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
Prov. 2.1 5. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandments with thee Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Would we have our Children continue in the ways of God walking with and serving God as long as they live By instructing them whilst they are young we shall obtain our desire in this thing Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Would we have our Children instructed how to lead a godly and righteous Life And would we have them throughly furnished with abilities for every good work This may be done by acquainting them with the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Do we desire our Children should be prosperous men both whilst we live and after we are dead and gone into another world This may be obtained by training them up in the knowledge and obedience of Gods word Deut. 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do Do we desire that our Children may be blessed with all manner of blessings whilst they live here in this world and do we desire to have their Souls saved when they die The way to obtain this is to train them up in a godly sort that they may know and walk in the ways of the Lord which he hath prescribed to us and to them in his holy word For 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Prov. 10.17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction See also 2 Tim. 3.15 John 17.3 Deut. 28. from vers 1. to 24. SECT 5. We benefit our selves by instructing our Families Mo ∣ tive 5 BY inflructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures we shall not only procure much good to our Children and Servants but shall also exceedingly advantage our own Souls and obtain many blessings from God for our selves as well as our Families When Obed-Edom entertained the Ark of the Lord in his house The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his houshold 2 Sam. 6.11 And the Blessings that God gave Obed-Edom were so remarkable that others as well as himself took notice thereof vers 12. And it was told King David saying The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertained unto him because of the Ark of God In this Ark were laid up the Laws of God written upon two Tables Deut. 10.2 If we treasure up Gods Laws in our own hearts and teach the same unto our Families instructing them both in the Duties of the first and second Table that is in their duty to God and to Men the Lord will as surely and in as eminent a manner bless us as he did Obed-Edom for receiving the Ark wherein were the two Tables of the Law of God I will instance in some advantages and blessings which those Parents and Masters of Families shall receive that are diligent in training up their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures 1. The Lord hath promised a long and blessed Life to them and their Children that instruct their Children in his word they shall enjoy a kind of Heaven upon Earth Deut. 11.18 19 21. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your hearts and in your souls And ye shall teach them your Children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up that your days may be multiplied and the days of your Children as the days of Heaven upon Earth 2. They shall have a great reward in Heaven who are diligent in instructing those whom God hath committed to their Charge Mat. 24.45 46 47. Who then is that faithful and wise Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Verily I say unto you That he shall make him Ruler over all his Goods If we teach our Families the Commandments of God and do also keep them our selves we shall be great Persons in the Kingdom of Heaven how mean and low soever our condition be in this world Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven 3. Our Children and Servants will be great Comforts and Blessings to us if we train them up in the fear of God Onesimus before his Conversion was a great cross to his Master but after he was instructed by the Apostle Paul and God had wrought upon him who was a more dutiful Servant than One simus Philem. 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to me and to thee They will be great Comforts to us in this world Prov. 10.1 A wise Son maketh a glad Father Prov. 29.17 Correct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight unto thy Soul The Chaldee Syriack Arabick Greek and Vulgar Latin translate the word Erudi filium tuum c. Instruct thy Son and the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to instruct as well as to correct as Psal 2.10 Be instructed ye Judges of the Earth So that the words may be as well rendred Instruct thy Son and he shall give thee rest yea he shall give delight to thy Soul What greater Comfort can a Parent have than to see his Children walking in the ways of God 3 John 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in truth They will also be a Comfort to us in the world to come What a Joy will it be to a godly Parent to present himself and his Children before the Lord and to say Lord here am I and the Children whom thou hast given me As it is with Ministers of the Word they shall have great joy in those they have instructed and converted to the Lord 1 Thes 2.19 20. What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our Glory and Joy So it will be with Parents and Masters of Families they shall have great Joy at the day of Judgment in those whom they have taught and brought home to the Lord. 4. It will keep the memory and savour of Gods word upon our hearts and breed in us a spiritual frame of heart to be often teaching Gods word to our Families Deut. 4.9 10. Only take heed to
A TREATISE OF Family Instruction Wherein it is proved to be the Duty of Parents and Masters of Families to Train up their Children and Servants in the Knowledge of the SCRIPTURES With Directions how this Work may be done so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all such as are under their Charge Useful for Parents and Masters of Families By Owen Stockton Minister of the Gospel Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children LONDON Printed for H. Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls MDCLXXII To Parents and Masters of Families more especially to such as are Inhabitants of Colchester in Essex Men Brethren and Fathers IT is God that setteth the solitary in Families a Psal 68.6 And when he buildeth us houses and committeth to our charge the Education of Children or Servants he reposeth a great trust in us For our Children are more his Children than ours b Ezek. 18.4 Behold all souls are mine As the soul of the Father so also the soul of the Son is mine And our Servants are more his Servants than ours As the soul of the Master so also the soul of the Servant is his Both children and servants are committed to us not so much for our own use and service as that we should train them up to know serve and glorifie God What Pharaoh ' s daughter said to Moses his Mother c Exod. 2.9 Take this child and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages The like God saith to us Take these children Take these servants and educate them for me and I will give you your reward Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. The charge which the Lord giveth us concerning every one that he commits to our trust is strict and weighty much like that which is mentioned 1 Kings 20.39 Behold a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said Keep this man if by any means he be missing then shall thy life be for his life At the Day of Judgment every one of us shall give an account of himself to God d Rom. 14.12 And not of our selves only but of all the souls also that are under our charge as we may learn from the words of the Apostle e Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account At that day when we the children and the servants whom God hath given us shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ if any of them be missing and it be found that they perished either through our negligence or our evil example or any other way through our means our lives shall go for theirs When Laban committed the keeping of his flock unto Jacob he required at Jacob ' s hands every beast that was lost although he was his near kinsman f Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of beasts I brought it not unto thee I bare the loss of it of my hands didst thou require it whether stoln by day or by night If Laban required at Jacob ' s hands every beast that he lost God may much more require at our hands every soul which he entrusts us withal and if any be lost through our carelessness cause us to bear the loss of it for one soul is of more value than all the beasts in the whole world Wherefore the Apostle Paul called unto Timothy g 1 Tim. 6.