrens Bodies and should torture them as he did the woman of Canaan's Daughter who cried out to Christ Mat. 15.22 Have mercy upon me O Lord my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil or should rend and tear them as he did that young man whose Father made his moan to Christ after this manner My Son hath a dumb Spirit and wheresoever he taketh him he teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his teeth and he pineth away and oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him Mark 19.17 18 22. would not this cause you to mourn and fast and pray and to use all means possible to get your Childrens Bodies delivered from the tyranny of Satan And would you not be restless until you had obtained their deliverance To have your childrens Souls under the power of the Devil and to have them drawn sometimes into one foul sin and then into another is far worse and more dangerous then to have their Bodies at his command and yet this is their case as long as they remain unconverted their Souls are under the power of sin and Satan How should this cause you to strive with God in prayer night and day and labour with your utmost diligence in the use of all means to get their Souls converted to God 3. By converting your Children and Servants you shall prevent their dying in their sins and save them from the wrath of God and the torments of Hell 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 the sinner from the error of his way shall save a Soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins What a great what a good work is this to save a soul from death Shall we think any pains too much to save immortal Souls from eternal Death If you saw any of your Children ready to fall into a fiery Furnace which would consume them to Ashes in a moment you would suddenly lay hold on them and prevent if it were possible their falling into the furnace of fire Hell is called A Furnace of Fire Mat. 13.42 As long as your Children live in ignorance and in an unconverted condition they are in danger every day to fall into this furnace of fire And doth it not concern you then to prevent with all possible speed their falling into everlasting burnings 4. Consider what great pains Jesus Christ took to save and convert Souls The great end of his coming into the world and taking our Nature upon him was to save Souls Luk. 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost When he was upon the earth he was so diligent in teaching and instructing the people that he did not omit his work one day Luk. 19.47 He taught daily in the Temple He was so diligent to teach and instruct the people that he could not find spare time to eat his Bread which cansed some of his friends to think and say he was beside himself Mark 3.20 He was not only very diligent in preaching but was content to lay down his life to save our souls Shall not this example of Christ provoke you to give all diligence to save both your own and the souls of all that are committed to your Charge 5. God will give a greater degree of Glory to those that are instrumental to convert and save souls than to other Saints For whereas they shall shine only as the Firmament they that convert others shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament Dan. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 6. You cannot approve your selves to be Righteous Persons either to God or Men if you do not regard what becomes of your childrens and servants souls A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Prov. 12.10 If this be true how can they account themselves righteous persons who have no regard what becomes of the souls of their Children If a Beast go astray though it be not our own but our Neighbours yea our Enemies we must by no means neglect to bring it back Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine Enemies Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again If we are bound so straightly to bring back an Ox or an Ass of our Enemies when he goes astray then what obligations lie upon us to bring home to God our own Children and our houshold Servants when we see them going astray from the Lord SECT 2. Such as neglect Family-Instruction are guilty of their Children and Servants Blood How great an Evil it is to be guilty of the Blood of Souls Motive 2 SUch Parents and Masters of Families as neglect to train up their Children and Servants in the fear of the Lord and in the knowledge of his word are the instrumental causes of their Damnation and their Children and Servants Blood will be laid to their charge and be required at their hands For
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
of the Earth be blessed but his being a Blessing to all Nations is also attributed to his instructing his Family and training up his Children and Servants in a godly sort whereby the knowledge of God and the Seeds of Piety and true Religion were conveyed from one Family to another and from one Generation to another and from one Nation to another as will appear from Gen. 18.18 19. All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him How so How should it come about that all Nations should be blessed in him The following words will declare this For 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 that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Lo here how effectually Family-Instruction propagates Religion By means whereof from one Family the Seeds of Piety are conveyed to many Nations SECT 8. Family-Instruction greatly advanceth Gods glory Motive 8 INstructing our Families in the knowledge of Gods holy word will very much advance the Glory of God For then we glorifie God when we manifest and make known his Name unto those persons whom he hath committed to our charge and are careful to bring them acquainted with his word John 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth And how did Christ glorifie his Father upon the earth He tells us Vers 6. 8. That it was by manifesting the Name of God to those that were given to him by his Father and by instructing them out of his word I have manifested thy Name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me When David was desirous to exalt and magnifie the Name of the Lord the way that he resolved to take for the exalting and glorifying God was to teach his Children to fear the Lord Psal 34.3 11. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Family-Instruction advanceth the glory of God several ways I will mention only two or three 1. Instructing our Children and Servants out of the word of God will be a means to bring them to lead holy godly and righteous Lives and when our Families walk in the fear of God and live righteously God is glorified Isa 60.21 Thy People also shall be all righteous that I may be glorified 2. The good that our Children and Servants will receive by our instructing them out of the word of God will be so great that they will bless and praise God for it as long as they live yea to all eternity so that hereby we shall bring eternal glory to God for then and as long as God is praised he is glorified Psal 50.23 Whoso offereth me praise glorifieth me 3. Family-Instruction glorifieth God as it is a means to propagate Religion and increase the number of Converts and to bring multitudes to become Servants of the Lord for the more godly Families are erected the more the number of Gods Servants is multiplied the more God is glorified Prov. 14.28 In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour What Solomon saith of earthly Kings the same is true of the King of Heaven The Prophet Isaiah also informeth us Isa 26.15 That the increasing of the number of Gods Servants advanceth his glory Thou hast increased the Nation O Lord thou hast increased the Nation thou art glorified And it hath been shewn before that instructing our Families will be an effectual means of their Conversion and will greatly propagate Religion and the Power of Godliness from one Family to another for many Generations Now seeing Family-Instruction glorifieth God we should set our Heads and Hearts on work how to carry on this duty in the most advantagious and successful manner for we were every one created and are maintained in our being for this very end to glorifie God Isa 43.6 7. Bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the end of the earth even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory And Vers 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise And seeing we had our Beings given us for this end to glorifie God we ought to attend those Services which glorifie God with all our might And as the training up of our Children in the knowledge and fear of God greatly advanceth his glory so the neglect of this duty may be said to rob God of eternal glory Hence God complains of such as neglect or hinder the Religious Education of Children that they take away his glory for ever Mich. 2.9 From their Children they have taken away my glory forever How did they take away from their Children the glory of God for ever Locceius gives this interpretation of it malâ educatione By their evil education of their Children they robbed God of eternal glory To the same effect Gualther expounds the words Institutione destituuntur quâ ad Dei gloriam educentur They were deprived of instruction whereby they should have been trained up to the glory of God Corn. à Lapid also gives the same sence of the words Tulistis ab eis meam laudem tum quia eos à matribus avulsos honest â piâque educatione privastis in idololatriâ vestra educastis tam quia eos ad paupertatem adegistis ob quam ad omnia scelera vestramque voluntatens libidinem inflexistis Winckelman D. Stokes and several others expound this Scripture of the depriving Children of Religious Education And they that neglect the educating their Children in a pious manner may well be said to take away from their Children the glory of God for ever For when Children are trained up in a godly sort they will glorifie God all their days in this world and also in heaven to all eternity and they would not only glorifie God themselves but teach their Children to do so also and they would teach the next Generation and so the knowledge and glory of God might be transmitted from one Generation to another as long as the world shall continue all which glory is taken away from God where the pious Education of Children is neglected SECT 9. We shew our love to God by Instructing our Familiet Motive 9 THe Lord will take it kindly at our hands and account it a real demonstration of our love towards His Sacred Majesty if we are careful to feed our Families with the knowledge of his word Three times the Lord Jesus calls upon the Apostle Peter that if he had any love to him he would shew it by feeding his Lambs and his Sheep John 21.15 16 17. Jesus saith unto Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Lambs He saith to him again
Then all the Congregation answered and said with a loud Voice As thou hast said so must we do Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 was very successful in the Conviction and Conversion of obstinate sinners for he mightily convinced the Jews vers 28. And in the edification of such as were converted to the faith vers 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace SECT 2. We must teach our Families the knowledge of the principles and the practice of the Duties of Religion Nothing but the Truth Soul-saving Truths What are Soul-saving Truths Seasonable Truths Direct 2 COnsider well what Doctrine you teach your Families if you would convert and save their Souls For by taking heed to the Doctrine that you instil into them you may save both their and your own Souls 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save both thy self and them that hear thee If any ask What Doctrine should we teach our Families in order to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of their Souls I answer In the general teach them the holy Scriptures I have proved already that it is the Will and Command of God that we should instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Chap. I. Sect. 1. And I have also shown that teaching Gods Word to our Families will be a means of their Conversion Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul and of their edification Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And of their Salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation As the Reader may see more largely in the perusal of the first and second Chapters If any say Tell us more particularly what Doctrine we should teach our Families out of the Scriptures in order to their Conversion Edification and Salvation Answ 1. Instruct them in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion As for instance Teach them that there is a God and that this God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And who is the true God That there is but one God and that this one God subsisteth in three distinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth That God knoweth all things is every where present Almighty Eternal Holy in all his Works and Righteous in all his Ways Faithful Just Abundant in Mercy c. That God made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein and Rules and Governs all his Creatures by his Wise and Gracious Providence That Man was created in the Image of God and sinned against God by eating the Forbidden Fruit That by Adam's Disobedience all Men were made Sinners and are by Nature the Children of Wrath and that Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation That God out of his great Love sent his only begotten Son into the World to seek and save that which was lost That JESUS of NAZARETH who was conceived of the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin MARY suffered under PONTIUS PILATE was the promised MESSIAH That He died for our Sins and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven where he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for all that come to God by him from whence He shall come again to judge the World in Righteousness That God for Christ his sake hath made a New Covenant wherein he hath promised Remission of sins Sanctification eternal Life and all other good things freely to them that believe on his Son That those whom God hath ordained to eternal Life he calleth out of Darkness into Light and turneth them from their sins unto God and unites them to Christ by faith and puts his Spirit into them and causeth them to walk in his Ways and to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Life That there shall be a general Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust that after the Dead are raised the whole world shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive according to what he hath done while his Soul lived in his Body That such as have lived and died in their sins without Repentance shall be cast into Hell where