An Earnest Call to Family Religion, Text (2 of 6)

An Earnest Call to Family Religion · Text (2 of 6)

p. 55But now, can any one tell how they provide for the Souls of their Families, which are under their Government, and committed to their care, who do not set up the Worship of God in their Families? who do nothing towards their instruction and sanctification, nothing towards the making of them understanding, gracious, and holy? Are those Families well provided for in which there is no serving of p. 56God, no religious exercises, no Praying, no Catechising, nor reading of the Scriptures, no Repeating of Sermons, no Singing of Psalms, no holy Discourses about God, and Jesus Christ, and the things of God; no Holy Instructions, nor good Councils, nor provoking one another to love and good works? we shall indeed sometimes hear people say of such or such a Man, O, he is a Man of a generous Spirit, a brave House-keeper; but ask them wherein, how doth that appear? the Answer is, by his keeping a good Table, a great Table, he buyeth the best Meat the Market doth afford, and a great deal of it, so that the Servants have enough, and to spare, and you may see many poor lying at his door, who are relieved there; and this is indeed good and commendable, and it is to be desired, that all whose Estates will reach it were such, they would be no losers by it; it is one way to bring down a blessing upon their Callings, and the works of their hands; but give me leave to tell that Man, if this be all, if he stop here, and his brave House-keeping amount to no more than this, in a word, if he doth not set up the Worship of God in his Family, he is a pitiful, a miserable House-keeper, his House is the way to Hell; though he keeps a Great Table, yet he keeps a wicked House, a godless, graceless House, he fills Bodies, and starves Souls, his Dogs have as much reason to commend him, as his Wife, and Children, and Servants. Well, that is the first thing; and oh that it may abide with you who are Governours of Families; sit down and think seriously upon it, that your Families are your charge, you are charged with the Souls of your Families, God hath put them into your hand, and committed them to your care, and therefore you are obliged to look after them; and as God hath given them to you, so it is your duty to p. 57train and bring them up for God: But this will meet us again in the way of this Discourse, and then I shall speak something more to it.

II. You are accountable for your Families ▪ as charged with them, so responsible for them. We read in the 25th of Matthew, 14, &c. of a Man Travelling into a far Country, who called unto him his Servants, and delivered unto them his goods, to one five Talents, to another two, and to a third but one; after a time he returned, and reckoned with them. God hath committed to every one of us some Talents, to some more, to some fewer, and he will reckon with us all for them, and enquire what we have done with them; one hath a Talent of Parts, another of Power, another of Interest, a fourth of Riches; do not you let them lie dead upon your hands, but be good Husbands, Trade with them, my Friends, trade with them for God, and know as God will reckon with you for your Talents, so for Persons that are committed to your Charge; and as God said to Cain, Gen. 4.9. Where is Abel thy Brother? so he will say to thee, where is thy Wife, where thy Son, where thy Daughter, where is thy Man Servant, where thy Maid? Masters of Families are accountable both for the Bodies and the Souls under their roofs.

First, they are accountable for the bodies that are in their Families; you know they are so, not only to God, but likewise to the Magistrate, and to the Law. So that if any of them doth miscarry, and dies a violent death, there is a very strict search made into it, the Coroners Inquest sits upon the body, all suspected Persons are called and examined, and the great Question is, How did this Person come by his death? though it be the meanest Servant in the House, the Scullion, or Kitchin-Boy, yet it is not past by, nor is it fit it should: No Murtherer p. 58ought to be Pardoned, that is a standing Law which binds in all Ages, and Places, Gen. 9.6. who so sheddeth Mans blood, by Man shall his blood be shed; let the man destroyed have been never so poor, and mean, and despicable for his outward Condition, and let the Murtherer be what he will, tho' a person of never so great Quality, as they Phrase it, yet he must die for it. God hath said, by Man shall his blood be shed. If the Master himself was the cause of his Servants death, he shall answer for it, and life shall go for life, blood, for blood; if he Poisoned the meanest Servant he had, or if he starved him, it must be so; and that Scripture tells you the reason of the thing lieth in this, because Man was made in the Image of God; and there was afterward another Law made, Numb. 35.31. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murtherer, which is guilty of death, but he shall be surely put to death; so that as the Iewish Doctors say, though he could give all the Riches of the World, and the Avenger of Blood were perswaded into a willingness to pass it by, yet it could not be done. Let Magistrates therefore consider what they do, when they Pardon Murtherers, whom God himself hath devoted to destruction. But

Secondly, they are accountable for the Souls that are in their Families; for God doth highly value the Souls which he hath Created, and as carefully and curiously looks after Souls, as his Law enjoyns and requires Men in place of Power and Authority to look after the Bodies of Men, and to judge and avenge their blood, when it hath been shed by wicked and cruel hands, and when they do miscarry, as too many do, thousands, myriads, millions do, he will make inquisition for their blood, and see how it came to pass; and if their Parents, or Masters be p. 95guilty of it, he will require it at their hands; and there are too many that will be one day found with their hands full of blood; there are some Men among us, that do corrupt and taint the Judgments of their Children, and Servants, and Poyson their Minds with their Cursed Doctrines, and Damnable Heresies, (I ask no pardon for that expression, as too harsh and severe, for it is Scripture Language) and by their sinful practices, and vile debaucheries, which are as bad as Rats-bane, and they shall be sure to answer for it. Others there are that do starve their Souls by not teaching them the way and fear of the Lord, not instilling good Principles into them, by not setting holy Examples before them, which they should imitate; not taking them by the hand, and leading them in the ways of Righteousness, the midst of those Paths of Judgments in which they ought to go; by living themselves like so many Heathens, and Brutes, and teaching others to do the same, bringing them up for Hell, and fitting them for destruction; as if they had taken up a resolution that they would not serve the Lord, nor go to Heaven, no, nor any that belong to them, if they can prevent it; and these Men likewise shall answer it to God. Such shall be dealt with in the same manner as God threatned he would do with the Prophet, in case of his being false to his trust, and unfaithful to those unto whom he was sent. You may see it in Ezek. 3.17, 18▪ Son of Man, I have made thee a Watchman to the house of Israel, therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

People are in eminent danger of being seduced by False Teachers, of being prevailed against by Temptations of Satan, and his instruments; Ministers must watch over them, they must go themselves to God p. 60for light, teaching instruction, and be faithful in teaching, when taught, and in giving out what they have received. Now mark, when I say unto the Wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his evil way to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hands; which, saith Erasmus, is fulmen non verbum, not a word but a Thunder-bolt. Duty is safe, as long as that is done by Ministers, they are out of danger, out of harms way, they shall be accepted and rewarded by God, whatever the issue be as to the people among whom they labour, Isa. 49.5. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorius in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength; but neglect and carelesness is damnable, it brings upon Ministers the guilt of other mens blood, and the loss of their own Lives and Souls; and believe it, so it will upon you who are Parents, and Masters of Families.

Oh, consider it, my dear Friends, Beloved and longed for, seriously consider it, you are, as I formerly said, and without doubt you your selves know, Prophets in your own Houses, there you are to Teach and Rule. God hath made you Watchmen to your own Houses, and it is your business to study their peace and safety, and to seek their good; it is your business to acquaint them with their Duty, that they may do it, and to warn them of their danger, that they may avoid it; you are to cause your light to shine before them, that so in your light, they may see light; you are to instruct them, that they may not be naught for lack of knowledge; you are to shew them, and go before them in the way that they should go, that they may not wander and go directly to Hell, because they had none to direct them; in a word, you are to make use of all means possible, p. 61that both you and yours may prove and approve what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God, and so be, and at last found to be wise unto Salvation. But if you, if any of you have been and will continue to be slothful, careless, negligent, and wanting to your duty herein, your Children and Servants may die in their ignorance, and iniquity; but verily you shall not escape unpunished, for their blood shall be required at your hands, the holy and righteous God will require it, who is the great avenger of blood. And here are two things that I lay before you.

