The first conference betwixt a gra­cious Gentleman, and his eldest sonne and heyre, concerning house-hold instruction omitted.

SOnne, I haue sent for you, as Iob sent for his sonnes: who, though his sonnes dwelt apart [Page 2] from him, and had houses, and Fami­lies of their owne: yet hee sent and cal­led them home to his house, to giue them needfull Fathers are to ad­monish their chil­drē, thogh they dwell apart from them, and haue Fami­lies of their owne. admonition. Iob. 1. 4. & 5. Verses.

GOod Father, I thanke GOD for that your Christian care of me, and according to my dutie, I will be willing and glad to receiue any good instruction from you.

I Desire to haue some religious confe­rence with you, and to admonish you, concerning The sub­iect or matter of the whole cō ­ference, concer­neth do­mesticall Discipline. domesticall Discipline; For I haue heard that your Familie is not The oc­casion of this first cōference. catechized, admonished, nor cor­rected, according as formerly it was wont to be, by your wife, when you are from home; and which more is, I heare that your selfe doe oft-times fayle in the foresayd duties, when you are at home; Is it so, my Sonne, is it so?

GOod Father, with shame, and sor­row for it, I doe confesse it, to bee so: wee are much subiect to Spirituall i­dlenesse, and to Worldly carefulnesse; I pray God giue vs pardon of, and power a­gainst these sinnes.

I Am sorte, my Sonne, I am very sor­ry for Parents should bee greeued at their chil­drens vn­godlinesse, and pray for their reformati­on. you; I pray God forgiue you, and amend these euill manners in you: I perceiue, by your teares, and spee­ches, that you are humble-minded; and you do well to confesse your sinnes, and to craue pardon of them, and power a­gainst them; Wee should prayas ear­nestly for power a­gainst sin, as for par­don of sin. as Dauid did, Psal. 19. 13. And as Christ directs vs all to doe, Mat. 6. 12. 13. Consider also, my sonne, that vnlesse you do as well forsake your sinnes, as confesse your sinnes; you haue no promise of the pardon of them, Pro. 28. 13. 14. Esay 55. 7. nay, par­don is denied to them that go on in their [Page 4] sinnes, Pardō of sin is deni­ed to them which continue in sinne: and their de­struction is denoun­ced. Deut. 29. 20. Psal. 68. 21. in which places, you may also see, that vn­auoidable destruction shall seize vpon all such.

O My Father, my hearts desire is, not to loue sinne, nor to liue in sinne, but to loath and to leaue all sinne; shew mee, (I beseech you) by what meanes I may subdue and ouermaster these my predominant sinnes; these so strong and mighty gyants.

IF you desire to ouercome these strong corruptions, these mighty Champi­ons: The meanes to ouercome our stron­gest cor­ruptions, and our predomi­nant sins. you must be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, wrestle stoutly, and constantly encounter with them, Ephe. 6. 10. you haue hitherto let the spirituall sword too much rust in the sheath: if you had often drawne that spirituall sword, and skilfully with cou­rage and constancy resisted Sathan with [Page 5] it, as you are willed, Ephe. 6. 10. &c. & verse 16. 17. 18. Sathan would haue fled, as God hath promised, Iames 4. 8. Ephe. 6. 16. and as Christ for our con­solation and direction hath shewed, Ma­thew 4. 11.

Now therefore you must bee better armed with more courage and constan­cy against the next encounter; meane time you must iudge your selfe, that you may The meanes to preuent fu­ture iudge­ments, is to iudge our selues before they come. preuent future iudgments, 1. Cor. 11. 31.

VVHat (I pray you) is it, and how are we to endeuour it, to iudge our selues aright?

