me for such a great man as I am to instruct my Family 4. Riches and Honour and worldly Greatness should be so far from taking off any man from any good work that they should cause him to be more abundant in every good work 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works Jehoshaphat who was a good as well as a great man was so far from neglecting any of the ways of the Lord because of his Greatness that his heart was more elevated and encouraged to lay out himself for God by the Honour and Greatness which God had conferred upon him 2 Chron. 17.5 6. The Lord stablished the Kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat Presents and he had Riches and Honour in abundance and his heart was lift up or as 't is in the Margin was encouraged in the ways of the Lord. SECT 11. The Plea of such as say they have no spare time to instruct their Families because they are poor or have much business or are often abroad answered Object 11 THere are many will plead They have no spare time to instruct their Families some because they are poor others because they are often from home a third sort because they are full of business who are ready to say On the week days we must attend our worldly occasions and on Lords days we must attend publick Ordinances and take some time for our private Communion with God so that we can find no time to instruct our Families Answ 1. Do you not find time to eat and drink with your Children If you can find time notwithstanding all your business to eat and drink with your Families if you had as great a delight in the word of God as Job had you would also find time to instruct them out of the word of God for he esteemed Gods word more than his food yea more than his necessary food Job 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food Are not your Childrens Souls infinitely better than their Bodies And will you then spend all your time in providing for their Bodies and spare no time to instruct their Souls Your Childrens Souls are in as great danger to perish without Instruction as their Bodies without Food and Rayment their Bodies will die if they have no Food prepared for them so will their Souls if they be without Instruction Prov. 5.23 He shall die without instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray Hos 4.6 My People are destroyed for want of Knowledge 2. Suppose you are poor your Poverty should be so far from keeping you from teaching Gods Word unto your Children that you should be the more diligent to study Gods word your selves and to teach the same unto your Children And that for several Reasons As First Gods Word will help you and your Children to bear your Poverty with Patience and Contentment The Apostle Paul exerercised much patience in his Afflictions Necessities and Distresses and the help which he had to bear his Necessities with patience was from the Word of God 2 Cor. 6.4 7. Increasing in the knowledge of God will strengthen a man with all might to suffer all sorts of afflictions with all Patience Long-suffering and Joyfulness Col. 1.10 11. Secondly If you be poor and can leave your Children nothing you have the more need to leave them instructed in the Word of God and if you leave them well instructed in the Word you leave them a good portion better then if you left them thousands of pounds in Silver or Gold Psal 119.72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Thirdly By laying up Gods word in your hearts and teaching it your Children and practising it in your Lives and Conversations you may come to be deliver'd from your Poverty and be blessed with Riches Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and who are more likely to obtain this Blessing then they that treasure up Gods word in their hearts and teach it to their Children Job 22.22 24. Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart then shalt thou lay up Gold as dust and the Gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook Prov. 24.4 By knowledge shall the Chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant Riches Fourthly If the Lord should see it best for you and your Children to be kept in a poor and low condition and should deny you the Riches of this world yet by conversing much with the word of God and instructing your Children in the knowledge of the Scriptures both you and your Children may come to be rich in faith and by being rich in faith both you and they shall become great Heirs Heirs of a Kingdom Heirs not of an earthly but which is far better of an heavenly Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 3. Multiplicity of Business is not a sufficient Plea for the neglect of this duty of Family-Instruction For First Next to the working out of our own salvation we can have no Business of greater importance than the training up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God Secondly A good man must order all his affairs with discretion so as one Business may not hinder another especially that which is of lesser moment must not hinder that which is of greater concerment Thirdly When a man hath an heart for this work he will easily find time to do it Want of time may be pretended but want of an heart to the work is the real cause why it is neglected Fourthly No men can have more or greater Business than Kings who have the Affairs of an whole Kingdom lying upon their hands yet David who was a King found time to teach his Children Prov. 4.3 4. yet he had much other Business besides governing the Twelve Tribes of Israel who were a very numerous People as preparing Materials to build the Temple composing of Psalms fighting of Battels there being both Civil Wars and War with forraign Enemies in his days c. Fifthly They that have most Business if they take a view of their time shall find that much of their time is lost and mis-spent either in idleness or vain unprofitable Discourse or unnecessary thoughts and cares about the affairs of this life or in some other kind Do but spend so much time in Family-Instruction as you have been used to spend unprofitably and you shall find time enough for this work 4. Suppose you be full of Employment that you can find no spare time on the week day to instruct your Families yet on every Lords day wherein you are to lay aside all your worldly Business you may find time and leasure enough to instruct your
the glory of God to train up our children and servants in the knowledge and obedience of the holy Scriptures what blessings it will bring upon our selves and Families what exceeding great benefits will accrue thereby to our children what good we may do to the generations that are yet to come how much it tends to the propagating of Religion and the power of godliness and how Family Instruction may be carried on successfully to the Conversion Edification and eternal Salvation of such as are under charge you may see in the perusal of this ensuing Treatise which I have composed for the use of such Heads of Families as are not provided of better helps but more especially for you my dearly beloved Friends among whom I have lived and with whom I have conversed My humble and earnest request to you is that if you have any love to the Lord Jesus you would express it by feeding his Lambs with the sincere milk of his Word if you have any zeal for the glory of God if any bowels towards your posterity if any desire of their spiritual and eternal welfare if any regard to the generations that are yet unborn if you have ever found any comfort in or benefit by the Word of God that you would bend your minds and set your hearts to this good work of instructing your children and servants in the knowledge and training them up in the obedience of the Scriptures And that you and all others into whose hands the Providence of God shall bring this small Treatise may by the perusal thereof be quickned to directed and encouraged in this work of Family Instruction and be enabled to manage the same to the glory of God your own and your Families Edification shall be the prayer of Your Servant in the work of the Lord Owen Stockton ERRATA Page 17. line 15. for 1 Cor. 5.7 read 1 Cor. 1.5 7. p. 23. l. 27. for 1 Pet. 2.22 r. 1 Pet. 1.22 p. 75. l. 15. r. Cocceius p. 105. l. 20. for Prov. 15.20 r. Prov. 13.20 p. 144. l. 2. r. fortifie Some other small faults have escaped the Press which the judicious Reader will easily correct The Contents THe neglect of Family Instruction a great evil page 1 2. Several Scriptures to prove it to be our duâ—y to instruct our Families and that the Instructions which we give them be drawn out of the Word of God page 3. to the 11. Servants as well as Children must be instructed page 11. to the 16. The ignorance of Children and Servants proves the necessity of Family Instruction page 16 17 Ignorance brings many and great evils upon our Families page 17. to 22 The corruption that is in Children and Servants prove the necessity of Family Instruction page 22 to 26 Family Duties cannot be performed without Family Instruction page 26. to 30. We have Gods example for teaching our Children and Servants page 30. to 33. Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children page 33. to 40. Chap. 2. Motives to Family Instruction 1. Instructing our Children and Servants will be a means of their conversion page 40 41. Six reasons why we should labour after our Children and Servants conversion page 41. to 45. 2. Neglect of Family Instruction makes us guilty of our Children and Servants blond What a great evil it is to be guilty of the bloud of souls page 45. 3. Instructing our Children out of the Scriptures instils wisdom into them The advantages that will come to them by being endued with wisdom page 51. to 57. 4. Instructing our Children will bring them great advantage on several accounts page 57. to 62. 5. We benefit our selves several ways by instructing our Families page 62. to 66. 6. The neglect of Family Instruction is the cause of several evils page 66. to 59. 7. Family Instruction will propagate Religion to a thousand generations page 69. to 73. 8. Family Instruction greatly advanceth the glory of God page 73. to 76. 9. We shew our love to God by instructing our Families page 76 77. 10. Gods mercy in giving us Families should stir us up to instruct them page 77. to 79. 11. We have the example of Jesus Christ and the best men that ever lived for instructing their Families page 79. to 84. 12. Gods Judgements that have lately been upon the Nation call for Family Instruction and Family Reformation page 84. to 87. 13. The usefulness and excellency of the Scriptures should stir us up to train up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures page 87. to 92. 14. They deal unjustly with their Families who defraud them of Instruction page 92. to 95 Chap. 3. Directions how to manage the work of Family Instruction so as to promote the Conversion Edification and eternal Salvation of all such as are under our charge page 95. to 200. 1. Direct We must be diligent in studying the Scriptures page 95. to 98. 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 seasonable Truths page 98. to 107 What are Soul-saving Truths page 102. to 105. What are seasonable Truths page 106 107. 3. We must instruct our Families in the most edifying manner What manner of Instruction is must edifying What are Edifying Duties page 107 to 113. 4. We must take the fittest seasons for Family Instruction What are the fittest seasons for this work page 113. to 116. 5. We must cause them to keep the Word of God in remembrance What benefits come by remembring the Word page 116. to 119. 6. We must watch over our Families page 119. to 121. 7. We must reprove them when they do any thing contrary to the Word of God page 121 122. How to manage this duty of Reproof with success page 122 to 128. 8. When Reproofs take no place we must correct our Children page 128 How Corrections may be made effectual for our Childrens good page 129. to 132. 9. We must keep up our authority in our Families page 132. How to keep up our authority in our Families page 132 to 137. 10. We must endeavour to gain our Children and Servants affections How this may be done page 137. to 140. 11. We must endeavour to engraft those Scriptures which we teach our Children and Servants in their hearts How this may be done page 140. to 143. How to bring our Children and Servants in love with the Word page 143. 12. We must endeavour to draw our Families to Christ page 144. How to draw our Children and Servants to Christ page 144. to 148. How to fortifie our Families against the offence of the Cross that when troubles arise for the Gospels sake they may not fall off from the ways of Christ page 148. to 151. 13. We must labour to know the state of the several members of our Families How we may gain this knowledge page 152 to 155. 14. We must commune with our Children and Servants about their
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
against thee As is the Mother so is the Daughter So that if Mothers live religiously and shew a good example to their Children and instruct them out of Gods word there is great hope that their Children will become Religious also It is remarkable both amongst the good and evil Kings that were in Judah and Israel that the Scripture doth frequently record their Mothers names as for good Kings we may see 1 Kings 22.42 43. 2 Kings 18.2 3. and 22.12 And for evil Kings 2 King 8.26 27. 1 Kings 15.2 3. which sheweth that the Mothers example and carriage amongst her Children hath a great influence upon them to make them either good or evil 6. Mothers have greater opportunities to be instilling good things into their Children than their Fathers for they are oftener with them especially whilst they are young as they are dressing or undressing them or giving them meat or sitting with them at work or walking abroad with them they should be talking with them of the word of God Deut. 6.6 7. And every one is to do good according to the opportunities that God puts into their hands Gal. 6.10 7. Hereby Mothers may do great service for Christ in training up Children for the Lord All the good that such Children shall do in their generation shall redound to the Mothers Comfort and Reward The Apostle mentioneth the bringing up of Children by which is meant bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord amongst the first and chiefest good works which women are able to do in their generation 1 Tim. 5.10 Well reported of for good works if she have brought up Children 8. What service women do for Christ he takes as kindly as he doth what men do for him when there was a woman poured upon his head a Box of pretious Oyntment though the Disciples had indignation yet the Lord Jesus took it well from her and said that this act of the woman should be had in remembrance and be spoken of to her praise as long as the Gospel should be preached in the world Mat. 26.13 Verily I say unto you Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there also this that this woman hath done shall be told for a memorial of her If you that are Mothers teach Gods word to your Children and labour to bring them up in the knowledge and fear of God the Lord Jesus will take this more kindly from you than he took this box of pretious Oyntment from this woman which anointed his body against his burial And that may be evidenced several ways 1. Christ was more pleased with those that minded his word than with those that were at the cost and trouble to provide for his Body as appears from the case of Mary and Martha Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word but Martha was cumbred with much serving Luk. 10.38 39. Hereupon Martha complains to Christ that her sister had left her to serve alone and desires him to bid Mary to help her but Christ commends Mary's choice and her work who was employed about his word above Martha's who was employed in preparing food for his Body and those that were with him Vers 40 41 42. 2. The Lord Jesus loves your Childrens Souls as well as he loves his own Body he gave his own Body to be crucified to save your Childrens Souls And therefore doubtless it is as acceptable to see you endeavouring to save your Childrens Souls by instructing and teaching them out of his holy Word as it was to have his Body anointed with pretious Ointment 3. The Name of God and Christ is like pretious Ointment Cant. 1.3 Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth Yea it is more precious than any Ointment in the World And when you bring your Children acquainted with the Name of God and Christ by instructing them out of the Word of God you convey that to them which is beyond all the pretious Ointment in the world 4. The Ointment that was poured on Christs Body did bur little if any thing advantage the body of Christ he accepted it not so much for the advantage he had by it as he did for the Faith and Love which the Woman manifested in this work But by instructing your Children out of the Word of God you shall greatly promote the good and welfare of their pretious Souls If the Lord Jesus did so kindly accept the Womans anointing his body with precious Ointment that he recorded her praise in the Gospel and will have the Memorial thereof preserved in all Ages throughout the whole World Then doubt not you that are Mothers that if you instruct your Children in the knowledge of his Word but he will accept this very kindly at your hands and cause this good Work of yours to be had in eternal Remembrance CHAP. II. Motives to stir up Parents and Masters of Families to instruct their Children and Servants in the Knowledge and to train them up in the obedience of the Scriptures IN the former Chapter I have proved it to be the Duty of Parents and Masters of Families to train up their Children and Servants in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures I shall now proceed to lay down some Motives to stir up those that neglect this good work to be diligent constant and conscientious in the performance of their Duty in teaching and instructing their Familier SECT 1. Instructing our Children and Servants out of the Scriptures will be a means of their Conversion Reasons why we should endeavour their Conversion Motive 1 INstructing your Children and Servants out of the word of God will be a powerful and an effectual means to convert and save their souls For The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Psal 19.7 And The Gospel is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of instruction are the way of Life Prov. 6.23 Though they be such as walk in sinful and destructive courses by teaching and instructing them out of the Scriptures they may be converted from their sins unto God Psal 5.13 I will teach Transgressors thy ways and Sinners shall be converted unto thee We read of Cornelius that both he himself and all his house were saved by the word wherewith they were instructed by Peter Act. 11.14 Who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved In like manner if Governours of Families did carefully instruct their Families out of the word of God they might in so doing both save themselves and all their house With what diligence with what speed with what alacrity with what a resolved minde to persevere therein under all discouragements should you set upon this work seeing there is hope that hereby you may save your Children and your Servants Souls That this argument may have the greater force to perswade and prevail with you to set your hearts to this work Consider 1. What
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
