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
to be performed every day Psal 145.2 Every day will I bless thee Psal 92.1 2. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most High to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night It is a duty to be performed not only by our selves when we are alone but all the members in the Family should joyn together in blessing and praising God Psal 135.19 Bless the Lord O house of Aaron Psal 34.3 O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Deut. 14.26 Thou shalt rejoyce thou and thy houshold Now how can our Families bless and praise God for his mercies if they be not taught that all the good things they have come from God and also taught who that God is that gives them all good things and how and in what manner they should express their thankfulness unto him We find that when the Scripture speaketh of praising God it often intimates that we should praise him with understanding Psal 47.6 7. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises For God is the King of the Earth sing ye praises with understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Which implieth that the Lord cannot be praised by the sons of men in an acceptable manner if they be not endued with knowledge and understanding 3. It is our Duty to exhort our Children and Servants to flee from sin and to follow after Righteousness to love and fear and serve the Lord and to walk in his ways c. Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Now if we would have our exhortations to take place we must joyn Doctrine or Instruction with our Exhortations 2 Tim. 4.2 Exhort with all long suffering and doctrine If we do not instruct them wherein the nature of those Duties lieth unto which we exhort them and how and in what manner they should be performed we shall be like those that beat the air our Exhortations will be of no advantage to them 4. It is our Duty to reprove our Children and Servants when we see them negligent in their duty or committing any sin against God Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him If we must rebuke a Neighbour then much more those of our own house when they sin against the Lord. Now instruction makes way for reproof one word of reproof to a man instructed with wisdom and understanding will do more good than an hundred stripes will do towards the reformation of an ignorant foolish person Prov. 17.10 A reproof entreth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool We shall find it a very difficult matter to fasten a reproof upon our Children and Servants so as to make it take place and do them good if they be without understanding The like may be said of other Duties which we ought to perform towards our Children and Servants they cannot be performed successfully if we suffer our Families to be without Instruction SECT 6. We have Gods example for teaching our Children and Servants Arg. 5 GOD teacheth and instructeth his Children and Servants and therefore it is our Duty to teach and instruct our Children and our Servants for we ought to be followers of God Ephes 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children In order to our imitation of God in this practice Let us consider 1. Who they are whom God teacheth all his Children and Servants from the greatest of them to the least he leaves not one of them without instruction Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. Deut. 33.3 Yea he loved the people all his Saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words So should we teach and instruct every one of our Children and Servants from the least to the greatest 2. God begins to teach his Children betimes Psal 71.17 O God thou hast taught me from my youth So should we begin early with our Children 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures 3. God teacheth his children and servants knowledge Psal 94.10 He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know He teacheth them to know himself Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord And to know and believe in his Son Jesus Christ John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me And to love one another 1 Thes 4.9 Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another He instructs them to shun and to avoid evil company and evil examples Isa 8.11 For the Lord spake thus unto me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people He teacheth them by his grace to deny all ungodliness and to live righteous and holy lives Tit. 2.12 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world He instructs them how to order and manage the works of their Callings with Wisdom and Discretion Isa 28.24 25 26. Doth the Plowman plow all day to sow Doth he open and break the clods of his ground When he hath made plain the face thereof doth he not cast abroad the Fitches and scatter the Cummin and east in the principal Wheat and the appointed Barley and the Rye in their place For his God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him He instructs them how they should walk and what they should say and do and how they should order their Conversations aright in all things Psal 32.8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go Exod. 4.12 15. I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say and will teach you what ye shall do 2 Chron. 32.22 The Lord guided them on every side Psal 107.7 He led them forth by the right way He shews them the Path of Life and guides them in the way to Heaven Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me unto glory Herein we should imitate God we should teach our Children and servants to know God and his Son Jesus Christ and to believe in Christ and to love one another and to forsake evil company and to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world We
