The Bostonian Ebenezer, Part 3

The Bostonian Ebenezer · Part 3

p. 44Houſhold Religion, Recommended, for the Preſervation of our HOUSES. At Boſton-Lecture. 26. d. 7. m. 1695.

It is Written in JOB XXII.23.

If thou Return to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be Built up; Thou ſhalt put away Iniquity, far from thy Tabernacles.

IT is Reported, as the Special and Signal Favour of God, unto His People, in Exod. 1.20, 21. The People multiplied, and He made Them [that is, the People, for the word is in the Maſculine Gender,] Houſes: Which Favour of God in the neareſt and ſtricteſt ſenſe wherein that expreſſion is commonly uſed, is not only moſt Mercifully Vouchſafed, but almoſt Miraculouſly continued, p. 45unto us who now Compoſe this Aſſembly. Our Gracious God ha's given us Houſes, wherein we Enjoy the Comforts of Life, Covered and Sheltered from forreign Injuries; Yea, and we have the Houſes of our Gracious God alſo ſet open unto us, without the Liberties whereof, I hope, we ſhould not find our ſelves able to Taſt the Comforts of our own. Let it not be thought Unſeaſonable, I am ſure, it ſhould not be Unprofitable, for us to hear in the Houſe of God at this Time, ſome Singular Things, wherein the Welfare of our own is more than a little concerned.

Concerning the Houſes, with which our God ha's favoured us, there are Two Conſiderations, which doubtleſs, every man in this Aſſembly, of his own Accord, hath Entertained.

Firſt, I ſuppoſe, We are all ſenſible, That for us to Looſe our Houſes by any Diſaſter whatſoever, would be a very terrible Calamity; Oh! It would be a Judgment of God, wherein the Anger of God, would be ſeen written with Fiery Characters. If by an Accident, or by an Enemy, our Houſes be Laid in Deſolations, p. 46every Roar of the Raging Flames, every Crack of the Tumbling Timbers, every Downfal of the Undermined Walls, and every Jangle of the Bells then tolling the Funeral of thoſe Houſes, would loudly utter that voice, in Deut. 32.22. A Fire is Kindled in the Anger of God! It were a diſmal Thing for our Houſes becoming too Hot for us, to ſay, Be gone; ye ſinful Inhabitants, Be gone; you ſhall never Eat, or Sleep, or Talk, or Pray, in us, any more; and for our Conſorts & Children with us, to be Stript in a few Hours, of all that we have been getting for many years, and be turn'd Shiftleſs and Helpleſs out of Doors, to Lodge Next Door unto Beggary. A Town ſo Afflicted, may have this Lamentable Account given of them, in Iſa. 42.25. The Lord hath poured on them the Fury of His Anger, and it hath ſet them on Fire round about.

Secondly, And there is as much cauſe for us to be ſenſible, That it is the meer Power and Patience of our Good God, which keeps us from ſuch a Terrible Calamity, as the Loſs of our Houſes. How eaſy a thing were it, for the Vengeance of p. 47Heaven, to Lay all our Houſes in Ruinous Heaps before to morrow morning! Truly, We may ſay, 'Tis becauſe we have obtained Help from God, that we continue to this Day. We may ſit in our Combuſtible Houſes, and make that Confeſſion, in Pſal. 127.1. The Lord keeps the Town; the Watchman waketh but in vain. When we think, how much Deſtruction may ariſe from one Spark, or one Snuff, and, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, How great a matter a Little Fire kindles! And when we think, how many Careleſs, how many Fooliſh, how many Drunken, yea, and how many horribly Malicious perſons, perſons wicked enough, To burn their Neighbours Houſes, only that they may Roaſt their own Eggs, may creep in among us; Or when we think of him whom we may call OG, which is in Engliſh, The Burner, for the Delight that he has taken in Scorching men with Fire; We may with Admiration acknowledge, 'Tis our God that is our Keeper. Oh! we muſt make that Acknowledgment before the Lord, in Pſal. 121.4. Behold, He that keepeth Iſrael, doth neither Slumber nor Sleep; Elſe we ſhould be wak'd out of p. 48our next Sleep, with a Formidable Outcry.

Senſible of theſe Things, we ſhall not count it Improper, to beſtow a brief Diſcourſe, upon the Methods, which we are, as Chriſtians, to take for the Comfortable Preſervation of our Houſes; eſpecially, now the Seaſon of the year advances, wherein there are the moſt pungent Invitations, for ſuch Methods to be conſidered.

Behold then the Great Method, for the ſecure Enjoyment of our Tabernacles, which the Oracles of God have directed us unto: It is, The putting away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles.

