Epitome ugaiainonton logon, or, A taste of the truth as it is in Jesus consisting of ten questions and answers, and a brief exposition upon the same : whereunto are added ten generall directions ... intended chiefly for the benefit of my countreymen, kindred, and acquaintance in Lancashire / composed by John Jackson, M.A.

The fifth generall Direction shews how Governesses of Families, whether Widdows, Wives, or Maids are to Worship God in their Families.

FIfthly, As you are a Widdow and a Gover∣nesse of a family, whether learned or un∣learned, you are bound in conscience (as much as a Governour of a families is, because you are as it were both Governour and Governesse, to make it your care that you and your house may sincerely serve God; And therefore you ought either to procure some friend to perform those duties with all your house that Masters of fa∣milies are advised unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or else to learn those duties of Governours of families about their praying with, and their instructing of their people, that you may perform them with those of your own sex, and with all the children of the family as well male as female. (a) Beha∣ving your self so in your Widdowhood in es∣chewing of pleasure, idlenesse, tatling, prag∣maticalnesse, and corrupt communication: in trusting of God, in continuing in supplica∣tions and praiers day and night, in bringing up of children, in lodging of strangers, in com∣forting of the Saints, in relieving of the af∣flicted: As that you may give no offence to the adversarie to speak reproachfully, (a) and so as that you may be chosen by the Church,

and maintained by them, if need be, for to look after the poor and sick members thereof, that are unfit and unable to look after them∣selves (b) Carrying your self so in that place (if you be called thereunto) as becomes the Gospel.

And in like manner as you are a wife and a Governesse of a family, you ought in the absence and sicknesse of your husband or the like to pray (if there be no man among you that is fitted to serve God with all your house in his stead) Morning and evening with the woman-kinde of your house, and with the children thereof, and to nurture them up in the admonition of the Lord, (c) For that pur∣pose you should endeauour to know those du∣ties of Governours of Families, Concerning their praying with, and their instructing of their people that you may be helped there, with to worship God thereafter, as you are called thereunto; Praying in a speciall man∣ner for your husband upon all occasions of pri∣vate praier: Being in subjection unto him, that if he obey not the word, he may without the word be won by your heavenly conver∣sation, (d) What duties you are to perform to God, as you are or may be a mother of children, you have been in part shewed; (e) And remember to be diligent therein, especi∣ally in your instructing of your children, for you have a better opportunity to instruct them, then your husband hath, For you may teach them as you feed them (for they may learn from the brests) as you dresse, or undresse them, as you sit down,

or walk in your way with them, as you lie down, or rise up, and it is the will of the Lord that you should so do; (f) And there∣fore (having desired God for Christs sake to teach your children by his spirit as you en∣deavour to instruct them by his word) speak unto them out of the Scriptures (as soon as they are able to speak unto you again) that prove the answers of the ten questions, Or such like principles as they do con∣tain.

And tell them in holy, solemn, loving man∣ner, as if you were telling so many severall sto∣ries) First, how the works, the word of God, and their own conscience should con∣vince them that there is a God, Secondly, tell them at another time (for they must but have a little spoken unto them at once) (g) that such and such Scriptures prove that God is a Spi∣rit but one in essence, and three in persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: and thus go through the principles of Religion contained in the answers of the ten questions, or in any other Catechisme.

Afterward cause them to get by heart, the answer of the first question of this or any other Catechisme one week, the answer of the second question another week, and so every week one additionall answer, untill they have learned the w••ole Catechisme: This being done, appoint them to get the Scriptures by heart that prove the answers of the questions, getting one Scripture one day, and another another day, untill they have them all by heart; And as you hear

them, open the Scriptures unto them so far as you assuredly know the meaning thereof; Thus your children by learning line after line, here a little and there little, may come to know the Scriptures from their childehood: as Timothy did by the instruction of his grand∣mother Loi••, and his mother Eunice, (h) And as you teach them, be so familiar with them, as that they may not be afraid to ask you the meaning of any thing they are igno∣rant of; And when any of them are over∣taken in the sin of lying or the like, tell them of that fearfull story in the fifth of the Acts from the first unto the sixth verse, or of any story that may make them afraid of sinne.