AS a temporall Iudge doth first ex­amine the malefactors, and their e­uils done, what, how many, how great, &c. and then proceeds to punish; so must wee in iudging our selues; The de­grees of iudging a­right. first exami­ning our selues, what, how many, and [Page 6] how great euils wee haue committed: next, wee must proceede to a spirituall iudgment, censure, & punishment, by ar­raigning our Soules and Spirits, with indignation inditing them of high trea­son and rebellion against GOD, at the Tribunall seate of God: Thirdly, 3 wee must put vp supplication with strong cries, in the name of Christ, for pardon of sinne past, and power against sinne to come. Fourthly, wee must 4 curbe and correct our selues, euen cor­porally, and externally; taking reuenge of our selues for our former faults, 2. Cor. 7. 12. by watchings, fastings, and by restraining our selues from many lawfull delights, Ioel 2. 16. Fiftly, wee must crosse our corrupt courses by 5 contrary courses opposite to our former vices, Dan. 4. 24. for as the rule is: Contraria contrarijs curantur. Contra­ries are cured by their contraries. And lastly, if afterwards all these meanes being vsed, you be againe and againe o­uercome with these corruptions: yet cease not to encounter; bid battell al­way vnto them, and with greater force [Page 7] afresh resist them; considering that true Christians haue alwaies crucified the flesh, Gal. 5. 24. and doe dayly mortifie their earthly members, in regard of that glorious life that they looke for, Col. Bernard, Si labor teterret, merces inuitet. 3. 4. 5. Iob. 31. 2.

DEare Father, this your counsell and comfort is as sweetnesse to my Soule, and as healing to the bones that are broken, Pro. 16. 24.

GIue eare then againe, and I will yet go on in this argument, of iudging, punishing, and correcting your selfe; vpon often relapse and falles in­to one and the same offence, (which if you doe) you shall preuent both tempo­rall and eternall iudgements of sinne, and in time ouercome the sinne it selfe; of what sort, or how great soeuer, the sinne bee, with which you are The vtili­ty of iudg­ing our selues. in war.

O But yet, some sinnes are much more stronger then that I can (weake wretch that I am) euer bee able to ouercome them: of which sort are those, (I feare me) aforementioned.

O Nay, say not so, my Sonne; haue you euer aforetime ouercome les­ser sinnes? yea, I doe know you haue; you say you haue ouercome rash anger, swearing, &c. why then, marke what comfort from thence you may conceiue vnto your Soule: Com­forts to encounter with our strongest corrupti­ons. hee that can ouer-uercome rash anger, wrath, pride, lust, or any other like, Is stronger then hee that ouercomes a Citie, Pro. 16. 23. Saint Iames doth affirme that the toung is an vnruly member, and no man can tame it, Iames 3. 8. It is the onely grace and gift of God to tame it, which whoso hath, not sinning as before in word, hee is a perfect man, and able also to bridle [Page 9] all the bodie, Iames 3. 2.

SIr, I remember wel that auncient rule in religion; An anci­ent rule in Religion, (viz.) that the weak­ning, woū ­ding, and death of any one sin, is the death in time of e­uery other sin. that the weakening, wounding, & death of any one sin, is the weakning, wounding, & death in time of euery other sin: and S. Iohn sayth, that All that is borne of God, ouercommeth the world, and that this great victory is attai­ned by faith, 1. Ioh. 5. 4. 5. Lord there­fore, I pray thee, confirme and increase my faith, Luke 17. 5. O my good God, giue vnto me the shield of faith, wherwithall I may quench all the fiery darts of the diuell. Eph. 6. 16

YOu say well, concerning that rule; and it doth me good at my heart, that you collect the same in sense from scrip­ture, and conclude thereupon so well with earnest prayer: I will therefore in conclusion of this counsell, encourage you by some examples of such as by cha­stising and correcting themselues, haue [Page 10] ouercome most strong corruptions: Exam­ples of such, as by chastising and iudge­ing them­selues, haue by denying themselues ouercome themselues that is, the strongest corrupti­ons of their flesh: or their strongest naturall, & occasional corrupti­ons. Hemingius on the 15. Psalm sheweth; that he being at Witenberge, there came thither to hostage, a man exiled and ba­nished for the profession of the Gospell: this man, when he did oft times sweare, through an euill custome, and did at length consider with himselfe, how hée might amend this euil custome; he came to D. Luther, and requested his counsel, how hee might by some meanes correct that custome and abuse of swearing. To whom, D. Luthers counsell. Luther giues counsell, say­ing: Command (sayth he) thy wife, thy children, and the rest of thy family, vn­der a great penalty, to admonish thée of thy fault, as oft as they heare thee sweare, and that straiteway thereupon, they require of thee a great forfeiture of excellent gold. The honest Guest ob­serueth and followeth Luthers counsell: he sware, as before he was wont, hee is thereupon admonished, and payeth for euery oath he sweareth, much, and very good gold: but after a while, vpon much payment, hee happily, at length left this custome of swearing; so that af­terwards [Page 11] he was neuer heard to sweare at all.