the second time Lovest thou me He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Sheep He saith unto him the third time Lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my Sheep After the Command of loving God with all our heart and all our soul and all our might is immediately added the Command of laying up Gods Word in our hearts and teaching the same diligently unto our Children Deut. 6.5 6 7. which implieth That we cann't express our love to God better than by lodging his word in our hearts and teaching it to our Children As they are Pastors after Gods own heart who are diligent to instruct the people in the knowledge of his word Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding So they are Parents and Masters after Gods own heart who feed their Children and Servants with the knowledge of Gods word It is said of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30.22 Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord. In the like manner at the day of Judgment the Lord will speak comfortably to all those Masters of Families that have taught his good word unto their Families SECT 10. Gods mercy in giving us Families should stir us up to instruct them Motive 10 IT is a great mercy to have a Family The giving the Midwives an Houshold is mentioned as a great part of the Reward which God gave them for their fearing His Sacred Majesty Exod. 1.21 And it be came to pass because the Midwives feared God he made them Houses All the Members of a Family are Blessings and great Mercies when they are well-ordered and rightly improved It is a great Blessing to have a good Wife Prov. 18.22 Whoso findeth a Wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord. Children also are accounted by God to be a Blessing and are given as a Reward Psal 127.3 5. Lo Children are the Heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his Reward Happy is the man that hath his Quiver full of them It is no small Blessing to have Servants and that we are not put to do all toylsome and inferiour works our selves and that we are not left alone to carry on our Affairs but have Servants to be helpful to us When Abraham's Servant reckons up the Blessings which God had given his Master he mentions among the rest Gods giving him Servants Gen. 24.35 The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he hath given him Men-Servants and Maid-Servants Solomon also speaketh of it as a mercy to have a Servant Prov. 12.9 He that is despised and hath a Servant is better than he that honoureth himself and lacketh Bread Now if a Family and every Member in a Family be a mercy and a blessing given us by God it is but meet that we should in way of gratitude dedicate our Families to God and train up every Member in the Family in the knowledge and fear of God Especially if we consider that our Children and Servants are committed to us for this very end that we should train them up in a godly sort that will lay a further obligation upon us to bring them acquainted with God by instructing them out of his holy word Mal. 2.15 Did he not make one Yet had he the residue of the Spirit And wherefore one That he might seek a godly Seed The Prophet acquaints us in these words what was Gods end in the Institution of Marriage which was not simply the giving of a Seed or the propagating of Mankind but the producing of a Godly Seed and to that end he ordained Marriage to be between one man and one woman whereas when he created Adam he could have formed many women for the use of one man seeing he had the residue of the Spirit but he made only one woman to the intent that Man and Wife might joyn in their care and endeavour to train up their Seed in a godly sort which would be much hindred by multiplying of Wives whereby a mans heart wonld have been turned away from discharging his duty to God and his Family Deut. 17.17 SECT II. We have the example of JESUS CHRIST and the best men that ever lived for instructing their Families Motive 11 IT hath been the practice of the Saints and Servants of God in all Ages and Generations to instruct and train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord And the labour and pains they have taken in this Good Work hath not gone without a Reward for both they themselves and their Families have been exceedingly blessed of the Lord Among the many examples that might be produced both out of the old and new Testament I will mention four or five It was the practise of Abraham to instruct his Family and train them up in the ways of God And what high Commendations doth the Scripture give of Abraham He is called The Friend of God The Father of the Faithful c. How did God bless Abraham He appeared often to him and gave him many precious Promises and entred into a Covenant with him and sent Angels to his House and revealed his Secrets to him and vouchsafed to talk familiarly with him yea he blessed him in all things and with all manner of blessings Gen. 24.1 Abraham was old and well stricken in age and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things And that God in blessing Abraham had respect to his teaching his Family is evident from Gen. 18.17 18. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him 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 The reason given in this Text why the Lord revealed his Secrets to Abraham and why he became a great and mighty Nation and why he became such a great blessing to the world that in him all the Nations of the Earth were blessed and why he enjoyed all promised mercies is fixed upon his care in training up his Houshold in the ways of God For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him c. If we would be accounted Abraham's Children and enjoy Abrahams Blessing we must walk in the steps of his Faith Gal. 3.7 and do his Works John 8.39 Joshua follows Abraham's example in that he did not only serve God himself but caused all his Houshold to serve the Lord Josh 24.15 As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. And observe how the Lord blessed Joshua who trained
as Dust and the Gold of Ophir as the stones of the Brooks Job's Family was broken and his Estate all gone yet Eliphaz tells him if he did return himself to God and put away iniquity from his Tabernacles he should be built up and have plenty of Silver It engageth God to become our defence vers 25. Yea the Almighty shall be thy defence and thou shalt have plenty of Silver It breeds delight in God and boldness in prayer vers 26. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God It causeth us to be successful in prayer vers 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy Vows It makes a man prosperous in his ways and fills him with Comfort vers 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the Light shall shine upon thy ways It will cause God to shelter us and our Families in time of common calamity vers 29. When men are cast down then thou shalt say There is lifting up and he shall save the humble person Lo thus shall the man and his Family be blessed that returns to the Lord and puts away iniquity far from his Tabernacles And therefore seeing Family-Instruction will produce Family-Reformation as is intimated Vers 22. compared with Vers 23. how should this stir us up to instruct our Families in the word of God Besides these Personal and Family-Advantages Family-Reformation would remove National Judgments and procure National Mercies vers 30. He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands This as well as the foregoing Verses hath relation to vers 23. to the man that returns to God and puts away iniquity from his Tabernacles In that day wherein the Families of Jerusalem should go apart and mourn for their sins in the same day the Lord promiseth great mercies both spiritual and temporal not only to those Families but to Judah and Jerusasalem Zach. 12. 2. The late Pestilence made sore breaches in many Families it hath cut off in some Families the Root in others the Branches in others both Root and Branches Many Children are become fatherless and Orphans and have no Parents to teach them It hath made many Parents childless and they have now no Children to teach it hath swept away many whole Families And shall not we whose Families were preserved untouched or but gently visited ply this work of Family-Instruction It was one great end why God spared us and our Families that we should train them up in the knowledge of his word Isa 38.13 19. The Grave cannot praise thee Death cannot celebrate thee The Living the Living he shall praise thee as I do this day the Father to the Children shall make known thy truth From which words we may observe these two things 1. That one great end why God gives us Children and why he continueth our Lives with our Children and our Children with us is That we should teach them his word and to this agrees that note which Calvin hath upon this Text Hinc colligenda est utilis monitio hac lege sobolem dari mortalibus ut quisque liberos suos erudiendo pro sua virili propagare ad posteros studeat Dei nomen 2. When Parents have escaped with their Lives from the Pestilence or any other eminent danger they should express their gratitude to God by teaching his Truth to their Children This was Hezekiah's case he had been sick unto death and his sickness was as many think the Pestilence but he was preserved from death hereupon he praiseth God and tells us all living persons that had escaped the Pestilence should do the like and they should not only praise God in words but every Father should express his gratitude to God for preserving him and his from going down to the Grave by teaching Gods word to his Children SECT 13. The Vsefulness and Excellency of the Scriptures should excite us to instruct our Families in the Knowledge of the Scriptures Motive 13 THe Usefulness and Suitableness of the Scriptures for carrying on the work of Family-Instruction may stir us up to train up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Whatsoever good thing we desire to teach our Families in order to their welfare in this world or their eternal salvation in the world to come it is contained in the Scriptures Would we train up our Families in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion The Scripture is profitable for Doctrine Would we at any time reprove them for their sins or teach them how to reprove others The Scripture is profitable for Reproof Would we correct and reform any Errors in Judgment or in their Conversations The Word of God is profitable for Correction Would we teach and instruct them how to live righteous and holy Lives The Scripture is profitable for instruction in Righteousness as the Apostle testifies 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for instruction in Righteousness The Scriptures are so framed by the infinite wisdom of God that they give directions for the doing of all good works for the avoiding of all Vices for the resisting of all Temptations the bearing of all Afflictions the instructing all persons of all ages whatever state or condition they are in Are our Children young In the word of God there is milk for Babes 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Are they come to some maturity both in respect of their years and their knowledge In the word of God there is meat for strong men Heb. 5.14 Are the Members of our Families dull and backward and sluggish in respect of that which is good Gods word is like a goad to prick and put them forward Are they fickle and inconstant in that which is good Gods word prudently and wisely applied will be like a Nail to fasten and make them stedfast in every good work Eccl. 12.11 The words of the wise are as Goads and as Nails fastened by the Masters of the Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd Are our Children or Servants in an unconverted condition Gods word will be a means to convert them Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Are they already converted The word of the Lord will build them up Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up Are they hard-hearted Gods word will melt and break the most rocky heart upon the face of the earth Jer. 23.29 Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces Are they in a broken afflicted frame Gods word will heal them Psal 107.20 He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from
the same shall judge him in the last day Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works SECT 14. They deal unjustly with their Families who defraud them of the Instruction that is due to them Motive 14 THe Law of Equity requires that Parents should use their utmost diligence to instill knowledge into their Children and to train them up in a godly sort 1. Because they have been instrumental to convey to them a sinful ignorant nature Psal 51.5 Job 14.4 If one man had hurt another the Law of God delivered by Moses required that he should be at the cost and pains to get him throughly healed Exod. 21.19 He shall pay for the loss of his time and cause him to be throughly healed Seeing Parents are instrumental to convey that sin to their Children which hath given their Souls a deadly wound t is but just and equal that they should be at the cost and take pains to get them healed of their ignorance and do what in them lieth to get their Souls converted to the Lord. 2. It is just and equal that we should teach our Children because God hath taught us his Word for this very end and purpose that we should teach the same unto our Children Deut. 4.10 The Lord said unto me Gather the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may teach their Children 3. Justice requires that we should give to every one that which is due to him He that detains from any one that which is his due when it is required and it is in the power of his hand to render it is an unjust man Now Instruction is due to our Children and Servants for God commands us as we have heard before to instruct them and their necessity calleth aloud upon us to be diligent in teaching and instructing them and therefore we cannot withhold instruction from them without being guilty of injustice And it is a great crime to be guilty of injustice Unjust persons are accounted amongst the chiefest of Sinners And to with-hold from our Children or Servants that which is due to their Souls is greater injustice then to wrong them in their Estates or in those things which are due to to their outward man If then we would fulfill that Precept Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye have a Master in Heaven And that of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 Render to all their dues And that of Solomon Prov. 3.27 With-hold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it We must not neglect this good work of teaching and instructing our Children and Servants seeing Instruction is due to them Let thus much suffice by way of motive to stir up Parents and Masters of Families to set upon a diligent performance of this duty of training up their Children and Servants in the Knowledge and Obedience of the Scriptures CHAP. III. Directions for managing of this work of Family-Instruction so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all that are under our Charge I Shall in the next place proceed to some Directions for the successful managing of this work of Family-Instruction and shall shew how we should carry it on so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all such as are under our Charge SECT 1. Such as would instruct their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures must be diligent in studying the Scriptures Direct 1 IF we would instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures it is necessary that we our selves should be well acquainted with them and that we may come to be well acquainted with the Scriptures we must read them often observe diligently what we read and pray to God to open our understandings that we may understand his holy Word and lay up what he teacheth us in our hearts and meditate in his Law night and day Before the Lord commands us to teach his Word to our Children he prefixeth this Charge That we should lay up his Word in our own hearts 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 And the Apostle calls upon those whom he would have teach others to let the word of Christ dwell richly in themselves Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A daily searching of the Scriptures attended with Meditation and Prayer will greatly advantage us in this work of Family-Instruction and that in several respects I will instance in two 1. Hereby we shall be furnished with wisdom and knowledge Psal 119.98 99. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine Enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my meditation And the more we are furnished with Heavenly Wisdom the more dextrous and ready we shall be to win those Souls that are committed to our charge Prov. 11.30 He that winneth Souls is wise 2 Cor. 12.16 Being crafty I caught you with guile And as wisdom will make us dextrous in winning Souls to Christ so also it will conduce much to the inabling of us to edifie and build up such as are brought home to him Col. 1.28 Teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus The Romans who were filled with knowledge were thereby made able to teach and admonish others Rom. 15.14 I my self am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of Goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another 2. By searching the Scriptures and meditating on them night and day we shall become successful in this work of Family-Instruction God will make this work prosper in our hands to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of such as he hath committed to our care to be instructed in his holy word For the Lord hath promised that whatsoever that man doth who meditates in his Law it shall prosper Psal 1.1 2 3. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And he shall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Ezra who was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7.6 taught Gods Word to the people of Israel vers 10. And what effect had his teaching It had great power to humble and reform the people Ezra 10.1 12. The people wept very sore