That Perfect and Upright man, Job, had this among the Heavy Trials befalling of him, That he Loſt his Houſe: Now under this Trial, one of his Friends gives him this Advice: That he would by Acquaintance with God, and Repentance of Sin, Endeavour, to anſwer the Expectations of Heaven concerning him. To Encourage him hereunto, here is this Bleſſing promiſed, Thou ſhalt be Built up: q. d. Thou ſhalt then have thy Houſe Repaired, without the fear of Looſing it any more.

p. 49The Clauſe which falls under our more particular Notice is that; Thou ſhalt put away Iniquity, far from thy Tabernacles: which is here mentioned, as the Effect of Returning to the Almighty. Now, by Iniquity, we may underſtand, either the Practice of Iniquity, or the Puniſhment of Iniquity. Take it for the Practice of Iniquity, and then the ſenſe runs thus; Manifeſt thy Returning to the Almighty, by thy not Suffering of any Iniquity in thy Tabernacles. Take it for the puniſhment of Iniquity, and then the ſenſe runs thus; By Returning to the Almighty thou wilt Save thy Tabernacles, from ſuch Ruines as will come upon them, if thou continue in Iniquity. Take it which way you will, there is this Doctrine in it.

The Way for us to ſecure the Comfortable Enjoyment of our Tabernacles, is, by Returning unto the Almighty, to put Iniquity far from our Tabernacles.

There are Three plain Aſſertions before us, by which I may come fairly at my Deſign, to promote Houſhold-Religion, in the management of an Argument fetch'd from the Benefit thence ariſing, unto the very Houſes, wherein we mentain that Religion.

p. 50I. In true Religion, men do Return unto the Almighty God. There was a Bleſſed Communion with God, which man had at his firſt Creation by God. But how Long did this continue? Alas, It was not Long, before Man turned his Back upon the Service and the Glory of His Maker: It was not Long before Man Embraced the Vain Things of this World, inſtead of the God that made him. Every Sinner is now Guilty of that Folly, that Frenzy, that Horrible Thing, in Jer. 2.13. He hath forſaken the Fountain of Living Waters, and he hath hew d him out Broken Ciſterns. Well, but now in Religion, there is a Converſion and a Returning of the Sinner; he ſaies, I will Return to my first Object, becauſe it is beſt being with him. The Term From which a man does Return in Religion, is, All Sin whatſoever; and every Pleaſure, every Profit, every Honour, which the Heart is by Sin carried forth unto. Thus 'tis ſaid, in Jer 18.11. Return ye now every one from his Evil way. The Term To which a man does Return in Religion,, is, God in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; ſo that p. 51God becomes his Beſt Good, and his Laſt End, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt becomes his Prophet, his Prieſt, and his King for ever. Thus 'tis ſaid, in Jer. 4.1. If thou wilt Return, Return unto me, ſaith the Lord.

II. Thoſe men that Return to the Almighty God, will put away Iniquity far from their Tabernacles. The Houſe as well as the Heart of a man is cleanſed by Religion; it will Reform not only his Living, and his Walking, but his Dwelling alſo. The Godly man is one that puts away all Iniquity, yea, that puts it far away: he does in Repenting of Iniquity, as the God of Heaven does in pardoning of it. In the pardoning of Iniquity, 'tis ſaid, in Pſal. 103 12. As far as the East is from the Weſt, ſo far does God Remove our Tranſgreſſions from us; Thus, in the Repenting of Iniquity, the man ſaith, I would have all my Tranſgreſſions to be as far from me, as the Eaſt is from the Weſt: The Eaſt and Weſt will never meet, nor would I ever ſhake hands with any Iniquity. Even, the very Shadow of Iniquity is baniſhed from a Regenerate man; the very Appearance of p. 52Evil, is the matter of his Abstinence, his Abhorrence: he puts it far away from his Converſation, far away from his Approbation, far away from his Inclination: But this is not all; He puts it far away from his Habitation too. Every Good man is Communicative of his Good…eſs; he would have all about him to be as Good, as Holy, as Happy as himſelf; and thoſe of his own Houſe moſt of all: He will not permit any Iniquity, that he can prevent. A Religious Chriſtian would be a Religious Houſholder too; he would be ſuch an Houſholder, as Jacob, who, in Gen. 35.2. Said unto his Houſhold, and unto all that were with him, put away the Strange Gods that are among you; he would be ſuch an Houſholder, as David, who ſaid, in Pſal. 101.2, 7. I will walk in my Houſe, with a perfect Heart; He that works Deceit, ſhall not dwell within my Houſe; he that telleth Lies, ſhall not tarry in my ſight. Or, as Joſhua, who ſaid, As for me and my Houfe, we will Serve the Lord.

III. By Putting away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles, we do ſecure to our ſelves the Comfortable Enjoyment of them. Let p. 53us drive our Sins out of our Houſes, that we may not be driven out of them, our ſelves.

It is very true; A pious man, may have his Tabernacle taken from him; the loſs of Houſes is one of thoſe Things, wherein the Soveraignty of God, will have All things come alike to all. A Treble Conceſſion is to be made concerning this matter.

Firſt, A Godly man may Suffer the loſs of his Houſe, in a Common Calamity, with wicked men. If a Righteous Lot live in a Sodom, his Houſe muſt be Burned among the Reſt in the Vicinity.

Again, A Godly man may Suffer the loſs of his Houſe, when man… wicked men Eſcape that Calamity. A Job, one who Fears God and Shuns Evil, may have his Houſe laid even with the Ground, while he could yet complain, The Tabernacles of Robbers proſper. Yea,

Thirdly, At the Houſe o… a Godly man may begin that Calamity, that ſhall Involve the loſs of many other Houſes in it. A Fire may be carried, even from the Altar it ſelf, over the whole City: and we know, Trouble may begin at the Houſe of God. Wherefore, upon the whole; Thoſe p. 54perſons are not alwayes the Greatest Sinners, who are the Greateſt Sufferers, in ſuch a Calamity. Thoſe Tabernacles may miſcarry in which yet there are no abounding miſcarriages of Iniquity.

