that be the Proposition and then I shall not want is a good conclusion by no means to be denied Psal 23.1 whereas setting Affections upon things below is the way to miss of those things which are above Dunghil-rakers do not find the Pearl of Price Saul indeed seeking the Asses lighted upon the Kingdom but I think the Bible affords not such another instance Paul tells us Destruction is the end of those whose God is their belly and who mind earthly things Minding earthly things as the chiefest good is the high way to Beggary and Ruin in the end They that will be rich fall into Temptation and not seldom under Heart-wounding Heart-breaking Disappointments Our dear Lord Jesus who is the faithful and true Witness and the wisest Counsellor hath given us excellent Advice commended by a sure and comfortable Promise Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Mat. 6.33 All these things added Yes so far as your Heavenly Father sees them necessary for you nay more so far as he seeth them good for you no good thing shall he with hold and truly that is far enough farther than so they are not to be desired farther than so they are not worth the having Lastly In your Families and among them who are committed to your Charge direct your Speech very much to the great things of the other World and that recompence of Reward which is to come God took Abram after Lot was separated from him and said to him lift up now thine Eyes and look from the place where thou art northward and southward and eastward and westward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever Gen. 13.14 15. So do you take the Members of your Families and bid them lift up their Eyes and look off from this dirty World up to that glorious Canopy over their Heads the Firmament bespangled with Sun Moon and Stars that is but the Floor or Pavement of the Presence Chamber of the King of Glory the Bride-Chamber of the Lamb the Seat of the Blessed which he will give for an Everlasting Inheritance unto them who have chosen and love and obey him Be often and often discoursing to them of Heaven the Company there the Imployment there the Felicity and Satisfaction there the Vision and Fruition that the Saints shall have there of God and Christ whom they shall see not as in a Glass darkly but Face to Face the sweet Fellowship and Communion they shall there have with God in the greatest Intimacy without the least disturbance or interruption there being no sinful withdrawings from God on their part and no angry withdrawings from them on God's part and no Enemy to divert the Mind or break the Peace or abate the Delight but a fulness of Joy they shall have in the presence of their God and Saviour and at his Right Hand Pleasures for evermore Let them know what you can of the greatness of those Preparations which he hath made for them that love and fear him even such things as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath entred into the Heart of Man There is an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them As there are all dimensions in the love which Christ bears to them heighth depth length and breadth so there are in that Happiness and Glory which he hath prepared for them Mind them of the nature of this their present Life that it is but transitory in a continual flux we die daily look how much we have liv'd so much we are already dead our Candle is burning down into the Socket and the Oil of our Lamp spends apace not a Day Hour nor Minute passeth over our Heads but it bringeth us nearer to our Grave which is the House of all the Living and unto it we are continually travelling It is a troublesome Life sin deserves it should be a lamentation thoroughout and God might make it so however they will find it checquer'd be their Morning never so fair and serene yet their Day will be overcast before Night comes and though at the first setting out they have a pleasant Gale yet they must expect to meet with many a furious Storm before they come into their Harbour Children come crying into the World Men and Women go sighing thorough it and groaning out of it Many are the afflictions of the very righteous though God will deliver them out of all It is an uncertain Life Who knows what is in the Womb of Providence or what may be the product of a day we are but short-sighted and cannot tell what stands at the Door ready to draw the Latch Samson found Honey in the Carcase of a Lion but many find Wormwood and Gall in the very Hive where they expected Honey and what they did hope would have been their greatest comfort doth prove their bitterest vexation their greatest torment and what wise Man would take up with such a Life since a better may be made sure of But again this is but a short Life a span long three or fourscore Years to come seem a great while but when past they are as a Tale that is told Few and evil said good Iacob have the days of the years of my Pilgrimage been and truly since sin and sorrow do make them evil it is a Mercy that God doth make them few But since our Lives are short we should not be covetous for a little will serve the turn a little will serve to carry us thorough our Journey See that there be but Oil in the Vessel against the Bridegroom's coming and then it is no great matter though there is but a little Meal in the Barrel let them have their Bellies filled with hid Treasures whose Portion is in this Life let them hunt after great things here who are to have their good things their all here But insisth much among them upon that Life which is to come that will know no end but hath an Eternal duration O Eternity Eternity maist thou strike us all with astonishment and fill our Souls with an aweful regard There will be another state into which we must every one pass at death that will be unalterable a state that is altogether a stranger to hope or to fear that will know nothing to abate its sorrows or to lessen its comforts that hath either Meridian brightness without any obscuring shade or scorching Flames without the least refreshing drop such a state as will be either inconceivably Happy or unspeakbly Miserable and that to all everlasting The Blessed shall from their heighth of Bliss look down without any danger of falling and the Damned shall in their Abyss of Misery and Woe look up without any possibility of rising So Abraham told the Rich Glutton in Hell Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from hence
