fear Death and 31. Grace thus in Exercise Sermon 31 is but one degree from Glory Now Christians though there are many particular Cases wherein you 'l need Direction yet let me close with this Request Try your utmost what the practical Transcript of these Directions into your Hearts and Lives will produce ere you complain for more That these may be useful to you whoever else censures them as useless shall be the hearty Prayer of June 19. 1674. Your worthless Servant Samuel Annesley The CONTENTS Dr. Annesley Serm. 1 HOw may we attain to love God with all our hearts souls and minds Mat. 22.37 38. Mr. Milward Serm. 2 How ought we to love our Neighbour as our selves Mat. 22.39 Mr. Gale Serm. 3 Wherein the love of the world is inconsistent with the love of God 1 Joh. 2.15 Mr. Jenkyn Serm. 4 How may we improve the present season of grace 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Mr. Veal Serm. 5 What spiritual knowledg they ought to seek for that desire to be saved c. Isa 27.11 Mr. Case Serm. 6 How ought the Sabbath to be sanctified Isa 58.13 14. Mr. Senior Serm. 7 How may we hear the Word with profit James 1.21 Mr. Watson Serm. 8 How may we read the Scriptures with most spiritual profit Deut. 17.19 Mr. Wells Serm. 9 How may we make melody in our hearts with singing of Psalms Eph. 5.19 Dr. Manton Serm. 10 How ought we to improve our Baptism Acts 2.38 Mr. Lye Serm. 11 By what spiritual rules may catechising be best manag'd Prov. 22.6 Mr. Wadsworth Serm. 12 How may it appear to be every Christian 's indispensable duty to partake of the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11.24 Mr. Barker Serm. 13 A Religious fast Mark 2.20 Mr. Lee Serm. 14 How to manage secret Prayer that it may be prevalent with God to the comfort and satisfaction of our Souls Mat. 6.6 Mr. Doolitle Serm. 15 How may the Duty of Family-prayer be best manag'd Josh 24.15 Mr. Steele Serm. 16 What are the Duties of Husbands and Wives towards each other Eph. 5.33 Mr. Adams Serm. 17 What are the Duties of Parents and Children Coloss 3.20 21. Mr. Janeway Serm. 18 What are the Duties of Masters and Servants Eph. 6.5 6 7 8 9. Mr. S. C. Serm. 19 The sinfulness and cure of thoughts Gen. 6.5 Mr. West Serm. 20 How must we govern our tongues Eph. 4.29 Mr. Poole Serm. 21 How may detraction be best prevented or cur'd Psal 15.3 Mr. Baxter Serm. 22 What is that light which must shine before men in the works of Christ's Disciples Matth. 5.16 Dr. Wilkinson Serm. 23 How must we do all in the Name of Christ Col. 3.17 Mr. Cole Serm. 24 How may we steer an even course between Presumption and Despair Luke 3.5 6. Mr. Fowler Serm. 25 How Christians may get such a faith as may not only be saving at last but comfortable and joyful at the present 2 Pet. 1.8 Dr. Jacomb Serm. 26 How Christians may learn in every state to be content Phil. 4.11 Dr. G. Serm. 27 How we may so bear afflictions as neither to despise them nor faint under them Heb. 12.5 Dr. Owen Serm. 28 How may we bring our Hearts to receive Reproofs Psal 141.5 Mr. T. Vincent Serm. 29 Wherein doth appear the blessedness of forgiveness and how it may be attained Psal 32.1 Mr. Silvester Serm. 30 How may we overcome the inordinate love of Life and fear of Death Acts 20.24 Mr. Hook Serm. 31 What gifts of Grace are chiefly to be exercis'd in order to an actual preparation for the coming of Christ by Death and Judgment Mat. 25.10 Quest How may we attain to love God with all our Hearts Souls and Minds Serm. I. Matth. 22.37 38. Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment IT is fit this Exercise should begin with a general Introduction that may indifferently serve every Sermon that shall be Preach'd I should be much mistaken and so would you too should we think this Text unsuitable let 's therefore not only in the fear but also in the love of God address our selves to the management of it This Command you have in Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might This Command is not found in Exodus nor in Leviticus but only in Deuteronomy i. e. the second Law of Moses which as some express it bore a Type of the second Law viz. the Evangelical to which this Command is proper for the Old Law was a Law of fear tending to bondage and therefore Moses mentions the incussion of terror in the giving of it which when he hath dispatch'd he begins the following Chapter with Love noting that the Holy Ghost will cause the Law of Love to succeed the Law of Fear And 't is observable that the Jews read this place with the highest observation and their Scribes write the first and last words of the Preface to it with greater Letters than ordinary to amplifie the sense and to note that this is the beginning and the end of the Divine Law and they read this Scripture morning and evening with great * Jansen Harmon The Occasion Religion The occasion of Christ's pressing this command upon them at this time was this when the Pharisees heard how he had baffled the Sadduces and stopped their mouths with so proper and fit an answer that they had no more to say they consult how they may shew their acumen and sharpness of wit to diminish Christ's credit concerning his Doctrine and Skill in Scripture and therefore they chuse out one of their most accomplish'd Interpreters of the Law captiously to propose an excellent question They call him Master whose Disciples they will not be they enquire after the Great Commandment who will not duely observe the least they thought Christ could not return such an answer but that they might very plausibly except against it * Cartw. Harm Auth. imperfect op If Christ should have named any one command to be the greatest their exception was ready why not another as great as that but Christ's wisdom shames their subtilty Christ doth not call any command Great with the lessening of the rest but he repeats the summe of the whole Law and distinguisheth it into two Great Commands according to the subordination of their Objects Thou shalt love c. Though the excellency of the subject calls for the enlargement of your hearts yet the copiousness of it requires the contracting of my discourse To save time therefore let me open my Text and Case both together The Case is this The Case What is it to love God with all the heart
Counsels go down glibly When persons are fully satisfied that in all our Addresses to them we study only their benefit and profit this opens an effectual door to all the means that we shall use Thus Paul accosts the Romans I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift Rom. 1.10 11. Thus he smooths his way to the Philippians Phil. 1.8 God is my Record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ Labour then to get their love their good esteem and the work will thrive beyond expectation Love is like the oiling of the Key which makes it to open the lock more easily love greaseth the nail and makes it enter with more facility 2. To holy hearty serious affectionate frequent admonition add an exemplary Conversation Inferiours are apt to be led rather by example than rule and are more prone to imitate Practices than to learn Principles They are more mindful of what we do than of what we say and they will be very prone to suspect that we are not in good earnest when they see that we command them one thing and do another our selves When we teach them well and do amiss our selves we do but pull down with one hand what we build with the other Like a man that at the same time sings a lovely Song and drowns the melody of it by playing an ugly Tune When the Father is immodest the Child that sees it soon grows impudent and therefore the Ancients thought themselves concern'd to be very reserv'd and cautelous before their children Maxima debetur pueris reverentia Psal 101.2 Nâ—l faedum dictu visâ—que ea limina â—angat intra quae pura est Pâ—il 1.4 Col. 1 3. Rom. 10.1 Walk as David therefore in thy house with a perfect heart Let thy children and servants behold nothing in thy deportment which if follow'd may prove sinful 3. To an exemplary conversation add faithful fervent humble constant supplication Paul without ceasing makes mention of his heart's desire and his prayer to God for Israel was that they might be saved Ministers like spiritual Priests should not fail to offer their daily Sacrifices for their people confess their iniquities bewail their misery and cry mightily to God for his mercy All our instructions without prayer will do no good Go to God to sanctifie all By prayer carry thy children servants to the blessed Jesus in the Arms of Faith and beseech him to bless them by laying on his hands on them as Isaac did The accustomed Ceremony used in Blessing Beza in Mat. 19. Impositio manuum Symbolum fuit apud Judaeos familiare quoties solâ—nnis erat precatio vel benedictâ— Mat. 15.22 Gen. 27.1 and 48.9 14. with Matth. 19.13 and Mark 10.16 How pathetically did Abraham plead with God for Ishmael Oh that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 Bathsheba calls for Solomon the Son of her Vows Prov. 31.2 Austin the Child of Monica's prayers and tears O pray then pray earnestly O that this my Son Daughter Servant might not dye for ever Thou Lord art the Prince and Lord of Life O speak powerfully to their poor Souls that these pieces of my bowels that are now dead in trespasses and sins may hear thy voice and live Cry out to God with that poor man in the Gospel Lord have mercy on my Son Matth. 17.15 If a Mother do as the Woman of Canaan did Have mercy on me O Lord my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil If he seem not to hear and to be silent go nearer to him by Faith and cry Lord help me Lord help me If his Answer seem to be a repulse do not thou desist but rather gather Arguments from his denial as she did and conclude that if he once open his mouth he will not shut his hand and if importunity may prevail with an unrighteous man then much more it will obtain with a gracious God Never leave him therefore till by laying hold on his own strength thou hast overcome him At last thou mayst hear that ravishing voice O Woman be it unto thee even as thou wilt and see thy Daughter made whole from that very hour 4. Lastly To fervent supplication add wary inspection Keep a strict hand Dr. Jacomb Dem. Dâ—c 83. and a watchful eye continually over those that are committed to your charge your utmost care and vigilancy in this will be found little enough How soon will those Gardens that now look like a Paradise be overgrown with weeds if the Keepers thereof do not look to them daily How soon is Childhood and Youth tainted with sin if it be not narrowly watcht Be thou diligent therefore to know the state of thy Flock and look well to thy Herds Carefully observe the natural temper of your inferiours you will by this the better know how to apply your selves to them in advice reproof correction Observe the first sprouts and buds of what is either good or evil in them encourage commend reward them in the one curb restrain and prevent the further growth of the other Do they begin to take God's Name in vain Do they nibble at a lye Doth Pride in apparel peep forth Be sure to kill this Serpent in the very egg to crush this Cockatrice in the Shell 2. Thus of Superiours A word to Inferiours and I have done Dear Lambs the Searcher of Hearts knows how greatly I long after you all in the Bowels of Jesus Christ Shall I prevail with you to remember this when I am laid with my Fathers viz. That 't is no less your Duty to make Religion your business in the relation of Children and Servants than 't is ours in the relation of Parents and Masters Oh what a credit what a glory is it to drink in the Dews of Godliness in the morning of your lives What a lovely sight to behold those Trees blossoming with the fruits of the Spirit in the Spring of their Age Better is a poor and a wise Child than an old and a foolish King Eccl. 4.13 What a Garland of Honour doth the Holy Ghost put on the head of an holy Child How profitable is early Piety Some Fruits ripe early in the year are worth treble the price of latter Fruits Godliness at any time brings in much gain but he that comes first to the Market is like to make the best price of his Ware On the other side how dangerous are delays Remember Children late Repentance like untimely fruits seldom comes to any thing Your lives are very uncertain As young as you are you may be old enough for a Grave Oh then seek your God 1 Tim. 6.6 We read of one that truly repented at his last gasp that so none might despair but 't is of but one that none might presume and seek him when and whiles he may be found Isa 55.5 If thou refuse him now he may refuse thee hereafter I have heard of one that deferring Repentance
say I would my poor hungry child I would but I have it not Why then will you not come at me live together and eat together at my cost and care and charge and yet be whole months and never come at Me and that your children have reason raiment limbs not born blind nor of a monstrous birth which things Heathens have been affected with and a thousand ways besides have I done you good may God say Why then will you live whole years together and never together come at me Have you found one more able or more willing to do you good that you never can Why then are you so unthankful as not to come at me After the like manner the Lord expostulates with his People to whom he had been a bountiful Benefactor and yet they answered not his bounty nor served him their Benefactor for which he calls to the Heavens to be astonished and the Earth to be horribly afraid Jer. 2.5 Thus saith the Lord Mercies do engage to duties We should have him for our God for ever and serve him that always doth us good So the Poet. O Melibaec Deuo. nobis haec otia fecit Namque erit ille mihi semper Deus illius aram Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus Virg. Eclog. 1. Officia etiam saerae sentiunt nec ullum tam immansuetum animal est quod non cura mitiget in amorem sui vertat Leonum ora à magistris impunè tractantur Eliphantorum feritatem usque in servile obsequium demeretur cibus adeo etiam quae extra intellectum atque aestimationem bemeficii sunt posita assiduitas tamen meriti pertinacis evincit Ingratus est adversus unum beneficium adversus alterum non erit Duorum obliru est tertium etiam corum quae excideruâ—t memoriam reducet Qui instat onerat priora sequentibus etiam ex duto Immemori pectore gratiam extundat Nâ—o audebit adversus multa ocuâ—câ— allollere Senec. de benef c. 3. what iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me 6. Neither said they where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt Should such a people forsake such a God and go far from him that did them so much good yet they did ver 13. Be astonished at this oh ye heavens You see when God is a Benefactor to a People and there is the same reason for Families and they do not serve him what monstrous wickedness it is God hath kept you all safe in the night and yet in the morning you do not say Where is the Lord that did preserve us come ô come Let us give joint praises to him God hath done you and your Families good so many years and yet you do not say where is the Lord that hath done such great things for us come let us acknowledg his mercy together God hath carried you through affliction and sickness in the Family the Plague hath been in the house and yet you live the Small pox and burning Feavors have been in your houses and yet you are alive your conjugal companion hath been sick and recovered children nigh to death and yet restored and for all this you do not say Where is the Lord that kept us from the Grave and saved us from the Pit that we are not rotten among the dead and yet you do not pray to nor pra se this your wonderful Benefactor together Let the very walls within which these ungrateful wretches live be astonished at this Let the very beams and pillars of their houses tremble and let the very girders of the floors on which they tread and walk be horribly afraid that such as dwell in such an House together go to bed before they go to Prayer together Let the earth be amazed that the Families which the Lord doth nourish and maintain are rebellious and unthankful Being worse than the very Ox that knoweth his Owner and of less understanding than the very Ass Isa 1.2 3. There is such validity in the consequence from God's being our Benefactor to our duty to him in serving of him that Joshua builds his exhortation to the Heads and People of Israel to fear and worship God upon this very foundation as appeareth plainly to any that read the Chapter where the Text lieth From what hath been said I reason in this manner 3. Arg. If God be the Founder Owner Governour and Benefactor of Families as such then Families as such are jointly to worship God and pray unto him This cannot be denied But God is the Founder Owner Governour and Benefactor of Families as such Neither can this be denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Moral Nunc adhibe puro Pectore verba puer nunc te melioribus affer Quo semel est imbuta recensâ— servabit odorem Testa diu Horat. Ep. l. 12. adeo in teneris consuescere mulâ—um est Virg Geor. l. 2. Therefore Families as such are jointly to worship God and pray unto him Argument 4. Masters of Families ought to read the Scripture to their Families teach and instruct their Children and Servants in the matters and doctrines of Salvation therefore they are to pray in and with their Families No man that will not deny the Scripture can deny the unquestionable duty of reading the Scripture in our houses Governours of Families teaching and instructing them out of the Word of God Amongst a multitude of express Scriptures look into these Exod. 12.26 And it shall come to pass when your Children shall say unto you what mean you by this service 27. Ye shall say it is the Sacrifice of the Lord 's Passeover who passed over the houses of the Children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses And there is as much reason that Christian Parents should explain to their Children the Sacraments of the New Testament to instruct them in the nature use and ends of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Deut. 6.6 And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart 7. v. And thou shalt teach * Crebris admonitionum quasi ictibus haec mea praecepta infiges optabis sicut repetitis mallei ictibus fâ—rram aptatur Lud. de Dieu Et dentabis ea i. e. inter dentes versabis assidue lo queris vel dentibus mandes praemansa in os ingeres filiis tuis Malvend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whet or sharpen them diligently to thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest in the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up i. e. morning and evening Deut. 11.18 19. Ephes 6.4 And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And God was pleased with this in Abraham Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they
conjunct Prayer of a domestick combination which is concerning Isaac Gen. 25.21 We read it And Isaac entreated the Lord for his Wife Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two words especially make for our purpose Ea praesente unà cum illa Junius Simul cum uxore cum qua communicabat preces Fagi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orare quidem significat sed non simpliciter quia assiduitatem importunitatem simul connotat precum multiplicationem Res convenit non enim dubium est tam longo tempore Isaacum saepiâ—â—s interpellasse Deum fretum spe promissionum Rivet in loc That vvhich is translated for his Wife might be read with his Wife in the presence of his Wife being vvith him and joining with him in this duty He prayed for and before his Wife it was then conjunct Prayer Isaac praying with his Wife The other vvord translated entreated signifieth to multiply powerful words in Prayer to pour out vvords in abundance and denoteth 1. The multiplying of his Prayers it was not only once but frequently that he pray'd with his Wife 2. The earnestness of his Prayer 3. The continuance and their perseverance therein till they had the mercy prayed for as follows and the Lord was entreated of him Isaac had been married near twenty years with Rebekah and so long without a child so that it seems they had been exercised in this duty for many years upon this account that Rebekah had no child for so long time for which they did unanimously and constantly offer up prayers to God and if they prayed together for issue should not you for the favour of God pardon of sin interest in Christ and eternal life By all you see that there was Family conjunct worship and praying to God by God's command and appointment and approved by God's acceptance of it Now let any one shew where God hath taken off this obligation if God hath any where said though I did appoint Adam to worship me in his Family and did accept of Abel 's offering that did as I commanded and did hear Isaac praying together with his wife yet now I will be prayed to in Families no more shew it if you can What book chapter and verse is it Obj. Will you say that the reason of their worshipping God in their Families at first was because there was no other to worship him with but when men did multiply and there were publick Assemblies men were not bound to do it Ans 1 Shew that Which is the Text that tells you that God's instituting of Publick Worship hath disobliged men from praying to God in their Families Ans 2 When men were multiplied Godly men did serve God in their Families Abraham did and Isaac did and Job did and Joshua did and Cornelius did Did they do it and were they not bound to do it What will you make of all the Worship and Prayers which these did give and offer up to God in their Houses If there was no obligation upon them they had not sinned if they had omitted it and it was no obedience when they did so Will you say either of these What! Were they Works of Supererogation No surely But when Aaron 's Priesthood was instituted Object then the obligation on Families ceased and after that the Israelites did not pray in their Houses Why will you speak without Book Shew me this either Answ I have proved an obligation by God's institution shew me where it is nulled and made void even after the Aaronical Priesthood was instituted But I say they did pray in their houses after this for after the institution of Aaron's Priesthood the Israelites celebrated the Passeover in their own Houses and that was not done without Prayer For though after the Priesthood was setled the Priests killed the Lamb yet after the Lamb was killed the Master of the house caused it to be brought back to his own house and did eat it with his Family Luke 22.7 8.9 10. And the Cup that was used at the Passeover whether it were Sacramental or no is controverted was blessed by the Master of the Family Weemes so that there was Prayer and Praise attending this celebration in their Houses conjunctly after the Priesthood was setled in which service they had also the expâ—ication of it why they kept it what was the meaning of the bitter herbs and why eaten with unleavened bread done in form of Catechizing Godw. Jew Antiq and in their Feasts the Master of the House prayed before and after after he gave thanks 1 For their present food 2 For their deliverance from Egyptian bondage 3 For the Covenant of Circumcision 4 For the Law given by the ministry of Moses then he prayed that God would have mercy 1 On his People Israel 2 On his own City Jerusalem 3 On Sion the Tabernacle of his Glory 4 On the Kingdom of the House of David his anointed 5 That he would send Elias the Prophet 6 That he would make them worthy of the days of the Messiah and of the life of the World to come Do you not call this conjunct Prayer and Praise thus done by the Master of the Family May we not now with confidence of the truth from all under this last Topick or Head of Argument frame this manner of reasoning Arg. 6. If serving of God and praying conjunctly to him in proper Families was commanded and appointed by God and never yet revoked then it is the duty of proper Families so to do But serving of God and praying to him conjunctly in proper Families was commanded and appointed by God and never yet revoked Therefore it is the duty of proper Families so to do Pareus Deorum cultor infrequem Insanientis dum sapientiae Consultus erro nunc retrorsum vela dare atque iterare cursus cogor relictos Horat. lib. 1. Od. 34. So much for the first Question Question Second Whether it be the duty of Families jointly to pray to God daily Aff. Some that are convinced that Family Prayer is a duty vvill sometimes practice it and yet but seldom some upon the Lord's Day and yet but once then in the Evening and that serves for all the week till the evening of the Lord's day next doth come Others pray once a day through the week but omit it in the morning when yet the very same reasons which should move them to do it at all should be cogent for more frequent performance of it and are so Though it be not determined expresly in the Scripture that Christian Families should pray together morning and evening every day yet in the general it is required that we should continue in Prayer Col. 4.2 which seems to be meant of Family Prayer For the Apostle had been speaking to Family relations Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants and treating of Family relative duties carrying on his speech still to the same persons saith continue in Prayer but such as
