A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 2 – Chapter 3

A Treatise of Family Instruction · Chapter 2 – Chapter 3

p. 40CHAP. II.

Motives to ſtir up Parents and Maſters of Families, to inſtruct their Children and Servants in the Knowledge, and to train them up in the obedience of the Scriptures.

IN the former Chapter I have proved it to be the Duty of Parents and Maſters of Families, to train up their Children and Servants in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures: I ſhall now proceed to lay down ſome Motives to ſtir up thoſe that neglect this good work, to be diligent, conſtant and conſcientious in the performance of their Duty, in teaching and inſtructing their Familier.

SECT 1. Inſtructing our Children and Servants out of the Scriptures will be a means of their Converſion; Reaſons why we ſhould endeavour their Converſion.

Motive. 1 INſtructing your Children and Servants out of the word of God will be a powerful and an effectual means to convert and ſave their ſouls: For, The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul, Pſal. 19.7. And, The Goſpel is the power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. The Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light, and Reproofs of p. 41inſtruction are the way of Life, Prov. 6.23. Though they be ſuch as walk in ſinful and deſtructive courſes, by teaching and inſtructing them out of the Scriptures, they may be converted from their ſins unto God, Pſal. 5.13. I will teach Tranſgreſſors thy ways, and Sinners ſhall be converted unto thee. We read of Cornelius, that both he himſelf and all his houſe were ſaved by the word wherewith they were inſtructed by Peter, Act. 11.14. Who ſhall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy houſe ſhall be ſaved. In like manner if Governours of Families did carefully inſtruct their Families out of the word of God, they might in ſo doing both ſave themſelves and all their houſe: With what diligence, with what ſpeed, with what alacrity, with what a reſolved minde to perſevere therein under all diſcouragements, ſhould you ſet upon this work, ſeeing there is hope that hereby you may ſave your Children and your Servants Souls? That this argument may have the greater force to perſwade and prevail with you to ſet your hearts to this work; Conſider,

1. What great worth and excellency there is in an immortal Soul: The Soul of the pooreſt Child or Servant in your Families, is more worth than all the ſubſtance in your houſes, than all the Riches you have gotten or can get as long as you live; yea, than the whole world, Mark 8.36. What ſhall it profit a man if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own Soul? And therefore you ſhould ſpend more thoughts and pains about ſaving your Children and Servants Souls, than you would do to gain the whole world, if there were a probability that by your care and induſtry you might get into your poſſeſſion all the good things that are in the world. There is ſuch an excellency in the Soul, that when any one p. 42ſinner is brought to repentance, whereby his Soul is put into a ſtate of Salvation, all the Angels of Heaven rejoyce at this glad Tidings, Luk. 15.10. There is joy in the preſence of the Angels of God over one ſinner that repenteth.

2. By converting your Children and Servants, you ſhall recover their ſouls from the power of the Devil: Before their converſion he rules and carries them captive to this and the other ſin, as he pleaſeth, Epheſ. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26. But when they are converted, they are freed and delivered from the power of Satan. The Converſion of a ſinner is the opening of his eyes, and turning him from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Act. 26.18. It is Gods delivering of a ſinner from the power of darkneſs, and tranſlating him into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Col. 1.13. If your Children were under Turkiſh Slavery, would you ſpare any pains or coſt to redeem them from the hands of the Turks? It is far worſe to have them under the power of Satan, than under the power of the Turks. Suppoſe the Devil had gotten poſſeſſion of your Childrens Bodies, and ſhould torture them, as he did the woman of Canaan's Daughter, who cried out to Chriſt, Mat. 15.22. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, my Daughter is grievouſly vexed with a Devil; or ſhould rend and tear them, as he did that young man whoſe Father made his moan to Chriſt after this manner, My Son hath a dumb Spirit, and whereſoever he taketh him he teareth him, and he fometh and gnaſheth with his teeth, and he pineth away,—and oft times it hath caſt him into the fire, and into the waters to deſtroy him, Mark 19.17, 18, 22. would not this cauſe you to mourn, and faſt, and pray, and to uſe all means poſſible to get your Childrens Bodies delivered from the tyranny p. 43of Satan? And would you not be reſtleſs until you had obtained their deliverance? To have your childrens Souls under the power of the Devil, and to have them drawn ſometimes into one foul ſin, and then into another, is far worſe and more dangerous then to have their Bodies at his command; and yet this is their caſe, as long as they remain unconverted their Souls are under the power of ſin and Satan. How ſhould this cauſe you to ſtrive with God in prayer night and day, and labour with your utmoſt diligence in the uſe of all means to get their Souls converted to God?

3. By converting your Children and Servants, you ſhall prevent their dying in their ſins, and ſave them from the wrath of God, and the torments of Hell, Jam. 5.19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the ſinner from the error of his way, ſhall ſave a Soul from death, and ſhall hide a multitude of ſins: What a great, what a good work is this, to ſave a ſoul from death? Shall we think any pains too much to ſave immortal Souls from eternal Death? If you ſaw any of your Children ready to fall into a fiery Furnace, which would conſume them to Aſhes in a moment, you would ſuddenly lay hold on them, and prevent, if it were poſſible, their falling into the furnace of fire: Hell is called A Furnace of Fire, Mat. 13.42. As long as your Children live in ignorance, and in an unconverted condition, they are in danger every day to fall into this furnace of fire. And doth it not concern you then, to prevent with all poſſible ſpeed their falling into everlaſting burnings?

4. Conſider what great pains Jeſus Chriſt took to ſave and convert Souls: The great end of his coming p. 44into the world and taking our Nature upon him, was to ſave Souls, Luk. 19.10. The Son of man is come to ſeek and ſave that which was loſt: When he was upon the earth he was ſo diligent in teaching and inſtructing the people, that he did not omit his work one day, Luk. 19.47. He taught daily in the Temple: He was ſo diligent to teach and inſtruct the people, that he could not find ſpare time to eat his Bread, which canſed ſome of his friends to think and ſay he was beſide himſelf, Mark 3.20. He was not only very diligent in preaching, but was content to lay down his life to ſave our ſouls. Shall not this example of Chriſt provoke you to give all diligence to ſave both your own, and the ſouls of all that are committed to your Charge?

5. God will give a greater degree of Glory to thoſe that are inſtrumental to convert and ſave ſouls, than to other Saints: For whereas they ſhall ſhine only as the Firmament, they that convert others ſhall ſhine as the Stars in the Firmament, Dan. 12.3. They that be wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſs of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteouſneſs as the Stars for ever and ever.

6. You cannot approve your ſelves to be Righteous Perſons either to God or Men, if you do not regard what becomes of your childrens and ſervants ſouls; A righteous man regardeth the life of his beaſt, Prov. 12.10. If this be true, how can they account themſelves righteous perſons who have no regard what becomes of the ſouls of their Children? If a Beaſt go aſtray, though it be not our own but our Neighbours, yea our Enemies, we muſt by no means neglect to bring it back, Exod. 23.4. If thou meet thine Enemies Ox or his Aſs going aſtray, thou ſhalt ſurely bring it back to him again. If we are bound ſo p. 45ſtraightly to bring back an Ox or an Aſs of our Enemies when he goes aſtray, then what obligations lie upon us to bring home to God our own Children, and our houſhold Servants, when we ſee them going aſtray from the Lord?

SECT. 2. Such as neglect Family-Inſtruction, are guilty of their Children and Servants Blood. How great an Evil it is to be guilty of the Blood of Souls.

