Small Offers Towards the Service of the Tabernacle, Discourse 1

Small Offers Towards the Service of the Tabernacle · Discourse 1

p. 1THE GOOD MANS RESOLUTION.

Josh. 24. 15.

But as for MEE and MY HOVSE we will serve the Lord.

SECT. I.

NEVER was there in this world a People more obliged or encouraged unto the Service of the Great God, than we the New-English Israel are. The God of Heaven is Our God, and it becomes us to Fear Him; our Fathers God, and how much ought we to worship Him? To serve God was the very Errand which we were brought into this Wilderness upon; and has hitherto been both our Glo-Glory & our Defence. That we now grow so dull and cold in this, we may write an Ichabod upon all our enjoyments, and therein see our Chariots p. 2and our Horse-men gone. To Revive the Decay'd Service of God among us, would be to reduce us into that Favour and Friendship of him who was The Hope of our Fathers, which would make us happy enough to refute all the Lies of our Enemies. Thus would God the Lord speak peace unto us. Thus would Salvation be nigh to us, and Glory dwell in our Land.

SECT. II.

TO do some, and gain more Service for our God, the Text now before us is to be Discoursed on.

These words are among the last words of Ioshuah, the servant of the Lord; they are a Dev…ut and a Divine sentence uttered by the renouned Ioshua in a Speech to The Parliament of Israel. The Dying Words of all Great and Good men, have usually been esteemed Remarkable by the Survivers; and those books which contain Apo… thegmata morientium have been reckoned perhaps among the most useful in the world. Tho the Dying Songs of Swans have not been such things as the Vulgar▪ Error has reputed them; yet the Dying Words of Saints have afforded a fit Moral for the Fable. The speech of a Dying Saint has as deep a favour of Heaven, as the Breath of a dying man has of Earth. But m…thinks, the Dying Words of a Ioshua should be peculiar Oracles; peruse them, and you will find them so. He had been first, the Lord-General of Israels Army; and p. 3was now the Lord Protector of Israels Common-Wealth. In this Capacity, a few months before he dy'd, he issued our orders for a Convention of States, to meet at Sh…chem, a place about forty miles from his own Abode. The Senate, the Iudges, & the Officers, and all the Representa…tives of the people being assembled, before the Tabernacle, which on this extraordinary occasion was removed hither, this famous Prince endeavours to settle & confirm them in the Service of the living God. It is likely he seared a secret Retaining of Idolatry among many, while he was yet alive; but it is certain, he fore-saw an open Defection to Id…atry hastening upon them, when he should be dead and gone. Wherefore, he laies in against it, by a most powerful and pathetic Speech, which has in it,

First, An History of Memorable Providences wherein they had experienced the matchless kindness of God unto them.

Secondly, An Inference from this History; which is expressed in two things.

First, A Counsil. He concludes, Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him. Therefore! Wherefore? Why, inasmuch as you find the Lord so bountif…l, that you cannot possibly A…mend your selves if you leave Him, or excuse your selves if you grieve Him. Therefore are you to fear Him, serve Him. Every Mercy of God hath a Therefore, in it; it calls for Gratitude p. 4and Obedience. When God has been merciful to us, even common Ingenuity, end much more, holy Ingenuity will put us upon that Enquiry, What shall I render to the Lord? Behold an Answer in this, Therefore! We are Therefore to fear the Lord and serve him; we are Therefore to put away all our Idols, all our Follies for ever more.

Secondly, A Copy. He gives them a Precedent, an Exemple, to induce them hereunto. The Pattern of a considerable person, has no inconsiderable Influence upon the Observers of it. Such an one does good or ill, even like a Briareus, with an Hundred Hands. An Hundred, & an Hundred more will do like Him. If he be wickked, he does according to the Language of Solomon, Speak with his Feet. If he be Godly, he is, according to the Character of Iohn, a Voice, Such an One most effectually bespeaks all about him, as Gideon did once, Do what you see me to do.

Thus Ioshua enforces his farewel Exhortation here; saith he, Be it known to you, that I and my house will serve the Lord; I was once your Leader, pray let me be so still. As I leadd you into the Canaan of the Lord, let me have so much credit with you, as also to lead you unto the Service of the Lord. Be assured, I shall be a Witness against you another day, if you do not now receive me as a Copy for you.

p. 5You have here Ioshua's Resolution; and it was founded upon such moral Reasons, that we may take it as Written for the Admonition of us all. Wherefore this is the Doctrine, which I would demand your Attention to.

DOCT.

Every man should engage both HIMSELF and HIS HOUSE in the Service of the Almighty GOD.

SECT. III.

VVE have diverse Propositions now before us, to discourse upon. The First of them is this.

PROP. I.

The whole Duty of man, is contained in the true Service of God. Both in the First Covenant, and in the New Covenant which God has made with man, there is a Duty which man must pay to God. In the First Covenant this Duty was to be paid in a way of meritorious Obedience; in the New Covenant, this Duty is to be paid in a way of ingenuous Gratitude. But the Service of God, this ever comprizes all our Duty in it. It is the same that the Wise man refers unto, in Eccl. 12. 13. Fear God and keep His commandmens; for this is the whole duty of man. There are diverse comprehensive and synonymous Terms, by which our Duty to God is expressed in the Scripture of Truth. Our p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6Duty is called A Serving of God, as it refers to the Acts of our lives in which; but its also called A Fearing of God, and A Loving of God, as it refers to the Frames of our hearts, with which we are to do it. It is called, A Knowing of God, as it refers to the principle of it; it is likewise a Living to Him, and Walking with Him, on the same accounts that it is a Serving of Him.

The Service of God notes two things, which are to accompany our whole Duty to him.

It notes, first, the Homage therein done to our God. The Service of God is His Worship, H…s natural Worship, and His appointed Worship. Hence the Septuagint so translate our Text, I and my house will worship the Lord. We serve God, when we render to him his Natural Worship. So tis intimated in Deut. 10. 12. Fear the Lord thy God, walk in His waies, love him, & serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart. When we hope in God, when we call on God, when we cleave to God, then we serve Him. And we serve God when we render to Him his appointed Worship. This was intended in Exod. 8. 1. Let my people go, that they may serve me. We serve Him when we observe the Ordinances of God, when we adore him according to the Rules of His Word in His House, and wait upon him in the use of his blessed and sacred Institutions.

It, Secondly, notes the Honour therein brought p. 7to our God. Service is perform'd to God, when Glory is procur'd for Him. His Essential Glory we can by no means advance, we may His declarative: and therein we serve the Lord. Tis a passage in Isa. 43. 10. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant. Our Testimonies to God's Excellencies are the things by which we serve Him. We serve God, when we acknowledge Him as our Best Good, and our last End, and our Omnipresent Iudge. We serve him when we think and speak well of him our selves, and obtain many others to do so too. A Witness for God is a Service to him.

SECT. IV.

THis being thus explained, I pass on to a Second Proposition.

PROP. II.

Every man should engage HIMSELF in the Service of the Almighty God.

The purpose and study of every man should be this, I will serve the Lord. We should all be able truly to say of God, as in Act. 27. 23. His I am, and Him I serve. A Servant of God, this was the Title, not of Ioshua alone, but of other Worthies too; when Abraham is mentioned, it is, Abraham the Servant of the Lord. When Moses is mentioned, it is, Moses the Servant of the Lord. When God speaks of Iob, he says, p. 8Iob my Servant. Thus was Ionah, thus was Eli… jah, thus was Zerubbabel also styled. And it is a style which Wee too should be ambitious of. If we would not be miserable for ever, we must be the mystical, the Spiritual seed of Israel; but such are so saluted in 1 Chron. 16. 13. O ye seed of Israel his Servant. As our Fathers Friend, so our Fathers Lord, we must not forsake. We must all be the Servants of God, as our Father before us was. And this especially for the three ensuing causes.

REASON I.

We are to serve God, because God hath Mad… us. The Argument with which Paul perswaded Philem…n to receive a Run-away Servant of his own, was that in Phil. 1. 19. Thou owest unto me even thine own self. By that Argument should each one of us be perswaded to become a Dutiful Servant of the Lord, We owe unto him even our own selves. Man! … most fit thing that thy Maker should be thy Master.

There are two Questions which I hope every Child within these Walls can give some right Answer to. The Answer to them will render it unquestionable, That you and I are to Serve God for ever.

One Question is, By whom were you made?

We have an Answer to this, in Psal. …00. 3. Know ye, that the Lord, he is God, and it is He p. 9that has made us, and not we our selves. Thus▪ … the Psalmist once argue, O come, let us worship before the Lord our maker. Why? If he be our Maker, He is to be the Object of our Service. And this the rather, because of another Question, which is, For What were you made? We have an Answer to this in Isa. 43. 21. This people have I formed for my Self, they shall shew forth my praise. When we praise God, we serve God. Why, This is the very business which we were sent into the world upon. We had never appeared in the Rank of Actual Beings if God had not propounded some Service to be done unto Himself, by creatures of our shape and mould. We are Created by God and Endowed by him. What could it be for, but this? That God may have some service from us. Tis said in Act 17. 28. In him we live and move and have our being. Most absurd shall we be, if it be not for Him too.