But all this Conceſſion, will not Evacuate this Poſition; That we ſhall very much Conſult the Safety of our Houſes, if we keep Iniquity out of them. If we would not be put out of our Tabernacles our ſelves, it ſhould be our Study, to put Iniquity far away from our Tabernacles. There are many wayes, by which men ſeek to Secure unto themſelves the Comfortable Enjoyment of their Houſes. They look to the Stuff, and the Place, of their Building; they have their Water Engines, their Enſurances, and their Friendly Societies. 'Tis well: But, Sirs, there is one way more to be laid in, which I now men…ion, in the approach of the Time of the year, when the Dangers of our being Turned out of our Houſes, are the greateſt; That is, Let us Put Iniquity far from our Tabernacles. Of this way, I may ſay, as David about the Sword of Goliah, There is none like it! For, There are Promiſes of our p. 55God, that the Tabernacles of men ſhall be ſpared, when the Iniquities of men are not ſpared in their Tabernacles: Promiſes, to be interpreted, with the Exceptions of the New Covenant. We have the word of a faithful God for it, Let no Sins dwell with you, and I will not cut off your Dwellings: It is His Word, in Zeph. 3.7. I ſaid, Surely, Thou wilt Fear me, thou wilt Receive Inſtruction, So their Dwelling ſhould not be cut off. There is that Promiſe given to the Reformers of Iniquity, in Iſa. 65.21. They ſhall Build Houſes and Inhabit them: There is that Promiſe given to the Forſakers of Iniquity, in Ezek. 28.26. They ſhall Build Houſes, and they ſhall dwell with Confidence therein. It was no miſtake, in him t…at ſaid, in Job 8 5, 6. If thou wouldeſt ſeek unto God, if thou were't pure and upright, He would make the Habitation of thy Righteouſneſs Proſperous. A Righteous Habitation, is like to be a Proſperous Habitation, and therefore a Preſerved Habitation.

But on the other ſide, There are the Menaces of our God, That if the Iniquities of men are not put away from their Tabernacles, their Tabernacles then ſhall be p. 56taken away from them. It is that which the moſt High God ha's threatned, Let your Sins go, or I will make your Houſes go. See Zeph. 1 12, 13. It is Threatned, that God will Deprive us of our Houſes, if Iniquity be countenanced in them; and this He can do when He will, by His Fiery Rebukes. We have it Threatned, in Ezek. 16.41. They ſhall Burn thine Houſes with Fire. It is alſo Threatned, That God will Empty our Houſes of us; and this can be done quickly, by Oppreſſion, by Poverty, by Mortality. We have it Threatned, in Iſa. 5.9. Many Houſes ſhall be Deſolate, even Great and Fair ones, without Inhabitant. Briefly, If we would not have the Great God, iſſue out a Writ of Ejection upon us, to Turn us out of our Houſes, Let us put away Iniquity far from our Tabernacles.

In this one Expreſſion, all Houſhold Religion, is to be underſtood, as contained and Intended. Accordingly,

The CASE,

Wherewith you are now to be treated, is, p. 57What is that Houſhold Religion, or, what are thoſe Cares, and thoſe Acts of Religion, in our Houſes, whereby the Comfortable Enjoyment of our Houſes, may be Secured unto us?

In anſwer hereunto, Let theſe Faithful Sayings be counted Worthy of all Acceptation with us.

I. If we would Comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us particularly Put away thoſe Iniquities, which have a particular Tendency to provoke, and procure our being Put out of our Tabernacles. The Jews tho…ght they conſulted the ſafety of their Houſes, when they Sought, and Caſt, all their Leven out of their Houſes. Let us in like manner Search our Houſes, for every Iniquity, which may be like Leven in them, and let us, Away with it, Away with it all! Indeed, Every Iniquity is pernicious, not only to the Heart, but alſo to the Houſe that gives a Lodging thereunto; and therefore we ſhould fall out with all Iniquity. If any one ſhould maliciouſly Burn us out of Houſe and Home, p. 58we ſhould never Endure the ſight of ſuch a Wretch; but ſee the Law of Death Executed on him. Why Sin, I ſay unto you, Sin would be ſuch an Incendiary: it is ſaid, in Iſa. 9.18. Wickedneſ…, burneth as Fire. But there are ſome Iniquities, which are more eſpecially, and certainly, and frequently, as Fire balls upon the Houſes wherein they are committed; and the Counſil thereupon unto us is, Oh! Turn thoſe unfruitful works of Darkneſs out of D…ors, Leſt we be our ſelves Turn'd out of Doors for the ſake thereof.

