glory from them that perish page 313. 314. 6. We should consider Gods great mercy in taking our own souls into a Covenant of Life and Salvation page 314. 315. The case of such as are overwhelmed with grief because they fear their Children are in eternal torments Gods justice in punishing sinners to eternity vindicated page 315 to 325. The case of such as are troubled because they conveyed Original Sin to their Children considered page 325 to 327. The case of such as are troubled because their Childrens bloud will be required at their hands considered page 327 to 331. Though it be a great sin to be guilty of the bloud of souls yet 't is a pardonable sin page 329. 330. The case of such as are cast down because God hath not answered their Prayers for their Children or prospered their labours considered page 331 332. The case of such as cannot reconcile the Providence of God in casting away their seed with his promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed page 333 to 336. A TREATISE OF Family-Instruction CHAP. I. The Evils that arise from the neglect of Family-Instruction Whence it proceeds that Family-Instruction is neglected Five Arguments to prove it to be a Duty The Instructions we give our Families must be drawn out of the Scriptures Servants as well as Children must be instructed Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children THe neglect of Family-Instruction is a great and yet a common Evil The sad effects thereof such as the decay of the power of Godliness gross ignorance undutiful and disobedient Children evil and unfaithful Servants the growth and increase of sin c. are so plain and visible almost in all places that he that runneth may read them Neither is it the present Generation only which is corrupted through the carelesness of those Parents and Masters of Families who neglect to train up their Children and Servants in the knowledge and fear of God but hereby ignorance and iniquity are like to be propagated unto and greatly increased in the Generations which are yet to come For when God shall give those Children and Servants who were trained up without Instruction Families of their own it is most probale that they will neglect to teach their Children and Servants and that the succeeding Generations which shall spring out of their Loyns will tread in their Fathers steps and so vice and ignorance will descend from one Family to an other for many generations If we enquire into the ground and cause of this evil whence it cometh to pass that Family-Instruction is so much neglected I conceive the reason of most if not of all mens neglect of this Duty may be reduced to one of these four heads 1. Either they are not convinced that it is their Duty to instruct their Families Or 2. Though they know it to be their Duty they want an heart to set about the performance of it Or 3. Though they are willing to instruct their families yet they know not how to set about this work at least they know not how to carry it on in an advantageous successful manner and therefore leave it undone Or 4. They have gotten certain pleas whereby they think to excuse their neglect of this work Wherefore in this ensuing Treatise the design whereof is to excite parents and masters of families to train up their children in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures I shall do these four things 1. I shall prove it is the duty of parents and masters of families to instruct their children and servants in the knowledge and to train them up in the obedience of the word of God 2. I shall produce some motives to excite those who neglect this work of Family-instruction to be diligent constant and conscientious in the performance of their duty in teaching and instructing their families 3. I shall give some directions how this work of family-instruction may be carried on so as to promote the conversion edification and eternal salvation of such as are under our charge 4. I shall answer the most material Pleas and Objections that are brought against training up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures whereby many persons are either kept from or discouraged in the performance of this work I shall begin with the first of these namely to prove that it is the duty of all Parents and Masters of Families to teach the Scriptures unto their Children and Servants and to train up their Families in the knowledge and obedience of the Word of God SECT 1. Scripture proofs for Family-Instruction The Instructions we give our Families must be drawn out of the word of God Arg. 1 WE have many plain and express Commandments from God wherein the Lord straightly chargeth all Parents and Masters of families to teach his word unto their children and servants and requireth them to be very diligent therein I shall mention some places both out of the old and also out of the new Testament where we have express commands from God for the teaching his word to our children and prove that under the name of Children are comprehended our Servants and all the Members of the Family 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 and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up This being a full and pregnant Text for proving the point in hand I shall observe several things from it 1. What it is which we are to teach our children and that is the word of God These words which I command thee this day thou shalt teach them unto thy Children The Apostle gives this commendation of the Scripture that it is profitable for instruction in Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.16 and intimates to us Rom. 2.17 18. That the Jews drew their instructions which they gave to those whom they taught out of the Law of God Behold thou art called a Jew and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law of God 2. Observe who they are whom God commands to teach his word unto their Children and you shall find that this Charge is not given to the Tribe of Levi but to all Israel The Lord calls out twice to the whole Body of the People Hear O Is ael vers 3. Hear O Israel vers 4. If it had been said Hear O House of Aaron or Hear O ye Sons of Levi we might have thought it had special reference to the Ministers of the Word but when this charge is ushered in with a double Call to all Israel to give audience no man can say This Command of teaching Gods word to my Children belongeth not unto me except he be one that is and resolveth to continue an alien to the Commonwealth of Israel I may adde further that
spend our time in doing those works which God hath given us to do and in so doing we shall glorifie God and follow the Example and Pattern of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now this is one work which God hath given you to do to teach his Word to your Children and hath commanded you to be diligent in it Deut. 6.6 7. SECT 9. The greatness of a Family is not a sufficient Plea for the neglect of Family-Instruction Object 9 SOme also may say My Family is so numerous that I am not able to instruct them if I had a lesser Family I would do it but I know not how to carry on this work in such a great Family as I have Answ 1. The more Souls you have in your Family the more diligent you had need to be in this work of Family-Instruction for you will have the greater account to give to God at the day of Judgment The accompt we must give to God at the day of Judgment is very strict He will call us to an account for every word yea for every idle word Mat. 12.32 I say unto you That every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment Now if we must give an account for every word every idle word that we have spoken shall we not much more give an account for every person whom God hath committed to our charge Is not a man of far more value than a word 2. If you neglect teaching your Family because of the multitude of persons that are in it you are not like Christ you are not of the same mind and spirit that Christ was of for the greater the number of people was which resorted to him the more his Bowels of Compassion were stirred up to teach them Mark 6 34. And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them and he began to teach them many things Neither are you like the Righteous concerning whom Solomon saith Prov. 10.21 The Lips of the Righteous feed many 3. Your Family is not greater and more numerous than Acraham's Family was for he was able to raise more than 300 fighting men out of the Servants born in his own house Gen. 14.14 When Abraham heard that his Brother was taken captive he armed his trained Servants born in his own House three hundred and eighteen and pursued them unto Dan. And notwithstanding Abraham had such a numerous Family yet he taught them all to keep the ways of the Lord Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment And those three hundred and eighteen Servants whom he carried with him to rescue Lot mentioned Gen. 14.14 were trained or as it is in the Margin instructed Servants which may be understood of their being religiously trained up that they were instructed in the grounds of Religion as well as of their training to civil or military Employments as Ainsworth and Calvin observe Vatalbus his Note upon that Text is Pueros quos ut quidam volunt instruxerat Arte Bellicâ ac etiam Lege Divinâ And that which will confirm this exposition that these trained men were trained up in the knowledge and fear of God is this The same Hebrew word which is used here for trained men is used for Religious Education Prov. 22.6 Train up or as it is in the Margin catechise a child in the way that he should go 4. If your Family be numerous you may render the work of instruction the more easie by calling the whole Family together when you instruct them and then you may at the same time with the same ease instruct many as few Israel being a numerous people and they being all to be instructed Moses counsels the Levites to gather the people together that the work might be done with the more ease Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law Do you thus if your Family be numerous at certain stated times appoint your whole Family to come together and then you may with ease instruct all of them SECT 10. Great as well as mean men must instruct their Families Object 10 I Am a great man and this work is beneath me to teach my Children and Servants Answer 1. Art thou greater than Abraham who was a great Prince Gen. 23.5 6. The Children of Heth answered Abraham saying Hear us my Lord thou art a mighty Prince amongst us and who is stiled the Father of the Faithful and a Father of many Nations Yet he did not think it to be beneath him to teach his Family Gen. 18.19 Art thou greater than David who was King of Israel Yet he did not think much to teach his Family Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also He did not only teach Solomon but his other Children also Psal 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Yea he did not think much to teach Transgressors the ways of the Lord Psal 51.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways 2. The Great GOD condescends to teach the meanest and poorest of men Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Doth the Great GOD condescend to teach all sorts of men the Poor as well as the Rich Children as well as grown Men yea such as are Sinners and shall any man think himself too great to teach and instruct his Family 3. It is an honour to be employed in doing any work or service for God and Jesus Christ John the Baptist was a great man Christ saith of him Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Matth. 11.11 Yet this great man did not think himself above the meanest service that he could be employed in for Christ but thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him Matth. 3.11 He that cometh after me is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear To teach the word of Christ unto our Children and Servants is more honourable work than to carry Christs Shoes after him Now if John the Baptist thought himself unworthy to carry Christs Shoes after him what great pride of spirit is it for any man to say or think it is a work beneath
you into all Truth you have several promises to encourage you to rest upon God to teach you the truth and to preserve you in the knowledge and belief of the truth I will mention some of them John 16.13 When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth John 8.31 32. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free John 6.45 It is written in the Prophets And ye shall be all taught of God 7. Take some convenient times for chastening your Souls by fasting and humiliation for your sins and bewail before the Lord your ignorance and dulness and all your other sins and cry mightily to him for that wisdom which comes from above hereby Daniel obtained a great measure of Divine Illumination and Knowledge in the Mysteries of Salvation Dan. 10.12 Fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard and I am come for thy words And at another time whilst he was humbling his Soul for his sins and calling upon God the Lord sent an Angel to give him skill and understanding Dan. 9.20 21 22 23. SECT 13. How to taste the sweetness that is in Gods Word The feeling of a dry unsavoury Spirit will not excuse the neglect of Family-Instruction Object 13 I Do not find my own heart affected with the Word of God and how then can I hope that God should accept my work or that I should edifie my Family by instructing them If I could relish and savour the sweetness that is in Gods Word my self I should delight to instruct my Family but because I find my heart in an unsavoury frame this discourageth me from this work Answ I. There is an exceeding great sweetness in the word of God it is as David expresseth it sweeter then honey and the honey-comb Psal 19.10 And we should labour to taste and feel the sweetness thereof and to keep always the savour and relish thereof upon our spirits If any say How may this be done I answer 1. We must put away all our sins for sin vitiates the Palat of the Soul that it cannot find any delight in the word of God Jeremiah speaking of the Jews that had greatly corrupted their ways saith of them Jer. 6.10 Behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it As long as a man remaineth in the band of iniquity he is in the gall of bitterness Acts 8.23 I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity And it is no wonder that a man who is in the gall of bitterness doth not taste the sweetness of the word of God When we do seriously set our selves to reform our hearts and lives and do refrain our selves from every evil way we shall find unexpressible sweetness in the word of God though we found none at all before Psal 119.101 103. I have refrained my self from every evil way How sweet are thy words unto my taste Yea sweeter than honey to my mouth No earthly thing excels Honey in sweetness Judg. 14.18 What is sweeter than honey Now David who did refrain himself from every evil way did find a sweetness in Gods word not which was equal to but such as did far exceed the sweetness of Honey Yea sweeter then Honey to my mouth 2. We must by the help of the word labour to find out Jesus Christ which we may soon do if we be diligent in searching the Scriptures John 5.39 Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me And when we have found Christ let us through the help of the word rest and repose our Souls upon him then shall we find great sweetness and joy in his word Cant. 2.3 I sate down his under shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste When Philip preached Christ to the City of Samaria they that heard him found great joy in the word of God Acts 8.5 8. Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preached Christ unto them and there was great joy in that City 3. We must feed upon the word of God by faith and meditation and make applications of the precious promises to our own Souls and then we shall find great joy and delight in the word of God Jer. 15.16 Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of my heart As the way to find and taste the sweetness which is in God is to have our hearts and thoughts much exercised in meditating on him Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet So meditation on the Scriptures will cause us to delight and taste sweetness in the Scriptures delight in the Law will accompany a diligent and serious meditation on the Law of God as we may see Psal 1.2 His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night 4. If we would relish and taste the sweetness that is in Gods word we must practice what we read and hear we must take counsel from the Scriptures how to order our Conversations and all our affairs according to the mind and will of God and walk according to the counsels and directions which are given us in the word of God and then Gods Testimonies will be delightful to our souls Psal 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight and my Counsellours After David had spoken of his obedience that he yielded to the word of God he speaks of the sweetness he found in it vers 102 103. I have not departed from thy Judgments How sweet are thy words unto my taste II. Though you can't get your hearts into so good a frame as you desire but are sensible of much driness coldness deadness and unsavouriness yet you must not neglect the instructing your Families because you do not find such sweetness and delight in the word of God as others do and that for several Reasons As 1. God can convey the water of life through a dry and barren Reed He makes use of earthen Vessels to convey the heavenly treasure of knowledge and grace that the glory may not be given to the Instruments but that it may appear that it is his excellent power whereby the Sons of men are enlightned and sanctified 2 Cor. 4.7 We have this treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us 2. Though you find your hearts out of frame before you go to your work God may come in with his spirit and move and warm your hearts whilst you are opening or rehearsing some portion of the Scriptures to your Children Luke 24.32 And they said one to another Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the