REASON. II.

We are to serve God, because Christ has Bought us. Indeed, the Arminian universal Redemption we reject with a just abhorrence. The Satisfaction of our Lord Redeemer, was not Intended by Him, for the Redemption of all mankind; nor was it Intended any further than his Intercession is, which reaches only to the Elect of God. The Virtue and Success of our Lords death depends not wholly on something p. 10to be done by men which God is not the Doer of▪ otherwise, men would themselves be the Principals in procuring their own Salvation. But one scope of our Lord's Death was even to purchase for us, that Grace, that Faith, that Free-Will, which may qualifie us to enjoy the Virtue and Success of it. Certainly Peter was more beholden unto the Merit of Christ for his Redemption, than Iudas was for his. Yet the Purchase of Christ wonderfully binds us all to the Service of God.

For First, the Redemption of Christ has made our Serving of God, a possible thing. Had it not been for this, poor fallen undone man had never been in a Capacity to serve the Lord. We had never heard this Call from heaven, O Repent, Return, Reform! this voice from on high, O set your selves now to the serving of that God, whom you have been sinning against; it had never sounded in our Ears, if the Lord Jesus had not made Himself a Sacrifice. We must have continued the Slaves of the devil for ever, if the Stings of the Dragon had not fastned on the Lord. The Lord Jesus has bought us all into such a Condition, that the Proffers and the Tenders of the Gospel might be made unto us. We are told of some in 2. Pet. 2. 1. Who Deny the Lord that bought them. Ovile Sacriledge and Impiety! That we might all have the priviledge of … Invitation to the Service of God, this has p. 11cost no less than the Heart-bloud of Christ; and what a monstrous villany were it for us now to despise the Invitation? Again,

The Redemption of Christ has made our Serving of God, a Reasonable thing. We are all among the Redeemed, either in Reality, or at least in Possession, all the Chosen and Called of God, are most really interested in the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus; and therefore, for them to decline the Service of God, were as unequal as it is unlikely. But every one of us is at least professedly interested in it. Man, art thou willing to quit all claim unto the Death and Blood of the Lord Jesus? O No, not for ten thousand worlds. Every one saies, I hope I am Redeemed! Well then, The Service of God is that which we must count our selves Redeem'd unto. What saies the Appostle, in 1. Cor. 6. 20 Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorifie God. We that have been the Captives of the mighty and the prey of the terrible, apprehend our selves to be set at Liberty from their horrible Tyrannies, by the Suffering of Christ; What less than the Service of God, are we thereby obliged unto? In a word, We are the Bought servants of God; and wo to us if our Behaviours be not agreeab▪ to our Obligations.

p. 12REASON III.

The Lords daily Mercy to us, requires our hearty Service to Him. It is noted of the rudest among the Gentiles, in Lu…. 22. 25. Their Benefactors exercise a Lordship over them. Never, Never had we any Benefactor like to our God, who daily loads us with his Benefits. Unthankful wretches are we, if we shake off the Lordship of such a Lord. It was an Address once made to a Governour in Act. 24. 2. By thee we enjoy great quietness▪ and very worthy deeds are done unto us by thy providence. It were a disloyal, an unworthy thing, not to serve such a Governour. Truly, From God we enjoy great quietness; by the Providence of God, we are delivered from a Thousand perils every day: and we are surrounded with ten thousand Comforts Every day; by the Providence of God we are directed, protected, sustained and supplyed, every day. This calls for the Service of God at our hands. Tis said, in Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice unto Him. What a persuasive piece of Oratory is that! I beseech you by the Mercies of God. He that urges you to the Service of God may thus plead with you, I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that God may not have one Servant in the world the less for you. I beseech you, Breth… ▪ that when the Goodness, and mercy of God is following of you, you do p. 13not turn your backs on the Service of God. To pursue, this Argument; I beseech you Brethren, Whose Light is it, whereby you are every day revived? It is God's Whose Air is it, whereby you are every day refreshed? It is God's. Whose Fire is it that warms you? Whose Meat is it that feeds you? Whose Raiment is it that covers you? All is God's. O then, Serve Him. These are the Cords of a man, with which we are bound to the Service of our Lord. This is the Poesie which God has inscribed in the Ring of every mercy, O learn to serve the Giver of this! It was a sad Complaint which the Lord made in Isa. 1. 2. I have nourished them, and brought them up, yet have they rebelled against me. Alas, what a YET is there? Our God has been as a Father to us; and yet shall not we Serve Him as our Master? He Relieves us, He Supports us, He Bestowes on us the mercies of Children, and shall not we yet return so so much as the Respects of Servants unto Him? The Heavens will hear and be amazed, the Earth will give …ar and be astonished, at a thing so much exceeding Brutality it self, as this.

SECT. V.

BUt we are not to be Alone in the Service of God Man is a sociable Creature; & as he does need, so he must help Humane Society, in this Grand concern. Wherefore we have a Third p. 14Proposition yet to be reflected on.

PROP. III.

Every man should engage HIS HOUSE also in the Service of the Almighty God. We are all related unto some House or other. Sometimes a Nation is called by that name. So tis said in Exek. 3. 1. Speak to the House of Israel. And thus, every man should labour to promote the Service of God in the Nation which he belongs unto. All that can be properly done by him for his Nation, in his Station to set up and bring in the Service of God, so much every man is to do, if ever he would give a good Account of his Talents, in the Day of God's appearing. But most usually, a Family is called by this Name; and so it is in the Text now before us. Tis a Metonymie; the House is put for them who dwell in the house. Those who cohabit in the same house are to endeavour that the same God may be served by all under the Roof. And this is incumbent especially on the Superiors in the House. All that are About us, but cheefly all that are VnderUnder us, are by us to be drawn or driven to the Service of God. The Master of the Family is to see unto it, that every one under his Charge become the Servant of the Lord. And this because of such things as these.

REASON. I.

We should engage our Houses to the Service of God, out of Respect to God Himself. To the p. 15Householder it may well be said, For God…s sake look after thy House; For God's sake, Let there be God… Service … To speak particularly,

First, The Commandment of God calls for it. We have this Commandment often repeated unto us, That we should be careful about the Instruction and Conversion of them that we are charged with. Tis a Commandment inc…lcated in the Old Testament. We have in Deut. 6. 6, 7. The words which I command thee, th…u shalt diligently teach them unto thy Children. We have it again, in Psal. 78. 67. He commanded our fathers, that they should make known unto their Children, that these might set their hope in God, and keep his Commandments. We have it once more in Deut. 4. 9, 10. Gather the people, that they may learn to fear me, and that they may teach their Children. Tis a Commandment not unmentioned in the New Testament also. We find in Eph. 6. 4. Ye Fathers, bring up your Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Behold, How many solemn Charges are laid upon us to do our part, that God may be served by all that are under our Inspection. God does Command us, to command them, thereabout.

Secondly▪ The Interest of God calls for it. Our Lord said unto a Peter, in Ioh. 21. 15. Lovest thou me?—Then Feed my Lambs. The like may be said unto a Master, If thou doest love God, then bring thy lambs to serve Him. p. 16To propagate Religion is to magnify and glorify the Lord. It is said in Prov. 14. 28. In the multitude of people is the Kings honour: as tis said of an earthly, so may it be said of the Heavenly King. Now if we cause our Houses to serve God in Conjunction with our selves, hereby we propagate Religion; yea, to many generations. I remember, Solomon assigns this as one Cause, why he did well educate his own Children; twas because his father had so dealt with him; Saith he in Prov. 4. begin. Hear ye children the instruction of a father; for I was my father's son, and he taught me. Let us fix our children in the Service of God, and they will afterwards do do so by theirs. Thus the Lord will alwaies have A seed to serve him, which Will be accounted for a generation. Our Children, did I say? yea, our Servants too, may in like manner carry on a Succession of Service to the Lord. It was the Commendation of Solomon, in 1. King. 10. 8. Happy are these thy servants, which hear thy wisdome. Now many ages after, we find the posterity of them Servants, retaining a savour of Devotion and Affection to the House of God.

REASON II.

We should engage our Houses to the Service of God, out of Respect to our Houses too. Tis said A righteous man regards the life of his beast. How much more will a righteous man regard the p. 17state of his House? We have two things also to be particularized here.

