thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things that thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thine heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me 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 hall live upon the earth and that they may teach their Children 5. It will be a great support and satisfaction to Governours of Families in a dying hour if their Consciences bear them witness that they have been careful to train up those whom the Lord hath committed to their charge in the knowledge of his word It was a comfort to Hezekiah when he had received the Sentence of Death that he had done that which was good in the sight of the Lord Isa 38.3 Now this is a good thing in the sight of God to bring men to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.3 4. When the Lord Jesus was departing out of this world he mentions twice his giving Gods word to the men that were given to him John 17 8 14. Possibly for this reason to teach us that it will be a great comfort in a dying hour to all such as have had any persons committed to their charge to be able to appeal to God that they have taught and instructed them in the knowledge of his holy word When the Apostle Paul took his leave of the Church of Ephesus and knew he should see their faces no more though he knew that after his departing grievous Wolves would enter in among them not sparing the Flock and also that among themselves some would arise speaking perverse things yet having before been diligent in teaching them the good word of God he doth with a great deal of satisfaction of mind commend them to God and to his word knowing that Gods word was able to build them up under all oppositions and discouragements whatever Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified In like manner when Parents have taught their Children the word of God although they fore-see that after their death their Children are likely to fall into many temptations by reason of seducing spirits or other evils yet they may with much comfort commend them to God and to the word of his grace wherein they have been instructed 6. Such Parents as are careful to instruct their Families and to train them up in the knowledge and fear of God shall not only be blessed themselves but they shall be great blessing unto others Gen. 18.18 19. Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him And why The Reason is rendred in the following words For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him SECT 6. The Evils that arise from the neglect of Family-Instruction Mo ∣ tive 6 COnsider what a great evil it is for Governours of Families to neglect instructing their Families in the knowledge of Gods holy Word 1. They do shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against their Children and Servants For such as do take away the Key of Knowledge do shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against those persons from whom they do take away the Key of Knowledge as is evident by comparing Mat. 23.13 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in with Luk. 11.52 Wo unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the Key of Knowledge ye entred not in your selves and them that were entring in ye hindred What a woful crime is this for a man to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against his Family 2. Such Parents as neglect to instruct their children are more cruel than the Sea-monsters Lam. 4.3 Even the Sea-monsters draw out the brest to their young ones The daughter of my People is become cruel as the Ostrich in the Wilderness Instruction is as necessary for the Soul as the brest or other food is for the Body Yea they are worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel The providing those things which concern the Souls of our Houshold is as necessary and the neglect thereof as dangerous as the providing for their Bodies Yea they are more unnatural than the damned in Hell for they are desirous that their Relations should be instructed and that means should be used to prevent their eternal damnation Luk. 16.23 27 28. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham after off and Lazarus in his bosom Then he said I pray thee therefore that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers house for I have five brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment 3. God accounts those Parents haters of their Children that neglect to instruct and correct them Prov. 13.24 He that spareth the Rod hateth his Son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Such as do not endeavour to prevent sin in their neighbours do hate them in their hearts whatever shew of love they make in their words Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him If they hate their Neighbours that suffer sin upon them do not they hate their Children that suffer them to live in ignorance of God which is a Soul-damning sin 4. Children and Servants prove great crosses when they are not trained up in the knowledge and fear of God And this comes to pass both by the just Judgment of God who punisheth Parents and Masters neglect of Family-Instruction with the disobedient undutiful carriage of their Children and Servants and also from the power of original corruption which when it is not restrained by good education breaks forth with great violence and causeth persons to be of a perverse and stubborn spirit Eli neglecting Family-Government was punished in his Children by their proving exceeding great crosses to him 1 Sam. 2.33 The man of thine whom I shall not cut off from mine Altar shall be to consume thine eyes and to grieve thine heart And as God dealt with Eli so he ordinarily deals with those Parents that neglect to train up their Children in the knowledge and fear of his Name he suffers them to prove a reproach and
instrumental to their Regeneration Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of Truth and the rendring of them fruitful in good works Col. 1.6 Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day that ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth And be a means of saving their Souls for it is by the knowledge and belief of the Truth that we are brought to salvation 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth It is said Prov. 14.25 A true witness delivereth Souls By a true Witness we may understand one that instructeth those that are under his Charge in the knowledge of the Truth The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Witness is sometimes used as Kircher observes pro predicatore for a Teacher and we find the word Witness used in this signification Act. 26.16 To make thee a Minister and a Witness And then the words may have this sence That teaching and instructing persons in the knowledge of the Truth is a means to deliver their Souls from eternal destruction III. Teach them Soul-saving Truths By Soul-saving Truths I mean such Truths as will be a certain and infallible means of saving your Children and Servants Souls if they be rightly understood firmly believed and sincerely practised If you ask What are those Truths which will be a means of saving our Children and Servants Souls if we teach them to our Families I answer Such as these 1. Teach them to know GOD and his Son JESUS CHRIST by so doing you shall guide them into the path of Life For John 17.3 This is life eternal That they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. Teach them their lost and miserable condition by Nature their need of and their misery without Jesus Christ and the way and means by which they may come to be partakers of Christ For if you can draw them to Christ they shall not miss of eternal Life 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life 3. Explain to them the Covenant of Grace what great Mercies and Blessings are contained in the Covenant that their Souls may long to be brought under the Bond of the Covenant shew them also how and by what means they may get into Covenant with God for if you can bring them to lay hold upon the Covenant of Grace you shall make them Partakers of Salvation for eternal Life and Salvation is promised to such as are in Covenant with God 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant and this is all my Salvation 4. Shew them the nature necessity and excellency of faith in Christ and labour to bring them to believe in Jesus Christ If they be brought to believe in Christ they shall certainly have everlasting Life John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting Life 5. Teach them the nature and necessity of Repentance and press home upon them such Scriptures as may stir them up to the practice and exercise of Repentance if you can by any means bring them to a true and unfeigned Repentance you shall thereby save their Souls Ezek. 33.14 16. Again when I say to the Wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live 6. Teach them to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ for he will save all those that obey him Heb. 5.9 He became the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him 7. Teach them to love God with all their Hearts and Souls and to love Him above all Persons and Things that are in the world Eternal Life is promised to such as love God Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 8. Teach them to fear and reverence the Lord and that you may breed the fear of the Lord in their Souls acquaint them with the Power Holiness Goodness Justice Omniscience and Omnipresence of God and his other glorious Attributes for the fear of the Lord ariseth from and is produced by the knowledge of God Job 37.23 24. Prov. 2.5 and put them in mind of Gods Covenant wherein the Lord hath promised to put his fear into our hearts Jer. 32.40 If you can bring your Families to fear the Lord you shall