remove do it the sooner the better Let not meer secular advantages keep thee there It is better being out of the warm Sun than out of Gods blessing And you that are fixed as a Wife Child an Apprentice count the want of Family-duty as your Affliction and groan under it as such and in your private addresses beg down if possible Mercy and Grace upon them Pray heartily for them who will neither pray for you nor for themselves the godly Wife for the ungodly Husband the gracious Child for the profane Parent and the Religious Servant for the Wicked Master or Mistress yea wrestle mightily in Prayer for them and with Iacob weep as well as make supplication and be sure to live up to the Laws of the Relations you stand in filling up your days with the duties of your places that though they will not practise Godliness they may see the power of it in its influences upon you If the Wife be peaceable and quiet loyal and loving respecting and reverencing her Husband the Children very dutiful and obedient the servants submissive diligent and faithful every one walking in the fear of God giving no cause of quarrelling with you or blaspheming Religion for your sakes In a word let your whole conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. You see I have spent a great deal of time and taken no small pains in studying preaching and writing out all this discourse Oh! that it may not be in vain but all the better that have heard or shall read it to that end the good Lord accompany it with his Spirit and blessing bring you to this work keep you at it and help you so to manage your selves and families that after a Life of Prayer on Earth you may be taken up to a Life of Praise in Heaven where all your Wants shall be supplied all your Prayers answered and all your hopes accomplished then you will see the Word was your best rule the Ministers of Christ your real Friends and Religion your grand Interest when fury shall be poured out upon them that know not God and Hell shall receive the Families that call not upon his Name where there shall be no end of their torment and pain nor of their roaring cursing and blaspheming of that holy and righteous but terrible God whom they would not be persuaded to love seek and serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A POSTCRIPT HAVING said so much as I have done in this Book to the graver sort of Persons your Parents and Governours dear young ones and that not only for their sakes but yours also I have judged it fit to accompany that advice and counsel to them with a few words to you because you likewise are very nearly and greatly concerned and all means possible are to be made use of for the preventing your present miscarriage and eternal ruine You are now in the Morning of your Age and prime of your strength you have set forth and entred upon that Journey which will certainly bring you to your last home where you must take up your everlasting abode from whence there can be no remove and that will be either Heaven or Hell the Glorious Mansions above or the Bottomless Pit below where it is absolutely necessary for you to take heed to your ways and ponder all your goings to set out right at first and then to go straight on without turning either to the right hand or to the left otherwise you will be lost for if the way be not good the end cannot be peace as for such as turn aside unto their croâ—ked Paths the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125.5 It is too evident that multitudes of young ones through corrupt inclination and bad conduct have gone out of the way of life betimes and could never find it afterward Having made an early choice of Sin they grew harden'd in it and there being a judicial Tradition of them to the power thereof they went on to commit it with greediness living and dying its Votaries and Vassals and is it not sad to consider may it not well be matter of bitter lamentation that such Excellent Noble Creatures should be spoiled such precious immortal Souls should be irrecoverably lost that such sweet and lovely Blossoms should be utterly blasted that they who once were the hope of their Parents and might have been the Ornaments and Blessings of their Country should prove burthens and curses to them both God forbid that any of you should be so too for we have too many such already Therefore I pray God that you may and desire that you would be serious betimes get alone sit down and consider what you are where you are whether you are going what is for your interest and what against it labour to know and knowing mind those things which belong unto your peace youth will not always last nor the pleasures of it which you do now count so very sweet and delicious and run such desperate ventures for the enjoyment of A Sickness may quickly be sent of God and cover your faces with a dismal paleness pick the Marrow out of your Bones suck all the Milk out of your Breasts and convert all your strength into weakness faintness and tremblings your smiles may be turned into frowns your mirth into mourning your laughter into heaviness and your songs into sighs groans and shrieks Your own Consciences may arm against you as your enemy and God may so appear as to be your terrour and you may be then made to possess the iniquities of your youth when all the honey is spent and nothing but the sting left the pleasure is over and only the guilt remains whereby you are bound over to the suffering of the judgment written If you be not wise in this condition you may live and die and then you will see cause to wish you had never been born O! be you I beseech you be ye your own friends provide for your own peace and welfare and instead of working out your Damnation with joy jollity and self-pleasing chuse to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling since all the pleasures of Sin are but for a season do you seek out for and make sure of those which are at Gods right hand for evermore and since this life will be but short when drawn out to its greatest length do you lay hold upon that which is quite out of the reach of death that life which came from God and will be perfected in him And know how great a number soever the Prodigals and Profligate Youths of the present Age do amount to yet if you will be serious and truly religious you will not be alone there have been many choice and excellent Persons that went before you the Names of some together with their Character you meet with in the Sacred Records an Isaac who loved Meditation a Iacob that was set for the blessing and by a Vow bound