Motive. 2 SUch Parents and Maſters of Families as neglect to train up their Children and Servants in the fear of the Lord, and in the knowledge of his word, are the inſtrumental cauſes of their Damnation, and their Children and Servants Blood will be laid to their charge, and be required at their hands. For it is evident from the word of God, that all ſuch as live and die ignorant of God, having attained to years of diſcretion, ſhall be deſtroyed for ever, without having any mercy ſhewed to them, 2 Theſ. 1.7, 8, 9. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power: Iſa. 27.11. —It is a people of no underſtanding, therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them, and he that formed them will ſhew them no favour: Hoſ. 4.6. My people are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge. Now if the Lord will condemn our Children and Servants for their ignorance, and their ignorance proceed from our neglect of inſtructing them, are not we the cauſe of their condemnation? Such as have the Rule and Government p. 46of Families are in the nature and condition of Watchmen, as well as thoſe that bear Rule in the Church, and muſt give an account for thoſe ſouls that are committed to their charge, Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls, as they that muſt give an account. And as for thoſe that are placed in the condition of Watchmen, if any perſons over whom God hath made them Watchmen be loſt through their neglect to inſtruct them in their duty, or to reclaim them from their ſins, the Blood of thoſe that periſh ſhall be required at the Watchmans hands, Ezek. 3.17, 18. Son of man, I have made thee a Watchman unto the Houſe of Iſrael, therefore hear the word at my Mouth, and give them warning from Me, when I ſay to the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die, and thou giveſt him not warning, nor ſpeakeſt to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to ſave his life, the ſame wicked man ſhall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand: What Inditement is brought in againſt the Jews? Jer. 2.34. In thy Skirts is found the Blood of the Souls of the poor Innocents— I have not found it by ſecret ſearch, but upon all theſe. The like may be ſaid of many Maſters of Families, In their Skirts will be found the Blood of the Souls of their Children and Servants: In their Skirts—That is, it will plainly and evidently appear unto all men at the day of Judgment, that they are guilty of the Blood of the Souls of their Children and Servants, for want of inſtructing and training them up in the fear of God: VVe cannot poſſibly be clear from the blood of thoſe that are committed to our charge, if either through wilfulneſs, or through ſloth and negligence, we forbear to inſtruct them in thoſe things that are neceſſary to their Salvation; but if we do our duty, and they periſh p. 47in their ſins, their Blood ſhall be upon their own head, Act. 20.26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the Counſel of God: Did Parents and Maſters of Families ſeriouſly conſider what it is to have their Children and Servants die eternally, and that through their neglecting to teach and train them up in the fear of God, did they alſo conſider what it is to have the blood of Souls laid to their charge, it would ſtir them up to be diligent in inſtructing their Families, unleſs they be ſuch as have loſt all regard to their own and their Families welfare.

To preſs home this conſideration with the greater efficacy, I ſhall ſuggeſt to you three or four things more under this head. As,

1. The death of a Child goes near a Parents heart. Hagar could not endure to ſee her Child die, and therefore when ſhe thought he would die, ſhe gets a great way off from him, and ſat down and wept, Gen. 21.16. She ſaid, Let me not ſee the death of the Child; and ſhe ſat over againſt him, and lift up her voice and wept. VVhen tydings came to David of Abſolom's death, he was exceedingly troubled at it, 2 Sam. 18.33. And the King was much moved, and went up to the chamber ever the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he ſaid, O my Son Abſolom, my Son, my Son Abſolom; would God I had died for thee, O Abſolom, my Son, my Son! VVhen Jacob did but ſuppoſe that Joſeph was dead, though he had eleven Sons living, his ſorrow was ſo great, that he refuſed to be comforted, Gen. 37.34, 35. Jacob rent his cloaths, and put ſackcloth upon his loyns, and mourned for his Son many days; and all his Sons, and all his Daughters roſe up to comfort him, but he refuſed to be comforted; and he ſaid, For I will go down p. 48into the Grave unto my Son mourning: Thus his Father wept for him. If it be ſo grievous to Parents to ſee their Children deprived of their natural life, how ſhould it pierce their hearts to have them deprived of eternal Life? If they are ſo grieved at the death of their Bodies, how ſhould they lay to heart the death of their Souls? How ſhould it wound them to have their Children caſt into the lake that burneth with fire and Brimſtone, which is the ſecond death; where they ſhall be always burning, and yet never be conſumed; they ſhall be always dying, and yet never be dead? yea, how ſhould it affect them when they conſider that they themſelves have through their negligence been the cauſe of their Childrens dying the ſecond death.

2. It would pierce a flinty heart to ſee Children dying in their Parents Arms for want of Bread. VVhen Jeremiah ſaw little Children in the time of Famine, ſome dying in the ſtreets, others breathing out their ſouls in their Mothers Boſoms for want of Bread to ſuſtain their Lives, it made him weep till his eyes and his heart failed him with grief, Lam. 2.11, 12. Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my Liver is poured upon the earth, for the deſtruction of the Daughter of my People, becauſe the Children and the Sucklings ſwoon in the ſtreets of the City; they ſay to their Mothers, Where is Corn and Wine? When they ſwooned as the wounded in the Streets of the City, when their Soul was poured out into their Mothers Boſom. This is a ſorrowful ſight, but it is far more dreadful to ſee Children periſhing to all eternity in their Parents Houſes, for want of their communicating to them the Bread of Life, than to ſee them die by Famine.

3. It is an unſpeakable loſs for a man to loſe one p. 49Soul: Though he do not loſe his Children and Servants Souls, though he loſe not one Soul beſides his own, the gain of the whole world will not make up this loſs; as appears from the fore-quoted Scripture Mar. 8.36. What ſhall it profit a man if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own Soul? If it be ſuch a great loſs for a man to loſe his own Soul, what will it be for a man, beſides the loſs of his own, to be charged with the loſs of the Souls of his Children, and of all that ever were committed to his charge.

4. Blood is a crying ſin, the cry of it reacheth to the Heavens, and calls to God for vengeance, Gen. 4.10. What haſt thou done? The voyce of thy Brothers Blood crieth unto me from the ground: And bringeth a great curſe on thoſe that are guilty of ſhedding it, Verſ. 11. And now art thou curſed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy Brothers Blood from thy hand. Verſ. 12. A fugitive and vagabond ſhalt thou be upon the earth. Although all Blood crieth loud, yet none crieth like the Blood of Souls. As much as the Soul ſurpaſſeth the Body in excellency, ſo much greater is their ſin who are acceſſary to the deſtroying of Souls, than theirs who only take away the life of the Body. It is ſpoken of as a dreadful Judgment to have the Stones and Timber of a Mans Houſe crying out againſt him, (which will be the lot of thoſe that get or build Houſes by unrighteous means) Hab. 2.11. The Stone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the Timber ſhall anſwer it. The man that is in this caſe can have but little joy in his Houſe, either by night or by day. But what is this to the cry of ſuch Souls as periſh byour means, who will be crying out againſt us to all eternity? What Zipporah ſaid to Moſes, by reaſon of the Circumciſion, Surely a bloody Husband p. 50art thou to me, Exod. 4.25, 26. The like will many women ſay to their Husbands, who periſh for want of their inſtructing them, Surely a bloody Husband haſt thou been unto me; and Children will cry out againſt their Fathers, for ſuffering them to die and be damned for want of inſtruction, Surely a bloody Father haſt thou been unto me; and Servants will cry out againſt their Maſters, Surely a bloody Maſter haſt thou been unto me. To undo a man in his Eſtate by oppreſſion, or violent taking away his Goods, is a mighty ſin, there are dreadful things threatned againſt ſuch as are guilty of this ſin, Job 20.19. to 29. Becauſe he hath oppreſſed and hath forſaken the poor, becauſe he hath violently taken away an houſe which he built not; ſurely he ſhall not feel quietneſs in his belly, he ſhall not ſave of that which he deſireth, there ſhall none of his meat be left, therefore ſhall no man look for his goods; in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits; every hand of the wicked ſhall come upon him: When he is about to fill his belly, God ſhall caſt the fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall rain it upon him while he is eating: He ſhall flee from the iron weapon, and the Bow of ſteel ſhall ſtrike him through; it is drawn and cometh out of the Body, yea the gliſtering Sword cometh out of his Gall; terrours are upon him, all darkneſs ſhall be hid in his ſecret place, a fire not blown ſhall conſume him. It ſhall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle, the Heavens ſhall reveal his iniquity, and the earth ſhall riſe up againſt him: the increaſe of his houſe ſhall depart, and his goods ſhall flow away in the day of his wrath. To undo a man body and Soul to all eternity in the world to come, is a far greater ſin, than to undo a man in his eſtate in this world: And if ſuch dreadful things are denounced againſt the Oppreſſor, what ſhall be done to the Soul-murderer?

p. 515. He that neglecteth or refuſeth to inſtruct his Family, is as certainly guilty of the Blood of their Souls, as he that ſuffereth his Family to ſtarve by neglecting or refuſing to give them that food which ſhould preſerve their Lives, is guilty of deſtroying their natural Life: for as ſurely as the Body will periſh without its food, ſo ſurely will the Soul periſh without inſtruction, Prov. 5.23. He ſhall die without inſtruction. Prov. 29.28. Where there is no viſion the people periſh.

SECT. 3. Inſtructing our Children out of the Scriptures inſtils Wiſdom into them; the Advantages that will come to them by being endued with Wiſdom.