save their Souls Prov. 19.23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life Psal 145.19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their Cry and will save them 9. Teach them to hope in God for all those good things which are promised in the Covenant of Grace and to keep up their hope in God under all their troubles and temptations by hoping in God they shall obtain the salvation of their Souls Rom. 8.24 We are saved by hope 10. Teach them the nature of Prayer to whom they must pray and for what and how they must pray if they would find acceptance with God The Lord Jesus taught his Disciples how to pray and John the Baptist did the like to his Disciples Luke 11.1 One of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples By teaching your Families to call upon God in an acceptable manner you shall promote their salvation For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 11. Teach them to be sincere and to walk uprightly with God for if they walk uprightly they shall be saved Prov. 28.18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved 12. Teach them to wait upon God in all his Ordinances and to wait for the accomplishment of all his Promises They that wait on the Lord are under a promise of Salvation Prov. 20.22 Wait on the Lord and he shall save thee 13. Teach them the way to obtain the Remission of their sins for if they obtain the pardon of their sins they shall be in a blessed condition Rom. 4.7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven And shall obtain everlasting life Rom. 8.30 Whom he justified them he also glorified 14. Teach them to avoid evil company and to walk and converse with such as fear God that may prove a means of their salvation Prov. 9.6 Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding Prov. 15.20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise 15. Exhort them to persevere in the faith of Christ and to continue in their obedience of his Commandments as long as they live for in so doing they shall assuredly obtain everlasting life Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Matth. 24.13 He that shall endure to the end the same
to any sin that will bring you under contempt Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Yea even such as have honoured you formerly and had you in high esteem if they come to understand that you are tainted with any Vice they will be ready to despise you Lam. 1.8 Jerusalem hath grievously finned and therefore she is removed All that honoured her despise her because they have seen her nakedness But by walking in an holy gracious exemplary manner you shall be reverenced not only by such as are gracious themselves but by those that are destitute of the grace of God Herod was not a good man himself our Saviour calleth him a Fox Luk. 13.23 because he was a subtil and cruel Enemy to Jesus Christ and to the Christian Religion Luke 13.31 32. Yet John the Baptist being an holy man Herod reverenced him Mark 6.20 Herod feared John knowing that be was a just man and holy and observed him Prov. 22.4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are Riches and Honour and Life And as an holy Conversation will procure Honour and Respect so also it will preserve the same Prov. 11.16 A gracious woman retaineth honour Fourthly Carry your selves wisely and discreetly in the managing of your Family Affairs for A mans wisdom maketh his face to shine Eccles 8.1 But foolish and indiscreet carriage will cause us to be slighted and disrespected Eccles 10.1 Dead flies cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in Reputation for Wisdom and Honour Fifthly Do not carry your selves lightly vainly in your Families but let your deportment be grave and serious that will be a means to keep your Children and Servants in due subjection 1 Tim. 3.4 One that ruleth well his own House having his Children in subjection with all gravity He cannot rule his House well that doth not keep his Children in subjection for if the Children be unruly the Servants will be so too and a man shall hardly keep his Children in subjection if his carriage be not grave and serious Sixthly Use not over-much familiarity or delicacy towards your Children and Servants especially when your Children are grown up to some maturity for familiarity will be apt to breed contempt and make Children and Servants to cast off that awe and dread which they ought to bear towards their Parents and Masters Children are commanded not only to love but to fear their Parents Lev. 19.3 Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father And Servants are commanded to fear their Masters Ephes 6.5 Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ Over-much familiarity will cause them to cast off this fear Solomon giveth us a caution against using too much delicacy towards our Servants as that which will spoil them and make them prove great Crosses Prov. 29.21 He that delicately bringeth up his Servant from a Child shall have him become his Son at length The vulgar Latin renders the words Postea sentiet eum contumacem He shall find him to be stubborn and obstinate Pagnine renders the words In novissimo crit superbus perinde ac filius He will become proud and expect to be dealt with as if he were a Son and not a Servant When instead of that gravity and distance which ought to be in the carriage of Masters and Parents they will be so familiar as to play with their Servants and Children this makes them to lose their authority according to the Proverb in use among the Arabians Collusio sive jocus aufert reverentiam Playing and Jesting takes away a Mans Reverence If we use to jest and sport with our Servants or Children we must expect no more Reverence from them And therefore the Son of Syrach gives this Advice to Parents Ecclus. 30.9 10. Cocker thy Child and he shall make thee afraid play with him and he will bring thee to heaviness laugh not with him lest thou have sorrow with him and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end And Plato speaking of our carriage towards our Servants in his Dialogue de legibus gives this prudent Advice Neque jocus ullus cum illis habeatur quod multi stultè facientes dum delicatius eos nutriunt difficiliorem viam sibi ad imperandum illis ad obediendum reddunt Do not use at any time to jest with your Servants which thing many doing foolishly do make it more difficult for themselves to govern and also more difficult for their Servants to obey by their training them up delicately Only here it will be needful to hint that whilst you labour to carry your selves with gravity and to avoid too much familiarity you had need be careful that you do not become morose or austere but rather endeavour to express much sweetness and candor in your carriage towards your Children and Servants There was laid up in the Ark Aarons Rod and the Pot with Manna and the Tables of the Covenant Greg. mag hath an observation hereupon to this effect He that would govern well must be furnished with the knowledge of the Scriptures and must make use of the Rod of Correction yet so as there must be the sweetness of Manna with it We should labour if it be possible to win our Children by love to observe the Commandments of God but if they will not be drawn with Manna then we must make use of Aron's Rod and when we are necessitated to use severity it must be tempered with mercy SECT 10. How to gain our Childrens and Servants affections Direct 10 IT will conduce much to the rendring of this work of Family-Instruction successful so to carry your selves as that you may have the love and gain the affections of those that are under your charge for if our Children and Servants do not only fear and reverence us but also love us the Instructions that we give them will be the better accepted and make the deeper impression upon their hearts The Apostle Paul knowing Philemon lov'd him was confident he would follow the counsel he gave him Phil. 7.21 We have great joy in thy love having confidence in thy obedience c. The like confidence he had of the Thess alonians 2 Thes 3.4 We have confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the thing which we command you And they were such as bore a great affection to the Apostle 1 Thes 3.6 If there be a disaffection to the person that instructs his Doctrine will do little good Ahab hating Micaiah received no good by his Prophecies but went on in his own way contrary to the good counsel of Michaiah whereby he brought destruction upon himself If any say How should we so carry our selves as to get the Love and Affection of our Children and Servants I answer First Shew your selves
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