First, our Houses are miserable thro' us, if they do not serve God. It is hinted as a most extraordinary misery upon any person, in Prov. 5. 35. He shall dy without instruction. Fearful and woful will be the case of those in our Houses, whom our Instruction shall not endear the Service of God unto. Our Houses are starving, while our God is not serving in them. The Prophet said in Lam. 2. 11. Mine eyes do fail with tears, because the children swoon in the streets of the city; they say to their mothers, where is the corn? O doleful spectacle! But while our Children are strangers to God, there is a worse Famine in our Houses,; we suffer their Souls to pine and perish without the Bread of life. Yea, our Houses are Burning while our God is not Serving in them. What a terrible desolation was that on Sodom! in allusion to which, tis said of a wicked man, in Iob. 18. 15. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. Why, there is a dreadful storm of ardent Brimstone, ready to fall upon those Houses, where the Children are not bringing up for God; the Wrath of God, like an horrible Tempest of burning Brimstone is impending over them. What shall I say more? Our poor Children are enslaved unto Satan, until they come to be serving of God. If a Devil had a Bodily Possession of our Children, how p. 18impatient should we be to see them delivered? We should cry out like the Woman of Canaan, in Matth. 15. 22. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, my child is grievously vexed with a devil. But know, the Devil has a spiritual Possession of our Children, till they come to serve the Lord; the evil spirit, he takes them, he tears them, and they fome and pine, and are thrown into the water, and into the fire. O pitty them; if we are not more stupid than the Ostrich, pitty we our forlorn Houses, and let not the Service of God be wanting thro… any fault of ours.

Secondly▪ We are Accountable for our Houses, if they do not serve God. As the Daughter of Pharaoh said unto the Mother of Moses, in Exod. 2. 9. Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. Thus does the Lord say unto us; Take these children, take these young ones, and bring them up to serve me I will reward thee for it. The Apostle saies, of Ministers, They watch for souls, as they that must give an account; so it may be said of all House-keepers, They must give an account of the souls that belong unto their Families. Twas confessed by the Prophet in the Parable, 1. King. 20 39. Behold a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his. This, This is a thing certainly to come to pass in the dreadful Day of God. Man, Thy life shall be for his life, who did p. 19not serve God, because thou didst not teach him, and Thy soul shall be for his soul, who is lost for ever, because thou didst not look after him. Iacob could say to his Uncle about his Lambs, That which was torn of Beast, of my hands didst thou require it. Behold, thou hast Lambs in thy Fold, Little ones in thy House; God will strain for it,—if wild beasts, and Lusts carry any of them away from the Service of God through any neglect of thine, thou shalt smart for it in the fiery prison of God's terrible Indignation. Wherefore, as Paul saies, O keep, so I say, O Save, that which is committed unto thy trust.

SECT VI.

IT is now Time that we make a due Application of these Faithful Sayings▪ And there is a double Exhortation which I have to manage.

The First Exhortation, is,

Let us all Resolve to engage OUR SELVES in the Service of God.

To Quicken you to it;

Consider seriously, Who your Fellow-servants are, when once you serve the Almighty God. O come in, and serve God, for shame; lest in the whole world, you have none but Devils to bear you company: And will you be of their side, of their sort? Rebellion truly is as the sin of Witchcraft, for this peice of Madness in it. All other Beings make a Surrender of themselves p. 20unto the Service of God; and it is said of the… in Psal. 119. 91. All are thy Servants. O do not you stand out. Hearken, ye immortal souls; You have the call of Christians to entice you into this happy Service. All the Eminent Believers of the By-past-Ages, the men, of whom the world was not worthy, all these do with one voice, and a loud one, urge this upon you; Come and serve our God, as we have done before you. Even Iames himself, the Kinsman of the Lord is ambitious rather of this Denomination The Servant of the Lord. And puissant Emperours before now, have gladly espoused, such a Title as that, The Vassals of the Lord. More than this, you have the Call of Angels to incite you thereunto. Those bright Morning stars ask this of you, Will you come and move in our Sphaere? They all are the servants of the Lord, and they do his pleasure. At his Beck they clap their silver wings, and they do his Commandments. An Angel said once to Iohn the Apostle, I am thy Fellow-Servant. That Angel is yet alive; & he makes the motion to every one of us, Wilt thou be my Fellow-Servant before the Lord? Yea, the SON of GOD Himself gives you this Call. Of Him saith our God, in Isa; 42. 1. Behold my Servant! Shall God say thus of Christ? and shall. He not say it of thee? O do not scorn to be the Servant of that GOD, who has for a Servant, Him whom all the Third p. 21Heaven is with endless Raptures adoring of.

Consider, yet again, What your Service is, while you serve the Almighty God. No Service was ever so delightsome as this? tis, All peace, and perfect peace. No Service was ever fo profitable; it brings in those things, The gain whereof is better than fine Gold; you shall be sure to experiment the Truth of that Maxim, God is a Rewarder. No Service was ever so Honourable. It prefers us to be Favourites of a greater Monarch than he that had an hundred and seven and Twenty Provinces under him. A Service do we count it? No, tis a Freedom. We are Lords, when we are The Lord's; Then, as he said, sumus Domini, is true, not only in Genitivo singulari, but in Nominativo plurali. It is a Freedom, Yea, tis a Kingdom. It gives us to sing, Lord, Thou hast made us Kings and Priests. It has been well said, Deo servire est regnare. We have Crowns on our heads, all the while we are in the Service of God; but how massy, how weighty will they be grown when our Pay-day comes! Every Servant of God may now say, as in 2. Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. But Then, Then, we shall ascend those glittering and glorious Thrones, which Eye hath not seen; on them we shall be ever with the Lord.

Consider, finally, (and let me warn you faithfully). If you do not Resolve to serve God, it p. 22had been good for you, that you never had been born. All that forsake the Service of God, are employ'd in another Service, which every soul may tremble at the Description of; 'tis a Service to those hellish Tigres in Eph. 22. The course of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and the lust of the flesh. You cast off the Service of One; but you incurr a Bondage to three: let Horror sieze thee, O man, and let thy ears tingle, at the intimations of it. The World, the Flesh, & the Devil are thy Lords, if God have not Service from thee. All the Galleys in the Mediterranean Sea, cannot shew a more dismal Vassalage! And what will the Issue of that Service be? Truly, The Wages—is Death. God will not save you, if you do not serve Him. You that now grind for the Phili…ines of Hell every day, must one day be requited with only Coals and Wounds, for all your fatal Dr…dgeries; and though you then roar, Lord, pitty me! He will reply with a furious Rebuke, Depart, I know you not.

Let me then address you in the Words of Ioshua; Choose now, whom you will Serve. Come, speak up; come to some Resolution. Say, Will you serve the cursed and cruel Enemies of your Souls? or will you serve the GOD Whom it is good for you to draw near unto? O make this Return, Lord, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.

p. 23SECT. VII.

YOu have been told Why; now here How, you are to become, The Servants of God. There are diverse Counsils to be given hereabout.

The First COUNSIL.

Renounce and Forsake the Service of those Idols which you have heretofore been enslaved unto. We must, as Ioshua here assures us, we must put away other gods, if we we would serve the Lord. Our Lord has admonished us, in Matth. 6. 24. Ye cannot …erve God and Mammon. Even so, Ye cannot serve God and Satan. And again, Ye cannot serve God and Sin. The Holy God may say of you as of them, long since, Ye have served strange gods. But, O do you now say to Him, as they in Isal. 21. 13. O Lord, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but we will no… ▪ be for Thee alone. Become weary of your Captivity under those Task-masters which have hither to been torturing your souls. There are two sorts of Tyrants that every unregenerate man is a Servant unto; his Tempers, and his Tempters. Let the Tempers within us, no more cause us to toil, and run, and sweat, for the gratifying of them. Let the Tempters without us, no more hurry us too & fro that their Humours may be pleased. Souls, I give you no bad counsil, when I propound this; and I do propound it, O, Run away from your old masters. Come away poor souls, come away from the land of your Captivity. p. 24Look upon the grim face of the Patroons und…r which you groan; say to them all, Farewel, you malicious, you bloudy, you for did Masters, Farewel; We hope you shall never have any of our Service more. O look upon the Calamities of your Service under your invisible Adversaries, and say, Tis enough! Say, The time past may suffice! Thus, Take ye the Wings of a Dove, and flee away.

The Second Counsil.

Bind your selves unto the Service of God by a Covenant never to be Forgotten. It was the good Counsil of Hez…k…ah, in 2. Chron. 30. 8. Yeild yourselves unto the Lord. In the Hebrew Original tis, Give the Hand unto the Lord. The giving of the Hand was a Rite in the making of a Covenant Men and Brethren, Look Zion…ards, I beseech you; and say now, I will join my self to the Lord in a perpetual COVENANT. Think on the Service which God is to have of you, and be able then to declare, as in Psal. 119. 110. I have sworn it, and I will perform it. Make a solemn Covenant, that you will be the Lord's. Yea, a Written, a Formal, a subscribed Covenant for it, has by some been advised and practised. Written and Formal Indentures are made between man and man; Why should not there be so between God and man? when a Service is to be Entred into. Especially, since tis said, in …sai, 44. 5. A man shall subscribe p. 25with his hand unto the Lord?