It was of old Required, concerning an Houſe, which had the Leproſy Spreading and Fretting on it, in Lev. 14.45. The Prieſt ſhall break down the Houſe, the Stones of it, and the Timber thereof, and all the Mortar of the Houſe. What that Plague of Leproſy was, we do not in this Part and Age of the World ſeem to underſtand; if it were not a Plague peculiar unto Canaan, perhaps it means an Infection in the Walls of an Houſe, from whence the Inhabitants might be in Hazzard of catching the Leproſy. But this may be ſaid in Alluſion hereunto; I… you keep any p. 59Bad Orders in your Houſes, I muſt come unt… you, with ſuch Language, as was then directed, It ſeems to me, there is, as it were a Plague in the Houſe. Do not now ſtand asking of me, what I mean by Bad Orders. Ask your ſober, honeſt, induſtrious Neighbours; or ask your own Conſciences; They will tell you, What Bad Orders are. But Oh! Get thy Houſe cleared of that Plague which is to be ſeen in the Bad Orders of it; Leſt our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the High Prieſt of the Creation, do break down that H…uſe, and, it may be burn thee out of ſuch an Houſe.

There are Houſes, where God is not Served, but where the people give themſelves up to all Exceſs of Riot; Gaming Houſes, Drinking Houſes, perhaps Bawdy Houſes; Houſes, where Troops Aſſemble to Harlots; Houſes, where young people Debauch themſelves & one another. Thoſe Houſes, which make the Parents and Maſters in the Town, continually afraid of having their Folks undone by thoſe Houſes. Methinks, I ſee written on their Doors, Lord, have mercy upon us! There is a Plague in them. The Keepers of ſuch Houſes, p. 60are not in this Congregation to Day. But, thoſe that may keep a ſtrict eye upon them are here; and unto them, I would ſay, If the Worſhipful Justices, and the Conſtables, and the Tything men, would Invigorate their Zeal, to Rout the villanous Haunts of thoſe Houſes, the whole Town would be vaſtly the ſafer for it. There were Four whole Towns together once, in which there were many Houſes, full of Riotous Iniquities; The Prophet ſays, There was nothing but Pride, and Luxury; and Idleneſs in their Houſes; And the Wrath of God ſo broke forth againſt thoſe Towns, that they were all conſumed at once, and not one Houſe Left Standing in them. The Nineteenth Chapter of Geneſis, will tell you, what I mean.

And beſides theſe Houſe conſuming Bad Orders, there is eſpecially one Iniquity more which will horribly Endanger the Tabernacles, that are Guilty of it; and that is, proper Iniquity, I mean, Diſhoneſty. It was a Remarkable paſſage, in Zech. 5.2, 4. A Flying Roll, the Length thereof Twenty Cubits, the Breadth thereof Ten Cubits; This is the Curſe that goeth forth; I will bring it p. 61forth, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, and it ſhall enter into the Houſe of the Thief, and the Houſe of him that ſweareth falſely; and it ſhall conſume it, with the Timber thereof, and the Stones thereof. The Porch of the Temple, was, The Length thereof Twenty Cubits, and the Breadth thereof Ten Cubits: Now, 'tis Judg'd, there were men Employ'd as Truſtees of the Money gathered for the Building of the Temple: but ſome of them were ſuch Thieves as to convert part of this unto their own uſe, and yet they Swore Falſely, in ſwearing to the Truth of their Accounts. Now, ſays the Lord, If the Temple it ſelf were a Roll, or a Book, filled with Curſes, it could not Expreſs more Curſes, than I will ſwiftly bring upon the Houſes of ſuch Diſhoneſt men. Truly, All Diſhoneſty in Dealings, does Endanger the Houſes of the Dealers. Men that go to feather their Neſts by any Diſhoneſty, do but carry Coals into them. The Flying Roll of the Curſes from God, comes as a Fiery Roll, to conſume the Houſes of them that by Stealing, by Cheating, by Lying, propoſe to Enrich themſelves.

p. 62II. If we would comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us Dedicate them unto God, and Employ them in Uſes agreeable to ſuch a Dedication. We read in Pſal. 30. Tit. concerning, The Dedication of the Houſe of David. With ſuch a Dedication Let us conſecrate our Houſes unto God, profeſſing unto Him, Lord, This Houſe which thou haſt here given to me, I do give back to thee again, and I will uſe it for thy Glory, as Long as thou wilt Let me Live in it! And then according to this Conſecration, as we read ſometimes concerning, The Church in the Houſe, of ſuch or ſuch a perſon, Let our Houſes be a ſort of Little Churches, for the Sacred Uſe that we put them unto. It was ſaid of Jeruſalem, in Zech. 2 5. I, ſaith the Lord, will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about, and I will be the Glory in the midſt of her. Thus, Let God be Glorified in the midſt of our Houſes, and there will be a Wall of Fire, that is, a Guard of Angels, round about them, and ſo no other Fire ſhall prey upon them. Let our Houſes be uſed, as if built on purpoſe for Works of Piety, and Works p. 63of Charity, to be therein performed; and Let our Character be that, in Acts 10.2. A Devout man, one that feared God, with all his Houſe, which gave much Alms to the people, and pray'd unto God alway. There are two Names, that we ſhould make our Houſes now to become worthy of; the Name of Bethel, and the Name of Betheſda: both an Houſe of God, and an Houſe of Good. Let our Houſes be as tho' Devoted unto the Service of God; Let Praying, and Reading, and Singing, be the Daily Exerciſes therein attended; ſo that you may look upon this and that Apartment with ſuch a joyful Reflection in your minds, If the Walls of this place could ſpeak, they would ſpeak of many a good Hour which I have had with the Lord in this place. And let our Houſes be, as tho' Devoted alſo unto the Succour of man; As far as you can, make Alms houſes of them; Do what the Lord has bid, Bring the poor, that are caſt out, unto thy H…uſe. Let an Hungry Jeſus, a Naked Jeſus, a Travelling Jeſus, in His Members, be often Refreſhed there. I tell you, The very Angels of God, Love to Watch about the Houſes, p. 64that are ſo Devoted unto the Lord.