Parents may commit them to God whom you brought up for him and so rejoice in hope that though you leave them behind you yet they will not leave that God to whom you are going but though they stay behind in a wicked World which is full of snares and dangers bad Company bad Examples and Temptations yet since you have by Faith and Prayer committed them to him they shall graciously be kept by his power through Faith unto Salvation and that the Counsels you have given have made an abiding impression upon them and the Seed which you have sown shall not be lost but spring up and bring forth fruit and when you are dead and gone they will continue and proceed to practice as they have been taught and they will know love and fear the God of their Fathers and serve him with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind you may hope that of all that which hath been by you said and done something will stick The Heathen could say Quo semel est imbut a recens servabit odorem Testa diu A new Vessel will for a great while retain the scent or savour of that Liquor which was at first put into it and so young ones and I am apt to think that many of those who after a pious Education turn aside from the good ways of God to crooked paths with the workers of iniquity do not sin at so easie a rate as others do but offer violence to their Consciences and call to mind again that of God himself concerning Abraham and his House which I have already quoted more than once He will teach his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. His Instructions will infuse such Principles into them that they will do it and my Grace shall so powerfully co-operate with those Principles and influence them that they shall do it They shall keep the way of the Lord the way of his holy Precepts and the way of his instituted Worship they shall do it after him after his example and after his decease when he is dead and in his Grave my fear and service shall be posteritiz'd in his Family Abraham's advice and practice shall live in their Minds and Religion shall live in their Houses and so it did in Isaac's and in Iacob's and so down and further for the strengthening of this your hope I desire you to take along with you that passage of Solomon Prov. 22.6 Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it The Scripture sets it the next Door to an impossibility for them to learn to do well who have been accustomed to do evil and though it be not so hard yet it is not very easie for them to do evil who have been all along accustomed to the doing of that which is good Zophar speaking of the wicked Man saith Iob 20.11 His bones are full of the sins of his youth which shall lye down with him in the dust which Gregory expounds thus Usque ad pulverem non deserunt i. e. usque ad mortem ab iniquitate non cessat He doth not forsake his Vices as long as he lives he doth not cease from them till he dies his youthful sins stick close fast to him he continues the practice of them while he lives and when he dies he receives the punishment of them It is a matter of greatest moment to take heed what we do accustom young ones to teach Children that which is good at first and they will learn it well and that is the way to have them keep it well It is reported of the Harts in Scythia that they do betimes teach their young ones to leap from Turf to Turf and from Bank to Bank and from Rock to Rock and so they continue it when they come to be old and by means thereof they cannot be taken though they be hunted whether that be so or not is none of my Enquiries sure I am teaching Children their Duty toward God and going before them and with them in the performance of it is the way to engage them to a perseverance therein and to secure them from the great Nimrod of Hell that cruel and bloody Hunter of precious Souls so that they shall not afterwards be drawn away from it by the wiles subtilties and temptations of that wicked one nor seduced by the bad examples of evil Men who know not the Lord. Do you by your Teachings and Instructions lay up the words of Gods Mouth in their Heads so through Divine Grace they may come to lay them up in their Hearts and then they will be preserved from sinning against God and kept from the paths of the Destroyer And as an happy consequence hereof You may at your departure from hence leave them with a comfortable hope of meeting them again with mutual and exceeding joy in the other World in a better place and in a far better case than that is in which you leave them when all troubles shall be removed from the Flesh and all corruption from the Spirit when there shall be nothing within to disturb and nothing without to offend but you and they shall have a spotless Purity and blessed Eternity You shall be raised out of your Graves in which you have had so sound and long a sleep and stand upon the Earth and be caught up together with the rest of the holy Ones into the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall you ever be with the Lord and O the joys that will be at that meeting The meeting of the Bridegroom with the Bride is not to be compared with it the meeting of the Father with his penitent and returning Prodigal falls short of it Oh the Smiles the inward Satisfactions the dear Embraces the loud Triumphs the Hosannahs and Allelujahs that will be at that meeting All which will arise from the condition you meet together in freed from sin and from imperfections deliver'd from all your Enemies having got the last of them Conquer'd and now under your Feet yourselves being in a state of safety peace and acceptance with God and also it will arise from the thoughts and considerations of that which you then meet together for It is for the greatest purposes and most glorious ends that can be you meet to receive the Reward of all your services and of all your sufferings the answer of all your Prayers the accomplishment of all your desires the fulfilling of all your hopes you shall meet the Bridegroom whom though you had not seen yet believing you chose and lov'd and were espoused to and between him and you there shall be everlasting Nuptials you shall meet together to take possession of that incorruptible undefiled Inheritance which fadeth not away but is reserved in Heaven of which you were new-born the Heirs you shall meet to see and together enjoy that God in Heaven whom you served
