the very act of sin as they were offering up strange fire fire came from the Lord and consumed them Eli's children were such sons of Belial that their wickedness caused men to abhor the offerings of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 17 David met with much affliction in his children Amnon ravished his sister Tamar Absolom killed Amnon when his heart was merry with wine Absolom was cut off in the Act of his Rebellion Adonijah seeks the Crown which his father had devolved upon his son Solomon Our Lord Jesus Christ himself had a select Family consisting of twelve Apostles whom he chose out of all Israel and whom he often instructed with great power for his word was with power Luke 4.32 and yet one of them proved little better than a devil John 6.70 Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil He proved so vile that he betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver and then went and hang'd himself and went to his own place Elisha the Prophet had a lying servant Gehazi who went in his Masters name but contrary to his Masters mind to Naaman the Syrian and demanded and received for his own use a great sum of money as much as two men could carry and two changes of Garments 2 Kings 5.20 21 22 23. These examples with several others which might be produced do shew that though it be a great affliction to have evil children and evil servants yet it is a temptation common to men even to good men yea such as have befallen the best men that ever lived upon the face of the earth whose persons have been very dear and precious in the sight of God and their works and labours have been graciously accepted of him And therefore we should not be disquieted or cast down without measure because God doth not bless our labours with the converting and saving of all the members of our families neither should we conclude from hence that either our persons or our labours are not accepted with God III. Our children are Gods creatures as well as our children God hath a greater right to them and a greater interest in them than we have We were but Gods instruments to bring them into the world It was not we but God created and gave them their beings it was Gods hands that framed and fashioned their Bodies when they lay in their Mothers womb Psal 119.97 Thy hands have made and fashioned me 1 Cor. 12.24 God hath tempered the body together It is God that gave them every part of their Bodies as Skin and Bones and Flesh and Sinews Job 10.11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews And every member of their Bodies as Eyes Hands Feet c. Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned whenas yet there was none of them It was God which created their Souls after he had formed their Bodies Zech. 12.1 Saith the Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth the foundation of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him Ezek. 18.4 Behold all Souls are mine as the Soul of the Father so also the Soul of the Son is mine the Soul that sinneth shall die It was God that drew them out of the womb Psal 22.9 Thou art he that took me out of the womb It is God that hath preserved them alive ever since they were born Psal 66.8 9. O bless our God ye people who holdeth our Soul in life And seeing God hath a far greater right to our Children than we have shall we be discontented when he disposeth of them as he seeth good May not he say to us when we repine at any thing that he doth to our children as the good Housholder said to those that murmured at him Matth. 20.13 15. Friend I do thee no wrong Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own And as our children are the works of his hands so his mercies towards his works are beyond our mercies towards those that proceed from our bowels Psal 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works He desires their welfare both here and for ever more than we can do Job 14.15 Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Now if the Lord whose tender mercies are over all his works and who desireth our Childrens welfare more than we our selves do saw cause to cast away the works of his own hands into eternal torments shall we by our discontent go about to controul God in what he hath done as though we were wiser or more merciful than He IV. Though there be a great depth in Gods Judgments and such as we can't search out the reason of them why sometimes he converteth one and leaveth another to perish in his sins although both are born of the same Parents and live under the same means of grace Yet he is always Just and Righteous and True and Faithful in all his ways The Apostle was a man of a deeper insight into the mysteries of the Gospel than we are yet he confesseth some of Gods ways to be unsearchable Rom. 11.34 O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Whatever Judgments God inflicts upon Nations or particular Persons though we may not be able to fathom the reason of them yet we must believe that all that the Righteous God doth is Just and True and that he never acts contrary to the Truth of his Word or against the Rules of Justice Rev. 15.3 They sing the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Just and True are thy Ways thou King of Saints This Song was sung upon the pouring out of the seven last Plagues in which was filled up the Wrath of God verse 1. From hence it is evident that the Lord doth nothing beyond the Rules of Justice or contrary to his Truth when he poureth out his wrath to the utmost either upon a Nation or upon particular persons When the children of godly Parents sin against God and God casteth them away for their sins he doth not by this act pervert Justice and Equity Job 8.3 4. Doth God pervert Judgment Or doth the Almighty pervert Justice If thy Children have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgression Now when God doth those things which are Just and Right we should be so far from murmuring that vve should praise and honour God although vve our selves should suffer deeply by those Judgments After Nebuchadnezzar
