Selected quad for the lemma: state_n
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A39501
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An Earnest call to family-catechising and reformation by a reverend divine.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing E95; ESTC R31403
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30,606
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74
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primarily directed to Parents and Governours of Families who are responsible for themselves and those under them 7. See to it that as you profess your selves a Christian Family so you maintain Universal Holiness of Conversation Let no duty be omitted or Sin committed with thy connivance Look strictly to it that all relative Duty be duely discharged in which much of your Religion consists and on which the Credit of Religion and our own Comfort very much depends Make a compassionate but faithfull use of that Authority which God has committed to thee and withall see to it that thou behave thy self wisely in a perfect way and walk within thy house with a perfect heart setting no wicked thing before thee Psal 101. 2 3. Else thy Endeavours for the Good of others are like to be both heartless and fruitless 8. This one thing I would add which I would have by no means forgotten That you do not confine your selves only to those of your own Family but invite and encourage any other Families that have not or cannot have those Advantages to come in among you which will be a great piece of Soul-charity This I now mention is not invading the Ministers Office or Work any more than it is to admit the Members of some poor prayerless Family to partake of your Family-Devotions Yea this being well regulated may be made greatly subservient to more publick Catechising performed by the Minister and I have experimentally found it so 9. Let me superadd this If at any time you slip into Neglects of or Remisness in your Family-Duties and our deceitfull Hearts a subtle Devil an insnaring world will be apt to give us too many Avocations see that you carefully re-assume your Duty again and endeavour to recover your Zeal and Warmth therein And in case there be any extraordinary cause either from Omissions of Duty or Commissions of Sin solemnly humble your selves as a family with fasting and prayer Zech. 12. 12 13 14. To implore God's Pardon and Favour and let this be followed with as solemn Reformation Thus I have according to the measure of my Ability given you Directions for the profitable managing this great Duty of Family-Catechising and Reformation Now the Lord himself direct you both to and in the Performance hereof CHAP. IV. Some Motives offered to Family-Governours in behalf of Family-Catechising IF it can be needfull to add Motives for the further inforcing that Advice I have given I would offer such as these which I shall for brevity sake deliver more promiscuously and not stand to draw out under particular Heads Catechising is a Duty yea an advantagious Duty and being well managed may meet with those who reap little or no benefit by Sermons or continued Discourses For this is more suited to the Capacities of youth it doth more necessitate their Attention and put them upon the Exercise both of Memory and Judgment It is a proper Means of begetting and increasing Knowledge and that not only in regard of its familiar Condescension but also as in a little compass it takes in the whole Body and System of Divinity and Divine knowledge is of all most excellent It further tends to settle and confirm the Judgment in the great Truths to be believed and Duties to be practised Many let go Truth because they never had fast hold of it Catechising is a great means of Prevention of Apostasy and had we retained more of the former we had seen less of the latter It may also be a happy means of preventing many yea and great Sins or speedy convincing the Conscience where Sin hath prevailed How many from mere Ignorance of the Extent of God's Commands have not only fallen into great Sins but continued in them without repentance to whom good Instruction might have been a Means of Prevention or Recovery This may be a Means of working and promoting Faith and Holiness of Heart and Conversation yea all Good here and hereafter By Catechising those under your charge you may mend your own Head and Heart Family-Catechising will be mainly subservient to that great Duty of Publick Catechising And who knows but that between the one and the other the Enemy Sin may be be-set before and behind and fall in battel These two may be like the former and latter rain promoting all Spirituall fruitfulness Sure if as children are solemnly dedicated to God in Baptism so parents did conscienciously endeavour to bring them up for God and care were further taken by publick Catechising and Instructions to fit them for and transmit them to a compleat state of church-Church-Communion Churches would by the blessing of God be more plentifully stockt from Christian Families beside the children of the Stranger that might be joined to the Lord. By working on the Young Ones of the present Age an Earnest may be laid for the good of succeeding Generations Yea a Seed of your own may be raised up to praise the Lord and bear up his Name in the World Thus may your own Gardens flourish the tender grapes appear and your Pomgranats bud forth Song 7. 12. Your Sons thus manured may be as plants growing up in their youth and your daughters thus squared may be as corner-stones polished after the Similitude of a palace Psal 144. 12. And you may at the last day give up your account with joy and say Here am I Lord and the children that thou hast given me and then shall you and they be for ever together with the Lord be pillars in the heavenly Temple and never be removed thence Thus have I finished what I intend for the Governing part of Families I shall now address my self to the Governed CHAP. V. Advice to the Governed part of Families THE former part more-especially relates unto Parents of Children and Governours of Families It may I conceive be needful to subjoyn some particular Advice to Children and Servants or any other who may be the governed part of Families For if Means of Reformation be used by Family-Governours yet if it have not a due influence upon the Family under their Charge it doth not reach its End but is like Water spilt upon the Ground And I am the rather induced to apply my self particularly unto you because the Governed is usually the most numerous part of the Family And tho' you are at present in regard of some external Circumstances the inferiour part of it yet you have as precious Souls as your Parent and Governours God is equally concerned for you and has commanded Ministers to feed his Lambs as well as Sheep Joh. 21. 15 16 17. And we do profess our Selves the Servants of all yea and your selves have as much reason to be concerned for your own Souls as your Parents and Governours have for theirs In this sence our Salvation is common Salvation Jude v. 3. and there is no distinction of bond or free Gal. 3. 28. Yea if God lengthen out your Days and Obedience is the way to long Life you