Motive. 3 BY inſtructing our Children and Servants out of the Word of God, we ſhall furniſh them with Wiſdom and Underſtanding, whereby they will become prudent perſons. Though they be young and ſimple, yet Gods word will make them wiſe and diſcreet, Pſal. 19.7. The Teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, making wiſe the ſimple: Pſal. 119.130. The entrance of thy Word giveth Light, it giveth underſtanding to the ſimple: Prov. 1.1, 4. The Proverbs of Solomon—To give ſubtilty to the ſimple, to the young man knowledge and diſcretion: Prov. 19.20. Hear counſel, and receive inſtruction, that thou mayeſt be wiſe in thy latter end. It was by Gods word that David attained to ſuch eminency in wiſdom, that he became wiſer than the Ancients, and all his Teachers, Pſal. 119 99, 100. No Perſons or Nations under Heaven are ſo wiſe as they that are acquainted with, and give heed to, the Word of God, Deut. 4.6. Keep therefore and do them, for this is your wiſdom p. 52and underſtanding in the ſight of the Nations, which ſhall hear all theſe Statutes, and ſay, Surely this great Nation is a wiſe and underſtanding People. By being acquainted with the word, they ſhall attain to wiſdom in Civil Things, and Divine; in things pertaining to God, and to Men: Prov. 31.4. My Son, forget not my Law, but let thine heart keep my Commandments; ſo ſhalt thou find favour and good underſtanding in the ſight of God and Man. Yea, by inſtructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures, we ſhall convey to them the beſt wiſdom that is attained by the ſons of men, and that is, to be wiſe to ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. From a Child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation, through faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus. Seeing then that inſtructing of our Families out of the Scriptures, will be a means of enduing our children and ſervants with wiſdom and underſtanding, this may be of great force to ſtir us up to diligence in teaching them Gods holy word, eſpecially if we conſider how many, and what great advantages come to our children and ſervants by being furniſhed with VViſdom and Underſtanding. I will mention a few.

1. To leave our Children endued wiſdom, is better then to leave them great Riches: For Wiſdom is better than Rubies, and all the things that may be deſired are not to be compared to it, Prov. 8.11. How much better is it to get wiſdom than Gold, and to get underſtanding, rather to be choſen than Silver, Prov. 16.16. VViſdom is a greater Ornament and a more lovely Jewel than a multitude of Rubies and pretious Stones, Prov. 20.15. There is Gold and a multitude of Rubies, but the Lips of Knowledge are a pretious Jewel. VViſdom is of that excellency that it far ſurpaſſeth all the Silver p. 53and Gold, and pretious Stones in the world: Job 28.16, 17, 18. It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx, or the Saphir, the Gold and the Cryſtal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it ſhall not be for Jewels of fine Gold; no mention ſhall be made of Coral, or of Pearls: for the price of Wiſdom is above Rubies. How deſirous are moſt Parents to leave their Children great Eſtates? If Wiſdom be better than all the Riches of the world, why ſhould we not deſire and labour more to leave them endued with VViſdom, than to leave them great Riches?

2. If we leave them endued with VViſdom, though they be poor, we leave them better than if we left them Kings and Princes deſtitute of VViſdom: Eccleſ. 4.13. Better is a poor and a wiſe Child, than an old and fooliſh King: Many perſons who have aſpiring minds, would ſpare no pains to make their Children Kings and Princes, if they ſaw any poſſibility to effect it; why then ſhould we be backward to convey that to our Children which will be a greater advantage to them, than the promoting of them to be Kings.

3. Wiſdom will make our Children of an excellent Spirit: Prov. 17.27. A man of underſtanding is of an excellent Spirit. An excellent Spirit is a great Ornament to a man, and to be preferred above Nobility of Birth, Beauty, Riches, or any external Accompliſhments. Darius finding in Daniel an excellent Spirit, preferred him above all the Princes and Nobles in his Kingdom, Dan. 6.3. This Daniel was preferred above the Preſidents and Princes, becauſe an excellent Spirit was in him, and the King thought to ſet him over the whole Realm.

4. Wiſdom and Underſtanding will make the p. 54Members of our Family uſeful in their Generation, in whatſoever places and ſtations they ſhall be fixed by the Providence of God. What bleſſing was prayed for on Boaz his behalf by his Friends, Do thou worthily in Ephratah, Ruth 4.11. The ſame ſhall fall upon our Children, if we train them up in acquaintance with God. They ſhall do worthily in the places where God caſts their lot, although their lot be caſt in evil times and ſinful places, Dan. 11.32. Such as do wickedly againſt the Covenant ſhall be corrupt by Flatteries; but the people that do know their God, ſhall be ſtrong and do exploits. By being endued with Wiſdom and Underſtanding, they will prove great Bleſſings to the Families, Cities, and Kingdoms, in which they live. They will be bleſſings to the Houſes and Families where they live, Prov. 24.3. Through wiſdom is an houſe builded, and by underſtanding it is eſtabliſhed. Yea, they will be Bleſſings to the Towns and Cities wherein they live, Eccleſ. 9.14, 15. There was a little City, and a few men within it; and there came a great King againſt it, and beſieged it, and built great Bulwarks againſt it; now there was found in it a poor wiſe man, and he by his wiſdom delivered the City. By the means of a wiſe Woman the City of Abel was preſerved from deſtruction; When Joab was come againſt it with a great Army, to deſtroy the place, ſhe by her wiſe carriage both mollified Joabs Spirit, and brought over the men of the City to comply with his deſire, and ſo ſaved the City from ruine, 2 Sam. 20.15, 16, 22. Yea, more than this, they will be Bleſſings to the States and Kingdoms in which they live; Prov. 28.2. For the tranſgreſſion of a Land many are the Princes thereof; but by a man of underſtanding and knowledge the ſtate thereof ſhall be prolonged. Joſeph being a wiſe and diſcreet man, Gen. p. 5541.39. was a great bleſſing to all the Land of Egypt, and not to Egypt only, but to all the Countreys round about, who were ſuſtained by the Proviſion, that he had laid up againſt the time of that great Famine.

5. Wiſdom will cauſe our Children to live in good repute and credit all their days: Prov. 3.35. The wiſe ſhall inherit Glory, but ſhame ſhall be the promotion of Fools. Eccl. 8.1. A mans wiſdom maketh his face to ſhine—It will procure them favour and honour and reſpect from all ſorts of perſons, Prov. 4.7, 8. Exalt her, and ſhe ſhall promote thee, ſhe ſhall bring thee to honour when thou doſt embrace her; ſhe ſhall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace, a Crown of Glory ſhall ſhe deliver to thee: Prov. 14.35. The Kings favour is towards a wiſe Servant.

6. Wiſdom will keep our Children from imbezeling away, and miſ-ſpending their Eſtates which we leave them, and will help them to preſerve, increaſe and uſe well that portion of Goods or Lands, that we ſhall bequeath to them, Prov. 24.4. By knowledge ſhall the Chambers be filled with all the precious and pleaſant Riches, Prov. 21.20. There is a treaſure to be deſired, and Oyl in the dwelling of the wiſe, but a fooliſh man ſpendeth it up.

7. Wiſdom will keep them from falling into thoſe troubles and ſnares wherewith fooliſh and indiſcreet perſons are intangled, Prov. 22.3. A prudent man fore-ſeeth the evil and hideth himſelf, but the ſimple paſs on and are puniſhed. And when they do fall into trouble, knowledge will help them to get out of their troubles, Prov. 11.9. Through knowledge ſhall the Juſt be delivered.

8. Wiſdom will preſerve them from keeping evil company, that they ſhall not be intangled with the p. 56acquaintance either of lewd men or laſcivious women, which are the bane and deſtruction of many young men, Prov. 2.10, 11, 12, 16. When wiſdom entreth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleaſant to thy Soul, Diſcretion ſhall preſerve thee, and Ʋnderſtanding ſhall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that ſpeaketh froward things,—to deliver thee from the ſtrange Woman, even from the ſtranger which flattereth with her words.

9. Wiſdom will make our Children prove great Comforts to us, Prov. 10.1. A wiſe Son maketh a glad Father: Prov. 23.15, 16. My Son, if thine heart be wiſe, my heart ſhall rejoyce, even mine; yea, my reins ſhall rejoyce when thy lips ſpeak right things: And verſ. 24, 25. The Father of the Righteous ſhall greatly rejoyce, and he that begetteth a wiſe Child ſhall have joy of him; thy Father and thy Mother ſhall be glad, and ſhe that bare thee ſhall rejoyce.

10. Wiſdom and Underſtanding are means of leading them to life and ſalvation: Prov. 16.22. Ʋnderſtanding is a well-ſpring of life unto him that hath it. Prov. 3.21, 22. Keep ſound Wiſdom and Diſcretion, ſo ſhall they be Life and Grace to thy Neck: John 17.3. This is Life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. Do we not thirſt after the ſalvation of our Childrens Souls? If we do, then let us be diligent to inſtruct them in the Striptures, which will make them wiſe to ſalvation.

p. 57SECT. 4. Many Benefits accrue to our Children by Inſtruction.

Motive. 4 BY training up our Children in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures, we ſhall greatly promote their welfare. That this is the way to furniſh them with wiſdom, and what Advantages will come to them by being endued with Wiſdom, hath been ſhewed already. There are many other great Benefits and Advantages will accrue to our Children, by being inſtructed in the Scriptures: I will inſtance in ſome of them.