they shall abide with the Devil and his Angels in everlasting fire And such as have believed in Christ and repented of their sins shall be received into Heaven where they shall be ever with the Lord. It is necessary that you should teach your Children and Servants the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion Heb. 5.12 Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God For Knowledge is the foundation of Practice Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And Solomon tells us Prov. 29.2 Also that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good And as you must teach them the knowledge of the Principles so also the practise of the Duties of the Christian Religion as to believe in Christ to repent of their sins to love God with all their Hearts and to love their Neighbours as themselves to do the same things unto others which they would that others should do unto them to deny themselves to love their Enemies to do good to them that hate them to read hear and meditate on Gods Words to be contented in every estate c. Knowledge without Obedience will be so far from leading them to everlasting life that it will make them have the greater condemnation Luk. 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But by teaching your Families both to know and do the will of God you shall make them partakers of eternal Happiness John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Thus David instructed his Son he taught him both to know and serve the Lord 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 2. Teach them nothing but the Truth Do not pervert and wrest the Scriptures to their and your own destruction Do not give them poy son instead of the sincere milk of the Word It was the practise of Christ and of his Apostles to teach nothing but the Truth Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ By teaching them the Word of God in truth you shall be
live after the flesh you shall die the Companion of Fools shall be destroyed c. is for you you shall die as well as any persons in the world if ye live after the flesh and if ye will keep evil company c. And this promise is for you They that seek the Lord shall want no good thing c. If you will seek the Lord he will give you all good things And the example of Gods Judgments on such as murmured and such as committed fornication c. was written for your admonition to deter you from committing those sins 1 Cor. 10.8 10 11. When Eliphaz had been instructing Job in several things concerning the misery of wicked men the nature of afflictions the blessings that God bestoweth on godly men c. he concludes his discourse thus Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know it for thy good or as it is in the Margin for thy self From the different rendring of the last clause of this Verse we may draw this note That then a man knows Divine Truths for his good when he knows them for himself that is the way for a man to get good by the knowledge of Divine Truths is to make a particular application of them to his own Soul 5. When you instruct them in the performance of any duty either towards God or their Neighbour teach them how and in what manner to perform that duty shew them also the necessity of it and the advantages and benefits that will come to them if they follow your counsel and the evils that will befall them if they neglect it Thus David instructed Solomon he exhorts him to know and serve the Lord 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him Then he shews him in what manner he must serve the Lord willingly and sincerely Serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind He tells him why it was necessary that he should serve the Lord with a perfect heart and with a willing mind For the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts He acquaints him also with the benefit that he should receive if he would seek and serve the Lord If thou seek him he will be found of thee and with the evils that would come upon him if he forsook the Lord But if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever It is said of Solomon Eccles 12.10 The Preacher sought out acceptable words or as some render it verba desiderii words that might stir up desires after those things which he taught the people words that might win and gain upon their affections Follow Solomon's example in teaching your Children seek out such Scriptures as may put an edge upon their affections and inflame them with a desire to practise those things which you teach them to be their duty Consider also what may dicourage or hinder them from the performing those Duties which you press upon them and endeavour to remove those hindrances for what the Apostle saith in another case 2 Thes 2.7 the same is true here That which now letteth will let until it be taken out of the way 6. So teach them their duty as also to direct them where they may have strength to perform it And to that end guide them to Christ without whom they can do nothing John 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing and by whose help they shall be able to do all things Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me By which means when they find no strength in themselves they shall be able to say they have it in Christ Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength Isa 45.24 And seeing Christ conveys his strength to us in a way of Reliance upon him for it is through faith that out of weakness we are made strong Heb. 11.34 and seeing faith is helped much by the promises when you instruct them in their duty guide them to some promise of the Covenant of Grace where God hath promised to inable them to perform that duty that so by the help of the promises they may trust in Christ to work all their works in them and for them and may through faith in him receive strength to walk before God in newness of Life Thus when the Apostle taught the Romans that they should not let sin have dominion over them Rom. 6.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal Bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof He presently puts them in mind of a promise wherein the Lord hath promised so to over-rule us by his grace that sin shall not have the Dominion over us vers 14. Sin shall not have the Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace 7. If you would so instruct your Families as to edifie them in your Teaching then stir them up to the practise of those Duties which make for their edification As First To walk in the fear of the Lord Act. 9.31 The Churches were edified walking in the fear of the Lord. Secondly To live in love and peace 1 Cor. 8.1 Charity edifieth Ephes 4.16 Maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in love Rom. 14.19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith we may edifie one another Thirdly To get Faith and to live by Faith after they have gotten it 1 Tim. 1.4 Godly edifying which is in faith Fourthly To pray in a fervent gracious spiritual manner Jude 20. But ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Fifthly To meditate often on what you have taught them 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear unto all SECT 4. What are the fittest times and seasons for instructing our Families Direct 4 THe seasonableness of a work makes it amiable Eccles 3.1 11. To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven He hath made every thing beautiful in his time The seasonableness of a work renders it also the more successful Psal 1.3 He shall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his season and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Such as are Rulers of Families must not only provide meat for their Families but meat in due season and by so doing he that is the supreme Lord of all Families shall give them his blessing Matth. 24.45 46 47. Who then is a faithful and wise Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Verily I say unto you That he shall make him Ruler over all his goods Now concerning the times and seasons that you should take for the doing this work
