An Order of Household Instruction, To the reader – Poem
To all gouernours of Families, grace and peace, &c.
I Very well remember, my welbeloued country mē, ye that are gouernours of families, that he was a wiſe Preacher, that ſayde: aEccleſ. 12.12.There is no ende in making many bookes. And that many very good and excellent Catechiſmes are publiſhed in our Engliſh tongue: being not onelyonly very profitable for Chriſtians, to exerciſe themſelues in: but alſo moſt notable tokens of the Chriſtian care and louelove, of diuers learned and godly minded men, toward their neighbors and countrie. Yet hauehave I ſome good reaſons (as I thinke) to put foorth this little booke of mine as a mite, in compariſon of the greateſt gifts of other men, who by their excellent workes, hauehave greatly repleniſhed the Lords treaſurie. Firſt, becauſe that I finde that the Lord in the building of his Church vſeth the diuers gifts of his ſeruants, to expreſſe his manifold wiſedom. And as vntounto men of diuers complexiōs and affections, he hath giuen choiſe of meate and varietie of apparell: ſo, many bookes to one end are ſet foorth in diuers faſhions and with a diuers gift, order and facilitie: that hee whome one booke ſauoureth not, might yet like the taſte of another. So it may bee, that I ſtriuing to enter into the loweſt place of the Church, which is the familie; and applying my ſelfe to the meaner ſort, may happily finde a place to doe good vntounto ſome, where books of greater excellencie, peraduenture are not entertained: and ioyning hands with my good brethren, who hauehave ſorted themſelues to the ſame ſtanding place, may by ioynt working with them, peraduenture further their ioy, as they doe mine. Secondly, becauſe I hauehave ſome experience in this order, that it may prepare them, which are hereby inſtructed, to hauehave their eyes open to other mens labours. And I am in great hope, that a diſcreet teacher ſhall finde by triall, that a childe of very tender yeres may be made able, through Gods bleſſing, with vnderstanding to giuegive a good reckoning of his faith, by the Scriptures. Moreouer, my purpoſe was not, curiouſly to ſet downe all points of doctrine, but especially thoſe, which doe moſt neerely teach theſe two: aAct. 20.21.Repentance towards God and faith in Ieſus Chriſt. And my deſire was that theſe might be made to appeare eaſie and familiar by the Scriptures.
But aboue all other this moued mee moſt, that I might hauehave occaſion to ſpeake ſome things to the gouernours of the families, which doe very greatly affect my minde. Which is not to proue it their duties, to catechiſe their families, or to deſcribe the houſhold gouernment, & diuers ſuch things which I know to be very excellently penned downe by others: but onelyonly to lay before them, the great neceſſitie of this dutie, and the great and honorable ſeruice, which a priuate man may doe, to God and his people, by this meanes. In doing whereof, I thought no better meane, then the ſetting foorth of an eaſie way, to doe the thing, to which I deſire earneſtly to perſwade them.
The neceſſitie will be ſeene, Neceſſitie to teach houſholdes.if they obſerue with me two things, the time preſent, and the time likely to enſue. In the firſt they ſhall finde, that although wee hauehave had the Gospell, by the merciemercy and long ſuffering of God ſeuen and thirtie yeares, vnderunder the happie raigne of our moſt deare and gracious Soueraigne Ladie Queene Elizabeth, (who, I heartily pray our good God, may yet raigne many yeares ouer vsus) there are to bee found ſo many that know not how they ſhall bee ſaued, or how they are iuſtified, why they are called Chriſtians, what is Chriſt in his perſon, and ſuch like (which bHebr. 6.1.2. Pſalm. 49.20.eueryevery beginner and yongling in Chriſt ought to be skilfull in; Lamentable ignorance among vsus.and without the knowledge whereof a man is like a bruit beaſt) that I doe tremble to thinke, and am aſhamed to vtter, and dare not commit to writing my knowledge herein. I hauehave had conference in ſome pariſhes with 400. ſome, 1000. ſome leſſe, and hauehave made triall, and do make triall eueryevery day, that I ſpeake to any man, whom I knowe not, that I am aſtoniſhed to thinke, that ſo many Chriſtians in name, and baptized, ſhould bee ſo ignorant and brutiſh, and ſo farre from being indeede, that which they delight to bee called. For I take it, that cGalat. 3.26.faith maketh the being of a Chriſtian, and theſe dRom. 10.14.who hauehave no knowledge cannot hauehave faith, which will then appeare, e2. Theſſ 1.8.when Chriſt ſhall come in flaming fire, to render vengeance to them that do not know God. Therfore there is a great fault, whether it be in vsus Miniſters, or in you the maſters of families, or in both, the Lord bee mercifull vntounto vsus, our danger is very great: for it is written, aRom. 1.23.As they regarded not to know God, ſo God deliuered them vp vntounto a reprobate minde, &c. Therefore it is a thing of neceſſitie, that ſuch as keepe houſes, ſhould traine vp their people cōmitted to their charge, Many Miniſters teach not.in the knowledge of the Goſpel. Againe, we that are Miniſters, for the moſt part, are very vntidie for theſe workes, which might preuent this miſchiefe. b7. Tim. 4.10.Some imbracing this preſent world, and ſome being cMath. 