Other such like examples Heminge in Latine sheweth vpon the foresayd Psalme. Chryso­stomes counsell. Chrysostome also giueth counsell in like case, to appoint a penal­ty of refrayning some dinner, or some supper.

And another learned Authour coun­selleth such Householders as know their owne pronenesse, to fall oft in the same offence, whatsoeuer open sin it be, to determine with themselues; yea, to resolue and vowe, that as oft as they fal againe into the same offence, to make o­pen confession to the family of the first offence, if the fault be knowne to the fa­mily: for the second fault to vse absti­nence, and to eate but onely bread, and to drinke water onely for one or two meales: For the third fault, to refraine all ordinary food for one or two meales, and to giue it to the needy and hungrie: For the fourth fault, to forfeit and to giue away much money to many poore and The coū ­sell of an­cient, and of very ex­cellent au­thors. needy men.

Such examples are seldome shewed, [Page 12] nor found in families: Three exam­ples, experi­enced by the Authour of this Dialogue; yet such exā ­ples are very seldome to be seene: howbe­it without this care of corre­cting & iudge­ing our selues, wee cannot preuent tem­porall iudge­ments, 1. Cor. 11. 31. Nei­ther is our re­pentance renu­ed effectually. Herehence it is, that many of Gods deare Children, not vsing conscio­nably and diligently, as well these as other ordinances of God, are so often ouercome by some grieuous corruptions, as were the Disciples and the Corinthians, Matthew 18. 1 &c. Luke 22. 23. & 1. Cor. 3. 1. &c. Howbeit I haue seene onely three such exam­ples, which I will prescribe for pat­ternes. The first was a verie reli­gious man, who in the hearing of all his family confessed his fault, say­ing: I haue forgotten one maine and most principle doctrine, this Sabboth day deliuered, which I intended to haue repeated, confir­med and applied to mine owne vse and all yours: and therefore I am verily greeued at my owne forget­fulnesse: I will assuredly thus, and thus, chastise, iudge and correct my owne fault.

Againe, I haue seene a second example hereof shewed by an honest hearted householder, who vpon some open shewe of discord betwixt his wife and him, before the family, was presently humbled for it, confessed it, [Page 13] &c. And compared himselfe & his wife, to the couple peeces of the house, which if they fall asunder, they cause other timber of the house to shrinke and to go out of order: so we, sayth he, hauing fal­len at variance, and openly reproued one another, (which reproofe should haue beene in priuate) haue caused all the family to go out of order, and to imitate (as they are apt to do) our euil example: and thereupon will the lesse reuerence our counsels, our persons or reproofes hereafter: we will therefore (say they) confesse our faults, & chastise our selues &c. that thereby we may remoue these stumbling blocks from our familie, and learne to wax wiser hereafter.

A third example, an other time I saw, Third example seene. when the Heads and Rulers of a Religious family had heard a Ser­mon on the Sabboth, and had recei­ued a good monition from the Minister their Preacher: namely, that Masters and Mistresses must not bée like Nabal, froward, and angrie; for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles, Ecclesiastes 7. 11. and great frowardnesse is a note of [Page 14] great wickednesse and foolishnes, as Nabals example sheweth, 1. Sam. 25. 17. Afterwards they repeated the principall doctrines, which before were taught them in the Church, the which being ap­plyed to the humbling of their owne hearts, before in hearing, and then more particularly in repeating: they confessed themselues before al the fami­ly to haue beene in time past very foo­lish; for by frowardnes and continuall correcting, chiding & threatning, which the Apostle wils Masters to put away, Ephes. 6. 9. they saw they had exaspera­ted and hardned the hearts of their sons and seruants, made them more froward, and prouoked them to wrath, Ephes. 6. 4. and caused seruants to counterfait that, which they should not, Titus 2. 9. for as they had heard from the Prea­chers mouth, that day, such as are al­waies chiding, threatning, or correct­ing, are as little feared as the thunder would bee feared, if it did dayly thun­der. The fruit of this last example. This their foresayd confession wrought in them such a change, & a renu­ed conuersion, that they vowed as they [Page 15] were taught & directed to do: To winke at and passe by many faults; either not Zach. 7. 12. Psal. 130. 4 Mal. 3. 17. Pro. 19. 11. reprouing but seldome, or else not so sharpely, but more mildly reprouing, and correcting with lesse seuerity. Thus afterwards they became Lambs, which before were Lyons, through the power of Preaching, as the Prophet prophesi­ed it should be perfourmed, Esay 11. 6. 7. 8. 9. This caused their Children and seruants, (they seeing them to re­buke and correct themselues, and to re­forme their manners,) to beare all re­bukes and corrections with more humi­litie, yea, both to be ready without gain­saying to yeeld, confesse, and acknow­ledge a fault committed, with méeke­nesse and amendment euer afterwards. The ge­nerall end and vse of these ex­amples. By all this that you haue heard, you may euidently sée the dignitie and com­moditie of this domesticall Discipline, which should first be imposed by House­holders vpon their owne shoulders, be­fore it be layd vpon their seruants.