exceeded he openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity So should you charge and command your Children that they sin no more when you correct them 3. God is not extream to correct for every small fault Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand If any thing be done ignorantly he is ready to wink at that Acts 17.30 The times of this ignorance God winked at 4. God distinguisheth between his Children Such as are dutiful diligent Children shall not be corrected so smartly as those that are careless and negligent Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him 5. When Gods dearest Children need Correction and he seeth it is for their good they shall have it as well as others So should you do If you have any Child which is dearer and more delightful than the rest you should correct that as well as the others when it needs Correction Prov. 3.12 Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth 6. The Lord corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished He is careful not to break or sink his peoples Spirits by his Corrections Isa 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the Spirit should fail before me and the Soul which I have made In like manner you should be careful that you do not correct your Children out of measure or so as to sink and quench their Spirits 7. God doth not correct his Children in anger but out of love Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten And as he corrects in love so he doth aim at their good Heb. 12.10 They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness In like manner when you correct your Children let it not be in passion but out of love to their Souls and with a desire and design to do them good 8. God tries to reform his Children first by lesser and more gentle afflictions and when they will not prevail to reform them then he deals more severely with them and will not leave following them with one correction after another till he hath humbled and reformed them Isa 9.1 At the first he lightly afflicted the Land of Zebulun and Naphthali and afterwards did more grievously afflict her by the way of the Sea Lev. 26.23 24. If ye will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins So should you first try more gentle means and if that will not prevail chastise them more severely and be not discouraged from instructing and correcting them till you have humbled and subdued their spirits and caused them to reform their lives SECT 9. How to keep up our Authority over our Children and Servants Direct 9 IT will conduce much to the rendring of those Instructions which you give your Families more powerful and effectual to keep up your Authority in your Families and so to carry your selves that your Children and Servants may reverence and respect you It is said of Christ Mat. 7.28 29. The people were astonished at his Doctrine for he taught them as one having authority And what followed hereupon His word became very powerful Luke 4.32 They were astonished at his Doctrine for his word was with power When persons reverence those that teach them it causeth their Doctrine to work the more effectually upon their hearts and lives Mark 6.20 Herod feared John and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly If you say What course should we take that we may keep up our Authority and be reverenced in our Families I answer First Be careful to honour God to submit and subject your selves unto him and then he will cause your Families to honour you and to submit and subject themselves to your Commands It is God that inclines mens hearts to honour us 1 Chron. 29.12 Both Riches and Honour come of thee And when we are vilified flighted and disregarded this also is of God Psal 44.13 Thou makest us a reproach to our Neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us It is God that subdues the hearts of Children and Servants and other inferiours and makes them subject to their Superiours Psal 18.47 It is God that avengeth me and subdueth the people under me And it is a Judgment which the Lord layeth upon us when our Children or Servants carry themselves proudly or disobediently towards us Isa 3.5 The Child shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient and the Base against the Honourable Now if we be careful to glorifie God he will cause us to be honoured if we slight or disregard him he will cause us to be despised 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed If we submit our selves to God he will cause our Wives and Children and Servants to submit themselves unto us James 4.7 10. Submit your selves therefore to God Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up By lifting up is not only meant deliverance out of trouble but it implieth also that God will cause those that submit themselves to him to be honoured and reverenced he will lift them up in the hearts and estimation of all sorts of men that they shall carry themselves respectively towards them But if we rebel against God he will raise up evil against us out of our own Houses and cause some or other of our Families to carry themselves rebelliously and contemptuously towards us Thus when David had despised the Commandment of the Lord God raised up evil against him out of his own House 2 Sam. 12.9 11. Whilst he walked in the ways of God all sorts of persons strangers as well as his own people were subject to him Psal 18.43 44. A people whom I have not known shall serve me as soon as they hear of me they shall obey me the strangers shall submit themselves unto me But when he turned aside from God Sbimei one of his Servants curseth him to his face and his own Son Absolom riseth up in Rebellion against him Secondly When your Children carry themselves undutifully or irreverently towards you or do any thing that is sinful and displeasing to God reprove them and if Reproofs do not make them amend correct them This will make them give you reverence Heb. 12.9 We have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Thirdly Avoid frowardness intemperance and all other vices and carry your Souls in a holy gracious and exemplary manner for if you be addicted