lose his own Soul If it be such a great loss for a man to lose his own Soul what will it be for a man besides the loss of his own to be charged with the loss of the Souls of his Children and of all that ever were committed to his charge 4. Blood is a crying sin the cry of it reacheth to the Heavens and calls to God for vengeance Gen. 4.10 What hast thou done The voyce of thy Brothers Blood crieth unto me from the ground And bringeth a great curse on those that are guilty of shedding it Vers 11. And now art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy Brothers Blood from thy hand Vers 12. A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth Although all Blood crieth loud yet none crieth like the Blood of Souls As much as the Soul surpasseth the Body in excellency so much greater is their sin who are accessary to the destroying of Souls than theirs who only take away the life of the Body It is spoken of as a dreadful Judgment to have the Stones and Timber of a Mans House crying out against him which will be the lot of those that get or build Houses by unrighteous means Hab. 2.11 The Stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the Timber shall answer it The man that is in this case can have but little joy in his House either by night or by day But what is this to the cry of such Souls as perish byour means who will be crying out against us to all eternity What Zipporah said to Moses by reason of the Circumcision Surely a bloody Husband art thou to me Exod. 4.25 26. The like will many women say to their Husbands who perish for want of their instructing them Surely a bloody Husband hast thou been unto me and Children will cry out against their Fathers for suffering them to die and be damned for want of instruction Surely a bloody Father hast thou been unto me and Servants will cry out against their Masters Surely a bloody Master hast thou been unto me To undo a man in his Estate by oppression or violent taking away his Goods is a mighty sin there are dreadful things threatned against such as are guilty of this sin Job 20.19 to 29. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor because he hath violently taken away an house which he built not surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly he shall not save of that which he desireth there shall none of his meat be left therefore shall no man look for his goods in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits every hand of the wicked shall come upon him When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating He shall flee from the iron weapon and the Bow of steel shall strike him through it is drawn and cometh out of the Body yea the glistering Sword cometh out of his Gall terrours are upon him all darkness shall be hid in his secret place a fire not blown shall consume him It shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle the Heavens shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him the increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath To undo a man body and Soul to all eternity in the world to come is a far greater sin than to undo a man in his estate in this world And if such dreadful things are denounced against the Oppressor what shall be done to the Soul-murderer 5. He that neglecteth or refuseth to instruct his Family is as certainly guilty of the Blood of their Souls as he that suffereth his Family to starve by neglecting or refusing to give them that food which should preserve their Lives is guilty of destroying their natural Life for as surely as the Body will perish without its food so surely will the Soul perish without instruction Prov. 5.23 He shall die without instruction Prov. 29.28 Where there is no vision the people perish SECT 3. Instructing our Children out of the Scriptures instils Wisdom into them the Advantages that will come to them by being endued with Wisdom Motive 3 BY instructing our Children and Servants out of the Word of God we shall furnish them with Wisdom and Understanding whereby they will become prudent persons Though they be young and simple yet Gods word will make them wise and discreet Psal 19.7 The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy Word giveth Light it giveth understanding to the simple Prov. 1.1 4. The Proverbs of Solomon To give subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 19.20 Hear counsel and receive instruction that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end It was by Gods word that David attained to such eminency in wisdom that he became wiser than the Ancients and all his Teachers Psal 119 99 100. No Persons or Nations under Heaven are so wise as they that are acquainted with and give heed to the Word of God Deut. 4.6 Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding People By being acquainted with the word they shall attain to wisdom in Civil Things and Divine in things pertaining to God and to Men Prov. 31.4 My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and Man Yea by instructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures we shall convey to them the best wisdom that is attained by the sons of men and that is to be wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus Seeing then that instructing of our Families out of the Scriptures will be a means of enduing our children and servants with wisdom and understanding this may be of great force to stir us up to diligence in teaching them Gods holy word especially if we consider how many and what great advantages come to our children and servants by being furnished with VVisdom and Understanding I will mention a few 1. To leave our Children endued wisdom is better then to leave them great Riches For Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8.11 How much better is it to get wisdom than Gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than Silver Prov. 16.16 VVisdom is a greater Ornament and a more lovely Jewel than a multitude of Rubies and pretious Stones Prov. 20.15 There is