some mens light doth so far misguide them as that they think they do God service when they kill his servants John 16.2 Yea the time cometh that whosoever kelleth you will think that he doth God service A man may verily think that his ways are right and good and yet they may be such as will lead him to destruction Prov. 14.12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death And therefore we find God charging us not to lean to our own understandings Prov. 3.5 Lean not unto thine own understanding And commanding us to observe his Statutes and not to do such things as are right in our own eyes Deut. 12.1 8. These are the Statutes and Judgments which ye shall observe to do ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes 6. Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light and suggest his own evil motions under the name and notion of the dictates and motions of the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 11.14 Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light And because Satan can transform himself and make as if he were an Angel of Light we are commanded not to believe every Spirit but to try the Spirits whether they be of God 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God And by what shall we try the Spirits whether they be of God This must be done by the VVord of God we must have recourse to the Law and Testimonies what is agreeable to the Scriptures we must own as the Will of God what is contrary to them we must reject as coming from the Spirit of Delusion Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them VVhatever Light or Spirit would draw us off from or perswade us to any thing contrary to This Word that is the Law and the Testimony is to be rejected as no true Light nor true Spirit 7. The Lord commandeth all sorts of persons to read the Scriptures and that not in a slight cursory manner but with diligence and great attention 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading John 5.39 Search the Scriptures The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to weigh and consider diligently what we read to search into the understanding of those things that are hidden and abstruse It is the same word which is used Rev. 2.23 I am he which searcheth the heart and reins Such a search should we make into the Scriptures we should labour to have a clear and thorow understanding of the most abstruse and hidden truths that are wrapped up in the Scriptures It is not only our duty to read the Scriptures but to do it daily Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily And to continue reading some portion of them every day as long as we live Deut. 17.18 19. He shall write him a copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life This is spoken of the Kings of Israel and if they were obliged to get a Copy of the Law and to read therein all their days then surely other inferiour persons that have nothing so much business upon their hands as Kings are obliged to spare some time every day from their occasions to read some portion of the Scriptures Besides our reading the Scriptures privately by our selves God commandeth them to be read publickly in the audience of all the people both Men and Women and Children Deut. 31.11 12. And we find it was the practise of the servants of God in their publick Assemblies to read the Scriptures Josh 8.34 35. He read all the words of the Law the Blessings and Cursings according to all that is written in the Book of the Law there was not a word that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women and their little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them And this they did not at some extraordinary times only but it was their constant course to read the Scriptures in their Assemblies every Sabbath day Acts 1.13 22. Moses of old time hath in every City thens that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day And our Lord Jesus approved this practice by his own example he read the Scriptures to the Jews on the Sabbath days Luc. 4.16 17. And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read and there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias 8. As all sorts of persons are commanded to read the Scriptures so all sorts of persons may reap great benefit by reading the Scriptures Men VVomen Children Strangers all sorts of people may learn to fear and obey the Lord by reading the word of God Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel Gather the people together Men Women and Children and the Stranger that is within thy Gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law Reading the Scriptures is an effectual means to beget Repentance Neh. 8.8 9. So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading All the people wept when they heard the words of the Law And Faith Acts 17.11 12. They received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed The Lord hath promised his Blessing to those that read and practise those things which are written in the Scriptures Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the Words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein 9. The Light that is within us if it be true Light teacheth us that we ought to yield obedience to all the Commandments of God and this is one of the Commandments of God which he doth often inculcate upon us That we should teach his word unto our Children and train them up in the knowledge and obedience of his Laws as hath been already proved from Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children 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. And several other places So that if we would follow our Light which we have received from Gods word that will teach us to instruct our Children diligently in the knowledge of the Scriptures 10. The great ignorance and folly which is in Children shews that they have need of more instruction than to be called upon to follow the Light that is in them for how little Light have Children before they are instructed God commands his word to be read to Children and why Deut. 31.11 13. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the People together men women and children And that their Children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the Land whither ye go to possess See here how little knowledge is ascribed unto Children That their Children which have not known any thing Observe also what means God prescribes for the bringing Children to know and fear the Lord and that is reading his Law to them Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing that their Children may hear and learn to fear the Lord. Instead of knowledge there is folly in our Children and this folly is bound up so fast in their hearts that it cannot be fetch'd out without instruction Prov. 8. 33. Hear instruction and be wise Neither will instruction do it alone unless correction be joyned with instruction Prov. 22.15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a Child but the Rod of Correction will drive it far from him Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give wisdom But how will that Child prove that is left to himself and hath neither instruction nor correction The next words will inform us But a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame As he that refuseth to receive instruction regardeth not but despiseth his own Soul Prov. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own Soul So he that refuseth to give instruction to his Children may be said to despise the souls of his Children For if he did regard them he would seek after their salvation and if he did seek after their salvation he would instruct them in the knowledge of the Scriptures which are able to make them wise to salvation There being much folly in our Childrens hearts if we let them live without instruction they will go astray and perish eternally Prov. 10.21 Fools die for want of wisdom Prov. 5.23 He shall die without instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray SECT 17. Heb. 8.11 explained It doth not imply Family-Instruction or Ministerial Teaching to be needless Object 17 IT seems a needless thing for Parents to teach their Children or Masters their Servants seeing the Lord hath promised in the times of the Gospel And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 Answ I. The sense and meaning of this Scripture They shall not teach every man his Neighbour c. is much perverted when it is brought to prove either Ministerial Teaching or Family-Instruction to be needless and of no use in the days of the Gospel For 1. As to the preaching of the Word the Lord Jesus will have that continued and will afford his presence with this Ordinance till the end of the world Matth. 28 19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Till all that belong to the Election of Grace are brought home to Christ and till all that are brought to Christ are made perfect and are arrived unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ God will have the work of the Ministry continued and Pastors and Teachers to carry on this work Ephes 4.11 12 13. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now this work will not be fully done till the end of the world 2. Neither doth this Scripture make void Family-Instruction for the same Apostle who wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews wherein he saith They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother c. chargeth Parents in the days of the Gospel to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 yea in this very Epistle to the Hebrews he saith of such as are dull of hearing Ye need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 which he would not have done if he had thought teaching by men to be needless under the days of the Gospel II. When it is said They shall not teach every man his Neighbour c. The meaning is they shall not only be taught by men but they shall also have the teaching of Gods Spirit whereby the teachings they have from men shall be blessed and be made effectual for the conveying of the knowledge of God Many Examples may be given where this word Not is not an absolute negation but signifies not only take one or two Hos 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt Offerings Sacrifice was commanded under the Law and therefore the meaning cannot be that God did not at all desire Sacrifice but that he did not desire Sacrifice only but mercy also or that he desired mercy more than Sacrifice as the following words intimate And the knowledge of God more than burnt Offerings John 7.16 Jesus answered them My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me That is It is not only mine but also his that sent me III. This Scripture may be understood comparatively of the abundance of knowledge that should be in the times of the Gospel above what was in the times of the Law Knowledge doth so abound under the New Testament Administration that some mean and weak persons in the time of the Gospel know as much of Christ crucified and God reconciled in Christ and other Gospel-Mysteries as they that were Teachers of others knew under the Law Zach. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David Knowledge should so abound that there should seem to be no need of teaching every man his Neighbour in comparison of what was under the Law when the Doctrine of the Gospel was wrapped up in so many Types and Shadows that it was
grief to their Parents Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give wisdom but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame Prov. 17 25. A foolish Son is a grief to his Father and bitterness to her that bare him 5. The neglect of instructing our Families and training them up in the fear of God causeth God to inflict many great and sore judgments on our Families and such as shall continue upon them from Generation to Generation 1 Sam. 3.13 14. I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not and therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's House shall not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever SECT 7. Family-Instruction will propagate Religion to a thousand Generations Motive 7 BY instructing our Children and Servants in the knowledge of the Scriptures and training them up in the fear of God we shall be a means of erecting many godly Families and shall greatly propagate the true Religion and Power of Godliness and shall prove great Blessings not only to the present Generation but also to the Generations that are to come For if we instruct our Children and the Lord bless our Labours and we have no cause to doubt of his Blessing if we be diligent and faithful in our work our Children will teach their Children and their Children will teach the next Generation and so by our means the knowledge of God and his Gospel will be transmitted from Generation to Generation as long as the world stands For Children are very apt to walk in all those ways that they see their Fathers walk in 1 King 22.43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his Father he turned not aside from it doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Solomon gives this reason why he taught his Children his Father taught him when he was a Child Prov. 4.1 3 4. Hear ye Children the instruction of a Father and attend to know understanding for I was my Fathers Son tender and only beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also and said Let thy heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live That if we teach Gods Word unto our Children they will teach it to their Children and their Children will teach the next Generation and so the knowledge of God and his holy Word will be transmitted from one Generation to another is implyed in Psal 78.2 3 4 5 6. I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known unto their Chidlren that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare unto their Children that they might set their hope in God c. And as our Children so also our Servants whom we have instructed when God shall give them Families they will teach their Housholds the ways of the Lord and such as spring out of their Loyns will tread in their steps and instruct their Families whereby the Kingdom of Christ will be greatly inlarged Solomon instructed his Servants 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom And we find the Children of Solomons Servants who were generally reputed to be Profelites that had embraced the Jewish Religion spoken of in the Scriptures and giving evidence of their Piety for many Generations after Solomon's death they evidenced their Piety by adhering to the Jews who were the People and Church of the living God and that when they were in a low condition and under great misery by reason of the Babylonish Captivity 2. By their returning out of Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem Ezra 2.1 55. after they had dwelt in Babylon seventy years where they had built Houses and planted Vineyards Jer. 29.4 5. and could not leave those Houses and Vineyards without much loss 3. The Children of Solomon's Servants are reckoned up amongst those that were most forward to come out of Babylon unto Zion Neh. 7.5 6 57. 4. They went out of Babylon to Jerusalem to build the House of the Lord which was a great costly and difficult work Ezra 1.3 5. compared with Chap. 2.1 55. and that is a further evidence of their Piety that they went not up to Jerusalem for their own ends but that the Lord had stirred up their spirits to go thither to build the Lords House This example sheweth that Instruction is a means to propagate Religion to many Generations for from Solomon to the carrying away of the Jews into Babylon were thirteen Generations Mat. 1.17 and from their going into Babylon till their return from thence seventy years Jer. 29 10. And we find the Children of Solomons Servants retaining a savour of true Piety from Solomon's days till their return from Babylon By the means of Family-Instruction rightly managed what is promised Isa 60.22 A little one shall become a thousand may be verified of our Families Religion may be so propagated by training up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God that from one little Family that feareth God may in process of time arise a thousand godly Families And what is said of Israel Isa 27.6 Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit The like may be said of those godly persons that train up their Families in the fear of God they shall do much towards the filling of the face of the world with the fruits of Righteousness Religion will be so propagated from one Family to another and from one Generation to another by the means of Family-Instruction that hereby may be fulfilled what is spoken of Isa 58.12 They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise up the foundations of many Generations and thou shalt be called The Repairer of the Breach and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in And hereby we may become an Eternal Excellency the Joy of many Generations and many Children that are yet unborn shall rise up and call us Blessed and will have cause to bless God on our behalf to all Eternity It is said of Abraham who instructed his Family All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him Now he became a Blessing to all Nations not only upon the account that the Messiah came out of his Loyns of which the Holy Ghost speaks Gen. 22.18 where he attributes the Blessing of all Nations not to Abraham but to his Seed In thy Seed shall all the Nations