〈◊〉 ruler of his own house Kings are Fathers of their own Countries and Fathers are Kings in their own houses in respect of their rule and authority over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odys lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Odys 9. Direction II. N c sibi nec aliis utilis Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto qui peccat major habetur Juven Sat. 8. 2. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual benefit of the Family the Master thereof should make it his business to be accomplished with gifts and knowledg suitable to the place where God hath set him Ignorance in a Master of a Family renders him uncapable of the discharge of the duties of his place and is worse than in a Child or Servant Such a Family is lik a body that hath a head without eyes It is a shame to see what little knowledg many Governours of Families have in matters of Religion that when they should instruct and catechise their children and servants need to be catechised themselves The Apostle requireth this qualification in Masters of Families that they should be knowing men so some interpret this place 1 Pet. 3.7 as becomes knowing men Naturally men are endued with greater powers to understand than women are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri similiteâ— unà versentur ut scientes decet Beza Piscat Quid est stultius quam quia diu non didiceriâ— non discere Omnis aetatis homines schola admittit Tamduâ— dâ—scendum est quamdiu nescias Sen. Epist 76. and a Master of a Family hath had more time to get knowledg than Children and Servants have and if he hath not attain'd to more it is his shame and reproach and renders him more contemptible in the eyes of those that are subjected to him who have not that reverent awe of him and his authority as they would have if authority were accompanied with knowledg study then you Masters the Scripture more and the grounds of Religion more that you might be able to manage this duty to the greater profit of all in your Families Direction III. 3. It is necessary also to this purpose that the Master of the Family instruct each member of his house in the principles of Religion that they may be able to understand the matter of the Prayers that are put up to God For if the Governour have knowledg how to ask and those that kneel down with him know not the meaning of his words though commonly used and plain to them that have been instructed how shall they concur in such requests or confessions or say Amen to what they do not understand Or what spiritual profit can they get When you lament Original Sin which you and they were guilty of and defiled with if they know not what this means nor how they are corrupted even from their birth how shall they in Prayer be humbled for it If you pray that you may be justified sanctified or have the Image of God engraven on your hearts that you may have Faith in Christ repentance for sin be converted c. how shall they joyn with you if they have no knowledg of these things when they are ignorant what is meant by the Image of God by faith repentance conversion c. and what benefit can they have by such Prayers as to their own concurrence with you to make these things their own desire when yet they are the things you must daily beg of God That Prayer then might be performed to their spiritual edification lay first the foundation be knowing your selves and make them so too and Prayer will be more advantageously done to you and them Nisi priùs in nobâ—s ejusmâ—diâ— affectus exsuscitamus quos altorum animis impressos volumus frustrà erit quicquld conamur Bowl past Evang. Direction IV. 4. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual profit of those in the Family the Master of the Family should get his own heart in good frame and get his own affections warmed in the duty Do you come to Prayer with a lively heart and quickned affections your selves your heat might warm them Quod enim minister Ecclesiae est in templo id pius pater-familias esi indomo ille publico docendi munere fungitur hic privatim suam instituit familiam ad pietatem ac hoâ—â—statem dâ—mesticos suos format Gerhard lo. com de Conjug and your earnest importunity might stir them up unto the same let them see you are in good earnest by your fervent praying as becomes men that are begging for such things as the life of their souls the pardon of their sin the favour of God deliverance from hell and for everlasting happiness Whereas if you come to the duty with flat dull and cold affections this will make them so too As you find it with your selves when you are under a dull and lukewarm Preacher you have little workings of affections so your Family will find it under your Prayers if they be such for as a Minister should get lively workings in his own breast of those affections which he would raise in the People so should you in Family duties get those workings of love joy and sorrow for sin which you would desire should be in those that joyn with you for what a Minister is in the Church that you are proportionably in your house Direction V. Orationis Lex ut non aliter quà m eos decet qui ad Dei colloquium in grediuntur mente animóque compositi simuâ— Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 20. 5. When you are to set actually on the duty prepare your Family by some short advice to carry themselves as becomes those that are going to speak to the great eternal God at least sometimes and the oftner the better Do not rashly rush out of your worldly callings into the presence of the glorious God say to them to this or the like purpose The God we are going to pray unto is a holy just omniscient God that looks into all our hearts that sees and knows the frame of our spirits that will not be mocked and cannot be deceived All we are sinful Creatures that have broke his righteous Laws and thereby have deserved hell and everlasting torments yet this gracious God holds forth his golden Scepter and gives us leave to approach his presence to beg for pardon and for Christ and grace and heaven Our wants are great and many too and yet our mercies are great and many too come then O come let us with a holy fear of God put up our joynt Petitions that God would supply our wants especially of our souls and make joynt confessions of our sins to God with humble broken penitent hearts and joyntly bless him for the mercies we are all partakers of but let us do all as those that would please God while we pray unto him and not by our
delightful and hath its sweetness in it Q. 21 Have I not sinned indeed hath not my heart been in my sins are not my sins really sins And shall I not now pray indeed shall not my heart be in duty and my Prayers be really Prayers What! real sinning and counterfeit praying and is not counterfeit praying real sinning Awake o my Soul unto thy work Q. 22 Are not my wants real wants Do I not want grace indeed or at least really want more of it And should not my Prayers be as real as my wants Q. 23 Would I have God to put me off with seeming mercy Should I then put God off with seeming duty Q. 24 Are not my temptations real temptations and strong and powerful And should not then my Prayers be so too Q. 25 Am I not real and lively in my worldly business am I not in good earnest in my Shop in the Market and at the Exchange And should I not be so in the matters of another world in the business of my Soul Thus take some of these Questions lay them warm unto your hearts and propose them to your selves in the fear of God and they will heat you when you are cold and quicken you when you are dull if God set them home upon your hearts that you shall manage your Family Prayers to your spiritual benefit which was the third part of my work to direct you in The fourth follows Question 4. With what considerations may Masters of Families be urged to the constant performance of Family Prayer Notwithstanding it be a certain duty to pray in your Families yet I doubt when death shall come to drag you out of your houses it will find some of you guilty of neglecting of it to your dying day but yet I hope some may be Prevailed with What! have you neglected it and will you all do so still God forbid When you sin you act like men but when you go on in sin you act like Devils * Humanum est errare perseverare diabolicum I shall propound a few considerations to urge you to it and I intreat you in the name of the great eternal God before whom you and I must shortly stand and be judged to weigh them seriously and if you find there is no reason in them throw them by and look for and enquire after better but if there be resolve in the fear of God to buckle to your duty It is time †fecimus nos Haec juvenes esto desisti nempe nec ulira Fovisti errorem breve sit quod turpiter cudâ—s Quaedam cum prima resecen ur crimina barba Juven Sat. 8. it is high time to reform Did you sin when you were young and will you go on in riper years What do you come to Sermons for to hear what Ministers can say upon such a Question to discern their parts or to mend your own hearts and lives Do you come to hear that you may hear So you may and go to Hell when you have done or do you come to hear that you may practise and obey so you must if you are men for Heaven I charge you therefore here before the Lord and by Jesus Christ that shall shortly judge both you and me that your Families be no longer prayerless Families If I put you upon work that God doth not require from you then tell me so when you and I shall meet and stand at God's Judgment Bar But if it be no more than what you owe to God neglect it at your peril Sirs the day is coming and it hastens when you will you must be serious If thou diest within a week or two within a day or two or whenever thou shalt leave this world if the next hour after thou art not of this mind * Res ipsa fidem dictis dabit Serò sapiunt â—hâ—yges that thou shouldst have prayed in thy Family then say I did needlesly call thee to it but if thou shalt then see it was thy duty thou shalt also see when it is too late that thou didst befool thy self and make thy self guilty before God in thy neglecting of it Be wise therefore before it be too late and mind this work while thou hast time and opportunity To this purpose press your backward hearts with these things following MOTIVE I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Consider The Souls that live in your Families are precious and immortal Souls The Soul of the meanest Servant in your house is more precious than all the silks and wares in your Shop than all the Gold in your bags yea than all the riches in the world Mat. 16.26 And as they be of great worth so they be immortal too that must be damned or saved for ever And are these the Souls that you do not pray with that you thus neglect and slight must they live for ever and will not you call them to pray with you that they may live happily for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phocylid MOTIVE II. Quomodo ed nos pertinet in Ecclesia loqui vobis sâ—c ad vos pertinet in dâ—mibus vâ—stris agere ut bonam rationem reddatis de his qui vebis sunt subditi Aug. in Psal 50. Cum diserta mentio fiat librorum servorum ex eo câ—lligitur à parentibus patribus-familias exigi ut non ipsi solùm sabbatum sanctificent sed etiam à filiis servis curae ac fides su e commissis illud sanctificari curent Gerhar loc com de decalog Damnati seipsos omnésque sceleris socios assiduis execrationibus devovebunt parentem filius matrem filia execrabitur 2. These precious and immortal Souls in your Families are committed to your charge and care You Masters of Families have a charge of Souls as well as Ministers When you have a child born and continued to you there is one immortal Soul that God intrusts you with to bring up for him and Heaven When you take a Servant into your Family there is another Soul committed to your care Do you question this Study well the meaning of the fourth Commandment and you shall see that this is true And is it so And shall not the blood of those that go to Hell out of your Families through your neglect be required at your hands Have you done your duty when a Servant that hath served you seven years and you make him free can truly say My Master taught me my trade but he taught me not to serve God he often called me up unto my work but he never called me to Prayer Are you not afraid that your very Children and Servants will rise up in judgment against you and accuse you at the Bar of God Lord my Father saith the Son no nor my Master saith the Servant never prayed with us and we both Children and Servants being so brought up and having such Examples before us did not mind thy service neither Lord we are jastly condemned but
yet we perish much through our Parents and Masters neglect There stands my Father saith the Son and there stands my Master saith the Servant that never prayed with us we do accuse them they never did and they cannot say they did Will you not then wish you had never been Parents to such Children nor Masters to such Servants As you would avoid this be faithful to your trust and mindful of your duty lest thou wish O Vtinam coelebs mansissem ac prole carerem MOTIVE III. 3. Consider You have but a little time before you for the performance of this trust You and your Families shall live together but a while and if once you are parted by death it will be too late whether you die first or some of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoc. Sâ—es est in vivis non est spes ulla sepultiâ— 1. Suppose some of them dye before you if your Conscience be not feared and your hearts past feeling will you not be almost distracted when you follow them to their Graves to reflect and consider here is one dead out of my house with whom I never prayed we did dwell together and eat together and work together many years but we never prayed together Oh! what if his Soul be gone to Hell through my neglect What if he be damned and I be found guilty of his damnation Prayer was a means appointed by God to have done him good but I did not do it who knows if I had called him to Prayer and I had been confessing sin but God might have broke his heart for sin and given him repentance of which I saw no sign before he died And now Oh! what now if there be one Soul the less in my house and one the more in Hell Oh! this is that which wounds my Soul this is that for which my Conscience now doth sting me that when I had him with me I did not do my duty and now he is gone he is gone and now it is too late O my child my child whither art thou gone whither art thou gone O that he may live with me again were it but for a year or two a month or two that we might do together our before neglected duty If you be wise timely prevent such uncomfortable reviews 2. Suppose you die before them for if they do not die and leave you you must die and leave them and can you die without trembling for anguish of your heart without terrours in your Souls and fearful gripes in your Consciences more bitter than the pangs of Death to consider you leave a wicked prayerless Family behind you through your own neglect Would it not trouble you to leave them poor Wife and Children nothing to live upon if this hath been through your sloth and will it not should it not much more trouble you to leave an ignorant Wife Children and Servants unacquainted with God unaccustomed to prayer and all through your neglect Might you not then say if I had left them poor yet if I had left them good and fearing God and given to prayer by my example I could now have died with joy and left them all with comfort but now I lie a dying it is the wounding of my Soul to take so sad a farewel of my Family If I do live it shall be otherwise if I recover and God trust me with life and time yet further I will hereafter do it but my heart is sick my Spirits fail me and I perceive the symptomes of death are upon me and though I am loth to take my leave of my Wife and Children because I have been no more careful of the good of their Souls yet I see I must I must bid farewel unto them Come then dear Wife farewel Gemitúquo haec addidit alio Non alias hinc ad lacrymas Fata vocant Salve aeternum aeternúmque vâ—le Virg. Aeneid l. xi farewel I shall now be no longer thine and thou shalt be no longer mine but this had been no matter if I and thou had both been his whom we should have prayed unto together but we did not Woe is me poor dying man that we did not Farewel dear Children now farewel adieu adieu for ever but oh how shall I take my leave of you with whom I have not done what God required But yet I must whether I will or no I must now leave you But let me give among you what I have gotten for you Therefore to you my Wife I give so much and to this Child so much and to that so much But when I think I worked for you but never prayed with you this doth trouble me Oh! this doth trouble my departing Soul However you will have my Goods the grave and worms shall have my body but who oh who must now have my Soul This will be a sad parting when ever it shall come and yet this parting hour is a coming Pray now with them and in that manner too that then you may be comforted On the contrary if you discharge your duty faithfully and unfeignedly whether your Family be good or bad when you shall die you might take comfort that you did your duty So Mr. Bolton that was abundant in conjunct Prayers in his Family could comfort himself and did say on his Death-bed to his Children I think verily none of you dare think to meet me at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate condition MOTIVE IV. 4. The love that you should bear unto your Families should engage you often to pray together with them Diligatur Proles non ut nascatur tantum verum-etiam ut renascatur nascitur enim ad paenam nisi renascatur ad vitam Aug. de nupt conc l. 1. cap. 17 Ipsae ferae saevae immanes bestiae prolem nutrire solent at non tantùm curare debent parentes ut liberi sui vivant sed etiam ut Deo benè vivant Ames Cas Cons Will you shew your love unto your Children in providing Portions for them that they may live in credit in this life and will you not so much as pray with them that they may live in glory in the life to come Will you do much for their Bodies and nothing for their Souls You that are fondest Husbands and Fathers never love Wife and Children as you ought till you love their Souls The Soul is the best and more noble part and love to the Soul is the best and more noble Love But to love the Body and neglect the Soul is but cruel brutish Love What do you more for your young ones than the birds and beasts do for theirs Do you feed their bodies do not birds and beasts do the same for theirs Love your Wife Children and Servants as you ought and this will provok you to pray together with them MOTIVE V. Oeconomia est veluti paradisus in quo plantantur arbores quarum fructus odore dulcore suo imbuunt omnes vitae