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed unto thy trust So may I call unto you my beloved Brethren O keep those children keep those servants whom the great God hath committed to your trust Keep them from sinning against the Lord. Keep them from walking in the broad way that leads to destruction Keep them from perishing by ignorance error or a sinful conversation least their bloud be required at your hands for not shewing them the path of life and h Ezek. 3.17 18. warning them to turn from their evil ways Keep them as our Lord Jesus kept those whom his Father committed to him of whom he saith i John 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition And how did Jesus Christ keep those whom his Father had given him By praying for them k Ver. 92.11 I pray for them Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are And by instructing them I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world And whence did he draw the Instructions which he gave them Out of the Scriptures l Luke 24.27 Begining at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself He gave them his Word whereby they were brought to know and believe in him m John 17.8 I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me He did not only teach them to know but also to obey the Word n Vers 6. They have kept thy Word And they keeping his Word were kept by his power through faith unto salvation As soon as Manoah had but the promise of a child he went to God and desired to be taught how he should order and educate his child o Judg. 13.8 Then Manoah intreated the Lord and said O my Lord let the Man of God which thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born Would you that have not only a promise but the actual enjoyment of children and servants know what God would have you do unto them You need no Angel or Man of God to come from Heaven to tell you Do but search the Scriptures and there you shall find that the Lord requireth you to instruct and train up your children and servants in the knowledge belief and obedience of his holy Word Hear what God himself saith to you concerning this matter p Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children q Eph. 6.4 Ye Fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And as God commands you to teach your children so he hath put great advantages into Parents hands for doing this work in regard of their daily presence with their children their authority over them the interest they have in their affections and their dependance on their Parents for their present and future subsistence How much it conduceth to
that comprehensive signification that it includes all Inferiours and such as are in subjection to others as well as Children 2 King 16.7 So Ahaz sent Messengers to Tiglath-Pileser saying I am thy Servant and thy Son And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Servants as well as Children It is rendred a Servant Mat. 8.13 Mat. 14.2 It is translated a Child John 4.51 Mat. 2.16 So also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is another word used for Children signifieth not only Children in a strict sense that is such as come out of our Loyns but such Persons as inhabit one and the same place are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 13.34 O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy Children together And such as are under the care and instruction of one and the same person are called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mans Children Thus the Apostle writing to the Corinthians whom he had instructed and begotten to Christ calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Sons 1 Cor. 4.14 As my beloved Sons I warn you I may adde this farther That the Master of a Family is called Pater Familias The Father of the Family Naamans Servants call their Master Father 2 Kings 5.13 His Servants came near unto him and said My Father And it is usual in Scripture for Superiours to call their Servants and Inferiours by the name of Sons or Children I will produce of many instances which might be named only these two the one of Joshua who calls Achan son Josh 7.19 Joshua said unto Achan My son give I pray thee glory to the God of Israel and make confession to him The other of Christ who tells his Disciples that he was their Lord and Master John 13.13 yet he calls them by the name of Children John 21.5 Jesus saith unto them Children have ye any meat 3. The practice and example of the Servants of God in former Ages proveth it to be our duty to instruct our Servants as well as our Children If we observe what they did we shall find they were careful to train up their houshold in the knowledge and fear of God Thus did Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment So also did Joshua Josh 24.15 As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Cornelius being a devout man himself trained up all his house in the fear of God Act. 10.2 A devout man and one that feared God with all his House 4. In all Religious Exercises we find Governours of Families enjoyned to regard with an equal care their Children and their Servants whether they be Men or Maid Servants As for instance in the sanctification of the Sabbath they are commanded to look after their Servants and them that sojourn with them as well as their Children Exod. 20.8 Remember the sabbath to keep it holy In it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy stranger that is within thy Gates So also in the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles the whole Family was to keep the Feast unto the Lord Deut. 16.14 Thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man servant and thy maid servant 5. Instruction is as necessary for and will be as beneficial to our Servants as our Children as shall be shewed afterwards and therefore we should not think much to bestow our pains in teaching them such things as are necessary to salvation Seeing 1. They have immortal Souls which are as precious to God as our own Souls or the Souls of our Children Ezek. 18.4 Behold all Souls are mine 2. Jesus Christ hath done as great things for our Servants as he hath done for us or our Children He died for them as well as for us He makes the Bond as well as the Free Members of his Body and Partakers of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been made to drink into one Spirit He makes no distinction of Bond or Free in the communication of his benefits but the bond man and the free man are all one in Christ Gal. 3.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus 3. God the Father will do as great things for our servants as he will for us or our Children if they seek and serve him he will give them his Spirit Joel 2.29 And also upon the Servants and upon the Handmaids in those days I will pour out my Spirit He will give them an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven Col. 3.22 24. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be He will give them all good things Psal 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Shall we think much to spend a little time and to take a little pains in teaching our Servants when God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ doth such great things for them It is evident from these Scriptures which I have produced that it is our duty to teach Gods word unto our Children and not only to our Children but also to our Servants yea that there are many clear express and strict Commandments given to us by the great God for our performance of this Duty Now how shall we be able to appear before God at the day of Judgment if we live in the neglect of a known Duty which is so often and so earnestly pressed upon us by God himself SECT 3. The ignorance of Children and Servants proves the necessity of Family-Instruction The Evils of Ignorance Arg. 2 THe great ignorance that is in our Children and Servants sheweth Family-Instruction to be a necessary duty Children before they are instructed have no knowledge of the things of God Deut. 31.13 And that their Children which have not known any thing And not Children only but the greater part of such as are grown to mans estate have little or no knowledge of God Psal 14.2 The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God And what account doth he give of the Children of men Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God There is none comparatively there are so few understanding men that they seem to be none compared with the multitude of ignorant persons or if it relate to men in an unregenerate condition they are all destitute of the true and