1. Acquaintance with the Word of God will furniſh them with grounds of Conſolation, whereby they may be able to bear up chearfully, and comfort themſelves under all the troubles of this preſent life. We know not what troubles our Children may meet with, when we are at Reſt in our Graves; we leave them in a troubleſome world, where they muſt expect to meet with variety of afflictions, Job 14.1. Man that is born of a Woman is of few Days, and full of trouble; eſpecially if they walk in the path that leads to life, for there is no getting to Heaven, but through much tribulation: Act. 14.22. We muſt through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. And if our Children have not ſomewhat out of Gods Word to comfort themſelves withall under their afflictions, they will ſink under their ſorrows, and be in danger to make away themſelves: Pſal. 119.92. Ʋnleſs thy Law had been my delight, I ſhould then have periſhed in mine affliction. But if they be acquainted with the word of God, they may from thence be furniſhed with grounds of Conſolation under the greateſt troubles that can come upon them in this p. 58world, Jer. 15.16. Thy words were found and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of mine heart.— It was a time of great trouble with the Prophet, and he was alone, and had none to comfort him, as we may ſee Verſ. 10, 17, 18. yet even then when he was a man of contention to the whole earth, and ſat alone, being filled with indignation, and looked upon his pain as perpetual, and his wound as incurable, Gods word was the joy and rejoycing of his heart. So David when his heart was ready to break with grief, Pſal. 119.28. My Soul melteth for heavineſs—found joy and comfort in Gods word, Verſ. 49.50. Remember thy word unto thy Servant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope. This is my comfort in mine affliction.— And Verſ. 143, 162. Trouble and anguiſh have taken hold of me, yet thy Commandments are my delight; I rejoyce at thy word, as one that findeth great ſpoyl.

2. Acquaintance with the word of God will keep our Children from taking evil and deſtructive courſes, from going in thoſe paths that will bring them to deſtruction, Pſal. 17.4. Concerning the works of men by the words of thy Lips I have kept me from the paths of the deſtroyers. The word of God laid up in their hearts, will keep them from aſſociating themſelves with evil men and evil women; It will ſo over-awe their hearts, that they will not only not run of themſelves into evil Company, but alſo ſhun and avoid them though they uſe many flattering ſpeeches to entice them to that which is evil: Prov. 7.15. My Son, keep my words, and lay up my Commandments with thee; That they may keep thee from the ſtrange woman, from the ſtranger which flattereth with her words: See alſo Prov. 6.23, 24.

3. The knowledge of Godsword will keep them p. 59from falling into Errors, which perſons of weak Judgments and not well grounded in the Scriptures, are eaſily drawn into. Errors ariſe from ignorance of the Scriptures: Mark 12.24. Do ye not therefore err, becauſe ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. Growing in knowledge is preſcribed by the Apoſtle as a means to prevent perſons being led into errors, 2 Pet. 3.17, 18. We had need be careful to preſerve our Children from Errors, eſpecially in Fundamental Points of Religion, as well as from groſs ſins: For, 1. Except they abide in the Doctrine of Chriſt, they can have no enjoyment of God, 2 John 9. Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God; he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chriſt, he hath both the Father and the Son. 2. Hereſies are manifeſt works of the fleſh, as well as Adultery, and Murder, and ſuch-like ſins, and will as certainly exclude men from the Kingdom of Heaven, as the groſſeſt ſins; as we may ſee Gal. 5.19, 20, 21.

4. If we inſtruct our Children in the knowledge of Gods word, that will guide and direct them how to carry on all their undertakings, and how to manage the great Turns and Changes of their Lives, and all their other affairs, Pſal. 119.105. Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. And the Lord hath promiſed to ſuch as converſe much with his word, and treaſure it up in their hearts, that his word ſhall lead and guide them in all their ways, and they ſhall have ſuch plain direction from his word, how to order their Affairs, as if they heard one talking with them, and ſaying this is the way, walk therein: Prov. 6.21, 22, 23. Bind them continually upon thine heart—When thou goeſt, it ſhall lead thee; when thou ſleepeſt, it ſhall keep thee; when thou wakeſt, it p. 60ſhall talk with thee: For the Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light, and Reproofs of Inſtruction are the way of life: Iſa. 30.21. Thine ears ſhall hear a word behind thee, ſaying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

5. It will help our Children even whilſt they are young, to reform their lives. Pſal. 119.9. Wherewithall ſhall a young man cleanſe his way, by taking heed thereto according to thy word. It will keep them from ſinning againſt God: Pſal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. It will cauſe them to do thoſe things which are right in the ſight of God, 2 Kings 12.2. And Jehoaſh did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord all his days, wherein Jehoiada the Prieſt inſtructed him. Now who is there that feareth the Lord, that would not moſt gladly have his Children reform their lives, and be kept from ſinning againſt God, and do that which is right in the ſight of the Lord?

6. By leaving our Children inſtructed in Gods word, we ſhall leave them better than if we were able to leave them thouſands of pounds of Silver and Gold: For the Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thouſands of Gold and Silver, Pſal. 119.72.

7. Godly Parents may have all that they can deſire on the behalf of their Children, if they do train them up in the knowledge and obedience of the Scriptures. Do we deſire that our Children ſhould be brought to know and fear the Lord? This may be effected by cauſing them to treaſure up Gods word in their hearts, Prov. 2.1, 5. My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my Commandments with thee—Then ſhalt thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Would we have our p. 61Children continue in the ways of God, walking with and ſerving God as long as they live? By inſtructing them whilſt they are young, we ſhall obtain our deſire in this thing: Prov. 22.6. Train up a Child in the way that he ſhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Would we have our Children inſtructed how to lead a godly and righteous Life? And would we have them throughly furniſhed with abilities for every good work? This may be done by acquainting them with the Scriptures: 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inſtruction in Righteouſneſs, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works. Do we deſire our Children ſhould be proſperous men, both whilſt we live, and after we are dead, and gone into another world? This may be obtained by training them up in the knowledge and obedience of Gods word, Deut. 29.9. Keep therefore the words of this Covenant, and do them, that ye may proſper in all that ye do. Do we deſire that our Children may be bleſſed with all manner of bleſſings whilſt they live here in this world, and do we deſire to have their Souls ſaved when they die? The way to obtain this, is to train them up in a godly ſort, that they may know and walk in the ways of the Lord, which he hath preſcribed to us and to them in his holy word: For 1 Tim. 4.8. Godlineſs is profitable unto all things, having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: Prov. 10.17. He is in the way of life that keepeth inſtruction. See alſo 2 Tim. 3.15. John 17.3. Deut. 28. from verſ. 1. to 24.

p. 62SECT. 5. We benefit our ſelves by inſtructing our Families.

Mo∣tive. 5 BY inflructing our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures, we ſhall not only procure much good to our Children and Servants, but ſhall alſo exceedingly advantage our own Souls, and obtain many bleſſings from God, for our ſelves as well as our Families. When Obed-Edom entertained the Ark of the Lord in his houſe, The Lord bleſſed Obed-Edom and all his houſhold, 2 Sam. 6.11. And the Bleſſings that God gave Obed-Edom were ſo remarkable, that others as well as himſelf took notice thereof, verſ. 12. And it was told King David, ſaying, The Lord hath bleſſed the houſe of Obed-Edom, and all that pertained unto him, becauſe of the Ark of God. In this Ark were laid up the Laws of God, written upon two Tables, Deut. 10.2. If we treaſure up Gods Laws in our own hearts, and teach the ſame unto our Families, inſtructing them both in the Duties of the firſt and ſecond Table, that is, in their duty to God and to Men; the Lord will as ſurely, and in as eminent a manner bleſs us, as he did Obed-Edom, for receiving the Ark, wherein were the two Tables of the Law of God. I will inſtance in ſome advantages and bleſſings which thoſe Parents and Maſters of Families ſhall receive, that are diligent in training up their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures.

1. The Lord hath promiſed a long and bleſſed Life to them and their Children, that inſtruct their Children in his word; they ſhall enjoy a kind of Heaven upon Earth, Deut. 11.18, 19, 21. Therefore ſhall ye lay up theſe my words in your hearts and in your p. 63ſouls—And ye ſhall teach them your Children, ſpeaking of them when thou ſitteſt in thine houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, when thou lieſt down, and when thou riſeſt up—that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your Children—as the days of Heaven upon Earth.

