Holy Dedication Both Personal and Domestic, Part 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. How Religion is to be ſet up in private Houſes: The firſt Particular opened, as to Religious Members.
THat I may be more diſtinct and clear in this Head, (under which Houſe-dedication chiefly lies), I will fall upon ſome Particulars; and therein, both direct you, and alſo further quicken you, as to the advancing of Religion in your Houſes. Are there any workings in you, towards this? Are you in any meaſure convinced of your Duty? and do you reſolve to ſet upon it? Then let me lay theſe Four Things before you.
1. (As near as you can) take ſuch into your Houſes, who fear God; and none but ſuch.
2. Set up the Worſhip of God in your Houſes, and the Performance of Holy Duties.
3. Let your Education (of ſuch as are under you) be religious.
4. Keep ſin out of your Houſes, and inſtead thereof, let there be an Holy courſe driven on in them.
Give me leave to go over theſe Particulars, for I am now, at the very heart of that which I mainly deſigned.
Firſt,See Swinnocks Christian Calling, vol. 1. p. 523. (As near as you can) Take ſuch into your Houſes, who fear God; and none but ſuch. I put in, (as near as you can), becauſe ſometimes there are ſuch Circumſtances in the caſe, that a man cannot do what he deſires; theſe muſt be ſubmitted to, (in that ſtate of things); but our general aim and endeavour muſt be this, To fill up our Houſes, with perſons fearing God He that dedicates his Houſe to God, muſt look to the matter of it, that it conſist of ſuch as are religious. And this was one thing intended in Houſe-dedication, or one thing, that men were obliged to, upon Houſe-dedication, Ʋt hâc Dedicatione admonerentur, quamlibet Domum debere eſſe quoddam Dei Sacrarium, nec admittendos in contubernium Homines impuros & ſceleratos, qui ſuâ turpitudine at que impietate, parietes Deo conſecratos, rurſus polluant. Moller.(as one obſerves upon my Text): we have David here dedicating his Houſe; and upon this, you find him very zealous and reſolute, as to that which I am treating of, Pſal. 101.4. A froward heart ſhall depart from me, I will not know a wicked perſon. Mine eyes ſhall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that dwelleth in a perfect way, he ſhall ſerve me. (v. 6.) He that worketh deceit, ſhall not dwell within my Houſe. He that telleth lies ſhall not tarry in my ſight, (v. 7.) This is an excellent Pſalm for Masters of Families, often to peruſe: David, firſt ſets down his holy Reſolution, as to his Perſonal carriage in his Houſe; (v. 2.) I will behave myſelf wiſely in a perfect way, O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my Houſe, with a perfect heart. And then he ſets down his Reſolution as to the Member… ▪ of his Houſe; he would have ſuch about him, as were godly; and as for wicked and irreligious perſons, he would have nothing to do with them, they ſhould not dwell in his Houſe, nor tarry in his ſight, (v. 7.) O that we had more of David's ſpirit; to be for Houſe-dedication, and thus to purſue and make it good. But how few are there, that write after this Copy! The moſt are altogether regardleſs of this; they take in any into their Houſes; the precious and the vile are all alike to them; let them be Swearers, Sabbath-profaners, enemies to God and his ways, that's all one to them; if ſome poor worldly Intereſt may be but ſerved, if their work and buſineſs may be but done, they are ſatisfy'd, and look no farther; whether the perſon have any ſenſe or ſavour of Religion, that they never regard. Nay, O that there were not ſome, who are only ſhy of taking in ſuch into their Houſes, who make profeſſion of God: the worſer the Servant is, the fitter he is for their turn. Theſe are perfect Antipodes to holy David: And, as their ſin here is very great, ſo their account hereafter will be very ſad. I hope better things of the moſt of you in this City; yet I think it neceſſary to ſtir you up to the greateſt zeal and care, and circumſpection, (that is poſſible) in this matter. Aſſuredly, it will never go well as to private Houſes, and this Dedication-work will be altogether inſignificant, till men be more conſcientious and careful about the ſeveral Branches and Members of their Families. Let me be earneſt with you, to fill up your Houſes with ſuch as are religious: Let not your Houſes be like Noah's Ark, wherein the clean and the unclean were ſtrangely jumbled together; but let them be like little Churches, wherein there is no ſuch mixture. O what a bleſſed thing would it be, if every Family was as a little Church! It hath been thus, and might be ſo again, if men would but do their duty: There was a Church in the Houſe of Aquila and Priſcilla, Rom. 16.5. 1 Cor. 16.19. Salute the Brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his Houſe, Col. 4.15. So Philem. 2. And to the Church in thy Houſe. It may be asked, What were theſe Churches in theſe Houſes? Some make them to be the Saints, who (in thoſe times of Perſecution) did there privately meet, Vid. Engl. Annot. upon Gen. 18.19.for the Worſhip of their God. Others make them to be the Body of the Families of theſe perſons; which were called Churches, partly, for thoſe holy Duties that were there performed, and partly, for the religiouſneſs and holineſs of the members thereof. Surely, this latter ſenſe is not to be rejected, (though I will not ſay, that it is primarily and mainly intended, in theſe expreſſions): Now, will you endeavour in this reſpect, to have your Houſes to be little Churches? Will you fill up your Families with ſuch as fear God? Will you in taking perſons into your Houſes, ſteer your courſe by Religion and religious conſiderations? Let me draw this out plainly in particular Instances.