as Dust and the Gold of Ophir as the stones of the Brooks Job's Family was broken and his Estate all gone yet Eliphaz tells him if he did return himself to God and put away iniquity from his Tabernacles he should be built up and have plenty of Silver It engageth God to become our defence vers 25. Yea the Almighty shall be thy defence and thou shalt have plenty of Silver It breeds delight in God and boldness in prayer vers 26. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God It causeth us to be successful in prayer vers 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy Vows It makes a man prosperous in his ways and fills him with Comfort vers 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the Light shall shine upon thy ways It will cause God to shelter us and our Families in time of common calamity vers 29. When men are cast down then thou shalt say There is lifting up and he shall save the humble person Lo thus shall the man and his Family be blessed that returns to the Lord and puts away iniquity far from his Tabernacles And therefore seeing Family-Instruction will produce Family-Reformation as is intimated Vers 22. compared with Vers 23. how should this stir us up to instruct our Families in the word of God Besides these Personal and Family-Advantages Family-Reformation would remove National Judgments and procure National Mercies vers 30. He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands This as well as the foregoing Verses hath relation to vers 23. to the man that returns to God and puts away iniquity from his Tabernacles In that day wherein the Families of Jerusalem should go apart and mourn for their sins in the same day the Lord promiseth great mercies both spiritual and temporal not only to those Families but to Judah and Jerusasalem Zach. 12. 2. The late Pestilence made sore breaches in many Families it hath cut off in some Families the Root in others the Branches in others both Root and Branches Many Children are become fatherless and Orphans and have no Parents to teach them It hath made many Parents childless and they have now no Children to teach it hath swept away many whole Families And shall not we whose Families were preserved untouched or but gently visited ply this work of Family-Instruction It was one great end why God spared us and our Families that we should train them up in the knowledge of his word Isa 38.13 19. The Grave cannot praise thee Death cannot celebrate thee The Living the Living he shall praise thee as I do this day the Father to the Children shall make known thy truth From which words we may observe these two things 1. That one great end why God gives us Children and why he continueth our Lives with our Children and our Children with us is That we should teach them his word and to this agrees that note which Calvin hath upon this Text Hinc colligenda est utilis monitio hac lege sobolem dari mortalibus ut quisque liberos suos erudiendo pro sua virili propagare ad posteros studeat Dei nomen 2. When Parents have escaped with their Lives from the Pestilence or any other eminent danger they should express their gratitude to God by teaching his Truth to their Children This was Hezekiah's case he had been sick unto death and his sickness was as many think the Pestilence but he was preserved from death hereupon he praiseth God and tells us all living persons that had escaped the Pestilence should do the like and they should not only praise God in words but every Father should express his gratitude to God for preserving him and his from going down to the Grave by teaching Gods word to his Children SECT 13. The Vsefulness and Excellency of the Scriptures should excite us to instruct our Families in the Knowledge of the Scriptures Motive 13 THe Usefulness and Suitableness of the Scriptures for carrying on the work of Family-Instruction may stir us up to train up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Whatsoever good thing we desire to teach our Families in order to their welfare in this world or their eternal salvation in the world to come it is contained in the Scriptures Would we train up our Families in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion The Scripture is profitable for Doctrine Would we at any time reprove them for their sins or teach them how to reprove others The Scripture is profitable for Reproof Would we correct and reform any Errors in Judgment or in their Conversations The Word of God is profitable for Correction Would we teach and instruct them how to live righteous and holy Lives The Scripture is profitable for instruction in Righteousness as the Apostle testifies 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for instruction in Righteousness The Scriptures are so framed by the infinite wisdom of God that they give directions for the doing of all good works for the avoiding of all Vices for the resisting of all Temptations the bearing of all Afflictions the instructing all persons of all ages whatever state or condition they are in Are our Children young In the word of God there is milk for Babes 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Are they come to some maturity both in respect of their years and their knowledge In the word of God there is meat for strong men Heb. 5.14 Are the Members of our Families dull and backward and sluggish in respect of that which is good Gods word is like a goad to prick and put them forward Are they fickle and inconstant in that which is good Gods word prudently and wisely applied will be like a Nail to fasten and make them stedfast in every good work Eccl. 12.11 The words of the wise are as Goads and as Nails fastened by the Masters of the Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd Are our Children or Servants in an unconverted condition Gods word will be a means to convert them Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Are they already converted The word of the Lord will build them up Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up Are they hard-hearted Gods word will melt and break the most rocky heart upon the face of the earth Jer. 23.29 Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces Are they in a broken afflicted frame Gods word will heal them Psal 107.20 He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from
the same shall judge him in the last day Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works SECT 14. They deal unjustly with their Families who defraud them of the Instruction that is due to them Motive 14 THe Law of Equity requires that Parents should use their utmost diligence to instill knowledge into their Children and to train them up in a godly sort 1. Because they have been instrumental to convey to them a sinful ignorant nature Psal 51.5 Job 14.4 If one man had hurt another the Law of God delivered by Moses required that he should be at the cost and pains to get him throughly healed Exod. 21.19 He shall pay for the loss of his time and cause him to be throughly healed Seeing Parents are instrumental to convey that sin to their Children which hath given their Souls a deadly wound t is but just and equal that they should be at the cost and take pains to get them healed of their ignorance and do what in them lieth to get their Souls converted to the Lord. 2. It is just and equal that we should teach our Children because God hath taught us his Word for this very end and purpose that we should teach the same unto our Children Deut. 4.10 The Lord said unto me Gather the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may teach their Children 3. Justice requires that we should give to every one that which is due to him He that detains from any one that which is his due when it is required and it is in the power of his hand to render it is an unjust man Now Instruction is due to our Children and Servants for God commands us as we have heard before to instruct them and their necessity calleth aloud upon us to be diligent in teaching and instructing them and therefore we cannot withhold instruction from them without being guilty of injustice And it is a great crime to be guilty of injustice Unjust persons are accounted amongst the chiefest of Sinners And to with-hold from our Children or Servants that which is due to their Souls is greater injustice then to wrong them in their Estates or in those things which are due to to their outward man If then we would fulfill that Precept Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye have a Master in Heaven And that of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 Render to all their dues And that of Solomon Prov. 3.27 With-hold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it We must not neglect this good work of teaching and instructing our Children and Servants seeing Instruction is due to them Let thus much suffice by way of motive to stir up Parents and Masters of Families to set upon a diligent performance of this duty of training up their Children and Servants in the Knowledge and Obedience of the Scriptures CHAP. III. Directions for managing of this work of Family-Instruction so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all that are under our Charge I Shall in the next place proceed to some Directions for the successful managing of this work of Family-Instruction and shall shew how we should carry it on so as to promote the Conversion Edification and Eternal Salvation of all such as are under our Charge SECT 1. Such as would instruct their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures must be diligent in studying the Scriptures Direct 1 IF we would instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures it is necessary that we our selves should be well acquainted with them and that we may come to be well acquainted with the Scriptures we must read them often observe diligently what we read and pray to God to open our understandings that we may understand his holy Word and lay up what he teacheth us in our hearts and meditate in his Law night and day Before the Lord commands us to teach his Word to our Children he prefixeth this Charge That we should lay up his Word in our own hearts Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children And the Apostle calls upon those whom he would have teach others to let the word of Christ dwell richly in themselves Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A daily searching of the Scriptures attended with Meditation and Prayer will greatly advantage us in this work of Family-Instruction and that in several respects I will instance in two 1. Hereby we shall be furnished with wisdom and knowledge Psal 119.98 99. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine Enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my meditation And the more we are furnished with Heavenly Wisdom the more dextrous and ready we shall be to win those Souls that are committed to our charge Prov. 11.30 He that winneth Souls is wise 2 Cor. 12.16 Being crafty I caught you with guile And as wisdom will make us dextrous in winning Souls to Christ so also it will conduce much to the inabling of us to edifie and build up such as are brought home to him Col. 1.28 Teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus The Romans who were filled with knowledge were thereby made able to teach and admonish others Rom. 15.14 I my self am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of Goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another 2. By searching the Scriptures and meditating on them night and day we shall become successful in this work of Family-Instruction God will make this work prosper in our hands to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of such as he hath committed to our care to be instructed in his holy word For the Lord hath promised that whatsoever that man doth who meditates in his Law it shall prosper Psal 1.1 2 3. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night And he shall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Ezra who was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7.6 taught Gods Word to the people of Israel vers 10. And what effect had his teaching It had great power to humble and reform the people Ezra 10.1 12. The people wept very sore
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
I shall give four or five directions 1. Let this work be done when there is greatest quiet in the Family not at such a time as the Members of the Family are distracted or cumbred with variety or a multitude of worldly business or when their Spirits are royled with passion or contention but when they are in the most quiet and composed frame Eccles 9.17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet 1 Cor. 7.35 That you may attend upon the Lord without distraction 2. Let this work be done often Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children God worketh many ways and often times with us to bring about our salvation Job 33.29 30. Lo all these things worketh God often times with man to bring back his Soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the Living And shall we think much to be diligent and frequent in teaching our Children and Servants that their Souls may be kept from falling into the pit of Hell and that they may be enlightned with that knowledge which will make them wise to Salvation 3. It will be convenient to have fixed and stated times for the doing of this work that so the Family may be the better prepared for it and all family-occasions may be so ordered and all business set at such a stay as that every one may be at liberty and leasure to attend this work 4. Avocations and Diversions should not be easily yielded to for the putting by our intended exercise at the appointed time As for instance If Company come in though they be great Persons and such as are our Superiours we should not be ashamed to go on with our works Psal 119 46. I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed And if we be at any time diverted by some unexpected and urgent occasions we should redeem that loss by taking some other time for their instruction as soon as conveniently we can 5. We should take such times wherein both we and our Families are fresh and lively not over-tired with worldly business not heavy with sleep for we must be fervent in spirit when we serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 and when the Body is tired or heavy with sleep the Spirit is not likely to be servent 6. The Lords day which is to be spent in holy and Religions Exercises Isa 58.13 is a very convenient time for this work It was the Custom of the Jews to read the Scriptures in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 15.21 Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day And we need not doubt but they did the same in their Families seeing they were commanded by God to read some portion of his word every day as long as they lived yea their greatest men even their Kings who had the weightiest business of all other men lying upon their hands were not excused from this Law of daily reading the Scriptures Deut. 17.18 19. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them I shall not undertake to prescribe what other days besides Lords days Masters of Families should take for this work but shall leave that to their own prudence and discretion Only I shall say this That they for whom God hath done much and who have more spare time than others should be more frequent and abundant in this work For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luk. 12.48 SECT 5. The Advantages that come by having the Word of God in our Memories Direct 5 CAuse your Children and Servants to commit to their memories those Scriptures which you teach them and to keep them in remembrance We are often commanded to treasure up Gods Word in our Memories Job 22.22 Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart And because this duty of committing Gods Word to our Memories is much neglected both by Parents themselves as well as their Children to stir up both the one and the other to the practice of it let me shew you how much this duty is urged upon us and what advantages will come by it The Prophets of God charge us in Gods name to remember the word of the Lord Mal. 4 4. Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statues and Judgments Jesus Christ when he was in the world charged us to remember his word John xv 20. Remember the word that I said unto you The Apostles also call upon us to keep in memory Gods word Jude 17. Beloved remember ye the words that were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.35 I have shewn you all things how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest at any time we let them slip The holy Angels when they appeared to those that came to Christs Sepulchre bid them remember the words of Christ Luke 24.6 Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee One great benefit which we have by the holy Ghost is his helping us to remember Gods word John 14.26 The Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you We have seen how earnestly this duty is pressed upon us now let us see what advantages will come to us by remembring Gods Word 1. It will be an help to Faith John 2.22 When he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said 2. It helps us in our obedience Numb 15.40 That ye may remember and do all my Commandments and be holy unto your God Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law 3. It is an help to Repentance Matth. 26.75 And Peter remembred the words of Jesus and he went out and wept bitterly 4. It promotes our Comfort Psal 119.52 I remembred thy Judgments of old O Lord and have comforted my self 5. It will breed a spiritual frame of heart for if Gods word be treasured up in our hearts it will be in our minds night and day Prov. 6.21 22. Bind them continually upon
