A Treatise of Family Instruction, Chapter 4 · Section 24
SECT. 24. They that neglect Family Inſtruction are worſe than Infidels and Idolaters: Though others neglect this work, we muſt not.
Object. 24 NOne of my Neighbours do take this pains with their Families, and why then ſhould I? Would you have me ſingular? That is the way to be laugh'd to ſcorn, and to be under reproach?
Anſw. 1. Take heed of bearing falſe witneſs againſt your Neighbour; it may be ſeveral of your Neighbours make conſcience of this duty of teaching and inſtructing their Families, though you know it not. It is a grievous ſlander to ſay, None of your Neighbours take any care of their Families to teach them to know and ſerve the Lord, it is in effect to ſay they are as bad or worſe than Infidels, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, eſpecially for thoſe of his own Houſe, he hath denied the faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. The Soul is of far greater value than the Body, and if ſo, then the neglecting to provide for the Souls of thoſe of our own Houſe, is a greater ſin than the neglecting to provide for their Bodies. Idolaters train up and employ their whole Families to ſerve their Idols, Jer. 7.18. The Children gather wood, and the Fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their Dough, to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Here are men, women, and children, all employed about the ſervice of idol gods: If Idolaters train up their children to ſerve their idol gods, are not they worſe than Idolaters, who will not train up their Families to know and ſerve the true God? So that you charge your Neighbours with a very great ſin, and an high crime, when you ſay that none of them inſtruct their Families.
2. Suppoſe none of your Neighbours ſhould inſtruct their Families, yet you muſt inſtruct yours: Joſhua reſolved that though all Iſrael ſhould neglect the ſervice of the true God, and turn aſide to idols, yet he and his Houſe would ſerve the Lord, Joſh. 24.15. And if it ſeem evil unto you to ſerve the Lord, chuſe you whom you will ſerve, whether the Gods which your Fathers ſerved, that were on the other ſide of the Flood, or the Gods of the Amorites in whoſe Lands ye dwell; but as for me and my Houſe, we will ſerve the Lord. Your Neighbours neglect of their duty will not excuſe you at the day of Judgment, nor ſhelter you from the wrath of God, nor mitigate your Torments in Hell, if you ſuffer your Families to die in ignorance, and ſo to periſh eternally for want of inſtruction.
3. You are not ſingular in this work, for the wiſeſt, the moſt holy, the beſt men that ever lived, have been careful to train up their Families in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, as Abraham, Gen. 18.19. David, Pſal. 34.11. Joſhua, Joſh. 24.15. Yea which of all the Saints and Servants of God ever neglected it?
4. Suppoſe your Neighbours ſhould reproach you for inſtructing your Families, and call you by any odions names, this ſhould not at all diſhearten you from this good work of Family-Inſtruction: For,
1. It is a bleſſed and happy thing to ſuffer reproach for doing any work that Jeſus Chriſt ſets us about; 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Chriſt, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God reſteth upon you; on their part he is evil ſpoken of, but on your part he is glorified: Matth. 5.11, 12. Bleſſed are ye, when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all manner of evil againſt you falſly for my ſake, rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.
2. In this work you do Chriſt ſervice, and thoſe that ſerve Chriſt ſhall be honoured by God, John 12.26. — If any man ſerve me, him will my Father honour. And if God honour you, you need not care who deſpiſeth or reproacheth you.