and to cause them to grow as the Lily SECT 16. Six Arguments for diligence in instructing our Families Direct 16 IF you would carry on the work of Family-Instruction with success ply it with diligence Do not perform it in a slight careless customary manner but set your hearts to it and do it with all the skill and might that you have The Lord doth not only command us to teach our Children the Scriptures but he requireth us to do this work with diligence Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children This work is a good work and every good work must be followed with diligence 1 Tim. 5.10 If she have followed diligently every good work The Apostle speaketh there of Widows now if Widows whose condition is oft attended with many difficulties and incumbrances must follow every good work with diligence how much more are they who have greater abilities and opportunities for doing good works than desolate Widows obliged to be diligent therein We read of David that when he prepared Materials to build the Temple he did it with all his might 1 Chron. 29.2 I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God the Gold for things to be made of Gold and Silver for things of Silver The building up of our Children and Servants a spiritual House for the Lord is as great and acceptable a work as the building of the material Temple and thefore we should set upon it with all our might To quicken your diligence herein consider 1. You know not how short a time you have to live with your Families and you can do nothing for them when you are in the Grave and therefore what you see necessary to be done for them by way of instruction before you die do it with all your might Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest 2. To set your hearts to this work and do it with your might is the way to prosper in what you take in hand 2 Chron. 31.21 In every work that he began in the service of the House of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 3. There is a curse pronounced against them that do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 28.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully or as it is in the Margin negligently 4. This work is to be done out of love to Jesus Christ John 21.15 Lovest thou me Feed my Lambs Now our love to Christ must not be a cold and weak love but such a love as must engage all our hearts and strengths in his service Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might 5. Consider how diligent Satan and wicked men are to do evil and to draw others to sin Some wicked men are so eager of doing mischief that they cannot sleep in the night if they have done no mischief in the day time Prov. 4.16 They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Solomon describeth the great diligence of Harlots to corrupt young men Prov. 7.12 13 15 21. Now is she without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner so she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him Therefore came I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face and I have found thee c. With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him Satan is no less active and diligent than his Instruments to tempt to sin and destroy mens Souls 1 Pet. 5.8 And shall not this provoke us to use all diligence to do good and to save their Souls that are under our charge 6. After there is some good work wrought in their hearts they will be in danger of falling into an hardned frame of Spirit if we do not with great diligence instruct and exhort them to shun that which is evil and to follow after holiness Heb. 3.12 13. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin SECT 17. Seven Arguments to perswade us to teach and watch over every Member of our-Family Direct 17 LEt your care and diligence in teaching and watching over your Families be extended to every person in the Family the meanest and most simple as well as the more knowing persons As Ministers so also Masters of Families must take heed to all their Flock and not only to the principal Members thereof Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood To provoke you to be careful of every Member of your Family even of the meanest Servant and Apprentice as well as of your Children and to seek after the Conversion Edification and Salvation of every one that the Lord hath committed to your Charge and Care Consider 1. The Example of Christ He was careful not to lose one of those Souls that were committed to him by his Father John 17.12 While I was with them in the World I kept them in thy Name Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition It is true Judas the Son of Perdition was lost but not through the want of Christs care for Judas was instructed as well as the rest but through his own wicked and perverse spirit 2. The neglecting of any one person in the Family may trouble and pollute the whole Family and prove a very great hindrance to the good of the Family Eccles 9.18 One sinner destroyeth much good Heb. 12.15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God lest any Root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled 3. The Soul of the meanest Servant is of more value than the whole world Mar. 8 36. and therefore ought to be minded and regarded above all worldly things 4. God is so careful of that which we commit to his keeping that he will lose or neglect nothing that we commit to him After we have committed our selves to God he doth not only look after our persons but after every hair of our heads Matth. 10.30 The very hairs of your head are all numbred Luc. 21.17 18. Ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but there shall not a hair of your head perish And shall we neglect any of those immortal Souls which the Lord hath committed to our keeping when God is
the glory of God to train up our children and servants in the knowledge and obedience of the holy Scriptures what blessings it will bring upon our selves and Families what exceeding great benefits will accrue thereby to our children what good we may do to the generations that are yet to come how much it tends to the propagating of Religion and the power of godliness and how Family Instruction may be carried on successfully to the Conversion Edification and eternal Salvation of such as are under charge you may see in the perusal of this ensuing Treatise which I have composed for the use of such Heads of Families as are not provided of better helps but more especially for you my dearly beloved Friends among whom I have lived and with whom I have conversed My humble and earnest request to you is that if you have any love to the Lord Jesus you would express it by feeding his Lambs with the sincere milk of his Word if you have any zeal for the glory of God if any bowels towards your posterity if any desire of their spiritual and eternal welfare if any regard to the generations that are yet unborn if you have ever found any comfort in or benefit by the Word of God that you would bend your minds and set your hearts to this good work of instructing your children and servants in the knowledge and training them up in the obedience of the Scriptures And that you and all others into whose hands the Providence of God shall bring this small Treatise may by the perusal thereof be quickned to directed and encouraged in this work of Family Instruction and be enabled to manage the same to the glory of God your own and your Families Edification shall be the prayer of Your Servant in the work of the Lord Owen Stockton ERRATA Page 17. line 15. for 1 Cor. 5.7 read 1 Cor. 1.5 7. p. 23. l. 27. for 1 Pet. 2.22 r. 1 Pet. 1.22 p. 75. l. 15. r. Cocceius p. 105. l. 20. for Prov. 15.20 r. Prov. 13.20 p. 144. l. 2. r. fortifie Some other small faults have escaped the Press which the judicious Reader will easily correct The Contents THe neglect of Family Instruction a great evil page 1 2. Several Scriptures to prove it to be our duâ—y to instruct our Families and that the Instructions which we give them be drawn out of the Word of God page 3. to the 11. Servants as well as Children must be instructed page 11. to the 16. The ignorance of Children and Servants proves the necessity of Family Instruction page 16 17 Ignorance brings many and great evils upon our Families page 17. to 22 The corruption that is in Children and Servants prove the necessity of Family Instruction page 22 to 26 Family Duties cannot be performed without Family Instruction page 26. to 30. We have Gods example for teaching our Children and Servants page 30. to 33. Mothers as well as Fathers must instruct their Children page 33. to 40. Chap. 2. Motives to Family Instruction 1. Instructing our Children and Servants will be a means of their conversion page 40 41. Six reasons why we should labour after our Children and Servants conversion page 41. to 45. 2. Neglect of Family Instruction makes us guilty of our Children and Servants blond What a great evil it is to be guilty of the bloud of souls page 45. 3. Instructing our Children out of the Scriptures instils wisdom into them The advantages that will come to them by being endued with wisdom page 51. to 57. 4. Instructing our Children will bring them great advantage on several accounts page 57. to 62. 5. We benefit our selves several ways by instructing our Families page 62. to 66. 6. The neglect of Family Instruction is the cause of several evils page 66. to 59. 7. Family Instruction will propagate Religion to a thousand generations page 69. to 73. 8. Family Instruction greatly advanceth the glory of God page 73. to 76. 9. We shew our love to God by instructing our Families page 76 77. 10. Gods mercy in giving us Families should stir us up to instruct them page 77. to 79. 11. We have the example of Jesus Christ and the best men that ever lived for instructing their Families page 79. to 84. 12. Gods Judgements that have lately been upon the Nation call for Family Instruction and Family Reformation page 84. to 87. 13. The usefulness and excellency of the Scriptures should stir us up to train up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures page 87. to 92. 14. They deal unjustly with their Families who defraud them of Instruction page 92. to 95 Chap. 3. Directions how to manage the work of Family Instruction so as to promote the Conversion Edification and eternal Salvation of all such as are under our charge page 95. to 200. 1. Direct We must be diligent in studying the Scriptures page 95. to 98. 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 seasonable Truths page 98. to 107 What are Soul-saving Truths page 102. to 105. What are seasonable Truths page 106 107. 3. We must instruct our Families in the most edifying manner What manner of Instruction is must edifying What are Edifying Duties page 107 to 113. 4. We must take the fittest seasons for Family Instruction What are the fittest seasons for this work page 113. to 116. 5. We must cause them to keep the Word of God in remembrance What benefits come by remembring the Word page 116. to 119. 6. We must watch over our Families page 119. to 121. 7. We must reprove them when they do any thing contrary to the Word of God page 121 122. How to manage this duty of Reproof with success page 122 to 128. 8. When Reproofs take no place we must correct our Children page 128 How Corrections may be made effectual for our Childrens good page 129. to 132. 9. We must keep up our authority in our Families page 132. How to keep up our authority in our Families page 132 to 137. 10. We must endeavour to gain our Children and Servants affections How this may be done page 137. to 140. 11. We must endeavour to engraft those Scriptures which we teach our Children and Servants in their hearts How this may be done page 140. to 143. How to bring our Children and Servants in love with the Word page 143. 12. We must endeavour to draw our Families to Christ page 144. How to draw our Children and Servants to Christ page 144. to 148. How to fortifie our Families against the offence of the Cross that when troubles arise for the Gospels sake they may not fall off from the ways of Christ page 148. to 151. 13. We must labour to know the state of the several members of our Families How we may gain this knowledge page 152 to 155. 14. We must commune with our Children and Servants about their