instil Grace into their hearts and to convert them to God Psal 34.16 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. We should not only teach our Children to know the Lord but we must also teach them to fear the Lord. It may be you will say Can we instil Grace into our Children Can we put the fear of God into their hearts Can we give them Repentance I answer No but we may use the means and in so doing we may hope for Gods blessing If you ask What means should we use to instil Grace into and convert such of our Families as are in a graceless unconverted condition I answer 1. Warn them of the danger of a graceless unconverted condition tell them That except they be converted they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18.3 and that if they do not repent they will most certainly perish be cast into everlasting burnings Luk. 13.3 Mat. 13.41 42. And therefore warn them often of the danger of living and dying in an impenitent condition Warning persons of the danger and damnable nature of sin is an effectual means to prevent their dying in their sins and to bring them to repentance and salvation 2 Chron. 19.10 Ye shall warn them that they trespass not against the Lord Ezek. 3.21 He shall surely live because he is warned Ezek. 33.5 He that taketh warning shall deliver his Soul If you find that after many warnings there is no amendment yet cease not to warn them day after day and year after year and that with much tenderness till you see some fruit of your labours Act. 20.31 By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears 2. Take all occasions to discourse with them about the things of God especially of those things wherein you have formerly instructed them out of the Word of God Good Discourse is a means of conveying Grace to those with whom we converse Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace to the Hearers 3. Reprove them when they do that which is contrary to the Will of God and if Reproofs will not make them reform joyn Correction with Reproof Reproof and Correction are means of instilling grace into our Children Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give Wisdom 4. Stir them up to consider their ways how contrary they are to the Word of God and what will be the fruit and effect of their sins if they repent not A serious consideration of our ways is a means of leading us to repentance Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Ezek. 18.28 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions 5. Stir them up to read and meditate upon the Word of God that may be a means of converting their Souls Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul 6. Cause them to attend upon the Publick Ministry of the Word The preaching of the Word is the usual means of working Grace in our hearts Jam. 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word 7. Exhort them to forsake ungodly company and to walk and converse with them that fear God Prov. 9.6 Forsake the foolish and live and walk in the way of understanding Prov. 13.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise 8. Be earnest with God to give them saving Grace By prayer to God we may obtain Grace for others as well as for our own Souls 1 John 5.16 If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death Secondly If upon discoursing with your Families you find they profit by the Instructions you give them and that they obey from the heart that Form of Doctrine which you deliver to them and that they grow in Grace and in the knowledge of JESUS CHRIST Then 1. Be thankful to God for blessing your Labours Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you 2. Love the Lord for causing your Family to flourish and prosper by those instructions that you give them Cant. 7.11 12. Come my Beloved let us go up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and the Pomegranates bud forth there will I give thee my loves Our Families may be compated to Vineyards the Wife is resembled by the Psalmist to a Vine and the Children to Olive-Plants Psal 128.3 The Governour of the Family is placed in this Vineyard as Adam was in Eden to dress it and to keep it Now such of us as are made keepers of Vineyards should be often looking whether the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and when we go about this work we should call to CHRIST to go with us and assist us And if we find any Grapes though they be but tender yea if we perceive but any Buds any thing that gives us hope of Fruit we should give the Lord JESUS not only our love but our loves that is we should love him abundantly for 't is He that gives a Blessing to our Labours 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase 3. Exhort them to look to themselves that they do not lose what you have by Gods Blessing wrought in them that so neither you nor they may lose your Reward 2 John 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not those things which we have wrought but that we may receive a full Reward When Jesus saw some of the Jews believing he exhorted and incouraged them to continue in his word John 8.30 31. As he spake these words many believed on him then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed 4. Endeavour to make them more Fruitful Thus God dealeth with his Children that bring forth fruit he teacheth and helpeth them to bring forth more Fruit John 15.2 Every Branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. The more fruitful any Christian is the more glory he bringeth to God vers 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit 5. Direct them to the right end in bearing Fruit which is not any selfish interest for that Fruit which is brought forth for selfish ends is in Gods account as good as none Hos 10.1 Israel is an empty Vine he bringeth forth fruit unto himself The glorifying and pleasing God is that which we must aim at in our bearing fruit Rom. 7.4 That we should bring forth fruit unto God 6. Endeavour that they may
me for such a great man as I am to instruct my Family 4. Riches and Honour and worldly Greatness should be so far from taking off any man from any good work that they should cause him to be more abundant in every good work 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works Jehoshaphat who was a good as well as a great man was so far from neglecting any of the ways of the Lord because of his Greatness that his heart was more elevated and encouraged to lay out himself for God by the Honour and Greatness which God had conferred upon him 2 Chron. 17.5 6. The Lord stablished the Kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat Presents and he had Riches and Honour in abundance and his heart was lift up or as 't is in the Margin was encouraged in the ways of the Lord. SECT 11. The Plea of such as say they have no spare time to instruct their Families because they are poor or have much business or are often abroad answered Object 11 THere are many will plead They have no spare time to instruct their Families some because they are poor others because they are often from home a third sort because they are full of business who are ready to say On the week days we must attend our worldly occasions and on Lords days we must attend publick Ordinances and take some time for our private Communion with God so that we can find no time to instruct our Families Answ 1. Do you not find time to eat and drink with your Children If you can find time notwithstanding all your business to eat and drink with your Families if you had as great a delight in the word of God as Job had you would also find time to instruct them out of the word of God for he esteemed Gods word more than his food yea more than his necessary food Job 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food Are not your Childrens Souls infinitely better than their Bodies And will you then spend all your time in providing for their Bodies and spare no time to instruct their Souls Your Childrens Souls are in as great danger to perish without Instruction as their Bodies without Food and Rayment their Bodies will die if they have no Food prepared for them so will their Souls if they be without Instruction Prov. 5.23 He shall die without instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray Hos 4.6 My People are destroyed for want of Knowledge 2. Suppose you are poor your Poverty should be so far from keeping you from teaching Gods Word unto your Children that you should be the more diligent to study Gods word your selves and to teach the same unto your Children And that for several Reasons As First Gods Word will help you and your Children to bear your Poverty with Patience and Contentment The Apostle Paul exerercised much patience in his Afflictions Necessities and Distresses and the help which he had to bear his Necessities with patience was from the Word of God 2 Cor. 6.4 7. Increasing in the knowledge of God will strengthen a man with all might to suffer all sorts of afflictions with all Patience Long-suffering and Joyfulness Col. 1.10 11. Secondly If you be poor and can leave your Children nothing you have the more need to leave them instructed in the Word of God and if you leave them well instructed in the Word you leave them a good portion better then if you left them thousands of pounds in Silver or Gold Psal 119.72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Thirdly By laying up Gods word in your hearts and teaching it your Children and practising it in your Lives and Conversations you may come to be deliver'd from your Poverty and be blessed with Riches Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and who are more likely to obtain this Blessing then they that treasure up Gods word in their hearts and teach it to their Children Job 22.22 24. Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart then shalt thou lay up Gold as dust and the Gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook Prov. 24.4 By knowledge shall the Chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant Riches Fourthly If the Lord should see it best for you and your Children to be kept in a poor and low condition and should deny you the Riches of this world yet by conversing much with the word of God and instructing your Children in the knowledge of the Scriptures both you and your Children may come to be rich in faith and by being rich in faith both you and they shall become great Heirs Heirs of a Kingdom Heirs not of an earthly but which is far better of an heavenly Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 3. Multiplicity of Business is not a sufficient Plea for the neglect of this duty of Family-Instruction For First Next to the working out of our own salvation we can have no Business of greater importance than the training up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God Secondly A good man must order all his affairs with discretion so as one Business may not hinder another especially that which is of lesser moment must not hinder that which is of greater concerment Thirdly When a man hath an heart for this work he will easily find time to do it Want of time may be pretended but want of an heart to the work is the real cause why it is neglected Fourthly No men can have more or greater Business than Kings who have the Affairs of an whole Kingdom lying upon their hands yet David who was a King found time to teach his Children Prov. 4.3 4. yet he had much other Business besides governing the Twelve Tribes of Israel who were a very numerous People as preparing Materials to build the Temple composing of Psalms fighting of Battels there being both Civil Wars and War with forraign Enemies in his days c. Fifthly They that have most Business if they take a view of their time shall find that much of their time is lost and mis-spent either in idleness or vain unprofitable Discourse or unnecessary thoughts and cares about the affairs of this life or in some other kind Do but spend so much time in Family-Instruction as you have been used to spend unprofitably and you shall find time enough for this work 4. Suppose you be full of Employment that you can find no spare time on the week day to instruct your Families yet on every Lords day wherein you are to lay aside all your worldly Business you may find time and leasure enough to instruct your
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
should instruct them how to follow their Calling and how to speak and walk and to order their conversations aright in all things we should shew them the path of Life and guide them therein that they may obtain eternal salvation in the world to come 4. God teacheth his children and servants out of his holy Word Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law The Lord builds up all his houshold in knowledge faith and holiness upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles that is the Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.19 20. Ye are of the Houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone He instructs penitent persons by making known his word to them Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my Reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you David describes Gods teaching his people Israel thus Psal 147.19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel In like manner when we teach our children and servants we should teach them out of the word of God and establish them in the knowledge belief and practice of the Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles 5. The Lord condescends to teach such as are of a froward and perverse disposition The Children of Israel were a perverse generation Deut. 32.5 They are a perverse and crooked generation yet the Lord taught and instructed Israel Vers 10. He found him in a desart Land and in the waste howling Wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye And this he did notwithstanding they were a very froward people as Moses tells us again vers 20. They are a very froward Generation In like manner though our Children or Servants should be of a froward perverse spirit yet we should not forbear instructing them 6. The Lord imprints and fastens in the minds and hearts of his Children and Servants those Instructions which he giveth them hence he is said to seal their instruction Job 33.14 He openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction So should we endeavour to imprint those Instructions which we give our Families upon their minds that they may retain them in their memories as long as they live SECT 7. Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children Quest IT may be some will here demand Is it not the Duty of Mothers as well as of Fathers to teach their Children Answ Although the Scripture doth forbid Women teaching in publick Assemblies 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law 1 Tim. 2.11 12. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence Yet it doth allow them to teach their Children and Servants and though this work doth lie chiefly upon Fathers to teach Gods word unto their Children as appeareth by the special charge that is given to them Ephes 6.4 Isa 38.19 Psal 78.5 yet it is the duty of Mothers also to instruct and watch over their Children and Servants For the proving hereof and the stirring up of Mothers to joyn with and to be helpful to their Husbands in instructing their Children and Servants I shall propose to them these following Considerations 1. It hath been the practice of godly women in former times to instruct their Children in the knowledge of the Scriptures which the holy Ghost hath left upon record as a monument of their praise as long as the world shall continue and as a Pattern to be followed by all women that fear God Solomons mother though she was a Queen did not look upon it as a work beneath her to instruct her Son but taught him a Prophecy containing excellent Lessons concerning Chastity and Temperance defending the Oppressed c. Prov. 31.1 The words of King Lemuel the Prophecy which his mother taught him What this Prophecy was that his mother taught him is set down in the following verses Solomon was instructed by his Father Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son he taught me also yet Solomon's mother did not think her self excused from teaching her Son because his Father instructed him but she joyn'd with her husband and teacheth him a Prophecy Now if those women who haue godly Husbands that instruct their Families must also instruct their Children how much more is it the duty of those women who have careless and negligent Husbands that regard not their Families to be diligent in teaching their Children and Servants Another example we have in Lois and Eunice Lois being converted to the Christian Religion trains up her Daughter Eunice in the faith of Christ Eunice being instructed in the faith of Christ instructs her Son Timothy 2 Tim. 1.9 2. Children are commanded to hearken to and not forsake the instruction which their Mothers as well as which their Fathers give them out of the Law of God Prov. 1.8 My Son hear the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother which implies That Mothers as well as Fathers are to teach Gods Laws to their Children 3. It is mentioned as one of the Vertues of a vertuous woman That she looketh well to the ways of her Houshold Prov. 31.27 and this oversight that she takes of the ways of her Houshhold conduceth so much to the good of her Children that it will cause them to bless God for her as long as they live as the next verse implieth Her Children arise up and call her blessed vers 28. And the Apostle Paul adviseth elder women to be Teachers of good things Tit. 2.3 And he tells them both whom they should teach younger women and what Lessons they should teach younger women vers 4.5 which is to be understood of instilling those Principles into their Children and Maid Servants how they should demean themselves when God shall bring them into a married estate and also of instructing their Neighbours and Acquaintance when they visit them and have occasion to confer with them 4. The Mother as well as the Father doth concur to the conveying of a sinful nature unto their Children Psal 51.5 In sin did my Mother conceive me And therefore Mothers ought by their prayers and tears and instructions and the use of all good means to endeavour after the Conversion and Regeneration of their Children as well as their Fathers 5. Children are very apt to follow their Mothers example in so much that it 's become a Proverb As is the Mother so is the Daughter and the truth of this Proverb is such that God himself alloweth of it Ezek. 16.44 Behold every one that useth Proverbs shall use this Proverb