When the Jews built their Houſes, they ſtill had their Gnalijoth, their foreign, their Upper Chambers in them. There was alwayes a Room, in the Upper part of the Houſe, which they ſet apart for Sacred Employments; It was their Oratory, and they had in it a Window, which they called, Gods Window, opening towards the Temple. Here Daniel waited upon God; Here Hezekiah lay Sick; Paul took this Room to Preach in, when Eutichus fell, 'tis probable, from that very Window. Even the Wickedeſt men among them, would not have an Houſe without ſuch a Room and ſuch a Window in the Room; Hence the Lord ſaid of one, in Jer. 22.14. Wo to him, that ſaith, I will build me a wide Houſe, and large Upper Chambers, and cutteth him out Windows there. But now, that which is to be urged upon us, in theſe Dayes, when Holineſs of Places is aboliſhed, is this; Let every Room of our Houſes, in ſome ſort or other, be the Lords.

III. Our Tabernac…es muſt not be Prayerleſs p. 65Tabernacles, if we would Comfortably Enjoy theſe Tabernacles. If we will Deny God, in our Houſes, 'tis but juſt that He ſhould then Dany Houſes unto us. It is a dreadful Imprecation, in Jer. 10.25. O Lord, pour out thy Fury on the Families, that call not on thy Name. And wherein will that Fury be diſcovered? It will be partly diſcovered, in Turning thoſe Families out of their Houſes.

If there be ſo much as one owner of a Prayerleſs Houſe, now appearing in this Houſe of Prayer; yea, if there be ſo much as one of you, that Pray any ſeldomer with your Families, than ordinarily Twice in a Day, with a Morning and an Evening Sacrifice, I would addreſs that man, with an Earneſt Expoſtulation.

Friend; The very Turks, do at this Day uphold a Family Worſhip among them; and art thou worthy to be called a Chriſtian, that liveſt without any Family-Worſhip at all? No, Thou art in this Thing, worſe than a Turk. It is noted concerning Obed-Edom, The Lord bleſſed Obed-Edom, and his Houſhold, while the Ark of the Lord was there. Even ſo, The Lord p. 66would Bleſs thee, and thy Houſhold, if Prayer to the Lord were there. But thy Sinful, Woful Family lies open to the Curſe of God, as long as thou doſt not carry thoſe poor Children and Servants unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for His Bleſſing to be beſtow'd upon them: And how hideouſly, will They alſo Curſe thee, throughout Eternal Ages, when they ſhall with Intolerable Anguiſh cry out, Oh! that I had never ſeen that Prayerleſs Houſe! 'Tis that Houſe, which ha's brought me to this Hell for ever! But there is this particular Aggravation of thy Impiety; That if the Town be laid in Aſhes, 'tis thy Prayerleſs Houſe that is among the juſt cauſes of it.

Come then; Don't any more plead, That you have no Time for Family-Prayer. Did God Give thee all thy Time; and ſhall He have none of it? Find a little Time for thy Soul, as well as for the World; Or, go write that Sentence upon thy Mantle tree, What is a man profited, if he gain the whole World, and looſe his own Soul?

And plead no more, That you want p. 67Confidence or Utterance, for Family Prayer. But, Meditate on that Warning of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Whoſoever ſhall be Aſhamed of me, of him alſo ſhall the Son of Man be Aſhamed. Sit down, and ponder, What are your Sin…, your Wants, your Woes; There is no need of making Elegant Orations before the Lord: Call thy Folks together; Fall down before the Lord among th…m all; Cry to the Lord for them as well as He ſhall enable thee: Try, to Night, if thou never didſt before; Try; God will Help thee, man; and thou wilt come to the Miniſter who thus adviſed thee, and ſay, Bleſſed be the Lord, and Bleſſed be thy Advice, and Bleſſed be thou for giving it!