15.14.blind leaders of the blinde. Therefore the maſters of families looking not vntounto this matter, the caſe is become lamentable. The time likely to enſue may bee very much iudged by the preſent. Coldnes in religion.Notwithſtanding that God hath warned vsus, to make more reuerent regard of his Gospell, by windes and vnſeaſonable weather, by diuers ſickneſſes, by the plague and dearth & feare of the ſword, not once nor twiſe within theſe fewe yeares: yet the great careleſnes and coldnes (that I ſay not contempt) of religion, may hereby appeare, that Atheiſme, dronkennes, and other very great ſinnes, are waxen bold and ſhameles, and he that feareth an oth, and taketh great paines to bee instructed in Chriſt Ieſus, ſuffereth no ſmall moleſtation. What may we then looke for? but as theſe former corrections, hauehave brought vsus no one iot neerer to repentance, or louelove of Gods word, ſo the Lord will yet ſtretch out his hand againſt vsus. And what can we tell, that if other temporall plagues moue vsus not, but that he will take away his word from an vnthankfull nation, We may ſeare the loſſe of the goſpell.and giuegive it to another that will bring foorth better fruites? If we that be Ministers ouerſtip theſe things, how can they be repaired, but by the inſtruction of families. And many times when we take great paines, the backwardnes of the maſters doth pull downe all that wee build. Therefore it is of great neceſſitie, that the gouernours of houſholds ſhould ſtirre vp themſelues to this duetie.
Now the honorable ſeruice, which a priuate man may do to God and his Church, Teaching the familie honorable ſeruice to God.appeareth in this; that ſuch as traine their families in theſe good grounds, bring foorth an holy generation to the Church, and a ciuill nation to the Common-wealth; which doth not a little ſhewe it ſelfe to Gods glorie, and the praiſe of the Goſpell, in our owne experience. Whereof the example of Ioſhua and his familie, Cornelius and his ſouldiers, Abraham and his three hundred and eighteene, brought vp in his houſe, are as ſufficiēt teſtimonies. How are the names of many priuate men and women for their ſeruice in the Church, commended by Saint Paul, and regiſtred to immortall fame and example of all profeſſors, Priuate men and women may greatly further the Church.Rom. 16. So that among many he acknowledgeth, that all the Churches of the Gentiles were to bee thankefull to one Aquila and Priſcilla his wife. And God doth ſo farre honour the houſe of aIerem. 35.Rechab, that he poynteth it out, and ſetteth it foorth, to be an euerlaſting paterne, of the notable fruite of good gouernours of families. And as bExod. 35.25.women did worke diuers things for the tabernacle, in the daies of Moſes: and as the c1. King. 5.temple was not built, but by men of all ſorts in the time of Salomon: and the dNehem. 3.walles of Ieruſalem vnderunder the guiding of Nehemiah: So may priuate men very much further the building of the ſpirituall temple, which is the congregation of Chriſt. The Churches ſpring out of inſtructed families.And as out of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacobs houſe, ſprang forth the Churches of the Iewes: ſo the glorious congregations of the Gentiles, began in the families: For if ſeruants well nurtured eTit. 2.10.may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thinges: and f1. Pet. 3.1.huſbands obeying not the worde, may without the word be wonne, by the conuerſation of the wiues: how much more may the maſter of the familie doe vntounto God and his Church honorable ſeruice? not only by ſanctifying his houſe by the word of faith; but alſo by hauing alwaies in a readines, very notable matter to further the building of Gods dwelling place. Which thing is auouched to thee by g2. Tim. 1.5. and 3.15. with Act. 16.1.young Timotheus, who being brought vp in the holy Scriptures from a childe, vnderunder his faithfull grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice, when he was yet a very young man, became a companion of the Apoſtle Saint Paul, in that great and waightie worke of planting Churches. And hAct. 18.24.Apollos cōfirmeth the ſame, who being an eloquent man and mightie in the Scriptures, was yet more perfectly inſtructed in the way of God, by the houſe of a craftſman: by whom not onelyonly they which beleeued thorow grace, were very much holpen; but alſo the aduerſaries of Chriſt were mightily confuted by the Scriptures.