I shall give four or five directions 1. Let this work be done when there is greatest quiet in the Family not at such a time as the Members of the Family are distracted or cumbred with variety or a multitude of worldly business or when their Spirits are royled with passion or contention but when they are in the most quiet and composed frame Eccles 9.17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet 1 Cor. 7.35 That you may attend upon the Lord without distraction 2. Let this work be done often Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children God worketh many ways and often times with us to bring about our salvation Job 33.29 30. Lo all these things worketh God often times with man to bring back his Soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the Living And shall we think much to be diligent and frequent in teaching our Children and Servants that their Souls may be kept from falling into the pit of Hell and that they may be enlightned with that knowledge which will make them wise to Salvation 3. It will be convenient to have fixed and stated times for the doing of this work that so the Family may be the better prepared for it and all family-occasions may be so ordered and all business set at such a stay as that every one may be at liberty and leasure to attend this work 4. Avocations and Diversions should not be easily yielded to for the putting by our intended exercise at the appointed time As for instance If Company come in though they be great Persons and such as are our Superiours we should not be ashamed to go on with our works Psal 119 46. I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed And if we be at any time diverted by some unexpected and urgent occasions we should redeem that loss by taking some other time for their instruction as soon as conveniently we can 5. We should take such times wherein both we and our Families are fresh and lively not over-tired with worldly business not heavy with sleep for we must be fervent in spirit when we serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 and when the Body is tired or heavy with sleep the Spirit is not likely to be servent 6. The Lords day which is to be spent in holy and Religions Exercises Isa 58.13 is a very convenient time for this work It was the Custom of the Jews to read the Scriptures in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15.21 Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day And we need not doubt but they did the same in their Families seeing they were commanded by God to read some portion of his word every day as long as they lived yea their greatest men even their Kings who had the weightiest business of all other men lying upon their hands were not excused from this Law of daily reading the Scriptures Deut. 17.18 19. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them I shall not undertake to prescribe what other days besides Lords days Masters of Families should take for this work but shall leave that to their own prudence and discretion Only I shall say this That they for whom God hath done much and who have more spare time than others should be more frequent and abundant in this work For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 SECT 5. The Advantages that come by having the Word of God in our Memories Direct 5 CAuse your Children and Servants to commit to their memories those Scriptures which you teach them and to keep them in remembrance We are often commanded to treasure up Gods Word in our Memories Job 22.22 Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And because this duty of committing Gods Word to our Memories is much neglected both by Parents themselves as well as their Children to stir up both the one and the other to the practice of it let me shew you how much this duty is urged upon us and what advantages will come by it The Prophets of God charge us in Gods name to remember the word of the Lord Mal. 4 4. Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statues and Judgments Jesus Christ when he was in the world charged us to remember his word John xv 20. Remember the word that I said unto you The Apostles also call upon us to keep in memory Gods word Jude 17. Beloved remember ye the words that were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.35 I have shewn you all things how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest at any time we let them slip The holy Angels when they appeared to those that came to Christs Sepulchre bid them remember the words of Christ Luke 24.6 Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee One great benefit which we have by the holy Ghost is his helping us to remember Gods word John 14.26 The Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you We have seen how earnestly this duty is pressed upon us now let us see what advantages will come to us by remembring Gods Word 1. It will be an help to Faith 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 2. It helps us in our obedience Numb 15.40 That ye may remember and do all my Commandments and be holy unto your God Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law 3. It is an help to Repentance Matth. 26.75 And Peter remembred the words of Jesus and he went out and wept bitterly 4. It promotes our Comfort Psal 119.52 I remembred thy Judgments of old O Lord and have comforted my self 5. It will breed a spiritual frame of heart for if Gods word be treasured up in our hearts it will be in our minds night and day Prov. 6.21 22. Bind them continually upon
thine heart and tie them about thy neck when thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou awakest it shall talk with thee 6. The abiding of Gods word in our hearts and memories will help our perseverance 1 John 2.24 If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Father and in the Son The way to abide in Christ is to let his word abide in us John 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you 7. It will help forward our salvation to keep in memory the word of God 1 Cor. 15.2 By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you It is not only useful to such as are in a state of Grace to treasure up Gods word in their memories but also to the Unconverted for it may be a means of their Conversion and turning unto God Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord Seeing therefore it is so advantagious for all sorts of persons to have Gods Word treasured up in their memories cause both your Servants and Children to commit to and keep in memory what you teach them out of the Scriptures and to that purpose cause them often to reherse those Scriptures wherein they have been instructed The Hebrew word which we translate teach diligently Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children signifieth also to repeat often one and the same thing to inculcate it again and again with much diligence And let not the rehearsing of the same Scriptures by and to the members of your Family be irksome and tedious to you seeing it will prove beneficial to them For what the Apostle faith of writing the same things to the same persons viz. to the Church at Philippi Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe The same I may say of repeating the same things in our Families it should not be grievous to you seeing it is safe for them SECT 6. The necessity of watching over our Families Direct 6 WAtch over your Families and see whether they live according to those Instructions which you give them out of the Word of God Solomon speaking of a vertuous Woman saith of her Prov. 31.27 She looketh well to the ways of her houshold A Governour of a Family must not only instruct his Houshold but look yea look well to the ways of his Houshold that he may see that none of them live in any vice or in the neglect of their duty to God or their Neighbour We read of a man which sowed good seed in his field but while men slept the Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat Matth. 13.24 25. Though we sow the good Seed of the word in our Families yet if we sleep when we have done that is if we be secure and careless and do not watch over them the Enemy will come and endeavour to sow Tares either the Tares of Error or the Tares of Strife and Dissention or some other evils To quicken you to this duty of watching over your Families consider 1. How prone mans nature is unto that which is evil our proneness to sin is so great that they which have had good and wholesome Instructions given to them are very apt to turn aside and go astray if they be left but a little to themselves A remarkable instance of this we have in the Children of Israel who upon Moses his absence by the space only of forty days fell into the sin of Idolatry and made a golden Calf and worshipped the same for the God that brought them out of the Land of Egypt Exod. 32.1 to vers 9. And yet Israel had received many good instructions from Moses yea they had heard God himself speaking to them from Mount Sinai and delivering his Law to them wherein he had expresly charged them not to make to themselves any graven image c. And to beget the greater Reverence of his Law there were such Thundrings and Lightnings and such dreadful fire as that Moses and all the people quaked and trembled with fear And notwithstanding this solemn delivery of the Law of God they quickly fell into this fearful sin of Idolatry Exod. 32.8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them It was not above six weeks as some compute the time after the delivery of the Law that they made this Calf not above six months after they came out of Egypt as Rivet observes This sin of theirs was the more to be wondered at because they had seen the mighty works of God upon the Egyptians whose gods could not deliver them out of the Lords hand they had also seen his wonders at the red Sea besides they bad in a solemn manner promised obedience to all the Commands of God Exod. 24.3 All the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the Lord hath said will we do And yet after all the Instructions and all the Ingagements that lay upon them to obey the Lord they quickly fell into that foul sin of Idolatry 2. Consider what a mighty charge you have to look after It is beyond Silver or Gold or precious Stones you have the Souls of your Families committed to your charge you have such a charge of them as that you must give an account to God for them Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Ruleover you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account SECT 7. The Vsefulness of Reproof and Directions about giving Reproof Direct 7 WHen your Children or Servants do any thing contrary to the Instructions you have given them out of the Word of God Rebuke and Reprove them Reproofs grounded upon the Word of God and wisely administred will be a great furtherance of their Souls salvation as you may see Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of Life The sence of which is this the Law of God gives us Light and Direction how to order our Conversations aright and when persons are instructed out of this Law and reproved when they go astray from it this is the way to save their Souls Although some persons in your Families should be addicted to lying and other hainous sins and have been habituated to them for a long season yet you may hope by instructing and reproving them according to the Rules of Gods Word that you shall reclaim them from their Vices and make them sound and sincere Christians The Cretians were notorious Lyars and so given to sensuality that they seemed more like Beasts than Men slothful persons that minded little else but their Bellies yet the Apostle would not have Titus despair of reforming them and making these Cretians sound and good Christians And what course doth he direct
instil Grace into their hearts and to convert them to God Psal 34.16 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. We should not only teach our Children to know the Lord but we must also teach them to fear the Lord. It may be you will say Can we instil Grace into our Children Can we put the fear of God into their hearts Can we give them Repentance I answer No but we may use the means and in so doing we may hope for Gods blessing If you ask What means should we use to instil Grace into and convert such of our Families as are in a graceless unconverted condition I answer 1. Warn them of the danger of a graceless unconverted condition tell them That except they be converted they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18.3 and that if they do not repent they will most certainly perish be cast into everlasting burnings Luk. 13.3 Mat. 13.41 42. And therefore warn them often of the danger of living and dying in an impenitent condition Warning persons of the danger and damnable nature of sin is an effectual means to prevent their dying in their sins and to bring them to repentance and salvation 2 Chron. 19.10 Ye shall warn them that they trespass not against the Lord Ezek. 3.21 He shall surely live because he is warned Ezek. 33.5 He that taketh warning shall deliver his Soul If you find that after many warnings there is no amendment yet cease not to warn them day after day and year after year and that with much tenderness till you see some fruit of your labours Act. 20.31 By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears 2. Take all occasions to discourse with them about the things of God especially of those things wherein you have formerly instructed them out of the Word of God Good Discourse is a means of conveying Grace to those with whom we converse Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace to the Hearers 3. Reprove them when they do that which is contrary to the Will of God and if Reproofs will not make them reform joyn Correction with Reproof Reproof and Correction are means of instilling grace into our Children Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give Wisdom 4. Stir them up to consider their ways how contrary they are to the Word of God and what will be the fruit and effect of their sins if they repent not A serious consideration of our ways is a means of leading us to repentance Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Ezek. 18.28 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions 5. Stir them up to read and meditate upon the Word of God that may be a means of converting their Souls Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul 6. Cause them to attend upon the Publick Ministry of the Word The preaching of the Word is the usual means of working Grace in our hearts Jam. 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word 7. Exhort them to forsake ungodly company and to walk and converse with them that fear God Prov. 9.6 Forsake the foolish and live and walk in the way of understanding Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise 8. Be earnest with God to give them saving Grace By prayer to God we may obtain Grace for others as well as for our own Souls 1 John 5.16 If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death Secondly If upon discoursing with your Families you find they profit by the Instructions you give them and that they obey from the heart that Form of Doctrine which you deliver to them and that they grow in Grace and in the knowledge of JESUS CHRIST Then 1. Be thankful to God for blessing your Labours Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you 2. Love the Lord for causing your Family to flourish and prosper by those instructions that you give them Cant. 7.11 12. Come my Beloved let us go up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and the Pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves Our Families may be compated to Vineyards the Wife is resembled by the Psalmist to a Vine and the Children to Olive-Plants Psal 128.3 The Governour of the Family is placed in this Vineyard as Adam was in Eden to dress it and to keep it Now such of us as are made keepers of Vineyards should be often looking whether the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and when we go about this work we should call to CHRIST to go with us and assist us And if we find any Grapes though they be but tender yea if we perceive but any Buds any thing that gives us hope of Fruit we should give the Lord JESUS not only our love but our loves that is we should love him abundantly for 't is He that gives a Blessing to our Labours 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase 3. Exhort them to look to themselves that they do not lose what you have by Gods Blessing wrought in them that so neither you nor they may lose your Reward 2 John 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not those things which we have wrought but that we may receive a full Reward When Jesus saw some of the Jews believing he exhorted and incouraged them to continue in his word John 8.30 31. As he spake these words many believed on him then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed 4. Endeavour to make them more Fruitful Thus God dealeth with his Children that bring forth fruit he teacheth and helpeth them to bring forth more Fruit John 15.2 Every Branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. The more fruitful any Christian is the more glory he bringeth to God vers 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit 5. Direct them to the right end in bearing Fruit which is not any selfish interest for that Fruit which is brought forth for selfish ends is in Gods account as good as none Hos 10.1 Israel is an empty Vine he bringeth forth fruit unto himself The glorifying and pleasing God is that which we must aim at in our bearing fruit Rom. 7.4 That we should bring forth fruit unto God 6. Endeavour that they may
bring their fruit to perfection and to that end put them in mind that it is the will of God that we should not only labour to be holy but that we should labour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And caution them against those things which do hinder the seed of the Word from growing to perfection as the cares of this life pleasures unmortified lusts Luke 8.14 Mark 4.19 Keeping company with men of corrupt minds and corrupt conversations 1 Cor. 15.33 Be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners Giving heed to such as teach false Doctrine will endanger their overthrow and prove destructive to them 1 Tim. 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits Seducers are those Foxes that spoil the Vine that hath tender Grapes against whom the Church prays Cant. 2.15 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes 7. Counsel them well to consider into what Families they dispose themselves when God shall by his providence remove them out of your Family That they do not for the gaining of more wages or easier work put themselves into such Families where they shall have no instruction lest that good Work which is begun in them cease and come to nothing While Jehoash was instructed he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 12.2 Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him But when Jehoiada that instructed him was dead Jehoash fell into Idolatry and other great sins 2 Chron. 24.17 18 19 21. 8. If any of the Members of your Family do find that God hath done their Souls good by the Instructions that you have given them counsel and exhort them by way of gratitude if ever God shall give them Families to teach and train up their Families in the knowledge of Gods Word Thirdly If upon communing with your Families you find they have gotten no good by those Instructions and godly Lessons which you have given them Then 1. Inform them what a great sin and how dangerous it is to enjoy great means of Grace and to remain graceless and barren under them Heb. 6.7.8 The Earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but that which beareth Thorns and Bryars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Matth. 3.10 And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and is cast into the fire 2. See whence their unprofitableness proceeds whether the cause of it be in your selves that you teach them things that are too high for them or that you do not make things plain to their understandings or that you do not teach them by your Example as well as Doctrine or that yo do not water your Seed that you sow with your Prayers and tears or that you teach them so seldom or in such a slight manner Or whether the cause of their unprofitableness be in themselves as their not minding what you teach them their forgetfulness c. And where-ever the ground of their unprofitableness lieth endeavour to get it removed 3. Direct them what means they should use that they may profit by what you teach them as 1. To look up to the Lord who alone can teach them to profit Isa 48.17 2. To mingle the Word of God with faith Heb. 4.2 3. To meditate often on those things wherein they are instructed Meditation on the Word of God will be a great help to their profiting both in knowledge and grace 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things that thy profiting may appear unto all Fourthly If upon discoursing with them you find they rest in a form of Godliness and have only a notional knowledge of the word of God without the favour and practice of those Truths that you have taught them Then 1. Inform them that knowledge without practice will never make them happy Joh. 13.17 but will aggravate their condemnation and cause God to beat them with many stripes Luk. 12.47 And that the form of Godliness will profit them nothing but the life and power of Godliness will be profitable for all things and give them an interest in all Gods promises whether they concern this life or the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 2. Direct them what means they should use that they may not only have a barren and unfruitful notional knowledge of the things of God but that they may relish savour and practise what they know As namely 1. Exhort them to get Faith Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly Kindness and Charity The Apostle having spoken of these Graces saith 2 Pet. 1.8 If these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Exhort them to plead Gods Covenant where God hath promised not only to put his Laws into our minds that is to give us the knowledge and remembrance of his will but also to write them in our hearts that is to incline our wills to embrace love and obey his Laws Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts 3. Stir them up to cry unto God who hath taught them to know his will to encline their hearts to do his will and to keep his Commandments Psal 119.36 Incline mine heart unto thy Testimonies Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will Fifthly If you find any of your Family in a declining withering condition 1. Warn them betimes of the evil of a decaying declining frame of spirit The Church of Ephesus had many things for which Christ gives her great commendations Rev. 2.2 3. yet having lost her first love he gives her a sharp rebuke vers 4. 2. Exhort them to remember whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works lest God send some sudden and sore Judgment upon them Rev. 2.5 3. Stir them up to act their faith upon such promises where God hath promised to heal our backslidings and restore our souls and to recover us from a decayed frame of spirit by causing us to grow in grace as Hos 14.4 5. I will heal their backslidings I will love them freely I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall be as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon This promise is made unto Israel that was fallen into great decay Vers 1. O Israel thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Israel was so far fallen that God complains O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Yet to Israel that was fallen thus low God promiseth to heal their back-slidings and to love them freely and to be as the dew to them
