not for his own specially for those of his own house hath he not denied the Faith and is worse than an infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 Is this true in Temporals and not much more in Spirituals Must you provide food clothing and cure for their Mortal Bodies See Gen. 30.30 Prov. 27.27 31.15 Matth. 8.6 and be at no pains for their immortal Souls Must you give those Bread and Fish and these onely Stones and Serpents either no provision or which is worse poison Doth Faith teach such care for the Trunk and Cabinet and mean-while to cast by this Jewel which a whole world cannot equal much less exceed Are Souls so little worth and States so much Remember Matth. 16.26 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Luke 16.19 ad 29. Can earth shew you or secure them such a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory as heaven can and doth If you are in good earnest when you talk of their happiness of Heaven Hell the Glories with Christ and the gawdy Vanities of the creatures why do not you study to lay up for them the best Treasures a good Foundation against time to come that they may inherit Eternal Life Do we indeed believe that Scripture Mat. 6.33 Ah! my Brethren consider 1. Do not your Families want it In the first Family was there not a Cain in the best a Judas and when there was but one onely Family in the world was there not even in that a Cham Think over the provoking Sins Standals and Sinks of Defilements and Discord that were in Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's Families of whom yet as concerning the flesh Christ came and if ever you did see sin sinful or were sensible of Gods dishonour judge this â—â—sk then needless if you can Genes 16.4 5. 21.9 26.35 27.31 ck 30. ch 34. ch 35. ch 37. 2. Will not your Families else wreck it How often have Families rued their Fathers remissness upon Earth and how many are now Roaring in Hell because they restrained them not who knoweth See Exod. 20.5 Psal 109.9 ad 16. Isa 14.21 22 23. 31.2 1 Sam. 3.13 14. And is this of your iniquities a small matter even the blood of the Souls of poor Innocents To make your Children and Servants twice more the children of wrath and drudges of Satan by your counsel conversation or carelesness 3. Doth not your Family-weal depend upon it Is not godliness the great gain Hath noâ— this the Promise What but Family-Piety hath the Entail of Family-Prosperity See Job 22.24 to the end Psa 118.15 128. throughout Psal 37.25 Prov. 12.7 15.6 24.3 4. Why is Abraham called out to be such a signal Monument of Gods special Mercy but in that Abraham will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the wayes of the Lord. Reade Genes 18.17 18 19. Oh! Christians if ye would not consult shame to your houses keep out sin from and keep up the service of God in your houses Would you perpetuate a Family on earth acquaint them with him of whom the whole Family both in Heaven and Earth is named Ah Friends there is set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you and your seed may live for ever See Prov. 3.33 Psal 55.15 Job 18.15 to the end and 11.14 ad 20. If you will keep up their dignity or keep off these dangers be conscientious I beseech you of these your Duties Direction I. You must know how to rule your houses 1 Tim. 3.5 Wisdome is the principal thing as for heart so for house-work too Pro. 4.7 Psal 101.2 You Housholders should be treasuries of Instruction Mat. 13.52 You are to teach others and do you not teach your selves Rom. 2.21 Heb. 5.12 You should be to your Wives Sons and Servants as is the Sun to the Moon and Stars and the Master of the Ship to the other Mariners They should all shine from your light and is this darkness You are to be eyes to the blinde and feet to the same Souls in your Families and is the eye evil Verily the whole body will be full of darkness Mat. 6.23 Direction II. 'T is not enough to know how to rule your houses but you must keep up the Rule which God would have you know 1 Tim. 3.4 5. VVot you what Authority you are vested with over them and what awe they should stand in of you Consult Exod. 20.12 Levit. 