The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 24 – Chapter 25
CHAP. XXIV.
THus did he exerciſe himſelfe and his family unto godlineſſe every morning,His evening exerciſe. and after the duties of the day, and their naturall refreſhing and repaſt in the end thereof, hee called them again to the like ſervice, and ſacrifice in the evening which hee very religiouſly and conſtantly performed, much after the ſame manner, ſaving tha… then he tooke ſome more paines with them, having more liberty,In opening and applying the word. and better opportunity ſo to doe for then he ordinarily inſtructed and taught his family, out of that portion which hee tooke in the Chapter, read at that time unto them, propounding and applying ſome wholeſome doctrine, profitable for their godly edification, as the tenor of the Scripture beſt ſerved,2 Tim. 3.16.19. whether to convince any errour, or to confirme the truth, to rebuke any ſin, and to inſtruct in the way of righteouſneſſe, to comfort the heart (under hope) in doing well, and ſettle the ſoule by faith and patience in ſuffering ill. This was his holy defire and delight, to edifie his family in faith and love,For the uſe of his Family. and to traine them up in the true knowledge and feare of God, ſo acquainting them with their duties towards God and man,Tit. 2.10, 11, 12. that living ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this world, they might beautifie their profeſſion, and adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour alwayes, and in all things. All which his godly paines and practices in the inſtructing of his family out of the Word of God, as a paſtor and teacher in his owne houſe,Crowned with a bleſſing from God albeit they were through the bleſſing of God, crowned with good ſucceſſe at home, yet were they much maligned, reproached, oppoſed, and queſtioned abroad, and that not only by the vulgar fort, but even by ſome of our maſters in Iſrael, whoſe negligence was much rebuked by his diligence, their prophanneſſe checked by his holy duties, their government in their families not onelyonly obſcured, but blemiſhed,Oppoſed much by ſome men of the world. but blemiſhed, by the comely order and beautie of his government in his family, which was ſo farre advanced above ſome of theirs, as ever Bethell was above Bethaven, Sion above Shilo, or the Temple of God, above the Temple of Idols.
Which malignity of the world,His fortification againſt ſuch aſſaults. and enmity of godleſſe perſons againſt godly and good duties, when he well obſerved and wiſely conſidered of; hee began to fortifie his building, both for his judgement and practice (as Nehemiah did the wales of Jeruſalem againſt the aſſaults of Gods enemies) which he did very faithfully and effectually, by his painefull collections, and obſervations which he made out of the Scriptures,For juſtifying of his judgement and practice in thus teaching of his family. and by the expoſitions, teſtimonies, and examples, of godly and good men, records of antiquity, and evidences of worthy Writers, and witneſſes to the truth of God, all ſutable to the doctrine of our Church, to juſtifie his courſe, and ſtop the mouthes of all ſuch as without any juſt cauſe did open them ſo wide againſt it. I have ſeen and read what hee hath collected and ſet downe to this end and purpoſe, under his owne hand, which I approve of, and like ſo well, for his choice and paines, in binding up together ſo many ſweet and wholeſome flowers of heavenly doctrine,By his collections and obſervations out of godly and good authors. for his owne confirmation, and other mens ſatisfaction, that I could have been well contented to have ſet downe theſe his collections and obſervations at large, concerning this point of the maſters duty, in teaching and inſtructing his family in the feare of God, and faith of Chriſt, and in opening and applying ſome portion of the Scriptures to their mindes and hearts, for that end: but that I much feared, leſt my labour and paines herein, at this time, might be held not ſo needfull, and leſſe pertinent, ſeeing many godly mens bookes are filled with the ſame, or the like inſtructions, ſince that time (juſtifying the ſame point and practice) and that the bulk and body of this little booke, would ſwell too bigg, if I ſhould bring in another Treatiſe, to ſtuffe up the boſome and breſt of it.
CHAP. XXV.
And yet not uſurping upon the Miniſtery. Nor by aprivate ſpirit. But by godly and good meanes. Homines diſcunt prius quod doceant, & ab al…o accipiunt quod aliis tradant. Amb. Coſter us in eins Ʋita. Amb lib. 1. de Offic. c. 1NOw becauſe ſome may miſtake both him and me, in this buſineſſe, as imagining that, by his private expounding of the Scriptures, hee did uſurpe too much, and trench too neare, upon the office of the miniſtery, and were tranſported with ſome private ſpirit of interpretation, above his pitch and place, and that all this were now juſtified by that which hath beene ſaid and done: Such muſt bee intreated to conceive better of our minde and meaning herein, and not to be too raſh in cenſuring, but to judge righteous judgement: For the paines which this Gentleman tooke, in teaching and inſtructing of his family by the Scriptures, were not raiſed, nor grounded upon his owne private conceit or fancy, nor were they fruits of any vain and unwarrantable preſumption, as ſome might imagine: but all that ever he brought unto them, he had either begged of God, or borrowed of good men, or obtained by ſerious ſtudy and meditation, gotten by reading of the Scriptures, and good Expoſitors, or by revewing his Notes alſo of ſuch Sermons, as he had heard upon ſuch Scriptures and Texts as hee had in hand, uſing all good and holy meanes, to fit and furniſh himſelfe, with all manner of ſpirituall proviſion for that ſervice. The ſucceſſe whereof through the good hand of God that was upon him was very anſwerable to his deſires, and endeavours for their good. For as Ioſeph by his diligence and paines,Providing as Ioſeph. in gathering and hoording up of corne, and by his wiſedome in diſpoſing, and diſpenſing of it, did ſufficiently provide ſuſtenance for himſelfe, and for his fathers family: So did this worthy Gentleman, by all godly paines, and good meanes, firſt furniſh and ſtore himſelfe of all ſpirituall proviſion,For himſelfe and for his family. to his owne beſt uſe, and then bring forth ſome part and portion thereof, whether as corne or wine, milke, or ſtronger meat to the reliefe and refreſhing of the ſoules of his family, as their occaſions, or neceſſities might require at his hands.
Now if in thus doing, any man or Miniſter ſhall envie him, and complame of him, for preaching in his owne houſe,Facti ſunt onmes magistri, qui vix poterant eſſe diſeipuli. Amb. in Orat. ad pop. de Auxent. …. as ſometimes Ioſhua did of Eldad and Medad for propheſying in the Lords hoſt: I would have every godly Miniſter to anſwer them, as Moſes did him, Envieſt thou for my ſake? I would to God that all Maſters of families, were ſuch Miniſters in their families, yea, and that all Miniſters were ſuch Maſters, in the religious governement of their owne houſe alſo.