I Pray you (good Father) goe on yet a little farther, and as you haue shewed good generall remedies, so I humbly de­sire you to apply to my sores some more speciall salues, and corasiues to mine A good hearted hearer of Gods word is glad of sharpe re­proofes, 1. Cor. 14. 25. and desireth to be smitten as Dauid did, knowing that to bee the onely way to bring solide comfort and health to soule and body: But on the contrarywise health is far from the vngodly, because they regard not Gods statutes, sayth the Psalmographe, and they hate to be reproued, Psal. 50. 17. Pro. 1. 22. 1. Thessa. 4. 8. vl­cers.

SIth I sée you so willing to haue your sores throughly searched into, and throughly healed; in particular there­fore, for spirituall idlenesse and slug­gishnesse, to salue that sore, consi­der how Gods owne hand doth discouer the foresayd sore, and first, how hée bids vs to beware of so great a harme and hurt to our soules, Gal. 6. 9. 2. Thes. [Page 17] 3. 13. Heb. 6. 12. Rom. 6. 11. 2. Peter 1. 8. Prou. 6. 9. Math. 20. 6.

Secondly, consider more specially the euill effects thereof, spirituall idle­nesse is checked and blamed, mocked and shamed.

1. Argumēts or motiues against spi­ritual idle­nesse. Checked by Christ, Mat. 20. 6.

2. Disgraced by Salomon, Prou. 6. 6. Pro. 19. 24.

3. It bringeth beggery, and spiritu­all pouertie spéedily, which we can nei­ther, resist nor easily afterwards ouer­come, Prou. 6. 11. Reuel. 3. 17.

4. An idle person shall haue Gods li­uery and his badge pulled off from his backe, sent out of Gods house and ser­uice with shame: hee shall bée without spéedie repentance afterwards at last, perpetually imprisoned, Luke 8. 18. Mat. 25. 28.

Lastly, consider A special comfort applied to the repen­tant. that they which by idlenesse are brought to such extreame pouertie, that they are vtterly vnappa­relled, and vnmonyed, as were the Lao­diceans, Reuel. 3. 17. 18. yet they are called and counselled to come to Christ, who if they come humbly and faithfully [Page 18] vnto him, will adorne them with royall robes, and enrich them with all spiritu­all treasures, Reuel. 3. 17. 18. as in the foresayd place he promiseth.

Now next I come to cure the second sore: The cu­ring of co­uetousnes, a sore very hardly healed, yet a commō cōtagion, a very dan­gerous, & deadly disease. which is worldlinesse and coue­tousnesse, in which consider. First, that by couetousnes we are made slaues and seruants vnto riches, Luke 16. 13. Se­condly, by couetousnesse wee commit spirituall whoredome against God, ma­king the world our god. Ephes. 5. 5. Col. 3. 5. Thirdly, by worldlinesse, wee choke the growth of the Word of God, Luke 8. 14. Fourthly, by couetousnesse al euils are occasioned: for, it is the root of all euill, 1. Tim. 6. 10. Fiftly, medi­tate oft, and consider the end wherfore God giues vs much goods, and riches: They are (sayth one) Gods wages wher­with Note. he binds vs to obey & do his work. When God giues vs wages to serue him, shall wée serue the world, Gods e­nemy? We cannot serue God & Mam­mon, Luke 16. 13. Now, that riches are Gods wages, to occasion vs to feare to offend GOD our master the giuer of [Page 19] them, it may bée plainely proued from Satans owne confession, Iob 1. 9. 10. And from Deut. 28. 47. From which last place, wée also learne, that when Note and mark this well. Gods worke is lessened by vs, Gods wages shall bée lessened to vs: yea, if for plenty, wee serue him not with ala­crity and chéerefulnesse, wée shall haue worldly wāt, in place of worldly welth. And so much (I hope) shal suffice, for the saluing and healing of that other sore, of worldlinesse.

