will not only be a Temple but a most glorious and beautifull Temple Now though this dutie be common to all yet in more speciall sort it belongeth to the Heads of the Family who are as it were the corner stone of this little Temple in their owne Family Secondly that a Family may obtayne the commendation of being a Church this is another thing that we require generally of al in the Family namely that looke what kind of men they are or at least would seeme to be in the Church and publike Congregation the same they would shew themselues to be in the Family and priuate conuersement one with another Now all make shew of Religion in the Church therefore if that the markes and footsteps thereof shall be seene also as well within the priuate walls of the Family then shall those walls be the walls also of Gods Temple If our Families should be straightly examined by this rule in many of them yea most of them sooner should we find Satans Court then Gods House For hee that ere-while in the Temple sounded forth with a lowd voice the praises of God in the Church is scarse at the Church doore but hee belcheth forth most beastly and bloudie blasphemies O how much changed from that man which euen now he was in the Church Thus out of the same Fountayne commeth both sowre and sweet sweet in the Church sowre in the house blessing in the Church cursing and cursed swearing in the Family In the Church also what shew of humilitie make wee casting downe our selues at Gods foot-stoole and confessing our owne vilenesse In the Family as though wee had left all matter of humiliation behind vs in the Church how proudly and insolently how scornefully and disdaynfully carry wee our selues one to another In the Church also what semblance make wee of brotherly loue friendly comming together into one place and with one consent ioyning together as one body in Gods seruice But in the Family by daily contentions and brawlings how doe wee rend and teare our selues one from another In the Church by our very comming thither wee make faire pretence of performing obedience to all the Doctrines shall be deliuered but in our priuate life wee euen tread and trample them vnder our feet Thus are they Deuils incarnate in their owne houses which will needs seeme Saints yea petty gods in Gods house When then there is such a discord and jarring betwixt our Church-life and Family-life how can we looke our Families should be called or counted Churches These be things common to all now follow those peculiar to some first to the chiefe secondly the inferiour Those things which respect the chiefe are specially these first As much as in them lyes let them entertayne none into their Family whom God hath not first entertayned into his Let them take none into their house which is not of the houshold of Faith herein shall our Families notably resemble the Church The Church doth not indifferently receiue all and admit into her societie by the Sacrament of Baptisme the children of Turks and Canibals strangers from the Couenant but onely such ordinarily as are of a holy Seede the off-spring of religious Parents So likewise must our Families if we would haue them like Churches be something daintie whō they receiue They must not be common receptacles for euery one that wil offer themselues for we shewed before that if we would haue our Families enioy this name and praise of a Church fully and without spot that all the members thereof for ought we know be true members of the Church Therefore Masters of Families must prouide them of seruants not onely such as may be seruiceable vnto them and fit for their domesticall employments which is that which most doe only regard but especially such as doe truely feare God Otherwise thy house is a cage of vncleane birds yea a Stye and Stable of Swine rather then Gods Temple wherein an Altar is erected to him Therefore DAVIDS example is to be imitated Psal 101. whose eyes were vnto the faithfull of the Land that he might picke euen the choisest of them for his seruice and that so much the rather because farre more easily may wee keepe out then cast such ghests out of our houses Secondly The chiefe in the Family must resemble the chiefe in the Church namely the Pastors c. thereof and that not onely in those things which concerne Gods Seruice but outward Discipline also For the first There are two speciall Duties of the Pastor respecting Gods Seruice Preaching and Praying In both these in some measure should the Gouernours of the Family be like to the Pastors of the Church First therefore they must instruct the whole Family in that Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse This they must doe first in Words which PAVL commandeth Ephes 6. and which God himselfe commendeth in ABRAHAM Gen. 18. And lest any should say ABRAHAM was a Prophet and that his Practice may not be exemplarie to priuate men Deut. 6. 6. all Masters of Families are charged with the same dutie Where also lest they should pretend for excuse the dulnesse of their children and seruants to conceiue the instructions they are commanded to set an edge vpon them and to deliuer them piercingly Married wiues also are bound to the same dutie in the example of BATHSHEBA Prou 31. nurturing yong SALOMON and EVNICE training vp TIMOTHY from a child in the Scriptures For in that excellent character and description of the good Huswife Prou. 31. this is one thing That shee openeth her mouth wisely and the Law of Grace is vnder her lippes Here then is censured that gouernment of the Family which is onely Ciuill not Religious When Masters giue charges to their seruants for their house-hold businesses they can set edges vpon them by often repetitions and threatnings with their children also they can sport and play but not one word of Gods Word They referre them wholly for that to the Ministerie the which profiteth little vnlesse this preparation of priuate instruction goe before So wee read that IAAKOB sanctified his Family before they went to Bethel Gen. 32. and IOB his sonnes before the Sacrifices Therefore PAVL sendeth Women to their Husbands at home to learne whom haply their carelesse Husbands had referred ouer to the Minister Assuredly if the Word of God sound not in thy house as in the Church it is vnworthie the name of a Church Secondly they must teach likewise by example With DAVID walking in the vprightnesse of their hearts in the middest of their house for the eye of the whole Family is vpon the Gouernours thereof as is the eye of the Church vpon their Pastors Secondly As in Preaching so likewise in Praying must they imitate the Pastors for the House of God is called the House of Prayer If therefore this principall part of Gods seruice be wanting in any house how can it be called Gods House These things are not yet so tyed
truth of that excellent saying of PAVL Faith works by Loue Yea but I loue God or else it were pitie I should liue Thou lyest heare Christ If you loue mee keepe my Commandements And yet thou delightest thy soule in the daily breach of them for all this so affectionate entreatie of him whom thou professest thy Sauiour Behold MARY MAGDALEN and in her see vndoubted arguments of loue Her eyes which had beene entisements to vncleannesse she maketh a Bason of water to wash CHRISTS feete her haire abused to the same purpose a towell to wipe them Thou then that preferrest thy vnlawfull pleasures before Christ whatsoeuer thou confessest with thy mouth certainly thou beleeuest not with thy heart vnto saluation Secondly but as this Doctrine is terrible to the Hypocrite whom it vnmasketh of his vaine vizzard of faith so it is no lesse comfortable to the true Christian For what doest thou feele thy soule panting and breathing in the earnestnesse of desire after God doest thou find thy selfe grieued when thou missest of thy desire doest thou finde thy heart to arise when thou seest Gods Name dishonoured c Surely these things as they are arguments of sincere loue so likewise of Faith not fayned If thou feelest these things in any manner in thy selfe thou mayest truly say with him in the Gospell Lord I beleeue For it is impossible for vs to loue God vnlesse by Faith wee haue tasted how sweet Gods loue is to vs. But if thou findest these things in a smaller measure then is fit goe on with the same man and say Helpe my vnbeliefe For as true Loue argueth true Faith so a luke warme loue a faint and feeble faith For the Fountayne of Loue being as a good Conscience so likewise and that primarily and originally Faith not fayned 1. Tim. 1. vers 6. Looke what measure of Loue there is in any the like measure of Faith also If then we find great want of zeale in our selues we haue cause to bewaile the smalnesse of our Faith out yet so that feeling any measure of zeale at all we may raise vp our selues in a comfortable assurance of hauing Faith Therefore 1. Pet. 1. after that hee had said They loued the Lord he inferreth presently that they also beleeued in him In temptations oftentimes many excellent men are greatly troubled with doubting whether they haue Faith or no in as much as they cannot confidently and boldly nay scarse faintly and fearefully say that Christ is theirs but rather they are readie to say the contrary They feele the hand of Faith not onely trembling and quiuering but euen strucken with a dead Palsie But if at the same time thou canst perceiue that thou hast the giuing hand of Loue giuing vnto God and man those duties which thou owest them thou mayest assure thy selfe that thou hast also the receiuing hand of Faith taking those mercies which hee owes thee not howsoeuer for the present thou hast no feeling of it Satan and Sinne haue so benummed it If thou canst with DAVID Psal 18. 