it be jarring in their ears so long as it is musick in his know thou hast to deal with a good Master the God of all grace who if there be a willing Mind doth accept according to what a Man hath and not according to what he hath not The poor Publican was very short he had much to desire yet little to say his dejected looks and sorrowful gesture spake more than his Tongue did but though he was short yet he was sweet we read but of one Petition that he put up to God God be merciful to me a Sinner but he accompanied it with his heart and it came before God as incense who sent him home to his house justified Luke 18.13.14 God took away the filthy garments he came in and put on him a Robe of Righteousness The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Psalm 51.17 despise it no no he is so far from that that he requires it and approves it and will bind it up A broken Prayer from and with a broken Heart makes Melody in Heaven God will count it his delight Alas he seeth not as Man sees looks not at the flourishes of words but at the life fervency and Zeal of the Soul for those flowers may be strewed upon a dead and rotten carcass Indeed if a Man bring the Torn and the Sick and the Lame for an Offering to the Lord when he hath better it shall not be accepted Malach. 1.13 but if that Torn and Lame and Sick be the Male of the Flock if it be the best he hath God will receive it graciously and have respect to the Person and to his Offering and Grace will say he hath done what he could as our Lord pleaded for the Woman when his Disciples did absurdly trouble her Mark 14.8 Not only those Richer Persons who brought Gold and Silver and Silk and Precious Stones to the service of the Tabernacle were welcome but those also who came with their Goats-Hair and Badgers-Skins if they had no better I am willing to hope that by what hath been said the mouth of this Objection is stopt the edge of this Argument blunted and so this untoward rub removed which lay in the way of thy Duty therefore I beg earnestly of thee that thou wouldest defer no longer but get up break thro' all opposition and since God hath said seek ye my face let thine heart answer thy face Lord will I seek Before I go off from this Subject I shall direct my Discourse to two sorts of Persons First I would speak something to you whose hearts God hath touched so that you love your work and do it making Family-Prayer your every day business I bless you in the name of the Lord and the God of Heaven bless you while I beg it for you may he bestow it abundantly upon you and pour it out till you be rich in blessings the good Lord strengthen your hands and hearts more and more in this work and encourage you by his gracious answers may you find by frequent and large experience that he hath not said to you seek ye my face in vain The Lord teach you to pray and assist you by his Holy Spirit the Lord send you help from the Sanctuary and strengthen you out of Sion remember all your Offerings grant you according to your own hearts and fulfill all your Petitions which are according to his Mind and Will may you by the Bucket of Prayer draw Water with joy out of the Well of Salvation let him never turn away your Prayer nor his Mercy from you Secondly Do you also suffer the word of exhortation who have your lines cast in those Families in which there is Prayer and the Worship of God do you take special notice of it as a choice mercy and accordingly value it and bless the Lord for disposing you so graciously planting you not in a dry and barren Wildâ—erness where there is no Water but in a Paradise an Eden that is so well water'd You that are Wives and Married to Praying Husbands do you bless God and you Children who have been begotten by Praying Fathers and you Servants who work for and wait upon Praying Masters let all that is within you bless his Holy Name and see to it that you improve the Mercy lose not such a Season such an Opportunity Oh! how much good may you get how much the better may you be in case you be not wanting to your selves and who can tell how much Mercy such an Husband such a Father such a Master may obtain how many Blessings he may procure at the hand of God for you read what the Queen of Sheba said to King Solomon in the 1 of Kings 10.8 Happy are these thy Men and happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that bear thy Wisdom She had seen the House he had built and the ascent by which he went up to the House of the Lord and the Meat at his Table and the sitting of his Servants and the attendance of his Ministers and their Apparel but there was something above all this that she admired She did not look upon the happiness of his Servants as consisting in beholding the greatness of his State and Honour and the Splendour and Glory of his Court or in feeding every day upon his Royal Dainties and Drinking his Generous Wines but in hearing of his Wisdom I may as well yea and much more say of you in case you are your own Friends happy thrice happy are you who live in such a Family though as the lowest and meanest Members of it in which you may every day hear the Master of it speaking to God and conversing with Heaven and every day perfuming the House with the precious Odours of his gracious and holy Prayers So much may suffice to be spoken concerning that great and excellent Work of Family prayer and Oh! that it may not be in vain as to any of you if it be you must answer for it another day But that is not all Christians the whole of your work doth not lye in Prayer this you must do and not leave the rest undone no none of it undoneâ— I remember the holy Apostle Paul speaking of Epaephras whom he calls a Servant of Christ and of them a Citizen of Colos a Member of their Church and Teacher much set for their good saith Col. 4.12 He always labour'd fervently for them in Prayer that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God which is a great thing and deserves our utmost endeavours and his so labouring in Prayer for them to this end spake him a good Man and a singular Friend of theirs and it is my Hearts desire and my frequent Prayer that it may be so with you And this should be the Desire and Prayer the Care and Endeavour of every one of you who are Godly Parents and Religious Governours
