A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 4 · Section 1 – Section 3
SECT. 1. The Plea of ſuch as neglect Family-Inſtruction, becauſe they ſay they are not able to inſtruct their Families, anſwered.
Object. 1 I Would inſtruct my Family in the knowledge of the Scriptures, according as you have directed, if I were able to do it; but the work is difficult, and I am a man of mean abilities: I have but little acquaintance with the Scriptures, I have need to be taught my ſelf, and how then can I teach my Family? It is nothing but want of ability that hinders and diſcourageth me from ſetting upon this work.
Anſwer: Firſt, Let not your own weakneſs, or the difficulty of the work, keep you from ſetting upon it: For,
1. It is a work that God calleth you to do, as you may ſee Deut. 6.7. Epheſ. 6.4. And the plea of inability is not a ſufficient excuſe for neglecting the work to which you are called of God. When God called Jeremiah to be a Prophet, he would have excuſed himſelf by pleading his inability, Jer. 1.6. Ah Lord! behold I cannot ſpeak, for I am a Child. Did God accept of this excuſe? No, but reproves him, and tells him he ſhould go where-ever he ſent him, and ſpeak whatever he commanded him, although he looked upon himſelf as unable as a Child for the work he was called to, Verſ. 7. But the Lord ſaid unto me, Say not that I am a Child, for thou ſhalt go unto all that I ſhall ſend thee, and whatſoever I command thee thouſhalt ſpeak. When God called Moſes to go and ſpeak to Pharaoh to let the people of Iſrael go out of Egypt, he would have refuſed, and pleads his unfitneſs, becauſe he was not eloquent, but of a ſlow ſpeech, Exod. 4 10. Moſes ſaid unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor ſince thou haſt ſpoken unto thy Servant, but I am ſlow of ſpeech, and of a ſlow tongue. But what did God ſay? He refuſed this plea, and commandeth him to go about his work, verſ. 11, 12. And the Lord ſaid unto him, Who hath made mans mouth? Or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf, or the Seeing, or the Blind? Have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou ſhalt ſay.
2. God can do great things by weak means, and and therefore your weakneſs ſhould not deter you from this work, Pſal. 8.2. Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings haſt thou ordained ſtrength, becauſe of thine Enemies, that thou mighteſt ſtill the Enemy and the Avenger: 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, and God hath choſen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed, hath God choſen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.
3. God will be with you in this work, and that may ſtrengthen you to ſet upon it, though the work be great, and your ſtrength be ſmall: Hag. 2.4. Be ſtrong all ye people of the Land, ſaith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. The Jews complained they were not able to build, Neh. 4.10. but to take off this plea, God promiſeth them his preſence and aſſiſtance, as that which was ſufficient to ſtrengthen them for that difficult work which they complained they were not able to go on withall; Be ſtrong and work, for I am with you. What David ſaid to Solomon, when he had a great work to do, and might be diſcouraged becauſe he was young, and unable for ſuch great ſervice, 1 Chron. 22.5, 16. Ariſe and be doing, and the Lord be with thee, (or as Junius and Piſcator render the words) the Lord will be with thee. So may I ſay unto you, Let not your unfitneſs for this work keep you from it, but ariſe and be doing, and the Lord will be with you. You may be ſure the Lord will be with you in teaching and inſtructing your Families, for he commandeth you to do this work, as I have already ſhewn you out of Deut. 6.6.7. and ſeveral other Scriptures: And you need not doubt of having Gods preſence in every work and ſervice which he commands you to do, Joſh. 1.9. Have not I commanded thee? Be ſtrong, and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou diſmayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whitherſoever thou goeſt.
4. Although your abilities be but ſmall, yet if you teach and inſtruct your Families according to the ability which God hath given you, you ſhall by ſo doing glorifie God, 1 Pet. 4.10, 11. As every man hath received the gift, even ſo miniſter the ſame one to another — If any man miniſter, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jeſus Chriſt.
5. By improving thoſe mean abilities which God hath given you in teaching your Families, you ſhall have them increaſed, The way of the Lord is ſtrength to the upright, Prov. 10.29. The man that had but two Talents, trading with them gained other two, Matth. 25.17.
6. He that hath but very little and mean abilities, if he improve thoſe ſmall abilities faithfully, in the place and ſphear that God hath ſet him in, ſhall have a great Reward from God, as well as they that have had greater abilities; Luke 19.17. Well, thou good ſervant, becauſe thou haſt been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten Cities.
Secondly, Difficult works will be carried on ſucceſsfully by weak means, where there is a willing mind. The building of Jeruſalem, after it had lain waſte ſeventy years, was a hard work; the ſtrength and eſtates of the Jews were much impaired by their long captivity. Their Adverſaries ſcoffed at them, thinking they went about an impoſſible thing, when they endeavoured to build up the wall of the City, and ſaid, Neh. 4.2, 3. What do theſe feeble Jews? Will they fortifie themſelves? Will they revive the ſtones out of the heaps of Rubbiſh which are burnt? Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, he ſhall even break down their ſtone Wall. And not only their Adverſaries, but many of the Jews themſelves thought they were unable to carry on this work, verſ. 10. And Judah ſaid, The ſtrength of the Bearers of Burdens is decayed, and there is much Rubbiſh, ſo that we are not able to build the wall. Yet when they went to it with a willing mind, the work went on proſperouſly, verſ. 6. So built we the wall, and all the wall was joyned together unto the half thereof; for the People had a mind to work. It argueth a ſlothful ſpirit to deſiſt from our duty, becauſe there are ſome difficulties attend it: Prov. 26.13. The ſlothful man ſaith, There is a Lion in the way, a Lion in the ſtreets. Get but a willing mind, and then this work will not be difficult, but eaſie and delightful.
Thirdly, The Apoſtle acknowledgeth that the Hebrews had but little knowledge, he ſaith of them, Heb. 5.12. When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the firſt principles of the Oracles of God, and are become ſuch as have need of milk, and not of ſtrong meat: Yet he calls upon theſe perſons whom he confeſſeth had need of teaching themſelves, to exhort one another daily, Chap. 3.13. Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
Fourthly, Though ſome have more Talents than others, yet there is no man without a Talent to trade withal, Matth. 25.15. The Apoſtle telleth us, Every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that, 1 Cor. 7.7. Now ſuppoſe your gifts are of the meaneſt ſort, you muſt improve them for the good of your Families. That man who had but one Talent, becauſe he hid it in a Napkin, was caſt into outer darkneſs, where there is weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth, Matth. 25.24, 25, 28, 30.
Fifthly, If your want of abilities diſcourage you from this work, ſeek to have your abilities increaſed; it is lawful to covet gifts for the edification of others, as well as grace for the good of your own ſoul: 1 Cor. 12.31. Covet earneſtly the beſt gifts: 1 Cor. 14.1. Deſire ſpiritual gifts.
If you ask, How you ſhould get your Gifts and Abilities increaſed?
I anſwer:
1. Pray to God to endue you with ſuch gifts as may fit you for the work and ſervice of the place and ſtation that he hath ſet you in; Jam. 1.17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights—And he which is the Author of every good gift, will deny no good thing to them that ſeek him, Pſal. 34.10. Matth. 7.11. Though you have little or no abilities, yet God can put power into thoſe that have no might, Iſa. 40.29. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he encreaſeth ſtrength.
2. Study the Scriptures, and other good Books, but the Scriptures above all other Books; read them diligently, and meditate upon them: Hereby you ſhall be enabled to inſtruct your Families, and be furniſhed with abilities for every good work, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.
3. Imploy thoſe abilities which God hath given you in teaching your Families, thereby you ſhall have them increaſed, Matth. 25.29. Ʋnto every one that hath (that is, who improveth what he hath, as appeareth from the context) ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance.
4. Walk in the fear of God; by ſo doing the Lord will increaſe both the gifts and graces of his Spirit in you: Pſal. 115.13, 14. He will bleſs them that fear the Lord both ſmall and great. The Lord ſhall encreaſe you more and more, you and your Children.
5. Look unto Chriſt who hath received Gifts to beſtow upon the ſons of men, Pſal. 68.18. The Corinthians were endued with excellent Gifts, they were inriched with all utterance and all knowledge, ſo that they came behind other Churches in no gift. And how came they to be thus inriched in gifts? They had all their gifts from Jeſus Chriſt, as you may ſee 1 Cor. 1.4, 5, 7.