it is evident from the word of God that all such as live and die ignorant of God having attained to years of discretion shall be destroyed for ever without having any mercy shewed to them 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Isa 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Hos 4.6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Now if the Lord will condemn our Children and Servants for their ignorance and their ignorance proceed from our neglect of instructing them are not we the cause of their condemnation Such as have the Rule and Government of Families are in the nature and condition of Watchmen as well as those that bear Rule in the Church and must give an account for those souls that are committed to their charge Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account And as for those that are placed in the condition of Watchmen if any persons over whom God hath made them Watchmen be lost through their neglect to instruct them in their duty or to reclaim them from their sins the Blood of those that perish shall be required at the Watchmans hands Ezek. 3.17 18. Son of man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the word at my Mouth and give them warning from Me when I say to the wicked Thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand What Inditement is brought in against the Jews Jer. 2.34 In thy Skirts is found the Blood of the Souls of the poor Innocents I have not found it by secret search but upon all these The like may be said of many Masters of Families In their Skirts will be found the Blood of the Souls of their Children and Servants In their Skirts That is it will plainly and evidently appear unto all men at the day of Judgment that they are guilty of the Blood of the Souls of their Children and Servants for want of instructing and training them up in the fear of God VVe cannot possibly be clear from the blood of those that are committed to our charge if either through wilfulness or through sloth and negligence we forbear to instruct them in those things that are necessary to their Salvation but if we do our duty and they perish in their sins their Blood shall be upon their own head Act. 20.26 27. I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsel of God Did Parents and Masters of Families seriously consider what it is to have their Children and Servants die eternally and that through their neglecting to teach and train them up in the fear of God did they also consider what it is to have the blood of Souls laid to their charge it would stir them up to be diligent in instructing their Families unless they be such as have lost all regard to their own and their Families welfare To press home this consideration with the greater efficacy I shall suggest to you three or four things more under this head As 1. The death of a Child goes near a Parents heart Hagar could not endure to see her Child die and therefore when she thought he would die she gets a great way off from him and sat down and wept Gen. 21.16 She said Let me not see the death of the Child and she sat over against him and lift up her voice and wept VVhen tydings came to David of Absolom's death he was exceedingly troubled at it 2 Sam. 18.33 And the King was much moved and went up to the chamber ever the gate and wept and as he went thus he said O my Son Absolom my Son my Son Absolom would God I had died for thee O Absolom my Son my Son VVhen Jacob did but suppose that Joseph was dead though he had eleven Sons living his sorrow was so great that he refused to be comforted Gen. 37.34 35. Jacob rent his cloaths and put sackcloth upon his loyns and mourned for his Son many days and all his Sons and all his Daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted and he said For I will go down into the Grave unto my Son mourning Thus his Father wept for him If it be so grievous to Parents to see their Children deprived of their natural life how should it pierce their hearts to have them deprived of eternal Life If they are so grieved at the death of their Bodies how should they lay to heart the death of their Souls How should it wound them to have their Children cast into the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death where they shall be always burning and yet never be consumed they shall be always dying and yet never be dead yea how should it affect them when they consider that they themselves have through their negligence been the cause of their Childrens dying the second death 2. It would pierce a flinty heart to see Children dying in their Parents Arms for want of Bread VVhen Jeremiah saw little Children in the time of Famine some dying in the streets others breathing out their souls in their Mothers Bosoms for want of Bread to sustain their Lives it made him weep till his eyes and his heart failed him with grief Lam. 2.11 12. Mine eyes do fail with tears my bowels are troubled my Liver is poured upon the earth for the destruction of the Daughter of my People because the Children and the Sucklings swoon in the streets of the City they say to their Mothers Where is Corn and Wine When they swooned as the wounded in the Streets of the City when their Soul was poured out into their Mothers Bosom This is a sorrowful sight but it is far more dreadful to see Children perishing to all eternity in their Parents Houses for want of their communicating to them the Bread of Life than to see them die by Famine 3. It is an unspeakable loss for a man to lose one Soul Though he do not lose his Children and Servants Souls though he lose not one Soul besides his own the gain of the whole world will not make up this loss as appears from the fore-quoted Scripture Mar. 8.36 What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and
of the Earth be blessed but his being a Blessing to all Nations is also attributed to his instructing his Family and training up his Children and Servants in a godly sort whereby the knowledge of God and the Seeds of Piety and true Religion were conveyed from one Family to another and from one Generation to another and from one Nation to another as will appear from Gen. 18.18 19. All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him How so How should it come about that all Nations should be blessed in him The following words will declare this For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Lo here how effectually Family-Instruction propagates Religion By means whereof from one Family the Seeds of Piety are conveyed to many Nations SECT 8. Family-Instruction greatly advanceth Gods glory Motive 8 INstructing our Families in the knowledge of Gods holy word will very much advance the Glory of God For then we glorifie God when we manifest and make known his Name unto those persons whom he hath committed to our charge and are careful to bring them acquainted with his word John 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth And how did Christ glorifie his Father upon the earth He tells us Vers 6. 8. That it was by manifesting the Name of God to those that were given to him by his Father and by instructing them out of his word I have manifested thy Name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me When David was desirous to exalt and magnifie the Name of the Lord the way that he resolved to take for the exalting and glorifying God was to teach his Children to fear the Lord Psal 34.3 11. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Family-Instruction advanceth the glory of God several ways I will mention only two or three 1. Instructing our Children and Servants out of the word of God will be a means to bring them to lead holy godly and righteous Lives and when our Families walk in the fear of God and live righteously God is glorified Isa 60.21 Thy People also shall be all righteous that I may be glorified 2. The good that our Children and Servants will receive by our instructing them out of the word of God will be so great that they will bless and praise God for it as long as they live yea to all eternity so that hereby we shall bring eternal glory to God for then and as long as God is praised he is glorified Psal 50.23 Whoso offereth me praise glorifieth me 3. Family-Instruction glorifieth God as it is a means to propagate Religion and increase the number of Converts and to bring multitudes to become Servants of the Lord for the more godly Families are erected the more the number of Gods Servants is multiplied the more God is glorified Prov. 14.28 In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour What Solomon saith of earthly Kings the same is true of the King of Heaven The Prophet Isaiah also informeth us Isa 26.15 That the increasing of the number of Gods Servants advanceth his glory Thou hast increased the Nation O Lord thou hast increased the Nation thou art glorified And it hath been shewn before that instructing our Families will be an effectual means of their Conversion and will greatly propagate Religion and the Power of Godliness from one Family to another for many Generations Now seeing Family-Instruction glorifieth God we should set our Heads and Hearts on work how to carry on this duty in the most advantagious and successful manner for we were every one created and are maintained in our being for this very end to glorifie God Isa 43.6 7. Bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the end of the earth even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory And Vers 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise And seeing we had our Beings given us for this end to glorifie God we ought to attend those Services which glorifie God with all our might And as the training up of our Children in the knowledge and fear of God greatly advanceth his glory so the neglect of this duty may be said to rob God of eternal glory Hence God complains of such as neglect or hinder the Religious Education of Children that they take away his glory for ever Mich. 2.9 From their Children they have taken away my glory forever How did they take away from their Children the glory of God for ever Locceius gives this interpretation of it malâ educatione By their evil education of their Children they robbed God of eternal glory To the same effect Gualther expounds the words Institutione destituuntur quâ ad Dei gloriam educentur They were deprived of instruction whereby they should have been trained up to the glory of God Corn. à Lapid also gives the same sence of the words Tulistis ab eis meam laudem tum quia eos à matribus avulsos honest â piâque educatione privastis in idololatriâ vestra educastis tam quia eos ad paupertatem adegistis ob quam ad omnia scelera vestramque voluntatens libidinem inflexistis Winckelman D. Stokes and several others expound this Scripture of the depriving Children of Religious Education And they that neglect the educating their Children in a pious manner may well be said to take away from their Children the glory of God for ever For when Children are trained up in a godly sort they will glorifie God all their days in this world and also in heaven to all eternity and they would not only glorifie God themselves but teach their Children to do so also and they would teach the next Generation and so the knowledge and glory of God might be transmitted from one Generation to another as long as the world shall continue all which glory is taken away from God where the pious Education of Children is neglected SECT 9. We shew our love to God by Instructing our Familiet Motive 9 THe Lord will take it kindly at our hands and account it a real demonstration of our love towards His Sacred Majesty if we are careful to feed our Families with the knowledge of his word Three times the Lord Jesus calls upon the Apostle Peter that if he had any love to him he would shew it by feeding his Lambs and his Sheep John 21.15 16 17. Jesus saith unto Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Lambs He saith to him again
Then all the Congregation answered and said with a loud Voice As thou hast said so must we do Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 was very successful in the Conviction and Conversion of obstinate sinners for he mightily convinced the Jews vers 28. And in the edification of such as were converted to the faith vers 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace SECT 2. We must teach our Families the knowledge of the principles and the practice of the Duties of Religion Nothing but the Truth Soul-saving Truths What are Soul-saving Truths Seasonable Truths Direct 2 COnsider well what Doctrine you teach your Families if you would convert and save their Souls For by taking heed to the Doctrine that you instil into them you may save both their and your own Souls 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save both thy self and them that hear thee If any ask What Doctrine should we teach our Families in order to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of their Souls I answer In the general teach them the holy Scriptures I have proved already that it is the Will and Command of God that we should instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Chap. I. Sect. 1. And I have also shown that teaching Gods Word to our Families will be a means of their Conversion Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul and of their edification Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And of their Salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation As the Reader may see more largely in the perusal of the first and second Chapters If any say Tell us more particularly what Doctrine we should teach our Families out of the Scriptures in order to their Conversion Edification and Salvation Answ 1. Instruct them in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion As for instance Teach them that there is a God and that this God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And who is the true God That there is but one God and that this one God subsisteth in three distinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth That God knoweth all things is every where present Almighty Eternal Holy in all his Works and Righteous in all his Ways Faithful Just Abundant in Mercy c. That God made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein and Rules and Governs all his Creatures by his Wise and Gracious Providence That Man was created in the Image of God and sinned against God by eating the Forbidden Fruit That by Adam's Disobedience all Men were made Sinners and are by Nature the Children of Wrath and that Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation That God out of his great Love sent his only begotten Son into the World to seek and save that which was lost That JESUS of NAZARETH who was conceived of the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin MARY suffered under PONTIUS PILATE was the promised MESSIAH That He died for our Sins and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven where he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for all that come to God by him from whence He shall come again to judge the World in Righteousness That God for Christ his sake hath made a New Covenant wherein he hath promised Remission of sins Sanctification eternal Life and all other good things freely to them that believe on his Son That those whom God hath ordained to eternal Life he calleth out of Darkness into Light and turneth them from their sins unto God and unites them to Christ by faith and puts his Spirit into them and causeth them to walk in his Ways and to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Life That there shall be a general Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust that after the Dead are raised the whole world shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive according to what he hath done while his Soul lived in his Body That such as have lived and died in their sins without Repentance shall be cast into Hell where they shall abide with the Devil and his Angels in everlasting fire And such as have believed in Christ and repented of their sins shall be received into Heaven where they shall be ever with the Lord. It is necessary that you should teach your Children and Servants the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion Heb. 5.12 Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God For Knowledge is the foundation of Practice Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And Solomon tells us Prov. 29.2 Also that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good And as you must teach them the knowledge of the Principles so also the practise of the Duties of the Christian Religion as to believe in Christ to repent of their sins to love God with all their Hearts and to love their Neighbours as themselves to do the same things unto others which they would that others should do unto them to deny themselves to love their Enemies to do good to them that hate them to read hear and meditate on Gods Words to be contented in every estate c. Knowledge without Obedience will be so far from leading them to everlasting life that it will make them have the greater condemnation Luk. 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But by teaching your Families both to know and do the will of God you shall make them partakers of eternal Happiness John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Thus David instructed his Son he taught him both to know and serve the Lord 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 2. Teach them nothing but the Truth Do not pervert and wrest the Scriptures to their and your own destruction Do not give them poy son instead of the sincere milk of the Word It was the practise of Christ and of his Apostles to teach nothing but the Truth Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ By teaching them the Word of God in truth you shall be
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