Moreouer, I pray you to marke diligently, how that the diſorder of one priuate familie, One familie well or ill ordered, may ſaue or deſtroy both Church & Commonwealth.namely, of one aIudg. 17. & 18.Micah of Ephraim, was an occaſion that Idolatrie did ſpread thorowe the whole tribe of Dan: and ſo continued many yeares. And ſo contrarily, bcap. 6. & 7. & 8.Gideon being ſtirred vp by the goodnes of God, to the reformation of one meane familie in Manaſſeh, was the cauſe of a very great deliuerance to the whole nation, from moſt mightie and cruell enemies, and moſt abominable Idolatrie, for the ſpace of 40. yeares. Where were thoſe c1 King 14.14.18.7000. in the daies of Eliah, that had not bowed the knee to Baal: when he thought there were none left in Iſrael that feared God? were they not in the well inſtructed families? Whence came it that dGen. 37. & 38. & 39. &c.Ioſeph in his youth being ſold vntounto ſtrangers, paſſed thorow ſo great temptations, the comfortles priſon, the ſtocks & iron, to be ſo worthie a father of the Common-wealth of Egypt, & ſo good a nurſe to the people of God? Ica name no other outward meanes, but his good education in the familie of the faithfull. Hence is it written: eEccleſ. 4.13.Better is a poore and wiſe child, then an old and fooliſh king, which will no more bee admoniſhed: for out of the priſon hee commeth for to raigne, when hee that is borne in his kingdome is made poore. Therefore God commādeth his people, fDeut. 11.18.to lay vp his words in their harts, and in their ſoules, &c. and to teach them their children, ſpeaking of them when they ſit in their houſe, and when they walke by the way, and when they lye downe, and when they riſe vp, &c. that their dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of their children, &c. Behold then what good may come out of a well inſtructed familie, namely, that it may bee the preſeruing of the countrie and Church, in the time of extreame daunger and darknes, the ſeedplot againſt the time of reformation, and a meanes by which God doth multiplie his people and peace in a countrie: and that by the contrarie, an whole countrie may fall into Idolatrie and deſtruction. Whereby eueryevery man may ſee what honorable ſeruice I wiſh him vntounto, when I exhort him to the inſtructing of his familie.
Therefore I heartily pray and earneſtly entreate all gouernours of families, A requeſt to the maſters of families.that they would ſet ſuch wiſe order, in the dispoſing of all their worldly affayres, that they may hauehave conuenient leiſure and quiet time for the vſe of this duetie: taking heede of all vaine excuſes, Vaine excuſes.which the diuell and our corrupt nature will ſet before vsus, as blockes and hinderances, that we ſhould not once meddle with ſuch aLuk. 10.42.neceſſary matters. Firſt, The Lords daythe Lords day being an ordinary reſt & time of libertie, doth call vntounto you from the king of heauen, to doe this ſeruice. After morning and euening prayer, when you hauehave tried your people what they hauehave learned at the Church by their pastour, and called to mind the chiefe heads of his teaching: then is it good to make it a drinke offering, vponupon the pastours leſſons; to teach them a point or two of the principles of Religion. Two howers once in the weeke.And if it be poſſible, I would begge for theſe poore ſoules, in the name of Ieſus Chriſt, (who ſhed his precious bloud for you and them) that you would bestowe ſome two howers eueryevery weeke, in ſome one of the working daies, (as eueryevery man ſhalbe able to find beſt and fitteſt leaſure) to instruct your children and ſeruants, according to the order of this booke, or ſome ſuch like: and that you would continue therein with al care and constancie. And I doe not doubt but you ſhall ſee great gaine by this little labour, euen a bleſſing from the Lord our God, bHebr. 6.10.who will not forget any mans faithfull labour and louelove, which is in Chriſt Ieſus. There are foure ſortes of people, Foure ſortes of people hauehave moſt fit oppotunity to teach the yonger. 