2. They ſhall have a great reward in Heaven, who are diligent in inſtructing thoſe whom God hath committed to their Charge, Mat. 24.45, 46, 47. Who then is that faithful and wiſe Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houſhold to give them meat in due ſeaſon? Bleſſed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh ſhall find ſo doing: Verily I ſay unto you, That he ſhall make him Ruler over all his Goods. If we teach our Families the Commandments of God, and do alſo keep them our ſelves, we ſhall be great Perſons in the Kingdom of Heaven, how mean and low ſoever our condition be in this world, Mat. 5.19. Whoſoever ſhall break one of theſe leaſt Commandments, and ſhall teach men ſo, he ſhall be called the leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoſoever ſhall do and teach them, the ſame ſhall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

3. Our Children and Servants will be great Comforts and Bleſſings to us if we train them up in the fear of God. Oneſimus before his Converſion was a great croſs to his Maſter, but after he was inſtructed by the Apoſtle Paul, and God had wrought upon him, who was a more dutiful Servant than One ſimus? Philem. 11. Which in time paſt was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to me and to thee. They will be great Comforts to us in this world: Prov. 10.1. A wiſe Son maketh a glad Father: Prov. 29.17. Correct thy Son, and he ſhall give thee reſt; yea, he ſhall give delight unto thy Soul. The Chaldee, Syriack, Arabick, p. 64Greek, and Vulgar Latin, tranſlate the word Erudi filium tuum, &c. Inſtruct thy Son; and the Hebrew word foreign ſignifies to inſtruct—as well as to correct, as Pſal. 2.10. Be inſtructed ye Judges of the Earth. So that the words may be as well rendred, Inſtruct thy Son, and he ſhall give thee reſt; yea, he ſhall give delight to thy Soul. What greater Comfort can a Parent have, than to ſee his Children walking in the ways of God? 3 John 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in truth. They will alſo be a Comfort to us in the world to come: What a Joy will it be to a godly Parent to preſent himſelf and his Children before the Lord, and to ſay, Lord, here am I, and the Children whom thou haſt given me. As it is with Miniſters of the Word, they ſhall have great joy in thoſe they have inſtructed and converted to the Lord, 1 Theſ. 2.19, 20. What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoycing? Are not even ye, in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt at his coming? For ye are our Glory and Joy. So it will be with Parents and Maſters of Families, they ſhall have great Joy at the day of Judgment in thoſe whom they have taught and brought home to the Lord.

4. It will keep the memory and ſavour of Gods word upon our hearts, and breed in us a ſpiritual frame of heart, to be often teaching Gods word to our Families, Deut. 4.9, 10. Only take heed to 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.

p. 655. 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 p. 66likely 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: p. 67with 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 p. 68thy 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 grief to their Parents, Prov. 29.15. The Rod and Reproof give wiſdom, but a Child left to himſelf bringeth his Mother to ſhame. Prov. 17 25. A fooliſh Son is a grief to his Father, and bitterneſs to her that bare him.

5. The neglect of inſtructing our Families, and training them up in the fear of God, cauſeth God to inflict many great and ſore judgments on our Families, and ſuch as ſhall continue upon them from Generation to Generation: 1 Sam. 3.13, 14. I have told him that I will judge his houſe for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth, becauſe his Sons made themſelves p. 69vile, and he reſtrained them not; and therefore I have ſworn unto the Houſe of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's Houſe ſhall not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever.

SECT. 7. Family-Inſtruction will propagate Religion to a thouſand Generations.

Motive. 7 BY inſtructing our Children and Servants in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and training them up in the fear of God, we ſhall be a means of erecting many godly Families, and ſhall greatly propagate the true Religion and Power of Godlineſs, and ſhall prove great Bleſſings not only to the preſent Generation, but alſo to the Generations that are to come. For if we inſtruct our Children, and the Lord bleſs our Labours (and we have no cauſe to doubt of his Bleſſing, if we be diligent and faithful in our work) our Children will teach their Children, and their Children will teach the next Generation; and ſo by our means the knowledge of God and his Goſpel will be tranſmitted from Generation to Generation, as long as the world ſtands: For Children are very apt to walk in all thoſe ways that they ſee their Fathers walk in, 1 King. 22.43. And he walked in all the ways of Aſa his Father; he turned not aſide from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Solomon gives this reaſon why he taught his Children, his Father taught him when he was a Child, Prov. 4.1, 3, 4. Hear ye Children the inſtruction of a Father, and attend to know underſtanding, for I was my Fathers Son, tender and only beloved in the ſight of my Mother; He taught me alſo, and ſaid, Let thy heart retain my words, keep p. 70my Commandments and live. That if we teach Gods Word unto our Children, they will teach it to their Children, and their Children will teach the next Generation, and ſo the knowledge of God and his holy Word, will be tranſmitted from one Generation to another, is implyed in Pſal. 78.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark ſayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our Fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their Children, ſhewing to the Generation to come the praiſes of the Lord, and his ſtrength, and his wonderful works that he hath done: For he eſtabliſhed a Teſtimony in Jacob, and appointed a Law in Iſrael, which he commanded our Fathers that they ſhould make them known unto their Chidlren, that the Generation to come might know them, even the Children which ſhould be born, who ſhould ariſe and declare unto their Children, that they might ſet their hope in God, &c. And as our Children, ſo alſo our Servants whom we have inſtructed, when God ſhall give them Families, they will teach their Houſholds the ways of the Lord, and ſuch as ſpring out of their Loyns will tread in their ſteps, and inſtruct their Families, whereby the Kingdom of Chriſt will be greatly inlarged. Solomon inſtructed his Servants, 1 Kings 10.8. Happy are thy men, happy are theſe thy Servants, which ſtand continually before thee, and hear thy wiſdom. And we find the Children of Solomons Servants, who were generally reputed to be Profelites, that had embraced the Jewiſh Religion, ſpoken of in the Scriptures, and giving evidence of their Piety for many Generations after Solomon's death, they evidenced their Piety by adhering to the Jews, who were the People and Church of the living God, and that when they were in a low condition, and under great miſery by reaſon of the Babyloniſh Captivity. p. 712. By their returning out of Babylon to Judah and Jeruſalem, Ezra 2.1, 55. after they had dwelt in Babylon ſeventy years, where they had built Houſes and planted Vineyards, Jer. 29.4, 5. and could not leave thoſe Houſes and Vineyards without much loſs. 3. The Children of Solomon's Servants are reckoned up amongſt thoſe that were moſt forward to come out of Babylon unto Zion, Neh. 7.5, 6, 57. 4. They went out of Babylon to Jeruſalem, to build the Houſe of the Lord, which was a great, coſtly, and difficult work, Ezra 1.3, 5. compared with Chap. 2.1, 55. and that is a further evidence of their Piety, that they went not up to Jeruſalem for their own ends, but that the Lord had ſtirred up their ſpirits to go thither to build the Lords Houſe. This example ſheweth that Inſtruction is a means to propagate Religion to many Generations; for from Solomon to the carrying away of the Jews into Babylon, were thirteen Generations, Mat. 1.17. and from their going into Babylon, till their return from thence, ſeventy years, Jer. 29, 10. And we find the Children of Solomons Servants retaining a ſavour of true Piety, from Solomon's days till their return from Babylon. By the means of Family-Inſtruction rightly managed, what is promiſed Iſa. 60.22. A little one ſhall become a thouſand, may be verified of our Families; Religion may be ſo propagated by training up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God, that from one little Family that feareth God, may in proceſs of time ariſe a thouſand godly Families. And what is ſaid of Iſrael, Iſa. 27.6. Iſrael ſhall bloſſom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit: The like may be ſaid of thoſe godly perſons that train up their Families in the fear of God, they ſhall do much towards the filling of the face of the p. 72world with the fruits of Righteouſneſs. Religion will be ſo propagated from one Family to another, and from one Generation to another, by the means of Family-Inſtruction, that hereby may be fulfilled what is ſpoken of, Iſa. 58.12. They that ſhall be of thee ſhall build the old waſte places, thou ſhalt raiſe up the foundations of many Generations; and thou ſhalt be called, The Repairer of the Breach, and the Reſtorer of Paths to dwell in. And hereby we may become an Eternal Excellency, the Joy of many Generations; and many Children that are yet unborn ſhall riſe up, and call us Bleſſed, and will have cauſe to bleſs God on our behalf to all Eternity. It is ſaid of Abraham, who inſtructed his Family, All the Nations of the Earth ſhall be bleſſed in him, Now he became a Bleſſing to all Nations, not only upon the account that the Meſſiah came out of his Loyns, (of which the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaks Gen. 22.18. where he attributes the Bleſſing of all Nations not to Abraham, but to his Seed; In thy Seed ſhall all the Nations of the Earth be bleſſed) but his being a Bleſſing to all Nations, is alſo attributed to his inſtructing his Family, and training up his Children and Servants in a godly ſort, whereby the knowledge of God and the Seeds of Piety and true Religion were conveyed from one Family to another, and from one Generation to another, and from one Nation to another; as will appear from Gen. 18.18, 19. All the Nations of the Earth ſhall be bleſſed in him: (How ſo? How ſhould it come about that all Nations ſhould be bleſſed in him? The following words will declare this) 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. p. 73Lo here how effectually Family-Inſtruction propagates Religion! By means whereof, from one Family the Seeds of Piety are conveyed to many Nations.