so careful of us as to look after every hair of our heads 5. The poorest and meanest persons in the Family that have the lowest employment and weakest parts may belong to the Election of Grace as well as those that are of a higher degree 1 Co. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are And shall we think much to spend a little time and care for the saving of their Souls whom the great God hath made Objects of his Love and Care from all Eternity We find that God looks after simple as well as wise men Psal 116.6 The Lord preserveth the simple And shall we think much to look after those of whom the Lord himself taketh care 6. It is the will of God that means should be used for the saving of every mans Soul that the least as well as the greatest the young as well as the old should be brought to repentance that so they may obtain salvation by Jesus Christ Matth. 18.14 It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 7. If any man have an hundred sheep and but one of them go astray he doth not say I have ninety and nine remaining with me I will not trouble my self to seek up that one sheep that is gone from me but he looks up his lost sheep though it be but one till he find it Luk. 15.4 What man of you having an hundred sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it One man is of more value than all the sheep in the World Matth. 12.12 How much then is a man better than a sheep Suppose a man hath in his Family an hundred persons and ninety and nine of them should be godly and but one should go astray he should not rest satisfied that he hath ninety and nine in his Family truly gracious so as to neglect that person that goeth astray but should use all diligence for the converting and saving of that one Soul that as yet remains in a sinful perishing Condition And what I have said of extending your Care and Diligence unto every Member of your Families is to be understood as well of those that sojourn with you for a shorter Time as of those that do dwell constantly with you For as Moses said in another case Numbers 15.16 One Law and one Manner shall be for you and for the Stranger that sojourneth with you The like may I say here You should take one and the same care as well for them that sojourn with you whilst they are with you as for those that are constantly with you It may be the Lord sent them under your Roof for a season that you might instil those things into them that may do them good for ever SECT 18. Our Families must be kept from strife and preserved in Love and Peace The way how this may be done Direct 18 CArry your selves peaceably and endeavour to preserve all the Members of your Family in Love and Peace amongst themselves otherwise the Instructions that you give them will do them little good Solomon who was the wisest of men tells us Prov. 11.29 He that troubleth his own House shall inherit the Wind That is First All his Labours and Endeavours will be fruitless and come to nothing Wind is taken oft times for that which is unprofitable and fruitless as Job 15.2 3. Eccles 6.16 Isa 26.18 Secondly He shall inherit the Wind that is he shall have an unruly disordered Family such as he shall not be any way able to govern or to keep in any good order Who can rule or keep in order the Wind John 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth Where there is strife and contention there is confusion and instead of good all manner of evil Jam. 4.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work The Lord hath promised to give his blessing not to such as live at variance but to those that live in love and peace Psal 133 1 3. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to live together in unity For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore The God of Love will dwell with those that live in love and peace 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 1 John 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him But such as live in wrath and strife give place to and suffer the Devil to dwell in their hearts Ephes 4.26 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil If you ask What should we do to prevent discord and contention and to preserve love and peace in our Families I answer 1. Instruct them out of the word of God what a great evil it is to live in strife and variance that so they may fear this as well as other sins Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife are accounted amongst the works of the Flesh and do as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven as Murder Adultery Idolatry or any other sins Gal. 5.19 20 21. To sow discord among Brethren is reckoned up amongst those six things which the Lord hateth and the seven things which are an abomination to him Prov. 6.16 19. Discord and strife are contrary to Gods Nature who is a God of Love and Peace and contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel Rom. 16.17 2. Advise them to take heed of the occasions and beginnings of strife and therefore when they feel any motions to strife or wrath arising in their hearts let them stifle those motions before they break out into action for wrath and strife are more easily kept down than appeased after they are stirred up Prov. 17.14 The beginnings of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 18.19 A Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong City and their Contentions are like the bars of a Castle 3. Counsel them to be of an humble lowly spirit to think and esteem better of others than themselves This will prevent their contending one with another Prov. 13.10 Only by pride cometh contention Prov. 28.25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory How shall we attain to this to do nothing through strife The following words will resolve you But in
as we may see Luc. 18.31 32 33 34. Now if Nicodemus a Master in Israel was ignorant of the nature of Regeneration which is a work that must pass upon every one that shall be saved if the Disciples of Christ yea his Apostles after they had been a long time with him were ignorant of those plain and fundamental Truths of the Death and Resurrection of Christ had not those Masters of Families that think all in their Families are endued with such a great measure of knowledge that they want no instruction need make enquiry into their Children and Servants knowledge whether they are indeed so knowing as they think them to be Thirdly Suppose all the Members of your Families be wise understanding persons endued with a great measure of knowledge yet it is your duty to instruct them that they may get more wisdom and it will be a benefit and advantage unto them to be instructed Prov. 9.9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man and he will increase in learning For 1. Though you should teach them nothing but what they knew before yet thereby you may edifie them whilst you stir up their Faith Hope Love Joy Thankfulness and Obedience c. by putting them in remembrance of known Truths They to whom the Apostle Peter wrote knew and were established in the Truth yet he resolved as long as he lived to stir them up by putting them in remembrance of what he had taught them before 2 Pet. 1.12 13. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of those things though ye know them and be established in the present truth yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance But 2. There is no man knows so much but he may and ought to labour to grow in knowledge David knew more than the Antients and more than all his Teachers and yet how often do we find him praying after this manner Give me understanding Teach me thy Statutes c. In the 119 Psalm where he speaks of the great measure of knowledge whereby he excelled his Enemies his Teachers and the Antients he prays 24 or 25 times to God to give him knowledge You should not rest satisfied that your Families do know the will of God but you should desire and endeavour as the Apostle did in the behalf of the Colossians that they may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding Col. 1.9 10. You should not only labour to bring them acquainted with the word of God but endeavour that it may dwell richly in them and that it may dwell in them in all wisdom Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom SECT 8. Family-Instruction must not be neglected because we have but a small Family Object 8 SOme perhaps may object My Family is so small I do not think it worth my time and pains to instruct them If I had many Children or many Servants I would take pains to instruct them but having so small a Family I do not think it worth the while to bestow my time on one or two because I can imploy my time better Answ 1. If you have but one Child or one Servant to instruct it is worth much time and pains to instruct that one person for one Soul is more worth than the whole world Mark 8.36 Now you have spent and do spend much time and pains to get a little of the world and will you then grudge the spending a little time or pains to save a Soul which is more worth