Sixthly, Though your gifts be ſmall, yet if you be diligent, and do the beſt you can, God will accept your work. They that offered for the Tabernacle Goats Hair and Rams Skins, were accepted, as well as they that offered Gold, and Silver, and precious Stones, Exod. 35.5, 6, 7, 8. Such as could not bring a Lamb for a Treſpaſs-offering, were permitted to bring two Turtle Doves, or two young Pigeons, and ſuch as could not do this, were allowed to bring the tenth part of an Ephah of fine flower, and he that brought the ſmalleſt offering was accepted, as well as he that brought the greateſt, if he could bring no better; Lev. 5.6, 7, 11, 13. God hath always ſhewed himſelf ready to accept of weak ſervice, where a man hath a willing mind to do better, but wants ability, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be firſt a willing mind it is accepted, according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
Seventhly, If you ſay you know not how, or in what way to teach your Children and Servants the holy Scriptures; you may, if you are not provided of a better help, make uſe of the Scriptural Catechiſm which I have publiſhed with this Treatiſe; wherein I have ſelected ſuch Texts of Scripture as are uſeful for the grounding of younger perſons in the knowledge and belief of the Articles of our Faith, and to bring them acquainted with their ſinful and miſerable condition by nature, the neceſſity of Regeneration, the Covenant of Grace, the way to obtain peace with God, and remiſſion of ſins, &c. and direct and perſwade them to embrace a godly life, and draw them on to the practiſe of Repentance, the love of God and our Neighbour, ſelf-denial, contentment, &c. and to reſtrain them from lying, ſwearing, the love of pleaſure, idleneſs, uncleanneſs, and ſuch other ſins as young perſons are apt to be led into; and alſo to prepare them for, and comfort them under ſuch afflictions as they are liable unto: Which I have endeavoured to digeſt in ſuch a method, and with that ſubſerviency each unto other, as may be helpful both to their Underſtandings and Memories, and alſo work upon their Affections.
SECT. 2. The Plea of ſuch as cannot read, anſwered.
Object. 2 NEither I my ſelf, nor any of my Family can read, and how then can I inſtruct them in the Scriptures, when neither I nor any in my Family can read the Scriptures?
Anſwer: Firſt, Bewail your ſin, in neglecting to learn to read your ſelf, and in neglecting to cauſe your Children to learn to read the word of God. When St. John ſaw a Book that no man was able to look into, it made him weep much, Rev. 5.4. I wept much, becauſe no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book, neither to look thereon. Ought not you in like manner to weep much, becauſe neither you nor any of your Family is able to read in the Book of God?
Secondly, If you cannot read, learn to read with all ſpeed and diligence, and cauſe all in your Family to learn alſo to read the Scriptures. Though you be growing old, yet it is not too late to begin to learn to read Gods word. To ſtir you up to learn to read, and to cauſe your Children and Servants to learn to read, conſider,
1. It is the Command of God that we ſhould read his word with great diligence, John 5.39. Search the Scriptures— 1 Tim. 4.13. Give attendance to reading: Iſa. 34.16. Seek out of the Book of the Lord, and read— 1 Theſ. 5.27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epiſtle be read unto all the holy Brethren. Now they that cannot read live in the breach of theſe Commandments; and their inability to read, will be no excuſe to them at the day of Judgment, for they might have learnt if they would have taken a little pains herein.
2. There is a bleſſing promiſed to them that read the word, provided that they practice what they read, Rev. 1.3. Bleſſed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophecy, and keep thoſe things which are written therein.
3. It is a ſign they have little or no love to, or eſteem of the word of God, who do not learn and teach their Children to read it.
4. The want of ability to read, is uſually accompanied with very groſs ignorance of God, and the myſteries of ſalvation.
Thirdly, If you cannot read, be ſwift to hear Gods word, and get your Neighbours to read to you, and labour to retain in your memories what you have heard others read, and teach that to your Families which God helps you to carry away in your memories.
SECT. 3. The Plea of ſuch as neglect Family-Inſtruction becauſe they have diſordered Families, anſwered.
Object. 3 Mr Family is not well inclined, my Chil-Children and Servants are rude, looſe, and diſorderly: If I had a Family as well ordered as ſome of my Neighbours, I ſhould be very willing to teach and inſtruct them: It is the want of good inclinations and good order in my Family, that keeps me from ſetting on this work.
Anſw. 1. If your Families are not well inclined, but looſe and diſorderly, they have the more need of inſtruction, 1 Theſ. 5.14. Now we exhort you Brethren, warn thoſe that are unruly: Though they have no inclinations to that which is good, but walk diſorderly, yet you ſhould not think much to beſtow your pains to inſtruct them. Did not Chriſt take great pains for us, in coming from Heaven to ſeek and ſave our Souls, when we had nothing of good in us, but were in a ſinful loſt periſhing condition? The Son of man is come to ſeek and ſave that which was loſt, Luke 19.10.
2. Inſtruction will be a means to breed good inclinations in your Children and Servants, and to convert them from their ſinful courſes unto the Lord, if they be ſuch as live in the tranſgreſſion of the Commandments of God, Pſal. 51.13. Then will I teach Tranſgreſſors thy Ways, and Sinners ſhall be converted unto thee.
3. If your Families be diſordered and given to any Vice, and you do not labour to reform them by inſtructing, reproving, and praying for them, God will puniſh both you and your Families for ever; them for their ſins, you for not reſtraining them: 1 Sam. 3.13. I will judge his houſe for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth, becauſe his Sons made themſelves vile, and he reſtrained them not.