SECT. 8. Family-Inſtruction greatly advanceth Gods glory.

Motive. 8 INſtructing our Families in the knowledge of Gods holy word, will very much advance the Glory of God. For then we glorifie God, when we manifeſt and make known his Name unto thoſe perſons whom he hath committed to our charge, and are careful to bring them acquainted with his word: John 17.4. I have glorified thee on Earth: And how did Chriſt glorifie his Father upon the earth? He tells us, Verſ. 6. & 8. That it was by manifeſting the Name of God to thoſe that were given to him by his Father, and by inſtructing them out of his word; I have manifeſted thy Name unto the men whom thou gaveſt me out of the world—I have given unto them the words which thou gaveſt me. When David was deſirous to exalt and magnifie the Name of the Lord, the way that he reſolved to take for the exalting and glorifying God, was to teach his Children to fear the Lord, Pſal. 34.3, 11. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together. Come ye Children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Family-Inſtruction advanceth the glory of God ſeveral ways; I will mention only two or three.

1. Inſtructing our Children and Servants out of the word of God, will be a means to bring them to lead holy, godly, and righteous Lives; and when our Families walk in the fear of God, and live righteouſly, p. 74God is glorified, Iſa. 60.21. Thy People alſo ſhall be all righteous—that I may be glorified.

2. The good that our Children and Servants will receive by our inſtructing them out of the word of God, will be ſo great, that they will bleſs and praiſe God for it, as long as they live, yea to all eternity, ſo that hereby we ſhall bring eternal glory to God, for then and as long as God is praiſed he is glorified, Pſal. 50.23. Whoſo offereth me praiſe, glorifieth me.

3. Family-Inſtruction glorifieth God, as it is a means to propagate Religion, and increaſe the number of Converts, and to bring multitudes to become Servants of the Lord; for the more godly Families are erected, the more the number of Gods Servants is multiplied, the more God is glorified, Prov. 14.28. In the multitude of People is the Kings Honour. What Solomon ſaith of earthly Kings, the ſame is true of the King of Heaven. The Prophet Iſaiah alſo informeth us, Iſa. 26.15. That the increaſing of the number of Gods Servants, advanceth his glory: Thou haſt increaſed the Nation, O Lord, thou haſt increaſed the Nation; thou art glorified. And it hath been ſhewn before, that inſtructing our Families will be an effectual means of their Converſion, and will greatly propagate Religion, and the Power of Godlineſs from one Family to another, for many Generations. Now ſeeing Family-Inſtruction glorifieth God, we ſhould ſet our Heads and Hearts on work how to carry on this duty in the moſt advantagious and ſucceſsful manner; for we were every one created, and are maintained in our being for this very end, to glorifie God, Iſa. 43.6, 7. Bring my Sons from far, and my Daughters from the end of the earth, even every one that is called by my name, for I p. 75have created him for my glory: And Verſ. 21. This people have I formed for my ſelf; they ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe. And ſeeing we had our Beings given us for this end, to glorifie God, we ought to attend thoſe Services which glorifie God with all our might.

And as the training up of our Children in the knowledge and fear of God, greatly advanceth his glory; ſo the neglect of this duty may be ſaid to rob God of eternal glory. Hence God complains of ſuch as neglect or hinder the Religious Education of Children, that they take away his glory for ever, Mich. 2.9. From their Children they have taken away my glory forever: How did they take away from their Children the glory of God for ever? Locceius gives this interpretation of it, malâ educatione; By their evil education of their Children they robbed God of eternal glory. To the ſame effect Gualther expounds the words, Inſtitutione deſtituuntur, quâ ad Dei gloriam educentur; They were deprived of inſtruction, whereby they ſhould have been trained up to the glory of God. Corn. à Lapid. alſo gives the ſame ſence of the words, Tuliſtis ab eis meam laudem, tum quia eos à matribus avulſos, honeſt â piâ que educatione privaſtis, & in idololatriâ veſtra educaſtis tam quia eos ad paupertatem adegiſtis ob quam ad omnia ſcelera veſtram que voluntatens & libidinem inflexiſtis. Winckelman, D. Stokes, and ſeveral others, expound this Scripture of the depriving Children of Religious Education. And they that neglect the educating their Children in a pious manner, may well be ſaid to take away from their Children the glory of God for ever: For when Children are trained up in a godly ſort, they will glorifie God all their days in this world, and alſo in heaven to all eternity; and p. 76they would not only glorifie God themſelves, but teach their Children to do ſo alſo; and they would teach the next Generation; and ſo the knowledge and glory of God might be tranſmitted from one Generation to another, as long as the world ſhall continue; all which glory is taken away from God, where the pious Education of Children is neglected.

SECT. 9. We ſhew our love to God by Inſtructing our Familiet.

Motive. 9 THe Lord will take it kindly at our hands, and account it a real demonſtration of our love towards His Sacred Majeſty, if we are careful to feed our Families with the knowledge of his word: Three times the Lord Jeſus calls upon the Apoſtle Peter, that if he had any love to him, he would ſhew it by feeding his Lambs and his Sheep, John 21.15, 16, 17. Jeſus ſaith unto Simon Peter, Simon Son of Jonas loveſt thou me more than theſe? He ſaith unto him, Yea Lord, thou knoweſt that I love thee: He ſaith unto him, Feed my Lambs. He ſaith to him again 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 p. 77cann'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 p. 78full 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 p. 79endeavour 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 p. 80evident 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 up his Family to ſerve the Lord: God gave him his preſence whether ſoever he went, Joſh. 1.9. and ſtuck to him all the days of his Life, verſ. 5. and honoured and magnified him in the ſight of all Iſrael, Joſh. 3.7. He made him Leader of his people, to carry them into the Land of Canaan; He ſubdued mighty Kings under him, and gave their Kingdoms into his hand: At Joſhua's Requeſt the Sun ſtood ſtill a whole day, which thing God never did for any man but Joſhua, Joſh. 10.12, 13, 14.

p. 81David, who hath the character of a man after Gods own heart, he was alſo careful to inſtruct his Children in the knowledge of God, and to bring them up in the fear of God; eſpecially his Son Solomon, 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, and love him with a perfect heart and willing mind.—Prov. 4.3, 4. I was my Fathers Son, tender and only beloved in the ſight of my Mother; He taught me alſo, and ſaid unto me, Let thine heart retain my words.—And God did exceedingly bleſs both David and Solomon his Son; the Bleſſings he gave them were ſo remarkable, that it is needleſs to recount them.

Cornelius, who was a devout man himſelf, trained up all his Houſhold in the fear of God, Act. 10.1, 2. There was a certain man in Ceſarea called Cornelius— A devout man, and one that feared God, with all his Houſe—This man was in great favour with God, God ſent an Angel to him to tell him his Prayers and his Alms were come up for a Memorial before God, Verſ. 4. and ſent Peter to preach the Goſpel to him, and poured out the Holy Ghoſt on him and all that were preſent with him, to the aſtoniſhing of the Jews that came along with Peter, Verſ. 44, 45.

Timothy was inſtructed in the Scriptures while he was a Child, 2 Tim 3.15. From a Child thou haſt known the holy Scriptures—And what an eminent man did he prove? He was ſo eminent for Faith, that the calling to mind of his Faith filled the Apoſtle with Joy, 2 Tim. 1.4, 5. He proved to be of ſuch a publick ſpirit, and ſuch a Lover of the Church of God, that of all the Apoſtles Acquaintace and Companions, there was none like unto Timothy, Phil. 2.19, 20, 22. The Apoſtle doth not only call p. 82him a godly man, but a man of God, 1 Tim. 6.11. Thou, O man of God—Examples have a great influence upon moſt men, if we ſee a multitude going before us, we are apt to follow them, though that which they do be an evil thing, and that alſo notwithſtanding we have a Precept from God to the contrary, Exod. 23.2. Thou ſhalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither ſhalt thou ſpeak in a cauſe to decline after many, to wreſt Judgment. Behold here is a Cloud of Witneſſes, a multitude of Gods Saints and Servants have gone before us in this good work of inſtructing their Families in the knowledge of Gods word, and ſhall we be loth to follow a multitude of good men, the beſt and wiſeſt men that ever lived, in a good work, whenas we are commanded to walk in the way of good men, Prov. 2.20. Heb. 13.7. If the examples of the Friends and Favourites of God, of great men, of wiſe men, of holy men, of men that have enjoyed the Bleſſing and Preſence of God, will do any thing with us, then let the Example of Abraham, Joſhua, David, &c. prevail with us to train up our Families in the knowledge and fear of God.