In a Sacred Covenant say,

I Renounce all the Vanities and Idols of this World.

I Engage that I will cleave unto the Lord Iehovah, as my Best Good, and my Last End; promising to live upon Him, and unto Him, hoping are long to live with Him for ever.

I Engage, That I will cleave unto the Lord Iesus, as my Prophet, and my Priest, and my King; Promising to acknowledge Him as the Author of all my Salvation.

I Engage, That I will ever study what is my Duty in these things; and wherein I find my self to fall short, I will ever count it my Grief, my Shame, and for pardon betake my self to the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.

All this I Engage, humbly imploring the Grace of the Mediator to be sufficient for me.

It would hurt no Godly man, to set his Name with Hand and Heart to such an Instrument; afterwards frequently Reflecting on it, frequently Renewing of it. However, let every man this Day, make this Confession, in Psal. 116. 16. O Lord, truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant.

The Third Rule.

And now demean your selves in all things as the Servants of God ought to do.

p. 26There is a Four-sold Concernment that will now lye upon you.

First. Be studious to know what Service God calleth for. Ly at His Feet, and say as Paul of old, Lord, What wouldest thou have me to do? or like Samuel once, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. Be daily Reading of the Word, be daily Thinking on the Word: upon every opportunity say, I will hear what God the Lord will say. To all, add That, as your daily Petition unto God; in Psal. 119. 115. I am thy servant, O Lord; give me understandeng that I may know thy testimonies.

Secondly, Be ready to Do what Service God calleth for. Never object, never cavil against any of Gods Commands; never dispute any thing that He requires; but own, 'Tis all holy, and just, and Good. Be not more undutiful unto God, than the servants of the Centurion were to him, If He say, Go, then go; if He say Come, then come; if He say, Do this, then do it, without any Grumbling at it. Say not, I won't, altho there be Hard Sayings pressed upon thee. Albeit God may enjoin this, Pluck out thy right eye, cut off thy right hand; and albeit the Injunction of God may be; Take up thy Cross; yet Comply, yet, Conform, without any Reluctancies; and say with him in Psal. 119. 128. O Lord, I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things, to be right.

Thirdly. Be greatly Contriving how to be p. 27most serviceable unto God. Ponder well, What you are, What you have, What you can; and Ponder how all may be improved in the Service of the Lord. Thus be Zealous of good Works. Never be satisfied unless you can say, I am at work for God. Let even your Eating, your I … ding, your Visiting, be done as a Service for the Lord; and let your Time, your Strength, your Estates, all the Powers of your Spirits, and all the Members of your bodies, be ingeniously la… out in that Service. Often ask your own souls, What is there that I may do for God? Even court, and hunt Advantages to be serviceable; Say like the Prophet, in Isa 6. 8. Say Lord, if … hast any Service to be done; here I … me.

Fourthly. Be sweetly Contented with all the Allowances of the Lord. Iohn Bapi…st gave this Counsel to the servants in the Roman Ga…sons, Luc. 3. 14. Be content with your Wages. The Servants in God's Houshold, ha…e the same Counsel, in Heb 13 5 Be content … as you have. Tho you should have but …hort Commons, and straw lodgings in the world; tho you should be without many Flesh …leasing Curiosities and Conveniencies, let this quiet you, I am a Servant. Don't complain of the Lord, as the slothful and wicked servant once, He is … hard Master. Let your Wills be moulded and melted into His; and cheerfully leave Him to judge, What may be Food convenient for you. p. 82Count that you have enough, when God saies, you shall have no more; and alwaies have a good Opinion of Gods Disposals. Learn Pauls Lesson, In whatever state to be content. It is not for Beggars, nor Servants to be Choosers.

This, This tis to be a Servant of the Lord. Blessed is the servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh shall find so doing.

SECT. VIII.

BUt This is not all that we have to do. We have Houses too that we ought to be concerned for. Wherefore,

The Second Exhortation, is

Let us also study to Engage OUR HOUSES in the Service of God.

It is the property of every Good man to desire Company in the Service of the Lord. O that we might have the Company of all that belong to our Houses in it! But

What shall we do?

In short, Would we truly say with Ioshua, My House shall serve the Lord? We must then Do like Iesus. Iesus the blessed Name-sake, and Antitype of Ioshuah, hath a Three-fold Offfice; that of a Priest, a Prophet, and a King. In His lesser Family of Disciples once, in His greater Family of Believers alwaies, we find Him so. Every Householder should be all of this in his own Family Each man pretends to he a King in his own house; he should there p. 29be a Priest, and a Prophet too. There are Three great Cares lying upon us in our Families; there is Family-Prayer, and Family-Instruction, and Family-Government. Tis by the Discharge of these three things, that we engage our Houses to serve the Lord.

Family-PRAYER.

SECT. IX.

FIrst, then. Let Family-Prayer be maintained in our Houses, that they may serve the Lord. My Neighbours, I have told you often, and I now tell you weeping, That it will be a sad thing, if so much as one Prayerless-Family be found among you all. The owners of that House will never be able to stand or live in the fiery day of of God's pleading with him. You have been Warned and Warned full many a time, that if your Houses be not Warmed with your Prayers, the fierce Wrath of God abideth on them; and I hope, none of you will venture to meet me at the Bar of the Lord Jesus, with the fearful heavy guilt of this Omission upon your souls. The very Turks themselves at this day uphold a Family-Worship among themselves; God forbid that any styled Christians here should be worse than they.

SECT. X.

THe Method in which I shall treat with you here about, shallbe,

I. To offer some Directions about Family-Prayer.

The First Rule.

Let all Persons that should attend Family-prayer, count themselves concernd to Pray without …easing. Eve…y Master of an House, is to carry on the Pr…yer in it. That man is not fit to have a… H…use, that cannot make a Prayer. But if the Ma…ter be absent? Then the Mistress is to see …till that Prayer be not wanting. It seems affi…med of E…ther, a Woman, in Cap. 4. 16. That she Pray'd with her Maidens. There should not be one Prayer the less in a Family, because … is become the Ruler there: No, the L…sses of a Family, should increase the Prayers of it. And let the Master of a Ship, remember, That the Sailers are his Family. He should pray with them aboard, every day while they are at Sea together. You that see the Wonders of God together, should together sing the Praises of God, and together beg the Mercies of God. Methinks, the poor Sea-men, should be the best … in the world. With what face can you pray in a Storm, if you do not also pray in a C…lm? Now Master, tis your Work, tis part of your Order▪ from your great Own…r to see that this …e done … all Mariners call upon their Master, as thos… Mar…ners did upon the Passinger in, … 1▪ 6 Ar…e, … God, that we perish … ▪ Let the Master of … School also▪ Remember, That the Scholars are his Family; He should pray with them, and bless them in the Name of the Highest. God provides Angels. and will not you afford Prayers for the safety of those little ones? We read of some in Mark. 10. 13. who brought young children unto the Lord Iesus Christ: The Children that are brought to you, by Parents or Guardians, these are by you to be brought unto the Lord Jesus, that He would lay His Blessing and saving hands upon them. Yea, the Captain of a Train'd Band, is to esteem the Souldiers as his Family. That good Captain Cornelius, could s…y, in Act. 10. 30. I prayed in my House. As for those that will not pray in the Field, tis to be questioned, whether they will Fight there. Trainings without Prayings are like to degenerate into meer Debaucheries. The Prayeres… Captain gives a very dangerous and desperate Word of Command when he saies, Follow your Leader. Briefly, All Superiors generally have a Family in the Kind of their Superiority, which they are to attend Prayers withal.

The Second Rule.

Let all the Matters that would hinder Family-Prayer be put far from our Taberna…les. There are diverse Impediments of our family-Prayers, …hi…h …e are to be Cautioned against. As now, Let not family-Iarrs hinder family-Prayers▪ The Apos… …aith to them that are in … C…njogal Re…lation, that they should be meek, tender, lov…ng; for this cause in 1. Pet. 3. 7. That your Prayers be not hindred. if Peace be gone from a family, then Prayer is gone. How can Scolding, and it may be Striking too, agree with Praying▪ in which we are to lift up pure …ands, without wrath? Again, Let not family-Scabs hinder family-Prayers. Bad-Members in a family, often cause that there are no Prayers in it. Many men will not pray, because others will scoff and flout. But let your Houses have no such In-mates, no such Ishmaels in them. It is recorded of Elisha, in 2 King. 4. 33. he would not have a servant with him, which he could not pray withal. If any profane, graceless, Despisers of Prayer, would impose themselves upon us, let us then say to them, Depart ye workers of iniquity. for I will call upon the Lord. Once more,

Let not Family-Prayers be hindred by unsuitable Times. The earlier we dispatch them, the easier. We should not ordinarily let Business royl us in the Morning, nor …ro…siness drown us in the Evening, before Family Prayer be over. As To every purpose, … thus to every Prayer there is a time and judgment; and a wise mans heart will discern it.