1. Noble men, & Gentlemen.whome I would especially moue vntounto this moſt vertuous and laudable worke, for that they hauehave moſt fitte opportunitie, to doe greateſt ſeruice herein to God and their countrie. Firſt al noble men and Gentlemen, and all Masters of great houſholds. Whoſe families as they are the moſt in number, ſo most commonly they ſtand vnderunder the moſt reuerend and humble ſubmiſſion of their ſuperiours. Therefore in regard of the one they may profit moſt; and in regard of the other with moſt eaſines and conueniencie; Vaine pretēce.For although the greateſt part pretend it, a very hard thing in theſe daies, to bring their familie to Chriſtian knowledge and ſoberneſse: yet the not hauing them ſo, conſisteth not in the hardnes of the worke, or vnrulines of the people; but in the common neglect of many gouernours. Who paſſing ouer this dutie, Libertie the ſpoyle of the familie.as a matter either not much to be regarded, or not pertaining vntounto thē: hauehave ſo hardeened the necks of children and ſeruants, with the looſe raines of libertie and licentiouſnes: that very few can abide this wholeſome yoake of Christian nurture, the gracious & godly comforte of the knowledge of ſaluation. Great maſters, rulers, princes, captaines, and kings may inſtruct their priuate families.For if one man could command to feare God, & to inſtruct 318. able men, beſide all other ſeruants women and children: as is ſpoken of Abraham, Gene. 14.14. and cap. 18.19. and that a chiefe ruler ouer 120000 people, could ſo gouerne his priuat familie, that he could ſay, I and mine houſe will ſerue the Lorde, as wee reade of Ioſhuah, cap. 24.15. And an other great Prince had his ſeruants ſo guided in the feare of God, that hee and they were examples, in lending money and corne to the poore of the land: as did Nehemiah, cap. 5.10. And if a Centurion could make both ſeruaunts and ſouldiers readie and obedient to eueryevery good worke, as appeareth, Matth. 8.9. yea if a King could proteſt vntounto God, to baniſh deceitful and lying perſons out of his houſe, and to entertain the faithful, & him that walketh in a perfit way: as you may ſee, Pſalm. 101.5.6. I verily thinke that no man endowed with a good conſcience, fearing God and louing the Lord of life Ieſus Chriſt, can hauehave any iuſt excuſe or reaſonable pretence, to keep about him a familie vntaught in the ſweete words of the Goſpell, and the holeſome paths of our bleſſed Sauiour. Except they will ſay, that it is more behoofull for their children and ſeruants to ſerue them, and to reuerence them; then to ſerue and reuerence the Lord of glorie.
Inſtructing of groat families, furthereth both Church and commonwealth.But why ſhould I vſe many words vntounto men of ſuch excellent wits & great gifts, in a matter ſo neceſſarily depending vponupon them, that the leaſt mention ſhould ſuffice eueryevery wiſe and truly noble Gentleman to ſo glorious a worke. For by the good order & Chriſtian inſtructiō of one ſuch great familie, many ſoules are brought to God, there is great encouragemēt by enſample vntounto others out of the familie, and a marueilous power for the bringing foorth and confirmation of al good things, both for the commonwealth, and alſo for the Church of God. For hence doe all other ſortes of people take their light, and the liues of noble & worſhipfull men, are many times more of force, then either the law of God or man. For they are like the great pillars in a building, that if they ſtand ſteadie in faith and good life, with their families, many are vpholden by them in the wayes of godlines: but if they ſwarue and become careleſſe and diſſolute; they draw many with them, as by a mightie ſway, into the wofull downfall of infidelitie and deſtruction. Therfore aboue al men, it behooueth them to take heed to themſelues, and the good instruction and gouernment of their houſholds.
The ſecond ſort are tutors in the Vniuerſities, to whom I ioyne alſo the third ſort, Second and third ſort, Tutors & Schoolmaſters.Schoolmaſters in towne & countrie. Which two hauehave a great reſemblance in their opportunitie to do good, when many mens children of all callings, are committed to their conſcience: to the one, They may doe vnſpeakable good.in the firſt and more tender yeares: to the other, in the yeares of moſt danger. If theſe two ſorts of men would be painfull to wring out the iuyce of this heauenly erudition, as a neceſſary ſawce, to giuegive a pure verdure, to their other literature, or as a ſauoury ſalt to ſeaſon al other learning: it is not to be ſpoken how much good they may doe. For as young plants, being ſtraightned while they bee tender, and trimmed with pruning and other parts of huſbandrie, will growe very goodly to behold in their greatnes, which being neglected, are many times very crooked and vnfit for diuers vſes: So doe young men for the moſt part proue as they are nurtured in their youth. And the good instruction of Schoolemaſters and Tutors (in my knowledge) hath very well ſtraightned ſuch young impes, (who otherwiſe were very rough and vnfruitfull) that many receiue comfort by their worthie example. Therefore I do moſt inſtantly beſeech all Tutors and Schoolemaſters to practiſe this booke: or, becauſe you are learned, ſome better forme of your owne.