than the whole world when as you willingly spend much time to gain a little of the world 2. To instruct persons in the knowledge of Christ is such a great and glorious work that the holy Angels did not think much to go to a few Shepherds to acquaint them with the time and place of Christs birth Luc. 2.8 9 10 11 12. And when one Angel was publishing this message to the Shepherds there suddenly descended a multitude of the heavenly Host as being desirous to do the same work vers 13 14. And shall any of us think much to do that which the Angels of Heaven do and rejoyce to be imployed in 3. The Lord Jesus spent much time and pains in teaching and instructing one poor woman the woman of Samarla who was a sinner and a woman of a churlish disposition that in an upbraiding manner denied him a Cup of Water notwithstanding the Well was deep and she saw that he had nothing to draw withal and this he did at such a time as he had been wearied with his journey and was both hungry and thirsty John 4.6 to 28. Now one hour of Christs time was more worth than our whole lives and shall we then think much to spend a little time in teaching one Child or one Servant whenas the Lord Jesus did not think much to spend his time when he was weary hungry and thirsty in teaching one poor woman 4. Though you have but one Child or Servant to instruct if God bless your labours so as to convert that Child or Servant that one person may be instrumental to bring great glory to God and to do good to many others When the woman of Samaria was converted by Christ she was a means of drawing a great part of the City where she lived unto Jesus Christ John 4.28 29 30. she did not only draw a great part of the City to hear him but also was a means of their conversion vers 39. Many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him for the saying of the Woman which testified He told me all that ever I did 5. Faithfulness to God and such as are under our charge is shown in discharging our duty to a few as well as to many and he that is not faithful to a few would not be faithful if he had many committed to his charge Luc. 16.10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much They that have but a few things committed to their trust if they are faithful in them shall have a great and glorious Reward as well as they that have been intrusted with much Matth. 25.23 His Lord said unto him Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. 6. Whereas you say you could spend your time better than in teaching so few as you have in your Family you should do well to consider That we are not to spend our time in those things which seem right in our own eyes Deut. 12.8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes But we are to
way and while he opened to us the Scriptures If you endeavour to water your Families with the dew of heaven God will water your souls Prov. 11.25 He that watereth shall be watered also himself 3. If you do this work out of obedience to the command of God and act your faith on the Lord Jesus for the pardon of the imperfections that attend this work though you do not find so much comfort and delight in the doing thereof as you wish you could but are sensible of some driness and flatness of spirit yet your work shall be accepted of God Acts 10.35 In every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him 4. If you apply your selves to Jesus Christ he will take away your driness and refresh and replenish your Souls with the Graces of his Spirit It is said of Jesus Christ That he shall be as Rivers of Water is a dry place Isa 32.2 And he hath promised such of his Servants as find their Souls to be like the dry ground that he will pour out his Spirit like flouds of water upon them that is in an abundant measure Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thine Off spring SECT 14. The Plea of such as say 'T is the Ministers work to instruct their Children answered Object 14 THis is the Ministers work not mine to catechise and instruct my Servants and my Children and why then should I take it in hand Answer Besides what the Ministers of Gods word are to do in this kind it is the duty of Parents and Masters of Families to teach and instruct their Children and Servants as hath been proved already by many clear Texts of Scripture I shall re-mind you of some of them Isa 38.19 The Father unto the Children shall make known thy truth Psal 78.5 He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Deut. 6.6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children This Precept is not given only to the Priests or Levites but to the whole House of Israel vers 4. So that it is a frivolous excuse for any man to think to put off this work from himself by saying it is the Ministers work to catechise his Children for God commandeth all Parents to teach his Word to their Children Yea it is a notorious falsehood for any man to say This is none of my work to instruct my Family whenas the Lord hath given so many and such strict Precepts to every man to instruct his Children SECT 15. Only such as are called of God are to take upon them the work of the Ministry Family-Instruction will not bring the Ministry into contempt Object 15 IF every man should take upon him to teach and instruct his Family this would be the way to make every man turn Preacher and would cause the Ministers of the Word to be slighted and despised and this makes us not only forbear this work our selves but also to dislike it in others because we would not have any take upon them the work of the Ministry but such as are called to it and we would not have the publick Ministry brought into contempt Answ 1. Family-Instruction and the work of the Ministry are two distinct works The one belongs to every Master of a Family the other belongs only to such as are called and sent forth by God to preach the Gospel Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent And God hath not called all men to the work of the Ministry 1 Cor. 12.28 29. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers We may learn from this Text 1. That none are to be Teachers in the Church but those whom God sets there 2. That God doth set some not all to be Teachers in the Church Under the Law no man was to take the Office of the Priesthood without a call from God Heb. 5.4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron Yea God made it death for such as were not called to intermeddle with the Priests Office Numb 18.7 Thou and thy Sons with thee shall keep your Priests Office for every thing of the Altar and within the Vail and ye shall serve And the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death What work our Lord Jesus did in and for the Church of God he did not do it without a Call Heb. 5.5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And God hath ordained under the Gospel that every man should improve those gifts which he hath distributed to him within the sphere and compass of his Calling 1 Cor. 7.17 As God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all Churches Those works which are in themselves good works become sinful when they are done by those that have no call to do them and instead of being rewarded they have been punished by the Lord. To burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense was a very good and acceptable work David wisheth that his Prayer might be like Incense Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense Yet when Vzziah undertook to burn Incense who had no Call to do it it is called a Transgression and he was punished with Leprosie all his days 2 Chron. 25.18 21. It appertaineth not unto thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God And Vzziah the King was a Leper unto the day of his death The more knowledge any man hath of the Scriptures the less fear there is of his taking upon him the work of the Minstry without a Call from God what this Call is and how a man may discern when he hath it would be too great a digression if I should here undertake the explanation thereof because the Scriptures are so full so plain so express in this point That only they that are called of God should take upon them the work and Office of the Ministry So that this Objection Every man will turn Preacher if he take upon him to instruct his Family in the knowledge of the Scriptures is of no force to hinder this work of Family-Instruction 2. Neither will
