Points of Instruction for the Ignorant, Part 5
A short Direction for spending of time well.
HOw doe you diuide the daies of mans life?
Into the daies of labour, and daves of holinesse.
VVhat say you of the daies of labor?
These concerne the works of our calling, or workes of helpe vntounto them.
What be the works of our calling?
The workes of that trade of life, in1. …. …. …. 4. 1 which God hath placed vsus.
What must a man do in these?
By offering them to God, he must… walke in them neither slackly nor deceitfully, but with Christian diligence and good conscience; following his owne businesse with quietnesse, and walking with God.
Then, eueryevery one must hauehave some speciall call…g & trade of life to liue in?
…, or hée is no sound member… of the Christian common wealth, … a rotten member in the body of the same, that deserueth a cutting off.
So much for the workes of our callings: what say you of the workes of helpe vntounto them?
They concerne duties to be done before the worke, or that day after.
What must we doe in the morning before our worke?
Prayse God for his mercy the nightPsal. 59. 16. & 88. 13. past, and pray vntounto him for his further mercy and blessing the day present.Gen. 24. 12.
How shall we prayse God?…. 5. 20 Colos. 1. 10.
By giuing him thanks, and by shewing our thankfulnesse.
How is our thankfulnesse shewed?
Inwardly, or outwardly.
How inwardly?
By pleasing God in our vnderstanding,Pro. 23. 26 Col. 1. 10. thoughts, desire, affections, and …ill.
How outwardly?
By pleasing him in our words and deeds.
How in our words?Col. 4. 6. …. 4. 29.
When they be gracious alway.
VVhat things hurt this grace of speech?
Lying, swearing, brawling, …lthie speaking, foolish talking, … thatEphes. 4. 25 Iam. 5. 12 …. 4. …. & …. Col. 38 Pro. 26. 21 is not comely, and contention that causeth stri….
How in our deedes?
These are in the duties of our generallRom. 12. 4 callings, as we are Christians: or our particular trades of life; wherein, some are Magistrates, some Masters and seruants, some Marchants, Artificers, Husbandmen, and the like.
What are our duties as we be Christians?Acts 24. …
These concerne God or man.
What are they that concerne God?
They are in the foure CommaundementsTit. 2. 12 of the first Table, called godlinesse.
What are they that concerne man?
They concerne our selues, or ourTit. 2. 12 neighbour.
What is that that concerneth our selues?
Sobriety, which is inward; andRom. 12. 13. teacheth vsus not to presume aboue that which is meete: and outward in our apparell, dyet, outward members and senses.
What must our apparell be?
Such as becommeth those that professe1. Tim. 2. … the feare of God.
What call you sobriety in dyet?
That grace of temperance that consi…ethLuke …. 34 Rom. 13. 13 1. Thes. 5. 16. in the moderate vse of meates, drinkes, sleepe, and such outwarde things.
What sobriety is that, which you call sobriety of sense, and the outward members?
Sobriety of sense is a watchfulnes1. Tim. 4. 16. Ioh. 31. 1 1. Cor. 6. 15. in it; and sobriety of the members, a chastity in them.
So much for the generall d…ety that concerneth our selues, called sobrietie: what is that that concerneth our neighbour?
It is contained in the sixe last Commandements,Rom. 13, 7, 9 Mat. 19. 18, 19 Titus 2. 12. being Commandements of the second Table, called Righteousnesse.
So much for our general duties, as we be Christians; what say you of our particular duties, or duties of trade of life?
These reach vntounto all callings in the Church and Common-wealth: but to our purpose, in a family, they concerne the Husband or Wife, Parents or their Children, the Master and his Seruants.
What is the Husbands dutie?
To dwel with his wife, as a man of knowledge, by instructing her, and by1. Pot. 3. 7 Eph. 5. 28, 29 obseruing (for her better incouragement) the good parts that are in her, and to louelove her as his owne …esh.
What is the wiues dutie?Gen. 2. 18 1. Pet. 3. 2 Ephes. 5. 22, 24
To helpe her husband in the duties of the family: also, to feare, and to be subiect to him.
What be the Parents duties?
They concerne the father and niether iointly, or by themselues.
What be their ioint duties to their children?
In their tender yeeres they must instructPro. 22. 6 Ephes. 6. 4 Prou. 23. 13 Gen. 4. 2 1. Col. 7. …. 37 2. Col. 12. 14 1 Col. 7. 39. them plainely, and season them with good things, young, giuing them due correction; and at more yeeres fit them for some honest calling; and when time serues, laying vp somthing for them, giuegive them in mariage onelyonly in the Lord.
So much for the Parents ioint duties: what is the Fathers more speciall duty?
To prouide for his children; and specially1. Tim. 5. 8 to hauehave a speciall eye to the sons of his house, as the Mother must to her daughters.
What is the Mothers speciall duty?
To nurse vp her children, if GodGen. 21. 7. 1. Tim. 5. 10. hauehave giuen her ability thereunto.
What be the childrens duties?
They be such as they owe to their Parents, or one to another.
What duties doe they owe to their Parents?
They owe them reuerence in their…euit. 19. 3. …phes. 6 1. 1. Tim. 5 4 Gen. 47. 12. hearts, obedience in their deeds; and, when their parents shall be in yeeres & …de, it is their dutie (if they hauehave wherewith) to nourish them.
What duties do they owe one to another?Psalme 133. 1 Gen. 45. 24.
To louelove as brethren, & not to fall out.
VVhat duties do Masters owe?
They concerne Religion; and so they must help them to God by their instruction,Genes. 18. 19. Coloss. 4. 1. 1. Tim. 5. 8. Prou. 31. 15. & the care of their soules: or they respect their life here; and so paying them their wages iustly, they must make honest prouision for them.
