A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 3 · Section 4
SECT. 4. What are the fitteſt times and ſeaſons for inſtructing our Families.
Direct. 4 THe ſeaſonableneſs of a work makes it amiable; Eccleſ. 3.1, 11. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under Heaven.—He hath made every thing beautiful in his time. The ſeaſonableneſs of a work renders it alſo the more ſucceſsful, Pſal. 1.3. He ſhall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of waters, that bringeth forth his fruit in his ſeaſon—and whatſoever he doth ſhall proſper. Such as are Rulers of Families muſt not only provide meat for their Families, but meat in due ſeaſon; and by ſo doing, he that is the ſupreme Lord of all Families ſhall give them his bleſſing, Matth. 24.45, 46, 47. Who then is a 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.
Now concerning the times and ſeaſons that you ſhould take for the doing this work: I ſhall give four or five directions.
1. Let this work be done when there is greateſt quiet in the Family, not at ſuch a time as the Members of the Family are diſtracted or cumbred with variety or a multitude of worldly buſineſs, or when their Spirits are royled with paſſion or contention, but when they are in the moſt quiet and compoſed frame; Eccleſ. 9.17. The words of wiſe men are heard in quiet. 1 Cor. 7.35. That you may attend upon the Lord without diſtraction.
2. Let this work be done often; Mal. 3.16. Then they that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another: Deut. 6.7. Thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy Children. God worketh many ways and often times with us, to bring about our ſalvation: Job 33.29, 30. Lo all theſe things worketh God often times with man, to bring back his Soul from the pit, to be enlightned with the light of the Living. And ſhall we think much to be diligent and frequent in teaching our Children and Servants that their Souls may be kept from falling into the pit of Hell; and that they may be enlightned with that knowledge which will make them wiſe to Salvation?
3. It will be convenient to have fixed and ſtated times for the doing of this work, that ſo the Family may be the better prepared for it, and all family-occaſions may be ſo ordered, and all buſineſs ſet at ſuch a ſtay, as that every one may be at liberty and leaſure to attend this work.
4. Avocations and Diverſions ſhould not be eaſily yielded to, for the putting by our intended exerciſe at the appointed time. As for inſtance: If Company come in, though they be great Perſons, and ſuch as are our Superiours, we ſhould not be aſhamed to go on with our works Pſal. 119 46. I will ſpeak of thy Teſtimonies alſo before Kings, and will not be aſhamed. And if we be at any time diverted by ſome unexpected and urgent occaſions, we ſhould redeem that loſs by taking ſome other time for their inſtruction, as ſoon as conveniently we can.
5. We ſhould take ſuch times wherein both we and our Families are freſh and lively, not over-tired with worldly buſineſs, not heavy with ſleep; for we muſt be fervent in ſpirit when we ſerve the Lord, Rom. 12.11. and when the Body is tired, or heavy with ſleep, the Spirit is not likely to be ſervent.
6. The Lords day (which is to be ſpent in holy and Religions Exerciſes, Iſa. 58.13.) is a very convenient time for this work. It was the Cuſtom of the Jews to read the Scriptures in their Synagogues every Sabbath day, Acts 15.21. Moſes of old time hath in every City them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day. And we need not doubt but they did the ſame in their Families, ſeeing they were commanded by God to read ſome portion of his word every day as long as they lived; yea, their greateſt men, even their Kings, who had the weightieſt buſineſs of all other men lying upon their hands, were not excuſed from this Law of daily reading the Scriptures; Deut. 17.18, 19. And it ſhall be when he ſitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom, that he ſhall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book—And it ſhall be with him, and he ſhall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this Law, and theſe Statutes, to do them. I ſhall not undertake to preſcribe what other days, beſides Lords days, Maſters of Families ſhould take for this work, but ſhall leave that to their own prudence and diſcretion: Only I ſhall ſay this, That they for whom God hath done much, and who have more ſpare time than others, ſhould be more frequent and abundant in this work: For unto whomſoever much is given, of him ſhall be much required, Luk. 12.48.