First, Your wretched neglect of Family-Duties may bring upon you the Curse of your Children and Servants. I have known some, when they have for their flagitious Lives been Condemned to the Gallows, and not far from Execution, laid their ill life at the Parents door, crying out of the fondness of their Mothers for winking at and concealing of their faults, and of the neglect of their Fathers giving them no better Education, and setting before them such wicked and abominable examples; and what do you think they and others in the same case with them are and will be doing for ever in the other World, in the anguish of their Souls, and the midst of intolerable Torments, when such poor Creatures come to be cast upon a bed of flames, and in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone? when they come to feel the sinking weight, and scorching heat of the wrath and indignation of a provoked God, they will certainly curse themselves for their former follies and wicked courses, and they will curse their Old Companions, whom now they take so much pleasure in, and will wish they had never seen their faces, yea, and they will curse you too; and we may rationally conclude their passionate breaking p. 62out into such expressions as these, I might have done better had I been Educated and brought up better; I might have done my duty to God, had my Parents or my Master done their duty to me; I might have been kept from the path of the Destroyer, and cleansed my way, and come to a Blessed Eternity, had I been taught to take heed unto my self, and to my way, according to the word. Had my Father and my Master instructed me, I might have known as much, and done as well as those that are now saved, and in Heaven. But instead of taking pains to make me good, their great desire and design was to make me Rich, and Great in the World, and so they have made me miserable. I have all my days taken wicked Courses, because they never took any care to instill into me right and holy Principles. Had I but seen or heard them reading the Holy Scriptures, and other good books themselves, or to their Families, I might have taken them up, and read them too, and got the knowledge of God, and my self, and my duty; but they were for Romances, and Plays, and Cards, the Devils Books, and so we spent and lost our time and our selves too. Had I heard them Praying in their Families, seeking the face and favour of God, begging his Spirit and Grace, I might have prayed too, and sought God too, and beg'd the life of my precious Soul, and who knows but I might have obtain'd mercy. But instead of Praying, there was Swearing and Cursing, foolish and wicked talk, and I learnt their ways; they set bad examples, and I was ready to follow them; they struck the Spark, and I was like Tinder catching immediately, their examples were very vicious, and my Nature was as bad, and now my eternal ruine follows upon it; they were Worldly, and so was I, they wicked, and so was I, they minded earthly things, and so p. 63did I; they lived without God in the World, and so did I; they carried themselves like so many Heathen, and so did I, and now I am in the place of endless misery, out of which there is no possibility of being delivered, nor making an escape, and in which there is no hope of any comfort, ease, alleviation or abatement of trouble and sorrow, infinite mercy it self will not grant the least drop of Water for the cooling and refreshment of any that are here, therefore cursed, yea for ever cursed be the day that I descended of such Parents, and cursed be the day on which I was bound an Apprentice to such a Master, and that ever my Lines were cast in such Families.

Secondly; As this will bring upon you the Curse of those poor miserable and eternally Lost Creatures, so it may justly expose you to the Wrath and Fury of a Righteous God, who for your neglect of him, and unfaithfulness to your Trust, and wicked Cruelty to those poor Souls, may justly punish you with everlasting Destruction from his presence, and from the glory of his Power, for their Blood crieth loud for Vengeance to be executed upon you.

III. Your present safety, and the safety of your Houses doth very much depend upon this. By an holy care herein your confidence in God may be strengthened, and your comfortable expectations from him raised. On the other side, by your neglect hereof, both will be lessened and enfeebled. You see there are two Branches in this Assertion, I shall speak distinctly unto them, and by Instances prove and manifest the truth of them.

First; Your being wanting to the Worship of God and Religious Exercises in your Families, is the way to expose you and them to present Iudgments; and while you continue so, you cannot rationally hope it should be p. 64otherwise, but may have a dreadful sound always in your Ears, and that in Prosperity the destroyer will come upon you; Iob 15.21. You may spend your day, yea day and night too in a fearful expectation of being devoured, but have nothing to warrant your hoping that God will be either a Sun for your comfort, or a Shield for your defence; for the case is evident, that your neglect of God may justly provoke him to a neglect of you; and what shadow of reason can you shew another, or please your selves with, why God should do any thing for the promoting or securing your welfare, when you will do nothing for the keeping up and advancing of his Honour? Why should you walk safely when you will not walk uprightly and in your integrity? Why should he make your Families prosperous ▪ if notwithstanding all that is or can be said, you will not make them religious? You may find in Isa. 5. that when the Vineyard brought forth nothing but wild Grapes, after great cost bestowed upon it, and no less pains taken with it, the Hedge was to be taken away, and the Wall to be broken down, and the Clouds commanded to Rain no more upon it. Nay, not only a total neglect of Family-duty, but an omission in one point may, yea hath awakened and armed Divine Justice to the ruine of an house, as is plain in the case of Eli. He was a good and holy Man, in a time of publick danger, his heart trembled for the Ark of God, by which we know that it lay very near it; and therefore I do not at all question but there was the Worship of God in his House, and that he had made Conscience of teaching and instructing his Children and Servants, but his Sons were Sons of Belial, that knew not the Lord so as to fear him; vile and wicked wretches they were, openly abominably profane: The good old Man heard of it, and upon the hearing p. 65was grieved at his very heart, and for it he reprov'd them too: But he was wanting in one thing; he spake to them in too soft and silken words; he was too mild with his Sons, how angry soever he was with their sins: He did not exercise all his Authority and Power, nor draw against them the Sword of Justice; he blam'd them, but he did not punish them, he did not use that severity toward them, which for their notorious Crimes they had deserved. Now do but read, how severe upon this account God threatned to be both upon him, and his whole House. He said, He would do that, at which both the Ears of every one that heard it should tingle. And indeed so they well might, because it was so terrible; 1 Sam. 2 31, 32, 33. Behold the days come that I will cut off thine Arm, and the Arm of thy Fathers House, that there shall not be an Old Man in thine House, and thou shalt see an Enemy in my Habitation, in all the Wealth which God shall give Israel, and there shall not be an Old Man in thine House for ever; and the Man of thine which I shall not cut off from mine Altar, shall be to consume thine Eyes, and to grieve thy Heart, and all the increase of thine House shall die in the flower of their Age. I beseech every one to believe, before your own sad and dismal experience be the cutting Argument to convince you, that all sin is of a ruining and destructive nature; not only sins of commission, but sins of omission are so; not only acts of Hostility against God, and open Rebellion, but contempt and neglect of him; not only downright affronts, but the nonpayment of that Homage which is his due; it will make the Root of a Family rottenness, and the Blossoms to come up like Dust; it will blast and wither the Off-spring of an House; it will utter consume the Timber of it, though it were all heart of Oak; it would pull down the Walls of it, though as p. 62duplicate page p. 63duplicate page p. 64duplicate page p. 65duplicate page p. 66thick as those of a Castle. So History tells us in the voice said to that wicked and bloody Emperor Phocas, though thou raise thy Walls as high as Heaven▪ the sin within will spoil all. Sin will undermine the Foundation of an House, and shake the whole Fabrick, and like Gunpowder, blow it up, and bury it in its own Ruins. Now consider this all ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver; Psal. 50.22. As he will not always strive, so he will not always bear. Some years he came to the barren Tree, expecting fruit, and finding none, he exercised much patience under frequent disappointments, but at length patience gave place to prudent Justice, and he said, Cut it down, why cumbers it the ground? But all this may be prevented if men would be Friends to themselves, and study and practice those things which belong to, and make for their peace, before they are hidden from their Eyes. But now,

Secondly; Your worshipping of God in your Families, and keeping up Religious Exercises there, may be a means of preserving their peace, and keeping off those Iudgments which otherwise might break in upon them, Wisdom is a defence, and Money is a defence, but Wisdom is the better of the two, for it giveth life to them that have it, Eccles. 7.12. There may be other things used for our safety, Locks, Bolts, Bars, &c. but that Wisdom which consists in the Fear of God, in the Love and Service of God, is the best. He that walketh in Righteousness shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks, where Ruin cannot come at him; Isa. 33.16. I shall for the evidencing of this produce two great Instances.

The former Instance shall be holy Iob: And in him we will take notice of two things; his care of Duty, and God's care of him. We will begin with his care of Duty, and God himself, who is the faithful and p. 67true Witness, and cannot lye, did testifie thus of him, That he was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil. He was indeed a singular eminent Saint, one by himself, not a Man like him in all the Earth, not one that had grown up to that stature, attained that pitch of Holiness which he had done: So much is said of him in general; Iob 1.1. Yea and in vers. 8. God himself gave this very report and character of him to the Devil, his mortal Enemy. Now let us take notice of what is more particularly recorded concerning him, in vers. 4, 5. of that Chapter. His Sons had been lovingly, and like Brethren, feasting at one anothers Houses, and, as became them, invited their Sisters also. Iob now could not but be greatly pleased with that Brotherly Love which was among his Children, yet he was jealous over them with a godly Jealousie, and had his fears, lest in their feasting they should forget themselves, and do something that might offend God, grieve his Spirit, and provoke his Displeasure against them, and therefore he offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all. He did not offer one single Sacrifice for them all, and so make short work of it, but he offered for each one a Sacrifice. Neither did he do this alone by himself, but with them, together with them, therefore it is said, that be sent and sanctified them; but what are we to understand by that expression, what may be the meaning thereof? I answer negatively; he did not sanctifie them by working Grace in them, and infusing into them holy Habits. There is never a gracious Parent but would do it for all his Children if he could He that is holy himself, would have others so too. I wish, said Paul to Agrippa, that not only thou, but all that hear me this day were as I am, saving these Bonds. But it is not in their power, none can make saving p. 68impressions upon the Adamantine Heart, but he that hath an Arm of Omnipotency; none can give the least Grace to Man but he that hath all Grace in himself; therefore affirmatively, by Iob's sanctifying them some understand his praying to God that he would sanctifie them; and doubtless he did so; while some altogether seek the World, Greatness, Riches for their Children, a good Man doth above all seek Grace for himself, and for his Children; he will go a begging to God for his Children, begging of Grace, Lord, whatever thou deniest my Children, do thou give them Grace; though thou wilt not make them great, yet do thou make them good; thus Abraham, Gen. 17.18. O that Ishmael may live before thee, that his Soul might live, that he might live in thy favour, and according to thy command, so live as to please and obey thee; and certainly this is an excellent way for the sanctifying of our own Hearts, and the Hearts of others. The effectual servent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much in this case. Prayer that comes from Grace in him that puts it up may obtain Grace from him, on whose behalf he is a Suitor. But there is a late Learned and Holy Commentator, viz. Mr. Caryl, understands it thus, He sent and sanctified them, i. e. He sent them good Instructions, holy Counsels, and wholesome advice; gave them notice of the Sacrifice that was to be, and order'd them to prepare themselves that they might be in a due frame to wait upon God in such an Ordinance, so that he did not perform this Duty alone, but they were to join with him in it; and it is said, He did this continually, i. e. frequently, as often as occasion for the doing of it offered it self, so often he thus worshipped God himself, and called his Children to bear their part with him in it.