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
salvation SECT 4. Many Benefits accrue to our Children by Instruction Motive 4 BY training up our Children in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures we shall greatly promote their welfare That this is the way to furnish them with wisdom and what Advantages will come to them by being endued with Wisdom hath been shewed already There are many other great Benefits and Advantages will accrue to our Children by being instructed in the Scriptures I will instance in some of them 1. Acquaintance with the Word of God will furnish them with grounds of Consolation whereby they may be able to bear up chearfully and comfort themselves under all the troubles of this present life We know not what troubles our Children may meet with when we are at Rest in our Graves we leave them in a troublesome world where they must expect to meet with variety of afflictions Job 14.1 Man that is born of a Woman is of few Days and full of trouble especially if they walk in the path that leads to life for there is no getting to Heaven but through much tribulation Act. 14.22 We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And if our Children have not somewhat out of Gods Word to comfort themselves withall under their afflictions they will sink under their sorrows and be in danger to make away themselves Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction But if they be acquainted with the word of God they may from thence be furnished with grounds of Consolation under the greatest troubles that can come upon them in this world Jer. 15.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of mine heart It was a time of great trouble with the Prophet and he was alone and had none to comfort him as we may see Vers 10 17 18. yet even then when he was a man of contention to the whole earth and sat alone being filled with indignation and looked upon his pain as perpetual and his wound as incurable Gods word was the joy and rejoycing of his heart So David when his heart was ready to break with grief Psal 119.28 My Soul melteth for heaviness found joy and comfort in Gods word Vers 49.50 Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in mine affliction And Vers 143 162. Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me yet thy Commandments are my delight I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoyl 2. Acquaintance with the word of God will keep our Children from taking evil and destructive courses from going in those paths that will bring them to destruction Psal 17.4 Concerning the works of men by the words of thy Lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyers The word of God laid up in their hearts will keep them from associating themselves with evil men and evil women It will so over-awe their hearts that they will not only not run of themselves into evil Company but also shun and avoid them though they use many flattering speeches to entice them to that which is evil Prov. 7.15 My Son keep my words and lay up my Commandments with thee That they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words See also Prov. 6.23 24. 3. The knowledge of Godsword will keep them from falling into Errors which persons of weak Judgments and not well grounded in the Scriptures are easily drawn into Errors arise from ignorance of the Scriptures Mark 12.24 Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Growing in knowledge is prescribed by the Apostle as a means to prevent persons being led into errors 2 Pet. 3.17 18. We had need be careful to preserve our Children from Errors especially in Fundamental Points of Religion as well as from gross sins For 1. Except they abide in the Doctrine of Christ they can have no enjoyment of God 2 John 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 2. Heresies are manifest works of the flesh as well as Adultery and Murder and such-like sins and will as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven as the grossest sins as we may see Gal. 5.19 20 21. 4. If we instruct our Children in the knowledge of Gods word that will guide and direct them how to carry on all their undertakings and how to manage the great Turns and Changes of their Lives and all their other affairs Psal 119.105 Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path And the Lord hath promised to such as converse much with his word and treasure it up in their hearts that his word shall lead and guide them in all their ways and they shall have such plain direction from his word how to order their Affairs as if they heard one talking with them and saying this is the way walk therein Prov. 6.21 22 23. Bind them continually upon thine heart When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou wakest it shall talk with thee For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of life Isa 30.21 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left 5. It will help our Children even whilst they are young to reform their lives Psal 119.9 Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word It will keep them from sinning against God Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee It will cause them to do those things which are right in the sight of God 2 Kings 12.2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him Now who is there that feareth the Lord that would not most gladly have his Children reform their lives and be kept from sinning against God and do that which is right in the sight of the Lord 6. By leaving our Children instructed in Gods word we shall leave them better than if we were able to leave them thousands of pounds of Silver and Gold For the Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Psal 119.72 7. Godly Parents may have all that they can desire on the behalf of their Children if they do train them up in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures Do we desire that our Children should be brought to know and fear the Lord This may be effected by causing them to treasure up Gods word in their hearts
their destruction Are they of a sorrowful spirit The word of God will fill them with Joy Psal 19.8 The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart Are they ignorant The word of God will inlighten them Psal 19.8 The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes In a word whatever is needful and profitable either for our selves or for our Children to be acquainted withal it is revealed in the Scriptures Act. 20.20 I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you Neither we nor our Children need the knowledge of any thing more than the whole Counsel of God concerning our Salvation and this is fully revealed in the word of God Act. 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Whatsoever Christ heard of the Father that he taught his Apostles John 15.15 All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you And all things that Christ taught the Apostles they are written in the Scriptures Acts 1.1 2. The former Treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given Commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen And therefore the Scriptures are a perfect Rule of Righteousness containing all things that are necessary for any man to know believe or practise in order to his eternal salvation And as the Scriptures are profitable for instruction in respect of the usefulness and suitableness of the matter contained in them so also in regard of the power that is in them to convince the Judgment and to prevail with the Conscience and to bow and bend the will to a compliance with Gods will For they carry the Authority of God with them and work efficaciously upon the stoutest hearts when God accompanies them with his Spirit Act. 18.28 He mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ The Jews were exceedingly prejudiced against Christ they were so far from believing that Jesus was the Christ that they had crucified him as an Impostor and a Deceiver of the People yet Apollos bringing clear Scripture-proof for what he taught the Jews were hereby mightily convinced that Jesus was the Christ The word of God is of a more piercing nature than a sword and carrieth greater power along with it Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart It astonisheth the minds of men and carries out their Souls to believe in and obey the Lord notwithstanding all Oppositions and Discouragements that lie in the way either of Faith or Obedience Elimas the Sorcerer was full of subtilty and mischief and he opposed all he could the word of God which was dispenced by Paul and Barnabas and sought to turn away Sergius Paulus from the Faith but the Word of God had such power upon the Deputy that notwithstanding all the endeavours of Elimas he became obedient to the Faith Acts 13.12 The Deputy when he saw what was done believed being astonished at the Doctrine of the Lord. Of all the Jews none were more opposite to believing in Christ than the Priests for the Priests plotted and contrived Christs death Matt. 26.3 4. They sent Judas and a multitude of People with him to apprehend Christ vers 47. They suborned false witnesses against him vers 59. They held a Counsel after he was apprehended by what means they should put him to death Matth. 27.1 The Priests accused him with great vehemency before Herod Luk. 23.10 They stirred up the multitude to ask Barrabas when Pilate was willing to have released Jesus Matth. 27.20 It was the cry of the multitude that were stirred up by the Priests and the voices of the Priests that prevailed with Pilate to crucifie Christ Luk. 23.23 After the death of Christ the Priests took greatest offence at the Apostles preaching and were the chief Agents in their imprisonment Acts 4.1 And yet notwithstanding all the opposition that was in the Priests against Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel such was the power of the Word of God that thereby a great number of the Priests were converted to the faith of Christ Act. 6.7 The word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith Besides this consider the excellency and weightiness of the matter contained in the Scriptures They reveal to us the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Gods eternal Counsel concerning our salvation the gracious Covenant God hath made with man They reveal to us Gods Attributes his works of Creation and Providence the great Mystery of our Redemption They shew to us how we may serve glorifie and enjoy God which is mans chiefest happiness They treat of the Torments of Hell and of the unspeakable Joys and Glory of Heaven and shew us how we may avoid the one and get possession of the other In a word they discover to us such excellent things as the eye of man never saw the like neither did ear hear neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the transcendent worth and dignity of them 1 Cor. 2.9 10. They open such Mysteries as the Angels of Heaven desire and delight to look into them 1 Pet. 1.12 Which things the Angels desire to look into And shall we hide such excellent things as these are from our Children We should resolve with full purpose of heart as the godly Jews of old did concerning those glorious things which their Fathers had told them Psal 78.4 We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generations to come the praises of the Lord I might adde further There is nothing revealed in the Scriptures but what is of great and near concernment to us and to our Children and that as long as we and they shall live in this world Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law If those things that are treated of in the Scriptures did not belong to us or to our Children we might have some excuse for not teaching them the word of God But what Apologie can we make for our neglect of this Duty seeing they were revealed purposely for us and our Children to be conversant therein as long as we live They are of such near and great concernment to us as that every mans Judgment for his eternal state shall be given at the last day according to what is in the written word John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the words that I have spoken
thine heart and tie them about thy neck when thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou awakest it shall talk with thee 6. The abiding of Gods word in our hearts and memories will help our perseverance 1 John 2.24 If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Father and in the Son The way to abide in Christ is to let his word abide in us John 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you 7. It will help forward our salvation to keep in memory the word of God 1 Cor. 15.2 By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you It is not only useful to such as are in a state of Grace to treasure up Gods word in their memories but also to the Unconverted for it may be a means of their Conversion and turning unto God Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord Seeing therefore it is so advantagious for all sorts of persons to have Gods Word treasured up in their memories cause both your Servants and Children to commit to and keep in memory what you teach them out of the Scriptures and to that purpose cause them often to reherse those Scriptures wherein they have been instructed The Hebrew word which we translate teach diligently Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children signifieth also to repeat often one and the same thing to inculcate it again and again with much diligence And let not the rehearsing of the same Scriptures by and to the members of your Family be irksome and tedious to you seeing it will prove beneficial to them For what the Apostle faith of writing the same things to the same persons viz. to the Church at Philippi Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe The same I may say of repeating the same things in our Families it should not be grievous to you seeing it is safe for them SECT 6. The necessity of watching over our Families Direct 6 WAtch over your Families and see whether they live according to those Instructions which you give them out of the Word of God Solomon speaking of a vertuous Woman saith of her Prov. 31.27 She looketh well to the ways of her houshold A Governour of a Family must not only instruct his Houshold but look yea look well to the ways of his Houshold that he may see that none of them live in any vice or in the neglect of their duty to God or their Neighbour We read of a man which sowed good seed in his field but while men slept the Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat Matth. 