puer Improbus ille But if the profane Parents and Masters amongst us will not reform and pray in their houses shall I not prevail with many of you Professors that have been shamefully guilty of this neglect Then pluck off your visard of Profession abroad and tell us what you are Do not deceive us any longer and make the world believe you are that which you are not but let us know what you are What shall I say Will nothing prevail Then they that are for hell are for hell and we cannot help it But it will be more profitable for you and your Families that you be really and indeed what you have with much zeal abroad professed your selves to be I pray you be better in your houses and act as men resolved for Heaven and to have all your Family with you there However if any do miscarry let it not be by your neglect And as for you that have and do make conscience of this duty go on and the Lord be with you go on Sirs hold out it is but a little while and your praying shall be turned into perfect praising go on that your Children might bless God that they had such Parents and your Servants bless God that they had such Masters and that ever they came under your roof and lived within the walls of your house you will have comfort when you come to dye in the review of holy diligence and might leave them with peace which will be better to you than all the world Keep fast then your resolution That while you live you and your house will serve the Lord. What are the Duties of Husbands and Wives towards each other Serm. XVI Ephes 5.33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his Wife as himself and the Wife see that she reverence her Husband MY business is to declare from this Scripture What are the Duties of Husbands and Wives towards each other A Subject of manifest Vse and Need For as this Relation is the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieroc de nupt p. 210. Foundation of all others in the world so the right discharge of the Duties hereof doth greatly promote the like in all the rest But here it is easier to Direct than to Perswade and harder to please Man than God And you know We must be faithful to Him and we must be faithful to you and you must labour to bring your Will to the Rule and not to bring the Rule to your Will And your Rule is laid down in these words Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his Wife as himself and the Wife see that she reverence her husband Wherein you have 1. The Connexion Nevertheless that is to say (a) So Zanch. Musc in loc leaving that mystery of the spiritual Marriage let every one of you c. Or (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veruntamen Trem. Vulg. caeterùm Gagn. notwithstanding that the Copy propos'd ver 15. of Christ's love to his Church is so superlative and above your reach yet let every one of you so love his Wife as himself unless we understand it illatively and read it (c) So Dutch Annot Bez. Ham. in loc So then or therefore q. d. the sum and short of what is said amounts to this that (d) Non dicit verùm vos sed verùm vos q.d. sicut Christus Ecclesiam suam dilexit Zanch Musc in loc as Christ loved his Church so every one of you c. 2. The Direction in the rest of the verse let every one of you c. Wherein you see 1. The Vniversal Obligation of it let every one of you which might with some ordinary supplement to the (e) Graecis Latinis deest aliquid hic supplendum viz. vos singuli id praestate Gagn. So our old Translation Greek make a sentence of it self thus let every one of you though you be never so good and though they be never (f) Sive hae formosae sint sive deformes sive divites sive pauperes sive morigerae sive immorigerae ad unum omnes Zanch. Musc in loc so bad look to this do you this 2. The particular Application of it in particular what hath been determin'd in general let it be applied by every one to themselves For both these passages may well respect both Husband and Wife and do import that each of them should study and practice their particular Duty 3. The Summary Description of each of these their Duties And 1. Here is the sum of every husband's Duty To love his Wife Indeed this is not All but this is the chief of All this will fulfill All. And to this is added an excellent Clause as himself which may pass both for a Rule and for a Reason 1. For a Rule for he that may not know How our Saviour loved his Church yet cannot but know (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc how he should love himself why let him love his Wife as himself 2. For a Reason for it being certain that a mans wife is a great part of himself that they are but (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. in Coloss hom 12. Two in One let every one of you love his wife as himself 2. Here is the sum of every Wife's Duty And the Wife see that she reverence her husband Where the word see is added in our Translation as a convenient (i) Ellipsis sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut tale Camer in loc supplement to the sense though it be not in the Letter of the Greek But the Substance of the Wife's Duty is here concluded to be Reverence as we translate it though most others read it (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Dutch Annot. Vulg. Beza c. Fear And doubtless intends that inward Respect to the Place and Person of an husband which inclines them to a voluntary (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrina de reverentiae cultu quo is qui inferior est superiorem colit Beza in loc Fear i. e with respect and awe be subject to him Dutch Nusquam erit voluntaâ—ia subjâ—ctio nisi praecedat reverentia Calv. in loc subjection and an agreeable behaviour Which Reverence or Fear is so far from excluding Love that it both supposeth it and is an effect of it For when we love we study to please and fear to offend And though there be no express Explication of this Duty of the Wife as there was of the Husband 's who is charg'd to love his wife as himself yet there is an implicit Direction to the Wife in her duty to her Husband namely to reverence him and to be subject to him as unto her (m) She to behave her self reverently to her husband as to her Head Ham. in loc Head So that our Lesson hence is plain which is this DOCTR Doctr. That Every Husband should love his Wife as himself and every Wife should
4 6. Mat. 17.12 He shall turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to their Fathers lest I come and strike the earth with a curse Of so great advantage is the right and hearty discharge of these relative duties I have been treating on for the saving of Nations and particular Churches from ruin and desolation Yea and so greatly instrumental are the Ministers of Christ for helping them in their duties that it concerns honest Parents as to consult those who are holy and able in the Ministry for their Childrens good so to commend such faithful Ministers to them as are worthy of their respect and to warn their Children to avoid such persons as are likely to draw them off from goodness yea and particularly in disposing of their Children especially into a Calling of publique consequence 't will be very requisite to consult those who are most able to judge in their own profession as in Divinity Physick or Law that they may be tryed by the faithful and skilful of that profession whether qualified for that they are designed lest you attempt that which cannot be effected as Quintilian †Nè tentes quod effici non potest nâ—c ab eo quod quis eâ—timè facit in aliud cui nimis est idoneus cum transferas observes by putting them upon what they are unapt for or hinder them from that they have a genius to and wherein they would be most serviceable And it will be good to take advice in choosing sit Educators and Tutors according to your abilities David had such learned ones as Tutors with his Sons 1 Chron. 27.32 to see them instructed as became the Princes of Israel a But here Parents should be very careful unto whose conduct they commit their Children or whom they take in to assist them that they be religious orthodox discreet humble courteous skilful and not covetous nor careless but diligent 'T was the great concern of reverend Claviger to have those that feared God about him to do what he could his Wife and Children might be such and then he thought them well provided for Luther kept one within his house to teach his Children that he might see them well-principled and ordered as well as learned And the abovenamed Quintilian * Si quis in eligendo filii praeceptore manifesta flagitia non vitet jam hinc sciat caetera quoque quae ad utilitatem juventutis componere conamur esse sibi hac parte omissa supervacua l. 2. Inst c. 2. from Nature's light could say If any one in choosing a Tutor for his Son did not shun manifest wickedness hence let him know that other things also which we endeavour to compose for the profit of youth prove useless and ineffectual this being neglected This Constantius †Socrat. III. 1. Sozom. II. 2. was well aware of when he was solicitous his Cousin Julian should not have or hear Ethnic Tutors lest considering his temper he should decline to the abomination of Gentilism But notwithstanding his care Julian privately got the writings of Libanius an Heathen Philosopher and after that of Maximus who under-hand laboured to pervert him in hopes he would come to the Empire and to hide this instill'd poyson from Constantius Julian counterfeited for a time a monastick life then openly in pretence read the Bible but secretly studied in earnest the Ethnic Doctrines which made him a most bitter enemy to the Christians when advanc'd to the Empire as the ancient Church experienc'd 'T is dangerous to commit a Lamb to to the conduct of a Wolf On the other hand Theodosius junior ‖ Soz. l. IX 1. was from his Cradle by his dying Father entrusted with his excellent and pious Sister Pulcheria then but 15 years old and having two younger Sisters Arcadia and Marina who got him instructed by such Tutors especially in the true Religion accustoming him to prayer and diligently to frequent the Assemblies that he had in great esteem the faithful Ministers and other Godly men who were lovers of Religion and so prov'd very instrumental for the Orthodox Faith and the advancement of Piety In our own Land and nearer our times we have a notable instance of Sir John Cheek who being Tutor to King Edward the Sixth Dr. L. in Sir John Cheek 's Life was a special instrument of raising up and promoting the Reformed Religion amongst us for he was not only instrumental to sow the seeds of that Doctrine in the Prince's heart which afterwards grew up to a general Reformation when he came to be King but by his means the same saving truth was gently instill'd into the Lady Elizabeth by those who by his procurement were admitted to be the Guides of her younger studies It is of great concern therefore to get good advice and assistance in the education of Children and for their encouragement to reward those well who are profitably employ'd in this work according to the Parents abilities and their deserts and for my own part I should account it better to spare in other matters than in this for good assistance to train up Children Thus I have as I could in my circumstances dispatch'd what I propos'd and now I dare upon the whole matter affirm That I have laid down nothing in all this discourse but what I hope is at least for the main agreeable to the mind of God and what by his assistance I my self should desire and really endeavour to practise either in the relation of Parent or Child which is all the Apologie I shall make for my plain dealing But shall conclude with those precatory expressions in the Psalms a very little varied with respect to those Parents who heartily embrace the word of exhortation (b) Psal 90.16 17. Let thy work O Lord appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children And the beauty of the Lord our God be upon them (c) 144.2 that their sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that their daughters may be as corner-stones polish'd after the similitude of a Palace Considering what the Lord hath promis'd for the encouragement of his faithful servants (d) 102.28 viz. Their children shall continue and their seed shall be established before him Duties of Masters and Servants Serm. XVIII Ephes VI. 5 6 7 8 9. Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ Not with eye-service as men pleasers but as the Servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free And ye Masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in heaven neither is there respect of persons with him THE
Question proposed to me to answer at this time is this What are the Duties of Masters and Servants and how both must eye their Master which is in heaven Before I come to the direct answer to this Question I shall make way to it by laying down a preliminary consideration or two First That God did in infinite wisdom make all things though of a far different nature Some beings he made more excellent and indowed them with noble faculties fitted for communion with himself and some of these he hath placed in a higher and some in a lower orb and yet all making the glory of infinite wisdom shine more clearly He sets one creature higher and another lower one to rule and the other to be ruled And of the same kind he advanceth one above another and yet with no injustice or wrong to any but for the mutual help one of another the beauty and harmony of the whole Vniverse and the more visible displaying of his own unsearchable wisdom Psal 104.24 Gen. 1.31 If all the Stars were Suns how intolerable would their heat and light be if the whole body were eyes how much of its use and excellency would it lose What a Chaos and heap of confusion would the Woald be without government and how can government be without superiority and inferiority It was not without good reason that the Philosopher said Hierocles in Py. Car. That there was a method of perfect wisdom in the making of all things and it was not by chance that they are what they are but the contrivance of the most excellent counsel Who could have mended what God hath made What could be better ordered than what infinite Goodness hath done Ar. Epist l. 2 c. 7. Anton. ex Palat. l. 7. Ec. 3.11 and who but a fool would desire that things should be otherwise than Wisdom it self hath determined Oh! what cause hath every one to adore God in every thing who hath made every thing beautiful in its place and season What cause have all to sit down content and thankful in that place where God hath fixed them how unreasonable and blasphemous are the repinings of some that are ready to quarrel with their Maker and to impeach him as guilty of partiality cruelty and injustice that hath not advanced them to a higher richer and more honourable condition then they are in Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it why hast thou made me thus What diabolical pride and arrogance is this for the Creature to accuse and condemn his Creator Shall folly it self indict wisdom must God come to his Creatures Barr must he give thee an account of his actings art thou able to bear his pleadings and canst thou without sinking into nothing stand before his glory what obligation didst thou lay upon God to bring thee out of nothing into something did he stand in any need of thy being what was there in thee that should commend thee to God to advance thee above a toad or a dog I could here expatiate were it not a little besides my design To conclude I think it would be far better for us all to learn of that excellent Moralist who said Epictetus That though he was lame and almost blind and none of the richest yet because he was partaker of Reason he had cause to magnifie the distinguishing goodness of his Maker and could wish that all men would more adore and admire God and as for his part it should be his work while he had a being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Epist. l. 1. c. 16. and he did call all to joyn in consort to his praise who hath made all things in so excellent an order and harmony Did we all consider what God is and what we are methinks it should effectually silence discontent and leave no room for any thing but love praise and gratitude O! would to God there were a little of that order harmony and wisdom in our actions that is in God's and that we could act like them that study to imitate their Maker O! that with Paul we could learn still to be content in whatsoever condition we are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id l. 2. c. 14. and if we have spoken or thought any thing derogatory to the infinite Wisdom to repent and abhor our selves in dust and ashes and turn our murmurings against God that it is no better with us into admiration that we are not worse every state on this side eternal misery is advancement above what we deserve and a mercy we can never be thankful enough for Secondly As God did in infinite wisdom make every thing and placed every thing in that sphear that was most fit for it so it is the highest excellency of the creature to shine in his orb and be regular in his motion I mean It is every one's duty and excellency to fill up that place and relation that God hath set him in with duty The whole World is a great Army and God is the General of this Army and he appoints every one their station and rank and in keeping of it exactly is security honour and reward God makes one a King another a Subject one a Master another a Servant one rich another poor and he is really most excellent that is so in the faithful discharge of the state and relation he is in A good Servant is far better than a bad Master a good Subject than a wicked Prince he that is not relatively good is not really good He that breaks his rank to get a higher and safe place may be likelier to meet with destruction than promotion Adam's loss of Paradise and the Angel's loss of Heaven are sufficient demonstrations of this truth The World is a Stage saith the Stoick and in it every one hath his part to act and it 's our commendation and wisdom to act our part well whether it be a Prince or a Beggar a Father or a Child a Master or a Servant Psal 101.2 This was holy David's care and resolution He would behave himself wisely in a perfect way and how shall that be done better than by walking before God in his house with a perfect heart What was Abraham commended for more than his faithfulness and was this the least act of his faithfulness to instruct bis Family and teach them the fear of God Joshua was a man of great gallantry and resolution but I am ready to think he never acted both more bravely Josh 24.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. than when he said As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Socrates laughed at them for fools that endeavoured to perswade him to leave instructing the youth God saith he hath set me in this station and how can I leave it O how few Christians exceed this Heathen nay who almost comes near him if he lived as well as he spake It 's too true a proof that there is but little
of that deadness their souls lie under and that if they be not awakned quickly they must be unconceivably and eternally miserable ask them what they have to say against the ways of God and what they have to plead for their neglecting their souls for Sin and for Satan tell them these things are matters of such weight that they need not much time to determine what must be done It 's a matter of such vast importance that it calls for the greatest speed diligence and care imaginable and that you can't be satisfied till you see this work done catechise and instruct them constantly at least once a week Let the Word sound daily in their ears and pray twice a day with them let some time be allowed them for secret duties and put them upon the performance of them spiritually and constantly Keep them not too long at work or in the Shop on Saturday-night The Jews had their preparation for the Sabbath and the ancient Christians did not fall short of them in their preparation for the Lords-day Let the Sabbath be carefully spent in secret family and publick duties and for the better direction in your duties upon that day I refer you to that excellent piece Mr. Wells his Practical Sabbatarian a Book it 's pity any great Family should want Cause your Servants to bear you company to hear the most powerful Preacher you can require an account of what they hear and let the Sermons be repeated in your Family and ask them what it was that did most affect their hearts and labour to press things home afresh upon their souls and if you perceive any good inclinations in them encourage them greatly and improve them all you can and if you do not see what you would presently be not quite discouraged and cast them off as hopeless Exhort them daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 and if you see them still dull hard-hearted and under a spirit of slumber be yet the more earnest who knows but a little more patience and compassion and zeal may prevail But if after long using the fore-mentioned means you find them still refractory stubborn and to slight your counsel and run on in sin and to grow worse and worse you must add sharp reproofs and if they do no good Prov. 29.19 but they make a mock at them and endeavour to jeer their fellow-servants out of their duty too then you must add blows to your words Prov. 26.3 Stripes are fit for the back of a fool and if neither exhortations reproofs nor corrections will prevail but they continue still like sons of Belial rebellious to God and you Psal 101. then remember your duty is to ease your house of them consider well what danger there is of their infecting the rest of your Servants and Children consult your own peace honour and profit Let not a lyar a company-keeper 2 Cor. 6.14 a vile person dwell in your house when you have used all possible means for his reclaiming what fellowship should light have with darkness remember that God hath made you a Prophet a Priest and a King in your own Family Thirdly Another duty of Masters is diligently and faithfully to instruct their Servants in their Calling conceal nothing of the mystery of your Art from them I mean of what is lawful for if you are skil'd in the Art of cheating you must unlearn that your selves and never teach them that which will hazard their ruin Some Masters are ready to hide the most profitable and ingenious part of their trade from their Servants Remember Sirs that Law and Nature Reason and Religion all command you to be faithful in this thing their Parents or Friends put them to you to teach them an honest Calling and you promised you would do it and it's dishonesty in the highest degree to fail in this Fourthly Be just compassionate and loving be as ready to commend and encourage them for doing their duty as to reprove them for the neglect of it let them want nothing that is fitting for them in the place they are in let their food be wholesom seasonable and sufficient Prov. 31.15 let their clothing be warm sweet and decent let their lodging be warm and sweet and wholesom not too far from your eye and ear let them have rest sufficient to recruit nature and to fit them for God's Service and yours And in case of sickness let them have such tendance physick and diet as they need You can't imagine what obligations you may by this lay upon your Servants to fidelity how acceptable this is to God and how much reputation it will get you among men See an excellent example in the Centurion Mat. 8.5 6. Col. 4.1 Job 31.13 Give unto your Servants that which is just and equal It was Job's commendation that he did not despise the cause of his hand-maid Use your tongues to sweetness a soft word sooner prevails than a hard blow or curse Be punctually faithful to your contract with them pay them their wages to the full it 's better to do more than less than your bargain In a word As the Elect of God put on bowels of pity Col. 3.12 Jam. 1.20 Eph. 4.26 and put off all these anger wrath malice cursing remember the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God Be angry for nothing but sin Remember a Christ-like Gospel-spirit is a spirit of love Gal. 5.22 and peace meekness and faithfulness with these things God and man are well pleased Fifthly Discharge your Servants with sweetness and love and do not grudg that they should have a livelyhood as well as you Send them out of your Family with the counsel the good will of a Father and reckon one that was a faithful Servant to you seven years deserves to be esteem'd next a Child ever after To this end it would not be amiss if you give him as good a report as he deserves to raise his reputation and credit and if you help him as far as you are well able in his setting up you will not repent it upon a Death-bed nor at the Day of Judgment In old time God did require That when a Servant served six years Deut. 15 13 14 he should not be sent away empty but saith the Text thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock out of thy floor and out of thy wine-press and that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him And I know not why this may not be practised still where the Master is wealthy and able and the Servant poor and deserving Col. 5 13. Rom. 13.9 10 1 Thes 4.9 Neither do I know where the Gospel gives us a discharge from the works of Charity and Mercy I come now to Exhort Masters to this work to perform their Duty And this I shall press with a few Motives First Consider what a Master God is to his Servants he is