p. 69We have seen the Piety of this Holy Man, now let us see his Safety; if any ask what he was the better for this, I answer, a great deal; though Iob did not serve God for his Hire, yet he did not serve God for Nought; he did not make any temporal worldly advantages his end of serving God, yet he found and felt that it was not in vain for him to serve God, who is not wont to be behind-hand with the Children of Men; he richly pays those that do but a Jobb of work for him; so he did Cyrus ▪ much more those who are stedfast and immoveable abounding in his work. Iob here takes care of his Family that they should serve and worship God, and God took care of his substance, Iob 1.10 The Devil that was no Friend to God, nor to his Honour, took notice thereof, and could not but own it; Hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? God hath two sorts of Hedges, there is an hedge of thorns, and this God speaks of, Hos. 2.6. I will hedge up thy way with thorns; that was to keep her from Idolatry, from running after the Gods of the Heathen, whom she called her Lovers; she should have little heart to go after them, by reason of those sorrows and troubles that would meet her; it is a great mercy when God orders out difficulties, and pains, and vexation in a sinful course, when he hedgeth them about with Thorns, so that they cannot wander from God, and turn aside to crooked paths, with the workers of iniquity without pricking their Fingers, and piercing themselves thorough with many sorrows; this speaks the Love of God, and is one of his special favours▪ But this Hedge which God had set about Iob was of another nature, an hedge of gracious and powerful protection; a strong hedge, sufficient to reach its end; an hedge that was no p. 70where thin and weak, there was no gap to be found in it, which an Enemy could enter in at, till God afterward for wise and holy ends gave leave. This must of necessity be a good Hedge, because it was of God's own making; thou hast set it: and it also was a large Hedge, fetching a great compass, for it took in all; it was about him, his person, thou hast set it about him, about his Soul and his Body, about his Graces and his inward Comforts, his Life, and Health, and Strength; and about his House, the Habitation it self, and all within Doors, Wife, and Children, and Servants, and all his Goods; yea, and about all that he had, though at never so great a distance from home, his Fields, and his Cattel, his Grass, and Hay, and Corn, his great things, and his little things too; his Camels and Oxen, yea, and his Asses, and Sheep, and Lambs, all that he had; and the Scripture adds, it was on every side. He could look no way but he might see Salvation, so that neither Devil could come at him, nor any other Enemy, without Divine permission: Indeed afterward as that Chapter tells us, when the Devil, that inveterate and implacable Enemy falsly accus'd and charg'd that good Man, telling God that he had all along been no better than a Mercenary, and that a change of Providence would make a change in him; if Providence did but frown upon him, he would quickly fall a Cursing of God, a very touch would turn him. God did for the glory of his own Grace, and the vindication of his Servants honour, give the Devil leave to try what he could do by himself and his Instruments, at the same instant resolving to allay the bitterness of the Cup, to support him under the burden▪ and at last to bring him off with honour and without loss, or any cause of complaint, which was at last done; for Iob 42.12. p. 71God blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning; yet he then had a Blessing and that a great one; there was not only protection, but likewise a benediction; for Satan could not but acknowledge, that God had blessed the work of Job's hands, and that he experienced the power of that blessing, and reap'd the fruit of it, for his substance was increased in the Land; by all which you may plainly see that the Father of Lies (though his design was to bespatter Iob) did yet speak truth when he said, Job did not serve God for nought; and as he did not, so no body else ever did, nor ever shall; God is too good and gracious to suffer that, such a reproach shall never cleave to his glorious Majesty.

The other Instance which I told you I would bring for the proving of this, that Family-worshipping of God may be a singular means to keep off present Judgments is a tremendous and very remarkable Providence which while I was studying upon this Subject I happily met with in Polanus his Syntagma; liber 5. cap. 22. de terrae motu. And it is this, In the Year of our Lord 1584. there was an Earthquake in Switzerland, in the Territory of Bern, in which one Hill being removed out of its place, and violently carried and dasht against another, did overwhelm and bury an whole Village that consisted of fourscore and ten Houses, not any of them being spared and escaping, save only the part of one House, in which the Master of the Family, with his Wife and Children were together at that very time upon their bended Knees praying and seeking of God.

IV. Setting up the Worship of God in Families is the way to promote your own Interest in them; for God hath made a most sweet and gracious connexion of his own glory and Mens good, so that in seeking the p. 72former they find the latter; in keeping God's Commandments there is great reward; upon seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, other things shall be added, cast in as an overplus. Folly, Sin makes Men and Women cheap and contemptible. Godliness puts a Beauty upon them, makes their Faces shine, and renders them amiable, considerable, truly great in the Eyes of those that know them.

But it may be, some of you do think your selves not at all concerned here, and that you need not take any care nor bestow any thoughts upon this, for your Interest is great and safe enough, and you can well enough secure and maintain it with the greatest ease; are not you the Master and the Mistress, and have not you the Purse and the whole power in your hands? And are not all under your Roof under you? so that if any of them will not know their places, nor keep their distance; If they will not be observant of your orders, obedient to your commands, nor carry towards you with a due respect, you can make them smart for it, by pinching them in their comforts, making them feel the weight of your hand, and if that will not do, by turning them out of Doors. Let them affront or slight you if they dare. Very well, my Friends, this is great, and you are somebody, at least in your own Eyes; and it must be granted that all this you may do, and being done it may turn to account; but all this doth not, will not make things so sure, nor strengthen your interest so much as you may imagine; no, no, be assured of this, that when all is done, your having the Power and the Purse in your hands, will not befriend you at so great a rate, nor so effectually secure to you the love, and fear, and awe of those with whom you have to do, as exemplary p. 73Piety, a Religious Life, and putting the Duties of Godliness in practice; I well know, some Spirits are very rugged and boisterous, not easily drawn and bowed to their Duty▪ all means must be used, and all little enough; but this is certain, it is no prudence, when others are applied, to omit the best. The Smith would shew much folly in spending his time, and tiring himself in beating and knocking of cold Iron, when by putting it into the Fire till it be red hot, he may form and fashion it as he pleaseth. It is a gross Errour in Men proceeding much from Pride and Brutish Passion, and plainly discovers their Ignorance to conceive, that their huffing and hectoring, their ranting and raging at their Children and Servants will procure them such a respect and esteem among them, as Holiness will do, and Prayer, and living in a consciencious discharge of the Duties of their Places, and that upon a Threefold Account.

First; It is the way to engage God on your side; who hath said, He will honour those that honour him: Do Men study to exalt God, they themselves shall be exalted; if his Name be precious to them; theirs shall be so to him, I will honour them, saith God, he will do it himself, and that by taking them up at last to Heaven, and cloathing them there with everlasting glory; yea, and he will make others honour them too. God speaking in Psal. 91. of one that loves him, that loves his Name, and Interest, speaks of many things that he will do for him, and among the rest he promiseth to honour him, and he will be as good as his word; it shall be done both in Time, and to Eternity.

Secondly; This is the way to instill into your Families right Principles; that fear and respect which you have with them upon the other account is altogether p. 74forc'd, you do by meer violence extort it from them, and so it is not kindly, nor will it be lasting: they will reverence you before your Face, but what will they do behind your Back? Multiply very hard thoughts of you, and speak as hard words against you where they safely may; but in this way of holy Duty you take a course to rectifie their Spirits, and sow in them those Seeds that may, and in all likelihood will spring up to your own comfort and advantage, for while you do endeavour to teach them the good will of God concerning them, and to instill into their Hearts the love and fear of his holy Name, they will at the same time, and with the same pains and labour be taught to pay that reverence and fear which they owe to you; shew them the way to honour God, and they will thereby learn to give that honour which is due to you; and it is to be hoped that what they do now, will proceed from an inward Principle, and what doth so is of all things the most durable and like to hold.