13.24 25. Though we sow the good Seed of the word in our Families yet if we sleep when we have done that is if we be secure and careless and do not watch over them the Enemy will come and endeavour to sow Tares either the Tares of Error or the Tares of Strife and Dissention or some other evils To quicken you to this duty of watching over your Families consider 1. How prone mans nature is unto that which is evil our proneness to sin is so great that they which have had good and wholesome Instructions given to them are very apt to turn aside and go astray if they be left but a little to themselves A remarkable instance of this we have in the Children of Israel who upon Moses his absence by the space only of forty days fell into the sin of Idolatry and made a golden Calf and worshipped the same for the God that brought them out of the Land of Egypt Exod. 32.1 to vers 9. And yet Israel had received many good instructions from Moses yea they had heard God himself speaking to them from Mount Sinai and delivering his Law to them wherein he had expresly charged them not to make to themselves any graven image c. And to beget the greater Reverence of his Law there were such Thundrings and Lightnings and such dreadful fire as that Moses and all the people quaked and trembled with fear And notwithstanding this solemn delivery of the Law of God they quickly fell into this fearful sin of Idolatry Exod. 32.8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them It was not above six weeks as some compute the time after the delivery of the Law that they made this Calf not above six months after they came out of Egypt as Rivet observes This sin of theirs was the more to be wondered at because they had seen the mighty works of God upon the Egyptians whose gods could not deliver them out of the Lords hand they had also seen his wonders at the red Sea besides they bad in a solemn manner promised obedience to all the Commands of God Exod. 24.3 All the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the Lord hath said will we do And yet after all the Instructions and all the Ingagements that lay upon them to obey the Lord they quickly fell into that foul sin of Idolatry 2. Consider what a mighty charge you have to look after It is beyond Silver or Gold or precious Stones you have the Souls of your Families committed to your charge you have such a charge of them as that you must give an account to God for them Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Ruleover you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account SECT 7. The Vsefulness of Reproof and Directions about giving Reproof Direct 7 WHen your Children or Servants do any thing contrary to the Instructions you have given them out of the Word of God Rebuke and Reprove them Reproofs grounded upon the Word of God and wisely administred will be a great furtherance of their Souls salvation as you may see Prov. 6.23 The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of Life The sence of which is this the Law of God gives us Light and Direction how to order our Conversations aright and when persons are instructed out of this Law and reproved when they go astray from it this is the way to save their Souls Although some persons in your Families should be addicted to lying and other hainous sins and have been habituated to them for a long season yet you may hope by instructing and reproving them according to the Rules of Gods Word that you shall reclaim them from their Vices and make them sound and sincere Christians The Cretians were notorious Lyars and so given to sensuality that they seemed more like Beasts than Men slothful persons that minded little else but their Bellies yet the Apostle would not have Titus despair of reforming them and making these Cretians sound and good Christians And what course doth he direct
loving to them Love will draw love from the worst of men Luk. 6.32 Sinners also love those that love them Shew your love to them by speaking kindly to them and by seeking their welfare Hereby Mordecai got the love of the Jews Esth 10.3 Mordecai the Jew was accepted of the multitude of his Brethren seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed Secondly Be kind to them as you see occasion give them some gifts to encourage them to learn those things that are for their good this will win much upon their affections Prov. 19.6 Every man is a friend to him that giveth Gifts Thirdly Give ear to their just Complaints and be willing to redress their grievances Job was ready to hear the cause and complaint of the meanest Servant in his family even when and wherein he himself was concerned Job 31.13 14. If I did despise the cause of my man Servant or of my maid Servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shall I answer him And who was more loved and respected than Job Job 29.8 9 10 11. Absolom by his courteous carriage and kind speeches and by expressing his readiness to redress the grievances of the people stole the hearts of the men of Israel 2 Sam 15.2 3 4 5 6. When the people of Israel came to Rehoboam with a desire to redress their grievances his wise men counselled him to answer their desires for thereby he should engage their affections to him for ever 2 Chron. 10.7 If thou be kind to this people and please them and speak good words unto them they will be thy Servants for ever Fourthly Answer their Requests when they defire those things that are for their good and which may conveniently be granted them As Gods answering our Requests makes us love God Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my Supplications So our answering those Requests which our Children or Servants make to us will engage them to love us Fifthly Cover their failings and infirmities Prov. 17.9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love or as it is in the Margent procureth love By covering a cransgression is not meant that we should forbear reproving them for Reproof prudently administred will not hinder but increase love Prov. 9.8 Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee But by covering a transgrâ—â—son is meant 1. That we should not twit and upbraid them with their faults and be often repeating them as the manner of some is especially when they are in a passion for this is a great hindrance of love and causeth discord between inward Friends as appears by the following words But he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends 2. That we should not divulge or blaze abroad their infirmities but endeavour to conceal them SECT 11. How to ingraft the Word of God in the hearts of our Children and Servants How we may bring them in love with the Word Direct 11 IF you would save the Souls of your Children and Servants by those Instructions which you give them out of the word of God endeavour to ingraft those Truths which you teach them in their hearts for if the Word of God be ingrafted in their hearts it will be a powerful means of saving their Souls Jam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your Souls If you say What shall we do that we may get the word of God ingrafted in their hearts I answer First Acquaint them with Gods Covenant wherein he hath promised to engrave or write his word in their hearts Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And stir them up to plead this Covenant until they find that God according to his promise hath engraven his Law upon their hearts Secondly Cause them to understand those Scriptures which you teach them and to that end when there is any difficulty therein explain them and labour to beget in them a clear and right understanding of the word of God When the understanding is enlightned with the knowledge of Divine Truths there is way made for their entrance into and their abode in the heart Prov. 14.33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding By wisdom we may understand the grace of God Job 28.28 The fear of the Lord that is wisdom Now the grace of God doth not only enter into but resteth and maketh its abode in the heart of him that hath understanding If your Instructions be never so good though they be drawn out of the word of God yet if they be not understood they will not abide in their hearts whom you instruct but will quickly vanish out of their minds Matth. 13.19 When any one heareth the word of the Kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Thirdly Endeavour to fix the word of God in their memories cause them often to rehearse what you have taught them exhort them to meditate and ponder upon those Instructions they have received from you This will be a means of ingrafting the word of God in their hearts As the remembring of our sins is a means of engraving our iniquities upon our hearts Jer. 17.1 2. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon the Table of their Hearts and upon the Horns of their Altars whilst their Children remember their Altars and their Groves So remembring and pondering upon the Word of God will be a means of graving or writing the Word of God upon our hearts Prov. 3.1 3. My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments Bind them about thy Neck write them upon the Table of thine Heart The binding of the Commandments about the Neck is the same with not forgetting the Law mentioned vers 1. This binding of the Law about the Neck was used by the Jews as a Memorial to help them to keep the Commandments of God in remembrance Exod. 13.9 Now Solomon joyning these two together Bind them about thy Neck write them upon the Table of thine Heart implies that the binding of the Commandments about our Neck that is the keeping them in remembrance will be a means to write them upon our Hearts Fourthly Inure them to godly Discourse When they are in your presence speak often to them of the word of God and when they are discoursing one with another exhort them to discourse of what you have taught them out of the word of God Discoursing out of the word will be a means of imprinting the Law of God upon their hearts Psal 37.30 31. The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment And what is the fruit and effect of this good discourse
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
about their conditions As examining our selves is the way to know our own estate 2 Cor. 13.5 So examining of others is the the way to know anothers state but of this more in the next Direction 2. By observing their carriage and conversation we may know their state Prov. 20.11 Even a Child is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right As the Tree so also a man is known by his Fruits Matth. 7.20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them The Apostle Peter by observing Simon Magus his carriage plainly perceived That notwithstanding he made a profession of faith yet he was in an unregenerate condition Acts 8.23 I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity And David by observing the sinful carriage of some men in his days concluded that they were wicked men and that they had no fear of God before their eyes Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no fear of God before his eyes SECT 14. Of communing with our Children Servants about their spiritual state What questions we should put to them Direct 14 THat you may know the state of your Families and carry on the work of Family-Instruction the more successfully It will be good to take some time to discourse with them apart about their spiritual state and to examine them in such points as are of greatest concernment to their Souls And when you are communing with and examining them it will not be amiss to put such kind of questions to them as our Lord Jesus Christ did now and then put to his Disciples and others that were instructed by him As for instance 1. Try whether they understand those things which you have taught them Thus Christ examines his Disciples Matth. 13.51 Jesus saith unto them Have ye understood all these things See what apprehensions they have of Jesus Christ of his Person his Offices his Design in coming into the world Matth. 16.15 Whom say ye that I am Matth. 18.11 12. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost How think ye 2. Examine them about their Faith John 16.31 Do ye now believe Luke 8.25 He said unto them Where is your Faith 3. Enquire whether they do believe and apply the Promises John 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die believest thou this And whether they believe that Christ is able and willing to help them in all their straights Matth. 9.28 Jesus saith unto them Believe ye that I am able to do this 4. Enquire whether they are convinced of their impotent condition that they are unable of themselves to do or speak any thing that is good Matth. 12.34 How can ye being evil speak good things 5. Commune with them about their love to Christ whether they love Jesus Christ above all things and persons in the world John 21.15 Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these 6. Ask them about their ability and willingness to suffer for Christ as Whether they are willing to take up his Cross whether they could lay down their lives and suffer the loss of all they have for Christ Mark 10.38 Jesus said unto them Can ye drink of the Cup that I drink of and be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with 7. Enquire what frame of heart they have whether they have hard or soft earthly or spiritual ignorant or understanding hearts Mark 8.17 Perceive ye not yet neither understand Have ye your hearts yet hardened 8. Ask them what ground they have to hope that God will deliver them from eternal Damnation Matth. 23.33 How can ye escape the Damnation of Hell 9. Enquire how they spend their time when they are alone and what manner of discourse they have when they are with others whether it be savoury profitable and such as makes for Gods glory Luke 24.17 He said What manner of Communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad 10. Enquire if they read the Scriptures and how and in what manner they read the Word of God whether they do it with an attentive mind with a desire to profit by it c. Luk. 10.26 He said unto him What is written in the Law How readest thou 11. Examine what they aim at in going to hear the Word of God as Christ did those that followed John the Baptist into the Wilderness Matth. 11.7 What went ye out into the Wilderness to see 12. Try whether they are able to resolve the objections that may be brought against the main Articles of their Faith Thus our Lord Jesus tried his Followers with a difficult question How Christ could be the Son of David when as David called him Lord Mark 12.35 36 37. David himself calleth him Lord whence is he then his Son 13. If any of them are of a doubting troubled spirit perplexed with fears enquire into the Grounds and Causes of their Fears and Doubts and whatever other troubles are upon their minds Luke 24.38 He said unto them why are you troubled 14. Ask them Wherein they excel others that want a Principle of Grace What they do more than a natural man a man that hath nothing more than a Form of Godliness Matth. 5.47 What do you more than others These and what other questions you shall judge meet you may put to them when you are discoursing with them As Whether they pray How and in what manner they pray Whether they have any answer of their prayers What temptations they meet with Whether they are prepared for Death Whether they enjoy communion with God in his Ordinances Whether they find Sin decaying and Grace increasing c. And when you put any questions to them cause them to return an answer as Christ when he was reasoning with the Jews called upon them to answer the question that he put to them Mar. 11.29 Jesus said unto them I will ask you one question and answer me This communing with our Families about their spiritual estate is seasonable at all times but more especially when any of them are in affliction and when they are under some eminent workings and stirrings of the Spirit of God or when they are assaulted with temptations or when they are to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper SECT 15. How to instil Grace into the Vnconverted What Counsel to give to such as profit by our Instructions How to deal with such as do not profit by our Instructions How with such as rest in a Form of Godliness How with such as are in a declining condition Direct 15 ACcording to the state and condition that you find your Family to be in apply your instruction suitable to the case of the several Members thereof As for instance First If you find any of your Children or Servants to be in an unconverted condition endeavour as far as in you lieth to