and to cause them to grow as the Lily SECT 16. Six Arguments for diligence in instructing our Families Direct 16 IF you would carry on the work of Family-Instruction with success ply it with diligence Do not perform it in a slight careless customary manner but set your hearts to it and do it with all the skill and might that you have The Lord doth not only command us to teach our Children the Scriptures but he requireth us to do this work with diligence Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children This work is a good work and every good work must be followed with diligence 1 Tim. 5.10 If she have followed diligently every good work The Apostle speaketh there of Widows now if Widows whose condition is oft attended with many difficulties and incumbrances must follow every good work with diligence how much more are they who have greater abilities and opportunities for doing good works than desolate Widows obliged to be diligent therein We read of David that when he prepared Materials to build the Temple he did it with all his might 1 Chron. 29.2 I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God the Gold for things to be made of Gold and Silver for things of Silver The building up of our Children and Servants a spiritual House for the Lord is as great and acceptable a work as the building of the material Temple and thefore we should set upon it with all our might To quicken your diligence herein consider 1. You know not how short a time you have to live with your Families and you can do nothing for them when you are in the Grave and therefore what you see necessary to be done for them by way of instruction before you die do it with all your 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 2. To set your hearts to this work and do it with your might is the way to prosper in what you take in hand 2 Chron. 31.21 In every work that he began in the service of the House of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 3. There is a curse pronounced against them that do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 28.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully or as it is in the Margin negligently 4. This work is to be done out of love to Jesus Christ John 21.15 Lovest thou me Feed my Lambs Now our love to Christ must not be a cold and weak love but such a love as must engage all our hearts and strengths in his service Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might 5. Consider how diligent Satan and wicked men are to do evil and to draw others to sin Some wicked men are so eager of doing mischief that they cannot sleep in the night if they have done no mischief in the day time Prov. 4.16 They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Solomon describeth the great diligence of Harlots to corrupt young men Prov. 7.12 13 15 21. Now is she without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner so she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him Therefore came I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face and I have found thee c. With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him Satan is no less active and diligent than his Instruments to tempt to sin and destroy mens Souls 1 Pet. 5.8 And shall not this provoke us to use all diligence to do good and to save their Souls that are under our charge 6. After there is some good work wrought in their hearts they will be in danger of falling into an hardned frame of Spirit if we do not with great diligence instruct and exhort them to shun that which is evil and to follow after holiness Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin SECT 17. Seven Arguments to perswade us to teach and watch over every Member of our-Family Direct 17 LEt your care and diligence in teaching and watching over your Families be extended to every person in the Family the meanest and most simple as well as the more knowing persons As Ministers so also Masters of Families must take heed to all their Flock and not only to the principal Members thereof Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood To provoke you to be careful of every Member of your Family even of the meanest Servant and Apprentice as well as of your Children and to seek after the Conversion Edification and Salvation of every one that the Lord hath committed to your Charge and Care Consider 1. The Example of Christ He was careful not to lose one of those Souls that were committed to him by his Father 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 It is true Judas the Son of Perdition was lost but not through the want of Christs care for Judas was instructed as well as the rest but through his own wicked and perverse spirit 2. The neglecting of any one person in the Family may trouble and pollute the whole Family and prove a very great hindrance to the good of the Family Eccles 9.18 One sinner destroyeth much good Heb. 12.15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God lest any Root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 3. The Soul of the meanest Servant is of more value than the whole world Mar. 8 36. and therefore ought to be minded and regarded above all worldly things 4. God is so careful of that which we commit to his keeping that he will lose or neglect nothing that we commit to him After we have committed our selves to God he doth not only look after our persons but after every hair of our heads Matth. 10.30 The very hairs of your head are all numbred Luc. 21.17 18. Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but there shall not a hair of your head perish And shall we neglect any of those immortal Souls which the Lord hath committed to our keeping when God is
so careful of us as to look after every hair of our heads 5. The poorest and meanest persons in the Family that have the lowest employment and weakest parts may belong to the Election of Grace as well as those that are of a higher degree 1 Co. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are And shall we think much to spend a little time and care for the saving of their Souls whom the great God hath made Objects of his Love and Care from all Eternity We find that God looks after simple as well as wise men Psal 116.6 The Lord preserveth the simple And shall we think much to look after those of whom the Lord himself taketh care 6. It is the will of God that means should be used for the saving of every mans Soul that the least as well as the greatest the young as well as the old should be brought to repentance that so they may obtain salvation by Jesus Christ Matth. 18.14 It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 7. If any man have an hundred sheep and but one of them go astray he doth not say I have ninety and nine remaining with me I will not trouble my self to seek up that one sheep that is gone from me but he looks up his lost sheep though it be but one till he find it Luk. 15.4 What man of you having an hundred sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it One man is of more value than all the sheep in the World Matth. 12.12 How much then is a man better than a sheep Suppose a man hath in his Family an hundred persons and ninety and nine of them should be godly and but one should go astray he should not rest satisfied that he hath ninety and nine in his Family truly gracious so as to neglect that person that goeth astray but should use all diligence for the converting and saving of that one Soul that as yet remains in a sinful perishing Condition And what I have said of extending your Care and Diligence unto every Member of your Families is to be understood as well of those that sojourn with you for a shorter Time as of those that do dwell constantly with you For as Moses said in another case Numbers 15.16 One Law and one Manner shall be for you and for the Stranger that sojourneth with you The like may I say here You should take one and the same care as well for them that sojourn with you whilst they are with you as for those that are constantly with you It may be the Lord sent them under your Roof for a season that you might instil those things into them that may do them good for ever SECT 18. Our Families must be kept from strife and preserved in Love and Peace The way how this may be done Direct 18 CArry your selves peaceably and endeavour to preserve all the Members of your Family in Love and Peace amongst themselves otherwise the Instructions that you give them will do them little good Solomon who was the wisest of men tells us Prov. 11.29 He that troubleth his own House shall inherit the Wind That is First All his Labours and Endeavours will be fruitless and come to nothing Wind is taken oft times for that which is unprofitable and fruitless as Job 15.2 3. Eccles 6.16 Isa 26.18 Secondly He shall inherit the Wind that is he shall have an unruly disordered Family such as he shall not be any way able to govern or to keep in any good order Who can rule or keep in order the Wind John 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth Where there is strife and contention there is confusion and instead of good all manner of evil Jam. 4.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work The Lord hath promised to give his blessing not to such as live at variance but to those that live in love and peace Psal 133 1 3. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to live together in unity For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore The God of Love will dwell with those that live in love and peace 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 1 John 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him But such as live in wrath and strife give place to and suffer the Devil to dwell in their hearts Ephes 4.26 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil If you ask What should we do to prevent discord and contention and to preserve love and peace in our Families I answer 1. Instruct them out of the word of God what a great evil it is to live in strife and variance that so they may fear this as well as other sins Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife are accounted amongst the works of the Flesh and do as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven as Murder Adultery Idolatry or any other sins Gal. 5.19 20 21. To sow discord among Brethren is reckoned up amongst those six things which the Lord hateth and the seven things which are an abomination to him Prov. 6.16 19. Discord and strife are contrary to Gods Nature who is a God of Love and Peace and contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel Rom. 16.17 2. Advise them to take heed of the occasions and beginnings of strife and therefore when they feel any motions to strife or wrath arising in their hearts let them stifle those motions before they break out into action for wrath and strife are more easily kept down than appeased after they are stirred up Prov. 17.14 The beginnings of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 18.19 A Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong City and their Contentions are like the bars of a Castle 3. Counsel them to be of an humble lowly spirit to think and esteem better of others than themselves This will prevent their contending one with another Prov. 13.10 Only by pride cometh contention Prov. 28.25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory How shall we attain to this to do nothing through strife The following words will resolve you But in
not answer our Prayers for our Children whilst we live yet he may answer those Prayers after we are dead which we did offer up to him whilst we lived with them Our Lord JESUS CHRIST prayed for the Jews that were so vile and wicked as to put him to death Luke 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do And as an answer of Christs Prayer thousands of those Jews that were not wrought upon either by Christs Doctrine or Miracles or Godly Life but continued in an impenitent condition till after his death yea were so hardened as to have an hand in the crucifying of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory were notwithstanding converted by the preaching of the Apostle Peter Acts 2 23.37 41. Suppose neither your Instructions nor godly Example nor Prayers should prevail for the conversion of your Children whilst you live but they should be vile and stubborn and disobedient to God and to you unto your dying day yet cease not praying for them It may be the Lord will answer your prayers by making use of others to convert them when you are laid in your Graves 4. We should sin against God if we should cease praying for our Children because we see no effect of our Prayers but do behold much stubborness and perversness in them The people of Israel were a perverse people Samuel saw little fruit of his Instructions or Prayers on their behalf they were set upon their own way and he could not disswade them from desiring a change of Government although therein they did not only reject Samuel but God himself from raigning over them 1 Sam. 8.5 6 7 8. yet he would not cease from praying for them lest he should sin against the Lord 1 Sam. 12.23 Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you If Samuel was afraid to cease praying for a stubborn perverse people lest he should sin against the Lord ought not Parents to continue praying for their graceless and disobedient Children for fear if they should cease to pray for them they also should sin against the Lord 5. If you have prayed for your Childrens Conversion and cannot prevail joyn fasting with prayer Sometimes mercies cannot be obtained from God unless we fast as well as pray Mark 9.29 This kind can come forth by nothing but by Prayer and Fasting If we have a Child that is sick unto death we do not stick at seeking God by Fasting and Prayer for its Recovery 2 Sam. 12.15 16. The Lord struck the Child that Vriah's wife bare unto David and it was very sick David therefore besought God for the Child and David fasted And shall we not much more seek to God by fasting and prayer to recover our Children and Servants from the power of sin and Satan and to deliver them from everlasting Burnings This duty of Fasting rightly performed is of great use both for the obtaining direction from God in the management of our undertakings Ezra 8.21 23. I proclaimed a Fast that we might afflict our selves before our God to seek of him a right way for us and for our little ones and for our substance so we fasted and besought our God for this and he was intreated of us And also for procuring of success in what we take in hand as we may see in the case of Esther Nehemiah and several others who setting upon their undertakings with fasting and prayer prosperously effected what they took in hand though their work was very great and attended with very great difficulties God seldom lets any Fast that is performed in a right manner go without a remarkable Reward Matth. 6.17 18. And therefore it will be very much for our own and our Families advantage to set apart some days of humiliation with our Families to seek God by fasting and prayer to bless and succeed us in this Work of Family-Instruction SECT 20. The usefulness of Faith in reference to Family-Instruction Several sorts of Promises relating to our Families The Case of such as are discouraged from acting Faith upon the Promises because they see no Fruit of their Faith or Labours Direct 20 ACT your Faith upon God for the Conversion and Salvation of such as are under your charge Trust in him by vertue of his Promises to bless and prosper your Labours in teaching your Families We read of Isaac that he blessed his Children in faith Heb. 11.20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come As Isaac blessed his Children in faith so should we instruct our Children in faith believing that God will bless our Instructions for the doing their souls good To do our work in faith believing in God and resting upon God for his blessing is the way to prosper in what we do 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper By believing in the Lord we may obtain salvation for our Houshold as well as for our own Souls Acts 16.31 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House Which is not to be understood as though the Governours faith would avail for the salvation of such of his House as live and die in an unregenerate condition but that upon his believing and using of the means of Grace in faith he shall obtain conversion and so consequently salvation for his Houshold Wherefore seeing Faith is of such prevalencie with God as to obtain converting Grace and Salvation for our Families I shall put you in mind of several sorts of Promises which may encourage and help you to trust in God for Family-Mercies and Family-Blessings and that not only Temporal but Spiritual and Eternal Blessings As for instance 1. God hath promised not only to be a God to his People but also the God of their Families Jer. 31.1 At the same time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my People 2. The Lord hath promised to bless the several Members of his Peoples Families as the Wife the Children the Servants He hath promised to bless the Wife and to make her as a fruitful Vine Psal 128.1 2 3. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways for thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine by the sides of thine House Now that we may understand what is couched under this phrase Thy Wife shall be as a fruitful Vine Let us consider what the Scripture saith of the Vine in other places The Vine brings forth Wine which cheareth God and men Judg. 9.13 It casteth forth a pleasant delightful smell Cant. 2.13 To dwell under a Vine implies safety and confidence 1 King 4.25 Also a dwelling in peace without Wars Jars and Contentions Mich. 4.34 The Vine hath no