about their conditions As examining our selves is the way to know our own estate 2 Cor. 13.5 So examining of others is the the way to know anothers state but of this more in the next Direction 2. By observing their carriage and conversation we may know their state Prov. 20.11 Even a Child is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right As the Tree so also a man is known by his Fruits Matth. 7.20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them The Apostle Peter by observing Simon Magus his carriage plainly perceived That notwithstanding he made a profession of faith yet he was in an unregenerate condition Acts 8.23 I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity And David by observing the sinful carriage of some men in his days concluded that they were wicked men and that they had no fear of God before their eyes Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no fear of God before his eyes SECT 14. Of communing with our Children Servants about their spiritual state What questions we should put to them Direct 14 THat you may know the state of your Families and carry on the work of Family-Instruction the more successfully It will be good to take some time to discourse with them apart about their spiritual state and to examine them in such points as are of greatest concernment to their Souls And when you are communing with and examining them it will not be amiss to put such kind of questions to them as our Lord Jesus Christ did now and then put to his Disciples and others that were instructed by him As for instance 1. Try whether they understand those things which you have taught them Thus Christ examines his Disciples Matth. 13.51 Jesus saith unto them Have ye understood all these things See what apprehensions they have of Jesus Christ of his Person his Offices his Design in coming into the world Matth. 16.15 Whom say ye that I am Matth. 18.11 12. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost How think ye 2. Examine them about their Faith John 16.31 Do ye now believe Luke 8.25 He said unto them Where is your Faith 3. Enquire whether they do believe and apply the Promises John 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die believest thou this And whether they believe that Christ is able and willing to help them in all their straights Matth. 9.28 Jesus saith unto them Believe ye that I am able to do this 4. Enquire whether they are convinced of their impotent condition that they are unable of themselves to do or speak any thing that is good Matth. 12.34 How can ye being evil speak good things 5. Commune with them about their love to Christ whether they love Jesus Christ above all things and persons in the world John 21.15 Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these 6. Ask them about their ability and willingness to suffer for Christ as Whether they are willing to take up his Cross whether they could lay down their lives and suffer the loss of all they have for Christ Mark 10.38 Jesus said unto them Can ye drink of the Cup that I drink of and be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with 7. Enquire what frame of heart they have whether they have hard or soft earthly or spiritual ignorant or understanding hearts Mark 8.17 Perceive ye not yet neither understand Have ye your hearts yet hardened 8. Ask them what ground they have to hope that God will deliver them from eternal Damnation Matth. 23.33 How can ye escape the Damnation of Hell 9. Enquire how they spend their time when they are alone and what manner of discourse they have when they are with others whether it be savoury profitable and such as makes for Gods glory Luke 24.17 He said What manner of Communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad 10. Enquire if they read the Scriptures and how and in what manner they read the Word of God whether they do it with an attentive mind with a desire to profit by it c. Luk. 10.26 He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou 11. Examine what they aim at in going to hear the Word of God as Christ did those that followed John the Baptist into the Wilderness Matth. 11.7 What went ye out into the Wilderness to see 12. Try whether they are able to resolve the objections that may be brought against the main Articles of their Faith Thus our Lord Jesus tried his Followers with a difficult question How Christ could be the Son of David when as David called him Lord Mark 12.35 36 37. David himself calleth him Lord whence is he then his Son 13. If any of them are of a doubting troubled spirit perplexed with fears enquire into the Grounds and Causes of their Fears and Doubts and whatever other troubles are upon their minds Luke 24.38 He said unto them why are you troubled 14. Ask them Wherein they excel others that want a Principle of Grace What they do more than a natural man a man that hath nothing more than a Form of Godliness Matth. 5.47 What do you more than others These and what other questions you shall judge meet you may put to them when you are discoursing with them As Whether they pray How and in what manner they pray Whether they have any answer of their prayers What temptations they meet with Whether they are prepared for Death Whether they enjoy communion with God in his Ordinances Whether they find Sin decaying and Grace increasing c. And when you put any questions to them cause them to return an answer as Christ when he was reasoning with the Jews called upon them to answer the question that he put to them Mar. 11.29 Jesus said unto them I will ask you one question and answer me This communing with our Families about their spiritual estate is seasonable at all times but more especially when any of them are in affliction and when they are under some eminent workings and stirrings of the Spirit of God or when they are assaulted with temptations or when they are to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper SECT 15. How to instil Grace into the Vnconverted What Counsel to give to such as profit by our Instructions How to deal with such as do not profit by our Instructions How with such as rest in a Form of Godliness How with such as are in a declining condition Direct 15 ACcording to the state and condition that you find your Family to be in apply your instruction suitable to the case of the several Members thereof As for instance First If you find any of your Children or Servants to be in an unconverted condition endeavour as far as in you lieth to
become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat Yet he calls upon these persons whom he confesseth had need of teaching themselves to exhort one another daily Chap. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Fourthly Though some have more Talents than others yet there is no man without a Talent to trade withal Matth. 25.15 The Apostle telleth us Every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that 1 Cor. 7.7 Now suppose your gifts are of the meanest sort you must improve them for the good of your Families That man who had but one Talent because he hid it in a Napkin was cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of Teeth Matth. 25.24 25 28 30. Fifthly If your want of abilities discourage you from this work seek to have your abilities increased it is lawful to covet gifts for the edification of others as well as grace for the good of your own soul 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 14.1 Desire spiritual gifts If you ask How you should get your Gifts and Abilities increased I answer 1. Pray to God to endue you with such gifts as may fit you for the work and service of the place and station that he hath set you in Jam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights And he which is the Author of every good gift will deny no good thing to them that seek him Psal 34.10 Matth. 7.11 Though you have little or no abilities yet God can put power into those that have no might Isa 40.29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength 2. Study the Scriptures and other good Books but the Scriptures above all other Books read them diligently and meditate upon them Hereby you shall be enabled to instruct your Families and be furnished with abilities for every good work 2 Tim. 3.16 17. 