to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence Now as there is a double end so there is a double way leading to them That way which leads to Life is a narrow way and the Gate strait there is not room enough for a Man and his Lusts Nature must be curb'd and the Flesh Crucified and the Body kept under and self denied That way which leads to Hell is broad and the Gate wide there a Man may take with him his Sins and his Pleasures he may fare deliciously every day and be wicked every day he may live without God in the World and have Fellowship with Devils and fulfil the Wills of the Flesh. He need not care what he doth who doth not care what becomes of him Well assure them of this that Sin ushers in Misery and the ways of Sin go down to death its steps take hold of Hell but a Life of Holiness and Duty a Life of Faith and Obedience to God carrieth to Heaven and the Happiness above Mark the perfect Man and behold the upright see the last of him for the end of that man is peace Though the way have its difficulties an up-hill way that calls for great pains and labour though it be hedg'd up with Thorns and lin'd with Enemies yet it hath a good end The good Servant that Trades with his Talent minds his business and is faithful in his little shall be made Ruler over much and when he hath finished his work enter into the Joy of his Lord. The Reward will be sure and great what will both issue in abundant satisfaction and raise the highest admirings so that the glorified Soul shall think and say as David did upon another account O Lord who and what are all my services and what my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto Bring them by degrees to understand something of what it is to behold God's Face in Righteousness and to be satisfied with his Likeness to lye at the Fountain-head of Happiness and to delight ones self in the bottomless boundless Ocean of Goodness How pleasant it will be to reflect upon the troubles of the past Life the violent Storms they past thorough the scorns and abuses of a foolish and mad World the rage and fury of wicked unreasonable Men and what a change is made how ill it was how well it is how sweet it must needs be to be above the reach of all sorrows and wants of all Enemies and fears and to be incompast feasted fill'd with the best and choicest delights What a priviledge will it be to sit down as welcom Guests with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of God at a Feast of Glory there to take your fill of Love to all Eternity when you shall see so many shut out What an Honour will it be to sit upon Christ's Throne How easie to lye in the Bosom of Abraham How comfortable to be ever with the Lord How infinitely is this beyond all the Pleasures that Sin can afford its Votaries beyond having the Belly filled with hid Treasures Will you do this you that are Governours of Families Oh! How good is it How much your Duty and how much good may you do This is the way to render them serious and thoughtful the way to make Sin odious and abominable to them so that they shall not desire to taste of those Dainties this is the way to commend Godliness and Religion to them so that they shall be like the Chariots of Amminadab this also is the way to blunt the edge and break the force of a Temptation when it would at any time draw them away from God and take them off from the performance of that duty which they owe unto him I will here add these two things and desire you to put them in practice in order to the rendering these Instructions or Teachings the more effectual First Go over with these things again and again and insist much upon them yea though they be unwilling to hear yet be not you weary of speaking nay though they cast your words behind their Backs do you still follow them with more The Prophet Ezekiel was to continue speaking to the People of Israel though they were a Rebellious House nor might he be silent till God shut up his Mouth and struck him Dumb so must you do with your Families though they be dull and slow to learn yet teach though they be obstinate and stiff necked yet counsel and perswade let there be frequent repetitions of the same Truths and the same Advice and the same Arguments Gutta cavat lapidem Drops of Rain often falling make an impression upon a Stone Immortal Souls are so exceeding precious that the gaining the saving of one is worth the labour of a Life How long did God wait upon you And how often did he speak to you before you would hear do you the like to yours As Children must be often fed so they must be often taught Precept must be upon Precept and Line upon Line here a little and there a little The understandings of young ones are weak and therefore you must deal with them in all plainness and by degrees They are like narrow mouth'd Bottles not receptive of much at a time and you cannot pour in much at once but by little and little Drop in Truths Counsels and Instructions into them according to their ability to receive them Their Memories also are labil and slippery too tenacious of bad things but not of the best like Sieves that let the Flower go and only retain the Bran as they are not capable of receiving much at once so but weak in keeping that which they have received The Apostle saw cause of writing thus to the Hebrews Ye have forgotten the Exhortation which speaks to you as unto Children Heb. 12.5 It is certain there is too much of this to be found among Men grown Men yea grown Saints we read the Word and forget what we read we hear Sermons and forget the Sermons we hear we forget the Promises we make and the Mercies we receive and the Experiences we have had of the power care and goodness of God Men and Women are apt to forget Truths Precepts Counsels and Exhortation we did stand in need of an Ordinance the blessed Sacrament to put us in mind of Christ himself and it is no wonder then if young ones be so their Memories are leaking Vessels and those impressions which are made upon their Minds and Affections do quickly wear out again and therefore there is an absolute necessity of our going over with the same things again upon this account as well as that of the backwardness and great natural aversness of their wills from that which is good daily Instructions are as needful for them as their daily Bread Secondly Back your holy Instructions with holy Exhortations and let all your gracious Counsels be followed and prest upon them with earnest perswasions and
the Morning rose the next day and it smote the gourd that it withered 4. Ionah 6 7. He joyed too much and his enjoyment was short over-loving a Child is over laying it It is as killing it with kindness Or Secondly If that Child hath been continued to them it hath been in wrath They have the life of it but they want the comfort of it for it hath proved naught and vicious and so been a Thorn in their side an Heart-break to them They had better while it was Young have followed it to the Grave than see it now notoriously wicked an Enemy to God and all goodness disobedient to them and galloping to Hell with full speed as if it thought it could not get thither soon enough Therefore upon all these accounts the advice which I give unto Parents is this observe the spirits and carriages of your Children and also of your Servants which of them do most fear God and respect you which of them are most tractable and diligent and let them have most love and respect who do deserve it best bestow your greatest cost upon that Soil which makes the best returns by this means they will have no just cause of quarreling you By this you will prevent envy discontent and breaches among them and also promote Piety and Goodness in your Families by stirring up in them all an excellent sweet and Friendly Emulation So that there shall be a striving together without wrath and bitterness how they may excel in Godliness and Virtue and in all those things which you require of them and which will render them acceptable and pleasant unto you this will sweeten and commend obedience to them it will encrease and add to their endeavours it will be as a Golden Spur to quicken their pace in the way that they should go Now for a Coronis or conclusion of this my Discourse upon this great and specially at this day necessary Subject of Family Duties I shall add some Miscellany Counsels and make a kind of Medley inviting whoever will to come and take and apply those of them to themselves which they shall judge most proper and pertinent to their case and the God of Heaven bless them to them First Look diligently lest any fail or fall short of the grace of God 12 Hebrews 15. You see there it is the Apostle's Advice it will be your wisdom to take and follow it see that the Spirit of Christ dwell in you else you are none of his and that you have been made partakers of his renewing sanctifying Influences without the Spirit of God you will never be fit for the Work of God Without Christ's breathing upon his Apostles and their receiving from him the Holy Ghost they could never have done the work of an Apostle so without Christs breathing upon you and your receiving his Spirit you will never rightly perform the work of a Christian. where there is not the Spirit of Grace there is not the Spirit of Supplication Nor will a person void of the Spirit and Grace be welcom to God nor his Service pleasing Such an one indeed may peform the External Duties of Reliligion and set up the Worship of God in his Family and it is no more than what he owes to God and to himself and to his House yet that which he doth will not be accepted if the man be bad what he doth cannot be good but is quite spoil'd by his doing it The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Though the Sacrifice for the matter of it be rich and costly yet God's soul loaths and abhors it because a wicked man brings it The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering 4 Gen. 4. first to the person and then to the thing Besides unless you have the Spirit and Grace you will not be constant in Duty a small matter shall take you off and stop you in your course the question is Will the hypocrite pray always will he always call upon God The Answer is easy and ready no he will not and the Reason is plain because there is not a spring to feed the stream not an inward principle to keep on the motion God complain'd of old That the people drew nigh unto him with their lips but their hearts were far from him Mark though there were appearances before God yet their hearts and God did never meet together in the Duty and therefore the day will most certainly come when there will be a parting between such people and their duties they never cordially and throughly agreed with God himself never came to a full closure with his terms never lov'd him for his holiness nor rejoyced at the remembrance of it and therefore for something or other they will fall out with his Works and Ways Consider my dearly beloved and again consider what the Scripture saith It is a good thing that the Heart be establisht with Grace Heb. 13.9 both with the Doctrine of Grace and with an internal Principle of Grace for the one will not do without the other nothing short of Grace can strengthen stablish and settle the Heart till Grace be infused into the Soul and becomes a new nature in it till it comes to be commander in chief the Heart of man will be fluttering and unstable off and on playing fast and loose with God it will look toward the holy Temple and take some steps in the Way of God and that with seeming life and vigour as much zeal for the Lord of Hosts as Iehu pretended to have but being only a preternatural heat it cools again and the man jades and tires But when once Grace comes in truth and with Power it fixeth the Soul and as when the Rulers of the People and Elders of Israel commanded the Apostles not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Iesus Peter and Iohn answered them thus we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Acts 4.20 so when there is an holy frame wrought in any they cannot but wait upon God converse and walk with God they cannot but Read and Hear and Pray they cannot live a spiritual life without these spiritual breathings more than another life without natural breathing an holy fear will powerfully drive them to their duty a filial love will sweetly draw them to it and Faith will mightily encourage them in it while they do really and firmly believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him they cannot but be a seeking People while they do believe that let them be stedfast and immoveable and never so much abounding in the Work of the Lord their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord they cannot but be an industrious and diligent People and while they do believe that in the keeping of Gods Commandments there is great reward besides all that which shall be hereafter they will delight themselves greatly in them and it will be their