spiritual state What questions we should put to them page 155 to 159. 15. We must apply our Instructions sutable to the state and condition of our Families page 159. How to deal with the unconverted in order to their Conversion page 159 to 161. What we are to do when we find our Children or Servants profiting by the Instructions we give them page 161 to 164. How to deal with such as get no good by our Instructions page 164 165. How to deal with such as rest in a form of godliness page 165 166. How to deal with such as are in a declining condition page 166 167. 16. We must be diligent in instructing our Families Six Arguments for diligence in this work page 167 to 170. 17. We must teach and watch over every member of our Families Arguments to perswade us hereunto page 170 to 173. 18. Our Families must be kept from strife and preserved in love and peace page 173 174. What we should do to prevent discord and contention and to preserve love and peace in our Families page 174 to 177. 19. We must joyn Prayer with Family Instruction The necessity of Prayer for assistance and success in this work page 177 to 182. The case of such as have prayed long for their childrens Conversion and see no answer of their Prayers page 182 to 186. 20. We must act faith for the Conversion and Salvation of such as are under our charge page 186. Several promises to encourage us to trust in God for Family mercies and Family blessings page 187 to 190. The case of such as are discouraged from acting Faith upon the Promise because they see no fruit of their faith or labors page 190 196. 21. We must walk exemplarily in our Families page 196 197. 22. Family Instruction must be continued as long as we live page 197 to 200. Chap. 4. Objections against Family Instruction answered page 200 to 304. 1. Plea Want of gifts and abilities for this work Ans in 17 particulars page 200 to 207. How we may get our gifts and abilities encreased page 206 207. 2. The plea of such as cannot read answered page 207 to 209. 3. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because they have difordered Families answered page 209 210. 4. The plea of such whose Children and Servants are dull answered page 210 to 215. How to deal with such as are dull and have weak memories page 212 to 215. How to help the infirmities of our Understandings and Memories page 214 215. 5. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because their Children or Servants are hard hearted and rebellious Answ page 215 to 219. 6. The plea of such as say their Children are too young to be instructed Answered page 219 to 223. 7. The plea of such as say their Families are all such knowing persons as that they need no Instruction page 223 to 226. 8. The plea of such as say their Families are so small that it is not worth their time and pains to instruct them answered page 226 to 229. 9. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because their Families are great and numerous answered page 229 to 231. 10. The plea of such as say 't is beneath them to instruct their Children or Servants because they are great men Answ page 231 to 233. 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 page 233 to 240. 12. The plea of such as are afraid they should wrest the Scriptures Answered page 240 to 242. What means we should use to come to the right understanding of the Scriptures and to be kept from wresting them page 242 to 246. 13. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because they find their hearts in a dry unsavoury frame Answ. page 246 to 250. How we may come to taste the sirectness that is in Gods Word page 246. to 248. 14. The plea of such as say 'T is the Ministers work to instruct their Children Answ page 250 15. The plea of such as say Family Instruction would make every man turn Preacher and bring the ministry into contempt page 251 to 254. 16. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because they think it is sufficient for every man to follow the light that is within him page 254 to 270 17. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because it is promised in the times of the Gospel that we shall all know the Lord Answered page 270 to 273. The Promises of our being taught of God do not make void Family Instruction or ministerial teaching page 272 273. 18. The plea of such as say many Children and Servants are never a whit the better for being instructed page 273 to 275. 19. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction for fear of aggravating their Childrens condemnation Answered page 275 to 277. 20. The plea of such as say it will spread and multiply Errors for illiterate men to instruct their Families page 277. to 281. What we should do that we may be kept from corrupting and perverting the Word of God when we instruct our Families page 278 to 281. 21. The plea of those who think they do enough because they read the Scriptures in their Families and hear their Children and Servants read also page 281 to 286. 22. The plea of such as say They may teach their Families to know and remember the Word but they cannot teach them obedience and knowledge without obedience will do them no good page 286. Instructing Children while they are young makes eminent Saints page 287. 288. 23. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction because their Servants are Fainted wick erroneous Principles page 288 to 290. 24. The plea of such as neglect Family Instruction lest they should be counted singular and be repreached page 290 291 292. They that neglect Family Instruction are worse then Infidels and Idolaters page 290. 291. 25. The plea of such as say Their Families refuse to submit unto Instruction What is to be done in this case page 292 to 296. 26. The plea of such as give over Family Instruction because they can see no success of their labours page 296 to 304. What they should do who find no success in their labours in teaching their Families page 296 297. Encouragements to persist in Family Instruction although we see no suceess of our labours page 299 to 304. Chap. 5. Considerations to quiet Parents whose Children died in such an estate as they can have no hope of their Salvation page 304. to 336. 1. Consider Gods Soveraignty page 306 to 308. 2. Other as good and better then we have met with the same tryal page 308 to 310. 3. Gods right and interest in our Children is greater than ours page 310. 311. 4. God is just and righteous true and faithful in all his ways page 311. 312. 313. 5. God shall have eternal
this charge Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children is given to the same persons that are commanded to love God with all their hearts vers 5. and to the same persons that are enjoyned to treasure up Gods word in their hearts vers 6. So that every one that is obliged to love God and to lay up Gods word in his heart is obliged also if he be one unto whom God hath given Children to teach Gods word unto his Children 3. Take notice what is meant by teaching Gods word unto our Children It implies 1. That we should train them up in the knowledge of the Scriptures To teach is to convey knowledge and understanding Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge and to this effect the Persian Translation renders these words Expones ea filiis tuis Thou shalt expound them unto thy Children thou shalt cause them to understand the sense and meaning of my word 2. To teach our Children the Scriptures is to train them up in the obedience and practice of those things which the Lord requireth of us in his holy word There is a teaching to do as well as to know the will of God Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will Matr. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 2 Chron. 6.27 Thou hast taught them the good way wherein they should walk 4. Observe in what manner and when we are to teach Gods word unto our Children this work must not be done in a slight superficial manner but with all diligence Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children And as for the times and seasons when we are to teach them Moses intimates that it must not be seldom but this work must be done frequently we should embrace all convenient seasons to be dropping some portion of Gods word into them Thou 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 5. We have the persons described whom we are to instruct out of the word of God and they are our Children Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children Now under the name of Children are comprehended our Servants and all others in the Family that need instruction as shall be shewed more fully afterwards Another Scripture wherein God commands us to teach his word unto our Children we have in the Psalms of David Psal 78.5 6 7. 