3. Imploy those abilities which God hath given you in teaching your Families thereby you shall have them increased Matth. 25.29 Vnto every one that hath that is who improveth what he hath as appeareth from the context shall be given and he shall have abundance 4. Walk in the fear of God by so doing the Lord will increase both the gifts and graces of his Spirit in you Psal 115.13 14. He will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great The Lord shall encrease you more and more you and your Children 5. Look unto Christ who hath received Gifts to bestow upon the sons of men Psal 68.18 The Corinthians were endued with excellent Gifts they were inriched with all utterance and all knowledge so that they came behind other Churches in no gift And how came they to be thus inriched in gifts They had all their gifts from Jesus Christ as you may see 1 Cor. 1.4 5 7. Sixthly Though your gifts be small yet if you be diligent and do the best you can God will accept your work They that offered for the Tabernacle Goats Hair and Rams Skins were accepted as well as they that offered Gold and Silver and precious Stones Exod. 35.5 6 7 8. Such as could not bring a Lamb for a Trespass-offering were permitted to bring two Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons and such as could not do this were allowed to bring the tenth part of an Ephah of fine flower and he that brought the smallest offering was accepted as well as he that brought the greatest if he could bring no better Lev. 5.6 7 11 13. God hath always shewed himself ready to accept of weak service where a man hath a willing mind to do better but wants ability 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Seventhly If you say you know not how or in what way to teach your Children and Servants the holy Scriptures you may if you are not provided of a better help make use of the Scriptural Catechism which I have published with this Treatise wherein I have selected such Texts of Scripture as are useful for the grounding of younger persons in the knowledge and belief of the Articles of our Faith and to bring them acquainted with their sinful and miserable condition by nature the necessity of Regeneration the Covenant of Grace the way to obtain peace with God and remission of sins c. and direct and perswade them to embrace a godly life and draw them on to the practise of Repentance the love of God and our Neighbour self-denial contentment c. and to restrain them from lying swearing the love of pleasure idleness uncleanness and such other sins as young persons are apt to be led into and also to prepare them for and comfort them under such afflictions as they are liable unto Which I have endeavoured to digest in such a method and with that subserviency each unto other as may be helpful both to their Understandings and Memories and also work upon their Affections SECT 2. The Plea of such as cannot read answered Object 2 NEither I my self nor any of my Family can read and how then can I instruct them in the Scriptures when neither I nor any in my Family can read the Scriptures Answer First Bewail your sin in neglecting to learn to read your self and in neglecting to cause your Children to learn to read the word of God When St. John saw a Book that no man was able to look into it made him weep much Rev. 5.4 I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book neither to look thereon Ought not you in like manner to weep much because neither you nor any of your Family is able to read in the Book of God Secondly If you cannot read learn to read with all speed and diligence and cause all in your Family to learn also to read the Scriptures Though you be growing old yet it is not too late to begin to learn to read Gods word To stir you up to learn to read and to cause your Children and Servants to learn to read consider 1. It is the Command of God that we should read his word with great diligence John 5.39 Search the Scriptures 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading Isa 34.16 Seek out of the Book of the Lord and read 1 Thes 5.27 I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy Brethren Now they that cannot read live in the breach of these Commandments and their inability to read will be no excuse to them at the day of Judgment for they might have learnt if they would have taken a little pains herein 2. There is a blessing promised to them that read the word provided that they practice what they read Rev.
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-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
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
a thousand times more value than many Sparrows And seeing it is God hath done it how grievous and bitter soever it be unto your Souls you must bear it with patience Psal 39.9 10. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it And this was no small stroke under which David was dumb because the Lord gave him the blow but it was so great as that he was even consumed with it as the next words shew Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand By his being consumed we may understand the greatness of his grief as Psal 31.9 Mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly yet under this great stroke which consumed his Soul and his Body with grief he was dumb and opened not his mouth because God did it Whatsoever cometh from the hands of God must be born with silence and submission to his will although it be so sharp and bitter as that it will make us go mourning as long as vve live Isa 38.15 What shall I say He hath spoken unto me and himself hath done it I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my Soul And as vve must be patient under all our griefs so we must contentedly bear vvhatever grievous things befal our children Jer. 10.19 20. Wo is me for my hurt my wound is grievous but I said Truly this is a grief and I must bear it My Children are gone forth of me and are not II. God is righteous in vvhat he hath done to your Children although he hath cast them into eternal torments If you think it not consistent with Righteousness and Equity to punish the sins of a few years vvith endless and eternal torments consider 1. That the Scriptures assure us that the Lord is righteous in all his vvays Psal 145.18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works And if the Lord be righteous in all his ways then also in this vvay of his Providence vvhen he condemneth vvicked men to eternal torments for the sins they committed in that short space of time they lived in the vvorld Yea more particularly vve find the Scriptures ascribing Righteousness to God in this very case vvhen he punisheth ungodly persons vvith everlasting torments 2 Thes 1.6 9. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2. The Angels are more glorious Creatures than the Souls of Men yet vvhen they sinned against God the Lord did not spare them but for their first sin cast them down into hell 2 Pet. 1.