Thirdly; Religion acted to the Life carrieth a Majesty along with it. It was the Image of God instampt upon Man at first that did so excellently fit and qualifie him for the Government of this inferiour World; it was this shining in his Countenance that struck an awe upon the other Creatures, and made them submit to him. As soon as Sin had defac'd that Image, and he faln short of the glory of God, they threw off the Yoke, and grew stubborn and rebellious; the more this Image is restored to Men, the more there is of God appearing in them, the more they live to God, and walk with him, the more will they recover their lost honour; a Crown upon the Head, a Sword, a Scepter in the Hand will not render a Person so truly honourable as Religion p. 75will. This strikes an awe even upon carnal Men, when in the Company of such, and often restrains them, and keeps them from those exorbitances into which their own cursed Lusts would hurry them; if this doth not gain you their Hearts, so that they shall be knit to you, it will commend you to their Consciences. Let Men think, and say, and act as they please, there is no such probable, no such effectual way for the working in the minds of people a real and permanent goodness, for the making of Children loving and dutiful, and of Servants industrious and faithful, as is an instilling into them the Principles of Religion, and teaching them the good fear of the Lord; when this is once done, your Hearts may trust in them, and you will find them devoted to the pleasing of you, and set for the promoting your Interest, that will preserve them from running into such sins as others do not stick at; it will make them tremble at that which others will commit with greediness; they shall not be supinely careless and negligent in your business, nor shall they be Companions of Fools, running with them into excess of Riot; they shall not pilfer and steal from you, that they may have wherewith to gratifie and fulfil a Lust; they shall not embezzle your Goods, nor betray the Trust you repose in them; they dare not do these things; there is a Conscience within that restrains them, an Eye above which awes them. You have two famous instances in Scripture for the proof of this, which I shall mention, the one of a great Man, the other of a poor Servant.

The former is that of good Nehemiah: What made him so excellent a Governour, and so tender over the people, studying their ease and comfort? he had precedents enough to justifie him in another manner p. 76of Carriage toward them, Neh. 5.14, 15. For twelve years I and my brethren had not eaten the bread of the Governours. He made not use of that which was his just allowance; The former Governours which had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty pieces of silver, yea, even their Servants bare rule over the people; so that this Oppression was grown to be a custom; Why did not he keep it up? The people having been accustomed to such a load would not have kicked now, that was not it; he did not fear the people, but he fear'd God, who alone was more than they, and that was it that kept him from such practices, as he tells us in the same Verse, So did not I because of the fear of God.

The other instance is that of Ioseph, who was indeed of a most Noble Descent, the best Family in all the World, but having fallen under the heavy displeasure of his envious Brethren they sold him; and at this time he was a poor Servant, nay, of the worst sort, a Slave, and what would not such an one do to recover his liberty, or to enlarge his comforts? His Mistress burnt in Love to him, and was earnestly set for an unlawful Enjoyment, and thereupon tempted him to a compliance with her Lust. Carnal Reason now might have suggested; here is a fair opportunity offered for advantaging your self, a refusal will inrage her, if you do not yield to her Love you kindle her Wrath, and that will make the House too hot for you; but if you do comply with the motion, and accept her tender'd kindness, you may be sure of a Friend, you engage her favour, and who knows but by having that you may recover your liberty; however you may promise your self much from it; but this would not take, Ioseph had been taught better in his Fathers House, and he had not forgot all, he had p. 77brought from home with him such a Principle as was his preservation from t his fiery Dart, an excellent Antidote against this insinuating Posyon, and that was a Spirit of ingenuous gratitude, and holy fear, Gen. 39.8, 9. My Master hath committed all that he hath to my hand, there is none greater in his house than I, neither hath he kept back any thing from me, but thee, because thou wast his Wife, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God! You see here the power of good Principles, and the blessed effect of Family Religion.

Whereas the neglect of this is of as malevolent influence, and pernicious consequence. An House where there is not holy instructions and exercises, is like a Field or Garden not cultivated that will be over-run with Weeds: When Masters of Families neglect their Duty to God, they set their Children and Servants a wretched Example, and teach them to neglect their Duty to them, by their not owning and honouring of God, they teach them to disesteem and disrespect themselves; for it is but just, a righteous thing with God, that what measure they meet out should be meeted out to them again; by their Irreligion they teach their Children and Servants Atheism, by their Looseness they teach them Profaneness, by their playing at Cards at home they teach them Gaming abroad, by which the Estates they laboured for are brought to nothing, and their Children to a Morsel of Bread, if not to the Gallows at last. This is no more than what such Masters and Parents do deserve, no more than what they bring upon themselves, and no more than what God hath threatned, for he hath said, They that despise him shall be lightly esteemed; where observe, it is not said, God himself will lightly esteem them, though that is certain he will do so, for they shall not stand in his p. 78presence, he will put them away like dross, and say, cast them out of my sight; but he will likewise so order it, that they shall be lightly esteemed by others. God will expose them to the contempt of others, yea, to the contempt of their own Families, their own Relations, their own Children and Servants. Take an instance of this; Nabal was a very rich Man, and very great, but a very bad walker, and of an ugly temper, and though all fear'd him none lov'd him, he was a burden to his own House, what did one of his Men think of him, and say too behind his back, 1 Sam. 25.17. He is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him; yea, and Abigail his prudent Wife, though she would have covered his shame, yet she could not, no, nor give him a good word, vers. 25. Let not my Lord regard the men of Belial, for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. He both is a Fool, and acts like one.

Whereas your setting and keeping up the Worship of God in your Families, your Exemplary and Gospel-conversation your close and humble walking with God will put a singular beauty and lustre upon you, and make your Faces shine in the Eyes of others, and commend you to their Consciences; so that they who are under your Government, and do understand themselves, will freely submit to your conduct and order, obeying not only for Wrath, but also for Conscience sake; such thoughts as these will at sometimes be making their way into their minds▪ and repeating themselves. It was the great goodness of God, and tender love of our Parents, that cast our Lines in such a Family, where our Master is a good Man, and our Mistress a gracious Woman, both of them Persons fearing God, they seek our good, taking care not only for our Bodies, providing p. 79Food for them when well, and Physick when sick, and teaching us the Mystery of our Calling; but they look after the welfare of our Souls too, that we may be holy here, and happy hereafter, know and serve God in time, and enjoy him to Eternity; how much are we obliged by this to take care of their business, to lay our selves out in their Service, and be good in our Places, and study to please them well in all things; if they have in them any spark of ingenuity, if any sense of kindness, if any love to themselves they cannot but now and then, yea, frequently have such workings in their Minds.

Object. But here some may be ready to step in and say, Doth not experience prove the contrary, have not others, nay, have not you your self seen it otherwise? Rebellious Children, and unfaithful wicked Servants in those Houses where there is constant praying and reading, and other Religious Exercises. To this I answer,

First, By granting it is so, too too often so, it is most certain, and no less sad than certain, and worthy to be matter of great Lamentation, that there are some very bad Persons to be found in very good Families. There was a Bloody Cain in Adam's Family, whom his immediate Parents loss and ruin could not make wise; and an unnatural Ham in Noah's, whom a Deluge of Waters could not wash from his filthiness; a scoffing Ishmael in Abraham's, notwithstanding all the care and pains he took in teaching and commanding his Children; there was Iudas a Traytor, an Incarnate Devil in the Family of Christ himself, who spake and liv'd as never Man did. A Weed may be found in the choicest Garden, a Serpent was in Paradise, which p. 80may become relief to those gracious Parents that have degenerate, and graceless Children. Pity them, bemoan them, weep over them, do your utmost to reclaim them, and to turn them to the wisdom of the Just; but consider, this is not your case alone; David was a Man after God's own Heart, yet what a dismal company of Children had he? Of whom I do not remember one good, except Solomon, who notwithstanding all his wisdom was none of the best: But,

Secondly, This I may lay down, as I believe, without fear of a contradiction, that for the greater part, those Families which the Rulers of them are careful to make Bethel's houses of God thorough practices of Piety, and actions of Religious Worship, are the Seminaries of Virtue and true Religion. These are the Gardens in which Christ hath his precious Plants; these the little inclosures where he reaps his richest Crops; I do not indeed deny, but as the Wind bloweth where it listeth, so doth the Divine Spirit, who is a most free Agent, and chooseth what Objects he pleaseth to work upon. Lepers in Israel may have their loathsome Disease continuing upon them when Naaman a Syrian shall meet with a Cure. There was in the House of wicked Ieroboam, who made Israel to sin, a good Abijah, in whom there was some good thing found toward the Lord God of Israel. God had his Saints in the House of a Monster, Bloody Nero; but it was to an Abraham that he promised he would be a God, and to his Seed. It is in such Houses there is found the Seed to serve him, which shall be accounted to him for a Generation. It is these that travel in birth for their Children and Servants, that they might be brought forth to God, and have Christ formed in their Hearts, and unto these God grants the seeing of the travel of their Souls to their p. 81satisfaction. That precious Seed which they sow in holy Discourses, prudent and pious Counsels, and Religious Examples, God is pleased to water with his Blessing, so that it shall root, and spring up, and bring forth fruit. But,

