A Christian Family Built by God, Title page – Dedication
A Christian FAMILY BƲILDED BY GOD, Directing all Governours of Families how to act.
1. Gods Timber and framing.
2. Gods Foundation and upper building.
3. Gods Finiſhing.
4. Gods Furniſhing.
The ſum whereof is ſhewed after the Epiſtle.
BY ROBERT ABBOTT, Paſtour of the Church of God at Auſtines, near Pauls gate in Watling-street in London.
LONDON, Printed by J. L. for Philemon Stephens, at the gilded Lion in Pauls Churchyard, 165….
TO His dearly beloved FLOCK, my good people of Auſtines near Paul's ſtump in London, ROBERT ABBOTT Their aged and unworthy Paſtour, humbly wiſheth all happineſſe, Externall, Internall, Eternall.
Dearly beloved in Chriſt our common SAVIOUR.
I Know not how little time I ſhall be with you here; nor how ſoon I ſhall goe home, and be no more ſeen. I ſpeak not this of going to another place (I am weary with tumbling;) or of not being ſeen among you here: but of going the way of all the earth, and not being ſeen after the manner of the living. The Iewes in the midſt of their worſt troubles (except the laſt) complained that they had no Prophet, none that could tell them how long. I complain not, becauſe it is an advantage not to know that time, that I may expect and prepare for it every day: but I am ſure that none, except God be pleaſed to reveal it, can tell my time of abode in this earthly Tabernacle. I have now lived two, above the great Clymacterieall year: and it is a great wonder to me, that amidſt ſo many vexations, and ſadding griefes of mind; ſo many troubles, and toſsings of body, and ſo many weakneſses of mould, and temper, I ſhould live even to this houre.
But God will have it ſo, who ſtill cuts out ſome work for me to do. I am humbly content, and doe with all chearfulneſſe ſubmit to our good God's pleaſure. Though I deſire reſt, yet I refuſe not labour at his command, or at his pointing providence.
I confeſſe that three things might put my heart upon the wing to be gone to my Chriſt; the burthen of Croſses, the burthen of the Churches afflictions, and the burthen of Impotent age: and two things might diſcourage me from any further working in this ſhop below, the contempt of the Miniſtery, and the pooreneſſe of the encouragements, that Miniſters have from the moſt that hear them.
But when I looke upon the place where God hath unexpectedly pitched me, and the loving perſons (for the greater part) over whom God hath made me an Overſeer; as I doe, from Lords day to Lords day, chearfully work for the good of your ſouls (beſides at other private opportunities to doe you good:) So am I willing (as I am able) to leave ſome teſtimoniall of my love to you, and care over you, when I have made my bed in darkneſſe. If our good God, In whoſe hands are our dayes, and wayes, ſhall adde years to my few and evill dayes, I may be able by his bleſſed aſsiſtance, to ſhew it in ſome more ſpirituall, and valuable piece. In the mean time, as I am, ſo is this little Book, which I here preſent, yours. And if it may ſet you but one ſtaff or round, in the ladder of life nearer to your happy journeyes end, I ſhall abundantly rejoyce over you, and in you.
You know that the firſt government that ever was in this world was in a Family; and the firſt diſorder that ever was in the world was in a Family; and all the diſorders that ever fell out ſince, ſprung from Families. If Families had been better, Churches and Common-wealths all along had proſpered. As we read it was in Athens of old, the boy ruled the mother, the mother ruled the father, and he ruled the whole City, and thence ſprung many diſorders which made thoſe preſent times ſick of them even to complaining: ſo hath it been in all ages, and I am ſure it hath been in ours, all we that live here groan under it ſtill, even to more then a complaint.
Had young, and old, been right ſet before they entered into a Family: Had the Family been founded in marriage in the Lord. Had relations betwixt wife and husband, children and parents, ſervants and maſters been holily carried on according to the rule of Chriſt. Had the houſe been furniſhed with a wiſe, holy, and carefull father and mother of the family: had it been furniſhed with a juſt getting and giving, it had bin a thouſand times better with Church, Common-wealth, and Family, then it hath been, or is yet. To this end (Chriſtians) have I taken this little pains; firſt by preaching, then by writing, to preſent this little Treatiſe unto you. Read it over ſeriouſly between God and your own ſouls, and when you find any touch of it to ſtrike upon any ſtring in your hearts, ſee what may be done to make your Families better, and Doe it. It may be ye have been rotten timber when you were put into the Family: Oh pray that the Sonne of Righteouſneſſe would come and bring healing under his wings. Or it may be, when you were young or old, you have not been made ſuitable to the Word of God, pray that now he would write his Law in your hearts to make an alteration, by an application of the work of the Spirit. Or it may be you have not laid a good foundation for a Family, by Marriage in the Lord, but have married for money, or luſt: pray that God would forget that, and give an after eſtabliſhment to that which was wickedly done at firſt. Or it may be you have faithleſly, and unconſcionably carried your ſelves in your relations: pray for union with Chriſt, to purge out the wickedneſſe of nature, and, with hearty ſorrow for what is paſt, you will ſtand faſt in all your relations hereafter. Or it may be for want of a good Maſter and Miſtres, there hath been no good order in the Family, either every day, or on the Lords day: pray that God would rule in their hearts, that God may rule in their houſe, till they may be ſaluted, The Church that is in thy houſe. Or it may be for want of true juſtice, both in lending, borrowing, buying, ſelling, letting, hiring, and giving, the wages of iniquitie are yet in your houſes: Oh pray that there be not ſelf-ſeeking, nor deceit, no, coloured covetouſneſſe, nor any thing that ſavours of injurious evil to be found amongſt you. If God will bleſſe you by this Book, or any other means, doe what you can to be built by God in your Families. Thus God will proſper the worke of his own hands upon you, and bring out of your Families bleſſings to the Church, and Common-wealth, as well as to you. This God requires; this I aimed at among you, and for this, while I am, you ſhall have the prayers (Chriſtians) of
Your loving Paſtour for Chriſts ſake, and by his appointment, ROBERT ABBOTT.