19 3. Deut. 27.16 Ephes 6.5 Col. 3.22 Iâ— you would rule with Gods approbation you must not remit this Authority Are you not his Deputies Col. 41 Let pious counsels be back'd with powerful commands See Genes 18.19 Deut. 32.46 47. Luke 7.8 9. Never think you shall behave your selves unblameably unless you do bear up this Authority given you 1 Thess 2 10 11. Saith any Anâ— but how shall I This is my difficulty I answer 1. Bring thy house as much as thou canst under the authority oâ— God and bear up Gods authority over thy own heart before thy houshold Exalt this in thy house and it will exalt thee unto honour Thou hast a double assurance the fear of godliness upon them and the faithfulness of God to thee Gen. 27.12 Prov. 29.15 17. 1 Sam. 2.30 with 29. Joh. 12.26 'T is worthy of thy enquiry Hath not God let down my authority because I let fall or did not lift up â—is among mine hath he not raised up evil against me out of my house because of the reproach his Name hath sustained by my evil in and before my houshold See Sam. ibid. and 2 Sam. 12.11 Isa 1.5 Lam. 1.8 Let Noah and Lot but in one particular intermit their Faith in God and fear of sin their 's will soon arrive to both shamelesness of sin and fearlesness of them See Gen. 9.21 22. 19 31 to 37. 2. Bear a more even sail and rein of anthority over them Not too remiss how shall they then give you reverence Heb. 12.9 Prov. 29.15 Remember Davids fondlings who all either sought his death or found their own See 1 Kings 1.5 6 c. Nor â—ay it be too rigid and restrained How often doth the string break by screwing it â—o high In every capacity as Husband father Master there are some Cautions given â—hee for allay Col. 3.19 1 Pet. 3.7 Eph. 6.4 9. Col. 4.1 Direction III. Keep out Seducers and Soul-deceivers Receive them not into your houses neither biâ— them God speed Consider 2 John 10 1â— 1 Tim 65. Rom 16.17 Oh! how ready are such to creep in uncalled for and how ofteâ— subvert they whole houses if you cannot stoâ— their mouthes yet may you shut your doors 2 Tim. 3.6 Tit. 1.10 11. The Thief come not but to steal or worse And are not thâ— Souls of yours your best Substance If you are good men watch Luke 12.39 VVill yoâ— not keep the Plague out of your houses whaâ— are deceivers and men of debauch'd Principle or â—ractices less whose words will
FAMILY-GOVERNORS Perswaded to Family-Godliness OR The MASTERS Charge OPENED And humbly offered To all Governors of FAMILIES Particularly within the ancient Borough OF BRIDGEWATER And adjacent Villages thereunto By JOHN NORMAN Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed by A. Maxey for Samuel Gellibrand at the golden Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1657. FAMILY-GOVERNORS Perswaded to Family-Godliness OR The Masters Charge opened and humbly offered c. MY dearly beloved and longed for That I may present yours perfect in Christ and perswade you to be not onely almost but altogether Christians among them is the onely design of this Paper Being made of God a Watchman to you necessity is laid upon me yea woe is to me if I do not give and woe is to you if you will not receive the warning at his mouth Ezek. 3.17 â—d 21. 1 Cor. 9.16 I beseech you therefore Brethren suffer the Word of Exhortation And 〈◊〉 there be any sense of sin any zeal for your Saviour any fellowship of the Spirit any fellow-feeling with the Saints Let the glory of the great God the Gospel of his Grace the good of Immortal Souls both their and yours awaken your uttermost Cares Kindnesses and Compassions and whatsoever is of God in your hearts to the advancement of godliness in your houses That the Tabernacle of God may be with you and we may yet see Jerusalem a quiet habitation With how many clear Commands is this your duty inforced Reade Deut. 4.9 10. Ch. 6.7 8 9. Ch. 11.19.20 Psal 78.5 6. And with how great a Cloud of Witnesses are you encompassed See the after-mentioned What shall I say This Paper would fail me to tell you of Gideon and Jacob and Joseph of Elkanah Job also and Samuel and of the Prophets Judg. 6.26 27. Gen. 35 2. Ch. 43.23 with v. 16. 1 Sam. 1.21 Job 1.5 1 Sam. 7.17 2 Kings 5.25 26. If Examples before under or since the Law and in the Gospel if of great Kings General Commanders holy Patriarchs or noble Peers if of Civil Officers of Military Officers or of Church-Officers if of Magistrates or of meaner Men and Women if any or all of these may perswade any thing Lo 〈…〉 you have all these to induce and incourage you Psal 101.2 c. Josh 24.15 Gen. 18.19 Ch. 35.2 c. Joh. 4.53 Luke 19.9 Acts 10.2 1 Tim. 3.4 12 Acts 18.8 Ch. 16.15 34. Beloved may I expostulate it a little with you for and before the Lord Are you Christians You have all a form of Christ and Christ is verily formed in many of you O you that have received Christ the King into your hearts can you refuse the Kingdome of Christ in and for your Housholds What! Converted your selves and have Christ to dwell in you and yet careless of having Christ to dwell in yours How can this be Luke 19.5 6. Ch. 22.32 What Christian Master can you instance in of the Houshold of Faith who continued negligent of making his Houshold faithful See Luke 19.9 Joh. 4.53 Acts 10.2 12.12 16 15 34. 18.8 Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 1.11 16 16 19. Col. 4.15 Philem. v. 2. Are you Christians What! and is your care no further extended than to the backs and bellies of yours or bettering them in their Trades c Do not even the Gentiles the same Are you no better than they Matth. 6.8 32. Nay they will teach theirs the worship of their false gods which are no gods Owe not you Christians much more to the living God than Heathens can to their dead Idols Need I mention the debt you owe to the house of Christ and to the house of the Kingdome Are we serious and in earnest for a Reformation in Church and Commonwealth Let us throw Salt into the Fountain set upon the Reformation of our several Families Private Houses are the Hives and Seminaries of all that are set or swarm abroad into any Publickâ— whether Civil or Church-Employments Are you Christians Oh! let the Example and Activity of the Jews under the Old Testament provoke you See the fore-cited Scriputures Judg. 9.6 c. and Psal 101 c. Weâ—â— they so abundant in labours herein before thâ— manifestation of Christ in the flesh and caâ— you abide slothful under higher Motives greateâ— Means and a better Ministration VVho havâ— more Promises to incourage and pourings ouâ— of the Spirit to enable VVhat and darâ— such of you yet profess That Christ is yours and that you are his Beloved is Christ noâ— become less active in his Christianity morâ— abhorrent from him or may the care and coâ—â—science of Christians be more abandoned botâ— as for him and their own Is grace indeed now less diffusive Are the gracious to be less dilâ—gent or are the heavenly glories of less dignity and the happiness and good of yours to be less desired Oh Christians Do even the Sea-Monster draw out the brest they give suck to their young ones and shall Saints by Calling and Covenant become cruel to the better part of theirs like the Ostriches in the Wilderness Oh! where are the yernings of your bowels Hear you not the Souls of your Servants and of the seed of your loyns in effect crying after you Have pity upon us have pity upon us The whole Head is sick the whole Heart is faint Where O where are your healing Medicines Will you do no more for us than for your Horse your Dog your Swine You look after the Bodies of these Beloved for your own happiness sake for your Housholds sake I beseech you be up and doing First for your own happiness sake Earthly happiness shall I mention Verily there is no such way of having yours dutiful to and observant of you as for you to teach them their duty to and the service of God Gen. 24.33 ad 50. Prov. 15.20 Gen. 27.11 12. For if they obey not him the Lord how will they obey you his Stewards Mat. 10.24 Ezek. 3.7 Let them be but once pious toward God and they will soon be profitable to you and how may God prosper you for them See Philem. ver 11. Gen. 30.27.30 39.2 3. Besides what know you O men whether you shall save your wives You Houshold-governors those under your Houshold-government 1 Cor. 7.16 Oh! how happy thrice happy would your Families be if you Husbands and Wives shall be betrothed to the same God 〈◊〉 you Parents and Children begotten of the same Gospel you Masters and Servants born Heirs to the same Glory Oh! what little Churches nay what lower heavens are such Housholds But if your houses be not thus with God Let it not seem a light thing to you if you have detained them but from one sin or but delivered your own Souls Verily you are a sweet savour though yours should perish God doth not reward according to the success of your work but the sincerity of a willing minde 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Isa 49.5 2 Cor. 8.12 1.12 Secondly for your Housholds sake He that provides