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 Children that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his Commandments Here we may observe 1. What it is which Parents are to teach and make known unto their Children The Law and the Testimony that is the holy Scriptures which are often called by this name the Law and the Testimony as we may see Psal 19.7 Isa 8.16 20. 2. We have a strict Command and a solemn Injunction from God given unto Parents to make known the Law and the Testimony unto their Children He commanded our Fathers that they should make them known unto their Children 3. We may take notice that this practice of Parents teaching Gods Laws unto their Children should be continued from one Generation to another unto the end of the world That the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare unto their Children 4. Here are three things hinted that Parents should aim at in making known Gods word unto their Children 1. The bringing their Children to believe and hope in God That they might set their hope in God 2. The fixing and imprinting in their memories the word and the works of God And not forget the works of God 3. The training of them up in the practise and obedience of Gods Commandments But keep his Commandments The Psalmist shews in the eighth verse what the want or neglect of Parents making known Gods Laws to their Children produceth Children prove stubborn and rebellious or if they make a profession of Religion they soon discover their hearts are not right with God And might not be as their Fathers a stubborn and rebellious Generation a Generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God Besides these Scriptures already mentioned I might produce several others where God commands Parents to make known his word unto their Children as Isa 38.19 The Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth By Gods truth which Fathers are here enjoyned to make known unto their Children we may understand his word for his word is called his Truth John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth See also Deut. 4.8 9 10. What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day 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 thine heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons specially the day when thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather 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 Here we may observe 1. That Gods word was given to the Jews for this very end that they might be brought to fear the Lord and that they might teach his word unto their Children I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me and that they may teach their Children 2. The Lord chargeth them very strictly to teach their Children his works which they had seen but more specially his word which he delivered to them in Horeb Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently teach them thy sons and thy sons sons To these places which I have cited out of the old Testament I will adde one out of the New wherein God chargeth Parents to train up their Children in the knowledge and obedience of his holy word Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord The Apostle doth not say And ye Ministers as limiting this work to them but And ye Fathers implying that it is the will of God that all Parents should bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But some may say What is meant by the nurture and admonition of the Lord The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred Instruction 2 Tim. 3.16 and the instruction the Apostle speaks of there is
the second time Lovest thou me He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Sheep He saith unto him the third time Lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my Sheep After the Command of loving God with all our heart and all our soul and all our might is immediately added the Command of laying up Gods Word in our hearts and teaching the same diligently unto our Children Deut. 6.5 6 7. which implieth That we cann't express our love to God better than by lodging his word in our hearts and teaching it to our Children As they are Pastors after Gods own heart who are diligent to instruct the people in the knowledge of his word Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding So they are Parents and Masters after Gods own heart who feed their Children and Servants with the knowledge of Gods word It is said of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30.22 Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord. In the like manner at the day of Judgment the Lord will speak comfortably to all those Masters of Families that have taught his good word unto their Families SECT 10. Gods mercy in giving us Families should stir us up to instruct them Motive 10 IT is a great mercy to have a Family The giving the Midwives an Houshold is mentioned as a great part of the Reward which God gave them for their fearing His Sacred Majesty Exod. 1.21 And it be came to pass because the Midwives feared God he made them Houses All the Members of a Family are Blessings and great Mercies when they are well-ordered and rightly improved It is a great Blessing to have a good Wife Prov. 18.22 Whoso findeth a Wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord. Children also are accounted by God to be a Blessing and are given as a Reward Psal 127.3 5. Lo Children are the Heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his Reward Happy is the man that hath his Quiver full of them It is no small Blessing to have Servants and that we are not put to do all toylsome and inferiour works our selves and that we are not left alone to carry on our Affairs but have Servants to be helpful to us When Abraham's Servant reckons up the Blessings which God had given his Master he mentions among the rest Gods giving him Servants Gen. 24.35 The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he hath given him Men-Servants and Maid-Servants Solomon also speaketh of it as a mercy to have a Servant Prov. 12.9 He that is despised and hath a Servant is better than he that honoureth himself and lacketh Bread Now if a Family and every Member in a Family be a mercy and a blessing given us by God it is but meet that we should in way of gratitude dedicate our Families to God and train up every Member in the Family in the knowledge and fear of God Especially if we consider that our Children and Servants are committed to us for this very end that we should train them up in a godly sort that will lay a further obligation upon us to bring them acquainted with God by instructing them out of his holy word Mal. 2.15 Did he not make one Yet had he the residue of the Spirit And wherefore one That he might seek a godly Seed The Prophet acquaints us in these words what was Gods end in the Institution of Marriage which was not simply the giving of a Seed or the propagating of Mankind but the producing of a Godly Seed and to that end he ordained Marriage to be between one man and one woman whereas when he created Adam he could have formed many women for the use of one man seeing he had the residue of the Spirit but he made only one woman to the intent that Man and Wife might joyn in their care and endeavour to train up their Seed in a godly sort which would be much hindred by multiplying of Wives whereby a mans heart wonld have been turned away from discharging his duty to God and his Family Deut. 17.17 SECT II. We have the example of JESUS CHRIST and the best men that ever lived for instructing their Families Motive 11 IT hath been the practice of the Saints and Servants of God in all Ages and Generations to instruct and train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord And the labour and pains they have taken in this Good Work hath not gone without a Reward for both they themselves and their Families have been exceedingly blessed of the Lord Among the many examples that might be produced both out of the old and new Testament I will mention four or five It was the practise of Abraham to instruct his Family and train them up in the ways of God And what high Commendations doth the Scripture give of Abraham He is called The Friend of God The Father of the Faithful c. How did God bless Abraham He appeared often to him and gave him many precious Promises and entred into a Covenant with him and sent Angels to his House and revealed his Secrets to him and vouchsafed to talk familiarly with him yea he blessed him in all things and with all manner of blessings Gen. 24.1 Abraham was old and well stricken in age and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things And that God in blessing Abraham had respect to his teaching his Family is evident from Gen. 18.17 18. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him The reason given in this Text why the Lord revealed his Secrets to Abraham and why he became a great and mighty Nation and why he became such a great blessing to the world that in him all the Nations of the Earth were blessed and why he enjoyed all promised mercies is fixed upon his care in training up his Houshold in the ways of God For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him c. If we would be accounted Abraham's Children and enjoy Abrahams Blessing we must walk in the steps of his Faith Gal. 3.7 and do his Works John 8.39 Joshua follows Abraham's example in that he did not only serve God himself but caused all his Houshold to serve the Lord Josh 24.15 As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. And observe how the Lord blessed Joshua who trained