instrumental to their Regeneration Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of Truth and the rendring of them fruitful in good works Col. 1.6 Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day that ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth And be a means of saving their Souls for it is by the knowledge and belief of the Truth that we are brought to salvation 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth It is said Prov. 14.25 A true witness delivereth Souls By a true Witness we may understand one that instructeth those that are under his Charge in the knowledge of the Truth The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Witness is sometimes used as Kircher observes pro predicatore for a Teacher and we find the word Witness used in this signification Act. 26.16 To make thee a Minister and a Witness And then the words may have this sence That teaching and instructing persons in the knowledge of the Truth is a means to deliver their Souls from eternal destruction III. Teach them Soul-saving Truths By Soul-saving Truths I mean such Truths as will be a certain and infallible means of saving your Children and Servants Souls if they be rightly understood firmly believed and sincerely practised If you ask What are those Truths which will be a means of saving our Children and Servants Souls if we teach them to our Families I answer Such as these 1. Teach them to know GOD and his Son JESUS CHRIST by so doing you shall guide them into the path of Life For John 17.3 This is life eternal That they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. Teach them their lost and miserable condition by Nature their need of and their misery without Jesus Christ and the way and means by which they may come to be partakers of Christ For if you can draw them to Christ they shall not miss of eternal Life 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life 3. Explain to them the Covenant of Grace what great Mercies and Blessings are contained in the Covenant that their Souls may long to be brought under the Bond of the Covenant shew them also how and by what means they may get into Covenant with God for if you can bring them to lay hold upon the Covenant of Grace you shall make them Partakers of Salvation for eternal Life and Salvation is promised to such as are in Covenant with God 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant and this is all my Salvation 4. Shew them the nature necessity and excellency of faith in Christ and labour to bring them to believe in Jesus Christ If they be brought to believe in Christ they shall certainly have everlasting Life John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting Life 5. Teach them the nature and necessity of Repentance and press home upon them such Scriptures as may stir them up to the practice and exercise of Repentance if you can by any means bring them to a true and unfeigned Repentance you shall thereby save their Souls Ezek. 33.14 16. Again when I say to the Wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live 6. Teach them to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ for he will save all those that obey him Heb. 5.9 He became the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him 7. Teach them to love God with all their Hearts and Souls and to love Him above all Persons and Things that are in the world Eternal Life is promised to such as love God Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 8. Teach them to fear and reverence the Lord and that you may breed the fear of the Lord in their Souls acquaint them with the Power Holiness Goodness Justice Omniscience and Omnipresence of God and his other glorious Attributes for the fear of the Lord ariseth from and is produced by the knowledge of God Job 37.23 24. Prov. 2.5 and put them in mind of Gods Covenant wherein the Lord hath promised to put his fear into our hearts Jer. 32.40 If you can bring your Families to fear the Lord you shall save their Souls Prov. 19.23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life Psal 145.19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their Cry and will save them 9. Teach them to hope in God for all those good things which are promised in the Covenant of Grace and to keep up their hope in God under all their troubles and temptations by hoping in God they shall obtain the salvation of their Souls Rom. 8.24 We are saved by hope 10. Teach them the nature of Prayer to whom they must pray and for what and how they must pray if they would find acceptance with God The Lord Jesus taught his Disciples how to pray and John the Baptist did the like to his Disciples Luke 11.1 One of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples By teaching your Families to call upon God in an acceptable manner you shall promote their salvation For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 11. Teach them to be sincere and to walk uprightly with God for if they walk uprightly they shall be saved Prov. 28.18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved 12. Teach them to wait upon God in all his Ordinances and to wait for the accomplishment of all his Promises They that wait on the Lord are under a promise of Salvation Prov. 20.22 Wait on the Lord and he shall save thee 13. Teach them the way to obtain the Remission of their sins for if they obtain the pardon of their sins they shall be in a blessed condition Rom. 4.7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven And shall obtain everlasting life Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them he also glorified 14. Teach them to avoid evil company and to walk and converse with such as fear God that may prove a means of their salvation Prov. 9.6 Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding Prov. 15.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise 15. Exhort them to persevere in the faith of Christ and to continue in their obedience of his Commandments as long as they live for in so doing they shall assuredly obtain everlasting life Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Matth. 24.13 He that shall endure to the end the same
to any sin that will bring you under contempt Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Yea even such as have honoured you formerly and had you in high esteem if they come to understand that you are tainted with any Vice they will be ready to despise you Lam. 1.8 Jerusalem hath grievously finned and therefore she is removed All that honoured her despise her because they have seen her nakedness But by walking in an holy gracious exemplary manner you shall be reverenced not only by such as are gracious themselves but by those that are destitute of the grace of God Herod was not a good man himself our Saviour calleth him a Fox Luk. 13.23 because he was a subtil and cruel Enemy to Jesus Christ and to the Christian Religion Luke 13.31 32. Yet John the Baptist being an holy man Herod reverenced him Mark 6.20 Herod feared John knowing that be was a just man and holy and observed him Prov. 22.4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are Riches and Honour and Life And as an holy Conversation will procure Honour and Respect so also it will preserve the same Prov. 11.16 A gracious woman retaineth honour Fourthly Carry your selves wisely and discreetly in the managing of your Family Affairs for A mans wisdom maketh his face to shine Eccles 8.1 But foolish and indiscreet carriage will cause us to be slighted and disrespected Eccles 10.1 Dead flies cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in Reputation for Wisdom and Honour Fifthly Do not