Peruse Prov. 29.15 10.1 17.21 25. Witness Eli's house I beseech you therefore 1. Set up Family-order else never look for Family-obedience Matth. 8.9 Let not yours be like Eli's Sons of Belial i.e. without a yoke 1 Sam. 2.12 Let every Star know his Orb each Member his Office Here is the Beauty and how often doth God command his Blessing on such a Family Mat. 24.45 1 Kings 10.5 8. Gen. 43.33 Psal 128.3.4 2. See there be Family-oversight Must you be diligent to know the state of your Flocks and not of your Families to look well to your Herds and not to their eternal Happiness Prov. 27.23 Doth God take care for Oxen 1 Cor. 9.9 Shall Herods Swine be more to him than his Son What less then this is implyed of Job or was the endeavor of Jacob Job 1.5 Gen. 35 2 3 4. 3 Let there be family correption or reproof Not only should ye watch over them but warn those that are unruly among them and rebuke them with all authority 1 Thess 5.14 Prov. 27.5 Would ye not bear sin for them Do you not hate their souls then in any wise rebuke them who may otherwise curse you if ye connive at them See Lev. 19.17 Text and margin Prov. 24.24 25. 4. Let there be Family-correction too as is occasion The rod and reproof give wisdome Prov. 29.15 Compare 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. with chap. 3.13 Is there not a servant that wil not be corrected by words Prov. 29.19 If such will not hear you counselling they should feel you correcting See Luk. 12.47 48. Prov. 19.29 Yea in this your child differeth nothing from a servant though he be heir to all Ah Christians How many exceeding great and precious Promises have you to and Precepts for chastizing them with the rod And how hath God prevented our fond objections See Pro. 13.24 19.18 22 15. 23.13 29.17 Durst you render all this in vain Only remember when I press the rod I perswade you not to rage Do not you call cruelty correction Read Ephes 6.4 9. Col. 3.21 4.1 Exod 21 20 21 26 27. Direction X. Commend and Crown the practice of all these directions with an Humble Holy Courteous and Convincing Conversation Your carriage is like either to make or mar all your counsels One good work or gracious action will go further than a hundred good words or the greatest Argumentations Oh! how much readier are ours to believe what they see us do than what they hear us discourse of Shall it be said my beloved to yours and of you Read Matth. 23.3 as Christ said to the multitude of the Scribes and Pharisees No so say and so do Let your actions Comment on and Commend your Advises One sullen passion or scandalous passage may prejudice all your other Pains and Prayers You Masters and we Ministers can never sinne at the common or at as a cheap a rate as others See Rom. 2.17 ad 25. â— Oh therefore take heed to your selves first and most who have souls to be saved sins to be subdued a God to honour an heaven to win or lose a devil to tempt you and a deceitful heart to turn you aside as well as have any of yours Are you not men with them of like passions Let every man therefore resolve with Joshua first for himself then for his Jos 24.15 If you would have them indeed serve God so do as they may second you Be and do that for God which you bear them in hand they must do or they â—an never be saved No exhortations will be so enforcing as your own examples See how it entailes a form of good or evil from generation to generation 2 Kings 14.3 chap. 15.3 with ver 34.2 King 15.9 chap. 17.41 Jer. 17.1 2. Prov. 29.12 Oh Beloved if ever ye would have your houses walk with God you must walk before God with a perfect heart in and before your houses And now my dearest Brethren what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Shall not even ye be in the presence of the Lord at his coming if ye shall fulfil with him Yea we live if ye stand fast in the Lord who can have no greater joy then to see your selves and families fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the household of God Beloved your work is before you Oh! let not your houses be Beth-avens houses of iniquitie and vanitie but Bethels houses of God and godly duties Let it not be written of or on any of them Such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God But let all that passe by them be able to see and say of them The Lord is in this place this is no other but the house of God yea in a sort this is the gate of heaven Job 18.21 Gen. 28.16 17. So prayeth From my Study April 6. 1657. A Remembrancer of your best welfare from and unto God JOHN NORMAN FINIS