prickles on it or any thing that may hurt a man and is opposed to the pricking Briar and grieving Thorn Ezek. 28.24 26. The Vine is fruitful which is that which the Psalmist mentions She shall be as a fruitful Vine and further he adds By the sides of thine House To shew that she shall resemble the noblest and choicest Vine Men do not use to plant wild Vines by the sides of their Houses such as bring forth sowr Grapes but the best and choicest Vines that they can get such as yield sweet and pleasant fruit The Lord hath promised also to bless our Children with his Grace and good Spirit He hath promised to be a God to our Seed Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee And to give them his holy Spirit Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Off-spring He hath promised to circumcise their hearts to love him in sincerity and truth Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy Soul that thou mayest live He hath promised that our Children shall be like Olive plants Psal 128.3 Thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table By which we may understand as Mollerus observes upon this Text that Children shall be Comforts and Ornaments to their Parents for Oil is used to signifie joy and gladness Psal 45.7 and was used by the Jews by way of Ornament and Beauty Psal 104.15 Luke 7.46 And also that they shall be furnished with the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit which are compared to Ovl Matth. 25.3 4 8. And that they shall be useful Instruments to do service for God in â—heir Generation either in the Church or State Zach. 4.12 13 14. And be of a quiet peaceable disposition for the Olive is used as an Emblem of Peace Gen. 8.11 And that they shall be of an heavenly disposition resembling the holy Cherubims When Solomon made Cherubims within the Oracle he made them of the Olive-Tree 1 King 6.23 Lastly By this Metaphor may be signified their constant progress and perseverance in Grace and Holiness all their days the Olive continuing full of green Leaves all the year long Psal 52.8 The Lord hath promised also to give his Grace and good Spirit unto our Servants Joel 2.28 29. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and also upon the Servants and upon the Handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit 3. God hath promised to bless his Peoples Families with peace and to prevent Jars and Discords which are a great hindrance to the good of a Family and that he will help them to govern their Families in a holy manner Job 5.24 Thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace and thou shalt visit thy Habitation and shalt not sin 4. God hath promised to give his People flourishing Families by which we are not only or chiefly to understand their flourishing in respect of outward prosperity but rather their flourishing in respect of the abundance of heavenly and spiritual Blessings wherewith the Lord will bless them Prov. 14.11 The House of the Wicked shall be overthrown but the Tabernacle of the Vpright shall flourish 5. The Lord hath promised to bless his People in every work of their hands and to prosper them therein and so consequently in this work of Family-Instruction Deut. 15.20 The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto Isa 65.22 23. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble for they are the Seed of the blessed of the Lord and their Off-spring with them Thus we see there are variety of Promises for us to act our faith upon in reference to our Families But it may be some will be ready to say I see all things in my Family running cross to these Promises My Children are not Olive-Plants but rather like Bryars and Thorns I can see no fruit of my Labours either upon my Children or Servants Instead of knowing that my Tabernacle shall be in peace I find Jars and Discords arising daily Instead of flourishing I find withering and decaying I find luke-warmness and deadness growing upon my Family and therefore I finding all things running contrary to these Promises I know not how to rest upon God for blessing converting sanctifying and saving of the Members of my Family 1. If you find God with-holding Family blessings and that he doth not accomplish Family-promises enquire into the cause why God deals thus with you and to that end let me put to you these following Queries 1. Do you not harbour some unmortified sins in your hearts Is there not some evil in the managing of your Callings or in your Conversations which causeth God to with-hold these good things from you Jer. 5.25 Your iniquities have turned away these things your sins have with-holden good things from you 2. Are you careful and diligent to obey the Voice of the Lord If not that may be the reason why you do not enjoy these promised mercies Zach. 6.15 And this shall come to pass if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God 3. Do you get up betimes that you may have opportunity to pray with and pray for your Family do you pray hard and cry mightily to God for them Do you labour to purifie your selves as God is pure Do you walk uprightly If you would do thus God would soon make your Families flourish Job 8.5 6. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes and make thy supplications unto the Almighty if thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy Righteousness prosperous 4. Are you diligent in teaching your Families Do you set your hearts your whole hearts to this work You ought to do it if you would prosper in it 2 Chron. 31.21 In every work that he began in the service of the House of God and in the Law and in the Commandment to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 5. Are you not deficient in the duty of Meditation If so possibly that may be the reason why God blasts your Labours for the promise of success is made to such as meditate on Gods word Josh 1.8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success 6. Do you apply these promises to your selves and
believe in God that he will give you the good things that are wrapped up in these promises If not it is your unbelief that hinders your reaping the benefit of these Promises For if you did believe them they should be performed in due season Luk. 1.45 Blessed is she that believeth for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 7. Are you not in a backslidden condition And is not your forsaking of God the cause why God forsakes you and gives no blessing to your Labours 2 Chron. 24.20 Thus saith the Lord Why transgress ye the Commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper Because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you Secondly Though you do not see the promises which relate to your Families accomplished but all things seem rather to run contrary to them yet you must not give over hoping in them and waiting for them After God had promised Abraham a numerous Seed it was twenty five years before Isaac was born for he was but seventy five years old when he departed out of Charan which was the time God promised to make of him a great Nation Gen. 12.2 3 4. And Abraham was an hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born unto him Gen. 21.5 It was so long before this promise began to have any accomplishment that if he had considered the deadness of his own Body or the deadness of Sarah's Womb as the Apostle speaks Rom. 4.19 natural Reason would have told him it was a vain thing for him to hope for Children But Abraham having a promise of God to ground his faith upon believed in hope against hope and did not stagger at the Promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God verse 18 20. Suppose you have waited for the Promises that relate to your Families twenty years and see nothing of them made good suppose you see nothing in your Children or Servants to encourage you to hope but rather many discouragements yet having promises to ground your Faith and Hope upon you must imitate Abraham who against hope believed in hope that it should be according to what was spoken and promised by God you must not stagger at the Promises through unbelief but continue strong in faith and thereby you shall give glory to God We are oft-times admonished that we have need of Patience as well as Faith to wait for the accomplishment of the Promises as we may see Heb. 10.35 36. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of Reward for ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises Thirdly That Promise in Hos 14.7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the Corn they shall grow as the Vine the scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon may be of great use to such godly persons as find their Families to be in a languishing condition some unconverted others that gave hope of a work of grace wrought in them declined and gone backward deadness and unprofitableness upon most of the Members of the Family And therefore I shall open the promise and shew how we should come to enjoy the blessings that are contained in it The Lord having promised several blessings to his people verse 4 5 6. doth promise verse 7. to make them blessings to others They that dwell under his shadow hat is under Israel's shadow mentioned vers 5. By Israel understand all the servants of God Isa 44.21 To dwell under ones shadow may signinifie to be in the same House or Family as Gen. 10.8 Only unto these men do nothing for therefore came they under the shadow of my Roof that is into my Family or my House So that this Promise though it be of a larger extent than particular Families may be safely and warrantably applied by every Israelite indeed who hath a Family in reference to all that dwell under his Roof Now let us see what is promised concerning those that dwell under a godly mans shadow 1. They shall return Returning is sometimes applied to the Repentance and Conversion of such as are in a state of sin as Isa 55.7 Sometimes to the returning of such as have backslidden from God after Conversion as Jer. 3.22 Both may be understood here the impenitent and unconverted shall be converted to God and such as are backslidden since their Conversion shall be brought back again to the Lord. 2. They shall revive as the Corn They that is they that dwell under Israels shadow shall revive God will take off their deadness and give them living and lively spirits in his service They shall revive as the Corn How is that The Corn lies dead under the ground for a time before it comes up and after it is sprung up winter-frosts and cold winds make it hang the head as if it would dye again yet by the warm beams of the Sun and the blessing of Heaven it revives again Are there any in your Families where the Seed of the word seemeth to lie dead nothing springs forth as yet that speaketh life Are there others where there did once appear some fruit but it seems to be withered Here is ground for faith to act upon for both sorts in these words They shall revive as the Corn. 3. They shall grow as the Vine Here is promised to the Members of our Families 1. Growth in Grace 2. Growth resembling the growing of the Vine How is that The cutting and pruning of the Vine makes it thrive and grow more fruitful and so it signifieth a growing under afflictions and temptations losses and crosses shall not hinder but further their growth Again they shall grow as the Vine not as Briars and Thorns they shall not grow worse and worse but grow in grace and goodness We may know what we must do to obtain these blessings for our Families mentioned in this promise if we consider what God required of Israel and what he promised to do for Israel before he gave Israel this promise They that dwell under his shadow c. As 1. We must repent of all our sins and return to the Lord this God requireth from Israel vers 1. O Israel return to the Lord thy God When we our selves return to God God promiseth to bless us with reformed Families Job 22.23 2. We must pray earnestly to God to be gracious to us and our Families and to take away all iniquity from us this also is required of Israel vers 2. God expects that his Promises should be sued out with prayer before he perform them Ezek. 36.37 3. We must renounce all self-confidence and acknowledge our inability to do good either to our selves or Families vers 3. 4. If we have been under any backslidings we must get them healed vers 4. 5. We must
labour to grow in grace our selves and to be of savoury spirits to express the beauty of holiness in our Conversations if we would have our Families grow in grace For before God promiseth that such as dwell under Israel's shadow should grow as the Vine he promiseth vers 5 6. to be as the dew unto Israel whereby he should grow as the Lily and that his smell should be as Lebanon and his beauty as the Olive-Tree SECT 21. A godly Life and good Example maketh Family-Instruction powerful and successful Direct 21 IF you would carry on the work of Family Instruction successfully walk examplarily in your Families Be Patterns and Examples to them in Faith in Holiness in Meekness in Charity in good Discourse in Self-denial in Patience in Heavenly-mindedness and in every other good work that your Families may know how to walk so as to please and glorifie God by seeing and observing how you carry your selves in all things They that teach others should labour to carry themselves exemplarily in all things towards those whom they instruct 1 Tim. 4.12 Be thou an example of the Believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a Pattern of good works Instruction from a good man is embraced more readily and worketh more powerfully than that which comes from one that walketh contrary to what he teacheth Barnabas being a good man was instrumental by his exhortations to convert many to the Lord Acts 11.23 24. He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord for he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of Faith and much People was added to the Lord. When Levi who taught the people walked with God he turned many from iniquity Mal. 2.6 The Law of Truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips He walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity A good conversation is such a powerful means to convert Souls that some who are not wrought upon by the Word are won to Christ by a good conversation 1 Pet. 3.1 Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the Wives When Governours of Families return to God and walk with God the Lord hath promised that their families shall be reformed also and put away iniquity Job 22.23 If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy Tabernacles This latter clause implies two things 1. That it is our duty when we return to God to endeavour to reform our Families 2. That when we do return to God and endeavour to reform our Families God will so bless our endeavours that iniquity shall be put far from our Tabernacles And accordingly we find that when the Master of the Family feareth God and doth according to his duty labour to bring his Family to fear and serve the Lord the Lord hath blessed the whole Family with the fear of his Name as we may see in Cornelius who fearing God and being a devout man all his house feared God also Acts 10.1 2. And when Crispus the chief Ruler believed all his house believed also in the Lord Acts 18.8 Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed on the Lord with all his House SECT 22. Family-Instruction must be continued as long as we live Direct 22 COntinue constant and diligent in this work of Family-Instruction as long as you live notwithstanding all the discouragements that you meet with therein The Lord doth not only require of us that we should teach our Children his holy Word but he commands us also to continue so doing as long as we live Deut. 4.9 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 thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons So also vers 10. Gather me 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 To move you to constancy herein consider 1. That continuance in this work will be a means to promote your own and your Families salvation 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee Isa 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved That is by continuing to work Righteousness and to walk in Gods ways spoken of in the fore-going words we shall be saved It is not enough to do well but we must continue with patience in well doing under all our discouragements if we would have eternal life Rom. 2.6 7. Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal Life 2. Consider how earnestly God calls upon you not to be discouraged in the doing of any good work but to be stedfast and unmovable and to abound always in the work of the Lord Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not 1 Cor. 15.58 My beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 3. Consider how the Lord commends constancy in that which is good Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing And what a great sin it is to neglect doing good works Jam. 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin To leave off doing good works is the way to run into all evil Psal 36.3 4. He hath left off to be wise and to do good he deviseth mischief upon his Bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good To leave off doing good works will provoke God to send some heavy Judgment upon us Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the Enemy shall pursue him CHAP. IIII. Objections against instructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures according to the fore-mentioned Directions answered I Shall in the next place answer the most material Objections that are or may be made against Parents or Masters of Families instructing their Children and Servants in the knowledge of the Scriptures In doing whereof I shall remove the principal Discouragements that may keep any person either from entring upon or continuing constant in this work of Family-Iustruction SECT 1. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because they say they are not able to instruct their Families answered Object 1 I Would instruct my Family in the knowledge of the