Then all the Congregation answered and said with a loud Voice As thou hast said so must we do Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 was very successful in the Conviction and Conversion of obstinate sinners for he mightily convinced the Jews vers 28. And in the edification of such as were converted to the faith vers 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace SECT 2. We must teach our Families the knowledge of the principles and the practice of the Duties of Religion Nothing but the Truth Soul-saving Truths What are Soul-saving Truths Seasonable Truths Direct 2 COnsider well what Doctrine you teach your Families if you would convert and save their Souls For by taking heed to the Doctrine that you instil into them you may save both their and your own Souls 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt save both thy self and them that hear thee If any ask What Doctrine should we teach our Families in order to the Conversion Edification and Salvation of their Souls I answer In the general teach them the holy Scriptures I have proved already that it is the Will and Command of God that we should instruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures Chap. I. Sect. 1. And I have also shown that teaching Gods Word to our Families will be a means of their Conversion Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul and of their edification Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And of their Salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation As the Reader may see more largely in the perusal of the first and second Chapters If any say Tell us more particularly what Doctrine we should teach our Families out of the Scriptures in order to their Conversion Edification and Salvation Answ 1. Instruct them in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion As for instance Teach them that there is a God and that this God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And who is the true God That there is but one God and that this one God subsisteth in three distinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth That God knoweth all things is every where present Almighty Eternal Holy in all his Works and Righteous in all his Ways Faithful Just Abundant in Mercy c. That God made the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein and Rules and Governs all his Creatures by his Wise and Gracious Providence That Man was created in the Image of God and sinned against God by eating the Forbidden Fruit That by Adam's Disobedience all Men were made Sinners and are by Nature the Children of Wrath and that Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation That God out of his great Love sent his only begotten Son into the World to seek and save that which was lost That JESUS of NAZARETH who was conceived of the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin MARY suffered under PONTIUS PILATE was the promised MESSIAH That He died for our Sins and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven where he sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for all that come to God by him from whence He shall come again to judge the World in Righteousness That God for Christ his sake hath made a New Covenant wherein he hath promised Remission of sins Sanctification eternal Life and all other good things freely to them that believe on his Son That those whom God hath ordained to eternal Life he calleth out of Darkness into Light and turneth them from their sins unto God and unites them to Christ by faith and puts his Spirit into them and causeth them to walk in his Ways and to serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Life That there shall be a general Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust that after the Dead are raised the whole world shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive according to what he hath done while his Soul lived in his Body That such as have lived and died in their sins without Repentance shall be cast into Hell where they shall abide with the Devil and his Angels in everlasting fire And such as have believed in Christ and repented of their sins shall be received into Heaven where they shall be ever with the Lord. It is necessary that you should teach your Children and Servants the knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion Heb. 5.12 Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God For Knowledge is the foundation of Practice Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And Solomon tells us Prov. 29.2 Also that the Soul be without knowledge it is not good And as you must teach them the knowledge of the Principles so also the practise of the Duties of the Christian Religion as to believe in Christ to repent of their sins to love God with all their Hearts and to love their Neighbours as themselves to do the same things unto others which they would that others should do unto them to deny themselves to love their Enemies to do good to them that hate them to read hear and meditate on Gods Words to be contented in every estate c. Knowledge without Obedience will be so far from leading them to everlasting life that it will make them have the greater condemnation Luk. 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But by teaching your Families both to know and do the will of God you shall make them partakers of eternal Happiness John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Thus David instructed his Son he taught him both to know and serve the Lord 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 2. Teach them nothing but the Truth Do not pervert and wrest the Scriptures to their and your own destruction Do not give them poy son instead of the sincere milk of the Word It was the practise of Christ and of his Apostles to teach nothing but the Truth Matth. 22.16 Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ By teaching them the Word of God in truth you shall be
come 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory The glory of Heaven doth so far exceed the sufferings of this present life that they are not worthy to be compared together Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 3. It is our happiness and not our misery to suffer Reproaches and persecutions for Christs sake and it should fill us with joy rather than cast us down with sorrow when we meet with any sufferings for Righteousness sake Matth. 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall speak all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of God and of Glory resteth upon you There is a greater excellency in suffering for Christ than in enjoying all the riches of the world and it is far more eligible to endure the sharpest afflictions than to enjoy the delights and pleasures of sin Heb. 11.25 Chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of GOD than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ even those things that are most hard to be born greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt or all the enjoyments in the World 4. God will not suffer any man to be afflicted for Christ or the Gospels sake above what he will enable him to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will also with the Temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it And when we do suffer for Christs sake the Lord will be with us in all our sufferings 2 Cor. 4.9 Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not in despair Isaiah 43.2 When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee Psalm 91.15 I will be with him in trouble c. 5. The more we suffer for Christ the more abundant consolation we shall have from Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ And we shall find more delight in our Consolations than we do grief in our sufferings Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Fourthly Put them in mind of the great things which Jesus Christ hath suffered for them He became poor for our sakes 2 Cor 8.9 He gave his Body to be broken for us he made his Soul an offering for our sins c. The consideration of what Christ hath suffered for us and how willingly he suffered for us I gave my Back to the smiters and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Isa 50.6 will make us willing to suffer for him and keep us from fainting under our Sufferings Heb. 12.3 Looking unto JESUS the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you be wearied and faint in your minds SECT 13. The advantage of knowing the state of our Families How we may come to know their state Direct 13 ENdeavour to know the state of every Member of your Families consider who of them are in a state of grace and who abide still in an unregenerate condition As for such as are converted see whether they make any progress and grow in grace or whether they stand at a stay or decline and go backward Prov. 27.24 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy Flocks and look well to thy Herds If a man must be diligent to know the state of his Flocks and Herds whether they be sound or diseased how much more doth it concern him to know the state of his Wife and Children and Servants whether they be in a state of Grace or a state of Nature Estius and Beda and some others apply this passage of the Proverbs to those that have the care of Souls committed to their Charge The Arabian Translation favours this interpretation Cognosce animos gregis tui cognitione perfecta And the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The knowledge of the state of our Families will help us 1. To instruct them in those things that are most suitable to their state and will conduce much to their edification Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works By considering and observing