The Third Rule.

Be frequent enough, and yet very serious in your family-Prayers. Very shameful is their neglect, who have Prayers in their Families but once a day. The Apostle saith in Col. 4. 2. Masters▪ continue in prayer; he speaks with a manifest Allusion to the daily Offering under the Law of old; which was both morning and evening. We should have Morning-Prayers, and Evening-Prayers, correspondent unto the daily Sacrifice. And hence, because the Sacrifice was doubled on the Sabbath, I have known some pious people, pray four times every Lords-Day with their Families. Be sure, Twice a day is ordinarily the seldomest and slenderest Repetition that our Family-prayers are to have.

O but we should therein stir up our selves to take hold on God. When you keel before the Lord, you should not be rash, hasty, sudden in it; you should not be sleig…ty in this great Excercise of of Religion. Before we pray, we should think, Think seriously, To WHOM am I to pray? and For What am I to Pray? and How soon may I dye, and my praying seasons all be over? And before we pray, we should Read. Read seriously something of the Things which are commanded you of God. The Scriptures are to accompany our prayers. Tis said▪ They are to dwell with us. The Bible is to be one of the House, When we betake our selves to our P…ayers, we should not let the Bible say, I should have been as one of the Family; pray, why was not I called in?

The Fourth Rule.

Let not your Family-prayers be your only prayers▪ Understand, that Se…ret Prayers, …s …ll as private Prayers, are to be performed by …s all. For this, the word of our Lord is very positive, in Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. Tis a great fondness and folly in any of us, if private prayer cause us to lay aside secret prayer. No, There is Closet-Prayer as well as Parlour-Prayer which we ought to labour in. I would say, as our Lord in another case, One you ought to do; & not leave the other undone. We have special Trans…iss…ns to be confessed in our prayers; these are … to be confessed. To divulge a secret …, is to add a further sin, Our secret sins, do call for our secre… Prayers. We have special Temp…s to be bewailed in our prayers; and these … sec…etly to be bewailed. Our Desires are sometimes to be too secret for our Neighbours. Our secret Griefs and our secret Fears call for our secret Prayers. And as one of the Ancients elegantly expresses it, Invisible prayers are to be often made to an invisible God. Secret prayer is one good sign of a gracious heart. Let the Lord oft see you like Nathanael at secret prayer under the …, and He will say, Behold an Israelite i… deed! Would you get Internal Blessings? then pray in secret. Solomon got his Widom, his Vertue, by secret prayer. Peter by secret prayer in … car…ied with Tran…es and Raptures into the other world. Would you get External Blessings? Then pray in secret. H… nah with secre… prayer asked one Son, and had six. Iacob had all his House preserved by secret prayer. Yea, Would you be General Blessings? Pray then in …c…et. Moses by secret prayer diverted wrath & plagues from all the Congregation. That infamous Apostate Iulian, was killed by the secret prayer of a good man, at that hour very far distant from him▪ What shall I say? No Supe sedeas, no Diversion should ever be given to your secret prayers.

Moreover, besides your Prayers with all the Family, you may do well sometimes to Re…r… unto prayers with this or that particular person in it. Some do so translate that passage in Gen▪ 25. 21. Isaac entrea…ed the Lord with his wife. It were but a discreet and a decent practice, fo… married persons to … likewise. Thus, holy P… rents, have often taken their Children, one by one alone; and there pray'd and wept, and pour'd out their souls, over the poor lambs in secret places before the Lord. Thus are we to do, Thus to pray.

SECT. XI.

BUt the Sluggard will pretend, A Lion in th… way. Wherefore I pass on,

II. To Remove some Obje…ctions against Family-Prayer.

A Threefold want is plead…d by many, to … cuse their Prayerless Conversation with; a Want of Time, a Want of Confidence, and a Want of Vtterance.

The First Excuse.

One man doth so Excuse himself. I want Time for Family-prayer; especially in a Morning, I can't spare the Time.

This is a most horrrid and wicked Excuse. Thou Madman, From Whom hast thou all thy Time? All thy Time is given by God, and shall None of thy Time be given to God? What, No Time to pray with thy Family? God …uowes thou canst find time to eat with thy family, time to sleep with thy family, perhaps, time to smoke with thy family; and no Time to pray with …em? Once more,

What is it that does engross thy Time, and put by thy Prayer? Tis the World, the World! And is that such a Portion indeed, as to bespeak thy Contempt of an Eternal GOD, and of an immortal Soul, in the pursuance of it. Thou shalt quickly take an everlasting Farewel of all this World; This World will not stand thee in any stead ere long, when thy Soul, thy Soul shall …e trembling on thy cold lips, just ready (as the Atheist said) to …ake a great leap in the Dark. Yea, That very Day, wherein thou goest abroad without thy Family Prayers, may prove the very Day, wherein an Angry God may say▪ This day shall thy soul be required of thee. And what a phrensy is this? To be extreme busy & earnest about the trifles of this world, while a precious never-dying soul is unprovided for? I wish that all Prayerless Houses, had this Admonition engraved on their walls, What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Could you see it engraved on those walls, with an Hand writing, like what Belshazzer saw of old it would no doubt amaze and startle you. Look into these leaves, and see i… ▪ with a sharp Style engraven here! Besides. Family Prayers are no real prejudice to Saecular Affairs. They should not be Long, Tedious, Burdensome; and they'le hinder no Iourney, no concern; all will prosper the better for them. In short, God will find an Eternity to Damn the man that cannot find a Time to Pray.

The Second Excuse.

Another man doth so excuse himself, I wa… Confidence for Family prayer; I would pray, but I am Asham'd.

This Excuse is little beter. To be ashamed of Prayer is to be ashamed of Christ: And it is the plain Word of our Lord JESUS in▪ Marc 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed. O direful Doom! Will not such a smart Thunder clap, cause …hee and th… Famil… to fall down …pon their knees? Never be ash…m…d of Pray…r but be asham…d of sin; tis a … to live without prayer. If you have any Scoffers in your Houses, whom tis not fi… you should pray before, then do as Abraham did; e'en, …urn …em out of the doors. Better Turn them out, than Turn Go… out. They that use not Family-prayer, say to the Almighty, Depart from us.

The Third Excu…e.

But the Excuse of some is, I want Utterance for Family-prayer. I would pray, but I am not gifted for it. I cannot pray. To this I answer, we often say, I cannot, when I will not, is the Bottom of it. Suppose, a sevcre p…nal…y were by the Magistrate laid upon every prayerless Family. Daniel, because he would pray with his Family was thrown to the Lions for it. Suppose a lighter punishm…nt far away were to be inflicted on all them who do not pray in their Family; Suppose a God, or a Fine were inflicted on you for it: Would you then continue Prayerless? Behold, the great God has by the Statute Lawes of Heaven, ordeined that a Prayerless Family sahll have all manner of Calamities inflicted on it; The Lions, the Devils of the pit below, shall devour the unhappy Master of such a Family. And will not this make you pray? Besides, When you find that you Want things, then you don't wan… Words; the poor man does not want words; when he is to Ask Alms. O sit down and look upon the the Wants & Woes of your poo… Family, you cannot then but have something to say for them. And what tho you cannot pray Quaintly? Yet you may pray Gracio…sly, and pray Acceptably. Florid▪ Elegant Orations in your Prayers, God expecteth not; a few humble; penitent, broken-hearted Groans, are of more account with Him▪ Tho you Chatter like a Crane or a Swallows, … once Hezekiah did yet the success may be wonderful and glorious. What shall I say? Moses was unwilling to do what God bade, on this very Score in Exod. 4. 10. I am not Eloquent … But the reply of God was, Go, and I will teech thee what thou shalt say. O that you would make a Tryal of it. Friend, By'nd by Call thy Family together; Tell them, That you must not let them remain prayerless any longer, lest the Wrath of God break out upon them. So Fall down before the Lord among them all, and pray as well as God shall enable thee: go, I am verily perswaded, God will teach thee what thou shalt say, I am sure, thou wilt never have cause to Repent of the Attempt.

SECT. XII.

YOu have not so much as a shadow of Reason to render, why you should not pray with your Families; Let me now a little repre… why you should; for I am

III. To propound some Incentives unto Family-Prayer.

And there are cheef…y Two Considerations which I have to set before you.

