A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 3 · Section 11
SECT. 11. How to ingraft the Word of God in the hearts of our Children and Servants. How we may bring them in love with the Word.
Direct. 11 IF you would ſave the Souls of your Children and Servants by thoſe Inſtructions which you give them out of the word of God, endeavour to ingraft thoſe Truths which you teach them, in their hearts: for if the Word of God be ingrafted in their hearts, it will be a powerful means of ſaving their Souls, Jam. 1.21. Wherefore lay apart all filthineſs, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, and receive with meekneſs the engrafted word, which is able to ſave your Souls.
If you ſay, What ſhall we do that we may get the word of God ingrafted in their hearts?
I anſwer:
Firſt, Acquaint them with Gods Covenant, wherein he hath promiſed to engrave or write his word in their hearts, Jer. 31.33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. And ſtir them up to plead this Covenant, until they find that God according to his promiſe, hath engraven his Law upon their hearts.
Secondly, Cauſe them to underſtand thoſe Scriptures which you teach them; and to that end, when there is any difficulty therein explain them, and labour to beget in them a clear and right underſtanding of the word of God. When the underſtanding is enlightned with the knowledge of Divine Truths, there is way made for their entrance into and their abode in the heart, Prov. 14.33. Wiſdom reſteth in the heart of him that hath underſtanding.—By wiſdom we may underſtand the grace of God, Job 28.28. The fear of the Lord, that is wiſdom. Now the grace of God doth not only enter into, but reſteth and maketh its abode in the heart of him that hath underſtanding. If your Inſtructions be never ſo good, though they be drawn out of the word of God, yet if they be not underſtood, they will not abide in their hearts whom you inſtruct, but will quickly vaniſh out of their minds, Matth. 13.19. When any one heareth the word of the Kingdom, and underſtandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was ſown in his heart.
Thirdly, Endeavour to fix the word of God in their memories, cauſe them often to rehearſe what you have taught them, exhort them to meditate and ponder upon thoſe Inſtructions they have received from you: This will be a means of ingrafting the word of God in their hearts. As the remembring of our ſins is a means of engraving our iniquities upon our hearts, Jer. 17.1, 2. The ſin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, it is graven upon the Table of their Hearts, and upon the Horns of their Altars, whilſt their Children remember their Altars and their Groves: So remembring and pondering upon the Word of God, will be a means of graving or writing the Word of God upon our hearts. Prov. 3.1, 3. My Son forget not my Law, but let thine heart keep my Commandments—Bind them about thy Neck, write them upon the Table of thine Heart: The binding of the Commandments about the Neck—is the ſame with not forgetting the Law, mentioned verſ. 1. This binding of the Law about the Neck, was uſed by the Jews as a Memorial to help them to keep the Commandments of God in remembrance, Exod. 13.9. Now Solomon joyning theſe two together, Bind them about thy Neck, write them upon the Table of thine Heart; implies that the binding of the Commandments about our Neck, that is, the keeping them in remembrance, will be a means to write them upon our Hearts.
Fourthly, Inure them to godly Diſcourſe. When they are in your preſence, ſpeak often to them of the word of God; and when they are diſcourſing one with another, exhort them to diſcourſe of what you have taught them out of the word of God. Diſcourſing out of the word will be a means of imprinting the Law of God upon their hearts, Pſal. 37.30, 31. The mouth of the Righteous ſpeaketh wiſdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment: And what is the fruit and effect of this good diſcourſe, is declared in the next words, The Law of his God is in his heart, none of his ſteps ſhall ſlide.
Fifthly, Bring them in love with the word of God; love to the Word will root and ground the Truths of God in their hearts, Epheſ. 3.17. Rooted and grounded in love. Love to the word of God will root it ſo deeply and firmly in their hearts, that no troubles will cauſe them to depart from the word of God, but they will ſtick and cleave to it unto their dying day: Cant. 8.6, 7. Love is ſtrong as death,— many Waters cannot quench Love, neither can the Floods drown it.
If you ask, How ſhall we bring our Children and Servants to love the Word of God?
I anſwer:
1. Shew them the purity, excellency, and amiableneſs that is in the word of God; Pſal. 119.140. Thy Word is very pure, therefore thy Servant loveth it.
2. Stir them up to practiſe the word of God, that will cauſe them to love it, Pſal. 119.167. My Soul hath kept thy Teſtimonies, and I love them exceedingly.
3. Shew them what a dangerous thing it is, not to love the word. God is wont to ſend down ſore Judgments upon them that do not receive his Truth in the love of it, 2 Theſ. 2.10.11, 12. Becauſe they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be ſaved; and for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould believe a lye, that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs.
4. Exhort them to put away and hate their ſins, and then they will love and delight in the word of God, Pſal. 119.163. I hate and abhor lying, but thy Law do I love.
5. Counſel them to feed daily upon Gods word by Meditation and Faith, for this will cauſe them to taſte the ſweetneſs of it: Jer. 5.16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my Heart: Pſal. 104.34. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet. And when they taſte the ſweetneſs of Gods word, they will love it above all things in the world: Pſal. 119.103, 128. How ſweet are thy words unto my taſte! Yea ſweeter than Honey to my month; therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold, yea above fine Gold.