1. say I loue the Lord thou mayest as truely vse the words following and say The Lord is my Rocke Thirdly this Doctrine of Loues issuing and flowing from Faith confuteth those that teach our Election dependeth vpon our foreseene obedience By that which hath beene deliuered it appeareth that our loue of God is caused and stirred vp in vs by his loue to vs apprehended by our Faith And therefore we say with IOHN We loue him because he loued vs first But according to their Doctrine contrariwise God loues vs because we loued him first Fourthly this Doctrine teacheth vs what to iudge of that loue of God of that deuotion that is in Ethnicks Iewes Papists or any superstitious persons PAVL granteth to the Iewes a zealous loue of God but saith that it is not according to knowledge which is the very beginning of Faith But we haue shewed that the true loue of God is the handmaid of Faith And therefore if it shall wait vpon any other Mistris as vpon blind deuices of mans owne braine vpon good intentions falsly so called it is to be censured as a base a blind and preposterous zeale whatsoeuer shewes and colours it may haue For PAVL reioyceth in PHILEMON not for his loue alone but for his loue and faith that is for his loue conioyned with and proceeding from his Faith There is no matter of ioy then in Loue seuered from Faith Thus wee see how our loue of God comes from Faith Secondly our loue of our Brethren springeth Loue to our Brethren proceeds from Faith likewise from faith for the Apostle speaketh here of both loues This will appeare if either we consider those duties of loue which wee owe generally to all or in speciall to some For the first this is a dutie which wee owe to all indifferently to be readie to forgiue one another being offended Now what is that which will make a reuengefull nature yeeld to this but Faith which when once it hath apprehended Gods loue forthwith reasoneth as the Master in the Parable with his seruant Matth. 19. The Lord hath freely forgiuen mee my whole debt ought not I then to shew the like compassion to my fellow-seruant Therefore the Lord enioyning the dutie of forgiuenesse the Apostles pray Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17. 4 5. Ephes 5. Forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you and 1. Ioh. 2. 12. I write vnto you namely the Commandement of loue because your sinnes are forgiuen you Other duties there are which we owe specially to some As first to those that are yet vnconuerted the desiring of and by all meanes possible labouring after their conuersion Now it is Faith only which will make a man doe this For when by Faith wee haue felt the sweetnesse of Gods loue our selues we cannot but call vpon others and with the Prophet DAVID inuite them to the eating of the same dainties with our selues Ps 34. Come and see and taste how good c. As at the table if wee meet with any dish that pleaseth vs aboue another wee offer it presently to others desiring that it may haue their commendation as well as ours Thus EVE reached forth the Apple to ADAM Albeit here there be many to whom yet EVE though falne was vnlike so giuen to their appetites and louing their bellies that if they light vpon any meate which they loue more specially they like rauenous Harpies snatch it all to themselues grudging another the least morsell thinking all is lost that goes besides their owne lips But here no such thing can fall out for these exquisite delicates do so fully satiate vs that there still remaineth ynough for many thousand thousands Therefore we cannot endure to eat our Morsels alone but we desire the companie of others as PAVL did AGRIPPAES and the whole Assembly there present besides Acts 26. Would to God that both thou and all that heare me this day
like ficklenes Such a seruant therfore that serues his heauenly Master in seruing his earthly mayst thou betrust with any thing as we see ABRAHAM did commit that weightie businesse of prouiding a wife for his sonne to his godly seruant whom withall he betrusted with a great part of his substance which he had in his hands going that iourney about ISAAKS marriage I trust now that it is sufficiently manifested That onely the religious seruant is the profitable seruant howsoeuer the world blinded in iudgement iudge him of all others the most vnprofitable Wherfore as this must teach Masters as we haue shewed to haue a speciall respect of Religion in the election of their seruants so likewise seruants if so be that they desire to do any profitable seruice to their Masters first of all truly to conuert to the Lord their heauenly Master to subiect themselues to him and for his sake to serue their earthly and then they shal be right