A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 3 · Section 13
SECT. 13. The advantage of knowing the ſtate of our Families. How we may come to know their ſtate.
Direct. 13 ENdeavour to know the ſtate of every Member of your Families; conſider who of them are in a ſtate of grace, and who abide ſtill in an unregenerate condition: As for ſuch as are converted, ſee whether they make any progreſs, and grow in grace, or whether they ſtand at a ſtay, or decline and go backward, Prov. 27.24. Be thou diligent to know the ſtate of thy Flocks, and look well to thy Herds. If a man muſt be diligent to know the ſtate of his Flocks and Herds, whether they be ſound or diſeaſed, how much more doth it concern him to know the ſtate of his Wife, and Children, and Servants, whether they be in a ſtate of Grace, or a ſtate of Nature. Eſtius and Beda, and ſome others, apply this paſſage of the Proverbs to thoſe that have the care of Souls committed to their Charge; The Arabian Tranſlation favours this interpretation, Cognoſce animos gregis tui cognitione perfecta: And the Sept. foreign.
The knowledge of the ſtate of our Families will help us,
1. To inſtruct them in thoſe things that are moſt ſuitable to their ſtate, and will conduce much to their edification: Heb. 10.24. Let us conſider one another to provoke unto love and good works: By conſidering and obſerving wherein they are deficient, whether in Love, or any other Grace, as Meekneſs, Patience, Heavenly-mindedneſs, Temperance, or the like, we have an advantage to apply our ſelves to them, in a way ſuitable to their neceſſities, that we may provoke them to ſeek after thoſe things wherein they are moſt defective.
2. The knowledge of their ſtate will enable us to apply ſuitable comforts to them, if they be dejected and caſt down, either by inward or outward troubles: Col. 4.8. Whom I have ſent unto you for the ſame purpoſe, that he might know your eſtate, and comfort your hearts.
3. It will tend much to our own comfort, if they be in a good eſtate; Phil. 2.19. That I may be of good comfort when I know your ſtate.
4. It will help us in our Prayers for them, and praiſing God upon their accompt. When the Apoſtle underſtood the good eſtate of the Theſſalonians, it did greatly excite him to thankſgiving and prayer, 1 Theſ. 1.2, 3. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembring without ceaſing your work of Faith and labour of Love, and patience of Hope, &c. The like we may ſee on the behalf of the Coloſſians, Col. 1.3, 4.
If any ſay, How ſhould we come to know the ſtate of our Families?
I anſwer:
1. By communing with the ſeveral members of our Families, and examing them whhat workings they have had upon their Souls, and whether they have any enjoyment of God in his Ordinances, and putting ſearching queſtions to them, Pſal. 139.23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: and verſ. 1. O Lord, thou haſt ſearched me and known me. As Joſeph inquired into the ſtate of his Brethren, Gen. 43.7. The man asked us ſtraitly of our ſtate—ſaying, is your Father yet alive, have you another Brother? So ſhould we inquire diligently into the ſtate of our Children and Servants, by queſtioning with them about their conditions: As examining our ſelves, is the way to know our own eſtate, 2 Cor. 13.5. So examining of others, is the the way to know anothers ſtate; but of this more in the next Direction.
2. By obſerving their carriage and converſation, we may know their ſtate; Prov. 20.11. Even a Child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. As the Tree, ſo alſo a man is known by his Fruits; Matth. 7.20. Wherefore by their fruits ye ſhall know them. The Apoſtle Peter by obſerving Simon Magus his carriage, plainly perceived, That notwithſtanding he made a profeſſion of faith, yet he was in an unregenerate condition, Acts 8.23. I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterneſs, and in the bond of iniquity. And David, by obſerving the ſinful carriage of ſome men in his days, concluded that they were wicked men, and that they had no fear of God before their eyes, Pſal. 36.1. The tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes.