Christ the Perfect Pattern of a Christians Practice, Sermon 13
Mary Wolnoth, Octob. 21. 1649. foreign.
Mark 4. 34.
And when he was alone, he expounded all things to his Diſciples.
foreign.
IN this Chapter, there are five principal paſſages, which are the five parts of the Chapter.
(1) The Parable of the Seed, propounded, and expounded, from Verſ. 1. ad 21.
(2) An Exhortation to that neceſſarie, and profitable Duty, of communicating unto one another, of that light of ſpiritual knowledge, and other gifts received from God, verſ. 21. ad 26.
And (3) The Doctrine of the working of the Word, preached upon the hearts and Conſciences of men, illuſtrated by the manner of the growth of Seed, ſowen by the hand of the Husband-man, verſ. 26. ad 30.
(4) The growth and increaſe of the Goſpel, ſet out by the Parable of Muſtard-ſeed, verſ. 30. ad 35.
(5) The miraculous Act of Chriſt, in the ſuddain ſwelling of the Tempeſt, v. 35. ad finem.
The words which I have read, hold out a verie excellent Act of Chriſt, towards his Diſciples, in reference to this Sermon: when he was alone, he expounded all things to his Diſciples, &c. In which words, we have two things.
(1) Chriſts Action, He expounded foreign, He untyed all knots, made all things plain to his Diſciples.
(2) The Circumſtance of time and place, foreign, when they were in private. That which it teacheth us, is this, viz.
Doct. That the Lord Jeſus, in the dayes of his fleſh, was very careful, in teaching and instructing thoſe which were under his charge in the things of God. Jeſus Chriſt was a Maſter of a Family, though he had no where to lay his head; yet he had Servants, the Diſciples were his Servants; and, as he did in all other reſpects, carrie himſelf as a faithful Maſter to them, ſo was he not negligent in teaching them the things of God. We ſhall finde our Saviour, verie careful of them in this reſpect: he taught them to pray, Luk. 11. 2. And upon everie occaſion, he was dropping Religious knowledge and Inſtruction upon their ſouls: he did not only preach publiquely to them, as he did to others; but in ſecret alſo, and in private: his uſe was, to repeat what he had preached in the publique Aſſemblie, with Explanation, as need required: when he had reproved the hypocritical and ceremonial waſhings, uſed by the Phariſees before meales, and had uttered an obſcure paſſage, Mat. 15. 11. we finde, that verſ. 16, 17. He interprets that Doctrine in private to his Diſciples, and makes them underſtand the meaning of it more perfectly, Do ye not know, &c. That was in private, vid. Mar. 7. 17, 18. So Luk. 24. 25, 26. &c. to the two Diſciples. Mat. 24. 3, 4. Mat. 13. 16.
The Reaſons are theſe.
(1) The Diſciples were called to be Miniſters of the Goſpel. Therefore it was neceſſarie, they ſhould be inſtructed. Vid. Acts 1. 8. Ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me, both in Judea, and in Jeruſalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt part of the Earth, both that they might have fulneſs of knowledge, and might learn willingly, to anſwer ſcruples privately, to any that ſhould repair to them, as well as preach in publick; ſo Paul did, Acts 20. 20.
(2) It, was out of ſenſe and compaſſion to their ignorance. Our Saviour knew how blind the heart of man is by Nature, to receive the things of God; and he had often had experience of his Diſciples weakneſſes in many things: this made him ſo careful, to uſe all diligence in inſtructing them; and the rather alſo, that he might convince them of their ignorance.
(3) To teach all Maſters and Governours, what their dutie is, towards ſuch as are under their charge, and that they might by his example, be helped forward to do their Duty. Omnis Chriſti actio, nostra inſtructio, Chriſt intended mans information by all he did.
Ʋſe 1. To exhort all perſons, who have a charge over others, to imitate this Example, 1 John 2. 6. Chriſt inſtructed his Servants, and if thou wilt be a Chriſtian, thou muſt walk after thy Maſters Example.
I would here,
(1) Give ſome Motives.
(2) Lay down ſome helps.
(3) Anſwer Objections.
1. Motives are theſe ſix.
1. Conſider Gods strict command, vid. Deut. 6. 6, 7. The Law of God is indiſpenſable; every Iſraelite of God is abſolutely bound to the performance Deut. 4. 9. Pſal. 78. 5, 6.thereof. Gods command is both the ſtrongeſt reaſon, and the higheſt Motive of any dutie; and obedience is not pure and ſincere, till Dixit Dominus prevaile with us.
2. Conſider the practiſe of the Servants of God whoſe names are renowned, and whoſe memories are precious in the book of God. I will begin with Abraham, Gen. 18. 19. David, Pro. 4. 4. and ſo Bathſheba, Pro. 31. 1. And it is not to be queſtioned, but he alſo taught his Servants, as well as his Children. The Parents of Timothy, they taught him the Scriptures of a Child, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Theſe are rare examples, and Joſhuah 24. 15. he could never have undertaken for himſelf and houſhould, had he not been an inſtructor of his houſhould.
(3) Conſider the benefit of it.
(1) Your Servants will never do your work faithfully, if they be not inſtructed how to do Gods work. Thoſe are likely to have the beſt ſervice from ſuch as are under the charge, who are moſt diligent to teach them their trade of Godlineſſe. Conſcience is the ſureſt and ſafeſt obligation in all the world; and your ſervants will without doubt be faithfull to you, if you can perſwade them to do your duty to God.
(2) For your Children, 'tis the way to preſerve and keep up the honour of your family. There is a naturall deſire in every man, that his family may be renowned when he is laid in the duſt. Tis Religion and Piety which builds up and keeps up the renown of Families. Riches may be imbezeld, and titles of honour may die, but godlinſſe and pietie can never die. Iſaacs pietie kept up the credit of Abrahams familie when he was in the duſt. Iſhmael was rich, but he was wicked, Jacob preſerved the memory of Iſaac by his piety, Eſau had wealth, but his wickedneſſe was a blot, both to himſelf and his Fathers houſe. Its juſt that God ſhould curſe that man in his poſterity, in his waies of Religion, and its righteous with God that ſuch Servants ſhould become ſcourges to their Maſters as have not been taught by them the knowledge of the Lord.
(3) By informing of them which are under your charge, you will informe your own ſouls. He that whets the word of God upon his Servants and Children, will with that whetting ſet a ſharper edge upon his own affections. By repeating a Sermon to others, you will ſtrengthen your own memories, and warme your own hearts. As iron ſharpens iron, ſo the heart of a man, his friend, Pro. 27. 17.
(4) You may benefit the Church of God for many generations. A good man would have the Church of God to flouriſh not onelyonly while he lives, but after his deceaſe, he would have generations to come, to know and bleſſe the Lord. This is the waie to propagate Religion after thine own deceaſe. Children and Servants are likely to ſurvive Maſters and Parents. And if they be not inſtructed and taught in their youth, the next generation may for ought you know, be atheiſticall and paganiſh. A good man layeth up an inheritance for his Childrens Children, Pro. 13. 22. Thou doeſt not know in what place God may caſt the lot of thy Children and Servants. They may be inſtruments of ſpreading the knowledg of God in remote parts.
(5) Conſider the many preſent Errours that are ſprung up amongſt us. The firmament of our Church is filled, and even darkened with the thick black ſmoak of profane, and gracedeſtroying opinions. And every one of your Children and Servants have a biaſſe upon their hearts which draweth them violently this waie; they may bring the plague of Errors and Hereſie into your families, they may bring home the leaven of the Phariſes, and ſadduces into your houſes. The beſt Antidote againſt this infection, is frequent praier and inſtruction.
(5) Conſider the great miſchief of the ignorance of God and of his wayes, together with the happineſs of this knowledg.
(1) Without Knowledge the mind is not good, Knowledge is the eie, the Candle, the Pilot of the ſoul. A man without knowledge, is like a blind guide, is like a ſhip without a Pilot, he is readie to ſtumble on every ſtone, he is apt to run upon every Rock: he that walketh in darkneſs, knoweth not whither he goeth, Joh. 12. 35. He is like Sampſon when his eies are put out, the Divell may make him grind in any mill, uſe him for any kind of imploiment. He can do nothing well, nothing acceptable.
(2) Ignorance of God is damnable, our Saviour ſaith, It is life eternall to know God and Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent, Joh. 17. 3. And therefore it muſt needs be eternall death, to be ignorant of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt; eſpeciallie when ſufficient means for this knowledg, is and may be enjoyed. It is the complaint of God, that his people were deſtroied for want of knowledge, Hoſ. 4. 6. not onelyonly with temporall, but eternall deſtruction. And if any ſoul periſh through ignorance under your roofe, through your default, his ſoul will be required at your hands. What God ſaith to the Watchman concerning his charge, is as applicable to every governour of a family in his ſphere. If you give not the wicked man warning, he ſhall die, but his blood will I require at thy hands, Ezech. 33. 8. Every Maſter of a family is as well and as truly made a Watchman of God, to do all domeſticall duties within his ſphere (where of this is one) as the Miniſter is over the Congregation, and muſt as wel be accountable to God for the ſouls under his charge. And therfore God in the 4th. Commandement, puts the care and inſpection of all within the family, upon the governours, Thou & thy Son, & thy Daughter, & thy man-Servant, &c. Thou mightſt perhaps, be the inſtrument of ſaving thy Child or Servant from Hell, wert thou carefull of doing thy dutie.
(6) Conſider the juſtice and equity of this duty. That you ſhouldſt inſtruct thoſe who are thy Children by Nature, is but Equitie, in as much as the blindneſs and ignorance which is in them, is from thee conveid, as the immediate inſtrumentall cauſe. They drew their blindneſs from thy loines, thou didſt beget and bring them forth in thine own ſinfull Image, whereof this ignorance is a part, and therefore thou art bound by all rules of juſtice to do what thou canſt to make reſtitution. And for adopted Children and Servants, by contract committed to thy care by friends or guardians, the like obligation lieth upon thee in point of juſtice, to teach them the knowledge of the Moſt Holie, according to thy power; for though expreſly this clauſe be not put into the engagement, yet virtuallie and implicitly it is intended: the parent or friends commit their Children into thy hands, upon ſuch termes that the ſoul ſhould be looked after as well as the bodie; and if They do not expect it, yet Theologically, by vertue of thy place, as a Maſter, God expects it from thee; and thou art not onelyonly uncharitable, but unjuſt alſo, if thou neglect this part of the engagement. It will not be enough to ſay, I have inſtructed them in all the parts of the myſterie I profeſs, I have made them skilfull in their Art, but if they be uninſtructed in the knowledge of God, the leaſt halfe of the Covenant is made good, & God will both judge & puniſh thee for a fraudulent and unfaithfull man that haſt betrayed thy truſt.