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Judgment And that they shall be punished in Hell vvith everlasting torments is evident from Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And this he did vvithout affording them any means of their recovery from their sin and misery vvhich vvas granted to fallen man Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham Now seeing God cast those glorious Creatures the Angels into eternal torments for their first transgression and did not spare them one day or afford them any means of recovery after their fall shall vve think that God deals hardly vvith the Sons of men in condemning them to eternal torments vvhenas he afforded them means of grace and salvation and gave them a long time and space for their Repentance vvaiting day after day and year after year for their returning to him Is not this far greater mercy and less severity then vvas shewn to the fallen Angels 3. Sin is committed against an eternal God against an infinitely holy great and glorious GOD and therefore deserveth an infinite and eternal punishment We do not understand or at least vve do not consider what an odious thing Sin is and what a great God the Lord is and vvhat an infinite distance there is between the great and holy God and a poor sinful man vvhen vve think that the Lord deals hardly vvith sinners in punishing their sins vvith eternal torments What an hainous crime is it for man who is but a poor vvorm made of dust and ashes to affront despise and rebel against the great GOD of Heaven and Earth vvho gave him his Being and loadeth him vvith his Benefits every day To tread the Laws of God under his feet and to cast his vvord behind his back to slight all his Promises and Threatnings to contemn all his offers of Grace and Mercy and though he wait with much patience and long-suffering many days and years for his Repentance to refuse to return and obey the Voice of his Creator Doth not such a despising of the Eternal Immortal Ever-Blessed God deserve to be punished with eternal Torments 4. It is accounted no injustice among men to inflict a punishment of long continuance for a crime that was committed in a very short time If Murder Adultery Treason or some other capital Offence which was committed in the space of a few minutes be punished with perpetual imprisonment or perpetual banishment no man counts it injustice or thinks the Offender is hardly dealt with because he is so long punish'd for an offence committed in so short a time Why then should any man think that the Righteous God dealeth hardly or unjustly in punishing sinners with perpetual torments for the sins they committed those few years they lived in the world 5. It was their own choice to embrace eternal death God set before them Life and Death He told them if they did evil they should die eternally but if they would repent and do that which is good in his sight they should have everlasting life and he called upon them earnestly to chuse Life rather than Death Deut. 30.15 19. See I have set before you this day life and good death and evil Therefore chuse life He offered them Life in his Son and they would not go unto him for it John 5.40 And ye will not come to Me that ye might have life He protested solemnly to them that he was loth they should die and therefore pleaded with them Why will ye die Ezek. 33.11 Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O House of Israel And therefore they must blame themselves not the Lord for their being cast into eternal Torments 6. Had they been permitted to have lived for ever upon the face of the Earth they would have sinned for ever The heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil
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
salvation SECT 4. Many Benefits accrue to our Children by Instruction Motive 4 BY training up our Children in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures we shall greatly promote their welfare That this is the way to furnish them with wisdom and what Advantages will come to them by being endued with Wisdom hath been shewed already There are many other great Benefits and Advantages will accrue to our Children by being instructed in the Scriptures I will instance in some of them 1. Acquaintance with the Word of God will furnish them with grounds of Consolation whereby they may be able to bear up chearfully and comfort themselves under all the troubles of this present life We know not what troubles our Children may meet with when we are at Rest in our Graves we leave them in a troublesome world where they must expect to meet with variety of afflictions Job 14.1 Man that is born of a Woman is of few Days and full of trouble especially if they walk in the path that leads to life for there is no getting to Heaven but through much tribulation Act. 14.22 We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And if our Children have not somewhat out of Gods Word to comfort themselves withall under their afflictions they will sink under their sorrows and be in danger to make away themselves Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction But if they be acquainted with the word of God they may from thence be furnished with grounds of Consolation under the greatest troubles that can come upon them in this world Jer. 15.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of mine heart It was a time of great trouble with the Prophet and he was alone and had none to comfort him as we may see Vers 10 17 18. yet even then when he was a man of contention to the whole earth and sat alone being filled with indignation and looked upon his pain as perpetual and his wound as incurable Gods word was the joy and rejoycing of his heart So David when his heart was ready to break with grief Psal 119.28 My Soul melteth for heaviness found joy and comfort in Gods word Vers 49.50 Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in mine affliction And Vers 143 162. Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me yet thy Commandments are my delight I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoyl 2. Acquaintance with the word of God will keep our Children from taking evil and destructive courses from going in those paths that will bring them to destruction Psal 17.4 Concerning the works of men by the words of thy Lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyers The word of God laid up in their hearts will keep them from associating themselves with evil men and evil women It will so over-awe their hearts that they will not only not run of themselves into evil Company but also shun and avoid them though they use many flattering speeches to entice them to that which is evil Prov. 7.15 My Son keep my words and lay up my Commandments with thee That they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words See also Prov. 6.23 24. 3. The knowledge of Godsword will keep them from falling into Errors which persons of weak Judgments and not well grounded in the Scriptures are easily drawn into Errors arise from ignorance of the Scriptures Mark 12.24 Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Growing in knowledge is prescribed by the Apostle as a means to prevent persons being led into errors 2 Pet. 3.17 18. We had need be careful to preserve our Children from Errors especially in Fundamental Points of Religion as well as from gross sins For 1. Except they abide in the Doctrine of Christ they can have no enjoyment of God 2 John 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 2. Heresies are manifest works of the flesh as well as Adultery and Murder and such-like sins and will as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven as the grossest sins as we may see Gal. 5.19 20 21. 