HEale my soule, O Lord, for I haue sinned against thee: Heale mee A Prayer. soundly with these thy salues applyed to mee. Amen, Amen.

The second Conference, concerning Household instruction to bee renued.

OVr last conference was, concer­ning Household instruction o­mitted: The sub­iect or matter of this second conferēce. our next shall be now, how the same should be renued. And be­cause you haue no publike catechizing, wée will first consult what order & man­ner of catechising is fittest for your fa­mily, on the Wéek daies, and then what instruction is most meet for them on the Sabbaoth dayes.

WEe haue indeede no publike Catechizing in our Church to be followed and exercised in our houses: otherwise, I suppose you [Page 21] would wish vs to vse the same in our Fa­milies

YEs, so I would doe, in that case: but it being not so, I would haue you to vse a certaine Catechisme, commonly printed: called, I doe not ex­toll this Cate­chisme, to im­paire the cre­dit of any o­ther, but only commend it for the breuity and addition of some need­full things, which larger Catechismes haue not, how­beit Master Nowels, Perkins, and Pagets Catechismes are very excel­lent in many things: Yet no one man hath all things. M^r. At­tersoles Catechisme, which hath ma­ny things needful, which other haue not: as first, the difference of origi­nall and actuall sins: also, rules for the true vnderstanding of the Com­mandements, and the Sacraments, which no other briefe Catechisme hath hitherto prescribed: it is a very pithie and an excellent Catechisme. Now, to prescribe an order & man­ner of vsing it: After your Sonnes and seruants haue learned by the booke the meaning of the Comman­dements, then teach them the sense, by vse and experience: for all arts and tongues are better taught (you know) and learned by vse and expe­rience, [Page 22] then by rule and precept onely: and so are also the grounds of Religion.

EXplane your meaning (I pray you) by some example.

I Would wish, I say, after the mea­ning of the Commandements lear­ned by the booke, that you would teach the vnderstanding of each Com­mandement, by vse and experience: Marke this and continue this course this order and man­ner of Ca­techising. As namely, by daily occasion thus: When any in your family shal deceiue, lye, sweare, murmure, curse, mocke, raile, &c. then presently thereupon exa­mine, and shew them by the book, what Commandement they breake: and when any duty to God or men is omitted, exa­mine, and shew them by the book, what precept they offend against, teaching thē to expresse the sense in other words, that you may know they vnderstand the meaning; and teaching them not onely [Page 23] by the booke, but also by liuely voyce and spéech. Thus to teach them, (I say) vpon occasion, the vse and experi­ence of that they haue learned, will, as I haue by tryall perceiued, both helpe their capacitie, confirme their memorie, and worke vpon their affections, the more effectually.

AFter this course of catechizing, con­tinued daily in the Weeke dayes, what other order of instruction would you wish chiefely to be continued vpon the Sabbath day?

I Would wish you alwaies vpon the Lords day Confe­rence con­cerning Sabbath dayes in­struction, to be vsed thē in each reformed family. to examine all your Family in those things which are euery day taught them on the Sabbath by your Minister, who is a godly, learned, and a zealous Preacher: and examine them so, that you may know how eue­ry one doth marke and remember, [Page 24] what things were taught, and how they were confirmed and applied. The carelesnes of com­mon Chri­stians, of luke-warm Laodice­ans, and Protestāts at large, which a­bound in this our age, and are euen glutted with hea­uenly Man­na. Many men are exceeding carelesse herein, for where almost is one among many, that questioneth with his seruants, about Religion at all? It may be, sometimes (saith one) that they will send thē to the Church: but when they returne, what doe they aske them of their learning or profiting there? vnlesse perhaps once at the hundreds end, hée vouchsafe to know the Chapter, and the Verse of the Text, (which betwixt the Church doore & home,) euen a Parrot would be taught to pronounce. Let such send any of their people vpon some worldly busi­nesse, and they will be sure to aske his seruant how hee sped, and nothing will he leaue vnasked to vnderstand the ef­fect of the arrand hee sent him about: but for Gods businesse, and Soule mat­ters, be they performed negligently, or not done at all, it mattereth not.