labour to grow in grace our selves and to be of savoury spirits to express the beauty of holiness in our Conversations if we would have our Families grow in grace For before God promiseth that such as dwell under Israel's shadow should grow as the Vine he promiseth vers 5 6. to be as the dew unto Israel whereby he should grow as the Lily and that his smell should be as Lebanon and his beauty as the Olive-Tree SECT 21. A godly Life and good Example maketh Family-Instruction powerful and successful Direct 21 IF you would carry on the work of Family Instruction successfully walk examplarily in your Families Be Patterns and Examples to them in Faith in Holiness in Meekness in Charity in good Discourse in Self-denial in Patience in Heavenly-mindedness and in every other good work that your Families may know how to walk so as to please and glorifie God by seeing and observing how you carry your selves in all things They that teach others should labour to carry themselves exemplarily in all things towards those whom they instruct 1 Tim. 4.12 Be thou an example of the Believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a Pattern of good works Instruction from a good man is embraced more readily and worketh more powerfully than that which comes from one that walketh contrary to what he teacheth Barnabas being a good man was instrumental by his exhortations to convert many to the Lord Acts 11.23 24. He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord for he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of Faith and much People was added to the Lord. When Levi who taught the people walked with God he turned many from iniquity Mal. 2.6 The Law of Truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips He walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity A good conversation is such a powerful means to convert Souls that some who are not wrought upon by the Word are won to Christ by a good conversation 1 Pet. 3.1 Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the Wives When Governours of Families return to God and walk with God the Lord hath promised that their families shall be reformed also and put away iniquity Job 22.23 If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy Tabernacles This latter clause implies two things 1. That it is our duty when we return to God to endeavour to reform our Families 2. That when we do return to God and endeavour to reform our Families God will so bless our endeavours that iniquity shall be put far from our Tabernacles And accordingly we find that when the Master of the Family feareth God and doth according to his duty labour to bring his Family to fear and serve the Lord the Lord hath blessed the whole Family with the fear of his Name as we may see in Cornelius who fearing God and being a devout man all his house feared God also Acts 10.1 2. And when Crispus the chief Ruler believed all his house believed also in the Lord Acts 18.8 Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed on the Lord with all his House SECT 22. Family-Instruction must be continued as long as we live Direct 22 COntinue constant and diligent in this work of Family-Instruction as long as you live notwithstanding all the discouragements that you meet with therein The Lord doth not only require of us that we should teach our Children his holy Word but he commands us also to continue so doing as long as we live Deut. 4.9 Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons So also vers 10. Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their Children To move you to constancy herein consider 1. That continuance in this work will be a means to promote your own and your Families salvation 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee Isa 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved That is by continuing to work Righteousness and to walk in Gods ways spoken of in the fore-going words we shall be saved It is not enough to do well but we must continue with patience in well doing under all our discouragements if we would have eternal life Rom. 2.6 7. Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal Life 2. Consider how earnestly God calls upon you not to be discouraged in the doing of any good work but to be stedfast and unmovable and to abound always in the work of the Lord Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not 1 Cor. 15.58 My beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 3. Consider how the Lord commends constancy in that which is good Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing And what a great sin it is to neglect doing good works Jam. 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin To leave off doing good works is the way to run into all evil Psal 36.3 4. He hath left off to be wise and to do good he deviseth mischief upon his Bed he setteth himself in a way that is not good To leave off doing good works will provoke God to send some heavy Judgment upon us Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the Enemy shall pursue him CHAP. IIII. Objections against instructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures according to the fore-mentioned Directions answered I Shall in the next place answer the most material Objections that are or may be made against Parents or Masters of Families instructing their Children and Servants in the knowledge of the Scriptures In doing whereof I shall remove the principal Discouragements that may keep any person either from entring upon or continuing constant in this work of Family-Iustruction SECT 1. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because they say they are not able to instruct their Families answered Object 1 I Would instruct my Family in the knowledge of the
1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein 3. It is a sign they have little or no love to or esteem of the word of God who do not learn and teach their Children to read it 4. The want of ability to read is usually accompanied with very gross ignorance of God and the mysteries of salvation Thirdly If you cannot read be swift to hear Gods word and get your Neighbours to read to you and labour to retain in your memories what you have heard others read and teach that to your Families which God helps you to carry away in your memories SECT 3. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because they have disordered Families answered Object 3 Mr Family is not well inclined my Chil-Children and Servants are rude loose and disorderly If I had a Family as well ordered as some of my Neighbours I should be very willing to teach and instruct them It is the want of good inclinations and good order in my Family that keeps me from setting on this work Answ 1. If your Families are not well inclined but loose and disorderly they have the more need of instruction 1 Thes 5.14 Now we exhort you Brethren warn those that are unruly Though they have no inclinations to that which is good but walk disorderly yet you should not think much to bestow your pains to instruct them Did not Christ take great pains for us in coming from Heaven to seek and save our Souls when we had nothing of good in us but were in a sinful lost perishing condition The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Luke 19.10 2. Instruction will be a means to breed good inclinations in your Children and Servants and to convert them from their sinful courses unto the Lord if they be such as live in the transgression of the Commandments of God Psal 51.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy Ways and Sinners shall be converted unto thee 3. If your Families be disordered and given to any Vice and you do not labour to reform them by instructing reproving and praying for them God will punish both you and your Families for ever them for their sins you for not restraining them 1 Sam. 3.13 I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not SECT 4. The plea of such as have dull Children or Servants answered How to deal with dull Persons and such as have weak Memories Object 4 Mr Children and Servants are so dull and have such weak Memories that I cannot make them understand or remember any thing and this discourageth me from instructing them Answ 1. Dulness of Understanding and weakness of Memory oft-times proceed from the neglect and disuse of those Faculties good Tools will grow rusty and unfit for service if they be not used It was the field of the slothful which Solomon saw all grown over with Thorns and covered with Nettles Prov. 24.30 31. Though a person may have good parts yet if from his youth he neglect to bend his mind to understand the things of God and to get the word of God into his memory he will find his understanding dull in apprehending and his memo-weak in retaining Divine Objects 2. Though your Children and Servants seem to be very dull and simple yet by instructing them out of the word of God they may become very wise and prudent persons 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 Solomon speaking of the word of God saith It will give subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 1.4 Though your children be so raw dull and ignorant that they know nothing at all of the things of God yet by instructing them out of the word of God you may bring them to know and fear the Lord Deut. 31.11 13. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing that their Children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God 3. If your Children and Servants be dull of apprehension and have weak memories this should not cause you to desist from instructing them but you should rather take the more pains with them Eccles 10.10 If the iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge then must he put to the more strength but wisdom is profitable to direct The duller any persons are the more need they have of being taught Heb. 5.11 12. Ye are dull of hearing ye have need that one teach you Though we are guilty of much folly and ignorance and dulness the Lord our God doth not cease from teaching and instructing us but guides and directs us continually Psal 73.22 23 24. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee nevertheless I am continually with thee thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel If God who is our Master doth not leave off instructing us because of our simplicity and dulness shall we think much to teach our Servants because of their ignorance and dulness 4. If your Children and Servants be dull and have weak memories you must suit your instructions to their capacities and seeing as Solomon observeth that when a man hath to do with blunt tools Wisdom is profitable to direct wisely consider by what ways and means you may so carry on this work of Instruction as may make most for their edification in regard of the dulness of their understandings and weakness of their memories And to this purpose I shall suggest to you these following directions 1. Let the Scriptures which you teach them be plain and easie There are some things in the Scriptures which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 And there be other things that are plain and easie Now they that are to deal with dull persons must wave those things that are hard to be understood Heb. 5.11 and must teach them such things as are plain and easie otherwise they will profit little or nothing by the instructions which you give them 1 Cor. 14.9 Except ye utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air And therefore if there be any obscurity either in the matter or in the words and phrases of those Scriptures which you teach them explain the sense and meaning thereof as the Levites did when they read the Law to the people Neh. 8.7 8. 2. Let the Scriptures which you teach them be short and such as may be easily remembred as well as easily understood Let them also be comprehensive such as comprehend much matter in few words As for instance Solomon comprehends the whole duty of man in few words when he saith Eccles 12.13
Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man Our Saviour Jesus Christ sums up all that is delivered by Moses in the Law and by the Prophets in reference to our Duty to our Neighbour in a short sentence Matth. 7.12 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets The Apostle Paul comprehends all the Commandments that are scattered up and down the word of God concerning our duty towards our Neighbour in one short saying Rom. 13.9 If there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self The Apostles resolved that grand question what a man should do to be saved in few words Acts 16.30 31. Sirs What must I do to be saved And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House Persons of the weakest memories may retain such short Scriptures as these are and by retaining such comprehensive Scriptures they may know and remember much of their duty although they remember but few words 3. If your Children and Servants be dull inculcate the same things over and over to them that they may be the more imprinted in their minds and be more deeply rooted in their memories The Apostle speaking of such as were dull Heb. 5.11 saith vers 12. Ye have need one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God Teaching of Truths once or twice is not enough for such as are dull they must be taught the same things again and again Isa 28.10 Precept must be upon Precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little 4. Direct them to and put them upon the practice of those things that will help the infirmities of their Understandings and Memories As for instance First Stir them up to pray to God to give them his holy Spirit The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and will make a man of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 3. It is his work to lead us into all truth John 16.13 And to help the infirmities of our memories by bringing Gods Word to our remembrance John 14.26 Secondly Stir them up to repent of their sins It is sin which darkens our minds and keeps us from the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 7. Silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such persons as do not leave their sins will abide in ignorance although they be Hearers and Learners of Gods word as long as they live But as for such as repent of their sins and turn to God though they be simple persons yea such as have loved simplicity and hated knowledge the Lord promiseth to make known his word to them Prov. 1.22 23. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Thirdly Advise them to exercise their minds in studying and searching into the Scriptures and to exercise their memories by committing some portion of Gods word to their memories every day Hereby such as have weak memories and could remember little or nothing at the first will find their Memories improved wonderfully and not only their Memories but their Understandings also Use and Exercise of the Faculties of the Soul tend much to their improvement which the Scripture as well as daily Experience doth testifie Heb. 5.14 Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil SECT 5. The Plea of such as neglect Family-Instruction because their Children or Servants are hard-hearted and rebellious answered Object 5 Mr Children and Servants are so hard-hearted that nothing that I say unto them takes any impression upon their hearts yea they are stubborn and rebellious opposite and ready to contradict and gainsay those things which I teach them out of the word of God And to what end should I trouble my self to teach hard-hearted rebellious gainsaying persons Answ 1. Consider whether God be not calling your sin to remembrance in suffering your Children to be stubborn and refractory in their carriage towards you As for instance Did not you in your your younger days carry your selves in a disobedient stubborn manner towards your Parents Or have you not been stubborn and disobedient in your carriage towards God your heavenly Father Or did you not neglect instructing your Children and too much indulge them in their own wills and ways whilst they were young Or have you not some other way provoked God by your sins to afflict you with stubborn and disobedient Children If so then humble your Souls before God for your sins and thereby you may prevail with God to remove this punishment from you and to bow and bend your Childrens hearts so as they shall come and humble themselves before you and submit to those instructions which you shall give them out of the word of God We know God can work wonderful changes in the hearts of men he can make those that have been an affliction to us to come and humble themselves before us Isa 60.14 The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet And what more likely way is there to bring this about then for us to bow down and submit our selves to God 2. The Lord vouchsafes to teach hard-hearted rebellious gainsaying persons Neh. 9.16 17.20 They and our Fathers dealt proudly and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy Commandments and refused to obey neither were mindful of the Wonders thou didst among them but hardened their necks and in their rebellion appointed a Captain to return to their Bondage We see here what a rebellious people the Israelites were but did this cause God to give over instructing them No for it is said vers 20. Thou gavest thy good spirit to instruct them And the like we may see Isa 65.2 3. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good after their own thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger centinually to my face So also Rom. 10.21 To Israel he saith All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people Stretching out of the hands was used by those that taught and instructed the people Prov. 1.24 Acts 26.1 So that where the Lord saith I have stretched forth my hands to a gainsaying and rebellious people the meaning is that he instructed them and invited them to repentance Now if the Lord condescendeth to teach a rebellious gainsaying people shall we think much to teach
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