And if any of them disobey you, tell them that it is Gods Commandement that they should obey you (i) and that God will curse them if they set light by you; (k) Thus teach them not only to know but also to practise Christianitie; And if any of them will not honour you after your admonition as their mother, then do not only rebuke but cor∣rect them, for you may and ought to cor∣rect them, as soon as they may be made sen∣sible that they have offended (l) but remem∣ber that you doe it in love, and meeknes of spirit, declaring unto them your unwillingnes thereunto, if they would be such as they ought without correction.

Likewise as you are a maid and a Govern∣nesse of a family, you should study the duties of Governours of families about praier and in∣struction for that end, that you may in the ab∣sence

and sicknesse of the Master of the house, or the like, perform them with those of your own sex, and with all the children of the house, I mean, if there be no man in the fa∣mily that can serve God with all your house in his stead.

Furthermore, As you are aged women you should be teachers of good things: (m) And as you are young women you should learn of the aged women to be wise, to love your husbands, to love your children, to be discreet, chast, keep∣ers at home, good, obedient to your own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

What shall I say more? It is meet and e∣quall, and the bounden dutie of all you that are Christian Governesses of families, whether Maids, Wives, or Widdows, whether young, or old, to take all the womankinde of your house (as you have opportunity) into your chambers: or to take one at one time, and a∣nother, at another time, (as suppose one, one Lords day, and another on another Sabbath) For to pray with them, and for them, and to direct them how to pray: For to instruct them for to reprove them for any presumptuous or secret sin and wantonnesse they live in: For to examine them about the work of grace in them: For to use all means with them that you might save some: And all in such a man∣ner as becomes women professing godlinesse; It is I say, your bounden duty so to doe because it is the joint duty of every Governour and Governesse of a family to endeavour the salva∣tion of their whole houshold; (m) And al∣though a Father of a family be Governour over

Mother, childe, and all: yet he is not so much bound in conscience to instruct all, as to see that all be instructed, by appointing every one to doe their duties in their places. And there∣fore when you take all those of your own sex, or any one of them into your chamber for to teach or admonish them. Before you enter upon the exercise call upon God for a blessing upon your meeting, that it may be for the bet∣ter and not for the worse, and that he thereby may be glorified, and you brought somewhat higher unto salvation; which being done, so∣lemnly minde them of those Scriptures that prove that it is your dutie as a Christian, (n) as a Mother of children, (o) and as a Governes of a family to teach, and reprove them, and that it is their duty to obey you therein: And tell them in a milde and compassionate mann••r that you dare not neglect your duty herein, lest the bloud of their souls should be required at your hands; And then begin and goe on in your way of teaching and admonition as you think meet, so as that all things be done to edifying; And end the exercise with thanks∣giving to God for these private helps, and for any good you doe, or hope to receive thereby.

Notes

• How Wid∣dows as Go∣vernesses are to procure some to serve God with all their house: or else to worship God with those of their own sex.
• (a)

  2 Tim. 1.5. with 2 Tim. 3.15. 1 Tim, 5.10.
• (a)

  1 Tim. 5.3. to 11.
• (b)

  1 Tim. 5.9, 10.
• How, and when Wives as Gover∣nesses are to serve God with the wo∣man kind of their house.
• (c)

  Deut. 6.7. Ephes 6.4. Prov. 31.26.
• (d)

  1 Pet. 3.1.
• (e)

  In the first Directi∣on about the duties that parents owe to God for their ch ldren. How Mo∣thers are to teach their children.
• (f)

  Deu. 11.19. Pro. 31.1, 2. Pro. 6.20.
• (g)

  Isa. 28.9.10.
• (h)

  2 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 3.15.
• Act. 5.1. to 6.
• (i)

  Eph 6.1, 2
• (k)

  Deut. 27.16.
• (l)

  Prov. 29.15.17.
• How maids as Gover∣nesses of Fa∣milies should serve God with these of their own Sex in the Family.
• How aged Christian women should be teachers of good things.
• (m)

  Tit. 2.3, 4, 5.
• How all Go∣vernesses of families are to use all means to further the salvation of their hous∣hold.
• (m)

  Prov. 1.8.4.1, 4.31.1, 2. Deut. 6.7.
• How you are to call upon God▪ when you solemnly in∣struct or re∣prove any of your family.
• (n)

  Gal. 6.1.
• (o)

  Pro, 29 15. Prov. 31.1, 2. Prov. 1, 8. Prov. 22.6. 1 Tim. 5.10. Phil. 4.3. Deut. 6.7 20, 21. 2 Tim. 1.5. with 1 Tim. 3.15. Eph. 6.1, 2.3.5.