his Talent in a Napkin That Gods Service is perfect Freedom and then do Men and Women walk at liberty when they keep his Precepts Whereas the Service of Sin is no better than Slavery and its work a drudgery the Sweet-Meats of Sin are wrapt up in a Curse and its most pleasant ways lead down to the Chambers of Death Whereas the Yoke of Christ is easie being lin'd with Love and his Burthen is light having both Wings and the Shoulder of God to help them to bear it In the service of Sin a poor Creature spends all at his own cost like the poor Israelites under Pharaoh and his Cruel Task-Masters who were not only forced to make Brick but likewise to find Straw to make it with and then the Wages given at last will be death Whereas God doth cut out Work for his Servants and give them strength to do it he chalks out their way and inlargeth their hearts to run it he giveth power to the faint when they have none of their own he supplies them with enough so that Paul said He could do all things thro' Christs strengthning him Shew to them the reasonableness of the Law of God which hath been given out to Man for the Directory of his Life and the Rule of his Actions that it is pure and perfect and worthy both of our obedience and our Love yea doth and will afford great singular delight to a person of a right frame and constitution and well it may seeing the Law is holy and the Commandments holy just and good Rom. 7.12 It is such a Law was fit for God to give and fit for Man to receive it being purity throughout and is suitable to the Nature of God who is an Infinite Holy and Righteous Being It was also suitable to the Nature of Man possible easie pleasant to him before he was degenerate corrupt and depraved Let us run through the Commandments and at the first view it will appear they are not grievious as the beloved Disciple saith 1 Iohn 5.3 What can be more reasonable than that we should have and own love and trust in fear and serve him for our God and him only who is God indeed and God alone besides whom there is none else What could with greater reason be forbidden than the making of any Graven Image or the likeness of any thing which is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth so as to fall down and Worship them for what can be more ridiculous than to give Divine Honour to that which Man himself gave being to what more gross and egregious nonsence than to call that a God part of which is consumed in the fire Is it not reasonable that we all should sanctifie the name of God and not prophane it nor take it in vain and that we should cheerfully spend some time in his Service who is the great Lord of time and keep holy the Sabbath Day laying out that seventh part of time which he hath chosen and sanctified and set apart for himself in his service and Worship what exceptions can be made against Honouring our Fathers and Mothers Childrens honouring their Parents Servants their Masters and Mistresses Inferiours their Superiours Subjects their Governours what more just than that Men should not kill others by violence nor themselves by intemperance and excess nay that they should not hate one another nor be angry without a cause nor too much nor too long What also can be with reason objected against that Law of God which forbids Rapine Theft Robbery Adultery and all Uncleanness all Reviling Slandering Backbiting and bearing false witness against our Neighbours and also coveting those things which are not our own but commandeth us to sit down contented with those things which we have whether they be more or less till God shall please to carve out for us a larger and more liberal allowance Surely as to all these things save only the seventh part of time the light of Nature would dictate and lead to the practice of them Reason it self doth suggest and teach that to be religious righteous good temperate chast kind meek humble and lowly is fit for Men it highly becomes them and doth greatly conduce and contribute to their honour and peace and prosperity to their welfare and comfort every way these things give them boldness make their faces shine and commend them to all that know them But on the other side injustice oppression disobedience drunkeness uncleanness theft lying subornation perjury false witness swearing debauchery and prophaneness of all sorts do offend Heaven and Earth they tend to the dishonour and displeasing of God and to the undoing of Persons and Families yea to the ruine of Societies and Kingdoms and the whole World for these things sake the wrath of God comes down upon the Children of disobedience To shut up this particular let them know there is none of Gods Commandments but what doth evidently and directly make for Mans own good it tends to the preserving of his Name that it may be like precious Ointment without a dead Flye in it and of his Life that his days may be long in the Land and of his Health that his life may be comfortable as well as long and of his Estate that that may prosper and increase and not be blasted with a Curse and so consume and melt like Snow before the Sun they have a benign and kind influence upon Mans whole interest Godliness being profitable for all things for Soul Body and Calling for Time and Eternity for the Life that now is and for that which is to come and there is nothing can be named by which we can possibly so much promote our own good as by a cordial and constant respect to all God's Commandments we shall not then be ashamed nor repent Oh! how sweet and pleasant will it be when we can in truth say with holy Paul Herein do we exercise our selves to keep a Conscience void of offence both toward God and toward Man Acts 24.16 Eightly Acquaint them with the present Advantages that come by Religion and a consciencious performance of Duty God's Israel have their Manna now and their Clusters by the way in the Wilderness as well as a Land flowing with Milk and Honey at the last As there are some drops before the Storm so First-fruits before the Harvest David saith God's Commandments are right and true more to be desired than Gold much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb and that in keeping them there is great reward Psal. 19.11 There is Meat in the very Mouth of duty he doth not say there shall be a great reward though that is true it shall be in Heaven but there is so God is now a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him and are careful to obey him his Servants shall not stay for all but have something down the Feast is to come but there are foretastes