carry your selves lightly vainly in your Families but let your deportment be grave and serious that will be a means to keep your Children and Servants in due subjection 1 Tim. 3.4 One that ruleth well his own House having his Children in subjection with all gravity He cannot rule his House well that doth not keep his Children in subjection for if the Children be unruly the Servants will be so too and a man shall hardly keep his Children in subjection if his carriage be not grave and serious Sixthly Use not over-much familiarity or delicacy towards your Children and Servants especially when your Children are grown up to some maturity for familiarity will be apt to breed contempt and make Children and Servants to cast off that awe and dread which they ought to bear towards their Parents and Masters Children are commanded not only to love but to fear their Parents Lev. 19.3 Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father And Servants are commanded to fear their Masters Ephes 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ Over-much familiarity will cause them to cast off this fear Solomon giveth us a caution against using too much delicacy towards our Servants as that which will spoil them and make them prove great Crosses Prov. 29.21 He that delicately bringeth up his Servant from a Child shall have him become his Son at length The vulgar Latin renders the words Postea sentiet eum contumacem He shall find him to be stubborn and obstinate Pagnine renders the words In novissimo crit superbus perinde ac filius He will become proud and expect to be dealt with as if he were a Son and not a Servant When instead of that gravity and distance which ought to be in the carriage of Masters and Parents they will be so familiar as to play with their Servants and Children this makes them to lose their authority according to the Proverb in use among the Arabians Collusio sive jocus aufert reverentiam Playing and Jesting takes away a Mans Reverence If we use to jest and sport with our Servants or Children we must expect no more Reverence from them And therefore the Son of Syrach gives this Advice to Parents Ecclus. 30.9 10. Cocker thy Child and he shall make thee afraid play with him and he will bring thee to heaviness laugh not with him lest thou have sorrow with him and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end And Plato speaking of our carriage towards our Servants in his Dialogue de legibus gives this prudent Advice Neque jocus ullus cum illis habeatur quod multi stultè facientes dum delicatius eos nutriunt difficiliorem viam sibi ad imperandum illis ad obediendum reddunt Do not use at any time to jest with your Servants which thing many doing foolishly do make it more difficult for themselves to govern and also more difficult for their Servants to obey by their training them up delicately Only here it will be needful to hint that whilst you labour to carry your selves with gravity and to avoid too much familiarity you had need be careful that you do not become morose or austere but rather endeavour to express much sweetness and candor in your carriage towards your Children and Servants There was laid up in the Ark Aarons Rod and the Pot with Manna and the Tables of the Covenant Greg. mag hath an observation hereupon to this effect He that would govern well must be furnished with the knowledge of the Scriptures and must make use of the Rod of Correction yet so as there must be the sweetness of Manna with it We should labour if it be possible to win our Children by love to observe the Commandments of God but if they will not be drawn with Manna then we must make use of Aron's Rod and when we are necessitated to use severity it must be tempered with mercy SECT 10. How to gain our Childrens and Servants affections Direct 10 IT will conduce much to the rendring of this work of Family-Instruction successful so to carry your selves as that you may have the love and gain the affections of those that are under your charge for if our Children and Servants do not only fear and reverence us but also love us the Instructions that we give them will be the better accepted and make the deeper impression upon their hearts The Apostle Paul knowing Philemon lov'd him was confident he would follow the counsel he gave him Phil. 7.21 We have great joy in thy love having confidence in thy obedience c. The like confidence he had of the Thess alonians 2 Thes 3.4 We have confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the thing which we command you And they were such as bore a great affection to the Apostle 1 Thes 3.6 If there be a disaffection to the person that instructs his Doctrine will do little good Ahab hating Micaiah received no good by his Prophecies but went on in his own way contrary to the good counsel of Michaiah whereby he brought destruction upon himself If any say How should we so carry our selves as to get the Love and Affection of our Children and Servants I answer First Shew your selves
is declared in the next words The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Fifthly Bring them in love with the word of God love to the Word will root and ground the Truths of God in their hearts Ephes 3.17 Rooted and grounded in love Love to the word of God will root it so deeply and firmly in their hearts that no troubles will cause them to depart from the word of God but they will stick and cleave to it unto their dying day Cant. 8.6 7. Love is strong as death many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it If you ask How shall we bring our Children and Servants to love the Word of God I answer 1. Shew them the purity excellency and amiableness that is in the word of God Psal 119.140 Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it 2. Stir them up to practise the word of God that will cause them to love it Psal 119.167 My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly 3. Shew them what a dangerous thing it is not to love the word God is wont to send down sore Judgments upon them that do not receive his Truth in the love of it 2 Thes 2.10.11 12. 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 lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 4. Exhort them to put away and hate their sins and then they will love and delight in the word of God Psal 119.163 I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love 5. Counsel them to feed daily upon Gods word by Meditation and Faith for this will cause them to taste the sweetness of it Jer. 5.