7. After their return from the public, be sure to call them to an account according to their capacity: Examine, and try how they profit, how they understand and remember anything at all that they have heard: Repeat it, and make it still more and more plain to them; and in repeating it, apply it also to their Consciences This is that which some Divines understand by that whetting or sharpening of the Word on our Children; i. e. teach them by way of repetition, going over and over again, as men do with knives when they whet them; that so, as knives by such whetting are more keen and fit to cut, so the Truths of God by often turning and returning them on the ears and tongues of children, may pierce more deeply into their hearts & consciences, for their better understanding and affecting of them. This was our Saviour's practice, to call his Disciples to an account, and to know of them what they remembered and understood of what they heard, Mat. 13.51. Jesus saith unto them, have ye understood all these things? and Mark. 4.34. when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples. How careful will the child or servant be heedfully to mark what he hears, if he knows he shall be examined when he comes home? How much will this course help and confirm your children and servants, yea your selves also to understand, believe, and practice that which hath been taught you. When those Noble Bereans had publicly received the Word with all readiness of mind, i. e. took the heads of Paul's Sermon truly, they privately searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether things were so: and finding on their search, that the Truths delivered were consonant to the Scriptures; 'tis said, therefore, i. e. for that very reason many of them believed; and not your understandings only, but your memories also, This way with your Family, will make you the Governors of it better able to retain. This is clearly inferred from ⟨p. 223⟩Deut. 4.9. Take heed to thy self, and keep thy Soul diligently, lest thou forget the things, &c. But how shall this forgetfulness be prevented? Why, by teaching them thy Sons, and thy Sons Sons. 1And this refreshing of your memories will not a little conduce to the stirring up of your affections, and to work in you greater sense and deeper feeling of the Truths you have heard.
7. After their return from the publick, be sure to call them to an account according to their capacity: Examine, and try how they profit, how they understand and remember anything at all that they have heard: Repeat it, and make it still more and more plain to them; and in repeating it, apply it also to their Consciences This is that which some Divines understand by that whetting or sharpning of the Word on our Children; i. e. teach them by way of repetition, going over and over again, as men do with knives when they whet them; that so, as knives by such whetting are more keen and fit to cut, so the Truths of God by often turning and returning them on the ears and tongues of children, may pierce more deeply into their hearts & consciences, for their better understanding and affecting of them. This was our Saviour's practice, to call his Disciples to an account, and to know of them what they remembred and understood of what they heard, Mat. 13.51. Jesus saith unto them, have ye understood all these things? and Mark. 4.34. when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples. How careful will the child or servant be heedfully to mark what he hears, if he knows he shall be examined when he comes home? How much will this course help and confirm your children and servants, yea your selves also to understand, believe, and practice that which hath been taught you. When those Noble Bereans had publickly received the Word with all readiness of mind, i. e. took the heads of Paul's Sermon truly, they privately searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether things were so: and finding on their search, that the Truths deliver'd were consonant to the Scriptures; 'tis said, therefore, i. e. for that very reason many of them believed; and not your understandings only, but your memories also, This way with your Family, will make you the Governours of it better able to retain. This is clearly infer'd from ⟨p. 223⟩Deut. 4.9. Take heed to thy self, and keep thy Soul diligently, lest thou forget the things, &c. But how shall this forgetfulness be prevented? Why, by teaching them thy Sons, and thy Sons Sons. 1And this refreshing of your memories will not a little conduce to the stirring up of your affections, and to work in you greater sense and deeper feeling of the Truths you have heard.
- 12 Pet. 1 13.