Laſtly, Fourthly, women, as Ladies and Gentlewomen, honorable by inſtructing their children.I doe heartily and humbly entreate all ſorts of women, to watch carefully to doe this duetie: and firſt all Ladies and Gentlewomen, that they may be honoured by the ſpirit of Ieſus Chriſt, as was that a2. Ioh. Ger. 1.4elect Ladie, whoſe children did walke in the trueth. And all other women like bRom. 16.12.Perſis, who laboured much in the Lord. And as c1. Sam. 2.19.Hannah made coates for her ſonne Samuel, who ſerued in the houſe of God: ſo theſe would aray their ſeruants and children with the dProuerb. 4.9.goodly ornaments of wiſedome and knowledge, which is from aboue. A woman, Women being at hand may inſtruct their children.being the ePſal 128 3.fruitfull vine on the houſe ſides, in whoſe ſight the fProuerb. 4.3.children are tender and deare: can by no meanes ſhew their naturall louelove better, then being alway at hand with their children and maides, to giuegive them eueryevery day in milde and pleaſant manner ſome of theſe gProu. 25.12.golden apples: wherewith the young babes will take ſuch delight, that by the nouriſhment and exerciſe thereof, they will be made hPſal. 8.2.ſtrong to confound the enemies of God and their countrie; when they hauehave learned to i1. Ioh. 2.12.14.know the father, and that their ſinnes are forgiuen them for Christs names ſake. It is exceeding great the profit you may doe in the familie, if as Salomon ſayth of a vertuous woman, you kProu. 31.26.28.open your mouthes in wiſedome, and the lawe of grace be in your lips: For your children ſhall riſe vp and call you bleſſed, & your husbands ſhall praiſe you. Whereas lchap. 29.15.children ſet at libertie, make their mother aſhamed.
And generally, Inſtruction of youth bringeth ioy to the inſtructor.as a man wil ſowe his ground with the beſt ſeede, and plant his orchard with the beſt fruit; becauſe he looketh for the greater and more gainefull encreaſe in the time of gathering: ſo if men, louing their children as well as they doe other commodities, would alſo traine them vp in the beſt thinges, which are found in the diſcipline, knowledge and faith of Chriſt: they ſhould not onelyonly eſcape many a ſecret griefe and bitter miſchiefe; but alſo bleſſe the Lord with great toyfulnes, when they finde this fruite of their education in knowledge of theſe good things: namely, their children to bee a comfort refreſhing and honour to their gray haires; and their ſeruants neceſſary helpes, before them, in all good cauſes and matters of honestie, truth, iuſtice and merciemercy. For it is written as a thing that faith not, mGalat. 6.7.Whatſoeuer a man ſoweth, that ſhall he reape. Hoping therefore that ſuch as bee wiſe in heart, will earneſtly follow my counſaile, and carefully ſtirre vp others to the ſame; I will hasten to the matter it ſelfe, by which, eueryevery one may bee (as I hope) greatly guided in the performance of the ſame. I beſeech almightie God, of his infinit merciemercy in Ieſus Chriſt, to proſper this our godly purpoſe, to his glorie and comfort of his people. His glorious name be praiſed for euer. Amen.
Your faithfull ſeruant in Chriſt Ieſus, Ioſias Nichols.
The Booke to the Houſeholder.
COme buy me, but paſſe not by me,
for by me thou ſhalt winne,
To light thy people, by my light:
to trauell light, from ſinne.
The word, with words of trueth and ioy,
doth ſhew his word by me:
A way (which if thou way) it waies
thee to felicitie.
Two houres, each weeke, ſixe monthes, to ſtay
with thee, no more, I begge:
To ſtay thy people, on that ſtay,
which hell gates cannot wagge.
Then trie, how trie my triall is:
if God doe helpe with grace;
Both man and child, as wit doth grow,
ſhall ſee the heauenly place.
Yet know, that knowledge and no more,
by thee, to thine I giuegive:
The ſpirit of Chriſt (pray thou therefore)
workes faith; that thou maiſt liue:
And as by proofe, thou proues me true,
to proue the thing I ſay:
So double time, for double gaine,
and grant me longer ſtay.