And almost all men doe now content Note this. themselues with a flight examination; hence is it, that their sonnes and ser­uants can neither shew the summe and [Page 25] diuision of the Text, nor what doctrines were drawne from it, much lesse how they were confimed and in the vse appli­ed, but onely they bring certaine words, and sentences, or similitudes, not vn­derstanding the purpose whereto any thing was spoken by the Preacher. I Note this. would wish you therefore, I say, to exa­mine your Children and seruants with such diligent care, that you may know how euery one doth marke and remem­ber, what things were taught, and how euery doctrine was confirmed and ap­plied, and where any one faileth, let the next that standeth in order by him, shew and teach him: & when all haue brought out their store, and shewed their best en­deuour to make repetition, then you your selfe are also to helpe them there­in, by a diligent repetition, confirming and applying to your whole Familie (and to your owne heart and affections) Note this. all the doctrines that were deliuered: which I would wish you to doe with all Godly zeale and feruencie, forthwith and immediatly after your comming from Church, before you receiue your bodily foode.

VVHere that course is continued, Obiect. men are commonly accounted Puritans, and we that haue vsed it, haue beene much derided, scorned, and moc­ked for it, and many men (you know) in the Countrey, doe call it and terme it a priuate Preaching, and do not cease to say, that therein wee shew our selues to bee more precise then wise: what say you of such scorners?

FIrst I say, that though such estéeme Answere. wisedome it selfe to bee but foolish­nesse 1 and folly: yet are they themselues the onely fooles by Gods account; Who scorneth the scorner, Pro. 3. 34. and saith, that fooles despise wisedome and instruction, Pro. 1. 7.

Secondly, I say therefore, that such 2 as would bee wise, must not sit in the seate of scorners, nor be daunted with such scorning, though it bee a persecu­ting, [Page 27] Gal. 4. 24. Heb. 11. 36.

Thirdly, because such men account 3 this course to be a nouelty, and seeme to yeeld much vnto Antiquitie, I would wish them to consider well Saint Au­stens censure, who saith; That euery Paterfami­lias conci­onator est in domo sua, iuxta Augustini sententiam dicentis; quod con­cioator est in sug­gestu, hoc quilibet pa­terfamilias in domo sua. Householder should bee the same in his owne house, as the Preacher is in the Pulpit, or in Gods house: That is, that hée should diligently teach and instruct his houshold, as Abraham did, who com­manded his houshold to doe iustice and iudgement, Gen. 18. 19. And as the Mother of Lemuel did, Pro. 31 2. 3. who by their sedulitie and earnestnesse in teaching, did set as it were, an edge vpon their doctrine, in applying it to the affections of their hearers, that it might moue much their minds, & pierce deepe into their hard and stonie hearts. Now the same that they did, you and euery Householder is commanded to do, Deut. 6. 6. 7. where the Hebrew reading is; Thou shalt whet these words on thy Children: and agreeable thereto is that, Heb. 10. 24. 25. Let vs whet one another, as it is in the Greeke: pointing at, and [Page 28] noting, by that metaphor of Whetting, our spirituall dulnesse, which like blunt tooles, haue need to be whetted by day­ly teaching and admonishing, Heb. 3. 13.

I Perceiue by the former places, that 1 such as are Parents and gouernors of Families, should not be like Luke-warme Laodiceans, whom the Lord Iesus willeth to repent, Reuel. 3. 14. & 19. For none indeed doe truely repent till they be fer­uent, (saith one) for feruencie or zeale is an effect of true repentance, 2. Cor. 7. 11. I perceiue also by the former pla­ces, 2 that not onely minsters, but also all Christians should be zealous, according to that general precept: Be feruent in Spirit, seruing the LORD, Rom. 12. 11. And that therefore they should set an edge v­pon their admonitions and instructions, 3 is not that your meaning, sir?

YEs assuredly, for it is the very life of good doctrine, to moue affection much, beeing well applyed, without which, it is but like a plaster kept in a pocket, and not applied to the place in­fected. A Simili­tude.

SIth then, in teaching, it is so needfull to moue affection, shew me (I pray you) some helpes and meanes, to make my houshold admonitions and instru­ctions powerfull, to worke vpon the af­fections of my Family.

TWo things are needfull in tea­ching, 1 to mooue affection much: First feruency; Secondly, constancy: 2 Teach therfore and instruct your Fami­ly with feeling and with feruency; in particular, in reprouing such as are au­dacious [Page 30] and presumptuous, do it not as some do, with a smiling countenance: but as our Sauiour did with an angrie countenance, mourning also, as he did, for the hardnesse of their hearts. Marke 3. 5.

Secondly, in admonishing the vn­ruly, 2 Charge & command them to deale religiously, iustly and truly, as Abra­ham did.

Thirdly, in comforting the féeble­minded, 3 and when any matter of com­fort is to bee applied, speake then with chéereful spéech and countenance, if you can: for God requireth mercy to bee shewed with chéerefulnesse, Rom. 12. 8. and he loueth a chéerefull giuer, (chiefly in giuing spirituall gifts:) be not there­fore in comforting, drowsie, heauy-hear­ted, and leaden like: but shewe your selfe in comforting, comfortable, and to be comforted. Thus much concerning feruency.

Againe, to make your instruction powerfull, you must teach and admonish constantly and diligently: for as the drops of raine cannot weare thorow an [Page 31] hard stone, without often dropping, how sharpe soeuer the water, or the dropping be: so the Word applyed not often, but seldome earnestly, will not pierce thorow the stony heart of man; though doctrine well applied bee as the dropping of the raine vpon the stone, or earth, Deut. 32. 2. which must haue, to Deut. 32. 2 make it fruitfull, both the early and the latter raine.

The heart of man is more hard then the Adamant stone, and yet by often beating vpon it, by the hammer of Gods Lawe, it may bee bruised and humbled, Ier. 23. 29. The powerfull applying of Ier. 23. 29. doctrine is as the nailes, which vnlesse they bee with many blowes hammered and beaten vp throughly vnto the head, will not holde a strong and thicke ship­boord, Ecclesiastes 12. 11. Eccles. 12. 11.

Lastly, the effectuall applying of do­ctrine, is like vnto the grindstone or whetstone, which will not without much grinding & often whetting make edge-tooles (beeing much and often dulled) fit to worke withall, or kéene to cut: So our hearts and affections [Page 32] being hardened, blunted, and dulled by the deceitfulnesse of sinne, had need to be much whetted, that they may bée made fit for Gods worke, by daily and earnest admonition and exhortation, Heb. 10. 24. 25. Heb. 3. 13.

Therfore Moses in the foresayd place sheweth, Deut. 6. 6. 7. That wee must Deut. 6. 6. 7. make our admonitions powerfull to pierce: first, by hauing and feeling the power thereof abiding and working in our owne harts, and then next in whet­ting the same vpon our children and o­thers, by continuall talking and confer­ring of the sacred Scriptures: when we walke in the way, when we lye downe, and when we rise vp. Lastly, if you doe desire to teach and instruct your family so, that you may moue much & through­ly worke vpon the hearts of your hea­rers, euen all good and holy affections: Consider then also of other needefull helpes thereunto belonging: namely, that in your family you must walk wise­ly, Adiuncts to the for­mer means prayse orderly, reward worthily, and correct accordingly.

THE THIRD CONFE­rence, concerning the foure last mentioned helps and meanes to make Household instruction powerfull, to worke good and holy affections in the HEARERS.

Question. EXplaine and confirme, I pray you, in particular, these former dire­ctions.

Answere. FIrst, as God commandeth, you must walke wisely, Colos. 4. 5. Ephe. 5. 15. shunne therefore all grosse and open vices, otherwise that which you build with the one hand, you [Page 34] pull downe with the other, and are in Gods account a murtherer, 1. Cor. 8. 11. 12. Rom. 14. 15.