4. If we instruct our Children in the knowledge of Gods word that will guide and direct them how to carry on all their undertakings and how to manage the great Turns and Changes of their Lives and all their other affairs Psal 119.105 Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path And the Lord hath promised to such as converse much with his word and treasure it up in their hearts that his word shall lead and guide them in all their ways and they shall have such plain direction from his word how to order their Affairs as if they heard one talking with them and saying this is the way walk therein Prov. 6.21 22 23. Bind them continually upon thine heart When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou wakest it shall talk with thee For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of life Isa 30.21 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left 5. It will help our Children even whilst they are young to reform their lives Psal 119.9 Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word It will keep them from sinning against God Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee It will cause them to do those things which are right in the sight of God 2 Kings 12.2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him Now who is there that feareth the Lord that would not most gladly have his Children reform their lives and be kept from sinning against God and do that which is right in the sight of the Lord 6. By leaving our Children instructed in Gods word we shall leave them better than if we were able to leave them thousands of pounds of Silver and Gold For the Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Psal 119.72 7. Godly Parents may have all that they can desire on the behalf of their Children if they do train them up in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures Do we desire that our Children should be brought to know and fear the Lord This may be effected by causing them to treasure up Gods word in their hearts
Prov. 2.1 5. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandments with thee Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Would we have our Children continue in the ways of God walking with and serving God as long as they live By instructing them whilst they are young we shall obtain our desire in this thing Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Would we have our Children instructed how to lead a godly and righteous Life And would we have them throughly furnished with abilities for every good work This may be done by acquainting them with the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Do we desire our Children should be prosperous men both whilst we live and after we are dead and gone into another world This may be obtained by training them up in the knowledge and obedience of Gods word Deut. 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do Do we desire that our Children may be blessed with all manner of blessings whilst they live here in this world and do we desire to have their Souls saved when they die The way to obtain this is to train them up in a godly sort that they may know and walk in the ways of the Lord which he hath prescribed to us and to them in his holy word For 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Prov. 10.17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction See also 2 Tim. 3.15 John 17.3 Deut. 28. from vers 1. to 24. SECT 5. We benefit our selves by instructing our Families Mo ∣ tive 5 BY inflructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures we shall not only procure much good to our Children and Servants but shall also exceedingly advantage our own Souls and obtain many blessings from God for our selves as well as our Families When Obed-Edom entertained the Ark of the Lord in his house The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his houshold 2 Sam. 6.11 And the Blessings that God gave Obed-Edom were so remarkable that others as well as himself took notice thereof vers 12. And it was told King David saying The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertained unto him because of the Ark of God In this Ark were laid up the Laws of God written upon two Tables Deut. 10.2 If we treasure up Gods Laws in our own hearts and teach the same unto our Families instructing them both in the Duties of the first and second Table that is in their duty to God and to Men the Lord will as surely and in as eminent a manner bless us as he did Obed-Edom for receiving the Ark wherein were the two Tables of the Law of God I will instance in some advantages and blessings which those Parents and Masters of Families shall receive that are diligent in training up their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures 1. The Lord hath promised a long and blessed Life to them and their Children that instruct their Children in his word they shall enjoy a kind of Heaven upon Earth Deut. 11.18 19 21. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your hearts and in your souls And ye shall teach them your Children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up that your days may be multiplied and the days of your Children as the days of Heaven upon Earth 2. They shall have a great reward in Heaven who are diligent in instructing those whom God hath committed to their Charge Mat. 24.45 46 47. Who then is that faithful and wise Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Verily I say unto you That he shall make him Ruler over all his Goods If we teach our Families the Commandments of God and do also keep them our selves we shall be great Persons in the Kingdom of Heaven how mean and low soever our condition be in this world Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven 3. Our Children and Servants will be great Comforts and Blessings to us if we train them up in the fear of God Onesimus before his Conversion was a great cross to his Master but after he was instructed by the Apostle Paul and God had wrought upon him who was a more dutiful Servant than One simus Philem. 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to me and to thee They will be great Comforts to us in this world Prov. 10.1 A wise Son maketh a glad Father Prov. 29.17 Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul The Chaldee Syriack Arabick Greek and Vulgar Latin translate the word Erudi filium tuum c. Instruct thy Son and the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to instruct as well as to correct as Psal 2.10 Be instructed ye Judges of the Earth So that the words may be as well rendred Instruct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight to thy Soul What greater Comfort can a Parent have than to see his Children walking in the ways of God 3 John 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in truth They will also be a Comfort to us in the world to come What a Joy will it be to a godly Parent to present himself and his Children before the Lord and to say Lord here am I and the Children whom thou hast given me As it is with Ministers of the Word they shall have great joy in those they have instructed and converted to the Lord 1 Thes 2.19 20. What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our Glory and Joy So it will be with Parents and Masters of Families they shall have great Joy at the day of Judgment in those whom they have taught and brought home to the Lord. 4. It will keep the memory and savour of Gods word upon our hearts and breed in us a spiritual frame of heart to be often teaching Gods word to our Families Deut. 4.9 10. Only take heed to