A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 3 · Section 1
SECT. 1. Such as would inſtruct their Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures, muſt be diligent in ſtudying the Scriptures.
Direct. 1 IF we would inſtruct our Families in the knowledge of the Scriptures, it is neceſſary that we our ſelves ſhould be well acquainted with them; and that we may come to be well acquainted with the Scriptures, we muſt read them often, obſerve diligently what we read, and pray to God to open our underſtandings, that we may underſtand his holy Word, and lay up what he teacheth us in our hearts, and meditate in his Law night and day. Before the Lord commands us to teach his Word to our Children, he prefixeth this Charge, That we ſhould lay up his Word in our own hearts, Deut. 6.6, 7. Theſe words which I command thee this day, ſhall be in thine heart, and thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy Children. And the Apoſtle calls upon thoſe whom he would have teach others, to let the word of Chriſt dwell richly in themſelves; Col. 3.16. Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly in all wiſdom, teaching and admoniſhing one another— A daily ſearching of the Scriptures, attended with Meditation and Prayer, will greatly advantage us in this work of Family-Inſtruction, and that in ſeveral reſpects; I will inſtance in two:
1. Hereby we ſhall be furniſhed with wiſdom and knowledge, Pſal. 119.98, 99. Thou through thy Commandments haſt made me wiſer than mine Enemies, for they are ever with me: I have more underſtanding than all my Teachers, for thy Teſtimonies are my meditation. And the more we are furniſhed with Heavenly Wiſdom, the more dextrous and ready we ſhall be to win thoſe Souls that are committed to our charge: Prov. 11.30. He that winneth Souls is wiſe. 2 Cor. 12.16. Being crafty, I caught you with guile. And as wiſdom will make us dextrous in winning Souls to Chriſt; ſo alſo it will conduce much to the inabling of us to edifie and build up ſuch as are brought home to him, Col. 1.28. Teaching every man in all wiſdom, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Jeſus. The Romans, who were filled with knowledge, were thereby made able to teach and admoniſh others, Rom. 15.14. I my ſelf am perſwaded of you, my Brethren, that ye alſo are full of Goodneſs, filled with all knowledge, able alſo to admoniſh one another.
2. By ſearching the Scriptures, and meditating on them night and day, we ſhall become ſucceſsful in this work of Family-Inſtruction, God will make this work proſper in our hands to the Converſion, Edification, and Salvation of ſuch as he hath committed to our care, to be inſtructed in his holy word: For the Lord hath promiſed that whatſoever that man doth who meditates in his Law, it ſhall proſper: Pſal. 1.1, 2, 3. Bleſſed is the man that walketh not in the counſel of the ungodly— But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night: And he ſhall be like a tree planted by the Rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his ſeaſon; his leaf alſo ſhall not wither, and whatſoever he doth ſhall proſper: Ezra who was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moſes, Ezra 7.6. taught Gods Word to the people of Iſrael, verſ. 10. And what effect had his teaching? It had great power to humble and reform the people, Ezra 10.1, 12. The people wept very ſore. Then all the Congregation anſwered and ſaid with a loud Voice, As thou haſt ſaid, ſo muſt we do. Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures, Acts 18.24. was very ſucceſsful in the Conviction and Converſion of obſtinate ſinners: for he mightily convinced the Jews, verſ. 28. And in the edification of ſuch as were converted to the faith, verſ. 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace.