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name: To the Christian Reader, especially heads of families
publication_year: 1646
type: creed
markdown: true
text: |

  As we cannot but with grief of soul lament those multitudes of errors,
  blasphemies, and all kinds of profaneness, which have in this last age, like a
  mighty deluge, overflown this nation; so, among several other sins which have
  helped to open the flood-gates of all these impieties, we cannot but esteem
  the disuse of family instruction one of the greatest. The two great pillars
  upon which the kingdom of Satan is erected, and by which it is upheld, are
  ignorance and error, the first step of our manumission from this spiritual
  thraldom consists in having our *eyes opened, and being turned from darkness to
  light*, Acts 26:18. How much the serious endeavours of godly parents and
  masters might contribute to an early seasoning the tender years of such as are
  under their inspection, is abundantly evident, not only from their special
  influence upon them, in respect of their authority over them, interest in
  them, continual presence with them, and frequent opportunities of being
  helpful to them; but also from the sad effects which, by woeful experience, we
  find to be the fruit of the omission of this duty. It were easy to set before
  you a cloud of witnesses, the language of whose practice hath been not only an
  eminent commendation of this duty, but also a serious exhortation to it. As
  *Abel, though dead, yet speaks* by his example to us for imitation of his faith,
  etc., Heb. 11:4, so do the examples of Abraham, of Joshua, of the parents of
  Solomon, of the grandmother and mother of Timothy, the mother of Augustine,
  whose care was as well to nurse up the souls as the bodies of their little
  ones; and as their pains herein was great, so was their success no way
  unanswerable.

  We should scarce imagine it any better than an impertinency, in this noon-day
  of the gospel, either to inform or persuade in a duty so expressly commanded,
  so frequently urged, so highly encouraged, and so eminently owned by the Lord
  in all ages with his blessing, but that our sad experience tells us, this duty
  is not more needful, than it is of late neglected. For the restoring of this
  duty to its due observance, give us leave to suggest this double advice.

  The *first* concerns heads of families in respect of themselves; That as the Lord
  hath set them in place above the rest of their family, they would labour in all
  wisdom and spiritual understanding to be above them also. It is an uncomely
  sight to behold men in years babes in knowledge; and how unmeet are they to
  instruct others, who need themselves to be taught *which be the first principles
  of the oracles of God*, Heb. 5:12.  Knowledge is an accomplishment so desirable,
  that the devils themselves knew not a more taking bait by which to tempt our
  first parents, than by the fruit of the tree of knowledge; *So shall you be as
  gods, knowing good and evil*. When Solomon had that favour shewed him of the
  Lord, that he was made his own chuser what to ask, he knew no greater mercy to
  beg than wisdom, 1 Kings 3:5, 9. The understanding is the guide and pilot of the
  whole man, that faculty which sits at the stern of the soul: but as the most
  expert guide may mistake in the dark, so may the understanding, when it wants
  the light of knowledge: *Without knowledge the mind cannot be good*, Prov. 19:2;
  nor the life good, nor the eternal condition safe, Eph. 4:18. *My people are
  destroyed for lack of knowledge*, Hos.4:6. It is ordinary in scripture to set
  profaneness, and all kind of miscarriages, upon the score of ignorance. Diseases
  in the body have many times their rise from distempers in the head, and
  exorbitancies in practice from errors in judgment: and indeed in every sin there
  is something both of ignorance and error at the bottom: for, did sinners truly
  know what they do in sinning, we might say of every sin what the Apostle speaks
  concerning that great sin, *Had they known him, they would not have crucified the
  Lord of glory*; did they truly know that every sin is a provoking the Lord to
  jealousy, a proclaiming war against Heaven, *a crucifying the Lord Jesus afresh,
  a treasuring up wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath*; and that, if
  ever they be pardoned, it must be at no lower a rate than the price of his
  blood; it were scarce possible but sin, instead of alluring, should affright,
  and instead of tempting, scare. It is one of the arch devices and principal
  methods of Satan to deceive men into sin: thus he prevailed against our first
  parents, not as a lion, but as a serpent, acting his enmity under a pretence of
  friendship, and tempting them to evil under an appearance of good; and thus hath
  he all along carried on his designs of darkness, by transforming himself into an
  angel of light, making poor deceived men in love with their miseries, and hug
  their own destruction. A most sovereign antidote against all kind of errors, is
  to be grounded and settled in the faith: persons unfixed in the true religion,
  are very receptive of a false; and they who are nothing in spiritual knowledge,
  are easily made any thing. *Clouds without water are driven to and fro with every
  wind*, and ships without ballast liable to the violence of every tempest. But yet
  the knowledge we especially commend, is not a brain-knowledge, a mere
  speculation; this may be in the worst of men, nay, in the worst of creatures the
  devils themselves, and that in such an eminency, as the best of saints cannot
  attain to in this life of imperfection; but an inward, a savoury, an heart
  knowledge, such as was in that martyr, who, though she could not dispute for
  Christ, could die for him. This is that spiritual sense and feeling of divine
  truths the Apostle speaks of, Heb. 5:14, *Having your senses exercised*, etc.

  But, alas, we may say of most men’s religion what learned Rivet speaks
  concerning the errors of the fathers, "They were not so much their own errors,
  as the errors of the times wherein they lived." Thus do most men take up their
  religion upon no better an account than Turks and Papists take up theirs,
  because it is the religion of the times and places wherein they live; and what
  they take up thus slightly, they lay down as easily. Whereas an inward taste and
  relish of the things of God, is an excellent preservative to keep us settled in
  the most unsettled times. Corrupt and unsavoury principles have great advantage
  upon us, above those that are spiritual and sound; the former being suitable to
  corrupt nature, the latter contrary; the former springing up of themselves, the
  latter brought forth not without a painful industry. The ground needs no other
  midwifery in bringing forth weeds than only the neglect of the husbandman’s hand
  to pluck them up; the air needs no other cause of darkness than the absence of
  the sun; nor water of coldness than its distance from the fire; because these
  are the genuine products of nature. Were it so with the soul, (as some of the
  philosophers have vainly imagined,) to come into the world as an *abrasa tabula*,
  a mere blank or piece of white paper, on which neither any thing is written, nor
  any blots, it would then be equally receptive of good and evil, and no more
  averse to the one than to the other: but how much worse its condition indeed is,
  were scripture silent, every man’s experience does evidently manifest. For who
  is there that knows any thing of his own heart. and knows not thus much, that
  the suggestions of Satan have so easy and free admittance into our hearts, that
  our utmost watchfulness is too little to guard us from them? whereas the motions
  of God’s Spirit are so unacceptable to us, that our utmost diligence is too
  little to get our hearts open to entertain them. Let therefore the excellency,
  necessity, difficulty of true wisdom stir up endeavours in you somewhat
  proportionable to such an accomplishment; *Above all getting, get understanding*,
  Prov. 4:7; and *search for wisdom as for hidden treasures*, Prov. 2:4. It much
  concerns you in respect of yourselves.

  Our *second* advice concerns heads of families, in respect of their
  families. Whatever hath been said already, though it concerns every private
  Christian that hath a soul to look after; yet, upon a double account, it
  concerns parents and masters, as having themselves and others to look after:
  some there are, who, because of their ignorance, cannot; others, because of
  their sluggishness, will not mind this duty. To the former we propound the
  method of Joshua, who first began with himself, and then is careful of his
  family. To the latter we shall only hint, what a dreadful meeting those
  parents and masters must have at that great day, with their children and
  servants, when all that were under their inspection shall not only accuse
  them, but charge their eternal miscarrying upon their score.

  Never did any age of the Church enjoy such choice helps as this of ours. Every
  age of the gospel hath had its Creeds, Confessions, catechisms, and such
  breviaries and models of divinity as have been singularly useful. Such forms
  of sound words (however in these days decried) have been in use in the Church
  ever since God himself wrote the Decalogue, as a summary of things to be done;
  and Christ taught us that prayer of his, as a directory what to
  ask. Concerning the usefulness of such compendiary systems, so much hath been
  said already by a learned divine of this age, as is sufficient to satisfy
  all who are not resolved to remain unsatisfied.

  Concerning the particular excellency of these ensuing treatises, we judge it
  unneedful to mention those eminent testimonies which have been given them from
  persons of known worth, in respect of their judgment, learning, and integrity,
  both at home and abroad, because themselves spake so much their own praise; gold
  stands not in need of varnish, nor diamonds of painting: give us leave only to
  tell you, that we cannot but account it an eminent mercy to enjoy such helps as
  these are. It is ordinary in these days for men to speak evil of things they
  know not; but if any are possessed with mean thoughts of these treatises, we
  shall only give the same counsel to them that Philip gives Nathanael, *Come and
  see*, John 1:46. It is no small advantage the reader now hath, by the addition of
  scriptures at large, whereby with little pains he may more profit, because with
  every truth he may behold its scripture foundation. And, indeed, considering
  what Babel of opinions, what a strange confusion of tongues, there is this day
  among them who profess they speak the language of Canaan, there is no
  intelligent person but will conclude that advice of the prophet especially
  suited to such an age as this, Isa. 8:20, *To the law, and to the testimony; if
  they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
  them*. If the reverend and learned composers of these ensuing treatises were
  willing to take the pains of annexing scripture proofs to every truth, that the
  faith of people might not be built upon the dictates of men, but the authority
  of God, so some considerable pains hath now been further taken in transcribing
  those scriptures; partly to prevent that grand inconvenience (which all former
  impressions, except the Latin, have abounded with, to the great perplexing and
  disheartening of the reader,) the misquotation of scripture, the meanest reader
  being able, by having the words at large, to rectify whatever mistake may be in
  the printer in citing the particular place; partly, to prevent the trouble of
  turning to every proof, which could not but be very great; partly, to help the
  memories of such who are willing to take the pains of turning to every proof,
  but are unable to retain what they read; and partly, that this may serve as a
  Bible commonplace, the several passages of scripture, which are scattered up and
  down in the word, being in this book reduced to their proper head, and thereby
  giving light each to other. The advantages, you see, in this design, are many
  and great; the way to spiritual knowledge is hereby made more easy, and the
  ignorance of this age more inexcusable.

  If, therefore, there be any spark in you of love to God, be not content that
  any of yours should be ignorant of him whom you so much admire, or any haters
  of him whom you so much love If there be any compassion to the souls of them
  who are under your care, if any regard of your being found faithful in the day
  of Christ, if any respect to future generations, labour to sow these seeds of
  knowledge, which may grow up in after-times. That you may be faithful herein,
  is the earnest prayer of,

  * Henry Wilkinson D.D. A.M.P.
  * John Fuller
  * George Griffiths
  * Matthew Haviland
  * Roger Drake.
  * James Nalton
  * Edward Perkins
  * William Blackmore
  * William Taylor
  * Thomas Goodwin
  * Ralph Venning
  * Richard Kentish
  * Samuel Annesley
  * Matthew Pool
  * Jeremiah Burwell
  * Alexander Pringle
  * Thomas Gouge
  * William Bates
  * Joseph Church
  * William Wickins
  * Charles Offpring
  * John Loder
  * Has. Bridges
  * Thomas Watson
  * Arthur Jackson
  * Francis Raworth
  * Samuel Smith
  * John Jackson
  * John Cross
  * William Cooper
  * Samuel Rowles
  * John Seabrooke
  * Samuel Clerk
  * William Jenkin
  * John Glascock
  * John Peachie
  * Samuel Slater
  * Thomas Manton
  * Leo. Cooke
  * James Jollife
  * Willinm Whittaker
  * Thomas Jacomb
  * John Sheffield
  * Obadiah Lee