Consider, First, the Direful & grievous Curses which prayerless Families are exposed unto. Such Families, they are the very Suburbs of H… it self. A Prison, A Dungeon, is to be chosen before a Living in them. There is a Words▪ a… awfull Word, which a Prophet of God ha… written in a certain place; Methinks, that Word … like a Thunderbolt of Death upon the Families, in which God is not prayed unto … tis Written in ler. 10. 25. O Lord—pour out …hy fury on the beathe…, which know thee not; on the Families which call not on thy name. Strikes it no… cold unto the heart of the Reader? Man▪ These are the Treful and the direful words of the Lord Tesus Christ himself: He counts thy Prayerless Family no better than a Pagan Family. And now, he speaks not as an Advocate for thy poor Family; He saies not, Lord, vouchs…se thy▪ …itty, and thy pardon to that Family; But He saies, Lord, pour out thy fury upon that family▪ because it calls not on thy Name. Alas, have yo… no more Kindness for your Families, than to lay them open to the Fury of a great and a terrible GOD? cruel people, that you are. We read in Zech. 5. begin. about a Flying Roll, Twenty Cubits long, Ten Cubits broad, entring into these and those Houses, to consume them. I am to tell you, That Prayerless Houses are to feel the force of this Flying Roll. An huge Roll of Curses belongs to that House in which Prayer is not upheld. The Curse of God is the Sauce in every Dish, the Curse of God is the Cover to every Bed, in that lamentable Family. Houses molested with Devils, are not more miserable than Houses destitute of Prayers. I have seen it in an house, where the Devils have had Possession of a Child, that when Family-Prayer began, the Devils would make hideous Roarings and Noises in the Room, as being under a Vexation thereat, which was intolerable to them. Truly, The Devils have no Disturbance in Houses where Family-prayers is not maintained; prayerless houses are haunted houses, and the Fiends of Darkness reign, and ramp, there without Contro…l. Indeed, Prayerless Families, are not only the Cages, but also the Causes of all Impiety. They bring an Irresistible Deluge of Disorder upon all the Town and Land; and cause all the Countrey to swarm with the workers of iniquity who call not upon the Lord. And as the prayerless Householder is now cursed by God, so he will one day be cursed by all his House; he brings curses on them, and they will spend curses on him, in the Day of Vengeance. In the everburning lake, they will curse the day that ever they saw thy prayerless house, and, That House brought me to this Hell! This, this will be their Cry world without End.

Consider, next, the marvellous Blessings which belong to all Praying Families. It was noted about the Family of Obed-Edom,in 1. Sam 6. 11. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and his househould, while the Ark of the Lord was there. So shall it be noted about the Family of a praying Householder; The Lord will bless that man and his Household, while that Prayer to the Lord is there. Family-prayers, are conjoined prayers, and united prayers; thus they become very successful prayers. What Encouragement is there given to them, in that promise, Matth. 18. 19. If two of you shall agree on earth, touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them. O let your Families Agree in the Asking of grace, in the Asking of glory, in the Asking of every good thing; Prayer in Confort, will obtain it all. When Cornelius was at his Family-prayer, what a signal favour did the Almighty God show unto him? Some while since, a whole Town in Switzerland was very suddenly destroyed by an Earth-quake, all except one peice of an house, in which a good man happned then to be at Prayer with his Family. Tis impossible to tell, O how great is the goodness which God has laid up for Houses that seek unto Him! But besides all the other comforts of a praying Householder, he has This peculiar to him, He teacheth all his Family to. A praying Parent will have praying children. David prayed in his Family, and his Son Solomon prov'd a praying young man. A praying Master will have praying Servants. Abraham pray'd in his Family, and his Man Eliezer became a very praying person. Thus, O man, all thy young people, will be filling every corner of thy house with Prayers for thy Felicity.

O consider of these things; and such let the Impression of them upon you be; That you may by Prayers with your Families Engage your Houses to serve the Lord.

SECT. XIII.

THere are two Things more, by the Discharge of which, we Engage our Hoxses to serve the Lord; and those Two are in a manner One

Family-Instruction; and Family-Government.

I link these together, because of their near Dependance and Agreement in their Exercise. This therefore is the Address now to be made unto us,

Let Family-Instruction and so Family-Government be maintained in our Houses, that they may serve the Lord.

Let there be no un…aught and unrul'd Families p. 44among us; but let us be careful about the Education of such as belong to our Families. I beseech you, let there be a difference between English Houses and Indian Wigwams in the middest of us, and let not English Parents be as indulgent and negligent as they report the Indians are. And give me leave to say, You that are Mothers have a special Advantage to instil the Fear of God into the souls of them that sit upon your knees. Tis said in Prov. 1. 8. My son, forsake not the law of thy Mother. Solomon was well instructed by his Mother, and it proved his eternal Benefit. Tis not for Nothing, that in the Sacred Records, when men have proved good or bad, it is noted, Their Mothers were such and such. You that are Mothers may insi…uate Religion into your Children earlier and easier than their Fathers can.

SECT. XIV.

I shall Repeat the Method, which we were in before; and under Family-Instruction take in that Family-Government which you are to be studious of. I am

I. To offer some Directions about Family-Instruction.

The Directions to be given hereabout, may …e referr'd unto two Heads.

First, The Matter of Family Instruction.

The Family-Instruction, with which we urge p. 45our houses to the Service of God, are to have … less than Four things composing of it.

First, There are Holy Lessons, with which we are to Instruct our Families. We are to make them hear, and make them learn those Lessons, which may give to the young ones Knowledge and Discretion. Teach them the Scriptures of Truth. Twas said to Timothy, in Cap. 3. 15. From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures; No doubt, his Godly Mother and Grandmother were the cause of his doing so. We should procure that our Young ones may read the holy Scriptures, and mind the holy Scriptures, and know the holy Scriptures, even from a Child. Let them have by heart, here and there a Verse, or a Paragraph; Especially in the Psalms and in the Proverbs: if you would have them good, teach them the Psalmes of David; if you would have them wise, teach them the Proverbs of Solomon. And Scripture… Stories are to be told unto them, as soon as ever they enquire after new things and strange.

But while we do thus, we are also to teach them the Doctrines of God. Inculcate upon them the Principles of Religion, as often as you do the Knife on the Stone in the Whe…ting of it. Twas said unto the Lord Jesus, in Matth. 22. 16. Master, Thou …e…chest the way of God in Truth. Every M…ster should render his young ones able to say that unto himself, Master, Thou teachest the Truth of God. Especially, We should be sure that they be not ignorant of any Saving Truths. Tell them, What they are come to by the First Adam, and what they may come to by the Second Adam. Tell them what Covenant man was once, and What Covenant man is now to be saved by. Yea, let none of the Things to be believed, none of the Things to be practised, none of the Things to be pray'd for▪ be left unmentioned in your Instructions. All the Lessons of the Creed, the Commandments, and the Lords Prayer are to be laid before them. And we are to be particularly faithful to them, in the present Truths; the labouring Truths, the witnessed Truths of the Times, we should see ou… young ones well informed in. Give them at this day to be sensible, who is the Supreme Head, and King of the Church, and what Orders He has appointed to be observed there.

Secondly. There are ferious Questions with which we are to Instruct our Families. And there are peculiarly Two Things which we are to question our young ones about.

Some Questions we are to put unto them, First, Which Concern their Souls.

And here, yet further to particularize, We are to try them with Questions about their Vnderstanding. Our Lord Jesus asked his Disciples, in Matth. 13. 51. Have ye understood all these things? Thus are we to ask our young people, Do you understand the great Mystery of Godliness… O keep up the great Ordinance of Catechising in your houses. Before your little Folks have left off living upon Milk, let them be so well versed in their Milk for Babes, that they may readily answer any Question there. The Echoes of this Exercise, are a most refreshing Melody in the ears of God himself. Ask we our young ones, What they think of God, and of Christ, and of Themselves; and let them be able to refound the Words of Truth.

We are to search them also with Questions about their Experience. As our Lord asked His Family, in Joh. 16. 31. Do ye now believe? So should we ask our young people, Have you Experieneed a work of Regeneration in your souls? Ask them, Have you ever yet carried a labouring and heavy-laden soul unto the Lord Iesus Christ? It was the Advice of Wisdom, Know the state of thy Flocks. Thus, we should endeavour to Know the state of the Souls which we are to be concerned for; to know whether they are in a Natural, or a Renewed state.

Once more, We are to help them with Questions about their Temptations. It was a Question once given to some, in Luc. 24. 38. Why do Thoughts arise in your hearts? Even so we should Enquire of our young people, What Thoughts are you most troubled with? Enquire, what Fears, enquire what Snares they are most endangered p. 48by. Be alwaies jealous, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve, so their minds be corrupted. Moreover Some Questions we are to put upon them, Secondly, which concern their Lives. It was once an Interrogatory which some were put unto, in Luc. 23. 17. What manner of communications have ye? Thus we are to Examine our young people about the Words and the Works, that fill their Lives. There are especially three things which they should be Examined about; their Prayer, their Time, and their Company; Ask them, whether they live without Prayer or no? Whether in Prayer they secretly and sincerely pour out their souls before the Lord? Ask them, How they spend their Time? How much Idle Time, and how much useful Time, they allow unto themselves? And ask them, What their Company is? Whom they sit withal? Whether vain Persons and Fools, or the Saints which are the excellent, and all those that fear God? Our Question will prove their Safeguard, if it be well administred.