wherein they are deficient whether in Love or any other Grace as Meekness Patience Heavenly-mindedness Temperance or the like we have an advantage to apply our selves to them in a way suitable to their necessities that we may provoke them to seek after those things wherein they are most defective 2. The knowledge of their state will enable us to apply suitable comforts to them if they be dejected and cast down either by inward or outward troubles Col. 4.8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your estate and comfort your hearts 3. It will tend much to our own comfort if they be in a good estate Phil. 2.19 That I may be of good comfort when I know your state 4. It will help us in our Prayers for them and praising God upon their accompt When the Apostle understood the good estate of the Thessalonians it did greatly excite him to thanksgiving and prayer 1 Thes 1.2 3. We give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope c. The like we may see on the behalf of the Colossians Col. 1.3 4. If any say How should we come to know the state of our Families I answer 1. By communing with the several members of our Families and examing them whhat workings they have had upon their Souls and whether they have any enjoyment of God in his Ordinances and putting searching questions to them Psal 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart and vers 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me As Joseph inquired into the state of his Brethren Gen. 43.7 The man asked us straitly of our state saying is your Father yet alive have you another Brother So should we inquire diligently into the state of our Children and Servants by questioning with them
bring their fruit to perfection and to that end put them in mind that it is the will of God that we should not only labour to be holy but that we should labour to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And caution them against those things which do hinder the seed of the Word from growing to perfection as the cares of this life pleasures unmortified lusts Luke 8.14 Mark 4.19 Keeping company with men of corrupt minds and corrupt conversations 1 Cor. 15.33 Be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners Giving heed to such as teach false Doctrine will endanger their overthrow and prove destructive to them 1 Tim. 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits Seducers are those Foxes that spoil the Vine that hath tender Grapes against whom the Church prays Cant. 2.15 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes 7. Counsel them well to consider into what Families they dispose themselves when God shall by his providence remove them out of your Family That they do not for the gaining of more wages or easier work put themselves into such Families where they shall have no instruction lest that good Work which is begun in them cease and come to nothing While Jehoash was instructed he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 12.2 Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him But when Jehoiada that instructed him was dead Jehoash fell into Idolatry and other great sins 2 Chron. 24.17 18 19 21. 8. If any of the Members of your Family do find that God hath done their Souls good by the Instructions that you have given them counsel and exhort them by way of gratitude if ever God shall give them Families to teach and train up their Families in the knowledge of Gods Word Thirdly If upon communing with your Families you find they have gotten no good by those Instructions and godly Lessons which you have given them Then 1. Inform them what a great sin and how dangerous it is to enjoy great means of Grace and to remain graceless and barren under them Heb. 6.7.8 The Earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but that which beareth Thorns and Bryars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Matth. 3.10 And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and is cast into the fire 2. See whence their unprofitableness proceeds whether the cause of it be in your selves that you teach them things that are too high for them or that you do not make things plain to their understandings or that you do not teach them by your Example as well as Doctrine or that yo do not water your Seed that you sow with your Prayers and tears or that you teach them so seldom or in such a slight manner Or whether the cause of their unprofitableness be in themselves as their not minding what you teach them their forgetfulness c. And where-ever the ground of their unprofitableness lieth endeavour to get it removed 3. Direct them what means they should use that they may profit by what you teach them as 1. To look up to the Lord who alone can teach them to profit Isa 48.17 2. To mingle the Word of God with faith Heb. 4.2 3. To meditate often on those things wherein they are instructed Meditation on the Word of God will be a great help to their profiting both in knowledge and grace 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things that thy profiting may appear unto all Fourthly If upon discoursing with them you find they rest in a form of Godliness and have only a notional knowledge of the word of God without the favour and practice of those Truths that you have taught them Then 1. Inform them that knowledge without practice will never make them happy Joh. 13.17 but will aggravate their condemnation and cause God to beat them with many stripes Luk. 12.47 And that the form of Godliness will profit them nothing but the life and power of Godliness will be profitable for all things and give them an interest in all Gods promises whether they concern this life or the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 2. Direct them what means they should use that they may not only have a barren and unfruitful notional knowledge of the things of God but that they may relish savour and practise what they know As namely 1. Exhort them to get Faith Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly Kindness and Charity The Apostle having spoken of these Graces saith 2 Pet. 1.8 If these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Exhort them to plead Gods Covenant where God hath promised not only to put his Laws into our minds that is to give us the knowledge and remembrance of his will but also to write them in our hearts that is to incline our wills to embrace love and obey his Laws Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts 3. Stir them up to cry unto God who hath taught them to know his will to encline their hearts to do his will and to keep his Commandments Psal 119.36 Incline mine heart unto thy Testimonies Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will Fifthly If you find any of your Family in a declining withering condition 1. Warn them betimes of the evil of a decaying declining frame of spirit The Church of Ephesus had many things for which Christ gives her great commendations Rev. 2.2 3. yet having lost her first love he gives her a sharp rebuke vers 4. 2. Exhort them to remember whence they are fallen and to repent and do their first works lest God send some sudden and sore Judgment upon them Rev. 2.5 3. Stir them up to act their faith upon such promises where God hath promised to heal our backslidings and restore our souls and to recover us from a decayed frame of spirit by causing us to grow in grace as Hos 14.4 5. I will heal their backslidings I will love them freely I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall be as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon This promise is made unto Israel that was fallen into great decay Vers 1. O Israel thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Israel was so far fallen that God complains O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Yet to Israel that was fallen thus low God promiseth to heal their back-slidings and to love them freely and to be as the dew to them
so careful of us as to look after every hair of our heads 5. The poorest and meanest persons in the Family that have the lowest employment and weakest parts may belong to the Election of Grace as well as those that are of a higher degree 1 Co. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are And shall we think much to spend a little time and care for the saving of their Souls whom the great God hath made Objects of his Love and Care from all Eternity We find that God looks after simple as well as wise men Psal 116.6 The Lord preserveth the simple And shall we think much to look after those of whom the Lord himself taketh care 6. It is the will of God that means should be used for the saving of every mans Soul that the least as well as the greatest the young as well as the old should be brought to repentance that so they may obtain salvation by Jesus Christ Matth. 18.14 It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 7. If any man have an hundred sheep and but one of them go astray he doth not say I have ninety and nine remaining with me I will not trouble my self to seek up that one sheep that is gone from me but he looks up his lost sheep though it be but one till he find it Luk. 15.4 What man of you having an hundred sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it One man is of more value than all the sheep in the World Matth. 