VVhat duties do seruants owe?
In singlenesse of heart, and all goodEphes. 6. 6. Tit. 2. 9, 14, 1. Pet. 2. 18. faithfulnes, they must do their masters worke, be true vntounto him, and seeke to please him, though he be froward.
So much for our thankfulnes to God, expressed in our words and deeds, and for our duties the morning before our worke in prayer and praises: what duties doe we owe that day after?
They be duties, such as are betwéen or after our worke at night.
VVhat must we do between our work?
It concerneth our refreshings, or recreation.
VVhat must we do at our refreshings?
Pray before meat for Gods blessing, giuegive thanks, after, for Gods blessings,1. Tim. 4, 4, 5. Colos. 3. 17. Cor. …. 31. Mat. 26. …. … 10. …. … 21. …. 32. 6. vsing the same for strength or honest delight, and, no way for excesse, or drunkennesse.
VVhat must we obserue in our recreation?
That our company be good, and…phes. 5 7. 11. … 4. 8 Thess. 5. 22. phesi. 5. 16. sports of good report, remembring that … must be redeemed.
When be our sports of good report?
When they be lawfull for the nature…om. 14. 16. Co…. 6. 12. …, 3, 2 Thes. 5. 16, of them, and necessary for the vse, not hindring better duties.
So much for the duties as are betweene our worke: what must we doe after it?
Examine our selues, as vponupon an account, what we hauehave done the day past;Ieremie 8. 6. Psal. 4. 4. 8. and prepare our sleepe, that it may bee comfortable.
How shall wee by such preparation make our sleepe comfortable?
By committing our selues to God,1. Pet. 4 19. Ps. 4, 8, & 55, 16, 17, & 121, 4, 5, 7, 2. Thes. 3. 3. soules and bodies, praying him to inspire the soule with good thoughts, and to watch the body till the morning, that no hurtfull thing breake in vponupon it.
But some go to bed without praier?
Such sleep in Satans lap, & hauehave him for their keeper: who (therefore) maketh a thorow-fare in the thoughts of their heart, sowing the tares of many vnclean c…cupiscenses & lusts therin,Mat. 13. 25. 26. which sown in the night, grow in ye day
VVhat reason can you giuegive to proue the necessity of prayer, before wee goe to rest?
That night (for ought wee know) may be our long night, and that sleepe our last sleepe. Which if it be, (and the Lord hath seal'd no warrant to any that it shall not be) must needs bring small hope to our vnpraying soule, that it shal be glorified, and as little comfort to our body, (layd downe in so brutish forgetfulnesse) that it shall go to God at our next rising.
VVhat do you conclude of this?
That those Masters are cruel to their seruants, who suffer them to go to their beds, as wild beasts to their dens, withoutPsalm. 19. 5. prayer, & do not better arme them against the feare of the night.
So much for the daies of labour: what say you of the daies of holinesse?
On Gods Sabbaths, we must (first)Marke 1. 35. Exod. 20. 8. pray God to blesse the duties of them, and so keepe them holy.
How must we keepe them holy?
By doing as little worldly work assa. 58. 13. … 48. …. …eut. 5. 12. may be, & by doing Gods work religiously, and with all our might.
In doing of Gods worke, what is to be considered?
That we do the works that sanctiūe the Sabbath, and auoide the vnfruitfull works that defile it.
VVhat works are required to the …ifying of the Sabbath?
To preuent or defer, & by rising early… 16. 23. Psa. …. 1, 2, & 92, …. 1. 5. …. 1 Ephe. 6. 19. …. 4, 17. …. 84. …, Acts 10 33 …, 15, & 20. 7. & 16, 14 Deut. 11. 18. to dispatch all businesses that would prophane it; and, by praying God, to blesse his owne ordinances, to come with a spiritual & forward mind to publike prayer, preaching & Sacraments.
VVhat other works are required?
It is required further, before wee come to the assemblie, that wee pray, read, or heare some what read at home that may edifie; between the times ofLuke. 24. 14. Deut. 6. 7. publike exercise, that wee meditate on that which hath been deliuered; and after and between that we talke with others, and examine our selues about it.
VVhat is (lastly) required?Ps. 92. 5. Rom. 19, 20. Ps. 9, 1. Acts 17. 11. Ios. 1. 8. Cant. 8. 13 Ps. 14. 4. Apo. 1 3. 10. Deu. 17. 19. Ps. 92. in the title, Col. 3. 16 Ephesi. 5. 19. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Eccles. 7. 15 Ps. 92. 2. Ex. 32 6. 1. Cor. 11. 21 Isa. 58. 13. Exo. 20. 10. Isay 29. 13.
That we take a view of God in his works and word, pray, and reade, an… sing Psalmes priuately; doe works of mercy; & consider Gods special works, of mercy, iustice, goodnesse and truth.
So much for the works to be done: what are the vnfruitfull workes to be auoided?
The spending of the day in sleepe, play, drinking, worldly talke or businesse, …oolish communication, and things that separate from God by a carnall heart.
Glorie be to God.
EPHESIANS. 5. 15. 16.
Take heed therefore that ye walke circumspectly, not as fooles, but a, wise, … the time, for the dayes are …ill.
A briefe rehearsall of the tenne Commandements for the …se of the ….
1 SEE that thou hauehave no God… but one.
2 And truly worship him alone.
3 Gods name in vaine thou shalt not take.
4 The seuenth day holy thou shalt make.
5 Honour thy Parents:
6 Murther flee:
7 A fornicator neuer be:
8 Thou shalt not steale:
9 False speech eschue:
10 And couet not anothers due.
…. 28.
This …, and thou …alt liue.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Horne, Points of Instruction for the Ignorant (1617)