Are you to Marry? to take an Huſband or a Wife? Make your choice, and fix your reſolution by Religion; let piety have the deciſive and casting voice in this grand Affair: Other things may be ey'd, and conſidered, in their proper place and bounds, (as Birth, Parentage, comelineſs of perſon, ſweetneſs of Nature, ſuitableneſs: (But the great thing that muſt weigh down the ballance, is this, Doth he or ſhe fear the Lord?—This is that which muſt preponderate, and which muſt chiefly be in your eye. Beauty and Portion, and Honour, are poor things to go by; 'tis Religion, Grace, Piety, that muſt regulate and determine the Choice. This is to marry in the Lord, (as the Apoſtle exhorts), 1 Cor. 7.39. When we do it, not upon any by-reſpects, or external motives, (as preponderating, or being conſidered apart from the main), but the great inducement, is ſomething that is ſpiritual, this is Marrying in the Lord. O that this might be the rule which you would go by: If Religion be any other than a Cypher, how dare we not regard it, in our moſt important choice, (ſays that*Biſhop. Hall Contempl. p. 1020. excellent Biſhop). Without this, all Matches are miſerable, though they ſhould be made up with hoards of wealth and heaps of Gold as high as Heaven, crowned with Honours tranſcendent to the Stars, Prepar. before Death, p. 47.(ſays eminent Mr. Bolton). Let me a little argue with you; will you make thoſe the objects of your deareſt Love, who have no ſhare in the Love of God? will you take thoſe into intimate union and conjunction with your ſelves, who have no union with Chriſt? will you lay thoſe in your boſome, whom God will cast out of his ſight for ever? what agreement can there be 'twixt light and darkneſs? 2 Cor. 6.14.In tantâ morum diſcordiâ, Hieron. ad Nepot.quae poteſt eſſe concordia? The one is for Holineſs, the other for Sin; the one draws one way, the other another, this is the bane of that oneneſs and harmony that ſhould be betwixt perſons in this relation. O the miſchiefs that follow upon being unequally yoked! how doth this imbitter all! To have a religious David, and a ſcoffing Michal; a bleſſing Job, and a curſing Wife; a good Sampſon and a treacherous Dalilah, this muſt needs be very ſad. 'Tis poſſible, the unbelieving Husband may be ſanctified by the believing Wife; 1 Cor. 7.14.and ſo the unbelieving Wife by the believing Husband; but we muſt not run our ſelves upon ſo great a ſnare, upon preſumption of a poſſibility: See the Anſwer in Just. Mart. to the 90 Queſt. p. 447. foreign.They need much grace who will not rather (in this caſe) receive hurt, than do good; the latter is but poſſible, but the former is too probable: Near Relations have a great influence upon men; (No wonder that Ahab ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, when Jezabel (his Wife) ſtirred him up thereunto, 1 King. 21.25. And this is rendred as the reaſon, why Jehoram did as the Houſe of Ahab, for the daughter of Ahab was his Wife, 2 King. 8.18.) And for the moſt part it ſo falls out, that the good are rather prejudic'd by the bad, than the bad advantag'd by the good. O you that are yet to diſpoſe of your ſelves in Marriage, look to your choice, as near as you can, pitch where the fear of God is: Are not ſuch to be found?Judg. 14▪3. Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy Brethren, or among all my people, that thou goeſt to take a wife of the uncircumciſed Philiſtins? 'Tis ſad ſo to marry in one day, as to repent of this all the days of your life. Are you to take an Apprentice? go by Religion; I am not againſt prudence in your conſidering of Parts, Capacity, Natural temper; but withal let your eye be much (nay moſt) upon Religious Inclination, and Religious Education. You cannot expect much, from Plants, that are of no further growth; but this you may ſatisfie your ſelves in, how do they ſtand inclined? Are they pliable and tractable, as to what is good? Have they been piouſly educated? Do not vitious Habits already diſcover themſelves, in lying, ſtealing, taking God's name in vain, pride, vanity, averſeneſs to Familyduties? O Citizens, do you not ſometimes ſmart upon your taking Apprentices, without having that reſpect to Religion herein, which lies upon you? Such and ſuch Friends mediate, thus much you are offered, (and he that offers moſt carries it), the Youth is ingenious, can write well, caſt accounts well, is of good ſtrength, and the like; Upon this the buſineſs is concluded, you look no further; let his inclination (as to the beſt things) be what it will, or his Education be what it will, that's ſcarce thought of. Is this well? Surely no! Is not this a treſpaſs commited againſt Houſe-dedication? do you not in a little time ſee cauſe to repent of what you have done, when you have taken in one that proves a thorn, in your foot, a ſpear in your ſide, a peſt and a plague to your Family? Is not God afterwards much diſhonoured, and you your ſelves much wronged, by theſe perſons? Do not bad Apprentices often prove the bane of your own Children? And doth not infection ſpread from ſome one Apprentice to all the reſt? The miſchievous conſequences of this, are not to be reckoned up: O that therefore, you would be very careful in this matter, to take in ſuch, who either are religious, or at leaſt religiouſly inclin'd, and religiouſly educated. 