2ly. Directions. Take theſe three.
(1) Thou muſt be carefull to furniſh thy ſelf with a competency of knowledge and underſtanding in Religion. To govern a ſmall familie, requires no ſmall knowledge. God would have a Maſter of a familie to be able to inſtruct both Wife and Children. Dwell with thy Wife as a man of knowledge, 1 Pet. 3. 7. and the woman is commanded not to ſpeak in the Church; but, if ſhe want, to ask her husband at home, 1 Cor. 14. 35. If the Wife muſt aske, the Husband ſhould be able to reſolve neceſſarie queſtions. I doubt the want of knowledge in governours takes them off from this duty; indeed renders them uncapable to diſcharge it. Therefore by ſtudying the Scriptures, by reading good Catechiſms, and other good books, and by Praier get ſound knowledge.
(2) Pray for a good Conſcience, and keep a good Conſcience. As a good conſcience will keep men cloſe to God in other Duties, ſo will it do in this, and truely though a man have never ſuch plenty of knowledge, yet if he want Conſcience, the work will fall.
(3) Get large bowels of affections to God, to the knowledge of God, and the Souls of ſuch as God hath given thee inſpection over. This will promote the work. He that loves God truly, will diſperſe the knowledge of God freely; and he who beares any affection to ſouls, will be willing to light his Candle, to ſet them in the waie to life and happineſſe. He that doth not teach his Child, I dare ſay hath not a true Fatherlie love, either to God or his Child: Love will ſeek the beſt wellfare of that which is beloved.
3dly. The Objections are theſe.
1. Object. If I ſhould inſtruct thus my Family, and be ſo ſtrict, repeat Sermons, &c. I ſhould be reproached, &c.
Sol. 1. No good man would reproach thee, no, they would love thee, & honour thee: & if Michal ſcoffe and reproach, 'tis no great matter, vid. 2 Sam. 6. 21, 22. 'Tis no honour, to be prayſed, no diſhonour to be reproached by a wicked man.
2. Such reproach is the way to happineſs, vid. 1 Pet. 4. 14. The Saints of God have gloried in reproaches for Chriſts ſake, they have worn them as a Crown.
3. If thou art afraid of reproach, be afraid of Gods reproach. He will reproach thee, if thou neglect this duty; and that not only here, but hereafter, vid. Dan. 12. 2. If thou neglect this duty, for fear of the Worlds reproach; thou mayſt lie down at laſt with the Worlds honour, but thou wilt riſe again to everlaſting ſhame.
2. Object. But my Servants, they will not ſubmit to inſtruction, they think their Conſciences are free, and that no ſuch thing ſhould be impoſed upon them, &c.
Sol. 1. And what if they ſhould pretend the like freedom of Conſcience, as they call it, for the not doing of thy work in thine employment, wouldſt thou think it a ſufficient Salvo? and why wilt thou take it for a diſcharge from doing Gods work?
2. I anſwered, they are not free by any Law of God; nay, they are bound: if Abraham muſt teach his Houſhold the way of Jehovah, ſurelie his Houſhold muſt ſubmit to be inſtructed, elſe the Commandment is void. And Joſhuah took it for granted, that his Houſe ſhould ſerve the Lord, together with himſelf, Joſh. 24. 15. He ſhould not dwell in Joſhuahs Houſe, that would not ſerve Joſhuahs God, whatſoever they pretended. The Rod of Diſcipline ſhould teach ſuch other practices, if after admonition and conviction, they remain obſtinate.
3. Object. But they are catechiſed, and inſtructed by the Miniſter, therefore its needleſs I ſhould meddle.
Sol. The Miniſterial inſtruction, doth not excuſe Domeſtical inſtruction. Chriſt taught his Diſciples publickly as a Miniſter, and yet he neglected not private inſtruction alſo; private inſtruction helps on the publick, and the publick the private.
2. Ʋſe. This is a Doctrine of ſingular comfort for the godlie. Jeſus Chriſt hath a Familie on Earth ſtill, though he be in Heaven, and the Church is his Houſhold, Heb. 3. 6. And its his Office, to teach and inſtruct now, as much as ever, when he was on Earth. And be confident, you ignorant Chriſtians, that Chriſt your Maſter, will untie all knots, which you cannot untie your ſelves. Qui docet corda, Cathedram habet in Coelo. Carry your doubts to him freely.
FINIS.
End of the text · Ralph Robinson, Christ the Perfect Pattern of a Christians Practice (1658)