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my Heart Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet And when they taste the sweetness of Gods word they will love it above all things in the world Psal 119.103 128. How sweet are thy words unto my taste Yea sweeter than Honey to my month therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold SECT 12. How to draw our Families to close with Christ How to ortifie them against the offence of the Cross Direct 12 ENdeavour as much as in you lieth to draw them to JESUS CHRIST that they may receive and close with him upon the terms of the Gospel Whatever Instructions you give your Families if you leave them Christless you leave them in a miserable perishing condition 1 John 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life But if you can prevail with them to come to and to close with JESUS CHRIST they shall become the Children of God and shall assuredly obtain everlasting Life John 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting Life If you ask What shall we do that we may draw our Children and Servants to come to and close with JESUS CHRIST I answer First Shew them their miserable lost and undone condition without Christ The misery of Man without Christ is set out by the Apostle Ephes 2.12 That at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no Hope and without God in the world In this Text the misery of such as are without Christ is set forth several ways 1. They are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel that is they are none of the People of God 2. They are Strangers from the Covenants of Promise that is they have no part or portion in any of the promises either of the first or second Covenant the Covenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace 3. They are without hope They have no hope of mercy either in this world or in the world to come They may have much presumption and much carnal security but they have no hope 4. They are without God that is without the love and favour of God without the grace of God without any communion with and enjoyment of God There is much also said in few words towards the setting forth of the misery of a man that is without Christ in that fore-mentioned Scripture 1 John 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life He hath not the Life of Grace here but is dead in his sins he hath not the Life of Glory hereafter but is debarred of all hope of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven for ever The conviction of their misery and perishing condition without Christ will draw them to seek after Christ Luke 15.17 18. I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my Father Mat. 8.25 His Disciples came to him saying Lord save us we perish Inform them also that salvation from their miserable perishing condition is to be had in Christ and no where else but in Christ Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby they may be saved When the people of Israel saw that salvation was to be had in the Lord and no where else this caused them to come to him Jer. 3.22 23. Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Secondly Acquaint them with the amiableness and excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ with what benefits they shall receive from him if they embrace him as namely that all their sins shall be pardoned Act. 10.43 and their Souls shall be taken into Covenant with God Isa 55.3 and they shall be blessed with all spiritual blessings Eph. 1.3 and that they shall have all the blessings of Heaven for ever John 3.16 When the Spouse had set forth Christs excellencies that he was the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely c. Cant. 5.10 16. They that before saw no beauty or comeliness in him why they should desire him vers 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved c. fell in love with Christ and began to enquire where they might find him and how they might come to enjoy him Chap. 6.1 Whether is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women whether is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Thirdly Cause them to understand that God is very willing to bestow his Son and Jesus Christ is very willing to bestow himself upon all those that feel their need of him and are willing to receive him as is evident from such Scriptures as
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
to run into all kind of evil let us endeavour to prevent these great evils by training them up in the knowledge and fear of the Lord. 5. If we bring up our Children in ignorance they can have no fellowship with or enjoyment of God who is the chiefest Good For God is Light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 And persons that have no knowledge are said to be in darkness Ephes 5.8 Ye were sometimes darkness And there can be no communion between Light and Darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 What Communion hath Light with Darkness Now what will all the good things which we give our Children whilst we live or which we shall leave them when we die avail them if they have no enjoyment of God who is the chiefest Good 6. Without knowledge our Children and Servants cannot obtain salvation but must perish eternally Psal 5.5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight Job 36.12 They shall die without knowledge Prov. 2.16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the dead That is he shall be cast into Hell and abide there among the Devils and damned persons for ever So it is expounded by R. Sel. in caetu gehennae And Menoch Videtur sensus esse cum Daemonibus futuros cum impiis hominibus ad aeterna supplicia â—amnatis That the Hebrew word which is here translated dead signifieth Hell may be gathered from Prov. 9.18 He knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of Hell 7. Without knowledge our Children will not only be undone in the world to come but they are likely by their folly and indiscretion to undo themselves and their Families in this world either by idleness Eccl. 4.5 The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh Prov. 24.30 31. Or by prodigality Prov. 21.20 There is a treasure to be desired and Oyl in the dwelling of the Wise but the foolish spendeth it up Or by Surety ship Prov. 17.18 A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh Surety in the presence of his friend Or by Law-suits Prov. 18.6 A fools lips enter into contention Or by speaking against persons in Authority Eccles 10.12 The lips of a fool will swallow up himself Prov. 10.14 The mouth of the foolish is near destruction Or by some other rash and indiscreet carriages 8. Instructing our Children and Servants out of the word of God will remove their ignorance and make them of foolish and simple to become wise and understanding persons and so consequently will prevent all the afore-mentioned evils which will accrue both to us and them if they be trained up in ignorance