Scriptures according as you have directed if I were able to do it but the work is difficult and I am a man of mean abilities I have but little acquaintance with the Scriptures I have need to be taught my self and how then can I teach my Family It is nothing but want of ability that hinders and discourageth me from setting upon this work Answer First Let not your own weakness or the difficulty of the work keep you from setting upon it For 1. It is a work that God calleth you to do as you may see Deut. 6.7 Ephes 6.4 And the plea of inability is not a sufficient excuse for neglecting the work to which you are called of God When God called Jeremiah to be a Prophet he would have excused himself by pleading his inability Jer. 1.6 Ah Lord behold I cannot speak for I am a Child Did God accept of this excuse No but reproves him and tells him he should go where-ever he sent him and speak whatever he commanded him although he looked upon himself as unable as a Child for the work he was called to Vers 7. But the Lord said unto me Say not that I am a Child for thou shalt go unto all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee thoushalt speak When God called Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of Egypt he would have refused and pleads his unfitness because he was not eloquent but of a slow speech Exod. 4 10. Moses said unto the Lord O my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy Servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue But what did God say He refused this plea and commandeth him to go about his work vers 11 12. And the Lord said unto him Who hath made mans mouth Or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind Have not I the Lord Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say 2. God can do great things by weak means and and therefore your weakness should not deter you from this work Psal 8.2 Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine Enemies that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger 1 Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are 3. God will be with you in this work and that may strengthen you to set upon it though the work be great and your strength be small Hag. 2.4 Be strong all ye people of the Land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts The Jews complained they were not able to build Neh. 4.10 but to take off this plea God promiseth them his presence and assistance as that which was sufficient to strengthen them for that difficult work which they complained they were not able to go on withall Be strong and work for I am with you What David said to Solomon when he had a great work to do and might be discouraged because he was young and unable for such great service 1 Chron. 22.5 16. Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee or as Junius and Piscator render the words the Lord will be with thee So may I say unto you Let not your unfitness for this work keep you from it but arise and be doing and the Lord will be with you You may be sure the Lord will be with you in teaching and instructing your Families for he commandeth you to do this work as I have already shewn you out of Deut. 6.6.7 and several other Scriptures And you need not doubt of having Gods presence in every work and service which he commands you to do Josh 1.9 Have not I commanded thee Be strong and of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest 4. Although your abilities be but small yet if you teach and instruct your Families according to the ability which God hath given you you shall by so doing glorifie God 1 Pet. 4.10 11. As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another If any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ 5. By improving those mean abilities which God hath given you in teaching your Families you shall have them increased The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 The man that had but two Talents trading with them gained other two Matth. 25.17 6. He that hath but very little and mean abilities if he improve those small abilities faithfully in the place and sphear that God hath set him in shall have a great Reward from God as well as they that have had greater abilities Luke 19.17 Well thou good servant because thou hast been faithful in a very little have thou authority over ten Cities Secondly Difficult works will be carried on successfully by weak means where there is a willing mind The building of Jerusalem after it had lain waste seventy years was a hard work the strength and estates of the Jews were much impaired by their long captivity Their Adversaries scoffed at them thinking they went about an impossible thing when they endeavoured to build up the wall of the City and said Neh. 4.2 3. What do these feeble Jews Will they fortifie themselves Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of Rubbish which are burnt Even that which they build if a Fox go up he shall even break down their stone Wall And not only their Adversaries but many of the Jews themselves thought they were unable to carry on this work vers 10. And Judah said The strength of the Bearers of Burdens is decayed and there is much Rubbish so that we are not able to build the wall Yet when they went to it with a willing mind the work went on prosperously vers 6. So built we the wall and all the wall was joyned together unto the half thereof for the People had a mind to work It argueth a slothful spirit to desist from our duty because there are some difficulties attend it Prov. 26.13 The slothful man saith There is a Lion in the way a Lion in the streets Get but a willing mind and then this work will not be difficult but easie and delightful Thirdly The Apostle acknowledgeth that the Hebrews had but little knowledge he saith of them Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are
as we may see Luc. 18.31 32 33 34. Now if Nicodemus a Master in Israel was ignorant of the nature of Regeneration which is a work that must pass upon every one that shall be saved if the Disciples of Christ yea his Apostles after they had been a long time with him were ignorant of those plain and fundamental Truths of the Death and Resurrection of Christ had not those Masters of Families that think all in their Families are endued with such a great measure of knowledge that they want no instruction need make enquiry into their Children and Servants knowledge whether they are indeed so knowing as they think them to be Thirdly Suppose all the Members of your Families be wise understanding persons endued with a great measure of knowledge yet it is your duty to instruct them that they may get more wisdom and it will be a benefit and advantage unto them to be instructed Prov. 9.9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man and he will increase in learning For 1. Though you should teach them nothing but what they knew before yet thereby you may edifie them whilst you stir up their Faith Hope Love Joy Thankfulness and Obedience c. by putting them in remembrance of known Truths They to whom the Apostle Peter wrote knew and were established in the Truth yet he resolved as long as he lived to stir them up by putting them in remembrance of what he had taught them before 2 Pet. 1.12 13. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of those things though ye know them and be established in the present truth yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance But 2. There is no man knows so much but he may and ought to labour to grow in knowledge David knew more than the Antients and more than all his Teachers and yet how often do we find him praying after this manner Give me understanding Teach me thy Statutes c. In the 119 Psalm where he speaks of the great measure of knowledge whereby he excelled his Enemies his Teachers and the Antients he prays 24 or 25 times to God to give him knowledge You should not rest satisfied that your Families do know the will of God but you should desire and endeavour as the Apostle did in the behalf of the Colossians that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Col. 1.9 10. You should not only labour to bring them acquainted with the word of God but endeavour that it may dwell richly in them and that it may dwell in them in all wisdom Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom SECT 8. Family-Instruction must not be neglected because we have but a small Family Object 8 SOme perhaps may object My Family is so small I do not think it worth my time and pains to instruct them If I had many Children or many Servants I would take pains to instruct them but having so small a Family I do not think it worth the while to bestow my time on one or two because I can imploy my time better Answ 1. If you have but one Child or one Servant to instruct it is worth much time and pains to instruct that one person for one Soul is more worth than the whole world Mark 8.36 Now you have spent and do spend much time and pains to get a little of the world and will you then grudge the spending a little time or pains to save a Soul which is more worth than the whole world when as you willingly spend much time to gain a little of the world 2. To instruct persons in the knowledge of Christ is such a great and glorious work that the holy Angels did not think much to go to a few Shepherds to acquaint them with the time and place of Christs birth Luc. 2.8 9 10 11 12. And when one Angel was publishing this message to the Shepherds there suddenly descended a multitude of the heavenly Host as being desirous to do the same work vers 13 14. And shall any of us think much to do that which the Angels of Heaven do and rejoyce to be imployed in 3. The Lord Jesus spent much time and pains in teaching and instructing one poor woman the woman of Samarla who was a sinner and a woman of a churlish disposition that in an upbraiding manner denied him a Cup of Water notwithstanding the Well was deep and she saw that he had nothing to draw withal and this he did at such a time as he had been wearied with his journey and was both hungry and thirsty John 4.6 to 28. Now one hour of Christs time was more worth than our whole lives and shall we then think much to spend a little time in teaching one Child or one Servant whenas the Lord Jesus did not think much to spend his time when he was weary hungry and thirsty in teaching one poor woman 4. Though you have but one Child or Servant to instruct if God bless your labours so as to convert that Child or Servant that one person may be instrumental to bring great glory to God and to do good to many others When the woman of Samaria was converted by Christ she was a means of drawing a great part of the City where she lived unto Jesus Christ John 4.28 29 30. she did not only draw a great part of the City to hear him but also was a means of their conversion vers 39. Many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him for the saying of the Woman which testified He told me all that ever I did 5. Faithfulness to God and such as are under our charge is shown in discharging our duty to a few as well as to many and he that is not faithful to a few would not be faithful if he had many committed to his charge Luc. 16.10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much They that have but a few things committed to their trust if they are faithful in them shall have a great and glorious Reward as well as they that have been intrusted with much Matth. 25.23 His Lord said unto him Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 6. Whereas you say you could spend your time better than in teaching so few as you have in your Family you should do well to consider That we are not to spend our time in those things which seem right in our own eyes Deut. 12.8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes But we are to
spend our time in doing those works which God hath given us to do and in so doing we shall glorifie God and follow the Example and Pattern of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now this is one work which God hath given you to do to teach his Word to your Children and hath commanded you to be diligent in it Deut. 6.6 7. SECT 9. The greatness of a Family is not a sufficient Plea for the neglect of Family-Instruction Object 9 SOme also may say My Family is so numerous that I am not able to instruct them if I had a lesser Family I would do it but I know not how to carry on this work in such a great Family as I have Answ 1. The more Souls you have in your Family the more diligent you had need to be in this work of Family-Instruction for you will have the greater account to give to God at the day of Judgment The accompt we must give to God at the day of Judgment is very strict He will call us to an account for every word yea for every idle word Mat. 12.32 I say unto you That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment Now if we must give an account for every word every idle word that we have spoken shall we not much more give an account for every person whom God hath committed to our charge Is not a man of far more value than a word 2. If you neglect teaching your Family because of the multitude of persons that are in it you are not like Christ you are not of the same mind and spirit that Christ was of for the greater the number of people was which resorted to him the more his Bowels of Compassion were stirred up to teach them Mark 6 34. And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them and he began to teach them many things Neither are you like the Righteous concerning whom Solomon saith Prov. 10.21 The Lips of the Righteous feed many 3. Your Family is not greater and more numerous than Acraham's Family was for he was able to raise more than 300 fighting men out of the Servants born in his own house Gen. 14.14 When Abraham heard that his Brother was taken captive he armed his trained Servants born in his own House three hundred and eighteen and pursued them unto Dan. And notwithstanding Abraham had such a numerous Family yet he taught them all to keep the ways of the Lord Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment And those three hundred and eighteen Servants whom he carried with him to rescue Lot mentioned Gen. 14.14 were trained or as it is in the Margin instructed Servants which may be understood of their being religiously trained up that they were instructed in the grounds of Religion as well as of their training to civil or military Employments as Ainsworth and Calvin observe Vatalbus his Note upon that Text is Pueros quos ut quidam volunt instruxerat Arte Bellicâ ac etiam Lege Divinâ And that which will confirm this exposition that these trained men were trained up in the knowledge and fear of God is this The same Hebrew word which is used here for trained men is used for Religious Education Prov. 22.6 Train up or as it is in the Margin catechise a child in the way that he should go 4. If your Family be numerous you may render the work of instruction the more easie by calling the whole Family together when you instruct them and then you may at the same time with the same ease instruct many as few Israel being a numerous people and they being all to be instructed Moses counsels the Levites to gather the people together that the work might be done with the more ease Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law Do you thus if your Family be numerous at certain stated times appoint your whole Family to come together and then you may with ease instruct all of them SECT 10. Great as well as mean men must instruct their Families Object 10 I Am a great man and this work is beneath me to teach my Children and Servants Answer 1. Art thou greater than Abraham who was a great Prince Gen. 23.5 6. The Children of Heth answered Abraham saying Hear us my Lord thou art a mighty Prince amongst us and who is stiled the Father of the Faithful and a Father of many Nations Yet he did not think it to be beneath him to teach his Family Gen. 18.19 Art thou greater than David who was King of Israel Yet he did not think much to teach his Family Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also He did not only teach Solomon but his other Children also Psal 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Yea he did not think much to teach Transgressors the ways of the Lord Psal 51.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways 2. The Great GOD condescends to teach the meanest and poorest of men Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Doth the Great GOD condescend to teach all sorts of men the Poor as well as the Rich Children as well as grown Men yea such as are Sinners and shall any man think himself too great to teach and instruct his Family 3. It is an honour to be employed in doing any work or service for God and Jesus Christ John the Baptist was a great man Christ saith of him Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Matth. 11.11 Yet this great man did not think himself above the meanest service that he could be employed in for Christ but thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him Matth. 3.11 He that cometh after me is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear To teach the word of Christ unto our Children and Servants is more honourable work than to carry Christs Shoes after him Now if John the Baptist thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him what great pride of spirit is it for any man to say or think it is a work beneath