but were in a state of Grace they had Faith as precious Faith as the Apostle himself who wrote this Epistle vers 1. To them that have obtained like precious Faith with us But by the dawning of the Day is meant the Day of Glory which is called the Day of Christ Phil. 1.9 10. Phil. 2.16 and by way of Emphasis That Day 2 Tim. 4.8 And by the Apostle Peter in this same Epistle Chap. 3.12 The Day of the Lord. It is the dawning of this day that the Church and People of God long for Cant. 2.16 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether Rev. 22.20 Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus By the Day-Star arising in their hearts is meant their full and immediate fruition of the Lord Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven for they having like precious Faith with the Apostle had this Day-star the Lord Jesus already dwelling in their hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith And the Apostle speaks not of what they had already but of what they should attain unto hereafter which is their full and immediate enjoyment of Christ in Heaven Our entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven may well be set out by this Phrase the Day-star arising in our hearts because when we come to heaven there shall be great Glory revealed in us as well as given to us Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us And the reason why the Saints desire to be in Heaven is That they may be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ The World may well be stiled a dark place in opposition to the Kingdom of Heaven which is called by the Name of Light Col. 1.12 The Inheritance of the Saints in Light and because most places and persons in the world are full of Ignorance and Darkness In the Psalmists days all places of the earth except the Land of Israel were dark places Psal 74.20 The dark places of the earth are full of the Habitations of Cruelty And in Israel which was a Land of Vision the Prophet complains Hos 4.1 There is no knowledge of God in the Land Now as long as we are in this dark place the World where we are compassed about with much ignorance we shall do well to take heed to the word of Prophecv which the Lord hath given us as a Light to guide and direct our paths till the Day of Glory dawn upon us and we are taken up into the Kingdom of Heaven where there shall be no need of the Sun or Moon or any Temple but the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb shall be the Light of His People for ever Revelat. 21. 22 23. Thirdly We may observe That we cannot have a more sure Rule to guide us either in matters of Faith or Practice than the holy Scriptures What do we desire to guide and direct us what we should believe or what we should practise Do we desire a Vision a Revelation a Voice from Heaven The Word of Prophecy is as sure as these Yea the Apostle having been speaking of a Voice from Heaven gives the preheminence to the Word of Prophecy and saith We have a more sure Word of Prophecy Besides this place which I have already produced to prove that the Light to which we must attend and by which we must order our Lives and Conversations is the Mind and Will of God revealed in the Scriptures I might mention several others as Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path The same also may be gathered from the discourse of Christ with the Lawyer and of Abraham with the rich man that was in Hell-Torments Luc. 10.25 26 27 28. There came a man to Jesus Christ and asked him this question Master what shall I do to inherit eternal Life And whether doth Christ send him for direction To the Scriptures He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou Whereupon the man tells Christ what he had found written and what he had read in the Law And he answering said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy Neighbour as thy self To which Christ gives him this answer And he said unto him Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live Whence we may infer That reading the Scriptures and practising what we read will guide us into the right way that leads to everlasting life When the Rich Man who was tormented in Hell pleaded with Abraham to send Lazarus to his Brethren to preach to them that they might not come into that place of torment what answer did Abraham give him Did he tell them They had a Light in them if they did follow that it would lead them to Repentance and Salvation No he refers them to the Scriptures Luc. 16.29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them He doth not mean they had Moses and the Prophets alive and conversing amongst them in their own persons but they had the Writings of Moses and the Prophets and they were to attend to them and adds moreover If the Scriptures that were written by Moses and the Prophets would not lead them to Repentance the coming of one from the dead would not work upon them verse 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead 5. The danger of neglecting the Scriptures and following our own Light without looking to and regulating our apprehensions by the word of God may be further evidenced from the fallible nature of our understandings We are all of us since the fall of Adam subject to many and great mistakes insomuch that ' David cried out Psal 19.12 Who can understand his Errours We are subject to such great mistakes that a man that walks as he thinks according to his Light may commit hainous sins when he is pesrwaded in his mind that he doth nothing but what he is bound in conscience to do When the Apostle Paul persecuted the Members of Christ he did not do it from malice or to please the Jews or to get preferment but he followed his Light he thought verily that it was his duty to oppose the ways and Members of Christ Acts 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth A man may be so far mistaken as that he may think he doth God good service when he is committing abominable sins It is an abominable sin to kill the servants of Jesus Christ yet
find no success on their Labours in teaching their Families Several Encouragements to such to continue this work of Family-Instruction Object 26 I Have taken great pains in teaching my Family but I see no success of my Labours I can't find that any of them are reformed and turned from their sins or have got any saving work of Grace upon their souls notwithstanding all the pains that I have taken with them And this discourageth me and makes me think sometimes to give over this work Answ 1. If there be no success of your Labours in your Family see if the cause be not in your selves Do you water your seed that you sow with your Prayers and Tears Do you wrastle with God for a blessing Are you fervent in prayer for the conversion and edification of such as are under your charge Do you shew a good example to your Family and walk convincingly before them and teach them by your conversation Do you go about this work in the Name of the Lord relying on his strength and depending on his assistance and looking for his presence with you Do you watch over their Conversations as well as teach them Do you reprove and correct your Children when they walk contrary to the word of God Do you instruct your Families diligently seriously frequently Or is this work done but seldom and in a slight manner Do you labour to know their state and to apply that which is suitable to them and profitable for them If the ground and cause why you have no better success be in your selves reform that which hinders your success and you shall soon find the blessing of God going along with your Labours 2. If the cause of your Families unprositableness lie in themselves 1. Shew them what a great sin and how dangerous it is to be unprofitable under the means of grace and turn them to such Scriptures as these Matth. 3.10 25.30 Luc. 13.6 7. Heb. 6.7 8. and press them home upon their consciences 2. Direct them what means they should use that they may profit better by your instructions what they are I have hinted already in Chap. iii. Direct 15. pag. 165. 3. There may be good success of your Labours though you perceive it not the Lord may have conveyed the seed of grace into their Souls by your Instruction though you discover it not and it may grow though you discern it not Mark 4.26 27. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up and he knoweth not how God many times distils his Grace like dew in a silent insensible manner Hos 14.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel 4. Your want of success should be so far from causing you to desist from this work of Family-Instruction that it should stir you up to ply your work with greater diligence and cause you to abound in actings of faith upon those Promises where the Lord hath promised to bless and prosper his peoples labours I will mention three or four to this purpose Isa 65.22 23. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands they shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble Psal 1.3 Whatsoever he doth shall prosper 1 Tim. 4.13 16. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Take heed to thy self unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Deut. 15.10 The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto The less success and blessing you find attending your labours be the more earnest in pleading such Promises as these are and the more abundant in acting faith upon them 5. Though you can't see any fruit of your Labours either in the conversion or edification of any that are under your charge but do apprehend that your labour hath hitherto been in vain yet you must not desist from this good work of teaching and instructing your Families but continue therein as long as you live And that you may not sit down under discouragement and give over instructing your Families because you do not find success in your work Let me propose to you these following Considerations I. Consider that God often renews and repeats the same means and ways to bring about our Conversion though former means have not prevailed with us to lead us to repentance Job 33.29 30. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man to bring back his Soul from the Pit to be inlightned with the light of the Living God takes great pains with one and the same man to bring back his Soul from the Pit He worketh He doth not only call or counsel and perswade but He worketh these things all these things that is He worketh by his Word v. 23. and by variety of Providences Mercies Afflictions c. menriety in the fore-going verses and not only once or twice but oftentimes And there is a note of attention prefixed to this that we may give the greater heed to it LO Now if God taketh great pains and worketh oftentimes by the same ways and means with one and the same man to bring back his Soul from the Pit shall we think much day by day to instruct our Families and to continue so doing that we may be instrumental to save their Souls though hitherto we have seen no success of our Labours II. Though you see no fruit of your labours for the present yet you may do before you die Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Yea though you should see none whilst you live yet after you are dead your Children may remember what you taught them whilst you lived and may thereby be brought to believe in Christ and repent of their sins After Christ was dead his Disciples were much helped in their faith by calling to remembrance what he had taught them in his life-time John 2.22 When therefore he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scriptures and the word which Jesus had spoken Though the Seed of the Word seem to lie dead in their hearts for the present yet possibly God may quicken it by some affliction Manasseh was Hezekiah's Son and so doubtless had good instructions from his Father but yet he proved very vitious till he came into affliction he shed much innocent blood he dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards and used inchantments and witchcrafts he was a great Idolater and built Altars for all the host of Heaven c. But when the Lord brought him into affliction he humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and was brought to Repentance 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. It is probable that there is mention made of his humbling himself before the
was driven from his Throne and forced to dwell among the Beasts of the field where he was wet with the dew of Heaven and did eat grass with the Oxen when his understanding returned to him again although he was about seven years under this great and unusual Judgment because he saw Justice and Truth in this stroke of God he extolled and praised the Lord Dan 4 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose Works are Truth and his Ways are Judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase V. God shall have eternal Glory from them that perish as well as from them that are saved His Justice shall be glorified on them that perish and his Mercy in them that are saved When ungodly sinners are cast into Hell in great multitudes God is glorified in their destruction Isa 5.14 16. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in Righteousness Now seeing God shall be glorified in them that perish this may quiet our minds and keep down all murmuring thoughts if it should be our portion to have any of our children cut off in their sins Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu were cut off in the act of sin while they were offering strange fire there went out fire from the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord yet when Aaron heard Moses speak of Gods being glorified he was silent under this heavy stroke Lev. 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace God made all things and all persons wicked as well as good men for his own glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And seeing God made all things and persons for his own pleasure and glory he may glorifie himself according to his own will and pleasure upon every one of his creatures and none may say unto him What doest thou VI. The consideration of the great and wonderful mercy of God in bestowing his grace upon our souls and taking us into his everlasting Covenant may quiet our minds however it shall please him to deal with our Families David met with great afflictions in his Family some of his children proved perverse and were very great crosses to him and died in such a state as he could have little or no hope of their salvation Amnon was such a vitious person that he ravished his own sister Tamar and was slain when his heart was merry with wine 2 Sam. 13.28 by this phrase is signified that Amnon was little better than drunk when he was slain as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 25.36 where Nabals drunkenness is expressed by his heart being merry Nabals heart was merry within him for he was very drunken Absolom who had caused his Brother Amnon to be slain rose up in rebellion against his Father and sought to take his Kingdom and Life from him and was cat off in this act of sin And how did David quiet himself under these great afflictions that befel his House It was with the Covenant that God had made with his own Soul 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my vation and all my desire although he make it not to grow The mercies and blessings of the Covenant are so great and such unvaluable mercies that when we conside the riches of Gods grace and his infinite love in taking our own souls into Covenant vvith himself this consideration may so fill our hearts vvith joy as to swallow up all our sorrows arising either from personal or family-afflictions Wine will chear such as are of a sorrowful spirit and make them forget their miseries Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to them that be of heavy hearts Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more Gods love is better and hath more efficacy to chear such as are of heavy hearts than wine Cant. 1.2 Thy love is better than Wine And if Wine will refresh such as are of sorrowful spirits yea such as are ready to perish under their affliction what efficacy is there in the love of God which he hath manifested in taking our souls into Covenant to comfort us under our greatest sorrows and miseries even such as lie heavy upon our hearts yea such as vve think vve shall perish under them SECT 2. The Case of such as are overwhelmed with grief because they fear their Children are in eternal Torments considered Gods Justice in punishing Sinners to Eternity vindicated TO these Considerations I shall add a Reply to such Pleas as those Parents whose Children have died in their sins may possibly make use of to excuse their immoderate grief and discontent and perplexity of mind under this affliction of losing their Children in such a state as that they can have no hope of their salvation And so I shall conclude this Treatise 1 Plea My Children that are dead in their sins are gone into everlasting burnings where their torments will be endless and intolerable and it so pierceth my heart and distracteth my mind when I think that those that came out of my Bowels my Children for whom I had such a dear affection should be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where they must remain for eternity that I am not able to bear it but sometimes I am ready to fret against God and at other times my heart is so full with grief that I think it will break in pieces and I shall die with sorrow Answ I. If your Children be cast into eternal Torments for their sins it is God hath done it He keeps the Keys of Death and Hell No person is cut off by death none after death are cast into Hell but at Gods appointment Rev. 1.18 I have the Keys of Hell and Death There is not so much as one Sparrow falleth to the ground but at the will and by the appointment of God Matth. 10.29 Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing And one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father If a Sparrow doth not fall to the ground vvithout the vvill of God then surely an immortal Soul doth not fall into Hell Torments but at his appointment for the meanest Soul that ever was created is of