most just and righteous in all his dealings Isa 45.21 Psal 92.15 Jam. 6.3 Psâ—l 103.14 Mat. 3.17 Mic. 7.18 Exod. 34.6 Psal 25.4 Job 36.22 Isa 28.26 Rom. 8.26 Psal 32.8 Isa 43.2 Dan. 3.25 Psal 23.1 Psal 34.10 Psal 19.11 Psal 31.19 20 who can accuse him of the least unrighteousness who can say he hath done him wrong and that be is a hard Master Come let any testifie against God and make good their charge if they can Is not he full of pity and ready to forgive how ready to moderate his anger when he is highly provoked It is not without good reason that the Prophet saith Who is a God like unto our God and he is ready to teach his servants and to help their infirmities and if their work be hard he doth bear the heavier part of it He is ready to keep them company to succour and encourage and comfort them he provides all things needful for them he delights in the prosperity of his Servants and loves to see his Servants thrive he gives them many a token of his love here But O what great things hath he laid up for them eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive it Their reward is exceeding great sure and eternal O what harm would it do you to be like God do not your Servants deserve more kindness from you than you or any other doth from God Secondly Consider what need your Servants have of your utmost care in the fore-mentioned particulars They are young unexperienced heady nay naturally ignorant proud dead Children of wrath enemies to God every moment in danger of miscarrying and at whose hand will their blood be required think you if you do not your duty to warn reprove correct them Thirdly Consider how much it will be for your honour How high an esteem will all good men have for you how great a value must wise Magistrates set on you what reason hath the City and Corporation to rise up and call such blessed how great and how common a good such are is scarce to be expressed such shall have a good report in spite of wickedness your Servants can't but look upon you as their Counseller Master Father and give you suitable respect and honour Fourthly Consider how pleasing and acceptable this is to God Such the Lord is nigh to his eyes behold with delight It is not he that observes his great Sacrifices it is not he that makes many Prayers it is not he that makes the greatest show of Religion outwardly that is accepted Hierocles Josh 24.15 Psal 1.3 Mat. 25.34 but it is he that gives up his heart first to God as a warm Sacrifice full of love and then his house unto the Lord this this is the man that God will visit comfort bless this is he that ere long shall hear his great Master's commendation and have a welcome to Glory Fifthly Consider how much profit and pleasure you shall have here by your diligence and care you may be enriched there 's God's promise for your security By this your Trade is like to thrive your credit rise greatly Prov. 28.20 Prov. 10.6 your custome increase And when the careless Master makes hast to poverty a wise diligent and faithful is in the most likely way to get improve and keep an estate I might say what pleasure and comfort a man can't but take in his Family when every one acts regularly in their place Sixthly Consider how much good your faithfulness may do others Your Servants may for ought that I know call you their Spiritual Fathers and bless God for ever for your examples exhortations prayers and your Servants may instruct your Children and be frequently instilling one good thing or other into them and influence them more than you are aware of You are a mighty help to poor Ministers you help to plow up the ground and make it fit for the Divine seed you pull out the stones you weed up the roots of bitterness or at least keep them from thriving and growing up you harrow in the good seed you water it with your tears and God will make it fruitful you pluck up the darnel and the tares Of all the persons living we Ministers are most beholding to good Masters and good Parents we beseech you if you have any love for us or our Master either be faithful in this thing Epictâ—tus O make us glad when so many thousands are making us sad with their wickedness I might add your Examples draw others and make bad Citizens good Seventhly Consider the danger of your neglect if you be unfaithful you expose body soul estate wife children servants and all to sin ruine shame and the curse of God for ever you break the rules of equity and humanity you forfeit your reputation you go the likeliest way to work to bring upon you dismal calamities in your life worse at death and worst of all after death Mat. 25.26 Mat. 24.48 49.50 51. O consider this you that forget God and your duty and read that Scripture often you see quoted in the Margent I shall now crave leave to expostulate the case with Masters about their duty for I am loth to leave you till I have prevailed with you to set to your work like Christians Sirs you have heard your duty and what have you to object against it can you prove that that which I have desired of you is not required by God himself Have I not proved what I have said by plain Scriptures and doth not reason and humanity as well as Christianity oblige you to the putting these duties in practice have I not laid down many Motives to press you to your duty have I not told you what a Master God is to his Servants and put you upon being followers of him as dear children Would it be any disparagement to you to follow so perfect and unerring an example Doth not he teach direct help encourage and reward his Servants Is not he faithful to his promise tender pityful and easie to be reconciled and ready to forgive And are you not very well pleased with these properties in God And if this be amiable in God why should it not be lovely in you God humbleth himself to look upon what is done on earth and is it below you to look upon and take care of your Servants What great difference is there I pray between you and them Are they not of the same mould And shortly your bones and skuls will not be distinguished Why did you take them into your Family if you intended to take no more care of them than of a Dog Was it not a piece of base falshood in you to promise and engage what you never intended to perform Methinks I have a mind to debate this matter fairly with you so as to leave you resolved for your duty or without any reason or excuse for the neglect of it Sirs Is
wronged recompence the diligent reward the faithful You shall ere long know you served a Master that was most kind generous and noble Shortly you shall not be called Servants but Friends not Friends only but children not children only but heirs joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what wages our great Master will give to all that make it their business to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man and that do faithfully fill up their relation to their earthly and heavenly Master with duty Consider the danger of not performing of your duty as a Servant by this you declare clearly that you have no true grace in your hearts As I said in the beginning I say again he that is not relatively good is not really good a bad Servant is never a good Christian by this you give us just reason to fear that you are Servants of the Devil I spare to speak of your reputation for I am ready to think that if all other arguments and motives have lost their cogency that can't have much power know this if you be not faithful to your Master God will judg you as unfaithful to himself and wo be to that Servant whom God himself shall call wicked and slothful what follows but take him bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth And now Sirs What will you do Are you resolved for your duty or no Have I been all this while beating the air Have I not shewed you what the Lord your God requireth of you Have I desired any thing of you but what I have given you Scripture-warrant for and is Scripture nothing with you Can you prove that I am mistaken and lay heavier burdens than God lays upon you why then be at the trouble to turn to the Scriptures you see quoted in the Margent I dare not charge any thing upon you but what I have received of the Lord and are you angry with God's commands Dare you impeach your Maker of unjustice What harm is there in any thing that he enjoyns you Could you mend his Laws and make them better Which of his prohibitions can you find fault with Are you displeased that God forbids pride and arrogance Would you indeed have leave to be like the Devil Do you desire liberty to damn your self and bring confusion into the house where you dwell What a sweet world should we have if every proud fool might have his will What should Masters do with Servants if their commands should have no power upon them Who but a mad man will judg idleness carelesness and prodigality commendable qualities in a Servant Is it so unreasonable a thing for a Master to expect something to be done when his back is turned as well as when he is present What commerce could be carried on between man and man without truth Are you desirous that God should give you leave to lie and are you willing to have it known that you are of this mind Is it a slavery to have your hands tied from picking and stealing Would you have a license to steal and a badg of your priviledg that every one might read Are wicked profligate wretches the best companions Can you desire their company in the other world Is back-biting threatned by God in his Word and shall it be excused in you How would you like one that were always grumbling and never content nor pleased Is this temper hateful in another and lovely in you Is there any wrong done you when God bids you have a care of hazarding your soul to get your Master a groat Which of all the Cautions that I have given you are really prejudicial to your true credit pleasure or profit Well Epictetus I perceive you have nothing nay I am sure you can have nothing justly to object against them And dare you now venture still to be proud disobedient idle Do Sinners venture on still in spite of Master Minister and the divine prohibitions but be it upon thy peril for as sure as God lives he will call you to judgment Will half an hours junketting make amends for the loss of a soul for ever What is there in all the duties that are commanded that you have any thing to object against Are you troubled that your Master must be honoured Should we not have sweet doings if Masters and Servants were fellows If you your self should ever live to be a Master tell me plainly how would you like it to be slighted by your Servant Is Obedience a word you mislike What is a Servant good for without obedience What is he but a burden to the earth worse than the dung it self Are faithfulness and diligence displeasing to you And I pray who is pleased with unfaithfulness and idleness but wicked ones fools and the Devil And are such as these to be pleased rather than God Parents Masters Well once more What have you to say against your duty why it may not be practised speedily Have you weightier Arguments against it than I have for it Come produce your strong reason and shew your self a man Are the precepts of the mighty God nothing Are his injunctions of no validity at all Are you not at all concerned for his honour Is the gratifying a cursed lust a matter of greater importance and necessity than God's glory So little he will take care of himself and raise him honour out of your shame and ruine if you regard not God Have you no respect to your self Will your peace reputation and profit prevail nothing with you Is the quiet of the Family the glory of a City the prosperity and safety of a Kingdom a small matter with you Why all this seems in some measure wrapped up in Servants fidelity Have the promises and rewards of the great Master little efficacy Is Heaven glory and eternal happiness worth nothing The truth of it is if all this be nothing I know not what is something But what do you think of judgment wrath and Hell If the former Motives signifie little doth this so too Then I must confâ—ss I know not what to add more but you must take your course and take what follows but know this that you were warned and counsel'd and pleaded with till you had nothing to say or if you had I am sure nothing to purpose and that shortly you will be silenced But God forbid that all Servants should be of this mind some yea many I hope better of though I thus speak but the general complaint that sounds in our ears makes us judg such reasonings as these not altogether needless And now for the sakes of some that I hope resolve for duty I shall add a Help or two for the performance of their duty and so I shall conclude First If you would be good Servants labour to
much unto the horrible neglect of Parents in this Duty That Parental reproof is a Duty taught by the Law of Nature confirmed in the Scripture enjoyned under severe threatnings and penalties exemplified in Instances of Blessings and Vengeance on its Performance or neglect rendred indispensably necessary by that Depravation of our Natures which works in Children from the womb and grows up in strength and efficacy together with them I should not need to prove if it lay directly before me it being a matter of universal acknowledgment I shall only say that whereas there is on many accounts an immediate impress of Divine Authority on Parental reproofs that which Children ought to consider and know for themselves is that a continuance in the neglect or contempt of them is a token that seldom fails of approaching temporal and eternal Destruction Prov. 30.17 3. Authoritative reproof is Despotical namely that of Governors Rulers and Masters of Families This also partakes of the Nature of those foregoing and being a Duty founded in the Law of Nature as well as enforced by positive Divine commands casts a peculiar obligation to obedience on them that are so reproved And where Servants regard not sober and Christian reproofs as the Ordinance of God for their good they lose the advantages of their condition and may be looked upon as unsanctified Sufferers in a state of Bondage which hath an especial Character of the first curse upon it 2. Reproof is Fraternal or such as is mutual between the members of the same Church by vertue of that especial Relation wherein they stand and the obligation thence arising unto mutual watchfulness over each other with Admonitions Exhortations and Reproofs As this is peculiarly appointed by our Saviour Mat. 18.15 in confirmation of the Ordinance in the Church of the Jews to that purpose Lev. 19.17 and confirmed by many Precepts and Directions in the New Testament Rom. 15.18 1 Thes 5.14 Heb. 3.12 13. Chap. 12.15 16. So the neglect of it is that which hath lost us not only the benefit but also the very nature of Church Societies Wherefore our improvement of Rebukes in this kind depends much on a due consideration of that Duty and Love from whence they do proceed For this we are by the Royal Law of Charity obliged unto the belief of where there is not open evidence unto the contrary And whereas it may be those things for which we may be thus reproved are not of the greatest importance in themselves who that is wise will by the neglect of the reproof it self contract the open guilt of contemning the Wisdom Love and Care of Christ in the Institution of this Ordinance III. And Lastly Reproofs are Friendly or occasional such as may be Administred and managed by any Persons as Reasons and Opportunities require from the common Principle of universal Love unto mankind especially towards them that are of the Houshold of Faith These also having in them the entire Nature of Reproofs will fall under all the ensuing Directions which have a general respect thereunto If then we would duely make use of and Improve unto our Advantage the Reproofs that may be given us we are seriously to consider the nature of them with respect unto those by whom they are managed for all the things we have mentioned are suited to influence our minds unto a regard of them and compliance with them 2. The matter of a Reproof is duely to be weighed by him who designs any benefit thereby And the first consideration of it is whether it be true or false I shall not carry them unto more minute Distribution of the Substance and Circumstances of the matter intended of the Whole or Part of it but do suppose that from some Principal consideration of it every Reproof as to its matter may be denominated and esteemed true or false And here our own consciences with due Application unto the Rule are the proper Judge and Umpire Conscience if any way enlightned from the Word will give an impartial sentence concerning the Guilt or Innocence of the Person with respect unto the matter of a reproof And there can be no more infallible evidence of a miscarriage in such a condition than when Pride or Passion or Prejudice or any corrupt Affection can either out-brave or stifle that compliance with a just reproof which Conscience will assuredly tender Rom. 2.14 If a Reproof as to the matter of it be false or unjust and so judged in an unbiassed Conscience it may be considered in matter of Right and of Fact In the first case the matter may be true and yet the reproof formally false and evil In the latter the matter may be false and yet the reproof an acceptable duty 1. A Reproof is false in matter of right or formally when we are reproved for that as evil which is indeed our duty to perform So David was fiercely reproved by his Brother Eliab for coming unto the Battel against the Philistines ascribing it to his Pride and the Naughtiness of his Heart whereunto he only replied What have I done Is there not a Cause 1 Sam. 17.28 29. And Peter rebuked our Lord Jesus Christ himself for declaring the Doctrine of the Cross Mark 8.33 And so we may be reproved for the Principal Duties that God requireth of us And if men were as free in reproving as they are in reproaching we should not escape from daily rebukes for whatever we do in the worship of God Now though such reproofs generally may be looked on as Temptations and so to be immediately rejected as they were in the cases instanced in yet may they sometimes where they proceed from Love and are managed with moderation be considered as necessary cautions to look heedfully unto the Grounds and Reasons we proceed upon in the Duties opposed at which others do take offence 2. If the Reproof be false in matter of Fact wherein that is charged on us and reproved in us whereof we are no ways guilty three things are to be considered that it may not be unuseful unto us I. The Circumstances of the Reprover as 1 Whether he do proceed on some probable mistake or 2 Credulity and easiness in taking up reports or 3 On evil groundless surmises of his own or 4 From a real godly jealousie which hath been imposed on as easily it will be by some appearances of Truth Without a due Consideration of these things we shall never know how to carry it aright towards them by whom we are reproved for that whereof we are not guilty 2. Consider aright the difference between a Reproof and a Reproach for they may be both false alike and that whereof we are reproved have no more truth in it than that wherewith we are reproached Yea we may be honestly reproved for that which is false and wickedly reproached with that which is true so Augustin calls the Language of the Maid unto his Mother about drinking of Wine durum convitium though the