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
come 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory The glory of Heaven doth so far exceed the sufferings of this present life that they are not worthy to be compared together Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 3. It is our happiness and not our misery to suffer Reproaches and persecutions for Christs sake and it should fill us with joy rather than cast us down with sorrow when we meet with any sufferings for Righteousness sake Matth. 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall speak all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of God and of Glory resteth upon you There is a greater excellency in suffering for Christ than in enjoying all the riches of the world and it is far more eligible to endure the sharpest afflictions than to enjoy the delights and pleasures of sin Heb. 11.25 Chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of GOD than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ even those things that are most hard to be born greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt or all the enjoyments in the World 4. God will not suffer any man to be afflicted for Christ or the Gospels sake above what he will enable him to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will also with the Temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it And when we do suffer for Christs sake the Lord will be with us in all our sufferings 2 Cor. 4.9 Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not in despair Isaiah 43.2 When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee Psalm 91.15 I will be with him in trouble c. 5. The more we suffer for Christ the more abundant consolation we shall have from Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ And we shall find more delight in our Consolations than we do grief in our sufferings Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Fourthly Put them in mind of the great things which Jesus Christ hath suffered for them He became poor for our sakes 2 Cor 8.9 He gave his Body to be broken for us he made his Soul an offering for our sins c. The consideration of what Christ hath suffered for us and how willingly he suffered for us I gave my Back to the smiters and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Isa 50.6 will make us willing to suffer for him and keep us from fainting under our Sufferings Heb. 12.3 Looking unto JESUS the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you be wearied and faint in your minds SECT 13. The advantage of knowing the state of our Families How we may come to know their state Direct 13 ENdeavour to know the state of every Member of your Families consider who of them are in a state of grace and who abide still in an unregenerate condition As for such as are converted see whether they make any progress and grow in grace or whether they stand at a stay or decline and go backward Prov. 27.24 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy Flocks and look well to thy Herds If a man must be diligent to know the state of his Flocks and Herds whether they be sound or diseased how much more doth it concern him to know the state of his Wife and Children and Servants whether they be in a state of Grace or a state of Nature Estius and Beda and some others apply this passage of the Proverbs to those that have the care of Souls committed to their Charge The Arabian Translation favours this interpretation Cognosce animos gregis tui cognitione perfecta And the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The knowledge of the state of our Families will help us 1. To instruct them in those things that are most suitable to their state and will conduce much to their edification Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works By considering and observing wherein they are deficient whether in Love or any other Grace as Meekness Patience Heavenly-mindedness Temperance or the like we have an advantage to apply our selves to them in a way suitable to their necessities that we may provoke them to seek after those things wherein they are most defective 2. The knowledge of their state will enable us to apply suitable comforts to them if they be dejected and cast down either by inward or outward troubles Col. 4.8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your estate and comfort your hearts 3. It will tend much to our own comfort if they be in a good estate Phil. 2.19 That I may be of good comfort when I know your state 4. It will help us in our Prayers for them and praising God upon their accompt When the Apostle understood the good estate of the Thessalonians it did greatly excite him to thanksgiving and prayer 1 Thes 1.2 3. We give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope c. The like we may see on the behalf of the Colossians Col. 1.3 4. If any say How should we come to know the state of our Families I answer 1. By communing with the several members of our Families and examing them whhat workings they have had upon their Souls and whether they have any enjoyment of God in his Ordinances and putting searching questions to them Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart and vers 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me As Joseph inquired into the state of his Brethren Gen. 43.7 The man asked us straitly of our state saying is your Father yet alive have you another Brother So should we inquire diligently into the state of our Children and Servants by questioning with them