Prov. 12.1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge Prov. 8.33 Hear instruction and be wise Psal 19 7. The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Prov. 1.1 4. The Proverbs of Solomon to give subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple SECT 4. The corruption that is in children and servants proveth Family-instruction to be a necessary duty Arg. 3 THere is not only much blindness and ignorance in the minds of our children and servants but they have also very sinful and corrupt hearts That we may see and understand what sin and corruption is bound up in the hearts of our children and servants let us consider what the Scripture saith of the hearts of the sons of men The heart of man by nature is void and destitute of all good Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and full of evil Eccles 9.3 The heart of the sons of men is full of evil Yea the seeds of the foulest sins such as Murder Adultery Blasphemy and the like are in the heart of man which will break out if they be left to themselves Matth. 15.19 Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies The inclinations of the heart to sin even to the worst of sins are strong and violent so that the heart is not only set upon evil but fully set to do evil Eccles 8.11 The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil There is such a bottomless depth of sin in their hearts that we cannot fathom it it is hard to express yea hard to understand how wicked and sinful the heart of man is Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it And this corruption of the heart begins to work and discover it self very early even whilst we are young Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth Isai 48.8 I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously and wast called a transgressour from the womb Now seeing there is so much sin and corruption in the hearts of our children and servants from hence it will follow that it is our duty to train them up in the knowledge and obedience of the Word of God whereby their hearts may be purified and sanctified and that it is necessary that we should imploy all the skill and strength that we have in this work for 1. Though their hearts be exceeding sinful as we have heard before yet if we instruct them in the knowledge and train them up in the obedience of the Word of God this will be a means to purifie and sanctifie their hearts and to reform their lives for the word of God hath a sanctifying vertue in it John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth And being hid in the heart it will cleanse the heart and keep a man from sinning against God John 15.3 Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Obeying and practising the word will purifie the heart 1 Pet. 2.22 Ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit If we can bring our Children to take heed to their ways and to frame them according to the word of God we need not doubt but this will cleanse their hearts and lives Psal 119.9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word 2. If we suffer our Children and Servants to live without instruction and do not labour to bring them acquainted with God and with his holy word there is no hope that they should be reclaimed from their sins Hos 5.4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord. The Prophet gives this reason why they would not frame their doings to turn to the Lord They did not know the Lord and the spirit of whoredoms was in them By the spirit of whoredoms we may
up his Family to serve the Lord God gave him his presence whether soever he went Josh 1.9 and stuck to him all the days of his Life vers 5. and honoured and magnified him in the sight of all Israel Josh 3.7 He made him Leader of his people to carry them into the Land of Canaan He subdued mighty Kings under him and gave their Kingdoms into his hand At Joshua's Request the Sun stood still a whole day which thing God never did for any man but Joshua Josh 10.12 13 14. David who hath the character of a man after Gods own heart he was also careful to instruct his Children in the knowledge of God and to bring them up in the fear of God especially his Son Solomon 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and love him with a perfect heart and willing mind Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also and said unto me Let thine heart retain my words And God did exceedingly bless both David and Solomon his Son the Blessings he gave them were so remarkable that it is needless to recount them Cornelius who was a devout man himself trained up all his Houshold in the fear of God Act. 10.1 2. There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius A devout man and one that feared God with all his House This man was in great favour with God God sent an Angel to him to tell him his Prayers and his Alms were come up for a Memorial before God Vers 4. and sent Peter to preach the Gospel to him and poured out the Holy Ghost on him and all that were present with him to the astonishing of the Jews that came along with Peter Vers 44 45. Timothy was instructed in the Scriptures while he was a Child 2 Tim 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures And what an eminent man did he prove He was so eminent for Faith that the calling to mind of his Faith filled the Apostle with Joy 2 Tim. 1.4 5. He proved to be of such a publick spirit and such a Lover of the Church of God that of all the Apostles Acquaintace and Companions there was none like unto Timothy Phil. 2.19 20 22. The Apostle doth not only call him a godly man but a man of God 1 Tim. 6.11 Thou O man of God Examples have a great influence upon most men if we see a multitude going before us we are apt to follow them though that which they do be an evil thing and that also notwithstanding we have a Precept from God to the contrary Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest Judgment Behold here is a Cloud of Witnesses a multitude of Gods Saints and Servants have gone before us in this good work of instructing their Families in the knowledge of Gods word and shall we be loth to follow a multitude of good men the best and wisest men that ever lived in a good work whenas we are commanded to walk in the way of good men Prov. 2.20 Heb. 13.7 If the examples of the Friends and Favourites of God of great men of wise men of holy men of men that have enjoyed the Blessing and Presence of God will do any thing with us then let the Example of Abraham Joshua David c. prevail with us to train up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God Besides these fore-mentioned Examples we have the Patern and Example of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST who is greater than Abraham or David or any Princes or Potentates that ever lived upon the face of the Earth The Apostles and Disciples of Christ that went whithersoever he went that lodged where he lodged that eat and drank with him continually were as I may so call them Christs Family they called him by the name of Master and he owned that name John 13.13 Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am He went in and out amongst them all the time after he had called them to follow him as a Master doth amongst his Servants Act. 1.21 Now if we look upon the Disciples of Christ as his Family then we have an excellent Pattern of Family-Instruction in the Example of our Lord Jesus For he was very diligent in teaching and instructing his Disciples John 17.6 I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the World And that Christ instructed them out of the word of God appears from vers 14. I have given them thy word See also Luke 4. from vers 17. to 21. He did not only teach them with others in the exercise of his Ministry but did also instruct them in private when they were alone with him Mark 4.34 When they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples And not only before his death but also after his Resurrection his great work among his Disciples was to teach and expound to them the Scriptures Luk. 24.27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And ves 32. Did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures And vers 45 46. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer c. Now every one that professeth himself to be a Christian ought to imitate the example of Christ so far as he is placed in the same relation that Christ was in 1 John 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked SECT 12. Gods Judgments that have lately been upon us call for Family-Instruction and Family-Reformation Motive 12 THe great and mighty Judgments that have of late been upon this Nation as the Sword Pestilence c. do call aloud upon us to set upon this work of Family-Instruction and that on several accounts 1. The great and mighty Judgments of God call for Reformation of our Lives and learning of Righteousness Isa 26.9 When thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Now Family-Instruction is the way to Family-Reformation When Ephraim was instructed he repented and bemoaned his sins and turned to the Lord Jer. 31.18 19. And Family-Reformation would produce National Reformation For if every Family did begin to reform and turn to the Lord how speedily would the Nation be reformed Family-Reformation will draw down a multitude of Blessings both upon our selves and Families and upon the whole Nation It will bring a blessing upon our Estates Job 22.23 24. If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy Tabernacles Then shalt thou lay up Gold
Then all the Congregation answered and said with a loud Voice As thou hast said so must we do Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 was very successful in the Conviction and Conversion of obstinate sinners for he mightily convinced the Jews vers 28. And in the edification of such as were converted to the faith vers 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace SECT 2. We must teach our Families the knowledge of the principles and the practice of the Duties of Religion Nothing but the Truth Soul-saving Truths What are Soul-saving Truths Seasonable Truths Direct 2 COnsider well what Doctrine you teach your Families if you would convert and save their Souls For by taking heed to the Doctrine that you instil into them you may save both their and your own Souls 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save both thy self and them that hear thee If any ask What Doctrine should we teach our Families in order to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of their Souls I answer In the general teach them the holy Scriptures I have proved already that it is the Will and Command of God that we should instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Chap. I. Sect. 1. And I have also shown that teaching Gods Word to our Families will be a means of their Conversion Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul and of their edification Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And of their Salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation As the Reader may see more largely in the perusal of the first and second Chapters If any say Tell us more particularly what Doctrine we should teach our Families out of the Scriptures in order to their Conversion Edification and Salvation Answ 1. Instruct them in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion As for instance Teach them that there is a God and that this God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And who is the true God That there is but one God and that this one God subsisteth in three distinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth That God knoweth all things is every where present Almighty Eternal Holy in all his Works and Righteous in all his Ways Faithful Just Abundant in Mercy c. That God made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein and Rules and Governs all his Creatures by his Wise and Gracious Providence That Man was created in the Image of God and sinned against God by eating the Forbidden Fruit That by Adam's Disobedience all Men were made Sinners and are by Nature the Children of Wrath and that Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation That God out of his great Love sent his only begotten Son into the World to seek and save that which was lost That JESUS of NAZARETH who was conceived of the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin MARY suffered under PONTIUS PILATE was the promised MESSIAH That He died for our Sins and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven where he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for all that come to God by him from whence He shall come again to judge the World in Righteousness That God for Christ his sake hath made a New Covenant wherein he hath promised Remission of sins Sanctification eternal Life and all other good things freely to them that believe on his Son That those whom God hath ordained to eternal Life he calleth out of Darkness into Light and turneth them from their sins unto God and unites them to Christ by faith and puts his Spirit into them and causeth them to walk in his Ways and to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Life That there shall be a general Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust that after the Dead are raised the whole world shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive according to what