'Tis true, you may be deceived, and Youth may miſcarry (after good Education), (the more is the pity, and the greater is the grief of godly Parents): but 'tis good to go as far as you may, to pitch upon the moſt probable means for your ſecurity; and then if things fall out contrary to your Hopes, yet this will be your comfort, you did your duty; you minded the main, though events do not anſwer your deſires. Are you to take an ordinary Servant? Let him be one that fears God; ſuch as ſerve God, are the beſt to ſerve you; Religion makes the beſt in every relation: *It is certainly the duty of every Ruler, to endeavor to advance piety and godlineſs, among all thoſe that are under his charge, and that as well in this leſſer dominion of a Family, as in the greater of a Realm or Nation. Of this David wasſo careful, ſo much he thought himſelf bound to provide, that his Family might be a kind of Church, an Aſſembly of Godly Perſons: And if Maſters would endeavour to have theirs ſo, they would beſides the eternal reward of it hereafter find a preſent benefit by it; their worldly buſineſs would thrive much the better; for if their Servants were brought to make conſcience of their ways, they would then not dare to be either negligent or falſe. Whole Duty of Man, p. 315.None ſo diligent, ſo faithful in this relation, as thoſe that have an inward principle of Grace; certainly, that will make them to be what I ſay. I know ſome make a Profeſſion, and yet are none of the beſt Servants. I have much ado to forbear from a ſharp Digreſſion, as to theſe; but I muſt. Well, 'tis but ſome, and theſe do but profeſs, they do not walk anſwerably to their profeſſion. Think not the worſe of Religion, becauſe of the miſcarriages of ſome, who do profeſs it; for all this, get religious Servants into your Houſes. O they'l be faithful to you; and they'l bring a bleſſing with them, to the place, where they come; God bleſſes the Maſter for ſuch Servants ſake. I have learned by experience, that the Lord hath bleſſed me for thy ſake, (ſaid Laban to Jacob), Gen. 30.27. The Lord bleſſed the Aegyptian's Houſe for Joſeph's ſake, Gen. 39.5. They will not only work for you, but they will alſo pray for you: and if you put them upon buſineſs, they will pray for ſucceſs in it: So Abraham's Servant did, Gen. 24.12. O what a Treaſure, is a praying Servant! Every man is to be valued by this: The praying Phyſician is the beſt Phyſician; the praying Friend is the beſt Friend; the praying Parent is the beſt Parent; the praying Servant is the beſt Servant. O the difference, betwixt a praying Servant, and a curſing Servant. The one procures bleſſings upon the Houſe, the other judgments; the one is the Inſtrument of doing much good, the other of doing much hurt. Take heed of wicked Servants, they are infectious, they carry the Plague about with them. Will you let your Houſes be as ſo many Peſt-houſes? God forbid! O, the hurt that one bad Servant doth in a Family! he may infect all the reſt; as one ſcab'd ſheep infects the whole flock; and one rotten apple ſpoils the whole heap. Eccleſ. 9.18. One ſinner deſtroyeth much good. And do you think, that they will ever be*Frugi atque integer, Nemo vel, ipſe ſibi vel aliis eſſe potest, qui probâ Religione non tenetur. Maſius in Joſh. 24.15. true to you, who are falſe to God? Be careful therefore alſo in this reſpect: Now you are building your Houſes, you ſtrive to get the beſt materials; when you furniſh your Houſes, you are for the best furniture; and why not the beſt Wife, the best Servant alſo? When Pharaoh would pitch upon one for that great imployment, to be ſet over the land of Aegypt; ſays he, Can we find ſuch a one as this is, a man in whom the ſpirit of God is? Gen. 41.38. So here, when you are to make choice of perſons, for ſuch and ſuch relations, can you find any ſuch, as they that have the Spirit of God in them? Let thoſe dwell with you, and be admitted into your Houſes, who know and fear God: for, others either do not take them in, or (if the nature of the Relation will bear it) preſently cast them out: This is to dedicate your Houſes to God; and (if you do not look to this) never ſpeak of Houſe-dedication, or of your deſires to advance Religion there.