Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 3 · Section 7
SECT. 7.
7. Let Gods mercy in preſerving your houſes from this Fire, cauſe you to dedicate your houſes unto God. When God gave David a peaceable and ſetled habitation, he dedicated his houſe unto the Lord, and compoſed the thirtieth Pſalm at the dedication of it, which beareth this title, A Pſalm, and Song at the dedication of the houſe of David. Some conceive this dedication to have been after God put an end to his wanderings, by reaſon of Sauls perſecuting of him, and gave him a ſetled habitation in Jeruſalem. Others think it refers to his returning to his houſe after he had been driven from it by Abſalom. Whenſoever the time was that he made this dedication, it may teach us thus much, that when it pleaſeth God to give us quiet, and ſetled, and comfortable habitations, we ſhould by way of gratitude dedicate our houſes unto God. Thoſe mercies which we receive from the Lord, we ſhould return back again unto him: as Hannah when ſhe had obtained a ſon, giveth him unto God, 1 Sam. 1.28. He whom I have obtained by petition, ſhall be returned (ſo 'tis rendred in the Margin) unto the Lord as long as he liveth. If any ask, How ſhould we dedicate our Houſes to God? I anſwer,
1. Reform and cleanſe your houſes, put away iniquity far from your Tabernacles, if you be purpoſed to conſecrate them unto God, Job 22.23. We muſt not vow and ſacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing, leſt we bring a curſe upon our ſelves rather than a bleſſing, Mal. 1.14. Curſed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. If there were any thing of fraud and unrighteouſneſs in building or purchaſing your houſes, make ſatisfaction to your neighbour before you give your houſes to God, Iſa. 61.8,8. I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery forburnt offering, Humble your ſelves for whatever ſins either you or your predeceſſors have committed in your houſes, whereby they have been defiled; for ſin defileth not only a mans perſon, but the place where he dwelleth, Lev. 18.27,28. Jer. 2.7.
2. If you would dedicate your houſes to God, let holineſs to the Lord be written upon your houſes, and upon all perſons that dwell in them, and upon all affairs that are tranſacted in your houſes: You know it is ſaid, Pſal. 93.5. Holineſs becometh thy houſe, O Lord, for ever. If therefore you would give your houſes to God, let thoſe that are the maſters of the houſe in the firſt place look unto themſelves, that they be holy in all manner of converſation, and follow the example of David, Pſal. 101.2,3,4. I will walk within my houſe with a perfect heart, I will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn aſide, it ſhall not cleave to me. A froward heart ſhall depart from me. Then endeavour to bring your Children, and your Servants, and all that live in your houſes, to ſerve God in holineſs and righteouſneſs, Joſh. 24.15. As for me and my houſe, we will ſerve the Lord. Endeavour to get godly ſervants into your houſes, or at leaſt to make them ſuch after they are come under your roof, Pſal. 101.6,7. Mine eyes ſhall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he ſhall ſerve me; he that worketh deceit, ſhall not dwell within my houſe; he that telleth lyes, ſhall not tarry in my ſight. Let holineſs be written not only upon all perſons, but upon all your houſhold affairs. Be holy in your eating and drinking, govern your Children and Servants, and follow your Calling in an holy manner; entertain all that come to your houſes in a godly ſort: In a word, be holy in all manner of converſation, and do not think this to be too great preciſeneſs, for 'tis no more than what is commanded, 1 Pet. 1.15. As he which hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation. God would have us ſo eminently holy in managing our civil employments, that all that converſe with us may ſee holineſs ſo evidently in what we do, as if it were written upon our employments, Zech. 14.20,21. In that day ſhall there be upon the bells of the horſes, holineſs unto the Lord; and the pots in the Lords houſe ſhall be like the bouls before the Altar; yea, every pot in Jeruſalem and in Judah ſhall be holineſs to the Lord of Hoſts.
3. Suffer none that come to, or dwell in your houſes, to ſpeak, or do any thing that may tend to the diſhonour of God; but endeavour as much as in you lieth, to glorifie God your ſelves, and to bring all that live with you; ſo to ſpeak, and ſo to walk, as that God in all things may be glorified, Pſal. 29.9. In his Temple doth every one ſpeak of his glory. If you would have your houſes become as it were Temples of God, you muſt ſuffer no curſing, no lying, no ſcoffing, no back-biting, no rotten communication in your houſes; but every one muſt ſpeak and walk, ſo as God may be glorified. When David dedicated his houſe to the Lord, he begins the Pſalm that he compoſed at the dedication thereof, with a purpoſe and reſolution to extol and glorifie God, Pſal. 30.1. I will extol thee, O Lord. Extol God in your hearts, extol God in all your diſcourſes, extol God in your converſations, extol God in all your wayes. After David had been delivered from the hands of his enemies, he thought it not enough to give glory to God himſelf, but calleth upon others alſo to magnifie God with him, Pſal. 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Do you follow his example, ſeeing God hath ſo graciouſly preſerved your houſes, and ſubſtance from this fire, do not only glorifie God your ſelves, but call upon your Wives, and Children, and Servants, and all that are in your Families: O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together.
4. If you would dedicate your houſes to God, make them houſes of prayer; pray with your Family every morning, and every evening: and beſides praying with your Family, go into your Cloſet, and pour out your ſouls to God in ſecret, and call to your Servants and Children to pray in ſecret, as well as to joyn in family prayer, Matth. 21.13. My houſe ſhall be called the houſe of prayer.
5. Entertain with a willing and chearful minde all Gods friends and gheſts, that he at any time ſends to your houſes: After you have dedicated your houſes to God, you ſhould be as willing to entertain Gods friends and Gods gheſts as your own. If you ask who are Gods friends, and who are his gheſts? I anſwer, 1. All godly men, John 15.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatſoever I command you. When God puts it into the hearts of any of his ſervants to come to your houſes, you ſhould moſt gladly receive them; for they leave a bleſſing behinde them, Matth. 10.41. He that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, ſhall receive a righteous mans reward. 2. All godly Miniſters; when you receive them into your houſes, the Lord Jeſus taketh it as kindly as if you received himſelf, or his Father, John 13.20. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that received whomſoever I ſend, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me. 3. Such as are ſtrangers, Matth. 25.35. I was a ſtranger, and ye took me in. Heb. 13.2. Be not forgetful to entertain ſtrangers; for thereby ſome have entertained Angels unawares. Job 31.32. The ſtranger did not lodge in the ſtreets, but I opened my doors to the traveller. 4. Such as are driven from their own Houſes, or their own Countrey for Conſcience ſake, Iſa. 16.3,4.—Hide the out-caſts, bewray not him that wandereth; let mine out-caſts dwell with thee, Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the ſpoiler. When we ſee any perſons harbourleſs that are honeſt, and well diſpoſed, we ſhould take pity on them, and receive them into our houſes, Iſa. 58.6,7. Is not this the faſt that I have choſen?—Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? and that thou bring the poor that are caſt out to thy houſe; when thou ſeeſt the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy ſelf from thine own fleſh.