he hath done while his Soul lived in his Body That such as have lived and died in their sins without Repentance shall be cast into Hell where they shall abide with the Devil and his Angels in everlasting fire And such as have believed in Christ and repented of their sins shall be received into Heaven where they shall be ever with the Lord. It is necessary that you should teach your Children and Servants the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion Heb. 5.12 Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God For Knowledge is the foundation of Practice Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And Solomon tells us Prov. 29.2 Also that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good And as you must teach them the knowledge of the Principles so also the practise of the Duties of the Christian Religion as to believe in Christ to repent of their sins to love God with all their Hearts and to love their Neighbours as themselves to do the same things unto others which they would that others should do unto them to deny themselves to love their Enemies to do good to them that hate them to read hear and meditate on Gods Words to be contented in every estate c. Knowledge without Obedience will be so far from leading them to everlasting life that it will make them have the greater condemnation Luk. 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But by teaching your Families both to know and do the will of God you shall make them partakers of eternal Happiness John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Thus David instructed his Son he taught him both to know and serve the Lord 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 2. Teach them nothing but the Truth Do not pervert and wrest the Scriptures to their and your own destruction Do not give them poy son instead of the sincere milk of the Word It was the practise of Christ and of his Apostles to teach nothing but the Truth Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ By teaching them the Word of God in truth you shall be
these Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Joh. 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink John 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out The understanding of Christs love how willing and ready he is to receive such as come to him will be a powerful means to draw their Souls to Christ Jer. 31.3 With loving kindness have I drawn thee Hos 11.4 I drew them with the Cords of a man with the bands of love Fourthly Inform them what Jesus Christ expecteth from those that come to him and close with him if they would be owned by him for true Disciples and such as shall partake of his saving benefits As 1. They must abandon all their sins 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 2. They must deny themselves and take up their Cross and follow Christ Mark 8.34 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Luke 14.27 Whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple 3. They must love and prefer Christ above all their Relations and whatsoever else is dear to them in the whole world Matth. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me 4. They must take his yoke upon them and submit to his Government and obey his Commands Matth. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and you shall find rest unto your Souls John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandments John 15.14 Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you 5. They must continue believing in Christ and walking in his ways as long as they live John 8.31 Then said Jesus unto those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed Let them know also that the Lord Jesus doth not expect that they should do these things in their own strength but that if they look up unto him he will give them his holy Spirit to enable them to do all these things and whatsoever else he requireth of them Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Fifthly Fortifie them against the Offence and Scandal of the Cross of Christ that they may not revolt and depart from Christ after they have embraced him when they shall meet with troubles and persecutions for the Gospels sake as many are apt to do Matth. 13.21 Yet hath he not Root in himself but dureth for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended If you ask How shall we 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 I answer First Tell them at their entrance into Christianity what they must expect to meet withal if they will be Christians indeed Let them know they shall be hated in the world 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Luke 21.12 Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake and must look for Reproaches Confiscation of Goods Imprisonment and all sorts of persecution This was the means that Christ used to keep his Disciples from being offended at the troubles should come upon them He told them before hand what they must expect to meet with John 16.1 2. These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service As it is with those that build an House or a Tower they should first sit down and consider what will be the cost and charges that they must be at in building Luke 14.28 29 30. Which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold it begin to mock him saying This man began to build and was not able to finish So they who have a purpose to become Christians had need count what it may cost them to be Christians indeed they must count upon it that for ought they know it may cost them the loss of all things even of their Lives and see whether they are willing to become Christians on these terms lest after they are entred into the ways of Christ they should depart from them when they meet with persecutions for the Gospels sake and so become a reproach and and scandal to Religion 2. Inform them that unless they be willing and resolved to suffer the loss of all things for Christ when they are called to it they cannot be the Disciples of Christ Luke 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple And if they go about to save their Lives when the Lord Jesus calleth them to lay them down they shall lose eternal Life Mark 8.35 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it Thirdly That they may not be discouraged from embracing the Lord Jesus and the Christian Religion because of those sufferings that they must expect to meet with in the profession and practise of the ways of Christ propose to them such considerations as may encourage them to embrace the Cross of Christ with chearfulness As 1. Whatsoever losses they sustain on the Account of Christ or his Gospel shall be made up to them with an hundred-fold advantage in this life and if not in the same kind yet in some other thing which is as good or better besides the recompence that they shall have in the world to come Mark 10.29 30. Verily I say unto you There is no man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with persecution and in the world to come life everlasting 2. The sufferings of this present life will increase our glory in the world to