IV. If we would Comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles, Let us Conſcientiouſly Inſtruct and Govern thoſe that are under our charge, in our Tabernacles. Let us do what we can, that there may be none but ſuch as may Know and Serve God in our Houſes, and it may be Hoped that God will permit our Houſes to ſtand before Him. There is to be Recommended p. 68unto us, the Great Exemple of Abraham, in Gen. 18.19. I know him, that he will command his Children and Houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord. Oh! Let not the Houſes of Chriſtians, become like the Wigwams of Indians, for the Unnurtured, Uninſtructed, Ungoverned, Families in them! Wherefore, Let us Faithfully Teach the Little Folks in our Houſes; Teach them, as David and Bethſheba did their Solomon; Teach them to Know thoſe things from their Childhood, whereby they may be made Wiſe unto Salvation: See that they be none of them unacquainted with the Covenant of God, or, with any agreeable Doctrine of God their Saviour. Let us alſo Fervently Charge thoſe Little Folks: Charge them to Serve the Lord with a Perfect Heart and a Willing Mind; Charge them to Believe on Chriſt, and Repent of Sin, and Return to God; Charge them to Enter into their Cloſets, and Pray to their Heavenly Father in Secret; Admoniſh them, that they do Conſider their Wayes; and that eſpecially they Shun all Bad Company, and not Conſent, if Sinners do Entice them. If any of p. 69them do fall into any Sin againſt God, be ſure to Reprove that Sin; Reprove it Scripturally, Reprove it Effectually. And Reſtrain them from every Sin, which they would be Ready to Run into. Let there be no Children of Belial with you, none that ſhall be free from the Yoke of a Serious Diſcipline.

There is eſpecially one Sin, which the Lord has Required Houſholders to keep all within their Houſes from.

The Fourth Commandment is, That the Lords Day ſhall not be profaned, by thy Son, or thy Daughter, thy Man ſervant, or thy Maid ſervant, nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates. And it was once the Menace of Heaven, If ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath-day, then I will kindle a Fire, and it ſhall devour, and it ſhall not be quenched! Oh! conſider of it!

V. Let us carefully Attend, Eſteem, Support the Tabernacles of the Lord, and that will be the way for us comfortably to Enjoy our own. When David was Baniſhed from his own Houſe, his value for the Houſe of God, was Recompenſed p. 70with a Return unto his own. Would we never be Baniſhed at all, out of our Houſes? Let us value the Houſe of God above our own; and let us Build up His Houſe, Leſt He Burn down ours. Would we have many Dayes in our Tabernacles? Let us then heartily ſay, as in Pſal. 84.1.10. How Amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? A Day there is better than a thouſand elſewhere. Would we have the Love and the Eye of God upon our Habitations? Let us then heartily ſay, as in Pſal 26.8. Lord, I have Loved the Habitation of thy Houſe, and the place where thy Honour dwells. The Jewes give thi…, as the Definition of a Bad Neighbour: A Bad Neighbour is one who dwells in a Town, where there is a Synagogue, and never comes unto the Synagogue. Truly, that perſon, who comes not unto the Houſes of God, in the Town, is a Bad Neighbour; and our own Houſes may fare the worſe for having ſuch a Bad Neighbour near unto them. They plead perhaps, That they have not Cloaths good enough. But you that are their Friends, I pray, ask them, whether they had not better come to the Houſe of God, with p. 71mean Cloaths, than Looſe the Garments of Salvation, which are here to be put upon their Souls. Ask them, whether they muſt not ſhortly be Shrowded in a Winding Sheet, and then they will mourn at the Laſt, that ever mean Cloaths were their Excuſe for not coming to the Houſe of God. If they profanely tell you, They ſtay at Home to Read a Chapter in Job, Turn 'em to a Chapter in Job, and that mark of a Godly man, in Job 23 12. I have Eſteemed the words of His mouth more than my neceſſary Food. Briefly, It is the Church of God, that is the Houſe of God. Now, Let the Church of God, receive all poſſible Regard and Kindneſs from you▪ Upon this Encouragement, you ca…not Show ſo much Reſpect unto the Houſe of God, but God will ſhow more to yours.

VI. Let us be Humbly Thankful, for …he Mercies of God, which we Enjoy in our Tabernacles, if we would ſtill comfor…ably Enjoy our Tabernacles. If we would …ot be Turned out of our Houſes, Let us …ay the Rent which we owe to our Great …and lord for them: That Rent is this, p. 72Let us offer the praiſe that will Glorifie Him, and Let us order our Converſations aright. We are not Abroad obnoxious to the Hardſhips of the Weather, Conſumed, as the Patriarch was, In the Day by the Drought, and in the Night by the Froſt; nor are we confined unto the wretched Cottages of the Salvages. Now unto what is this to be aſcribed?

I'l mention unto you, a very Heart-melting Thought! Our Precious and Glorious Lord Jeſus Chriſt, could ſay, in Mat. 8.20. The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air, have Neſts; but the Son of Man has not where to Lay his Head. Now 'tis to this Humiliation of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that we are to aſcribe, the Mercies which we have, in our Commodious Houſes. Oh! Let us Thankfully ſay before the Lord, My Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by being Harbourleſs in this Evil World, has procured for me this Benefit, that I am in a Good Harbour here. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and Forget not ſuch a Benefit! Hereupon, When we Look round about our Houſes, and ſee the manifold Smi…es of God in every Corner of them, we ſhould p. 73then Study with our ſelves, What ſhall I now render to the Lord? It is noted of David, in 2 Sam 7.1, 2. He ſat in his Houſe, and the Lord had given him Reſt, and he then thought, What ſhall I do for the Ark of God? Would we Sit long, and Sit ſafe, and Sit quiet in our Houſes? Let us, when we Sit there, contrive what Returns we ſhall make to the God of Heaven for them.