Thirdly; Let us cast our Eye again upon, and take another view of that Scripture which we have already made use of, Gen. 18.19. where you have God speaking thus, I know Abraham that he will command his Children, and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Observe the phrases or words as they lye in our Translation; he will command, and they shall keep: I must acknowledge my self to be singular and alone in the Notion, having consulted some Learned Expositors upon the place, and found none that take any notice of it; but, as those that repair to them know that is no strange nor unusual case, therefore I will with humble modesty communicate my thoughts to you, and submit them to the judgment of such as are able; I look upon these latter words not only as Predictory, foretelling what the Event would be, what his command would produce, and how it would work, but also Promissory, and so securing that good and desireable issue. Abraham will teach his Children, and his Houshold after him, and saith God, they shall keep the way of the Lord, since Abraham will do his Duty, I will succeed and prosper him in the doing of it; he shall not lose his labour, nor take pains to no purpose. The truth is, God will not suffer his faithful Servants to be totally disappointed, and lye down in their shame at last; let things issue how they will they shall not lose their reward; in their Duty they shall have peace, their endeavours shall be accepted, and themselves shall be admitted into their Masters joy. Though Israel be not gathered, p. 82yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength, Isa. 49.5. but very often God gives them to see the desires of their hearts, so that they attain the end which they propounded to themselves, as here, since Abraham will see to it that his Children and his Household be taught, God would see to it, that they should learn and practice what they were taught. He would set up the worship of God in his Family, and maintain it there as long as he liv'd; and God would so influence and order their Spirits, that they should keep it up after him, they should love and honour and serve God after his example, and after he was dead and gone, godliness should be posteritiz'd in his Family.

V. This one thing is the High-way to a Blessing, to have the favour of God, together with the pleasant fruits of that favour, do but you in the sincerity of your hearts, and from a gracious Principle perform your Family duties, and set up the worship of God there, and you may comfortably expect that God in his great goodness and mercy will pour down his blessing upon your Families, and make your Family a blessing unto you.

First, The Blessing of God shall be upon your Family, it shall be upon you who are the Parents, and Masters, and upon yours as well as you, like that precious Ointment, which being poured out upon the head of Aaron, from thence descended to the Skirts of his Garment; there is a notable place to this purpose, a place which hath a double aspect, a terrible frowning one upon the wicked, but a smiling and comfortable one to the godly, Prov. 3.33. The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked, but he blesseth the Habitation of the Iust. Let us well consider this Scripture, The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked; he doth not say the Curse is impendent, and p. 83hangs over it, nor that it is at the door, ready to draw the latch, but it is already in, it hath made its entry, and taken possession: and as it is in it, it spreads and goes all over it, it goes into every room, and mingles it self with every thing there, it lights and abides upon the man, and upon all that he hath; if you go into the Mans House, you may possibly see what will dazle your eyes, there is costly Furniture, Rich Hangings, Great Cupboard-Heads of Plate, Garments of Silk, Sattin, and Velvet wrought with Gold, Tables spread with variety of the greatest Dainties, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 73. They have more than heart can wish, but there is no fear of God there, instead of that, there is a great deal of debauchery, and prophaneness, ranting, roaring, gaming, healthing, cursing, swearing, obscene filthy talk, and as foul actions; Hell it self is broke out, there is the smoak, the fumes of that bottomless pit, and there is the curse of God too; that Flying-Roul mention'd Ezek. 5.2. the length whereof is twenty Cubits, and the breadth thereof ten, and saith that Text, it shall enter into the house, and remain there, it takes up its abode, and it is not idle and unactive, works indeed gradually, and oftentimes insensibly, no body perceives it, but it works effectually, it shall consume the House with the Timber and Stones thereof; it hath strong and sharp teeth, that can bite stones in pieces, Psal. 37.35, 36. I have seen the Wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green Bay-Tree, yet he passed away, and loe! he was not▪ yea, I sought him, but loe! he could not be found.

But let us go to the other part of the Text, and see what report that makes us, He blesseth the Habitation of the Righteous. Observe now, there is righteousness in the habitation, a good man dwells there, and out of the good Treasure of his heart he brings p. 84forth good things, there hath been a gracious Principle Divinely inspired into him, and it is his desire and endeavour to act suitably to that Principle; in his House you may see not only sobriety, but also righteousness towards Man; and yet more than so, there is godliness, a making conscience of performing all that duty which they owe to God; now as there is righteousness, there is a blessing there too, God hath blessed that man, and his house, in turning them from their iniquities, in giving them such a Spirit, and that blessing doth abide, it shall never be revok'd, nor revers'd. God will say in this case, as Isaac did with respect to Iacob, Gen. 27.33. I have blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed; and that is not all neither, the Text saith, He blesseth his habitation; he hath not only done it, but he goeth on still to do it, the old blessing remains firm and valid, and God is pleased to add new ones to it, and will continue doing so, till he at last be what Moses said of Nepthali, Deut. 33.23. satisfied with favour, and full of the blessing of the Lord, what may we not say of such an House, Godliness is there, and God himself will be there too, for he is nigh unto all that call upon him, that call upon him in truth. He looks upon others afar off, and keeps his distance, but he is near these, he stands at their right hand, he dwells in them, and with them in their heart and house, and where ever he dwells, the house is the better for him, he always brings enough with him to make him welcom. He saith peace be to this house, and mercy be to this house, yea, and salvation be to this house; he will quiet this house when there is a storm, and comfort it when there is trouble, and uphold it when it is sinking, and repair it when under decays, and shine upon it, and prosper it. Seeing it is a Religious house, God will make it a comfortable p. 85house, seeing the incense of Prayer goeth up from the house to Heaven; a shower of blessing shall come down from Heaven upon the house, a variety of duties shall be accompanied with a variety of mercies, and a succession of duties crown'd with a succession of blessings; as day unto day shews mindfulness and night unto night gratitude, so day unto day on Gods part, shall shew his love, and night unto night his faithfulness. Not but that in those very Families where there are most holy exercises, there may be many afflictive exercises. Davids house was not as the clear Sun-shine, or a Morning without Clouds; there are among his dearest Children Iniquities and Transgressions; and notwithstanding the everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, into which God hath entered with them; he hath reserved to himself the liberty of visiting those iniquities with the Rod, and those Transgressions with Stripes, yet this doth not hinder their blessedness. Though afflictions may and do come in, yet they cannot crowd or shut the blessing out. Iacob met with a great deal of trouble, nevertheless the blessing remained upon him. Nay, God will take such special care of his People, as that the very Rod shall blossom with Love, and their afflictions shall be turn'd into advantages, out of the Eater shall come Meat; that which devours their comforts, shall feed their graces, the gains shall make a full, yea abundant amends for the loss; and whatever their apprehensions for the present may be, while they smart and are in pain, yet the day shall come wherein they shall be reconciled to the darkest and most severe dispensations. when they shall see, yea and feel cause with thankfulness to own that Gods smitings were a kindness, and that his rebukes were an excellent Oyl, that instead of breaking the head, did better the heart.

p. 86Secondly, This is the way to have the Covenant made good to you, and an accomplishment of the Promises, which are more worth than all the gold of Ophir, or the riches of both the Indies. To this purpose that calls for our consideration, which God spake concerning Abraham in that place, to which we have twice already had occasion to have our recourse, Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Servants after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement; and if he and they do so, they will do well, but what then? what will he get by it? read the very next words, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him; if Abraham would be careful of his duty, God would magnifie his mercy upon him. Obedience to Precepts is followed with the performance of promises: but what was it that God had spoken of him? it was good, much, considerable, very great and admirable things which God had spoken. That he would make of him a great Nation, that he would make his name great, that he would bless him, and make him a blessing; that he would bless them that blessed him, and curse them that cursed him, and that in him all the Families of the Earth should be blessed, Gen. 12.2, 3. in thee, i. e. in thy Seed, in Christ who shall come of that according to the flesh, shall all be blessed, for Christ came to bless them in turning them from their iniquities, in making peace for them with God, and bringing them back to God. Now, saith God, Abraham in this way will make all these my promises sure to him, he will prevent any obstacles and rubs from being in their way, Abraham will be dear over my interest, and name, and glory, he will exalt and honour me in his family, he will breed and train them up for me, he will use his Authority for me, and lay his command upon them to p. 87fear me, and to keep my way, and therefore I will be as good as my word to him, of all that which I have spoken concerning him, not one tittle shall fail. I beseech you take notice and remember it, that a care to promote the interest and honour of God, the setting up the service and worship of God in your Families, is the way to bring over to you the good of the Promises. The Apostle Peter tells us that the Promises are exceeding great and precious, so great that we cannot measure them, we cannot grasp them in our understandings; they are so great, that they contain Heaven and Earth in them, and all good things, and they are so precious, that you cannot rate them according to their worth; we may easily overvalue our selves, and the enjoyments here below, that is done everyday, but we cannot over-value promises; and would you not, my dear Friends, be heartily glad of an interest in them, and being able to lay a just claim to them, would you not be glad to go to the whole heap of promises, and with the arms of faith sweep them up, and say these are all mine own, these are the good things my God hath given me, these are those pleasant places in which my lines are fallen? In a word, would you not be glad at heart if all these exceeding great and precious promises should empty themselves and unlade all their treasures into your bosoms? I doubt not but you would, am sure you have reason, and if you would, your best and only way is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to serve and honour God in your personal and domestick Capacities, and then,