at present We frequently see that Sin doth carry its punishment along with it Soon after Cain had kill'd his Brother the Innocent Blood cried and Judgment was in part Executed Quickly after Iudas had play'd the Traytor God made him his own Executioner While Belshazzar was impiously Carousing in the Vessels of the Sanctuary there was an Hand-writing upon the Wall and that very Night was he slain So God hangs up some Notorious Criminals as it were in Chains in terrorem that others might be warned and frighted and some restraint laid upon and bounds set to wickedness which would otherwise overflow all and that some order might be preserved and kept up in the World On the other side God doth even in this Life frequently reward good Men and both give them Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Things and outward Blessings in Earthly Things thereby making it evident to all that have Eyes in their Heads and will observe that it is not in vain to fear God And though his upright Iob's are not so sordidly Mercinary as to serve him meerly for hire yet he is so infinitely good and gracious that they shall not serve him for nought but while they walk before him in their Integrity and make it their desire and endeavour to please and obey him he watcheth over them with a never-slumbering Eye and takes special Fatherly Care of them and doth them good they have peace in their Breasts and Families protection about them and all that they have and also Food convenient for them a supply of all their need And though some others of his People who are dear unto him and exceeding precious in his sight have but little a very little of this Worlds Goods but from Hand to Mouth yet they can be cheerful sitting down to a Dinner of Herbs and eat them with a merry Heart giving God thanks because they know they have the love of God in it and the Blessing of God with it and by consequence that little which they have is better than the Riches and great Revenues of many wicked their Brown Bread is better than the others Venison which is pepper'd hot with a Curse and their Cup of cold Water is better than the others most generous Wine because the Wrath of God is dropt into it and all shall at last be dearly paid for when Divine Justice shall bring in the Reckoning Shew them that the Service of God and a care to please him is the way to get the good things of the World both the Creatures and the Comfort of them for as we before said Godliness hath the Promises of this Life i. e. both of Life it self and what doth appertain to it And as it is the Blessing of God that maketh Rich so his Blessing is upon his People upon them and only upon them Others have no Interest in the Promise and therefore cannot lay claim to the Blessing nor groundedly expect and hope for it Profane Esau would fain have had the Blessing he ask'd it he beg'd it he wept for it but alas it was gone before Isaac had past it to his Brother Iacob and he was not to be alter'd Esau had contemned the Birthright and sold it for a Mess of Pottage and therefore he should not have the Blessing He found in his Father no place for Repentance although he sought it carefully with Tears Profaneness excludes from the Blessing But withal take some pains with them yea do all that you can to keep their Hearts from being ingaged to the World and their Affections from being wedded and devoted to these sublunary Enjoyments do not commend to them fine Cloaths gorgeous Attire and outward Bravery that is the way to make them proud but the Robe of Righteousness a putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith and Imitation and a being cloathed with Humility Do not commend to them earthly Riches which reach not the Soul which are uuncertain and take unto themselves Wings and flee away leaving the poor Owner in a worse condition than they found him but commend to them the good part that shall never be taken from them the Riches of Faith and an Interest in the Promises Not worldly Grandeur which is so slippery nor high places from which so many tumble and fall and break their Necks but great goodness great measures of Faith and Holiness great serviceableness in their several places labour to convince them of the littleness and vanity and nothingness of those things which the bewitched worldlings do so madly dote upon and so idolatrously hug and pursue still after with so much eagerness as if they could never have enough and indeed let them get never so much of them they will never find enough in them but in the fulness of their sufficiency they will be in straits Iob 20.22 Such Men are in straits during that fulness of sufficiency though they have abundance they do not think it enough their condition is high and their outward comforts are large but their spirits are too big for their condition and so they are pinch'd and pain'd like a Gouty Foot in a narrow and little Shooe And many times God chuseth that as his Season for the making both his Power and Anger known upon them when they are at the full they are eclipsed when their Cup runs over he empties them when they stand stâ—utting and vapouring as Nebuchadnezzar in his Palace Is not this great Babylon which I have built then Divine Providence trips them up and lays their Honour in the Dust. Turn away their Eyes from beholding these Vanities and direct them to more noble and amiable Objects that do better deserve their Love and will requite it at a greater rate make them to know there are other manner of Beauties and Glories to be had and therefore to be sought and looked after those Riches and Honour which are with Wisdom durable Riches and Righteousness Prov. 8.18 Tell them that one Drachm of Saving Grace is better than Thousands of Gold and Silver that Christ is better than Creatures God better than all the World and his Favour than Life his Smiles than the brightest Sun-shine therefore Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt and rather chose to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a Season Heb. 11.25 26. And David counted one day in God's Courts better than a Thousand elsewhere and would rather be a Door-keeper in the House of his God than dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Once more convince them if it be possible that beginning with God is beginning at the right end this is the best method and will be most successful To set our Affections upon things above is the directest and most compendious way of attaining those things which are here below Let a Man make sure of Christ and he may very well trust God with all his outward concerns The Lord is my shepherd let