12.12 How much then is a man better than a sheep Suppose a man hath in his Family an hundred persons and ninety and nine of them should be godly and but one should go astray he should not rest satisfied that he hath ninety and nine in his Family truly gracious so as to neglect that person that goeth astray but should use all diligence for the converting and saving of that one Soul that as yet remains in a sinful perishing Condition And what I have said of extending your Care and Diligence unto every Member of your Families is to be understood as well of those that sojourn with you for a shorter Time as of those that do dwell constantly with you For as Moses said in another case Numbers 15.16 One Law and one Manner shall be for you and for the Stranger that sojourneth with you The like may I say here You should take one and the same care as well for them that sojourn with you whilst they are with you as for those that are constantly with you It may be the Lord sent them under your Roof for a season that you might instil those things into them that may do them good for ever SECT 18. Our Families must be kept from strife and preserved in Love and Peace The way how this may be done Direct 18 CArry your selves peaceably and endeavour to preserve all the Members of your Family in Love and Peace amongst themselves otherwise the Instructions that you give them will do them little good Solomon who was the wisest of men tells us Prov. 11.29 He that troubleth his own House shall inherit the Wind That is First All his Labours and Endeavours will be fruitless and come to nothing Wind is taken oft times for that which is unprofitable and fruitless as Job 15.2 3. Eccles 6.16 Isa 26.18 Secondly He shall inherit the Wind that is he shall have an unruly disordered Family such as he shall not be any way able to govern or to keep in any good order Who can rule or keep in order the Wind John 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth Where there is strife and contention there is confusion and instead of good all manner of evil Jam. 4.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work The Lord hath promised to give his blessing not to such as live at variance but to those that live in love and peace Psal 133 1 3. Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to live together in unity For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore The God of Love will dwell with those that live in love and peace 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 1 John 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him But such as live in wrath and strife give place to and suffer the Devil to dwell in their hearts Ephes 4.26 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil If you ask What should we do to prevent discord and contention and to preserve love and peace in our Families I answer 1. Instruct them out of the word of God what a great evil it is to live in strife and variance that so they may fear this as well as other sins Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife are accounted amongst the works of the Flesh and do as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven as Murder Adultery Idolatry or any other sins Gal. 5.19 20 21. To sow discord among Brethren is reckoned up amongst those six things which the Lord hateth and the seven things which are an abomination to him Prov. 6.16 19. Discord and strife are contrary to Gods Nature who is a God of Love and Peace and contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel Rom. 16.17 2. Advise them to take heed of the occasions and beginnings of strife and therefore when they feel any motions to strife or wrath arising in their hearts let them stifle those motions before they break out into action for wrath and strife are more easily kept down than appeased after they are stirred up Prov. 17.14 The beginnings of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 18.19 A Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong City and their Contentions are like the bars of a Castle 3. Counsel them to be of an humble lowly spirit to think and esteem better of others than themselves This will prevent their contending one with another Prov. 13.10 Only by pride cometh contention Prov. 28.25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory How shall we attain to this to do nothing through strife The following words will resolve you But in
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
was driven from his Throne and forced to dwell among the Beasts of the field where he was wet with the dew of Heaven and did eat grass with the Oxen when his understanding returned to him again although he was about seven years under this great and unusual Judgment because he saw Justice and Truth in this stroke of God he extolled and praised the Lord Dan 4 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose Works are Truth and his Ways are Judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase V. God shall have eternal Glory from them that perish as well as from them that are saved His Justice shall be glorified on them that perish and his Mercy in them that are saved When ungodly sinners are cast into Hell in great multitudes God is glorified in their destruction Isa 5.14 16. Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in Righteousness Now seeing God shall be glorified in them that perish this may quiet our minds and keep down all murmuring thoughts if it should be our portion to have any of our children cut off in their sins Aaron's two sons Nadab and Abihu were cut off in the act of sin while they were offering strange fire there went out fire from the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord yet when Aaron heard Moses speak of Gods being glorified he was silent under this heavy stroke Lev. 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace God made all things and all persons wicked as well as good men for his own glory Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And seeing God made all things and persons for his own pleasure and glory he may glorifie himself according to his own will and pleasure upon every one of his creatures and none may say unto him What doest thou VI. The consideration of the great and wonderful mercy of God in bestowing his grace upon our souls and taking us into his everlasting Covenant may quiet our minds however it shall please him to deal with our Families David met with great afflictions in his Family some of his children proved perverse and were very great crosses to him and died in such a state as he could have little or no hope of their salvation Amnon was such a vitious person that he ravished his own sister Tamar and was slain when his heart was merry with wine 2 Sam. 13.28 by this phrase is signified that Amnon was little better than drunk when he was slain as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 25.36 where Nabals drunkenness is expressed by his heart being merry Nabals heart was merry within him for he was very drunken Absolom who had caused his Brother Amnon to be slain rose up in rebellion against his Father and sought to take his Kingdom and Life from him and was cat off in this act of sin And how did David quiet himself under these great afflictions that befel his House It was with the Covenant that God had made with his own Soul 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my vation and all my desire although he make it not to grow The mercies and blessings of the Covenant are so great and such unvaluable mercies that when we conside the riches of Gods grace and his infinite love in taking our own souls into Covenant vvith himself this consideration may so fill our hearts vvith joy as to swallow up all our sorrows arising either from personal or family-afflictions Wine will chear such as are of a sorrowful spirit and make them forget their miseries Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to them that be of heavy hearts Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more Gods love is better and hath more efficacy to chear such as are of heavy hearts than wine Cant. 1.2 Thy love is better than Wine And if Wine will refresh such as are of sorrowful spirits yea such as are ready to perish under their affliction what efficacy is there in the love of God which he hath manifested in taking our souls into Covenant to comfort us under our greatest sorrows and miseries even such as lie heavy upon our hearts yea such as vve think vve shall perish under them SECT 2. The Case of such as are overwhelmed with grief because they fear their Children are in eternal Torments considered Gods Justice in punishing Sinners to Eternity vindicated TO these Considerations I shall add a Reply to such Pleas as those Parents whose Children have died in their sins may possibly make use of to excuse their immoderate grief and discontent and perplexity of mind under this affliction of losing their Children in such a state as that they can have no hope of their salvation And so I shall conclude this Treatise 1 Plea My Children that are dead in their sins are gone into everlasting burnings where their torments will be endless and intolerable and it so pierceth my heart and distracteth my mind when I think that those that came out of my Bowels my Children for whom I had such a dear affection should be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where they must remain for eternity that I am not able to bear it but sometimes I am ready to fret against God and at other times my heart is so full with grief that I think it will break in pieces and I shall die with sorrow Answ I. If your Children be cast into eternal Torments for their sins it is God hath done it He keeps the Keys of Death and Hell No person is cut off by death none after death are cast into Hell but at Gods appointment Rev. 1.18 I have the Keys of Hell and Death There is not so much as one Sparrow falleth to the ground but at the will and by the appointment of God Matth. 10.29 Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing And one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father If a Sparrow doth not fall to the ground vvithout the vvill of God then surely an immortal Soul doth not fall into Hell Torments but at his appointment for the meanest Soul that ever was created is of