Thirdly, There are faithful Reproofs with which we are to Instruct our Families. Tis said in Prov. 6. 33. The Reproofs of Instruction are the way of life. When we give Instruction, we shall have occasion to give Reproof, too often with it. There is no Family that has not Miscarriages that are to be reproved in it. Young people too commonly are wild people; and without p. 49some Castigations they will rarely be kept in order. To some of them smart Wor…s, to others of them smart Blowes, will be too often due. Tis said in Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth his Rod hateth his s…n; but he that loveth him, chastens him betimes. Frowns are due to all, and Rods to some Transgressors in the Family. But there are two Negative and two Positive Rules to be minded in Reproving of them.

The Negative Rules are these two.

First, Reprove not Furiously. It is said in Iam. 1. 20. The wrath of man, worketh not the righteousness of God. Remember, Nothing will be so well done in a passion, but what may be done better out of it. If you are to chide, yet chide not in a Fury. Do not call vile Names; much more, do not swear, do not curse, do not Rage with a Tongue set on fire of hell. If you are to smi…e, yet smite not in a Fury. Bloody, wounding, outragious Buffettings are to be avoided; lest there be cause to say of you, Cursed is their Anger for it is fierce, and their Wrath for it is cruel.

Secondly Reprove not for ever. Tis said in Ps. 103. 9. God will not alwaies chide, neither will He keep his anger for ever. To be alwaies finding faults, is the way never to be curing them. A perpetual Warngling is a continual Dropping, which there is no enduring of; it prejudices the minds of them that feel it, against all that shall p. 52be said unto them.

The Positive Rules are these Two.

First Reprove Reasonably. Let there be just Cause for it. When you reprove, it must be for a true cause. As it was said of our Saviour in Isai. 11. 3. He shall not reprove after the hearing of His ears. Thus, we may not go by meer Hear-say, when we reprove those that are under us. And it must be for a great Cause. Tis said of the Spirit in Io…. 16. 8. He will reprove the world for SIN. The sinful thing, the thing for which the wrath of God comes, the thing which the soul of the Lord hates, this we are to reprove. We must not throw away Reproofs upon Nothing, or upon Every thing.

Secondly, Reprove Scripturally. Tis said in 2. Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is profitable for Reproof. A Reproof with a Scripture comes with a more than ordinary Majesty and Authority. When we Reprove those that are under us, First, make them read a Text which does Condemn what we would rebuke, and then set it home with a very warm lively vigorous Application.

Fourthly, There are solemn Charges with which we are to Instruct our Families. It was the Character which the Lord gives of Abraham, in Gen. 18. 19. I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. O that this might be said of every Householder here; I know him, that he will take all of his house, one by one, and Charge every one of them to keep the way of the Lord! What saies the Apostle, in i… Thes 2. 11. We charged every one of you, as a father his children. We should call aside our young people, and lay upon them, the Charge of David, in 1. Chron. 28. 9. My son, know thou the God of thy Father, and Serve Him with a perfect Heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all Hearts▪ if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee, if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever.

Charge them; and this especially about four Things. Lay upon them that Charge of God in 1. Joh. 3. 23. This is His Commandment, that you believe on the Name of his Son. Charge them to accept of Christ Jesus, as their Prince and their Saviour; Charge them to repair unto Christ Jesus for Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. Lay also upon them that Charge of God, in Mat. 6. 6. Enter into thy Closet and pray to thy Father in secret. Charge them to Retire for their Devotions every day; Charge them to let not a day pass them, without Crying to God for His Mercy, and Pardon, and Salvation. Once more, Lay upon them that Charge of God, in Prov. 1. 10. My son, if Sinners entice thee, consent thou not, Charge them, that they be not the Companions of Fools; Charge p. 52them that they do not associate themselves into an Intimacy and a Familiarity with any but such as may be sober, discreet, blameless persons. Finally, Lay upon them that Charge of God in Hag. 1. 5. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your waies. Charge them, that they Consider what their present Condition is, and what their future Condition is like to be; Charge them, that they consider of their past Behaviours, and of the Death, and Iudgment, and Eternity which is yet before them. A young man has become a real Convert by being obliged unto Consideration for one Quarter of an Hour in a Day. Wish for them, say to them, Oh that they were wise, that they would Consider! In a word, Let your Charge on them, be that, which Holy Bolton gave to his Children, when he dyed, I charge you, that at the Day of Iudgement, none of you dare to meet me in an Unregenerate estate.

Secondly. The Manner of Family-Instruction.

Tis to be performed in such a Manner, as may best Attain the Ends of it. Particularly.

First, We are to Instruct our Families very Seasonably. We are told in Matth, 24. 45. The Ruler over the Household is to give them their meat in due Season. There lies much in the Time we take for the Work. We should indeed have our Frequent Times, to do it: We should speak what may be for the Instruction of our Families, p. 53every day, and often in a day; and on various occasions be dropping our savoury Admonitions. Even when we sit at the Table, we should rarely Rise without feeding the Minds, as well as the Mouthes of our Attendents. Much more at the H…urs of Prayer, we should do something that may make them more acquainted with Divine Objects then they were before. But we should likewise have our Stated Times to do it. Especially Sacred Time will be very properly a Stated Time for it. On the Dayes of the Lord, we should instruct our Houses in the Things of the Lord; that were infinitely better than to be Sleeping or Talking at an idle rate, as then too many do.

But about the Stated Time for Family-Instruction, there is a double Discretion to be used. It is to be dispatched in a Quiet Time, in a Time when there is no Disturbance by Passions within, or Noises without. It is said in Eccles. 9. 16. The words of wise men are heard in quiet: and no wise man will speak when there is not Quietness enough to allow an Audience for him. And it is to dispens'd in a Lively, Time, in a Time when Spirits are stirring, and Affections are vigorous. Tis said in Rom. 12. 11. Be …ervent in spirit, serving the Lord; thus, this peice of Service for the Lord, is to be done, when there is a Fervency of Disposition thereunto.

p. 54Secondly, We are to Instruct our Families very pertinently. Accommodate our Instructions to their Conditions.

Are there any Vnconverted persons in our Families? Let them be Suitably Instructed. Say to them as in Psal. 34. 11. Hearken to me and I will Teach you the Fear of the Lord. Let them be warned of the Dangers which do threaten their miserable souls; and let them be stirred to the Duties that may lay them at the Pool, in the way of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Are there any Converted persons in our Families? Let them too be suitably Instructed. We read in Joh. 8. 31. Iesus said unto the Iewes which believed on Him, continue in my word. Let them be quickned to continue in their Faith, and Love and Zeal. Let them have Weapons …o furnish them against all their Difficulties, and Cordials to Revive them under all their Discouragements.

Are there any Vnfruitful Souls, in our Families? Instruct them suitably, by setting before them what is the Doom of the Barren Free, and of the Barren Ground; even, to be cut down, and burnt up for ever. And say, O glorifie your heavenly Father by bringing forth much fruit.

Are there any Back-sliding Souls, in our Families? Instruct them suitably, by setting before them the Displeasure of God at such as drawback, and His extreme Wrath on them whose p. 55Goodness is as the Morning cloud and the early dew; and say, Remember whence thou art fallen, repent, and do thy first works. Thus are we to suit the the case of those whom we give Instruction to.

Thirdly. We are to Instruct our Families very Diligently. Tis a thing that we are to labour in. Twas enjoind in Deut 6. 7. The words which I command thee, thou shalt teach them Diligently unto thy Children. It calls for our Hearts and our Pains. When we set about it, we should think with our selves, We know not how short our Opportunities may be; we know not whether we shall ever speak more to those whom we now direct our selves unto. In this as well as in other such Cases, we should hear the voice of our own Vncertainty & Mortality; tis that in Eccles. 9. 10. Do with thy might what thy hand finds to do, for there is no work, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou art going. Tis the Work of the Lord, about which we are, when we are, Instructing our Families, tis not to be done slothfully; we find in Ier. 28. 10. cursed is the man, who doth it so; tis to be done heartily; we find in 2. Chron. 31. 21. that is the way to prosper in it. O let us be as Diligent in Instructing of our young people, as the Emissaries of Hell are in Seducing of them.

Fourthly, We are to Instruct our Families by Exemple. Be Exemplary; and follow the Directory of that geat man, who said in Psal. 101. 10. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. p. 56Let our Walk, as well as our Talk, show the young people with us how they are to walk and to please God; and let us be able to call upon them, Do you follow me, as I follow Christ. Let us give such Expressions of Love to God and his Truths and His Wayes, that our Families may come after us in the like. Let them discern how to seek the Face of God, and how to bear the Hand of God, and how to prize the Word of God, by seeing how We do it our selves. When Elisha would get for himself a double Portion of the spirit in Elijah, he said in 2. King 2. 10. If thou see me, it shall be so unto thee. O that the Sight of us, that the Sight of our Piety, and Gravity might Instruct our Houses, and help them to a double Portion of those Graces and Vertues which are the Fruits of the Spirit. We shou'd study an Instructive Conversation; and we should never permit a Cham, a young Cham in our families, to see us overcome with Drink, Disguised with Vice, or naked with Folly; but In all things we should show our selves a Pattern of good works.