Thirdly; As this is the way to bring down a blessing from God upon you and upon your Families, so it is the way to make your Families a blessing to you, and your Children a blessing to you. Oh, how sweet and desirable p. 88a thing is this! What a comfort is it to Prarents to have such Children as are their Comfolts, their Joy and Crown? such Children as are blest themselves, and blessings unto them, when so many are their poor Parents grief and sorrow, their curse and shame, of whom them cannot think without a sigh, on whom they cannot look without indignation? Children, who fill their Parents lives with bitterness, and make them a lamentation thoroughout, and at last bring down their gray Hairs with sorrow to the Grave? Children, that while young, were their Parents hope and joy, but when they were grown up, became first the Companions of Fools, and then foolish themselves, and so prove Thorns in the sides of their Parents, and Pricks in their Eyes. I know, you that are Parents would not have your Children such; it is your duty to love them, and unless you have cast off all good nature, you do love them, and would rejoyce in them and over them to do them good. Now this is one special way for the bringing it to pass; Prov. 20.3. The just man walketh his integrity; his Children are blessed after him. Here is a good Man, and he chuseth to walk in a good way. Dr. Iermin in his Paraphrastical Meditations upon the place hath these words; There are several Walks of Men in this World, one walketh in his pleasure as it were in the walks of a Garden, another walketh in his profit, and he walketh as it were up and down the Exchange, another walketh in his trouble, and he walketh as it were in a Wood; another walketh in his poverty, and he walketh as it were in a Desart; another walketh in his beastly lusts of drunkenness and uncleannness, and he delighteth to walk as it were in mire and dirt; but the just man walketh in his integrity, and he walketh as it were in the holy Temple, but that his walk is to walk still on, and not to turn back till he come to the p. 89end of his Life. Much care is taken and many means are used that men may leave their Children in an happy condition, but he that walketh in his integrity takes the most proper, compendious and effectual course to bring himself to blessedness, and his Posterity too; so saith the wisest of men in this Text; His Children are blessed after him. Supposing that they tread in his steps, and walk in their integrity, as he had done in his before them. And Children blessed of God are their Parents blessings, and will be the joy of their hearts, and the staff of their Age; yea and Servants may be blessings also to the Families in which they live; and therefore are not to be slighted, nor opprest, nor abused. You read in the word of Truth, that the house of Laban was blessed for the sake of Iacob, and the Master how bad and unjust soever he had been in other things, was ingenuous in acknowledging he had by experience found it so. And the like is recorded of the House of Potiphar; Gen. 39.5. It came to pass, from the time that he had made him Overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake, and the Lords's blessing was upon all that he had both in the house and in the field. Now teaching them the knowledge and fear of God by your instructions, and alluring them to the practice of Godliness by your Religious Examples, together with prayer, is the way to make yours such.

VI. To set up the Worship and Service of God in your Families, is an excellent way to get and maintain peace in your own bosoms while you live; and how sweet that is those do very well know, and being consulted, will tell you, who have felt the Lashes of an enraged Conscience, and a Worm within gnawing and tearing them day and night. What would not such poor Creatures give? what would they not do to be delivered p. 90from the frights it puts them in, and the pain it causeth? And I must needs say, it is in my account just matter of wonder how any body can, and that any one of those do enjoy themselves a day, an hour, who live in the constant and shameful neglect of God their Maker, and of their duty this way. Methinks there should be always Nemesis à tergo, a dreadful sound in their Ears, they should be ashamed and blush to think of God, or lift up their faces toward Heaven, ashamed to look Man in the face, since they have so far put off Man, as to neglect the great Work of Man; ashamed to shew their heads in their own houses, where they live like so many brutes, contrary to the dictates of Nature, and where the very stones and timber may be swift and loud witness against them. Methinks they should never see Wife, nor Child, nor Servant, without such bitter reflections as these, these poor creatures have a love for me, but they have a cause to hate me: now they shew me respect, but the day will come when they will curse me, for they are like to be undone by me. I bring them up in Ignorance, Irreligion, and Atheism, I live without God in the World, and so do they, through my means they are not like to come at last to Heaven, because they do not walk in the way that leads thither, and it is my fault, who do not teach them that way, nor go before them in it. I am a bloody Husband to my Wife, an unnatural Father to my Children, a cruel Master to my Servants; when their Parents bound them to me, they did little think what a wretch I am, I do not take any care of their precious and immortal Souls; and indeed, how can it be thought that they should be kind and compassionate towards the Souls of others, who are cruel to their own; it is p. 91not likely Charity should be active abroad, when it doth not begin at home.

Methinks such Persons as these should every day feel a tormenting sting within them, and go up and down in pain, and that their Consciences should be very uneasie, and often in a day reproaching them, and flinging dirt in their faces, yea flashing Hell Fire in them. I do not wonder that many of these Men do not care to be alone, not much at home but love to be abroad with their boon Companions as bad as themselves, among whom they may lay their Trouble with their Liquor; but they will get but little by this, this is but casting Conscience into a sleep for a time, that will awake again and rouze and roar; when they come to themselves Conscience will return to its work, and strike up again. Is this thy Love to her that lies in thy bosom? dost thou dwell with her as a Man of knowledge, or an Heir of the Grace of Life? are these thy bowels to thy Children which came out of thy Loins? hast thou a mind to bring them up for the destroyer, and to be fewel for everlasting burnings? And is this thy mercy to thy Servants? didst thou take them to corrupt them? if they had any good thing in them toward the Lord God of Hosts, wouldst thou utterly quench it? and if they were bad, thou takest a course to make them seven times more the Children of the Devil than before. Thou wouldest have them, O Man! please thee, and wilt thou not shew them how they may walk so as to please God? Thou wouldest have them to mind thy Shop, and wilt not thou mind their Souls? Thou wouldst have them take pains in thy House, but thou wilt take none for their Welfare and Salvation. It is far better to be such persons Horses and Dogs, than to be their Children and Servants, for then they would be better look'd p. 92after. And this I doubt not but I may safely affirm, if such Men as these have any peace in such a way as this, they are either grosly ignorant, and know not the Judgment of the Lord, nothing of Religion to purpose; or they are very Atheists, such in Judgment as well as in Practice, or their Consciences are fear'd as with an hot Iron, or wholly benumm'd, are cast into a profound sleep, and have no fear of God before their Eyes. And let them know, that sooner or latter, the present Calm will be followed with a most terrible Storm; the Wrath of God, and the Rage of Conscience will cause it, and that will blow away all your comforts, and throw down all your hopes, and who can tell but it may carry you to Hell with the People that forget God?

But on the other side, an hearty Love to the Name, Honour and Interest of God, and the setting up of his Worship and Service in your Families, from such an excellent and holy Principle is the direct and ready way to a sweet inward peace, the way to have a Calm, and Serenity in your Souls, though the Clouds may be black, and the Storms great which are upon your Tabernacles. Let things issue how they will in your Families, as to your Children and Servants, whether they do get good or no, whether they go to Heaven or to Hell; yet this will be a quieting and comforting consideration to you, that you in some good measure have done your duty. I have been much taken with those words of Samuel to Israel, after they had rejected the Lord from being King over them, and he had made Saul King; 1 Sam. 12.23. As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. O! do you so, my dear Friends, let it be the same with you; set this excellent Copy before you, and write after it, frequently p. 93considering with your selves, what an hearty reviving Cordial it will be when you are able to say to your Families, Blessed be God, I have not ceased to pray for you, many a Petition I have put up, and many a Tear I have shed in my Closet, nor have I ceased to pray with you; your selves are my Witnesses, how frequent and earnest a Suitor I have been to God on your behalf. I have been pleading and wrestling every day, morning and evening; and I have also been teaching you the good and the right way, that of Truth and Holiness, that of God's Commandments, the Scripture way which is good, because it is clean, and pure, and right; because it brings to Heaven and Happiness all those that travel and are undefiled in it: And yet further, it will make the Cordial much more strong, and prove a singular addition to your comfort, when you are able to say, I have not only shewn and taught you that good and right way, but I have likewise taken you by the hand, and led you into it. You and I have had a communion in holy Duties. We have gone to the House God in company, and at home we have walked in the way of God in company. How chearfully may you converse together, and go about the work and business of the day after you have in the morning offered up your Sacrifice unto God; and how may you at night part with one another in peace, and lye down to rest in your Beds, after you have desir'd the spreading of the Divine Wing over you, and committed your selves to the protection of that God who is the Keeper of Israel, and doth neither slumber nor sleep. If there be not wilful commission of known sins, nor a wilful omission of other known duties, but a sincere desire and endeavour of approving your selves to God in all holy Conversation, a due and constant care of performing Family-duties will afford you great peace, p. 94so that nothing need to offend you. And let me add this, that constancy in this work will be a soveraign Antidote against many of those things that cause convulsions, and broils, and disorders in too many houses. What passions are there in them, and how unruly and exorbitant, by which all is put into a flame? What discontents, what animosities, what quarrels and contentions, that people are so far from enjoying one another, that they cannot enjoy themselves? by means whereof the nearness of the Relation becomes a great aggravation of the affliction; but joynt-fellowship in Family-duties and execises of Religion, may very much help in this case, both to the purpose of preventing those feuds, if you do but consider that of the Apostle; 1 Tim. 2.8. I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. As you must pray in Faith, so in Love. You must not in wrath pray to him that is the God of Love. It will also help to the repairing of a breach, and healing of a wound, when there is one made; if you duly consider that of our Saviour; Matth. 5.23, 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Reconciliation must go before supplication, if we would have audience with God. How can you think your Father should be pleased if you live at variance with his Children? Peter would have Love between Husband and Wife, that their prayers might not be hindered; 1 Pet. 3.7. They that quarrel together, will not be fit to pray together. Observe Iames his method laid down for general observance among Christians; Iam. 5.16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. Seek peace with one another by confession, and then peace with God by prayer.

p. 95But to return, this Family-serving of God will promote inward peace in them that are Governours; it cannot but be a comfort to you to think, that while other houses have been the sink of sin, yours have been the dwelling places of the most High. Others have been Bethavens, houses of vanity, yours have been Bethels, the houses of God; in others there hath been the serving of divers lusts, and fellowship with Devils, and the unfruitful works of darkness, but in yours there hath been the serving of God, and a fellowship kept up with the Father and with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. In a word, while other houses have been the Synagogues of Satan, yours have been the Temples of the Living God, and the Churches of Christ. As we do find godly Religious Families dignified in the Scriptures, and honoured with the illustrious name of Churches. Thus Paul, Rom. 16.3. bids them greet Priscilla and Aquila his helpers in Christ Iesus; and also verse 5. the Church that was in their house. And again in Col. 4.15. He ordered them to salute Nymphas, and the Church that was in his house; i. e. the Family which was Christian and Godly; and besides their joyning together in Manual Labour and houshold business, did unite and joyn together in the Worship and Service of God. And I have read that in the last Century before this, the House of George Prince of Anhalt, for the good Orders that were observed therein, was said to be Ecclesia, a Church for the Religion in it, Academia, an University for the Learning in it, as well as Curia, a Court, for the grandure and state of it. And if you your selves are of God, and have in you any real goodness, it will be your comfort to have such Families also. The Apostle Iohn that beloved Disciple who lay in the bosom of our Lord, and there contracted an holy heat, in his Epistle to the Elect Lady, tells her, He rejoyced p. 96greatly when he found of her Children walking in the Truth. It must needs then be as great, if not a greater joy to you to see your own Children walking in the Truth. For you Fathers, to see the Children that you begat, and you Mothers, to see the Children that you brought forth, and that both of you brought up with so much care, and tenderness, and cost, walking with God, and going on Heaven-ward. The same blessed Apostle in his third Epistle which he sent to Gaius his Host, saith, I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in Truth. By them he meant those that were his Spiritual Children, that he had begotten unto God by the Gospel. And it is indeed a very great comfort and joy to all the Faithful Ministers of Christ, to see that they have not run in vain, nor laboured in vain; that the precious Seed which they have sown hath taken root in some of their Hearers hearts, so that they are turned to the Wisdom of the Just, and to the Faith of the Gospel, and brought over unto God, and then that there is not only an embracing of the Truth, but a walking in the Truth, a coming under the power of the Gospel, and a living up to the Rules of he Gospel; a sound Conversion at the first, and ever after a suitable Conversation; for in this Ministers have their great end, in this they have the Seal of their Ministry; these persons are now their hope, and they will be their Ioy and Crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming; yea, for the present they are their Glory and Ioy; 1 Thes. 2.19, 20. Now I say, if this doth afford so much joy to godly Ministers, to see their Spiritual Children walking in the Truth, that they have no Joy in the World comparable to it; surely we may conclude, that the Joy of gracious and holy Parents must needs equal, if not exceed it, when they see their Families, their Servants, especially their own natural Children walking in the p. 97Truth of God, and in the Waies of God, and chearfully engaging together with them in the Service of God, counting none of his Commands grievous, but his Yoke easie, and his Burden light.

VII. The setting up of the Worship of God in your Families, and a faithful performance of Religious Duties there, is the way to prepare you for a dying well; the way to die in peace, and with comfort, and with an holy confidence to resign up, and commit your Souls unto God as to a faithful Creator. He that hath walked with God in his integrity in this World, need not fear any evil, when the time is come for his walking in the Valley of the shadow of Death, for there God will be with him, and there his Rod and his Staff shall comfort him; Psal. 23.4.

First; You must die; I need not tell you that for your information, though you have need to hear of it often for the promoting of your preparation. Too many put far away the evil day, though it be at the very door, and live as if they were to live always; but the Scripture hath told us, It is appointed unto all men once to die; Heb. 9.27. This is God's Appointment, his Order and Decree which shall not be reversed; what God hath appointed, man cannot avoid. We must all die once, and it is our great concern and wisdom to make sure that we shall not die twice, that over us the second death shall have no power; that the first will, experience plainly proves. We see persons die, though at several Ages, and in various manners, yet one after another they drop into the Grave, which is the House for all the Living; and when our turn comes, we also must among the rest take up our abode there until the Morning of the Resurrection. Now since we all must of necessity die, our business is to make as sure as we can of dying well. Many are for an easie death, but I would have you be for an happy death. It is indeed difficult p. 98and troublesom to croud thorow a strait and narrow Gate, but it is no great matter though you be pinched, and pained, and greatly put to it for a while, so that you find it an entrance into the glorious Kingdom of your God and Saviour. But then know,

Secondly; Those that neglect duty cannot rationally expect to die comfortably. How can they think to be admitted into the Joy of their Lord, who have been unfaithful in their little, and hid their Talents in a Napkin? They that have lived without God in the World, and in the neglect of him, it will be very hard and unpleasant to them to think of departure hence, and going into the othe World, where if they have not God welcoming, delighting and satisfying them, they shall meet with nothing but misery and torments; if they are not admitted into the bosom of his Love, they shall be thrown into the flames of his Wrath. How was it possible that the unprofitable Servant could look his Master in the face with any comfort? he had all along hard thoughts of him, and in the end no hope of any good from him. He had been indeed intrusted with a Talent, but though he had not embezzeld and squandred it away, yet he buried it, it lay dead upon his hand, there was no improvement of it for his Masters Interest, and by that means he undid himself for ever. The losing of his time was no less than the losing of his Soul. Every one of you, my Friends, that is the Master or the Mistress of a Family, have a Talent committed to you by the great God, and for it you must be accountable; there is a day coming wherein your Lord will reckon with his Servants; what other Talents you have, of Knowledge, Gifts, Interest, Estate, and the like, you know best; but for certain you have a Talent of Power and Authority put into your hands, you had need be very careful p. 99how you manage it; let me ask you, what do you do with your Talent? What do you do? Ask your selves the question, if you do not serve your Generation according to the Will of God. If you do not Trade with your Talent for the honour and glory of God, you will be cast into outer darkness, where you shall have torment and sorrow enough; here you had business enough which you would not do, there you shall have misery enough from which you shall not escape; here you will not give glory to God in an holy activity for him, hereafter he will extort it from you in a way of Vindicative Justice; if you will not apply your selves to praying and reading the holy Scriptures, with the teaching and instructing of your Children and Servants in the things of God, you may well tremble to think of fiery indignation, and of the dismal effects of it, weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth, which will be the portion of your Cup to all Eternity, unless you do seasonably repent, and reform, and make your peace with God, for what reason have they to promise themselves a comfortable Reward, who do now live in the neglect of their Duty. But then on the other side,

Thirdly; When your Hearts have been upright with God, and sound in his Statutes, and walked (as David resolved to do) within your Houses with a perfect Heart, and behaved your selves wisely in a perfect way; then you need not tremble at the nearest approaches of the King of Terrours. It is indeed a solemn thing to die, and as it is a taking the compositum in pieces, as it is the parting of those two old Friends, the Soul and Body, which had lived together long in great intimacy, and close union, Nature startles at it, and they seldom are divided without an agony and struggling. But yet such a Person as I have now described need p. 100not fear, but as he can look back with comfort, so he may look forward with boldness, as Paul did, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7 8. I am now ready to be offer'd, and the time of my departure is at hand. Well, Paul, thou art now ready to be gone, but what didst thou do while thou wast here? I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; and what dost thou now please thy self with? That hencefort there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God the righteous Iudge will give unto me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them that love his appearing; and who are they that can love his appearing as a Iudge? surely none but they that have been obedient to his commands, and done his work as he was their Lord and Master; when you have served your Generation according to his Will, you may be as willing to fall asleep as a weary Man is at Night after a hard days labour, when he hath finished his work; in short, when you have been faithful in your little, much more when you have been always abounding in the work of the Lord, you may be sure that your labour shall not be in vain, but you shall receive your reward, even that Gift of God which is Eternal Life. To this purpose I would have you consider two things.