VII. Would we comfortably Enjoy our Tabernacles? Then Let us Remember that they are no more than Tabernacles. When you go into your Comfortable Houſes, reckon them no more than Stages, whereat you can only ſtay to Bait a while in your Journey, to your Eternal State. Oh! Live like Strangers in your own Houſes; and be the Houſe never ſo convenient, yet count not your ſelves at Home, in that Houſe.

I beſeech you, to Lay up this Admonition with you. If you would Keep any thing, in this World, you muſt not ſet your Hearts upon it: and indeed, it is fit that men ſhould keep nothing of this World, which they do ſet their Hearts p. 74upon. The way for us, to have our Houſes taken away from us, is, to have our Hearts vainly fond of continuing in them. It was therefore an Annual, and a moſt ſuitable Ceremony, which the Lord Enjoined upon His People of old; When a Good Harvest had fill'd their Houſes, God ordered them to go out of their Houſes; they muſt then go make Little Tabernacles abroad, and keep the Feaſt of Tabernacles. Thus did the Lord mind them of their Condition in this World; when they had never ſo much of this World about them, they muſt not forget that they were no more than Sojourners in the World. This I ſay; Tho' we have Houſes that we can Feaſt in, yet Let us have the Temper of a Feaſt of Tabernacles in us. Let our Hearts be gone out of our Houſes, & the Lord will give us, Leave to ſtay the Longer in them.

Oh! Let us not be thoſe Fools, of whom 'tis ſaid in Pſal. 49.11. Their Inward Thought is, that their Houſes ſhall continue for ever, and their Dwelling-places to all Generations: Nor let us fooliſhly count, the Goods in our Houſes, Goods laid up for p. 75many years. As we walk about our Houſes, let this Conſideration come into our Hearts; How eaſily can all theſe Riches take themſelves Wings and flee away! One or Two Hours, may lay this Houſe Level with the Ground. But there is a further Conſideration, which is then alſo to come into our Hearts; 'Tis but a little while that I ſhall remain in this Houſe; It won't be long, before I am Lock'd up in a Coffin under Ground, when the place that now knows me, will know me no more.

And what ſhould be the Iſſue of ſuch Conſiderations? I would Pray you, let it be This. Let us make ſure of an Houſe Eternal in the Heavens, to be Enjoy'd by us, when our Earthly Tabernacles can be no more uſeful to us. If you Enquire, How this is to be done? I anſwer, in one Word; By giving to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of Heaven, a Dwelling in our Souls. Our Houſes here, though made of Brick and Stone it ſelf, they are only Tabernacles. But the Apoſtle tells us, in 2 Cor. 5.1. We have an Houſe Eternal in the Heavens. The Blaſphemous Julian, would inſolently call our Lord Jeſus p. 76Chriſt, The Carpenters Son. But, Chriſtians; Be aſſured, That Bleſſed Son in Law of a Carpenter, is He that ha's built a Stately Palace, in the Heavenly Regions, for all His Choſen ones; and He hath ſaid, in Joh. 14.2. In my Fathers Houſe are many Manſions; Even, as there were many Chambers to Lodge the Prieſts, annexed unto the Temple of old. The Formidable Fires, that ſhall diſpatch the Conflagration of the World, of which Conflagration, the Fires multiplied in our Dayes, are doubtleſs a Shadow, and an Omen; Thoſe Fires, I ſay, will not reach this Illuſtrious Houſe.

When the Worthy Miniſter of Nola, had his Houſe burnt, he li…t up his Eyes to Heaven, ſaying, Domine, ubi Omnia Mea Tu Scis; Lord, Thou knoweſt, I have a better Houſe than This. Oh! Let us make ſure of a Manſion in Heaven, by Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and ſo, when our other Houſes fail us, We ſhall be Received into Everlaſting Habitations.

CORONIS.

But there is a Tribe of Zebulon, which makes no little part of our Neighbourhood. p. 77There are ſo many of our Neighbours, whoſe Employment lies at Sea, that in my own particular Congregation, I have counted near Ninety Perſons, in one Day recommended unto our Prayers, by Bills from thoſe who were Sollicitous for their Friends then abroad.

My Neighbours, Your Veſſels are your Houſes; what are your Ships, your Ketches, your Brigantines, and your Sloops, but your Tabernacles? Oh! may Iniquity be Put far from them! Since we have been preſſing of that Religion, which may have a Tendency to preſerve our Standing Houſes a Shore, let us alſo preſs that Religion, by which the preſervation of your Floating Houſes at Sea may be be-friended.

It is a paſſage, in Pſal. 107.23.24. They that go down to the Sea in Ships, that do Buſineſs in great Waters, Theſe ſee the works of the Lord, and His Wonders in the Deep.