Beſides theſe fore-mentioned Examples, we have the Patern and Example of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, who is greater than Abraham, or David, or any Princes or Potentates that ever lived upon the face of the Earth. The Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt, that went whitherſoever he went, that lodged where he lodged, that eat and drank with him continually, were as I may ſo call them Chriſts Family, they called him by the name of Maſter, and he owned that name, John 13.13. Ye call me Maſter and Lord, and ye ſay well, for ſo I am: He went in and out amongſt them all the p. 83time after he had called them to follow him, as a Maſter doth amongſt his Servants, Act. 1.21. Now if we look upon the Diſciples of Chriſt as his Family, then we have an excellent Pattern of Family-Inſtruction in the Example of our Lord Jeſus: For he was very diligent in teaching and inſtructing his Diſciples, John 17.6. I have manifeſted thy Name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of the World. And that Chriſt inſtructed them out of the word of God, appears from verſ. 14. I have given them thy word. See alſo Luke 4. from verſ. 17. to 21. He did not only teach them with others in the exerciſe of his Miniſtry, but did alſo inſtruct them in private, when they were alone with him: Mark 4.34. When they were alone, he expounded all things to his Diſciples. And not only before his death, but alſo after his Reſurrection, his great work among his Diſciples was, to teach and expound to them the Scriptures, Luk. 24.27. And beginning at Moſes, and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himſelf? And veſ. 32. Did not our Hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? And verſ. 45, 46. Then opened he their underſtanding, that they might underſtand the Scriptures, and ſaid unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, &c. Now every one that profeſſeth himſelf to be a Chriſtian, ought to imitate the example of Chriſt, ſo far as he is placed in the ſame relation that Chriſt was in, 1 John 2.6. He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelf alſo to walk even as he walked.

p. 84SECT. 12. Gods Judgments that have lately been upon us, call for Family-Inſtruction, and Family-Reformation.

Motive. 12 THe great and mighty Judgments that have of late been upon this Nation, as the Sword, Peſtilence, &c. do call aloud upon us to ſet upon this work of Family-Inſtruction, and that on ſeveral accounts.

1. The great and mighty Judgments of God call for Reformation of our Lives, and learning of Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 26.9. When thy Judgments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteouſneſs. Now Family-Inſtruction is the way to Family-Reformation: When Ephraim was inſtructed he repented, and bemoaned his ſins, and turned to the Lord, Jer. 31.18, 19. And Family-Reformation would produce National Reformation: For if every Family did begin to reform and turn to the Lord, how ſpeedily would the Nation be reformed? Family-Reformation will draw down a multitude of Bleſſings both upon our ſelves and Families, and upon the whole Nation; It will bring a bleſſing upon our Eſtates, Job 22.23, 24. If thou return to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be built up; thou ſhalt put away iniquity far from thy Tabernacles: Then ſhalt thou lay up Gold as Duſt, and the Gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the Brooks. Job's Family was broken, and his Eſtate all gone, yet Eliphaz tells him if he did return himſelf to God, and put away iniquity from his Tabernacles, he ſhould be built up, and have plenty of Silver. It engageth God to become our defence, verſ. 25. Yea, the Almighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have plenty of Silver. It breeds delight in p. 85God, and boldneſs in prayer, verſ. 26. For then ſhalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and ſhalt lift up thy face unto God. It cauſeth us to be ſucceſsful in prayer, verſ. 27. Thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him, and he ſhall hear thee, and thou ſhalt pay thy Vows. It makes a man proſperous in his ways, and fills him with Comfort, verſ. 28. Thou ſhalt alſo decree a thing, and it ſhall be eſtabliſhed unto thee; and the Light ſhall ſhine upon thy ways. It will cauſe God to ſhelter us and our Families in time of common calamity, verſ. 29. When men are caſt down, then thou ſhalt ſay, There is lifting up; and he ſhall ſave the humble perſon. Lo thus ſhall the man and his Family be bleſſed, that returns to the Lord, and puts away iniquity far from his Tabernacles! And therefore ſeeing Family-Inſtruction will produce Family-Reformation, as is intimated Verſ. 22. compared with Verſ. 23. how ſhould this ſtir us up to inſtruct our Families in the word of God. Beſides theſe Perſonal and Family-Advantages, Family-Reformation would remove National Judgments, and procure National Mercies, verſ. 30. He ſhall deliver the Iſland of the Innocent, and it is delivered by the pureneſs of thy hands: This, as well as the foregoing Verſes, hath relation to verſ. 23. to the man that returns to God, and puts away iniquity from his Tabernacles. In that day wherein the Families of Jeruſalem ſhould go apart, and mourn for their ſins, in the ſame day the Lord promiſeth great mercies, both ſpiritual and temporal, not only to thoſe Families, but to Judah and Jeruſaſalem, Zach. 12.

2. The late Peſtilence made ſore breaches in many Families; it hath cut off in ſome Families the Root, in others the Branches, in others both Root and Branches: Many Children are become fatherleſs, p. 86and Orphans, and have no Parents to teach them. It hath made many Parents childleſs, and they have now no Children to teach; it hath ſwept away many whole Families. And ſhall not we whoſe Families were preſerved untouched, or but gently viſited, ply this work of Family-Inſtruction? It was one great end why God ſpared us and our Families, that we ſhould train them up in the knowledge of his word, Iſa. 38.13, 19. The Grave cannot praiſe thee, Death cannot celebrate thee—The Living, the Living, he ſhall praiſe thee, as I do this day; the Father to the Children ſhall make known thy truth. From which words we may obſerve theſe two things: 1. That one great end why God gives us Children, and why he continueth our Lives with our Children, and our Children with us, is, That we ſhould teach them his word; and to this agrees that note which Calvin hath upon this Text, Hinc colligenda eſt utilis monitio hac lege ſobolem dari mortalibus ut quiſque liberos ſuos erudiendo pro ſua virili propagare ad poſteros ſtudeat Dei nomen. 2. When Parents have eſcaped with their Lives from the Peſtilence, or any other eminent danger, they ſhould expreſs their gratitude to God, by teaching his Truth to their Children. This was Hezekiah's caſe, he had been ſick unto death, and his ſickneſs was (as many think) the Peſtilence, but he was preſerved from death, hereupon he praiſeth God, and tells us all living perſons that had eſcaped the Peſtilence ſhould do the like; and they ſhould not only praiſe God in words, but every Father ſhould expreſs his gratitude to God for preſerving him and his from going down to the Grave, by teaching Gods word to his Children.

p. 87SECT. 13. The Ʋſefulneſs and Excellency of the Scriptures ſhould excite us to inſtruct our Families in the Knowledge of the Scriptures.