Secondly, walke wisely, in all good waies, that so doing, you may adorne y^e doctrine of our Sauiour in all things, Titus 2. 10. In particular, pray hearti­ly Tit. 2. 10 and dayly for (and with) your Fami­ly; and in speciall, for euery one, vpon all occasions as Iob did, Iob. 1. 4. 5.

Next, looke and prye vpon euery Weeke day, into their carriage; and on the Lords day, sée that euery one from Sabbath to Sabbath, do diligently fre­quent the publike ministerie, and how they profit in knowledge, and grow in Grace, 1. Pet. 2. 2.

Secondly, you should praise and com­mend 2 your Child, your son, your daugh­ter, your Seruant, when they doe any thing well, laudably, or praise-worthy; for praise is a spur to quicken, & incou­rage them in all good courses, 1. Cor. 1▪ 5. 6. Reuel. 2. 3. 6. 13. 19. Reuel. 3. 8.

Thirdly, reward them when they do 3 well; for a Reward is as a precious stone, saith Salomon, it prospereth whithersoe­uer [Page 35] it turneth, Pro. 17. 8. That is, as one expounds it, a gift or reward hath great force to gaine the hearts of them to whomsoeuer it is giuen.

Fourthly, correct them also, when 4 they doe euill: correction must bee vsed when any will not be amended by admo­nition; if after due and many admoniti­ons, you giue not meete correction; then doe you honour your sonnes aboue the Lord, as Elye did, 1. Sam. 2. 19. yea though for a fit you do earnestly reproue them with Elye, 1. Sam. 2. 23. 24. 25. His cockering of his Children, brought destruction vpon him and his, and gene­rall calamitie (as you know) to the Church of God, 1. Sam. 4. 10. 11. &c.

Yet Careles­nes of cor­recting. many carelesse Christians, like luke-warme Laodiceans, neuer cor­rect their vnreformed Familie, for dis­honouring God by swearing, Sabbath-breaking, or for other faults against the first Table, but onely in such cases as concerne their owne persons, their own credit, profit, pleasure, &c. But, let all such know, that not correcting such foule offences, they draw on themselues [Page 36] and others all common calamities, as Elye did, 1. Sam. 4. 10. 11. 18. 19. 20. Correct therefore your vnreformed Fa­mily, if you desire to free your selfe & o­thers frō feareful & grieuous iudgmēts: The or­der & manner of cor­recting children & seruants. And correct thē, in this order & manner:

First, after due monition, conuincing, if possibly it may be, their consciences; otherwise they will waxe worse, and be­come more obdurate, stubborn & subtill.

Secondly, correct after anger, not in anger, and in passion; for anger oft­times can kéepe no measure. Anger, said a Philosopher, is a short madnesse: and therefore when Tarentinus was to correct his seruant, hee sayd: I would beat thee, but that I am angry with thee.

Thirdly, correct also chiefly & prin­cipally, 3 for the breach of the first foure Commandements.

Fourthly, correct not with too much lenitie; for too much lenity causeth (as 4 one saith) securitie: so too much security prouoketh to wrath and to desperate ini­quity: seuerity should be shunned there­fore. Ephes. 6. 4. And therefore, sayth one, Correct not, nor beate not thy seruants with [Page 37] staues, as if they were dogges, nor with too many stripes, as if they were bond­slaues: but kéepe alway an euen hand be­twixt these two extremes: and when thou correctest, be thou humbled to God; considering in them, thine owne natural Gal. 6. 1. or occasionall corruption, Gal. 6. 1. 5

Fiftly, delay not correction too long, left they grow sturdy and incorrigible, Ecclesiastic. 30. 8. 12. Prouerbs 13. 24. Prouerbs 23. 13. 14. Prouerbs. 19. 18. & lest any roote of bitternes spring vp, and therby many be defiled, Heb. 12. 15. 6

Sixt and lastly: if priuate correction in the Family reforme them not; bring them (if their vices be openly nocious and scandalous to many,) before the Magistrate; or Church-gouernors, to be openly corrected, Deut. 20. 21. Mat. Deut. 21. 21 Mat. 18. 17 1. Cor. 5. 5. 18. 17. 1. Cor. 5. 5. And if neither pri­uate nor publike correction worke vpon them, to their reformation; expell them, and rid thy house and Familie of them, as Dauids example should direct thee to doe, vpon that occasion, Psalme 101. 7. Psal. 101. 7