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE Morning-Exercise At CRIPPLE-GATE OR Several more Cases of Conscience Practically Resolved by sundry Ministers The Second Edition Our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 Conscientia est nescio quid divinum nunquam perit officium nostrum nobis semper ad memoriam revocat Doroth. Bibl. Pat. T. 4. p. 769. Quaerimus quomodo animus semper aequalis secundoque cursu eat propitius sibi sit sua laetus adspiciat hoc gaudium non interrumpat sed placido statu maneat nec attollens se unquam nec deprimens Seneca de Tranq anim p. 678. LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Sign of the Atlas in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange MDCLXXVI To that part of Christ's Flock to which I am more specially related Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Beloved Christians AS I called in a Contribution of Help for the composing of a Legacy for others before my Civil Death so I now tender you A Supplement to that Exercise for your better liveliness of Spiritual Life I shall say nothing to commend these Sermons to you my Brethren are all herein unanimous to seek the Church's Profit not their own Applause only this I must say to prevent mistake viz. If any curious Reader shall find matter of Exception besides the Errors of Printing which I confess are too many the blame must be Personal because this joynt-work is no otherwise Social than as single Pearls strung together make one Neck-lace I easily grant here 's not yet a stating of all important Cases yet be this known to you whoever shall follow these Directions shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the work of the Lord nor miss of an abundant entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom Live up to what you have attained and you may be confident that what is further wanting God will as you want it supply it Be assur'd of this that you will get more skill and strength for all necessary Graces and Duties by an humble serious constant Course of Godliness than you possibly can do by captious Criticismes and wrangling Contentions about lesser things in which too many spend their Lives I herein appeal to your Consciences should not these Sermons answer expectation but according to your judgment either the Cases are ill chose or not well stated in that the Matter is either defective or redundant the Language too curious or too careless the Directions too common or too singular I appeal from your Passions to your Consciences and down-right charge you in the Name of my Master who must be your Judg that you read with other Spectacles These are not calculated to humour you but to better you These are not Duties to be cavil'd at but to be practised O that you may be effectually perswaded 1. That your Love to God Sermon 1 must be predominant and growing or you degrade your selves below the Beasts 2. That your Love to Man must be universal and spiritual Sermon 2 Sermon 3 or you can't evidence your Love to God 3. That your Love to the World must truckle under both be subservient to both and never be otherwise for if the World master you 't will â—â—in you Oh that your awakened Sermon 4 Consciences may now allarm you 4. To catch at Salvation while it is Sermon 5 offer'd lest you perish for ever Though 't is a vexed Problem 5. What Knowledg is necessary to Salvation yet can you satisfie your Consciences without diligent Endeavours to proportion your Knowledg to the Means you enjoy And to bring forth Fruits every day as those that in some Sermon 6 measure feel 6. What 't is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and Sermon 7 8. that the Word 7. Preach'd and 8. Read may be so impress'd upon Heart and Life that it may be an infallible Evidence you are taught of God And when through weakness of the Flesh your Duties may prove Sermon 9 wearisom 9. Learn to refresh your selves with the Songs of Zion But would you have more particular Directions They are before you Sermon 10 Here you may learn true Christianity 10. In the daily Improvement of Sermon 11 your Baptism Here you may learn 11. How to propagate Religion to Posterity by riveting Truth upon your own Hearts and teaching it to Sermon 12 others but while you are giving Milk to Babes 12. Excuse not your selves upon any account whatsoever from frequent and hungry feeding upon stronger Meat Be you as willing to seal to the Conditions of the Covenant as you are desirous God should seal to the Promises of it But who is sufficient for these things Pour out your Hearts therefore and Sermon 13 list up your Souls to God in all manner of Prayer 13. Let extraordinary Sermon 14 Prayer answer that title 14. Your secret Prayer speak secret Communion Sermon 15 with God 15. Let your Family prayer bring down Blessings upon your Family that you be neither Holy nor Happy alone but that when your Family-relations shall cease they may bless God to Eternity that ever there were such Relations between you Now therefore Sermon 16 16. Let Husbands and Wives be the liveliest Emblems in the World of Sermon 17 Christ and his Church 17. Let Parents and Children be the Evidences and Pledges of God's special presence with this and the next Sermon 18 Generation 18. Let Masters and Servants adorn the Gospel by their exemplary Faithfulness to their Heavenly Master Thus doing Sermon 19 19. Your Thoughts will be cured and in them you 'l enjoy God Sermon 20 20. Your Tongues will in some sense be God's glory as well as yours But Sermon 21 then 21. You must cautiously avoid the catching Canker of Detraction Sermon 22 22. So you shaâ—l by your Conversations convince the World there 's an Excellency in Christianity And that all this may be as well acceptable Sermon 23 to God as approved of Men 23. Do all in the Name of Christ and Sermon 24 while you thus embarque with Christ 24. He 'l steer you safe between Presumption and Despair those Rocks upon one of which most perish Hereby also 25. You 'l make your Port with the chearing Joys of an Sermon 25 Heroick Faith 26. And keep above all Vexing Discontents with your Sermon 26 Worldly Condition 27. And what Afflictions God's wise Love shall Sermon 27 inflict you 'l be able to bear them with more than a Roman Courage 28. And though reproachful Reproofs may bear hard upon you you 'l not Sermon 28 fret but welcome them as a precious Balm But when you have done your best yet through the Remainders of Corruption Guilt will be contracted 29. You can't but be restless till it be removed 30. Then you Sermon 29 30. may rather hope for than
upon experience you find to be fittest for such a work solemnly place your selves in Gods presence beg of him the fixing and the flowing of your thoughts that your thoughts might be graciously fix'd yet as graciously enlarg'd let the subject matter of them be something Spiritual endeavour to fill your heads and affect your hearts with holy musings till you come to some resolution which resolution close with Prayer and follow with endeavours O how would this even e're you are aware engage your Souls to love God though you cannot methodize your Meditations to your mind yet inure your selves to an holy thoughtfulness about things above Endeavour as you are able to tye your thoughts together and so fasten them that they may not be lost that your musing time may not be reckon'd among your lost time I distinguish between Meditation and Study Study is for knowledge Meditation is for Grace Study leaves every thing as we find it Meditation leaves a Spiritual impress upon every thing it meddles with Though I will not assert I may enquire whether Meditation be not one of those duties of which the very constant performance speaks the Soul to be gracious i. e. though I dare not say they are not gracious that do not every day solemnly meditate yet whether may I not say they are gracious that do Try therefore whether you may not say with the Psalmist (t) Psal 39.3 whilst I was musing the fire burned whether while you are musing your heart may not be inflamed with love to God 7. Choice of friends I dare appeal to all experienc'd Christians whether ever they met with lively Christians that carried it like Christians without some warming of their hearts with love to God and Godliness the truth is Christian-conference hath the most speedy and effectual efficacy of any Ordinance of God whatsoever Do therefore in Religion as you do in other things e.g. If you meet with a Physician all your discourse shall be something about your health If you meet with a Traveller you are presently inquisitive about the places he hath seen Why should not Christians when they meet converse like Christians and presently fall into a Heavenly Dialogue Christians this you know there must be a forsaking of all wicked company e're you can pretend the least love to Christ mistake me not I do not mean that the bonds of Family-relations must presently be broken that Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and covenant-Covenant-servants must presently separate if one of them be ungodly No where the relation is such as cannot be dissolved without sin then those that are Godly must converse with the ungodly as Physicians with their sick patients But this is it I say you must not willingly and out of choice make Gods Enemies your familiar Friends Those that are alwayes speaking well of God insensibly draw out their hearts in love to him When Christ's Spouse (u) Cant 5.9 c 6.1 had told the Daughters of Jerusalem what Christ was more than others they presently offer themselves to seek him with her as evil communication (w) 1 Cor. 15.33 corrupts good manners so good communication corrects evil manners In short you cannot but observe that none is able to hear any one spoken against whom they love and that every one delights to speak and hear of whom they love so that here you have a means to enflame an imploy to exercise and a touchstone to try your love to God 8. Thanksgiving That person that makes conscience of thanksgiving will thereby grow in love to God that person that takes every thing kindly and thankfully from God cannot but love him and Christians if we be not basely wanting to our selves we may by thankfulness make every thing a help to promote divine love e.g. I hear a man swear and curse and blaspheme God O what cause have I to love God that he hath not left me to do so I am under the rebukes of God I feel his anger in such a providence O what cause have I to love God that he will take any pains with me and give me medicinal correction not giving me up to my own hearts lusts till I perish Alas I am not so spiritual as to make such Inferences yet blessed be God I really value it as a priviledge to be able to put a good interpretation on all Gods dealings O that I could love God for the very means and helps and incouragements to love him I shall name no more though I might many promoting means But 3. Sustaining and Conserving Means Here several Graces are singularly useful I shall name only three 1. Faith whereby we are perswaded that what God hath spoken is true and good (x) Mark 9.23 If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Now then take some Particular Promise Why not that which hath already affected thy heart you can't press a Promise as you squeeze an Orange to extract all that is in it no 't is called drawing water (y) Isa 12.3 out of a Fountain though you draw out never so much there 's no less behind Well then take that promise (z) Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me I may here by my love to God make out Gods love to me and so by these claspings of love have my love inflam'd and preserv'd But Christians be sure to remember this whenever you lay one hand on a Promise lay the other on Christ you will thereby get your Objections answered and your Fears removed e. g. I am unworthy of Divine Love but so is not Christ I know not how to come to God our access is by Christ Though I come I know not how to believe Joh. 6.37 thy coming is believing Oh for more acquaintance with the Life of Faith it is mostly with us in spirituals according to our Faith 2. Hope whereby we expect a future good Hope is the daughter of Faith Many a time the weak Mother leans upon the Daughter Hope at least to our apprehensions hath not so many Obstructions and hinderances as Faith I dare say I hope what I dare not say I believe Though I must tell you That which the over-modest Christian calls a weak Hope God often calls a strong Faith Remember (a) Psal 119.49 the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope There 's a prayer of Hope and here 's a Promise-answer to Faith Thou (b) Isa 26.3 wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee c. So that in a word as to the present Case though I yet cannot love God as I would I hope God will help me that my Love shall be alwayes growing 3. Patience (c) Jam. 1.4 Let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and intire wanting nothing And do but with Patience go on with your work
17 18. May we therefore say that by reason of their Ignorance they took that Name of God his Word in vain No this was not a vain business for in this way they understood the words of Christ at last the meaning whereof they knew not at first 3. Catechizing may be considered under a double notion 1. In regard of the present Action 2. As it is an Introduction and preparation to the future and further knowledg of God Now though little ones do not at first so understand as to use with due reverence the Name and things of God yet it follows not that they take God's Name in vain because they repeat good things in order to and for the gaining of such a knowledg of God and of those Holy things as whereby they afterwards come to use them more reverently And therein the first use of them though not so reverent hath a part as being preparatory to it and having an influence into it and working as a good means for the begetting of it Do not we teach little Ones their Letters by signs and certain petty devised sayings and resemblances which put them in mind of their Letters And this is not a vanity but a way suited to their narrow capacities to make them learn them the sooner So in this and the like cases the first Rudiments are still to be taken and judged of not in a way of disjunction from what follows after but as a preparation to it and being so taken they are not vain but material things because they serve to very considerable ends It is neither vanity nor Hypocrisie saith a reverend Author to help Children first to understand words and signs Baxter's Christian Directory p. 582. in order to their early understanding of the matter and signification Otherwise no Man may teach them any Language or to read any words that be good because they must first understand the words before the meaning If a Child learn to read in a Bible it is not taking God's Name or Word in vain though he understand it not for it is in order to his learning to understand it And it is not vain which is to so good a use Thus for Parents 2. Nor are Christian Ministers and Governors of Families together with School-Instructors and Tutors less obliged to take care of the Religious Instruction and Education of their respective Servants and Pupils which clearly appears from hence 1. The Lord commands it and expects it at the hands of Masters When others intrust Masters with the bodies of Servants God intrusts them with their Souls commands them to take care of them as for which they must and shall give a strict account Lo here saith God is a poor mean Servant but he hath a precious and an immortal Soul A Soul purchased with the same Blood of God-Man that his Master 's was and himself though never so vile in the eye of sense Col. 3.11 yet capable of being made a Co-heir with Christ in Heaven Take this Man and take care of him as thou wilt answer it at the great Day If this Soul perish through thy default thy Life shall go for his Look to it therefore Masters give to your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven Do not use them as Slaves as Beasts but rather as fellow-Fellow-servants of the same Lord Col. 4.1 In this Text we may observe a Divine Precept and a perswasive Argument to back that Precept 1. The Precept Ye Masters give unto your Servants 1. That which is just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecon. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatever is due to them by any positive contract legality or obligation Aristotle names three things as due to Servants Work Food Correction To which since our Servants are usually such as are not so by conquest but by compact we may add a fourth viz. Wages Moderate Work convenient Food due Correction proportionable Wages 2. Not only that which is just but that which is equal too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dav. in Col. 4.1 And this refers not to the works themselves of Servants and Masters but to the mind and manner of doing which ought to bear a due proportion in both v. gr Col. 3.22 Servants are commanded to obey their Masters in all things not with eye-service but in singleness of heart fearing God and as serving the Lord Christ And Masters are required to return them that which is equal when they rule them piously and religiously That is just which the Law of Nature or Nations requires that is equal which true Christian Charity and meekness requires and which is due to servants by a moral obligation 2. The Argument Knowing i. e. holding this for an undoubted principle believing it and constantly remembring that Masters on Earth have a Superiour Master in Heaven As Servants if gracious are Gods Sons and thereby may be comforted so Masters are God's Servants and thereby may be caution'd Are Masters eyes on their servants to see whether they do their duties faithfully so God's eye watcheth them much more to observe whether they carry themselves in their Relation conscientiously Holy Job Job 31 13◠stood in aw of this great Master and acted accordingly Eph. 6.5 to 8. Servants must be obedient unto their Masters as unto Christ as serving the Lord Christ and the Masters must instruct and command in Christ Mr. Dod that great Servant of our Lord Jesus Christ from Exod. 20.10 gravely observes from those words Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant c. That it belongs to all Family-Governours to see that their servants and all inferiours under their charge holily observe and keep the Lord's Day 2. I argue from those many and great benefits which accrue from the holy instruction of Servants and other Family inferiours 1. The Church is in an immediate capacity to receive benefit by it If Mistresses of Families did their parts and sent such polished materials to the Churches as they ought to do the work and life of the Pastors of the Church would unspeakably be more easie and delightful What a reviving of heart would it be to us to Preach to such an Auditory to Catechize instruct examine and watch over them who are so prepared by a wise and holy education and understand and love the Doctrine which they hear How teachable and tractable will such be How successfully the labours of their Pastors laid out upon them How comely and beautiful the Churches be which are composed of such persons and how pure and comfortable will their Communion be The Orchard is according to what the Nursery is So Churches are according to what Families are Good Families make good Churches and good Education makes good Families 2. Not only the Church but State would receive much good by this Towns Cities Counties Kingdoms would gain by it and it must needs be so for what are they
Philip to the Noble Eunuch q. d. To what purpose readest thou if thou be not careful to understand what thou readest The Word Preached either by Pastor or Teacher the Truth deliver'd in a way of Catechizing will do us no good unless we hear with understanding Hearken unto me every one of you and understand Mark 7.14 saith the greatest Preacher and have ye understood all these things Matth. 13.51 Dear Brethren as I know you desire not to sow your seed on the high-way Mat. 13 19. so as that the Fowls of that Prince of the Air should come and pick it up so be careful to make poor Creatures to understand what they are taught Now for the opening of the Truths laid down in the Assemblies Catechism I cannot but commend those four Books which I have found so exceeding useful for the younger ones among our people viz. Dr. Wallis Mr. Jos Alleyn Mr. Tho. Vincent and Mr. Tho. Dolittle their excellent Explanations 3. You will be sure to act very wisely very discreetly You know in Catechizing you have to do with different Sexes Ages Tempers Capacities some are less capable and more bashful these must not be expos'd to the scorn and contempt of those that have it may be more glib tougues and brazen foreheads but worse hearts You know when and how to incourage the willing to praise the forward to check the presumptuous to admonish the unruly patiently to bear with all You know what it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Soul Nurses 1 Thess 2.7 8. how to impart with all dearness those Fundamental Truths which make for their spiritual and eternal good and growth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And shall I take leave in your names to assure younger ones that you will have a tender eye to the slowness of apprehension in some of them to the slipperiness of memory in others to the bashfulness of most to the reputation of them all That you will opportunely prevent their grosser mistakes and candidly palliate their lesser ones that you will give the best sense to the worst of their Answers and put some necessary words into their mouths the better to facilitate the expression of their thoughts that you will so wisely manage the whole business as that it may make for their reputation as well as instruction and that they may find favour both with God and men 4. What you do do it resolvedly and that in God's strength not in your own Expect opposition from within from without From within a proud heart apt to mutter 't is a low mean piece of drudgery No but rather the most Doctor-like part of our work and such as cannot accurately be perform'd without a clear insight into the greatest depths of Religion and a proportionable gift of ready Exposition The lowest Principles of Religion are the highest Mysteries Again the tender shoulder that shrugs and enters its Plea against the burthen as being too troublesom a weight to be added to the Load of our other Lords-day-labours Neither will this prevail with you Brethren we are confident you are not only able 2 Tim. 2.14 2 Cor. 12.15 but apt to teach 'T is your joy to spend your selves and be spent in the utmost service of your God and his Church You will not be much concern'd in the consuming of your Oyl so you may lend your Light To such gracious Souls as yours there is there can be no greater burthen than the sense you have of the heaviness of your people in hearing But from without the general averseness of young ones is pleaded as a grand obstruction As to that you are so well seen in spiritual Logick as to fetch meat out of this Eater and will easily conclude that this averseness in young ones from this exercise of Catechizing is not the least Argument of its singular usefulness The more unwilling the Patient is to have his Wound open'd searcht plaister'd and bound the more eager the compassionate Chirurgion is to give relief The more unwilling they are to present themselves to be Catechiz'd the more reason have we to press them to it by the greatest violence of perswasion .. Lastly let not want of success discourage Your Heavenly Master you know hath assured you that your labour is not 1 Cor. 15. last shall not be in vain in the Lord. God takes the measures of his servants not from their success which is his sole work but from their sedulous and faithful endeavors which is their duty Go you on to plant and water let the great Lord of the Vineyard alone to give the increase And know 2 Cor. 8.12 1 Cor. 3.6 7. 2 Cor. 2.15 you are a sweet savour unto God and though Israel be not gather'd but you seem to have spent your strength in vain yet surely your judgment is with the Lord and your work and wages with your God Isa 49.4 I have now done with the particular directions there remain yet some more general ones which being observed may with God's Blessing much promote the success of this whole work And so 1. To spiritual instruction add holy admonition exhortation good advice and counsel Do not only let them know by instruction what their duty is but press urge inforce this duty upon them by admonition and good counsel O my Child you see your Duty you know what you ought to do O do according to what you know What a strong powerful prevailing influence hath good counsel when duly applied Only see 1. That you back your counsel with the clearest Scripture and most convincing Arguments you can possibly Good advice without these is but a Bullet without Powder and Arrow without a Feather Argue with them about the Excellency of God Christ the Spirit Grace the vanity of the Creature the folly and sinfulness of sin See how Job handles the matter with his Wife about murmuring and impatience against God Job 2.10 What shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil Hear what Bathsheba saith to Solomon Prov. 31.2 3 4. What my Son and what the Son of my Womb c. It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings c. Shew them the beauty of Christ draw aside the Curtain let them behold the Image of that blessed Saviour pourtrayed in Scripture Do to them as the Spouse did to the Daughters of Jerusalem run over all the Excellencies of Christ to them and then conclude He is altogether lovely This is my Beloved and this is my Friend Can. 5.16 O Daughters of Jerusalem 2. Labour as much as possible to insinuate your selves into their affections Having clear'd your way into their heads labour to wind and scrue your selves into their hearts Let them know that you have no design upon them but to make them happy no private end only their everlasting good This done thou hast done all thy work when all jealousies of any sinister ends are blown away then Exhortations and