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
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
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
estrangement from God yet he hoped that God in due time would convert them and cause them to embrace the true Religion which was continued in the Off-spring of Shem Gen. 9.27 God shall enlarge or as the word may be render'd God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. So should we hope concerning our Children that God will perswade their hearts to repent of their sins though we should see them go on in evil and destructive courses a long time together and that because of his promise to circumcise not only our hearts but the hearts also of our Seed to love him with all our hearts and all our souls that both we and they may have everlasting life Deut. 30.6 2. If after all our prayers and tears and instructions and endeavours after their salvation we should see any of our Children or Servants live and die in such a condition as that we could have no hope of their salvation we may quiet our minds with such considerations as these I. Consider Gods Soveraignty He hath a soveraign power over all his Creatures to dispose of their temporal and spiritual estate according to his own pleasure we are in Gods hand as clay in the hands of the Potter Jer. 18.6 O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the Clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine hand O House of Israel And what is the power the Potter hath over the Clay Rom. 9.21 Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour Jer. 18.4 The Vessel that he made of Clay was marred in the hand of this Potter so he made it again another Vessel as seemed good to the Potter to make it If it be in the Potters power to make every Vessel as seemeth good to him if he may make of the same lump one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour may not the great God do what he pleaseth with his Creatures May not He make of Children that are born of the same Parents and enjoy the same instructions one a Vessel unto Honour and another a Vessel of his Wrath and Displeasure for ever All Creatures in Heaven and in the Earth and in the Sea and in all other places are disposed of by God according to his will and good pleasure Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth and in the Seas and in all deep places And shall we think much or repine against God when he disposeth of our Children or any other Member of the Family as seemeth good in his sight When the Lord said to Eli I will judge his House for ever And I have sworn unto the House of Eli That iniquity of Eli's House shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3.13 14. This was sad tidings yet when Eli considered it was the Lord who had power to dispose of him and his Family as seemeth good in his sight he quietly submitted his will to the will of God vers 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good No Parents did ever thirst more after the salvation of their Childrens Souls than Jesus Christ thirsted after the salvation of fallen man yet when he saw that it was his Fathers good pleasure to hide the Mysteries of the Gospel from some persons who were wise and prudent in worldly matters with whom he had taken much pains in preaching the Gospel he rested abundantly satisfied in the will and pleasure of his Father Mat. 11.25 26. At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight From verse 19. to 24. Jesus Christ upbraids the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not and tells them what an heavy condemnation they should have at the day of Judgment more dreadful than Tyre or Sydon or Sodom and Gomorrah And at that time when he had done upbraiding those Cities he addresseth himself to his Father wherein he declares his perfect acquiescence in his Fathers will Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight although he had hid the Mysteries of the Gospel from the wise and prudent and we know that eternal perdition followeth the hiding of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and had revealed them only or chiefly at least to such as were in comparison of the wise and prudent men in the world but Babes Now seeing our Lord Jesus did acquiesce in his Fathers good pleasure when he saw many amongst whom he had preached and done his mighty works continuing in their unbelief and impenitent condition and so perishing eternally It concerneth us to submit our selves to the will and pleasure of God if after all the pains that we have taken to convert and save our Childrens Souls he should leave some of them to perish in their sins We must know that he is God and so may dispose of us and all that belongs to us as he pleaseth and howsoever he is pleased to deal with us we must be still and silent under his hand Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God II. Others as good and better than we have met with the same trial viz. some of their children and servants have degenerated and proved vicious and lewd persons and have lived and died in their sins notwithstanding all the pains that their Parents and Governours have taken to convert and save their souls Adam had a Cain who murthered his own brother and was a fugitive and vagabond in the earth and hath the brand of a wicked man set upon him by the Holy Ghost 1 John 3.12 as well as righteous Abel Noah had an Ham who saw and divulged his fathers nakedness and had his fathers curse upon him and his posterity as well as a pious Shem and Japheth righteous Lot had two daughters that enticed him to drunkenness and incest Ishmael in his younger time was so vile that Abraham cast him out of his family for a scoffer Isaac had a profane Esau who sold his Birthright for a mess of Pottage a man hated of God Esau have I hated Rom. 9.13 as well as a godly Jacob. Jacob met with crosses in his Children Reuben his first-born defiled his Fathers Bed Simeon and Levi by their cruelty in slaying the Shechemites after they had drawn them to be circumcised made Jacob's name to stink among the Inhabitants of the Land Gen. 34.30 Judah lieth with his Daughter-in-law Tamar supposing her to have been an Harlot with divers other crosses in the rest of his Children as the selling of Joseph into Egypt c. Aaron lost two sons Nadab and Abihu In