In the Firſt place, before ever you Embark in thoſe your Moving Tabernacles, become United unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by Faith in Him, that ſo you may be prepared for all the Wonders of thoſe Dangers, which you may be Expoſed unto. There p. 78are wonderful Storms, which may Encounter and Endanger thoſe your Feeble Tabernacles: But Calms, may likewiſe Incommode you worſe than Storms. By Numberleſs Accidents, theſe Tabernacles may be Sunk and Loſt in the Waters; but the Fires eſpecially may more terribly threaten you, than the Waters. Enemies do much prey upon theſe Tabernacles on the Ocean, as the Greater Fiſhes in it, upon the leſſer ones; but the worſt Enemies, are the Pyrates of our own Nation, who barbarouſly butcher all that may diſcover them. In ſhort, So Senſibly near to Death are you in theſe your Tabernacles, that, in Truth, Tam prope mors urget, quam prope cernis Aquam: 'tis but the Breadth of a Plank to two. My Friends, That Pitch't Box of Plank, what is it, but a larger ſort of a Coffin? Our Seafaring Folks, may ſay with the Pſalmiſt, My Soul is continually in my Hand. But, before it come to this, O man if thou Love thy Soul, effectually put thy Soul, into the Hand of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Repairing to Him, and Relying on Him, for thy Righteouſneſs, thy Bleſſedneſs, thy Everlaſting Life. The Poet p. 79counted him a Bold man, [Audax Japeti Genus] who Ventured firſt of all to go to Sea. Yea, but I earneſtly Proteſt unto you, He that will venture to Sea, before he hath Savingly Cloſed with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by Faith, is a Bold, an Hardy, a Sottiſh, and a deſperately Ventureſome Creature. Sirs, Will you go to Sea, before you have made up your Accounts? There are ſad Accounts between God and you; I beſeech you, get 'em all made up, in your Believing on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for the Pardon of all your Sins, before you ſtir. The Firſt Ship, even the Ark, was in this, a Type of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that the Salvation of your Souls does depend on your being in Him. Neighbours, Don't Step into any Ship, till you are firſt got into that Ark! And Now,

Be ſure, That you Abandon thoſe Vices, that Sailors too too generaly are uſed, or at Leaſt, are Tempted unto.

The firſt man, that ever ſet up a Ship, once fell into the Sin of Drunkenneſs. Are none of you, that Sail in a Ship, too Liable to that woful Sin? Beware of that Beaſtly Vice. Beaſtly did I call it? Alas, I have p. 80wronged the Beaſts in ſo calling it: Beasts will not ſeek to be Drunk; To be Drunk, turns men into worſe than Beaſts. A Drunken man, is q. d. a Drowned man; Let our Sailors Take heed of being Drunkards, Leſt God Almighty Drown them, yea, Damn them, for their being ſo. And is not the Sin of profane Swearing and Curſing, become too notorious among our Marriners? Reform that Impiety Syrs; Leſt you that now Sail in a vaſt Sea of Waters, e're Long have that profane Tongue tortured in the Fiery Wrath of God, where you ſhall in vain cry, Oh! for a Drop of water to cool my Tongue! The Tongue is fitly compared unto the Helm, which turns about the Ships, tho' they be ſo great, and are driven of fierce winds: That Little Helm, in thy mouth, Govern it, O man, and Reſtrain it by the Rules of the Word of God, elſe thy Soul will be horribly Shipwrack'd.

Filthy Speaking, Baudy ſpeaking, vile Ribaldry, is too frequent a Vice of Marriners. Leave it off, I beſeech you; and, Keep thy Tongue from Evil. It may be, Miſpence of Time, is to be reckoned a principal p. 81Vice among you; certainly, 'tis a pernicious one. The Sails of Time, are furling apace, and yet how many weary contrivances have you to paſs this Time away? Yea, but thy Soul is ready to put a ſhore in Eternity; and then, thou wilt wiſh, thy Time had been more of it ſpent in Reading, and Thinking, and Praying over the State of thy Soul.

The Ships of Jehoſhaphat were Broken: His men were an abominable Crue! Hearken, Brothers; you'l hazard the Breaking of your Ships, if you don't break off your Ungodlineſs. Let the Sea, no Longer-ſay, Wiſdom is not in me! on the occaſion of …he Follies almoſt univerſally indulged among the Sea faring.

Finally; Uſe Prayer, before you Go to Sea, that you may beſpeak the preſence of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in your Fleeting Tabernacles. You tell us, You deſire the Prayers of the Congregation. 'Tis but a …ocking of God, if you make no Prayers …f your own. But Invigorate your Pray…rs, with Faith, in ſuch promiſes as that …n Iſa. 43.3. When thou paſſest thro' the Wa…ers, I will be with thee.

p. 82And my Maſters, continue your Prayers, with your Companies, even as with your Families, during all the Voyage. You are worſe than Jonahs Marriners, if you do it not.

It may be, you have Received the Favours of God, on the Waters. Don't Write the memory of them, as on the Waters, and forget the Vows of God that are upon you.

Conſider, Heaven as you Haven. And be deſirous, that your Soul may like his, in 3 Joh. 2. make a Good Voyage of it. Have an Eye of Dayly Obſervation on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the Sun of Righteouſneſs. Don't neglect the Pole Star of the Scripture. Ply the Pump of Repentance, with continual Zeal to get Sin out of the Hold of the Heart. When the Gales of the Spirit Striving with you, are blowing, Spread the Sails of your Souls before them, and Sail tight before that bleſſed Wind. Often ſee What Way you make; and whatever you caſt over-board, make no Shipwrack of Faith and a Good Conſcience. And ſo, God Smile upon your Voyages.

FINIS.

End of the text · Cotton Mather, The Bostonian Ebenezer (1698)