thy trust and requireth thy help to the utmost power for their good assist them herein and see that they do it and use thy gifts and parts and knowledg in praying with them that they also by thy example might be induced to this duty and by hearing thee pray in their company may learn to pray also Light of Nature did dictate to the heathen Mariners Jon. 1. that prayer to God was a means to save them in the storm therefore the Master of the Ship the Head of that Society called Jonah from sleep to Prayers and this they did not only severally but conjunctly v. 14. they cried unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord We beseech thee c. and shall the Heathen Master of the Ship do more in that Society whereof he was chief than a Christian Master of a Family in that Houshold Society whereof he is head Moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lores Penates Dii domestici qui domi coluntur Ego Deos Penates hinc salutatum domum devortar Ter. Phorm Vestae vis ad aras focos pertinet itaque in ea dea quae est rerum Custos intimarum omnis precatio sacrificatio extrema est nec longè absunt ab hac vi dâ—i penates sive à penu ducto nomine sive ab eo quod penitùs insident Cic. de nat Deor. l. 2. that the Light of Nature doth dictate that there should be conjunct worshipping of God in mens houses the practice of the Heathen makes manifest they had their houshold gods so call'd because they thought they had the rule over them and their Housholds and the keeping and preserving of their Families though indeed they could not defend themselves nor them that did in their houses worship them as Juno in her speech to Aeolus Gens inimica mihi Tyrrhenum navigat aequor Ilium in Italiam portans victósque penates Yet these Gods they served in their houses and sacrificed to them in which Sacrifice their custom * Godw. Rom. Ant. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videntur fuisse dii penates qui ad tuendam rem domesticam colerentur De Dieu in Gen. 31.19 was to eat up all that was left at the Offering thinking it an hainous matter to send any of that Sacrifice abroad to their friends or to the poor Of this sort were the Teraphim an Idol or Image made for mens private use in their own houses Laban had such houshold Gods Gen. 31.19 30. Why hast thou stollen away my Gods By this you see that the Light of Nature doth dictate houshold worship to be given to God and the Heathens did it to their false Gods And if you called Christians will not in your houses jointly pray unto the true God let the Heathens stand up as witnesses against you However take this Argument containing the sum of the five foregoing Propositions 2. Arg. If all men are bound to take God for their Ruler governing them by a Law writen in their hearts which doth dictate to them that there is a God and jointly to be prayed unto in mens Families then it is their duty so to do The reason of this is because if they be bound to do it and do it not they sin But all men are bound to take God for their Ruler as in the first Proposition is shewn governing them by a Law as in the second written in their hearts as in the third which doth dictate to them that God is as in the fourth and to be jointly prayed to in their Families as in the fifth Therefore it is their duty so to do For the proof of the last part of the minor Proposition viz. That the Light of Nature doth dictate that Men or Masters of Families ought to pray conjunctly with the Members of their Families consider this Seeing Societies as such are totally dependent upon God and mens gifts are communicative and solemnities are operative nature teacheth us that God ought to be solemnly acknowledg'd worship'd and honour'd both in families and in more solemn appointed assemblies Mr. Baxter Reasons of Christ Rel. part 1. p. 74. If the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that Masters of Families ought to use all means to prevent the damnation of the immortal Souls in that Domestick Society of which they are Heads and Governours and to further their eternal happiness having opportunities so to do then it doth dictate that they ought to pray conjunctly with them The reason of this is because Prayer is a means made together with them which the Light of Nature doth dictate profitable to prevent their misery and further their happiness as in the fourth Position before laid down and they have opportunities for this means But the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that Masters of Families ought to use all means to prevent the damnation of the immortal Souls in that Domestick Society whereof they are Heads and Governours and to further their eternal happiness having opportunities so to do For if the Light of Nature doth dictate they ought to take care of their bodies that are mortal it doth tell them they are much more to take care of their Souls which are immortal and must for ever live in happiness or misery as in Position first second and third Therefore the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that it is their duty to pray conjunctly with their Families and if the Law of Nature doth the Lavv of God doth because the Law of Nature is God's Law Argument 3. The third seat or head of Argument shall be taken from what God is to Families as such in these four Propositions God is the founder of all Families as such therefore Families as such should pray unto him 1. Familia est inter plures pirsonas quae sunt sub unius potestate vel naturâ vel jure subjectae vel societas constituta secundùm naturam quotidiani usus gratia Estque conjugalis patria Herilis Liebent Col. Polit The houshold Society usually is of these three Combinations Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters or Servants though there may be a Family where all these are not yet take it in its latitude and all these Combinations are from God The Institution of Husband and Wife is from God Gen. 2.21 22 23 24. and of Parents and Children and Masters and Servants and the authority of one over the other and the subjection of the one to the other is instituted by God and founded in the Law of Nature which is God's Law The persons singly considered have not their beings only from God but the very being of this Society as such is also from him and as a single person is therefore bound to devote himself to the service of God and pray unto him so an houshold Society is therefore bound jointly as such to do the same because as such a Society it is from God utriusque est par ratio And hath God
the wickedness of another to cover thine own 4. Was not Judas graceless Did he desire truly and sincerely spiritual blessings and did not Christ say and know he was a Devil and yet did not Christ pray with his Disciples when Judas was among them Luk. 22.14 17. 5. Your words might be so ordered that you need not make a scruple to pray with them 6. By kneeling down with you do they not profess to joyn with you and if they do not that sincerely which they profess to do the sin is theirs and none of yours 7. But be really more careful that you do not pray to God with a reigning lust in your own hearts than fearful to pray with an unconverted person in your house Obj. 6. But I cannot bring my Servants to the duty they are so stubborn and unwilling to it that all that I can do cannot prevail with them to yield thereto they will rather leave my house and so I shall be left to do my work my self Answ 1. Are they not sometimes as backward to do what you set them about as they be to come to prayer but yet do you not bring them to it and make them stoop and buckle to obedience Deal plainly if they did daily totally neglect your work would you bear it at their hands would you not make them know your power and authority over them Can you use your power effectually to make them do your work though backward to it and may you not can you not to bring them to prayer if you were as hearty and as in good earnest for the glory of God and the good of their souls as you are in your own concernments 2. Why did you take no more care whom you did receive for Servants into your house Why did you not make a better choice Did you not look for one with most money you could get rather than one well educated and likely to conform to the good government of an house Servants enquire for places where they might have least work and greatest wages and vails but not where they might have a good Master to help forward the good of their souls and Parents put forth their Children Apprentices where it might be most for their outward advantage though there be no Religion in the house a great evil So many Masters look for greatest profit in taking Apprentices that have been without all education as to their souls and then cry out their Servants will not be brought to Family-prayer 3. But will they not Integer vitae mihi sit minister Tecta non intret mea fraudulentus Nemo mecum intra mea commoretur Limina mendax Buchan and are they such that you may remove and put out of your Family after you have tried all other means you can if they will not you had better be without them than without the worship of God David would Out with them Psal 101.6 7. But do you say You must then do your work your self so you had better But why so Are young people generally so bad that there are no better to be found God forbid If they be is it not high time to be in good earnest and resolved to set up God's worship in our Families that it might be remedied and not continue so from one age to another Obj. 7. But I have not time to spare Quid de rerum natura querimur illa se benignè gessit vita si scias uti longa est for my self and Family to spend time to pray twice every day this would be a hindrance to me in my Calling Answ 1. Not time man What! not to pray How justly might God say Alium insatiabilis tenet avaritia al um in supervacuis laboribus opeâ—osa sedulitas alâ—us vino madet inertiâ— torpet alium mercandi praeceps cupiditas circa omnes terras omnia maria spe lucri ducit nemo invenituâ— qui pecuniam suam dividere velit vitam unusquisque quam multis distribuit astricti sunt in continendo patrimonio simul ad temporis jâ—ctâ—ram vâ—n um est profusâ—ssiâ—i in eo cujus unius honesta avaritia est Senec. de brevâ—vit Thou shalt die this day and thou shalt have no time to pray no nor to trade neither nor to sport and game neither Thou hast time what dost thou do with it all Twenty fourty years are a great deal of time and much might be done therein but canst thou find no time out of so many years to pray in thine house Thou findest time to trade and work and eat and drink and sleep yea and to sin too and yet hast thou no time to pray Doth God give thee and thy Family all the time that thou and they have and shall God have none of it Oh ungrateful sinner Oh unthankful wretch let the heavens be astonished and the Earth amazed the one that they give light and influence to such a monster and the other to bear such a burthen a man so loaden with such impiety 2. Why dost thou grips and grasp so much worldly business and burthen thy self and Family with so many earthly Imploymenos and then cry out thou hast no time If thou canst not trade so much and pray in thy Family too trade something less that thou maist have time to pray Cannot you get food and raiment while you live and a winding sheet and Coffin when you die without so great a trade that you have no time to pray Or will you say we must mind more than food and raiment and must you not mind Heaven too and look after Christ and Grace and your souls too What if you be rich while you live and damned when you die Is your heart so set upon the world that you must have it though you have Hell and damnation with it Well might the Poet cry out and wish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phocylid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phocyl Transeundum est excutit redeuntem natura sicut intrantem non licet plus efferre quam intuleris imo etiâ—as ex eo quod â—o vitam attulistipars magna ponenda est Sen. Epist 3. What will you do with those worldly riches you are so eager to obtain or what can they do for you Will you take them with you to your Graves or carry them with you to another world You know you cannot Job 1. latter end Eccl. 5.15 No not so much as to fill your hand It was a ridiculous action of a rich man that Mr. Rogers in his Treatise of Love speaks of that being very sick to death called for his Gold and being brought to him took a twenty shillings piece and put it in his mouth saying Some are wiser than some this I will take with me however If some were not wiser than he they would all be fools for he and his gold might perish together though it may be likely that when he was dead his gold was taken from
wisdom and Religion worth calling so in the world in that so few blessed be God some there are are good in their Relations Where are Magistrates to be found that are God's Vicegerents in their places Where are the Masters that command and direct in wisdom so as their service is rather a priviledg than a toil a pleasure than a vassalage Where are the Servants that obey in singleness of heart as unto Christ Isa 3.5 What a strange disorder and confusion is there in the world in Kingdoms Corporations Jam. 4.1 and Families and who may be thanked for it but mens lusts and their not faithfully filling up that Relation God hath set them in Most are governed by the Law of corrupt nature and hell but few too few have that respect to the Law of God which should be Ar. Epict. 1.13 How excellently doth that Imperial Philosopher declaim against those that are unfaithful in their places and do not willingly submit to and order their lives according to the direction of the most good wise and just Law-giver of the world Hear his words Antoninus ◠4. n. 24. l. ◠n. 38. He is an Aposteme of the world who being unfaithful in his place doth as it were apostatize and separate himself from God's rational administration O that men were wise and understood their true interest and were faithful to it O that every one would labour to rectifie that ataxy and disorder that is in himself and then in his Family Then O then how happy would our Kingdom Cities Families be It was no small commendation of the Grecian Commander Plutarch in vita Them that he reckon'd it none of the best qualifications of a man to be able to play well upon a Harp but to be able to govern himself and others well and if a City were put into his hands poor dis-mantled un-disciplined to be able quickly to make it rich strong orderly To fill up our Relations with Religion is the divine precept our true wisdom our peace profit it 's honest I had almost said it 's one of the fairest fruits of real Christianity Would we could all as one man engage to do our best for the putting this in execution and then holiness to the Lord might quickly be written upon our Door our City might be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord dwells there and our Land Hephsibah and Beulah For this let every honest soul pray for this let Ministers preach And in the prosecution of this design I shall in my poor way give you advice by resolving of this Question which I have made way to by this Preface What are the Duties of Masters and Servants and how must both eye their great Master in Heaven In the answering of this Question the more fully I shall do these things First Show you what is meant by Master and Servant Secondly Show you how both are to eye their great Master in Heaven Thirdly I shall show you what is the Master's duty exhort him to it and give him helps for the performance of it Fourthly I shall show what is the duty of Servants press them to it and give them some helps for the performance of it First I shall show what is meant by Master and Servant By Master here is meant either Master or Mistress such a one as hath the power of himself and upon whose government and command another dependeth Now in an absolute and most proper sense there is none may be called Master but God he only hath an absolute independent unlimited power of himself and hath all others at his command and direction and he alone is fit for this despotick Monarchy being infinite in wisdom goodness and justice And this clears the meaning of those words of our Saviour Call no man Father Master Mat. 23.8 but God that is look upon none as absolute infallible Lords of the Conscience but him But in a more limited sense there are Masters to which respect and honour must be paid by their Servants and that with all readiness and chearfulness so far as they command nothing that is contrary to God's command By Servant I mean one that is not at his own disposal but at the command of another so far as his commands thwart not the commands of God Remember whatever is spoken of Servants is spoken to Maid-Servants as well as Men-Servants Now this Relation seems in a word to rise from Nature Law or Contract From Nature in that some are of a more strong body and weaker understanding others of weaker bodies but of more judgment and experience and so one is by nature fit to rule and the other to be ruled That Relation that riseth from Law is when any one by some flagitious act hath justly forfeited his liberty and is condemned to servility either for a time or during his life The last and usual foundation of this Relation is by Contract and that is where one that is by nature free subjects himself to another's command for a certain time upon such and such just considerations Now this is that Relation that I am principally concerned to shew you the Duties of Secondly I come now to shew you how both Master and Servants are to eye their great Master in Heaven First they are both to have an eye to the presence of their great Master which is in Heaven God in his Nature is a Spirit that is infinitely immense filling Heaven and Earth and yet not included in either If man did indeed lye under the lively impressions of God's omnisciency and omnipresence what an awe would it put upon their spirits how honest would it make them in the dark This this would make the Master reasonable just and merciful this would make the Servant faithful diligent and constant in his obedience to his Master What makes men to act like Devils but this a hope that God doth not see Gen 17.1 Psal 16.8 What made Abraham so upright but his walking before God What kept David so unmoved but his setting the Lord always before his eyes I am perswaded the greatest failures in either Master or Servant have their spring here a secret root of atheism and disbelief of God's eye and observation What truth in all the Bible more clear than this and yet what almost less believed O what do men make of God How do they rob him of his glory and themselves of the truest motives of fidelity activity and chearfulness Sirs Is the hundred thirty ninth Psalm canonical Scripture or no Can any hide any thing from God's eye Jer. 23.24 Prov. 15.3 Prov. 5.21 Psal 94.7 9. Ar. Epict. 2. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Ep. l. 1. c. 14. 1 Cor. 10.31 Rom. 6.16 Do not his eyes behold the good and evil Doth not he ponder the ways of men Do you indeed believe this What then is the meaning of falseness on all hands It was no unjust complaint of the Moralist when he said that
many dare not do that the image of God being present which they will do God himself being present hearing seeing and observing exactly all that they do The all seeing eye of God is a good Motto I would this were written upon our Doors Counters Counting Houses Studies over our Tables I shall conclude this with an excellent one of Epictetus his sayings When you are at home and have shut the doors and are in the dark remember you never say you are alone but God is within and he needs no Candle to see what you are doing Secondly both Masters and Servants must have an eye to the glory of their great Master in Heaven There is not an action in our whole lives but we should either habitually or actually respect God's glory in it and it is but reasonable that he of whom all things are and by whom all things are preserved and from whom are all our hopes of good here and hereafter should have all Glory for ever and ever Actions loose their excellency when they have not a right end and to make any thing our end below God Hierocles is little less than idolatry It was excellent advice given more then once by that brave Moralist Refer all things to God make him your center your end I shall conclude with another of that noble Emperour Marcus Aurelius Antoninus sayings Remember always in all things thy Relation to God for without respect to him thou wilt never perform any action aright while thou livest Thirdly both Masters and Servants must have an eye to the command of their great Master in Heaven Psal 119.6 Ask David how you shall escape a state and act of shame and he will tell you by having respect unto all God's commands If men would never command any thing but what they have warrant for from the Word of God commands would then be just and obedience easie then the poor Servant would never be put upon that sad Dilemma whether he should obey his earthly or heavenly Master Acts 5.29 The Pythagoreans were not at all out in that Doctrine of theirs That man is under an Oath of Allegiance to God to be obedient to his Laws and never willingly to transgress them If the Master consult God's commands then he will forbear threatning and not make his Servants to serve with rigor and be faithful meek putting on bowels and pity warning instucting and correcting like a Christian in love to them and obedience to God If the Servant had still an eye to their great Master's commands how singly uprightly diligently and chearfully would they obey To the Law to the testimony and peace will be to them that walk according to this Rule and the whole Israel of God Both Masters and Servants Enchiridion yea all men in all things should still be of Epictetus his mind and still use his Petition Lead me O God whither thou pleasest I will follow thee chearfully and if I be something unwilling yet notwithstanding I am resolved to look to thy command and obey it Let God's Word be our Counsellor and we can't do an unjust and imprudent act Fourthly Both Masters and Servants must have an eye to the assistance of their great Master in Heaven Our heavenly Master is so humble and kind that he never bids any Servant do any work but he is willing to put his own hand to it and to say the truth of it the best Servant of all is so weak and foolish that he is not able to manage the least piece of work his Master sets him about except himself be at one end of it and do the most of it nay I had almost said do all of it himself And if God stand by direct and assist how wisely John 15.4 gently and piously will Masters do their part and how patiently diligently and readily will Servants do theirs then the Masters will not threaten nor the Servants groan or complain But I may have occasion to speak something of this nature elsewhere Fifthly Both Masters and Servants must have an eye to the soveraignty power and justice of their great Master He is higher than the highest he hath us in his hand as the Clay is in the hand of the Potter and none of his ways are unequal he will do righteously when men do not and the day is coming when Masters and Servants King and Subjects must stand upon even ground before him and he will do unto every one according to their works O that Masters would remember that God is infinitely more above them than they are above the poorest Servant Were this well weighed how soon would the heat of some Masters be cooled their storms be calmed and their fury turned into meekness Remember man God can easily without doing any injury at all make thee and thy Servant change places O that Servants could still remember that they have a greater and a better Master that must be pleased whosoever is displeased the deep sense of God's soveraignty would quickly make the proudest heart stoop this this would pull down the stout insolent rebellious spirit of a wicked Servant and make him judge obedience far more tolerable then flames and if any thing of injury be done him by his Master the thoughts of God's justice and righting will quiet his mind I come now to the third thing proposed which vvas to shew you What is the Master's duty and to exhort him to it And this I shall do by giving him 1. Some cautionary Directions 2. Positive Directions First I shall give you some cautionary Directions First Let Masters take heed of being servants to sin and Satan and rebels to God A bad man is not like to be a good Master With what face can any man expect others should obey him whose commands are usually unreasonable whilst he disobeyeth God whose commands are always good and equal How can a drunken prayerless swearing wretch look for better service than he gives to his Master By sin man at first forfeited that Soveraignty that he had over the creatures and by a constant habit of sin especially gross sins which the light of Nature doth condemn a man prostitutes his reason debaseth his authority and looseth that majesty which else he is invested with How can a drunken Master rebuke or punish his servant for tipling Is an intemperate Sensualist a fit person to censure gluttony Can an unclean person condemn wantonness Is it likely that the Servant should be faithful who seeth his Master cheat and lye every day If the Master be a profuse Gamester and given to his pleasure is it like that his Servant should be frugal and diligent Are not lying and swearing and cursing and wickedness as soon learned of a Master as a Trade And is it worth the while for a man to give twenty fourty a hundred pound to teach his child to serve the Devil and a short cut to hell and a sure way to ruin and misery of body