Families If you say On the Lords day we must attend upon the publick Worship and Service of God and we must take also some time for private Communion with God so that we have no spare time on the Lords days I answer It is true it is our duty to attend upon the Publick Worship and Service of God Jam. 1.19 Let every man be swift to hear And in so doing we may expect Christs presence with us Matth. 18.20 For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them It is our duty also to keep up private Communion with God to pray to God in secret and to read and meditate on the word of God when we are alone but both these may be done we may attend on Gods Ordinances in publick and also perform secret and Closet-duties and yet have time sufficient for to instruct our Families every Lords day 5. That the plea of other business may not take you off from teaching your Families the word of God consider how acceptable this work is to Jesus Christ No work or business doth more please him than to see us learning his word our selves and teaching our Families what we have learnt When Christ came to Martha's House she received him and took great care and pains to entertain Christ and those that came with him and this was a very good and pious work but Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word Hereupon Martha goes to Christ and complains that Mary had left her to serve alone But what answer did Christ give her It was this Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her Luke 10.38 39 40 41 42. Where we see Christ commended Mary's choice who sat at his feet and heard his word above Martha's who received him into her house and provided for his entertainment and his followers And yet how good a work was it to receive and entertain Christ There was cost and care and pains attending this work And as Christ is highly pleased with such as give their minds to hear and learn his word more than with those that were able and willing to feast him and his Apostles So also it is a very acceptable work unto Christ to see us instructing and teaching our Families which doth plainly appear from his answer to the man out of whom the Devils departed when he desired to be with him Luke 8.38 39. Now the man out of whom the Devils were departed besought him that he might be with him but Jesus sent him away saying Return to thine own House and shew how great things God hath done unto thee The man desired that he might be with Christ Now to follow Christ this was a good work it might have conduced very much to the good of his Soul for to have sat under Christs Ministry and to have heard his Doctrine possibly the man desired this to express his gratitude by ministring to Christ and attending his person to do such service on all occasions as he should command him yet the Lord Jesus chuseth rather to send him home to his own house to instruct his Family than to answer his desire in suffering the man to be with him which shews the great acceptance that this work hath with Christ in that he chose rather to have this man go home and instruct his Family than to attend upon and minister to his own person 6. As for such whose occasions call them to be much abroad and to tarry long from home I shall only hint two or three things 1. When you are at home be the more diligent and frequent in teaching your Children and Servants by how much the oftner your occasions necessitate your absence from your Families 2. Let your Charge at home cause you to dispatch your Business abroad with what expedition you can that you may hasten to your Families and withstand all sollicitations of one or other that would detain you from returning with all convenient speed to your own home 3. Make up by Prayer what you cannot do by personal Instruction Be earnest with God to take the care of them and to teach them in your absence 4. If your occasions do necessitate you to be often and long absent depute some person in your absence that may do this work for you Or if you have none that you can depute in your room allot them such tasks as you shall see meet to exercise themselves withal whilst you are detained from them and at your return take an account how they have improved their time therein 7. If nothing that hath been said will prevail with you to lay aside this vain excuse I have no spare time to do this work I shall only adde this further That God will find a time to punish and pour out his wrath upon those persons that can't find a time to perform Family-Duties as to instruct them to pray with their Families c. Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and the Families that call not upon thy Name SECT 12. The Plea of such as are afraid they should wrest the Scriptures answered How to come to the true and right understanding of the Scriptures Object 12 I Am afraid I should wrest the Scriptures if I should go about to teach my Family because I am a man of small learning and the Apostle tells us There are some things in the Scriptures hard to be understood which they that are unlearned do wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Answer 1. Ought you not to be afraid of bringing the guilt of your Childrens blood upon your heads by neglecting to teach them and nursing them in ignorance as well as fear wresting the Scriptures If your Families be not instructed but live and die in ignorance they will perish eternally but their Blood God will require at your hands as hath been shewed before 2. As there are some thing in the Scripture hard to be understood so there are other things plain and easie As That we should love God with all our hearts and love our Neighbour as our selves That we should trust in the Lord at all times and for all things That we should do unto all men as we would that they should do unto us That we should be contented in every condition With many other Precepts and Directions pertaining to an holy Life Which are so plain and easie to be understood that persons of very mean capacities may understand them The Prophet speaking of the way of Holiness saith Isa 35.10 The wayfaring men though fools shall not erre therein And as the Practical part of Christianity is easie to be understood so there are many Principles so clearly and plainly revealed in the Scriptures that persons of mean abilities may understand them As That God made man upright and created him
after his own Image in Righteousness and true Holiness That Adam did not continue in this estate but sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit That all men have sinned and come short of the Glory of God That the wages of sin is death That Jesus Christ died for our sins That he rose again from the dead the third day That he ascended into Heaven and sitteth there at Gods right hand to make Intercession for us That whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall receive remission of sins and have eternal life That the dead shall be raised and be all judged at the last day That at the day of Judgment they that have done evil shall be cast into Hell Fire where they shall remain for ever and they that have lived godly in Christ Jesus shall be taken into the Kingdom of Heaven c. Now if you have not ability to teach them the more abstruse and mysterious points of the Christian Religion teach them those things which are plain and easie and whilst you do so God will open your Understandings and give you farther insight into the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. Your fear of wresting the Scriptures should make you diligent in using the means to get a true and right understanding of the Scriptures but it should not make you neglect your duty in teaching your Children the knowledge of the Scriptures That man who had but one Talent and out of fear did not improve his Talent but went and hid it in the Earth was not excused by his having but a mean Talent or by his pleading his fearfulness but is called by his Lord a wicked a slothful servant and was cast into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of Teeth Matth. 25.24 25 26 30. He which had received the one Talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art a hard man And I was afraid and went and hid thy Talent in the Earth lo there thou hast that is thine His Lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gather where I have not strawed thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the Exchangers that I might have received mine own with usury Take therefore the Talent from him And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth If you ask What means should we use that we may come to the true and right understanding of the Scriptures and be kept from wresting them I answer 1. Be sensible of your own inability to understand the Scriptures of your selves and pray to God to open your understandings and to guide you into the true and right meaning of his holy word It is Gods work to open the eyes of our understandings whereby we may understand his word Luc. 24.45 Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Prov. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them And seeing it is Gods work to enlighten our minds we must pray to God to reveal to us the meaning of his word when we give our selves to the reading of it Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And when we do with humble and lowly minds seek unto God he will teach us and lead us into the knowledge of the truth Prov. 28.5 They that seek the Lord understand all things Psal 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way They are usually proud and self-conceited persons that fall into error Psal 119.21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed that do erre from thy Commandments 2. Read the Scriptures diligently and mark the coherence of what you read with that which went before and that which followeth after observe the scope and consider well both the words and matter of those places which have any difficulty in them this will help you to a right understanding of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 3. Compare one Scripture with another that which is more obscure with that which is more clear that is the way to come to know the mind of Christ in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.13 16. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual we have the mind of Christ 4. Consider what is the general design and scope of the whole Scripture and if you would not wrest the Scriptures understand and expound particular Texts so as they may agree with and not contradict the general scope and design of the whole Scripture Now the general scope and design of the Scripture is 1. To bring us to believe in Christ and to teach us to expect eternal Life by believing on Christ John 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name Prov. 22.19 20. That thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee Have I not written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge 2. To keep us from sinning against God 1 John 2.1 My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And to direct and help us to live holy and godly lives Tit. 1.1 According to the faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after Godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness 3. The general design of the Scriptures is to comfort and to encourage us in all estates and conditions to hope in God Rom 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 5. Receive such Truths as God reveals to you out of his word with love and yield sincere obedience to them When persons do not love and obey the Word God gives them up oft-times to strong delusions that they believe lies instead of truth 2 Thes 2.10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie But as for such as do sincerely obey the voice of the Lord and continue therein the Lord is wont to give them good understandings and the spirit of a sound mind Psal 110.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments John 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self 6. Lean not to your own understandings but trust in the Lord with all your hearts rely upon him to keep you from Errour of Judgment and to lead and guide
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
Commandment is for you if ye will not hear if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory unto my Name saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings Whether it be a word of Command or Promise or Threatning or an Example of Gods Judgments on sinners or of his blessing bestowed on his servants tell them That these Commandments O my Children the great God that made you and that will bring you to Judgment hath given to you if you obey them he will love you and bless you and give you all good things in this world and great blessings in the world to come But if you will not hearken to his Voice but cast his Law behind your backs he will send many heavy Judgments and great Plagues upon you in this world and if they do not lead you to repentance he will cast you both Body and Soul into Hell Fire And so for the Promises tell them These great and precious Promises shall be your portion if you will believe in Jesus Christ and live holy and godly lives Gal. 3.22 1 Tim. 4.8 Do the like by the Threatnings tell them That these will surely be executed on them if they live in those-sins against which such and such Judgments are threatned For GOD is faithful and able to perform his Word and is no Respecter of persons and there is no lying hid from his all-seeing Eye nor any possibility to escape out of His Hand VVhen you meet with Examples of Gods Judgments on impenitent sinners tell them Those Examples are recorded on purpose to keep them from falling into such sins 1 Cor. 10.5 6. and to lead them to Repentance Luk. 13.1 2 3. And that if they live in the same sins they must expect to meet with the same Judgments And so also the Examples of Gods mercies towards his servants tell them That if they will serve God the same mercies and blessings that God gave Abraham or David or any other of his servants he will give them But of these things I have spoken before more largely in the Third Chapter and it will be needless to repeat them again By what hath been said there it is evident that there is much more work lieth upon Parents besides teaching them to read the Scriptures as VVatching over them Reproof Correction c. SECT 22. Instructing Children while they are young makes eminent Saints Object 22 WE may teach our Children to know and remember the Scriptures but we can't teach them obedience that is Gods work and what good will it do them to know and remember the Word if they do not obey it And besides if they should whilst they are young walk in the ways of God they will forsake them when they grow old and be the worse for their instruction and make good the old Proverb A young Saint and an old Devil Answ 1. It is true that it is Gods work to teach our Children Obedience but we must use the means Shall the Ministers of the Gospel forbear preaching the word because the conversion of souls is Gods work not theirs 2. God doth ordinarily bless the Endeavours of Parents and Masters of Families when they are diligent and faithful in their work not only to the breeding of knowledge but also to the bringing of their Children and Servants to obey the Lord and walk in his ways Gen. 18.19 He will command his Children and Houshould after him and they SHALL keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment Here God promiseth that upon Abrahams commanding his Children and Houshold they should keep the way of the Lord. And what God promiseth to Abraham he promiseth and will peform unto all that walk in Abrahams steps If persons that have had Religious Education would consult their own experience they will find that generally God instils Principles of Grace into such as are converted by means of their Religious Education 3. That Proverb A young Saint and an old Devil was of Satans coining to deter persons from seeking and serving the Lord for it is contrary to the word of God for that saith 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 None prove such eminent Saints as they that begin to seek and serve the Lord whilst they are young I will give two or three instances hereof Josiah was a very humble tender-hearted Prince he wept at the hearing of Gods Law 2 Kings 23.18 19. He was very zealous in the Reformation of Religion and destroying Idolatry Chap. xxiii ver 1. to 25. There never was such a Passover kept either in the days of the Judges or of the Kings of Israel or Judah as Josiah kept 2 Kings 23.22 23. He excelled all the Kings that lived before him and all that came after him verse 25. And like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him And as he was thus eminent in Godliness so he continued constant to his dying day 2 Chron. 34.2 He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of David his Father and declined neither to the right hand nor left And one reason why he proved so eminent and constant in the ways of God was this He began while he was young to seek after the Lord as is expressed in the following verse For in the eighth year of his Reign while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his Father Obadiah who feared the Lord from his youth 1 Kin. 18.12 I thy Servant fear the Lord from my youth attained unto a great measure of the fear of God verse 3. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly He kept his Integrity though he lived in Ahabs House who was such a wicked Prince that he did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. He was a great shelter to the Lords Prophets when they were persecuted and some of them put to death by Jezabel he hid an hundred Prophets in a Cave and maintained them with Bread and VVater verse 4. David began to seek and trust in God while he was young Psal 71.5 Thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my Trust from my youth And we know he proved a man after Gods own heart the instances of his exemplary piety are so many that it would be too long and so well known that it would be needless to mention them SECT 23. How to deal with Servants that hold Erronious Opinions Object 23 SOme of my Servants are tainted with Erronious Principles which I knew not of when I took them into my Family and I look upon it as labour in vain to instruct persons that are infected with Errors Answ I. It
may be their Lot was cast under your Roof that you might convert them to the knowledge and belief of the Truth therefore try both by convincing Scriptures and by a convincing Conversation to recover them from the Error of their ways And for your better Encouragement consider 1. VVhat a blessed and glorious work it is to reduce a man from Error to Truth and to bring back a stragling sheep to the fold of Christ by so doing you will be instrumental to save a soul Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a Soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins 2. If you set your hearts to this work and labour diligently in it it is very probable that God will make you successful There is a promise that such as err shall be brought to the knowledge of the truth Isa 29.24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine And what is a more likely way to obtain this promise than to be diligent in using means to reclaim those that err from the Truth II. If you have not parts and abilities sufficient to convince them of their Errors and to perswade them to embrace the Truth get some others that have greater abilities then your selves to deal with them especially some godly Ministers who may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 III. If they remain obstinate and either will not be instructed or after instruction persist in their erronious Opinions remove them out of your Families 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House If persons that teach false Doctrine are not to be received into our Houses then such as have embraced false Doctrine and do pertinaciously adhere thereunto are to be cast out of our Houses What the Apostle adviseth concerning Church Censures Tit. 3.10 A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject The same may suit in this case if your servants hold dangerous Errors and after several admonitions and much means used to reclaim them do obstinately adhere to their corrupt Principles cast them out of your Families lest they leaven the whole Family with their evil Opinions 1 Cor. 5.6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump SECT 24. They that neglect Family Instruction are worse than Infidels and Idolaters Though others neglect this work we must not Object 24 NOne of my Neighbours do take this pains with their Families and why then should I Would you have me singular That is the way to be laugh'd to scorn and to be under reproach Answ 1. Take heed of bearing false witness against your Neighbour it may be several of your Neighbours make conscience of this duty of teaching and instructing their Families though you know it not It is a grievous slander to say None of your Neighbours take any care of their Families to teach them to know and serve the Lord it is in effect to say they are as bad or worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel The Soul is of far greater value than the Body and if so then the neglecting to provide for the Souls of those of our own House is a greater sin than the neglecting to provide for their Bodies Idolaters train up and employ their whole Families to serve their Idols Jer. 7.18 The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods that they may provoke me to anger Here are men women and children all employed about the service of idol gods If Idolaters train up their children to serve their idol gods are not they worse than Idolaters who will not train up their Families to know and serve the true God So that you charge your Neighbours with a very great sin and an high crime when you say that none of them instruct their Families 2. Suppose none of your Neighbours should instruct their Families yet you must instruct yours Joshua resolved that though all Israel should neglect the service of the true God and turn aside to idols yet he and his House would serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Lands ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Your Neighbours neglect of their duty will not excuse you at the day of Judgment nor shelter you from the wrath of God nor mitigate your Torments in Hell if you suffer your Families to die in ignorance and so to perish eternally for want of instruction 3. You are not singular in this work for the wisest the most holy the best men that ever lived have been careful to train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord as Abraham Gen. 18.19 David Psal 34.11 Joshua Josh 24.15 Yea which of all the Saints and Servants of God ever neglected it 4. Suppose your Neighbours should reproach you for instructing your Families and call you by any odions names this should not at all dishearten you from this good work of Family-Instruction For 1. It is a blessed and happy thing to suffer reproach for doing any work that Jesus Christ sets us about 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified Matth. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven 2. In this work you do Christ service and those that serve Christ shall be honoured by God John 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father honour And if God honour you you need not care who despiseth or reproacheth you SECT 25. How to deal with such as refuse Instruction Objects 25 I Would very willingly instruct my Family if they were willing to be instructed but my Family will not submit to instruction and what can I do in this case Answ 1. Enquire whence it comes to pass that God afflicts you with this sore Judgment of rebellious Children and Servants that will not submit to instruction When God makes any members of our Families prove Crosses to us he is usually bringing some sin to our remembrance and
find no success on their Labours in teaching their Families Several Encouragements to such to continue this work of Family-Instruction Object 26 I Have taken great pains in teaching my Family but I see no success of my Labours I can't find that any of them are reformed and turned from their sins or have got any saving work of Grace upon their souls notwithstanding all the pains that I have taken with them And this discourageth me and makes me think sometimes to give over this work Answ 1. If there be no success of your Labours in your Family see if the cause be not in your selves Do you water your seed that you sow with your Prayers and Tears Do you wrastle with God for a blessing Are you fervent in prayer for the conversion and edification of such as are under your charge Do you shew a good example to your Family and walk convincingly before them and teach them by your conversation Do you go about this work in the Name of the Lord relying on his strength and depending on his assistance and looking for his presence with you Do you watch over their Conversations as well as teach them Do you reprove and correct your Children when they walk contrary to the word of God Do you instruct your Families diligently seriously frequently Or is this work done but seldom and in a slight manner Do you labour to know their state and to apply that which is suitable to them and profitable for them If the ground and cause why you have no better success be in your selves reform that which hinders your success and you shall soon find the blessing of God going along with your Labours 2. If the cause of your Families unprositableness lie in themselves 1. Shew them what a great sin and how dangerous it is to be unprofitable under the means of grace and turn them to such Scriptures as these Matth. 3.10 25.30 Luc. 13.6 7. Heb. 6.7 8. and press them home upon their consciences 2. Direct them what means they should use that they may profit better by your instructions what they are I have hinted already in Chap. iii. Direct 15. pag. 165. 3. There may be good success of your Labours though you perceive it not the Lord may have conveyed the seed of grace into their Souls by your Instruction though you discover it not and it may grow though you discern it not Mark 4.26 27. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up and he knoweth not how God many times distils his Grace like dew in a silent insensible manner Hos 14.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel 4. Your want of success should be so far from causing you to desist from this work of Family-Instruction that it should stir you up to ply your work with greater diligence and cause you to abound in actings of faith upon those Promises where the Lord hath promised to bless and prosper his peoples labours I will mention three or four to this purpose Isa 65.22 23. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands they shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble Psal 1.3 Whatsoever he doth shall prosper 1 Tim. 4.13 16. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Take heed to thy self unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Deut. 15.10 The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto The less success and blessing you find attending your labours be the more earnest in pleading such Promises as these are and the more abundant in acting faith upon them 5. Though you can't see any fruit of your Labours either in the conversion or edification of any that are under your charge but do apprehend that your labour hath hitherto been in vain yet you must not desist from this good work of teaching and instructing your Families but continue therein as long as you live And that you may not sit down under discouragement and give over instructing your Families because you do not find success in your work Let me propose to you these following Considerations I. Consider that God often renews and repeats the same means and ways to bring about our Conversion though former means have not prevailed with us to lead us to repentance Job 33.29 30. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man to bring back his Soul from the Pit to be inlightned with the light of the Living God takes great pains with one and the same man to bring back his Soul from the Pit He worketh He doth not only call or counsel and perswade but He worketh these things all these things that is He worketh by his Word v. 23. and by variety of Providences Mercies Afflictions c. menriety in the fore-going verses and not only once or twice but oftentimes And there is a note of attention prefixed to this that we may give the greater heed to it LO Now if God taketh great pains and worketh oftentimes by the same ways and means with one and the same man to bring back his Soul from the Pit shall we think much day by day to instruct our Families and to continue so doing that we may be instrumental to save their Souls though hitherto we have seen no success of our Labours II. Though you see no fruit of your labours for the present yet you may do before you die Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Yea though you should see none whilst you live yet after you are dead your Children may remember what you taught them whilst you lived and may thereby be brought to believe in Christ and repent of their sins After Christ was dead his Disciples were much helped in their faith by calling to remembrance what he had taught them in his life-time John 2.22 When therefore he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scriptures and the word which Jesus had spoken Though the Seed of the Word seem to lie dead in their hearts for the present yet possibly God may quicken it by some affliction Manasseh was Hezekiah's Son and so doubtless had good instructions from his Father but yet he proved very vitious till he came into affliction he shed much innocent blood he dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards and used inchantments and witchcrafts he was a great Idolater and built Altars for all the host of Heaven c. But when the Lord brought him into affliction he humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and was brought to Repentance 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. It is probable that there is mention made of his humbling himself before the
God of his Fathers to shew that his Fathers Instructions were instrumental to bring him to Repentance when he was in his affliction III. Though you should not convert your Children or Servants by the instructions which you give them out of the word of God yet possibly what you do may prepare them for the Ministry of the Word the Seed you have sown may be quickned by the Ministry of the Word to their conversion and salvation And this is no small mercy to be instrumental to plow up the fallow ground and to prepare the hearts of your Children and Servants for the publick Ministry of the Word All that heard John Baptist were not brought to believe in Christ yet was not John the Baptist's labour in vain for John's Labours did prepare them for Christ and when they came to hear Christ the remembring what they had heard from John did help them to believe in Christ as we may see John 10.40 41 42. And Jesus went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized and there he abode and many resorted to him and said John did no miracle but all things that John spake of this man were true And many believed on him there IV. Consider what pains the Husbandman takes in tilling the Earth and what long patience he exerciseth before he reaps any fruit of his Labours He ploweth often in order to the fitting and preparing the Earth to receive the Seed and after his Seed is sowen it lieth buried under the ground and for a season nothing appears after his Seed cometh up it is a long time to the Harvest and many times by unseasonable weather either immoderate Rain or Drought or Blasting or Mildew all his Labour is lost Yet he renews his labour again year after year as long as he liveth and ploweth and soweth his ground in hope of the blessing of God The Apostle puts us in mind of the Husbandmans patience to make us patient in waiting for better things James 5.7 Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious Fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter Rain What though you see no fruit after much pains taken with your Families And after some appearance of fruit there comes a blasting of your hopes yet you must renew your Labours day after day hoping that at length God will bless your endeavours The fruit of instruction in the conversion and edification of your Families is much better than the fruits of the earth and is worthy of more pains and patience than the Husbandman exerciseth for obtaining the fruits of the earth Remember therefore and follow the counsel of Solomon Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good V. Though you should not convert the Souls of your Children and Servants yet you must go on to instruct them for in so doing you shall deliver your own Soul 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 And shall be clear from their blood Acts 20.26 27. I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God VI. Though you should take much pains in instructing your Families and should be instrumental to convert none of them yet your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord for you shall have a great Reward from God Your Reward shall be according to your work and pains that you have taken not according to your success Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be As it is with the Ministers of Christ if they have taught the people diligently and faithfully the good word of the Lord though they have not converted them they shall have their Reward from God and be glorious in the eyes of the Lord Isa 49.4 5. Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for naught and in vain yet surely my Judgment is with the Lord and my Work or as it is in the Margin my Reward with my God Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength So also it shall be with Masters of Families Wherefore do not give over this work through any discouragement but be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding therein inasmuch as you know that your labour shall not be in vain according to what you find recorded 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. CHAP. V. Considerations to quiet Parents whose Children died in such an estate as they can have no hope of their Salvation IF any shall demand further Suppose after all our endeavours to teach convert and save our Children and Servants Souls some of them should prove vile and wicked persons and should live and die in their sins and so should perish eternally What Considerations may quiet our minds and support us under such a trial as this to see our Children or any other Member of the Family for whose conversion and salvation we have put up many prayers and have taken much pains in teaching and instructing them perish eternally SECT 1. Answer 1. THough our Children and Servants whom we have instructed and for whom we have prayed should prove very vile and wicked yet we should hope as long as we and they live that God in his due time may hear our Prayers and bless our Endeavours for the conversion of their Souls Eccles 9.4 For to him that is joyned to all the Living there is hope The Lord sometimes gives Repentance unto Life to the worst of men to such as are the Devils slaves and such as are taken captive by him at his will and to such as do oppose the means of their salvation 2 Tim. 2.25 26. And as God calls some of the chiefest Sinners so he calls some towards the latter end of their days Some were called into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour of the day when they had spent all the day in idleness Matth. 13.6 7. About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and saith unto them Why stand ye here all the day idle Go ye also into the Vineyard If we should die before them and see them continuing in their sins till our dying day yet as Noah though he foresaw that the Gentiles who were the posterity of Japheth Gen. 10.1 5. would continue a long time in their
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 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
you must take heed of being swallowed up with over-much sorrow Satan labours what he can to keep us under blindness and hardness of heart and to hinder us for mourning for our sins but when he cannot do that because God hath opened our eyes and affected our hearts with the sight of our sin and misery he will endeavour to make us mourn without measure especially if we have been great sinners The incestuous Corinthian committed a great sin such as was not so much as named among the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 And till he was brought to repentance the Apostle adviseth the Church of Corinth to deal sharply with him ver 4 5. but when he was humbled the Apostle adviseth the Church to comfort him and why Least perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with over-much sorrow 2 Cor. 12.7 2. Though this be a mighty great and crying sin for Parents by their evil example or their neglect to teach them or by any other means to be guilty of the bloud of their Childrens souls yet it is not an unpardonable sin but I may say of it as Shecaniah did to Ezra in another case Ezra 10.2 We have trespassed against our God Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing By Faith and Repentance you may obtain forgiveness of this as well as of other sins The bloud of Christ being applied by Faith cleanseth us from all manner of sin 1 John 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin If Christs bloud cleanseth from all sin then from being guilty of the bloud of souls as well as from other sins The merits of Christs bloud are sufficient to wash away the sins of the greatest sinners in the whole world John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world And all that believe in him shall for his sake receive the remission of their sins of what nature soever they have been Acts 13.38 39. Be it known unto you men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Such whose sins are of the deepest die who have committed scarlet and crimson sins whose hands have been full of bloud have the full and free remission of all their sins promised upon their repentance Isa 1.15 16 17 18. Your hands are full of bloud wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool The Lord taxeth the Jews with the bloud of the Souls of poor Innocents and telleth them their guilt herein was as evident as what appeareth upon a mans skirts Jer. 2.34 Also upon thy skirts is found the bloud of the souls of poor innocents Yet to these Jews that were guilty of the bloud of souls of poor Innocents the Lord promiseth mercy upon their repentance Jer. 3.12 13. Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep mine anger for ever only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God Who were greater sinners than they that shed the bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ Yet even to them that were guilty of the bloud of Christ the Lord promiseth remission of that and all their other sins upon their repentance Acts 3.14 15 19. Ye denied the Holy One and the Just and desired a Murderer to be granted unto you and killed the Prince of life Repent ye therefore and be ye converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The like we have also promised Acts 2.23 38 39. where the Apostle tells them who had taken and with wicked hands had crucified and slain the Lord Jesus that they were not excluded from the promises of mercy but that upon their repentance they should receive remission of their sins 3. Testifie the truth of your repentance for suffering your deceased Children to perish through your negligence by doubling your diligence in doing what in you lieth to save the souls of your surviving Children and Servants and all others under your charge by praying to God for them night and day and instructing them in the knowledge of those things that make for their peace and shewing of them a good example and the use of all other means This will be a means to moderate your excessive sorrow and to restore peace and comfort to your souls For all Gods ways are ways of pleasantness and his paths are paths of peace Prov. 3.17 whilst we are in the way of our duty God is wont to come in with comfort SECT 5. The Plea of such as are cast down because God hath not answered their Prayers or prospered their labours answered Plea 4 IT may be some will say The ground of my trouble for my deceased Children ariseth from hence because I prayed often and earnestly for their conversion and took much pains in teaching them and yet the Lord hath cast them away and because he hath not answered my prayers nor blessed my labours I am afraid I am none of his Elect because it is said Isa 65.22 23. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands They shall not labour in vain Answ I. This is not so to be understood as though Gods Elect did convert every soul whom they laboured by their instructions to bring home to the Lord. Jesus Christ is stiled Gods Elect Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Yet we find the same Prophet bringing in the Lord Jesus speaking thus Isa 49.4 I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought And when he was here upon earth many that saw his Miracles and heard his Sermons remained in their unbelief and unconverted condition Luke 16.14 John 12.37 II. You have not laboured in vain although your Children were not converted for 1. Though you did not convert your Children yet you have delivered your own soul 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 And the delivering of your own soul is worth all your pains although you had taken a thousand times more than you have done 2. Your labour is not in vain in respect of God 1 Cor. 15.58 You know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord Although you did not