may be their Lot was cast under your Roof that you might convert them to the knowledge and belief of the Truth therefore try both by convincing Scriptures and by a convincing Conversation to recover them from the Error of their ways And for your better Encouragement consider 1. VVhat a blessed and glorious work it is to reduce a man from Error to Truth and to bring back a stragling sheep to the fold of Christ by so doing you will be instrumental to save a soul Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a Soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins 2. If you set your hearts to this work and labour diligently in it it is very probable that God will make you successful There is a promise that such as err shall be brought to the knowledge of the truth Isa 29.24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine And what is a more likely way to obtain this promise than to be diligent in using means to reclaim those that err from the Truth II. If you have not parts and abilities sufficient to convince them of their Errors and to perswade them to embrace the Truth get some others that have greater abilities then your selves to deal with them especially some godly Ministers who may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 III. If they remain obstinate and either will not be instructed or after instruction persist in their erronious Opinions remove them out of your Families 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House If persons that teach false Doctrine are not to be received into our Houses then such as have embraced false Doctrine and do pertinaciously adhere thereunto are to be cast out of our Houses What the Apostle adviseth concerning Church Censures Tit. 3.10 A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject The same may suit in this case if your servants hold dangerous Errors and after several admonitions and much means used to reclaim them do obstinately adhere to their corrupt Principles cast them out of your Families lest they leaven the whole Family with their evil Opinions 1 Cor. 5.6 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump SECT 24. They that neglect Family Instruction are worse than Infidels and Idolaters Though others neglect this work we must not Object 24 NOne of my Neighbours do take this pains with their Families and why then should I Would you have me singular That is the way to be laugh'd to scorn and to be under reproach Answ 1. Take heed of bearing false witness against your Neighbour it may be several of your Neighbours make conscience of this duty of teaching and instructing their Families though you know it not It is a grievous slander to say None of your Neighbours take any care of their Families to teach them to know and serve the Lord it is in effect to say they are as bad or worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel The Soul is of far greater value than the Body and if so then the neglecting to provide for the Souls of those of our own House is a greater sin than the neglecting to provide for their Bodies Idolaters train up and employ their whole Families to serve their Idols Jer. 7.18 The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods that they may provoke me to anger Here are men women and children all employed about the service of idol gods If Idolaters train up their children to serve their idol gods are not they worse than Idolaters who will not train up their Families to know and serve the true God So that you charge your Neighbours with a very great sin and an high crime when you say that none of them instruct their Families 2. Suppose none of your Neighbours should instruct their Families yet you must instruct yours Joshua resolved that though all Israel should neglect the service of the true God and turn aside to idols yet he and his House would serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you whom you will serve whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Lands ye dwell but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Your Neighbours neglect of their duty will not excuse you at the day of Judgment nor shelter you from the wrath of God nor mitigate your Torments in Hell if you suffer your Families to die in ignorance and so to perish eternally for want of instruction 3. You are not singular in this work for the wisest the most holy the best men that ever lived have been careful to train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord as Abraham Gen. 18.19 David Psal 34.11 Joshua Josh 24.15 Yea which of all the Saints and Servants of God ever neglected it 4. Suppose your Neighbours should reproach you for instructing your Families and call you by any odions names this should not at all dishearten you from this good work of Family-Instruction For 1. It is a blessed and happy thing to suffer reproach for doing any work that Jesus Christ sets us about 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified Matth. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven 2. In this work you do Christ service and those that serve Christ shall be honoured by God John 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father honour And if God honour you you need not care who despiseth or reproacheth you SECT 25. How to deal with such as refuse Instruction Objects 25 I Would very willingly instruct my Family if they were willing to be instructed but my Family will not submit to instruction and what can I do in this case Answ 1. Enquire whence it comes to pass that God afflicts you with this sore Judgment of rebellious Children and Servants that will not submit to instruction When God makes any members of our Families prove Crosses to us he is usually bringing some sin to our remembrance and