First; The account our Lord and Saviour could give of himself, and what thereupon he did expect and ask of his Father. Both these we meet with in Iohn 17.4.5. The account which he could give of himself was this, Father, I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. He glorified his Father in and by finishing his work. Now let it be your care and mine to tread in the steps of our Lord, and to write after so excellent a Copy set us by so great a Person, and so dear a Saviour; though we cannot equal him, that is a thing impossible p. 101for us poor weak sinful Creatures to do, yet let us imitate him as much and as far as we can, and the good Lord help us so to do; and if we will up and be doing God will be with us. Will you therefore endeavour it? Oh do, glorifie God upon earth; you have too much dishonour'd him by your sins against him, by your disobedience to him, by your preferring worthless trifles, broken cisterns, lying vanities before him; mend now, and for the future make it your business to glorifie him; you were made for that, it was the end of your Creation; you were sent hither into the World for that, whatever other business your hand findeth here to do, this is the main and principal, this doth deserve and call for your best thoughts, and utmost diligence, and do you glorifie him by finishing the work which he hath given you to do. There is none of you, but God hath given work; as he casts your Lines, and carves your Portions, so he hath cut out your work: I beseech you, study it, labour to know what it is; and knowing it, mind it, set about it speedily without delay, and follow it close, neglect no part of it, but finish it as far as you are able; you cannot do all, because so much of your time is already lost, and your strength is so much impair'd, and corruptions do so greatly clog you, and your spiritual and carnal Enemies will so resist and hinder you that you cannot do all you should, and will need pardon for your miscarriages and failings in what you do; yet do all that you can, not only the work of your general Calling as you are Christians, but also the work of every particular place, station and relation in which the Divine Providence hath set you; whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastick, Publick or Domestick. Art thou a Sheriff of Justice in the Countrey, a Mayor, Alderman, a Common-Council-Man or Constable p. 102in the City? Do thou the duty of thy Place. Art thou a Minister of the Gospel? Do thou thine. Preach the Word, be instant in Season and out of Season; art thou a Child, a Servant? Be thou obedient, industrious, faithful: art thou an Husband, a Wife, a Parent, a Master or Mistress, the Head and Governour of a Family? Do thou thine. Walk within thy House with a perfect Heart, rule in the fear of God. He that is not good in his Relation, is not good at all; he that is not a good Husband, a good Master, is not a good Man; much of the power of godliness doth consist and discover it self in the performance of Relative Duties, See then that much of your care be employed about this, and see that your places be not empty of Duty, nor your Families void of Religion.

Now observe what our Savior did hereupon expect and say, Father glorifie th…u me with thy own self: Here hath been my work, where now is my glory? So when you have finished the work which God gave you to do, when you have walked with God, and lived to God, when you have improved your Interest, your Power, and your All for God, then you may say, Father do thou accept of me, and receive me, and glorifie thou me, my work is done, now let me have my rest, always remembring that you are not to expect this upon the score of Merit, but only as a Reward of Grace; for our Lord hath taught us to call our selves unprofitable Servants, when we have done all that is commanded us; what are we then now we fall so short, and perfect not one piece of work that is put into our hands?

Secondly; Consider that good account which the Prophet gives of those good Men whom after a Life of Service God takes away from hence; would you know what becomes of them, whither it is that p. 103they go, into what state they are put? He tells you, Isa. 57.2. They enter into peace, they rest in their beds, every one walking in his uprightness, i. e. every one having walked in his uprightness while he was here; they professed Religion, and were true to that Profession; they owned the Interest of God, yea, and to their power they served that Interest; they have studied uprightness and integrity; they have been faithful to God in their Generation, and in their several places, and when such do come to die, they have no reason to be afraid of dying, no reason for them to draw back, and be unwilling to go; say to them it shall be well with them, they shall enter into peace, into a compleat and perfect peace; they shall live in peace, and enjoy themselves in peace, they were here sometimes fear round about, buth henceforth they shall be peace round about, and they shall rest in their Beds. Poor hearts! they had but a little rest while they were here, a great many fears, and a great deal of care, and but a little rest; alas! it was broken and disturbed by Enemies without, and by Sins within; Head and Heart were discompos'd and out of order, at sometimes there is no soundness in their flesh, nor rest in their bones, Psal. 38.3. But when once Death hath cast them into their last sleep, they shall have placidam quietem, a sweet and pleasant rest; their Bodies for a time, and but for a time, in a Bed of Dust, for that is not intended for the place of their abode, they only Inn there by the way, yet it is made easie for them, and safe, and perfum'd, for it is the place where the Lord himself lay; but their precious and immortal Souls shall rest for ever in a Bed of Spices, in a Bed of Love, in the Bosom of Abraham, in the Arms of Jesus, Rev. 14.13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; not only the Martyrs that die for him, but all Believers that die p. 104in him, in the Faith of Christ, in obedience to him, in a state of Union to him, and Communion with him, for their works do follow them, all their works of Charity, and all their works of Piety, all the good they have done abroad in the World, and all the good they have done at home in their Families, none shall be forgotten, none dropt nor lost by the way, but all shall follow them, and in Heaven meet them in great, glorious and inconceivable Rewards, so that the Lord Jesus shall be both glorified in them, and admired by them.

VIII. You having made it your work and business to serve and worship God in and with your Families, and brought them cheerfully to join with you therein, you may leave them with the far greater hope, and by consequence with the greater comfort. And while they are mourning, and sighing, and weeping, because they must now part with you; yet you may be glad and rejoice, because hereafter you shall meet with them in a better place and state; and here again take into your Consideration these few things.

First; That all these things must be dissolved. You now see it is so as to many of these things, and believe it will be so as to all the rest. Death doth travel up and down, and mows people down apace, and will pursue his bloody work till he had snapt asunder the nearest and dearest Relations, broken up all Houses, and put an end to Families. It would not by wise persons be counted incongruous at a Marriage-feast to have a Death's-head set upon the Board, nor to dash your sweetest Contentments and Delights with dying Thoughts; think, my Friend, often think that Husbands and Wives must part, the Conjugal Knot shall be loosed, Parents and Children must part, sooner or later, but how soon none of us do know; the great God, in whose Hand p. 105our Times are, that lock'd that up among his Treasures, and no Man hath a Key to let him into the knowledge of it; the certainty of the thing doth engage us to diligence, and our ignorance of the time is a strong Argument for our doubling of that diligence.

Secondly; That will be a very sad parting which will be in despair. As they must needs mourn bitterly who mourn without hope; so they must needs die dismally who die without hope; and what can be thought more likely than that such will be the death of those, who in the days of their Health and Prosperity have forgotten God, and liv'd without him in the World, who have made it their work to sin together, and to dishonour God together, and profane his Name and abuse his good Creatures together? If these believe there is a God, and a Resurrection, and a Judgment to come, in which all Persons shall receive according to what they have done in the Body, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, they may have such thoughts as these forcibly breaking in upon them. I and my Family, after we have lain a while and slept in the Dust, shall rise again, and we shall meet again, but where? Oh where shall we meet? We shall meet at the Judgment Seat of Christ, there to hear that Condemning Sentence pronounced upon us, Go ye cursed: we shall meet in Hell, where we must make our Eternal abode; we shall meet in Torments, which will be both intolerable and eternal, that so as we have sinned together, we may smart together, and burn together in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, and that which will render these thoughts more grievous and painful to them may be this; that their Children and Servants coming thither will be the aggravation of their own misery, since they were p. 106so much the cause of it, which as some think was the great, nay only reason why the rich Glutton, (of whom you read in Luke 16.) being in Hell was so unwilling that his Five Brethren should come into that place of Torments; it was not out of good nature, and love to them, for there is no such thing in Hell, it was not out of a desire to prevent their misery, but the aggravating of his won, he having contributed so much to their ruin and destruction by his vile and wicked Example. But then,

Thirdly; Those of you who can at a dying hour look upon your Relations as having walked with you in the ways of God, likely to follow you into a blessed Eternity, may leave them with joy. All of you that have made God your choice, and his glory your end, that have made Religion your principal business, and Family-duty your work, and been constant in the dispatch of it, you may part with comfort, and leave one another with joy; though there will be a shower, Bowels will yearn, and Love will melt the Heart, and make it drop Tears, yet there need be no storm within; you that are Parents may commit them to God, whom you brought up for him, and so rejoice in hope that though you leave them behind you, yet they will not leave that God to whom you are going; but though they stay behind in a wicked World, which is full of snares and dangers, bad Company, bad Examples and Temptations, yet since you have by Faith and Prayer committed them to him, they shall graciously be kept by his power, through Faith unto Salvation; and that the Counsels you have given have made an abiding impression upon them; and the Seed which you have sown shall not be lost, but spring up and bring forth fruit, and when you are dead and gone they will continue and proceed to practice as they have been taught, p. 107and they will know, love, and fear the God of their Fathers, and serve him with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind; you may hope, that of all that which hath been by you said and done something will stick. The Heathen could say,