ONESIMVSSES indeed and of vnprofitable seruants become profitable But here Masters also must learne another Lesson That since their godly seruants are profitable to them they likewise be in some good measure profitable also to their seruants and doe not deale with them in any case so as LABAN would haue done with IACOB send them away emptie when they haue for many yeeres had the benefit of their seruice and thereby haue been made partakers of many of Gods blessings Masters must not be vnprofitable to their profitable seruants Further we may obserue out of this that S. PAVL Conuersion worke conscience in particular Callings maketh ONESIMVS now conuerted a profitable seruant that the fruits of true conuersion doe not only appeare in the generall duties of Christianitie but also and that specially in the speciall duties of our personall Callings Many professe heare receiue pray and doe such like generall duties who yet in the works of their speciall Callings are found halting so grossely that they may seeme wholly to denie the power of Godlinesse For they make no conscience if they be Children or Seruants to shake off the yoke of their Parents and Masters if Trades-men to deale deceitfully and vnfaithfully But if thou be truly conuerted whatsoeuer thy Calling shall be in it specially thou wilt shew the power of Religion If a Seruant thou wilt be a Religious and dutifull Seruant if a Master a iust and equall Master one that will haue a care of thy housholds soules as well as their bodies c. Therefore Luk. 3. when IOHNS hearers came to know what were those fruits of Repentance hee would haue them to bring forth euery one had the works of their speciall callings enioyned them The Publicanes giuen to oppression and extortion To aske no more then their due the Souldiers giuen to Rapine and Violence To doe no man wrong to be content with their wages c. The second person to whom ONESIMVS is profitable is PAVL himselfe and to me Here then we see that the profitablenesse of ONESIMVS being now conuerted doth exceed his former vnprofitablenesse That hee may seeme to deserue more loue now then hee did hatred before And thus it is with all those that are truely conuerted the good they doe then exceedeth the euill they did before If they haue hurt any they doe very abundantly make vp that harme not only being profitable to those whom they haue hurt but also to others whom they neuer harmed As here ONESIMVS by his theft specially hurt PHILEMON but being now conuerted hee was not onely profitable to his Master whom he had hurt but to PAVL and many others whom hee neuer hurt So PAVL himselfe in his persecution hurt onely the Churches in Iudea and neere adioyning but by his Preaching and Writing hee did good to the whole Church throughout the whole world not onely whilest he liued but euen by his Writings being dead Art thou then conuerted Recount recognize thy life past remember what hurt thou hast done by thy euill example and labour to doe not only as much but farre more good by giuing of good example If thou hast exceeded others in sinne thou must likewise exceed them in obedience The worse we were before our calling the better must we be afterward This was that which made PAVL goe beyond the rest of the Apostles in pains and zeale in preaching because he was beyond them all in malice before This made MARY MAGDALENE so excessiue in her loue to Christ aboue others because she had beene as excessiue and immoderate before in the loue of her vnlawfull pleasures But here it may be asked How was ONESIMVS Quest profitable to PAVL Many wayes First in that he reioyced him by Ans his Conuersion The heauenly Quire of Angels sang ioyfully at his Conuersion Luk. 15. Much more then might PAVL who was the author of his Conuersion and so the founder of the Angels ioy Secondly he ministred to him questionlesse whilest he stayed with him and he was now made fit to minister vnto him Verse 13. Thirdly ONESIMVS hauing receiued the gift of spirituall speech was able thereby to edifie and comfort PAVL euen as the poore Romans were Rom. 1. 12. Here then we see that a Christian man is not onely profitable to them that hee is bound to by his speciall calling but also to others further off from him and that which may seeme strange though he be the least of the faithfull he may be profitable to the greatest Wherefore the strong and tall Christians must not contemptuously cast off the weake and little ones The head to the foot cannot say I haue no need of thee thou canst doe me no good PAVL the chiefe of the Apostles here affirmeth ONESIMVS of the basest sort of seruants to be profitable vnto him Wherein we haue further in PAVL an example of Doct. true humilitie so ingenuously acknowledging that profit which he reaped by so meane a person But now we may find