Fifthly. We are to Instruct our Families with Authority. As the Minister is to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom tis said in Mat. 7. 29. He taught as one having Authority. So should the Householder do. And hence we are to keep up our Authority in our families; not permitting the child to be have himself proudly against p. 57the Ancient. It is required in Lev. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every one his Mother and his Father, the Mother is here put before the Father, because commonly she first loseth her Authority: but neither Mother nor Father should suffer themselves to be trampled upon. Tis an intolerable thing, for a saucy, impudent, unmannerly child to reply, I wont, when a Parent bids him do this or that. You sin grievously, if you do not curb and break the Wills of them that you are to bring up in the nurture of the Lord; and if you don't make 'em tremble to break any of your commands. Wherefore let there be that Wisdom, that Meekness, that Reservedness, and Seriousness in our Deportments, with which we may Rule well our own house, and have our Children in Subjection with all g…vity. This is that Family-Instruction and Family-Government by which we must bring our Houses to serve the Lord.

SECT. XV.

ONe might Rationally imagine, that no Exception could be taken at such a profitable and necessary thing as Family Instruction is. Yet this also has Exceptions made against it; and therefore I am endeavouring

II. To Remove some Objections against Family Instruction.

Diverse things are by many pleaded, wherefore they take no care to have their Families par…akers of Instruction in Righteousness.

p. 58The First Exception.

One person will for this Plea Exempt himself. The Inferiors in my Family are very Dull: Tis an hard thing to beat into them, any sense of Eternal Concernments.

On this Pretense it is, that poor Negro's especially are kept Strangers to the way of Life: they are kept only as Ho…ses or Oxen, to do our Drudgeries; but their Souls, which are as white and good as those of other Nations, their Souls are not look'd after, but are Destroyed for lack of Knowledge. This is a desperate Wickedness. But are they dull? Then instruct them the rather; That is the Way to sharpen them. Tis said in Psal. 119. 130. The Entrance of thy word gives Understanding to the Simple. Be they never so simple, you may increase their Wit by God's Word. And are they truly Dull? Then be not you so too; Let your Labour be equal to their Dulness. We are told in Eccl. 10. 10. If the Iron be blunt, then a man must put to the more Strength. You must be at the Trouble to stoop unto their Capacities. Be you as plain, be you as breef in your Instructions, as they are dull in their Intellectuals. And be frequent, be patient in them; give Line upon line, and Precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. Even Gutta cavat lapidem—a Stone will receive the mark of the Drop that shall often fall upon it.

p. 59The Second Exception.

Another person will for this Cause Exempt himself.

The Inferiors in my Family are very Young. Tis too soon to begin with them; we shall only make them take the Name of God in vain by teaching them to talk like Parrots of Religion, before they can conceive better of it.

To this I answer, No, You can't begin with them Too soon. `Twas said in Isai. 28. 9. Whom shall hee teach knowledge? Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. They are no sooner wean'd but they are to be taught; and God may give them righter and riper Conceptions of things, than you are well aware. What saies the Wise man, Trai… up a Child in th… way he should go. Let the first liquor that is put into them be sweet and good; and they will keep the tang of it all their dayes. Quo semel est imbuta recens—

Are they Young? Yet the Devil has been with them already. Tis said in Psal. 58. 3. They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. They no sooner step than they stray, they no sooner lisp than they ly. Satan gets them to be proud, prosane reviling and revengeful as young as they are. And I pray, Why should not you be afore-hand with him? And this the rather, since the Lord Jesus calleth for them. He saies p. 60in Marc. 10. 13. Suffer little children to come unto me. For know, Tis not an Affront, but an Honour unto the Name of God, for such young ones to Learn the truth as it is in Iesus. It was very pleasing unto the Lord Jesus Christ, when in Matth. 21. 15. The Children cryed Hosannah to Him. If your Children do not cry Hosanna, they will call wicked Names, they will curse and lie, and take the Name of God in vain; and which is best? Iudge ye. Besides we have the Call of God, in Psal. 148. 12. Ye Children, praise the Lord.

The Third Exception.

A Third person will urge this against it.

I want Abilities to manage this work, my Parts and Gifts are too mean to go thro it.

To this I answer; God will Accept you, tho… you do it meanly. The Prophet made this Apology for himself, in Jer. 1. 6. Ah! Lord God, I cannot speak. But God answered, Say not so. Tho you have but one Talent, yet let it not ly by. Though you have only Goats hair, or Badgers skins, yet employ them for the use of the Tabernacle. The Apostle tells the Hebrews, You need one to teach you the first principles of the O…cles of God; yet unto them he said, Exhort one …nother.

Moreover, God will Assist you to do it better. Twas affi…med to him in Ioshua 1. 9. p. 61Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good Courage, for the Lord thy God is with thee. Thus be it affirmed here; God has commanded thee, Do it as courageously and as comfortably as thou canst: His Presence will continually cause thee to grow in thy Accomplishments To him that hath shall be given. Keep watering the Olive-plants about thy Table. He that watereth shall be watered also himself.

The Fourth Exception.

A Fourth person perhaps will not blush to say, I want Opportunity to attend this Work, my Employment will not suffer me.

But let no man argue so Man hast thou Time to Feed thy Family and no time to Teach them? The poorest among you all should say, as in Psa. 119. 92. The Law of thy mouth is better to me, than thousands of Gold and silver. Tis better to lay up for thy Family the Riches of God's Law, than Thousands of pounds. Nothing, nothing should put by their Instruction in the way of peace If you do not want an Heart, you will not want a Time for the Instruction of your Families. No man could have more business lying on his hands than David had who had the Affayrs of a mighty Kingdom to distract him; yet of him could his own Son say as in Prov. 4. 4. He taught me.

The Fifth Exception.

Tis possible a fifth person may have uncomfortable cause to plead,

p. 62I have those in my Family that will not be Instructed; I can't Order them so far as to make them submit unto it.

In this unhappy Case, What shall be done but this? We are to pray for these Creatures, that their Hearts may be tam…d and bow…d by Him, that has them in His Hand. We are also to watch when some Affliction or some Amazement is come upon them: then God opens their ear to Discipline; then the Wild Asses are in the Month where you may find them. We may likewise call in the help of some grave, pious, holy Minister, who may come to them with the spirit and power of Elias, To turn the hearts of the Children to their Fathers.

Finally. If your Children refuse to be Instructed, What saies the Wise man, A Rod for the fools back. If your Servants refuse to be Instructed, What saies the Good man, He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house.

SECT. XVI.

BEfore I have done, I must Endeavour

III. To propound some Incentives unto Family-Instruction.

Wherefore

Consider, first, the Needfulness of it.

Christians, Instruct your Families, for I may say, This is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And as Gods Will, so their State p. 63calleth for it. O look upon the Ignorance of your Families. May it not be said of them as in Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked on the Children— to see if there were any that did understand; they are all gone aside. Instruct them; lest they be destroyed for lack of knowledge. Look upon the Corruption of your Families. May it not be said of them, as in Eccles. 5. 3. The hearts of the Children is full of Evil. Instruct them, lest they be the Children of Belial, to consume your eyes and grieve your hearts.

In a Word, Instruct your Families or else the Blood of their Souls will be required at your hands. It was complain'd of old, in Jer. 2. 34. In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of poor innocents. What a dreadful word is that! and what a dreadful thing will it be, for your poor Families to follow you in the ever-burning Lake below; shrieking and roaring, If you had done your Duty to us, tis like we had never arrived here!

Consider, Secondly the Vsefulness of it.

Instruct your Families and it will issue in their Good. They shall be brought home to God. As he said in Psal 51. 13. I will teach them, and they shall be converted unto thee. You may see converted Children, and converted Servants, filling of your Families. They may bless the name of God for ever, that ever they knew your House, or saw your Face; because you have p. 64promoted in them that Knowledge which is Life Eternal.

Instruct your Families; and it will issue in your Ioy. They shall afford you that …ight, of which the Apostle said, I have no greater Ioy. Tis said in Prov. 10. 1. A wise Son makes a glad Father. Tis a taught son that proves a wise son. What a joyful thing will it be, for you to see all your Children and Servants, calling you their spiritual Father, here! But what a much-more joyful thing will it be for you to meet them all at the Right Hand of our Lord in the day of His Appearing!

O Consider of these Things; and go away determined, [I hope you are now determined] Thus I and my House will serve the Lord.