Motive. 13 THe Uſefulneſs and Suitableneſs of the Scriptures for carrying on the work of Family-Inſtruction, may ſtir us up to train up our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures. Whatſoever good thing we deſire to teach our Families in order to their welfare in this world, or their eternal ſalvation in the world to come, it is contained in the Scriptures. Would we train up our Families in the knowledge of the Principles of Religion? The Scripture is profitable for Doctrine. Would we at any time reprove them for their ſins, or teach them how to reprove others? The Scripture is profitable for Reproof. Would we correct and reform any Errors in Judgment, or in their Converſations? The Word of God is profitable for Correction. Would we teach and inſtruct them how to live righteous and holy Lives? The Scripture is profitable for inſtruction in Righteouſneſs, as the Apoſtle teſtifies, 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for inſtruction in Righteouſneſs. The Scriptures are ſo framed by the infinite wiſdom of God, that they give directions for the doing of all good works, for the avoiding of all Vices, for the reſiſting of all Temptations, the bearing of all Afflictions, the inſtructing all perſons of all ages, whatever ſtate or condition they are in. Are our Children young? In the word of God there is milk for Babes, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new born p. 88Babes deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: Are they come to ſome maturity, both in reſpect of their years and their knowledge? In the word of God there is meat for ſtrong men, Heb. 5.14. Are the Members of our Families dull and backward, and ſluggiſh in reſpect of that which is good? Gods word is like a goad to prick and put them forward. Are they fickle and inconſtant in that which is good? Gods word prudently and wiſely applied, will be like a Nail to faſten and make them ſtedfaſt in every good work: Eccl. 12.11. The words of the wiſe are as Goads, and as Nails faſtened by the Maſters of the Aſſemblies, which are given from one Shepherd. Are our Children or Servants in an unconverted condition? Gods word will be a means to convert them: Pſal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul. Are they already converted? The word of the Lord will build them up: Act. 20.32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up. Are they hard-hearted? Gods word will melt and break the moſt rocky heart upon the face of the earth: Jer. 23.29. Is not my word like as a fire, ſaith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces. Are they in a broken afflicted frame? Gods word will heal them: Pſal. 107.20. He ſent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their deſtruction. Are they of a ſorrowful ſpirit? The word of God will fill them with Joy: Pſal. 19.8. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoycing the heart. Are they ignorant? The word of God will inlighten them: Pſal. 19.8. The Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the eyes. In a word, whatever is needful and profitable either for our ſelves or for our Children to be acquainted withal, it is revealed in the Scriptures: p. 89Act. 20.20. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you. Neither we nor our Children need the knowledge of any thing more than the whole Counſel of God concerning our Salvation, and this is fully revealed in the word of God, Act. 20.27. I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the counſel of God. Whatſoever Chriſt heard of the Father, that he taught his Apoſtles, John 15.15. All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. And all things that Chriſt taught the Apoſtles, they are written in the Scriptures: Acts 1.1, 2. The former Treatiſe have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jeſus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the holy Ghoſt had given Commandments unto the Apoſtles whom he had choſen. And therefore the Scriptures are a perfect Rule of Righteouſneſs, containing all things that are neceſſary for any man to know, believe or practiſe, in order to his eternal ſalvation. And as the Scriptures are profitable for inſtruction, in reſpect of the uſefulneſs and ſuitableneſs of the matter contained in them; ſo alſo in regard of the power that is in them, to convince the Judgment, and to prevail with the Conſcience; and to bow and bend the will to a compliance with Gods will: For they carry the Authority of God with them, and work efficaciouſly upon the ſtouteſt hearts, when God accompanies them with his Spirit: Act. 18.28. He mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, ſhewing by the Scriptures that Jeſus was Chriſt: The Jews were exceedingly prejudiced againſt Chriſt, they were ſo far from believing that Jeſus was the Chriſt, that they had crucified him as an Impoſtor, and a Deceiver of the People; yet Apollos bringing clear Scripture-proof for what he taught, the Jews were hereby p. 90mightily convinced that Jeſus was the Chriſt. The word of God is of a more piercing nature than a ſword, and carrieth greater power along with it: Heb. 4.12. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and ſharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing aſunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts and Marrow; and is a Diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It aſtoniſheth the minds of men, and carries out their Souls to believe in and obey the Lord, notwithſtanding all Oppoſitions and Diſcouragements that lie in the way either of Faith or Obedience. Elimas the Sorcerer was full of ſubtilty and miſchief, and he oppoſed all he could the word of God, which was diſpenced by Paul and Barnabas, and ſought to turn away Sergius Paulus from the Faith, but the Word of God had ſuch power upon the Deputy, that notwithſtanding all the endeavours of Elimas, he became obedient to the Faith, Acts 13.12. The Deputy when he ſaw what was done believed, being aſtoniſhed at the Doctrine of the Lord. Of all the Jews none were more oppoſite to believing in Chriſt, than the Prieſts; for the Prieſts plotted and contrived Chriſts death, Matt. 26.3, 4. They ſent Judas and a multitude of People with him to apprehend Chriſt, verſ. 47. They ſuborned falſe witneſſes againſt him, verſ. 59. They held a Counſel after he was apprehended, by what means they ſhould put him to death, Matth. 27.1. The Prieſts accuſed him with great vehemency before Herod, Luk. 23.10. They ſtirred up the multitude to ask Barrabas, when Pilate was willing to have releaſed Jeſus, Matth. 27.20. It was the cry of the multitude that were ſtirred up by the Prieſts, and the voices of the Prieſts that prevailed with Pilate to crucifie Chriſt, Luk. 23.23. After the death of Chriſt, the Prieſts took greateſt p. 91offence at the Apoſtles preaching, and were the chief Agents in their impriſonment, Acts 4.1. And yet notwithſtanding all the oppoſition that was in the Prieſts againſt Chriſt, and the Doctrine of the Goſpel, ſuch was the power of the Word of God, that thereby a great number of the Prieſts were converted to the faith of Chriſt, Act. 6.7. The word of God increaſed, and the number of the Diſciples multiplied in Jeruſalem greatly, and a great company of the Prieſts were obedient to the Faith.

Beſides this, conſider the excellency and weightineſs of the matter contained in the Scriptures: They reveal to us the Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, Gods eternal Counſel concerning our ſalvation, the gracious Covenant God hath made with man; They reveal to us Gods Attributes, his works of Creation and Providence, the great Myſtery of our Redemption, They ſhew to us how we may ſerve, glorifie, and enjoy God, which is mans chiefeſt happineſs: They treat of the Torments of Hell, and of the unſpeakable Joys and Glory of Heaven, and ſhew us how we may avoid the one, and get poſſeſſion of the other: In a word, they diſcover to us ſuch excellent things as the eye of man never ſaw the like, neither did ear hear, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the tranſcendent worth and dignity of them: 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. They open ſuch Myſteries as the Angels of Heaven deſire and delight to look into them: 1 Pet. 1.12. Which things the Angels deſire to look into. And ſhall we hide ſuch excellent things as theſe are, from our Children? We ſhould reſolve with full purpoſe of heart as the godly Jews of old did concerning thoſe glorious things which their Fathers had told them, Pſal. 78.4. We will not hide them from their Children, p. 92ſhewing to the Generations to come the praiſes of the Lord: I might adde further, There is nothing revealed in the Scriptures, but what is of great and near concernment to us and to our Children, and that as long as we and they ſhall live in this world, Deut. 29.29. The ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God, but thoſe things which are revealed, belong unto us and to our Children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law. If thoſe things that are treated of in the Scriptures, did not belong to us, or to our Children, we might have ſome excuſe for not teaching them the word of God: But what Apologie can we make for our neglect of this Duty, ſeeing they were revealed purpoſely for us and our Children to be converſant therein as long as we live? They are of ſuch near and great concernment to us, as that every mans Judgment for his eternal ſtate ſhall be given at the laſt day, according to what is in the written word, John 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the words that I have ſpoken, the ſame ſhall judge him in the laſt day. Rev. 20.12. And I ſaw the dead ſmall and great ſtand before God; and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the Dead were judged out of thoſe things which were written in the Books, according to their works.

SECT. 14. They deal unjuſtly with their Families who defraud them of the Inſtruction that is due to them.

Motive. 14 THe Law of Equity requires that Parents ſhould uſe their utmoſt diligence to inſtill knowledge into their Children, and to train them up in a godly ſort,

p. 931. Becauſe they have been inſtrumental to convey to them a ſinful ignorant nature, Pſal. 51.5. Job 14.4. If one man had hurt another, the Law of God delivered by Moſes, required that he ſhould be at the coſt and pains to get him throughly healed, Exod. 21.19.—He ſhall pay for the loſs of his time, and cauſe him to be throughly healed. Seeing Parents are inſtrumental to convey that ſin to their Children which hath given their Souls a deadly wound, tis but juſt and equal that they ſhould be at the coſt, and take pains to get them healed of their ignorance, and do what in them lieth to get their Souls converted to the Lord.

2. It is juſt and equal that we ſhould teach our Children, becauſe God hath taught us his Word for this very end and purpoſe that we ſhould teach the ſame unto our Children: Deut. 4.10. The Lord ſaid unto me, Gather the people together, and I will make them hear my words,—that they may teach their Children.

3. Juſtice requires that we ſhould give to every one that which is due to him: He that detains from any one that which is his due, when it is required, and it is in the power of his hand to render it, is an unjuſt man: Now Inſtruction is due to our Children and Servants; for God commands us, as we have heard before, to inſtruct them, and their neceſſity calleth aloud upon us to be diligent in teaching and inſtructing them; and therefore we cannot withhold inſtruction from them, without being guilty of injuſtice: And it is a great crime to be guilty of injuſtice; Unjuſt perſons are accounted amongſt the chiefeſt of Sinners. And to with-hold from our Children or Servants that which is due to their Souls, is greater injuſtice then to wrong them in p. 94their Eſtates, or in thoſe things which are due to to their outward man: If then we would fulfill that Precept, Col. 4.1. Maſters give unto your Servants that which is juſt and equal, knowing that ye have a Maſter in Heaven: And that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 13.7. Render to all their dues: And that of Solomon, Prov. 3.27. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. We muſt not neglect this good work of teaching and inſtructing our Children and Servants, ſeeing Inſtruction is due to them.

Let thus much ſuffice by way of motive, to ſtir up Parents and Maſters of Families to ſet upon a diligent performance of this duty of training up their Children and Servants in the Knowledge and Obedience of the Scriptures.

p. 95CHAP. III.

Directions for managing of this work of Family-Inſtruction, ſo as to promote the Converſion, Edification, and Eternal Salvation of all that are under our Charge.

I Shall in the next place proceed to ſome Directions for the ſucceſsful managing of this work of Family-Inſtruction, and ſhall ſhew how we ſhould carry it on, ſo as to promote the Converſion, Edification, and Eternal Salvation of all ſuch as are under our Charge.