and soul Is that man fit to govern another that can't rule himself Is he that hath drowned his reason capable of instructing one that which requires some vvisdom to understand and learn and more to teach Are not Sots that can't speak sense in a sweet frame to speak to God in Prayer or to read a Chapter What have such to do to take God's name into their mouths which hate to be reformed O that wicked Masters would consider that their wickedness doth not only hazzard the damnation of a single soul but even of all that are under their charge Is it not enough to have your own sins to be lay'd to your charge are all your oaths and lyes and wickedness too little to sink you but you must make your Servants sins yours Is one damnation too little but you must seek to double it Are those flames so cool and tolerable that you are busie in adding fuel to that terrible fire to make it burn seven times hotter What a hell must such a mans house be in which the Name of God is scarce heard except it be in an oath or a curse Is there a blessing like to be in the house on which God's curse rests Friends I believe you would be loth your children should have Cham's curse and be servants to a Tyrant and a Slave Prov. 3.33 Pythagoras a wicked man is both Masters if you would have your servants obey your commands you must not break God's If you would have them sober you must not be drunk if you would have them chast you must not be filthy if you would have them true you must not be false if you would have them good you must not be bad your selves Your example signifieth more to them than your precept do not undo that by your actions and life which you would build up by your words O! little do wicked Masters think what a plague they are to a City what a curse to a Family and what inevitable ruin they expose their own and other souls bodies and estates to except infinite power and mercy step in quickly to prevent it Secondly Take heed of idleness carelessness and trusting your Servants too much A master's negligence tempts the Servant to unfaithfulness When Masters are idle abroad usually the Servants are so at home It can't well be expected that when the Master is spending his time foolishly and unaccountably in the Coffee-houses Ale-houses or Taverns the Servant should spend his wisely in the Shop especially where he observes that the Master never minds which end goes foremost never examines his Books nor calls him to any account O this sin of idleness that Sodomitical soul-debasing body-weakning Ez. 16.49 estate-wasting sin Have we a mind to try whether God will rain such another storm of brimstone upon us as once he did upon them Seneca O how many persons are very prodigal of that commodity which will shortly be very precious Sirs do you never take a Bible in your hands do you never read how much God is displeased with sloth how oft he forbids it Rom. 12.11 Prov. 18.19 Can you call your spending three or four hours together in an idle house in insignificant chat redeeming the time Is neglecting your Servants the way to make them faithful O think of these things before it is too late I know men have their excuses and can easily evade what I say But believe it it is one thing to deal with a poor Minister and another thing to deal with God and a thousand of your pleas when they are cast into his ballance at the Day of Judgment will be found light If men must be judged for idle words I believe they will scarce be acquitted for idle actions I wish we that are Masters could oft speak to our selves in that brave Emperor's language Antoninus l. 5. n. 1. In the morning when thou findest thy self unwilling to rise consider with thy self presently it is to go about a man's work that I am stirred up am I unwilling to do that for which I was born and brought into this world was I made for this to lay me down and make much of my self in a warm bed O but this is pleasing And was it for this that thou wert born that thou mightest take thy pleasure Was it not in truth that thou shouldest alwayes be busie and in action Seest thou not how every thing is busie in its kind to perform what belongs to it in its place c. and you use to say If you keep the shop the shop will keep you If you keep not your eye upon your servant when you hope to find an honest man you may meet a thief Thirdly Take heed who you admit into your Family One that is born of wicked debauched Parents and hath had nothing but bad examples and seldom good precepts that hath been accustomed to lying and baseness from the Cradle that hath not been taught to read and knows neither his duty to God nor man that is ignorant of God Christ Soul Heaven Hell and consequently is not capable of lying under the force of the most powerful motives to faithfulness Psal 101 3. David was huge cautious in this point a lyer should not dwell in his house As good servants bring a blessing along with them into the Families where they come Gen. 39 5. so sometimes wicked servants bring a curse with them into the house where they come Little do Masters think how much dammage a neglect in this may bring upon them their estate may insensibly be wasted their other Servants infected their Children be corrupted and provisions laid in to feed their sorrows all their days Never talk of what thou shalt have with them how responsable their Parents be will this ballance the hazard of your Childrens Souls Sooner take a toad into your bosome then a wicked servant into your Family Fourthly Take heed of putting your Servants upon too much work It 's the way to alienate their affections to make them almost uncapable of doing their duty as they should to God it puts them upon cryes and groans to him Exod. 2.24 that hath ever an ear open to the complaints of the oppessed by this you make them more blockish and less ingenuous and consequently not so fit to carry on your business so much for your interest as else they might do remember how contrary this is to humanity How would you like this in others Were the Egyptians to be justified for their great burdens wherewith they loaded the Israelites and the Turks to be commended for the hard vassalage they put poor Christians to I know you readily censure both these and how can you condemn either when you imitate both Is your sin less because against greater light except you desire the curse of God and man too take heed of this sin You may learn more mercy from an Heathen than you ever practised For he tells you Seneca
that God will not over-look is this ingenuous Is this like to mend him and do him any good Can you design God's glory by it How do you think your Master will like it if it should come to his ears This is neither pleasing to God nor man Ninthly Take heed of murmuring discontent and repining Some Servants are of such a temper nothing will please them their food is not dainty enough their clothes not fine enough and nothing contents them The truth of it is if you be of this proud peevish discontented humour let me tell you take it how you will the worst bit you eat is too good for you your betters are thankful and fruitful with a great deal courser diet If your food be wholsom and sufficient your clothing warm and decent remember that you have reason to bless God Consider well what you deserve and how glad some of your betters would be of your leavings and suppose you be wronged use lawful means for your redress blessed be God this City hath excellent laws and an injured Servant may be heard and helped but if that may not be and you be really injured suppose you do your duty and can't have a good word nay instead thereof many a heavy curse many a causeless blow Suppose you are beaten for that for which you should be commended remember that patience nay thankfulness Matth. 5.13 1 Pet. 2.20 21. would much better become you than murmuring for if when you do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Lastly Take heed of sinning to please your Master If a Master command one thing and God another you need not be long a determining which you should obey If your Master or Mistress should be so wicked as to put you upon sinning let Joseph's answer be yours How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God If your Master put you upon telling of lies cheating using of false weights or measures breaking the Sabbath or any thing that is clearly against God's honour and your souls you must first with all the humility and meekness you can for your soul plead with him urge the commands of God the fear that you are in of displeasing of him and wounding your own conscience and if you can't by such means pacifie him tell him meekly of his danger in putting you upon sin and that Dan 3.18 come on it what will you neither can nor will obey him I come now to lay down Servants duty positively First Honour your Masters Labour to get and keep a true valuation of them in your hearts To this end observe what is excellent in them remember your relation to them their care over you let this put you upon praying for them and being affectionately concerned for them let your words be always humble meek and obliging 1 Tim. 6.1 1 Pet. 2.18 let your behaviour be with all the respect and sweetness you can Remember what counsel the Apostle gives you in this thing Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own Masters worthy of all honour be very loth to displease them fear to offend lest in so doing you either offend God your self or cause them to do it I have sometimes thought that carriage of Naaman's Servants towards their peevish and unreasonable Master very well worth others imitation 2 Kings 5.13 The Text saith His Servants came near and spoke unto him and said my father if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldest thou not have done it how much rather then when he saith wash and be clean Love fear and honour your Master in so doing you please God and them too Secondly Obey your Masters sincerely chearfully universally and constantly as long as you stand in that relation to them you must do what you do for your Masters as you would do it for your self your Master's concerns must be looked upon as your own Col. 3 22. Yea whatsoever you do you must do it heartily as to the Lord out of Conscience and respect to God's command and honour a flattering out-side service without the heart love and good will is neither acceptable to God or man Let your obedience also be chearful go not about your work with an ill Will Chearfulness would not be a little helpful to your self your work and time would then seem nothing in comparison Eph. 6.7 God loves a chearful giver a chearful worker a chearful Sufferer and I believe no Master but reckons himself better served by him that goes chearfully and nimbly about his business than one that doth obey but with a sour discontented look and a heavy countenance By this you can't but win upon your Masters and even compel them to love you speak well of you and do well by you Let your obedience also be universal that is in all things that God gives you leave It is not for you to pick and choose nor dispute and grumble Some Servants are for easie Col. 3.22 pleasant and more honourable works and here they may be commanded but if they be at any time set about what liketh not their proud lazy ungodly humour they are ready to put it off upon another it may be to excuse it with a Lye perhaps like rebels flatly to deny obedience If a Master put him upon strict Observation of the Lord's day upon learning his Catechism and minding his soul then his base heart beginneth to rise as if his Master did undervalue him when he put him upon the service of God as if he judged it a liberty and priviledg to serve the Devil and as if it were an unsufferable injury to be commanded to escape the wrath to come and a drudgery to be call'd upon to look diligently after the securing of holiness and happiness Such as these look as if they were ripe for Hell and would not be long before they would come thither O that none of you that hear and read these lines may be found in this number think nothing below you but sin your disobedience can't be without sin if your Master command not a sin Lastly let your obedience be constant it must begin and end with your relation to your Master Thirdly Another duty of the Servant towards his Master is faithfulness Ingenuity calls for it Tit. 2.10 he is unworthy of trust that doth not answer it The Master reposeth much confidence in his Servant and that should oblige him to the greatest fidelity You must be faithful in word and deed Speak well of your Master behind his back and keep up his reputation and credit and if you can't do that without falsness to God if you can say no good by him say no harm except lawfully call'd to it and if you do perceive your Master's carelesness and wickedness makes him
go down the wind and neglect his duty it may be faithfulness in you humbly to advise him in some such language as this Sir I intreat you give me leave in a few words to express my true affection respect and faithfulness to you and for God's sake take it not unkindly at the hands of your poor Servant if I acquaint you with that which I have with regret of heart observed too long in you many a good Customer we lose for want of your presence in the Shop your frequent absence makes us have little to do your credit to my sorrow God knows I speak it begins to grow much lower than it was wont to be my Mistress takes on heavily we have but few choice wares and no cash and little credit to fetch more and we can't hold long at this rate I beseech you Sir leave off your company-keeping and look into your Books and consider how things be O how loth am I to see you or yours do otherwise than well Sir I beseech you be not angry I come not to teach you but to intreat you and humbly to desire your serious consideration of what I shall further crave leave to speak Sir I beseech you forget not us your poor Servants we want your help in your Family your instructions your prayers your holy examples would be no small comfort to us In thus doing I am perswaded God would bless you your trade and credit might soon be recovered we should serve you with joy and bless God for you and you and yours fare the better for ever Now who but a mad man or incarnate Devil could choose but relish such sweet counsel as this though from a Servant Then you must be faithful in your deeds give nothing away without your Master's leave if you will be giving give what is your own give where and when God commands you and spare not labour to preserve and increase your Master's estate all you can by good and lawful means For this is that which is commanded by Christ in the Parable hath his gracious approbation and plentiful reward Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in a little enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Your faithfulness must be further expressed by indeavouring all you can the good of your Master's children labour to instil into them good principles incourage them in the learning their Books and Catechism and obedience to their Parents do what you can to prejudice them against sin and by your sweet examples to be in love with God and godliness betimes I might add also Zech. 5.2 3. Tit. 2.10 it is no small expression of faithfulness to do all the good you can for your fellow-Servants give them good counsel pray for them help them all you may and carry it so before them that they may easily discern an excellency in you and that you have a loving design upon them and mean no more harm by all you speak or do but God's glory your Master's profit and comfort and their souls salvation Fourthly Be very diligent in your Master's business dispatch what he sets you about with what speed and expedition you can A slothful Servant is a wicked Servant by idleness and carelessness you may do your Master more wrong in a day than you may make up in a twelve-moneth Besides you must remember your strength and time is your Master's and all of it must be improved for him except so much as God calls for or your Master giveth you I come now to exhort Servants to the performance of these duties and that I may if possible prevail I shall lay before them a few Motives to inforce this duty Consider if you do conscientiously perform the fore-mentioned duties you will bring no little honour to your great Master which is in heaven you will shew the power of his precepts the beauty and excellency of his laws and make Religion to be thought well of by this you will leave a strange conviction of the worth of Grace upon the conscience of your Master Whereas if you should be faulty in any of the fore-mentioned particulars if you make any kind of profession it is ten to one if God and Religion do not presently suffer for your fault Is this your Saintship and it may be all the people of God may be railed at and wounded for your sake for God's sake be faithful in the performance of your duty and in so doing you will put to silence those that may condemn you and cause them to glorifie your Father which is in heaven Consult your own interest here it will be more in your way than you it may be at first imagine I might tell you what respect and love it must needs beget in the heart of your Master and when he hath opportunity he cannot but speak well of you it will bring you in a more considerable revenue of peace and content by this you discharge your duty and your conscience may have peace in it you draw others eyes and love and make you a lasting interest which in time may signifie more than at present you are aware of Consider your time is but short Suppose you suffer a little hardship Seven years will not last always yet a little while and you must have your liberty and then you and your Master may be Companions Methinks the thoughts of your time being out should make you the more patient and faithful remember that the longest time is but short and ere long it must be furled together and then it will be nothing who is Master and who is Servant but who is faithful Consider that reason honesty and ingenuity do all call upon you to be faithful and perform your duty Why should your Master give you meat drink clothing wages or a calling for nothing doth not honesty and common justice require that there should be some proportion between what he gives you and you him did you not promise and ingage to be a faithful Servant do not your Indentures bind you to it doth not ingenuity oblige you to be faithful to him who hath been ready to take care of you in sickness and in health and to tender you next a child I might add the command of God requires it but because I hinted that in the beginning I shall not here repeat it Consider how great a reward you shall have in the other world your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord there shall be a sure reward to the righteous Suppose your Master give you not that incouragement that your fidelity doth deserve yet be not disheartned you have a Master who is more ready to take notice of a little good in you than a great deal of bad I mean the great God Therefore be of good chear Col. 3.24 knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Yet a little while and he will right the