many ONESIMVSSES that will scarce acknowledge that profit which they haue receiued from PAVLS But it is the part of a good nature to acknowledge those whom God hath vsed as meanes and instruments of any good vnto vs though they be neuer so meane in this world Otherwise wee are vngratefull and iniurious not onely to the instrument but to God himselfe Lastly obserue That vnto true Conuersion it is Doct. not ynough that we abstaine from euill but also that we doe the contrarie good For PAVL here shewing the fruits of ONESIMVS his Conuersion doth not onely denie that he is vnprofitable now as before but affirmeth the contrarie and sayth that he is become profitable See then in ONESIMVS the practice of the Apostles Precept Ephes 4. Let him that stole steale no more but let him rather worke with his hands that which is good ONESIMVS had hurt his Master before by his theft but now being conuerted hee doth not onely giue ouer his stealing but begins faithfully to attend his Vocation
Temple to Bacchus in his Celler In too many families Venus hath her Altars in the Chambers Bacchus his Sacrifices in the Butteries which two hauing made their diuident in the family shared their Deuotoes alas what poore thirds wil be left for God Whatsoeuer disorders are in publike they will neuer be redressed so long as families especially great Ones are vnreformed The Family the Common-wealth the Church are Sunt igitur tres coelestes Hierarchiae de quibus Asini Sophistae tam multa nugātur aliud nihil quam vita Oeconomica politica Ecclesiastica Luther in Gene. the three heauenly Hierarchies as Luther termes them But surely the first is not heauenly vnlesse the last be in it If the church be not in it it wil proue but an hellish Hierarchy yea and will poyson both the other If families were Churches and religiously gouerned what great ease would Gouernours of the Church and Common-wealth finde The way to heale the naughty waters is with Elisha 2. King 2. 21. to goe to the spring to cast in the salt there It is but a folly to complaine of misorders else-where while our own families are misordred Now R. H. as you graced and gaue countenance to the first of this Authors works printed since his death so may you be pleased to accept this last as a testimony of all thankefull acknowledgement of your great and vndeserued fauours As it was the Authors desire in the handling of this holy Scripture the first fruits of his constant ministeriall labours to perfect that noble and honourable family of your Fathers where it was opened as in many other points of Christianity so in the knowledge of family-family-duties that it might be brought to greater perfection so is it my desire by publishing the same to further the common good of all good Christians in awakening stirring them vp to the conscionable discharge of teaching and right ordering their families to the honour of God their owne and the endlesse good of many soules And that by your diligent reading hereof you would be pleased to obserue practise all such rules directions as may any way tend to the bettering of your iudgement and family For it is with Families as with Churches on earth none completely perfect during our pilgrimage here The which while you shall doe you shall bring vpon your selfe Abrahams blessing promised for his wel-ordered house and Philemons honour of a Church in your family and in the end peace and happinesse to your own soule The which vnfainedly wishing you from the God of peace I humbly take my leaue and rest Epping in Essex August 15. 1618. Your Honors to be commanded in all seruice in the Lord IER DYKE A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON VERS 1. 2. PAVL a prisoner of IESVS CHRIST and our brother TIMOTHY vnto our beloued PHILEMON and fellow-worker And to our beloued APPHIA and to ARCHIPPVS our fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thy house BEfore wee come to The Argument of the Epistle the words wee will a little consider of the argument of this Epistle and of some generall instructions there arising ONESIMVS a naughty seruant running away from his master PHILEMON lights vpon PAVL by whose meanes and ministery hee being conuerted is returned back to his Master with this letter of PAVL in his behalfe written to his Master for pardoning him his former misdemeanour and receiuing him into fauour againe This Epistle is of another nature then any other written either by PAVL or any of the other Apostles for though sometimes they write to some one particular person as this our Apostle to TIMOTHY and TITVS and IOHN to GAIVS and the elect LADY yet euen then they write of matters concerning the whole Church and the common saluation as IVDE speaketh Iude 3. But here as the person is but a particular man so the matter is a personall matter proper