a thousand times more value than many Sparrows And seeing it is God hath done it how grievous and bitter soever it be unto your Souls you must bear it with patience Psal 39.9 10. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it And this was no small stroke under which David was dumb because the Lord gave him the blow but it was so great as that he was even consumed with it as the next words shew Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand By his being consumed we may understand the greatness of his grief as Psal 31.9 Mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly yet under this great stroke which consumed his Soul and his Body with grief he was dumb and opened not his mouth because God did it Whatsoever cometh from the hands of God must be born with silence and submission to his will although it be so sharp and bitter as that it will make us go mourning as long as vve live Isa 38.15 What shall I say He hath spoken unto me and himself hath done it I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my Soul And as vve must be patient under all our griefs so we must contentedly bear vvhatever grievous things befal our children Jer. 10.19 20. Wo is me for my hurt my wound is grievous but I said Truly this is a grief and I must bear it My Children are gone forth of me and are not II. God is righteous in vvhat he hath done to your Children although he hath cast them into eternal torments If you think it not consistent with Righteousness and Equity to punish the sins of a few years vvith endless and eternal torments consider 1. That the Scriptures assure us that the Lord is righteous in all his vvays Psal 145.18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works And if the Lord be righteous in all his ways then also in this vvay of his Providence vvhen he condemneth vvicked men to eternal torments for the sins they committed in that short space of time they lived in the vvorld Yea more particularly vve find the Scriptures ascribing Righteousness to God in this very case vvhen he punisheth ungodly persons vvith everlasting torments 2 Thes 1.6 9. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2. The Angels are more glorious Creatures than the Souls of Men yet vvhen they sinned against God the Lord did not spare them but for their first sin cast them down into hell 2 Pet. 1.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Judgment And that they shall be punished in Hell vvith everlasting torments is evident from Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And this he did vvithout affording them any means of their recovery from their sin and misery vvhich vvas granted to fallen man Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham Now seeing God cast those glorious Creatures the Angels into eternal torments for their first transgression and did not spare them one day or afford them any means of recovery after their fall shall vve think that God deals hardly vvith the Sons of men in condemning them to eternal torments vvhenas he afforded them means of grace and salvation and gave them a long time and space for their Repentance vvaiting day after day and year after year for their returning to him Is not this far greater mercy and less severity then vvas shewn to the fallen Angels 3. Sin is committed against an eternal God against an infinitely holy great and glorious GOD and therefore deserveth an infinite and eternal punishment We do not understand or at least vve do not consider what an odious thing Sin is and what a great God the Lord is and vvhat an infinite distance there is between the great and holy God and a poor sinful man vvhen vve think that the Lord deals hardly vvith sinners in punishing their sins vvith eternal torments What an hainous crime is it for man who is but a poor vvorm made of dust and ashes to affront despise and rebel against the great GOD of Heaven and Earth vvho gave him his Being and loadeth him vvith his Benefits every day To tread the Laws of God under his feet and to cast his vvord behind his back to slight all his Promises and Threatnings to contemn all his offers of Grace and Mercy and though he wait with much patience and long-suffering many days and years for his Repentance to refuse to return and obey the Voice of his Creator Doth not such a despising of the Eternal Immortal Ever-Blessed God deserve to be punished with eternal Torments 4. It is accounted no injustice among men to inflict a punishment of long continuance for a crime that was committed in a very short time If Murder Adultery Treason or some other capital Offence which was committed in the space of a few minutes be punished with perpetual imprisonment or perpetual banishment no man counts it injustice or thinks the Offender is hardly dealt with because he is so long punish'd for an offence committed in so short a time Why then should any man think that the Righteous God dealeth hardly or unjustly in punishing sinners with perpetual torments for the sins they committed those few years they lived in the world 5. It was their own choice to embrace eternal death God set before them Life and Death He told them if they did evil they should die eternally but if they would repent and do that which is good in his sight they should have everlasting life and he called upon them earnestly to chuse Life rather than Death Deut. 30.15 19. See I have set before you this day life and good death and evil Therefore chuse life He offered them Life in his Son and they would not go unto him for it John 5.40 And ye will not come to Me that ye might have life He protested solemnly to them that he was loth they should die and therefore pleaded with them Why will ye die Ezek. 33.11 Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O House of Israel And therefore they must blame themselves not the Lord for their being cast into eternal Torments 6. Had they been permitted to have lived for ever upon the face of the Earth they would have sinned for ever The heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil
instruct them than you do of aggravating their condemnation in case you should instruct them when as you do not know whether they will make a good use of their Light You hazard your own condemnation by neglecting your duty and your Childrens by nursing them up in ignorance but by instructing them you may promote both your own and their salvation 1 Tim 4.16 The same argument that the Apostle useth to perswade Wives to dwell with their Husbands and Husbands to dwell with their Wives 1 Cor. 7.16 For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband Or how knowest thou O man but thou shalt save thy Wife The like may I use with Parents to instruct their Children notwithstanding all their fears of aggravating their condemnation What knowest thou whether thou shalt save thy Children III. Whereas Satan would beat you off from instructing your Children by putting you in sear that you shall thereby aggravate their condemnation this is but a vain suggestion to hinder you in your duty for you can't take a more effectual course to prevent your Childrens condemnation and to promote their salvation than to instruct them in the knowledge of the Scriptures for Knowledge is a means to breed Faith Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee and true Repentance Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me for they shall return unto me with their whole heart and to obtain Remission of sins Isa 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many Knowledge also is a means of obtaining eternal life John 17.3 And this is eternal life that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent SECT 20. Family-Instruction will prevent not spread Errours How such as teach others may be kept from perverting or corrupting the Word of God Object 20 THis will be the way to spread and multiply Errors for illiterate men to take upon them to instruct their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Answ I. It doth highly concern all Misters of Families as well as Ministers of the Word to be very careful that they do not teach any false and erronious Doctrine unto those whom God hath committed to their charge This would bring down a curse instead of a blessing yea though they should seem like Angels yet would they be accursed if they perverted the Gospel of Christ Gal. 7 8. There be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ but though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you let him be accursed The Apostle was so desirous to prevent the spreading of false Doctrine that he earnestly besought Timothy to stay on purpose at Ephesus to charge in a solemn manner those that he saw inclinable to Errours to teach no other Doctrine but what was agreeable to the Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine so do Such as teach lies instead of truth are accounted by God the bafest and vilest of men and therefore are compared not to the Head but the Tail Isa 9.14 15. Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel Head and Tail Branch and Rush in one day The Ancient and Honourable he is the Head and the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the Tail When they that are Leaders of others do cause them to erre instead of promoting their salvation they will be the cause of their destruction Isa 9.16 For the Leaders of this People cause them to erre and they that are led of them are destroyed If you ask What shall we do that we may be kept from corrupting and perverting the word of God when we instruct our Families I answer 1. Pray to God with humble and lowly hearts to give you his holy spirit God hath promised his holy spirit to them that ask it Luc. 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him And when God hath given you his holy Spirit he will make and keep your minds sound in the Faith He is stiled The Spirit of Power and of Love and of a Sound Mind 2 Tim. 1.7 2. See that your hearts be right and sincere with God and that you walk before God in truth and uprightness do all your works and speak all your words as in the sight of God and then he will guide you by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth and keep you from corrupting his holy word 2 Cor. 2.17 For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 3. Purifie your hearts and minds from all corrupt Lusts VVhen a man hath a corrupt mind he will be apt to put corrupt glosses upon the vvord of God VVhen he can't bring up his VVill to Gods he will be ready to interpret Gods Mind according to his own VVill. The Apostle conjoyns these two Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth 1 Tim. 6.5 Now if you would purifie your minds 1. Have faith in Christ Acts 15.19 And put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith 2. Obey those Truths vvhich God hath revealed to you 1 Pet. 1.22 Ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth 4. Take heed of departing from the simplicity of the Gospel under the notion of seeking after more sublime spiritual and mysterious Truths The Apostle vvas jealous lest the Corinthians should be corrupted this vvay 2 Cor. 11.3 But I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 5. Keep to the Analogy of Faith Rom. 12.6 Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us whether Prophecy let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith By prophesying here most understand not the gift of fore-telling things to come but the Gift of interpreting and explaining the Scriptures as the word is used 1 Cor. 14.3 He that prophesieth speaketh unto men unto edification and exhortation and comfort Now the Apostle adviseth that this prophesying be according to the proportion or analogy of Faith by prophesying according to the analogy of Faith we may understand that no Scripture should be so expounded as to contradict any Article of our Faith or Precepts of an holy godly life 6. Be sober-minded and do not exercise your selves in those things which are too high for you Psal 131.1 Understand well your selves what you undertake to teach your Families The Apostle gives this character of some in his time desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 When we teach our Families
those things which we understand and fully believe upon the evidence and demonstration of the Word and Spirit of God and also those things which we know experimentally to be true we need not fear leading them into errors See more Directions for getting a right understanding of the Scriptures and preventing our wresting of them in the Answer to Object 12. Chap. iv Sect. 12. pag. 243 244 245. II. This work of instructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures wisely managed will be so far from increasing errors that it will be a great means of preventing their falling into error and will establish them in the truth that they shall not be shaken and carried to and fro with every wind of Doctrine The Lord Jesus as hath been already hinted tells us That the errors of the Saduces did arise from their ignorance of the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And the same passage is recorded by another Evangelist Mark 12.24 Jesus answering said unto them Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God SECT 21. There is more work lieth upon Parents than to teach or hear their Children read the Scriptures Object 21 WE do teach our Children to read the Scriptures and we do read the Word of God every day in our Families and do call upon our Children to read the Word of God both alone by themselves and sometimes to us in our hearing and is not this enough What would you have us do more Answ All this is very good yet it is needful that you should do somewhat more than this if you desire to train them up in the Knowledge and Obedience of the Scriptures As I. Chuse out for them such plain Texts of Scripture as do prove and confirm the Articles of our Faith and such Precepts as may guide and direct them to lead an holy life and such Promises as may encourage them to trust in God for all good things and support them under all sorts of troubles and such Threatnings as may deter them from those sins they are inclined to or are in danger to be drawn to when they shall be removed from under your Charge Chuse out also for them such Scriptures as may shew them their sinful and miserable condition by nature their need of Jesus Christ and of the regenerating Grace of God the excellency necessity and advantage of a holy Life c. If you set a whole Loaf or a whole Dish of Meat before a Child that is not able to carve for himself he receives no benefit thereby but if you cut out for him and lay before him what you judge to be convenient for him he feeds on it and is nourished So it is here if you chuse out some particular portions of Scripture such as you shall judge most suitable and fit to instruct your Children either in matters of Faith or Practice This will tend more to their edification than Reading of whole Chapters to them without making application of any particular passages therein after you have read to them or they have read a Chapter in your hearing The Apostle speaks of it as a great commendation in a Minister as that which doth approve him both to God and men to divide the Word of Truth aright 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth Grotius gives this interpretation of the Greek word Evangelium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui cuique accomodat ea monita quae ei maxime conveniunt He divides the Word of Truth aright that applies to every one those Instructions which are most suitable to him and convenient for him And as this is the commendation of a Minister so also of the Master of a Family to apply such portions of Scripture to all the Members of his Family as are suitable and proper for every one of them Our Lord Jesus accounts it both wisdom and faithfulness in a Steward 1. To give out portions of meat to every one in the House 2. To give every one Their portion that is that which is allowed them by their Master that which belongs to them that which is suitable and convenient for them 3. To do this in due season Luc. 12.42 And the Lord said Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of Meat in due season II. Open the sense and meaning of those portions of Scripture which you make choice of for their instruction Thus our Lord Jesus instructed his Disciples he did not only quote Scriptures out of Moses and the Prophets to prove that he was the Messias that he must suffer before he entred into glory c. But he expounded the sense and meaning of those Scriptures Luc. 24.27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And this opening of the Scriptures which he produced did much affect their hearts vers 32. Did not our hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures The Eunuch who was a man of great Authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians and had the charge of all her treasure and if he had not been a wise man it is probable he would not have been placed in so great authority who was also a devout man and came as far as Jerusalem to worship God acknowledged that he could not understand the Scriptures without being guided into the sense and meaning of what he read when he was reading in the Prophet Esaias and Philip said unto him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest He said unto him How can I except some man should guide me Acts 8.27 30 31. If such a great man such a devout man as this Eunuch was needed one to guide him into the understanding of the Scriptures what need have our Children and Servants of having those Scriptures wherein they are instructed opened and explained to them III. Endeavour to fix those things in their memories which you teach them by causing them often to rehearse those portions of Scripture wherein they have been instructed The Apostle Peter endeavoured that they whom he instructed might keep what he had taught them always in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in your remembrance So should you labour to imprint those things in their memories which you teach your Children that after you are dead and can instruct them no more they may remember what you have taught while you lived with them IV. Apply the Word of God to them when you read the Scriptures in your Families as the Prophet Malachy did his Message that he delivered to the Priests Mal. 2.1 2. And now O ye Priests this