to PHILEMON and his family concerning the entertaynement of a fugitiue seruant into his family and fauour againe One would thinke this were too low and meane an argument for the Spirit of GOD to handle But yet questionlesse PAVL was as well moued by the instinct and assisted with the powerfull presence of the Holy Ghost in the writing of this as any other of his Epistles as besides the common consent of the Church by the holy heauenly and gracious Character of speech agreeable to his other Epistles may easily appeare Obserue therefore How hereby the Lord would confirme our faith 1. The Scriptures written by diuine inspiration in the truth and certainty of other parts of Scripture for if euen this Epistle written to one man of a priuate matter respecting his owne family were yet writen by the inspiration of the Spirit of Truth how much more may we ascertaine our selues that other bookes treating of higher matters were not penned by the will of man but indited by the Spirit of God himselfe If when PAVL writes to PHILEMON of the receiuing of a poore slaue the Spirit of God leadeth his hand in writing how much more when he writeth to whole Churches of Christ and our Redemption by him of Faith Repentance Iustification and such like mysteries Secondly As hereby our assurance of the infallible 2. Gods prouidence in the preseruation of the Bookes of Scripture Truth of the Scriptures is confirmed so likewise of Gods Prouidence and watchfull care in the preseruation of them whole without any losse to this present day Some are of opinion that whole Bookes of Scripture are lost and among the rest some of S. PAVLS Epistles written to whole Churches as to Corinth Laodicea c. But this little Epistle riseth vp as a great witnesse against them for if the prouidence of God hath extended it selfe to the lesser how much more to the greater It is the argument of our Sauiour Matth. 6. God by his prouidence clotheth the grasse of the field how much more will he doe the like to men to his owne Elect Are not they of much greater value then Lillies So here by like proportion was not the Epistle to the Corinthians if there euer were such a one lost of greater worth then this to PHILEMON Whereof yet not the least jot or tittle hath miscarryed though in regard of the obiect and comparatiuely in respect of others it may seeme a meane Epistle for otherwise indeed nothing of the Spirits inditing is to bee counted meane How much more then would the Lord by the eye of his prouidence haue watched ouer other Epistles and Bookes handling matters of greater moment and consequence If any part of the Canon should be lost one would thinke in regard of that speciall care which God hath of his Churches good it should be that which might best be spared as not being of so necessary vse as the rest Now howsoeuer euery parcell of the Canon and so this Epistle be of singular vse yet we cannot imagine how an
Fathers the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Thus much of the first person whom this Epistle lesse concernes viz. ARCHIPPVS The second followes in these words And the Church that is in thy house HEre some vnderstand that Company of the Christians that vpon the Sabbath met together for diuine seruice in PHILEMONS house for in those times they had not the libertie of publike meetings but I like their interpretation better who thinke that in these words PAVL more specially meant PHILEMONS owne Family But why should PAVL write to them what had Obiect they to doe with this matter Cannot a Master take a seruant into the Family but hee must call his seruants to counsell this were to make them quarter-masters with himselfe First PAVL knew well enough that whatsoeuer Answ he wrote being penned by the instinct of the Spirit was for the profit and benefit of the whole Church and euery member thereof though written by him to some one particular man or Church Therefore he might well inscribe these his Letters euen to the seruants of PHILEMON that they also together with their Master might reape some good by the reading of them Hence PAVL willeth the Colossians that that Epistle which hee wrote to them should be read in the Church of the Laodiceans And PETER telleth the Iewes 2. Pet. 3. that that which PAVL had written to the Romanes Rom. 2. concerning the long suffering of God hee wrote to them As our beloued brother PAVL wrote to you Secondly another cause may bee this PAVL knew that it was a matter of no small moment for fellow-seruants to be well affected each to other If therefore that former euill opinion which they had iustly conceiued of ONESIMVS did still continue in their minds this Epistle read of them would make them to be of another mind Otherwise the other seruants seeing ONESIMVS a thiefe and fugitiue in fauour with their Master as well if not more then themselues might take it indignely as the prodigals elder brother did the intertaynment which his father gaue him Luk. 16. What saith he Thou neuer didst halfe so much for me that haue liued honestly with thee at home as thou hast done now for this riotous Spend-thrift that hath consumed thy goods vpon whores So. in like manner might the mouthes of PHILEMONS other seruants be opened against him Wee haue beene faithfull seruants vnto thee thus long and neuer broke out into any misdemeanour and yet loe thou preferrest before vs this pilfering Purloyner that hath stolne thy goods and runne away from thee But this Letter of PAVL would not onely stop their mouthes thus opening themselues against PHILEMON but also open both their hearts and mouthes to entertayne and embrace ONESIMVS with all courtesie and kindnes and to performe mutuall duties towards him as to their fellow-seruant hereby it may appeare how carefull PAVL was that the peace should not be broken in one Family How much more studious ought we to be of the publike peace of the whole Church euen pursuing after it in case it flie from vs But here chiefly we are to obserue that PHILEMONS Family hath this honorable name of the Church giuen vnto it Which argueth as the commendable care of PHILEMON in the gouernment of his Family so likewise the Religion and godlinesse of the whole Family Hence then wee learne what kind of Families Doct. Christians should haue namely such as might be little kind of Churches in the which there should Christians Families should be little Churches be that sweet order and comelinesse that in them we may see a liuely image and representation of the Church How may a Family come to deserue this title Quest For this purpose many things are required Answ whereof some are common to all in the Family others proper to some Common to all are these two points First if we 1. A platforme of houshold gouernment would haue our Families Churches then we that are members in Families must labour to become true members of the Church for a company of profane men is not the house of God but a Den and Dungeon of Theeues Adulterers Atheists conspiring together against God The which yet is not so to be vnderstood as if the name of a Church could not be attributed to a Family in which there are some not members of the Church for euen in the Church it selfe there are some in it that are not of it ADAMS house Genes 4. is called the face of God in which CAIN a castaway was borne and brought vp for euery denomination is from the worthier part We call the commixtion of Water and Wine by the name of Wine though haply there be more Water Wherefore if there shall be but two righteous persons found in a Family we will afford it the honor of this name But how much more then may that Family challenge the name of a Church in the which there shall not be so much as one Canaanite and vncircumcised person In which all the members of the Family shine most brightly as Gemmes and Diamonds to the great grace of the whole Family Let therefore euery one of a Family be desirous the house he dwels in should be Bethel Gods house bring one stone to the making of this spirituall house that so hee may bee able to say This house is a holy edifice and I am one of the liuing stones that helpe to the making of it so This is that which DAVID prayeth for in the behalfe of the posteritie of the Israelites that they might be Corner-stones polished and grauen to make a Princely Palace for howsoeuer that houses may be Gods Temple in which there are many vnpolished stones vnfit for the making of GODS Temple yet they as much as in them is depraue it of this honorable stile Neither doth any part of this holy praise of the Church of God in a Family belong to thee who being in the Family art a member of the Church malignant A spot thou art and blot in the Family and being an vngrauen and vncarued stone marrest the grace of the whole building for the grace of a building is a sweet vniformitie and agreeablenesse of one part with another But this vniformitie is quite spoiled by this deformitie who being no other kind of stone then thou wast in the quarry canst not sort nor sute with those stones which the art and skilfull finger of the holy Ghost hath formed and fashioned aright hath fined and fitted to be liuing stones to make a spirituall Temple It is a goodly sight to see a long traine of men all in one liuery but one among them of another liuery dashes all the sightlinesse So the goodly sight that otherwise would be in this building is exceedingly disgraced when these mis-shapen and vnfashioned stones are ioyned with the most artificiall stones whereon God himselfe hath bestowed his most exquisite workmanship If then euery soule in the Family will be one of these stones the Family