be Christ's Free-men Cast off the service of Satan 1 Cor. 7.22 Rom. 6.18 and be no longer commanded by him remember how cruel how false how unreasonable a Master he is consider what can he pay his Servants in at last and know 't is impossible to serve two contrary Masters at once Be not servants to your lusts cast them off as things that will not profit and instead thereof yield your selves to the Lord and serve him with all your might and so be holy as he is holy in all manner of conversation and the grace of God will teach you to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world that will teach you to reverence obey to be faithful and diligent to your earthly Master as knowing your labours shall not be in vain in the Lord. If the fear of God be but in your hearts it will teach you wisdom make you hate every evil way and to do that which is honest and just to your Master A good Christian can't be a bad Servant Secondly Be not a stranger to the Bible When others are foolishly squandring away their time do you solace your self with the Word of God let that be much read by you and labour to lie under the powerful impression of the prohibitions precepts promises threatnings and examples that are there and then you can't do amiss Epictetuc I remember it was the advice of an excellent Moralist that we should oft in our actions think what Socrates Zeno Plato or some wise Philosopher would do in such a case I had rather you would think oft what would such a one as Eliezer the Servant of Abraham do in such a case read how he carried himself how naturally he was concerned for his Masters interest how diligently faithfully and prudently he goes to work how importunately he addresses himself to God and how heartily he prays for prosperity and success in his Masters business how much he advanceth his Masters credit and how naturally concerned for his Masters Son and with what integrity and expedition he dispatcheth his business go you and do likewise The example of Joseph and Obadiah who were good in bad houses are well worth your consideration Mat. 8.9 I might add the example of the Centurions Servant whom his Master giveth this character of That he was as ready to obey as he was to command I shall add an example or two more though you find them not in the Scripture yet they are according to the Scripture one of them I knew well A certain Servant that it 's probable was converted by the Father was so faithful diligent lively full of spiritual discourse and importunate prayers for the children and family that it proved a means of the conversion of some of them here 's a Servant worth gold Another Servant I knew good for Earth and Heaven too that after other indeavours upon a fellow-Servant spent some time at midnight to pray for him and being very importunate the voice was heard into the next Chamber where he lay at which out of curiosity he rose in his shirt to listen and heard one pray for him by which prayer he was converted Study therefore the Scriptures and present the examples you find there to your imitation Thirdly Get a strong love to your Master Love will put you upon any work love will set head hand and feet a working and tongue a going love makes heavy things light hard things easie love is a mighty Engine it can do any thing love will make you forget length of time In a word love is like to make one faithful obedient and diligent Fourthly Be humble meek and patient The humble man thinks nothing below him which is his duty and if to do his duty be to be vile Mat. 18.4 1 Pet. 1.19 he will yet be vilerstill The humble God will guide exalt and save Humility displeaseth none but the Devil Fifthly Be much in good company and hearken to their advice Be constant in prayer and beg of God to make you faithful and be conscientious in your attendance upon a powerful faithful Ministry In a word live much in the thought of your great account and in thus doing I question not but you will find grace to be faithful to God and man and be accepted of your Master here and rewarded by God hereafter Thus I have according to my poor ability set the duty of Masters and Servants before them O that there were a general resolution in both to put these duties into practice O then what a blessed reformation should we soon have How soon would our great troubles cease How soon would our complaints be silenced and our sorrows be turned into joy O that all sorts and degrees of men would but reform one and fill up their particular places and relations with duty Then O what happy times what happy days should we yet enjoy Christians let 's joyn in our prayers and utmost endeavours for the promoting this glorious work and then our God would bless us and we should bless him for ever The Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts Serm. XIX Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually I Know not a more lively description in the whole Book of God of the Natural corruption derived from our first Parents than these words Wherein you have the Ground of that grief which lay so close to God's heart v. 6. and the Resolve thereupon to destroy man and whatsoever was serviceable to that ungrateful creature That must be highly offensive which moved God to repent of a fabrick so pleasing to him at the creation every stone in the building being at the first laying pronounced good by Him and upon a review at the finishing the whole He left it the same character with an Emphasis †Gen. 1.31 very good There was not a pin in the whole frame but was * Eccles 3.11 very beautiful and being wrought by infinite * Psal 104.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Praeparo Evang. wisdom it was a very comely piece of Art What then should provoke him to repent of so excellent a work The wickedness of man which was great in the earth How came it to pass that man's wickedness should swell so high Whence did it spring Fom the imagination Though these might be sinful imaginations might not the superiour faculty preserve it self untainted Alas That was defiled The imagination of the thoughts was evil But though running thoughts might wheel about in his mind yet they might leave no stamp or impression upon the will and affections Yes they did The imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil Surely all could not be under such a blemish Were there not now and then some pure slashes of the mind No not one Every imagination But granting that
temptations of the world the flesh and the devil and have more tender care of their Souls than of their bodies that so the Church may have a succession of Saints And when children love honour and obey their Parents and comfort them by their forwardness to all that is good and their avoiding the ways and company of the ungodly Eph. 6.1 Col. 3.20 Psal 1.1 2. 3. When Masters rule their Servants as the Servants of God and Servants willingly obey their Masters and serve them with chearful diligence and trust and are as careful and faithful about all their goods and business as if it were their own Eph. 6.5 9. Col. 3.21 and 4.1 1 Pet. 2.18 When the Houses of Christians are Societies of Saints and Churches of God and live in love and concord together and all are laborious and faithful in their Callings abhorring idleness gluttony drunkenness pride contention and evil speaking and dealing justly with all their Neighbours and denying their own right for love and peace this is the way to glorifie Religion in the world II. Well ordered Churches are the second sort of Societies which must glorifie God and propagate Religion in the world 1. When the Pastors are Learned in the holy Scriptures and skilful in all their sacred work and far excel all the people in the Light of Faith and knowledge and in love to goodness and to mens Souls and in lively zealous diligence for God and for mens Salvation thinking no labour cost or suffering too dear a price for the peoples good when no sufferings or reproaches move them nor account they their lives dear to them that they may but finish their course and Ministry with joy when their publick Preaching hath convincing light and clearness and powerful affectionate application and their private over-sight is performed with impartiality humility and unwearied diligence and they are able to resolve the peoples Cases of Conscience solidly and to exhort them earnestly with powerful reason and melting love This honoureth Religion and winneth Souls When they envy not one another nor strive who shall be greatest or uppermost but contrariwise who shall be most serviceable to his Brethren and to the peoples Souls When they over-see and feed the Flock of God which is among them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being ensamples to the Flock and seeking not theirs but them are willing to spend and be spent for their sakes yea though the more they love them the less they are beloved not minding high things but condescending to men of low estate This is the way for Ministers to glorifie God 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4. 2 Tim. 2.14 15. 1 Tim. 4.10 Heb. 4.11 13. Act. 20.24 1 Thes 2.8 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3. Luke 22.24 25 26. 2 Cor. 12.14 15. Rom. 12.16 When Ministers are above all wordly interest and so teach and live that the people may see that they seek not the honour which is of men but only that which is of God and lay not up a treasure on Earth but in Heaven and trade all for another world and are further from pride than the lowest of their stock when they have not only the cloathing of sheep but their harmless profitable nature and not the ravenousness or bloudy jaws of destroying Wolves when they use not carnal weapons in their warfare but by an eminency of light and love and life endeavour to work the same in others when they are of more publick spirits than the people and more self-denying and above all private interests and envyings and revenge and are more patient in suffering than the people through the power of stronger Faith and Hope and Love when they are wholly addicted to holiness and peace and are zealous for the Love and Unity of Believers and become all things to all men to win some in meekness instructing opposers abhorring contention doing nothing in strife or vain-glory but preferring others before themselves not preaching Christ in pride or envy nor seeking their own praise but thirsting after mens conversion edification and salvation Thus must Christ be honoured by his Ministers in the world When they speak the same things being of one mind and judgement uniting in the common Faith and contending for that against Infidels and Hereticks and so far as they have attained walk by the same rule and mind the same things and where they are differently minded or opinioned wait in meekness and love till God reveal to them reconciling truth when they study more to narrow Controversies than to widen them and are skilful in detecting those ambiguous words and verbal and notional differences which to the unskilful seem material when they are as Surgeons and not as Souldiers as skilful to heal differences as the proud and ignorant are ready to make them and can plainly shew the dark Contenders wherein they agree and do not know it when they live in that sweet and amicable concord which may tell the world that they love one another and are of one Faith and Heart being one in Christ This is the way for Ministers to glorifie God in the world And with thankfulness to God I acknowledge that such for many years I had my conversation with of whom the world that now despiseth them is not worthy Phil. 2.21 Matth. 6.19 20 21. John 5.44 2 Cor. 10.4 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 1 Cor. 9.19 20 22. and 10.33 Phil. 2.1 2 3. 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Jam. 3.14 15 16. 2 Tim. 2.14 24. Phil. 3. 15 16 17. John 17.24 Eph. 4.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 1.10 James 3.17 18. And the maintaining of sound Doctrine Spiritual Reasonable and Reverent Worship without ludicrous and unreverent trifling or rudeness or Ignorance or Superstition or needless singularity much honoureth God as is aforesaid And so doth the Exercise of Holy Discipline in the Churches Such Discipline whereby the precious may be separated from the vile and the holy from the profane by Authority and Order and not by popular usurpation disorder or unjust presumptions Where the cause is fairly tryed and judged before men are cast out or denyed the priviledges of the Church Where Charity appears in embracing the weakest and turning away none that turn not away from Christ and condemning none without just proof And justice and holiness appeareth in purging out the dangerous leaven and in trying and rejecting the obstinately impenitent Heretick and gross sinner after the first and second admonition and disowning them that will not hear the Church Mat. 18.15 16. Tit. 3.10 1 Cor. 5.11 When the neglect of Discipline doth leave the Church as polluted a Society as the Infidel World and Christians that are owned in the publick Communion are as vitious sensual and ungodly as Heathens and Mahometans it is one of the greatest injuries to Christ and our Religion in the World For it is by the purifying of a peculiar people zealous of good works that Christ is
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Again O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak (z) Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Methinks that passage of Christ to his Disciples with the circumstance of time when he spake it just upon the most servile action of his life may for ever keep an awe upon our hearts (a) Joh. 13 12 13. Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am When God deals most familiarly with us as with friends let us carry it reverently as becomes servants 3. Obedience to the commands of God and to those commands which would never be obeyed but out of love to God (b) 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous e. g. to obey those commands that are unpleasing and troublesome Those commands that thwart our carnal reason and so part with things present for the hopes of that we never saw 1 Joh. 2.5 nor any man living that told us of them Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby we know that we are in him Once more hear what Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Joh. 14.21 23 And again if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 4. Resignation of our selves to God whereby we devote our selves wholly to God to be wholly his (e) quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be every way disposed of as he pleaseth (f) 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them c. This resignation is like that in the conjugal relation it debars so much as treating with any other it as it were proclaims an irreconcileable hatred to any that would partake of any such love God doth not deal with us as with slaves but takes us into that relation which speaks most delight and happiness and we are never more our own than when we are most absolutely his 5. Adhesion and cleaving unto God in every case and in every condition (g) Psal 63.7 8. in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce my soul followeth hard after thee Methinks we may say of the law concerning (h) Deut. 22.6 birds what the Apostle saith of the law concerning oxen doth God take care of birds for our sakes no doubt 't is written to instruct us against cruelty but may we not learn a further lesson the bird was safe while on her nest our onely safety is with God Now to cleave to God in all conditions not onely when we fly to him as our onely refuge in our pressures but in our highest prosperity and outward happiness when we have many things to take to whence the world expects happiness this is a fruit of great and humble love this demonstrates an undervaluing of the world and a voluntary choosing of God this is somewhat like heavenly love 6. Tears and sighes through desires and joys when the spiritual love-sick soul would in some such but an unexpressable manner breath out it's sorrows and joys into the bosom of God Lord why thus loving to me and why is my heart no more overcome with divine love those that never receiv'd so much from thee love thee more O I am weary of my want of love O I am weary of my distance from God! O I am weary of my unspiritual frame we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life i Here when the heart is ready to dye away through excess of love 2 Cor 5.4 't is passionately complaining of defects Dear Lord what shall I say what shall I do what shall I render O for more endearing communications of Divine love O for more answerable returns of love to God! Thus much of effects as to God The onely effect I shall name as to us is a seeking of heaven and things above with contempt of the world and all worldly excellencies One that loves God thinks he can never do enough in heavenly employments A person that abounds in love to God is too apt to neglect secondary duties which are in their places necessary they are apt to justle out one duty with another e.g. those duties wherein they have most sensible communion with God bear down lesser duties before them whereas could we keep within Scripture-bounds and mind every duty according to it's moment then this is an excellent effect of divine love e. g. to be afraid of worldly enjoyments lest they should steal the heart from God yet at the same time not to dare to omit any worldly duty lest I should prove partial in the work of Christianity To make conscience of the least duties because no sin is little but to be proportionably careful of the greatest duties lest I should prove an hypocrite such a carriage is an excellent effect of divine love this is fruit that none who are not planted near the tree of life can bear Mutual effects are these and such like as these 1. Vnion with God Union is the foundation of communion and communion is the exercise of union The Spirit of God is the immediate efficient cause of this union and faith is the internal instrument on our part but love is the internal instrument both on God's part and ours (k) Eph. 3.17 Christ dwells in our hearts by faith we being rooted and grounded in love This union is most immediately with Christ and through him with the Father and Holy Ghost It is an amazing and comfortable truth that our union with Christ does much resemble the personal union of the two natures in Christ I grant 't is unlike it in more considerations because of the transcendency of the mystery but yet there 's some resemblance e. g. the Humane Nature in Christ is destitute of it's subsistence and personality by it's union with and it's assumption to the divine so the gracious soul hath no kind of denomination but what it hath from its union with Christ It 's gracious being is bound up in its union with Christ Other men can live without Christ but so cannot the gracious soul Again in Christ there 's a communication of properties that is thâ—t which
Earth as among the Indians or Abyssines But our business is to see what knowledge we our selves considering our condition dismissing others in differing circumstances are to labour after in obedience to God's command and for our more holy and comfortable walking with God and carrying on the affairs of our Salvation And therefore though my text lead me directly enough to the former yet I shall confine my self to the latter making it my business rather to press men to labour after much knowledge than trouble my self or others with unedifying distinctions about or uncertain catalogues of fundamentals or truths absolutely needful to be known which I suppose few in the World be so Magisterial as Peremptorily to define And for my part if I could certainly determine which those truths are I should take heed to whom I told them least I should encourage men slothful enough of themselves to rest satisfied in a lesser measure of Spiritual knowledg when a greater might be gotten 3. These things premised I come to answer the case in some propositions of which the first shall be this Prop. 1. That supposing it were certainly defined how much knowledge and the knowledge of what truths were sufficient to Salvation Yet no man that is in a capacity of getting more knowledge ought to acquiesce in just so much Luk. 12.48 To whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required For the more full understanding of this proposition take these following rules Rule 1. By how much the better means men have for the getting of knowledge so much the more they ought to know There is more knowledge required in them that have more means than in them that have less Every servant's improvement is to be according to his talent and the gain of one is not sufficient for him that hath received five nor the gain of five for him that hath received ten According to the means men have so their duty is to be judged of and their accounts will be expected I suppose it can scarce be doubted but that 1. They that live under the Gospel since Christ's coming in the flesh ought to abound more in Spiritual knowledge than they that lived before his coming and that for this very reason because the means of knowledge have been greater since his coming than before it not only as to the extensiveness of them in the publication of the truth in those places where it was not heard before but as to the efficacy of the means themselves and the more clear revelation of the will of God in some things which were formerly but less clearly revealed The pouring out of the Spirit was not only for the further spreading of the truth but for the more plain and full manifestation of it The great mysteries of Religion which under the Old Testament dispensation were more obscure as being wrapt up in types and figures which were though a shadowing of them out yet a kind of covering to them are now under the Gospel more clearly set forth without those veils in their native lustre and brightness What was then future is now come to pass What then was Prophecy is now become History So that there being as to the means more advantages for our knowledge than there was for theirs who lived in those ages we are engaged to labour after more And excepting Prophecies and immediate Revelations I see no reason why vulgar Saints may not now know more than Patriarchs did then And if they may I dare say they should 2. They that live in the Reformed World in this age of Light should abound more in knowledge than they that lived before the Reformation in the darkness of Popery A little knowledge might have gone further then than a great deal more now The means of knowledge are now much greater than 3 or 4 hundred years ago they were There is not only more humane learning abroad in the World than then there was but the Original Languages in which the Scriptures were written are better known The Word is more soundly and powerfully preached Controversies in Religion are more throughly discussed more good books are written more cases stated more errors detected and in a word many truths which though always to be found in Scripture yet were almost lost in the World in the Ignorance of those ages are anew discovered 3. They who live under better means of Instruction now should ordinarily be more knowing than such as have not the like means They that have the word preached to them more plainly powerfully frequently should know more than they who sit under an idle ignorant Ministry They that may hear a Sermon every day if they will than they that can scarce hear one Sermon in many months And so should they likewise who live in Religious Families where God is daily worshipped Children and Servants daily instructed know more than they who live under profane or ignorant Masters or Parents Rule 2 They that have more time for the gaining of knowledge are concern'd to know more than they that have less time Not only by how much the longer men enjoy such means the more they should know and more than such as have lived a less season under them Upon which account the Apostle blames the Hebrews Ch. 5.12 because when for the time they ought to be Teachers they had need that one should again teach them which were the first Principles of the Oracles of God And 2 Tim. 3.7 He speaks of some that were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth But likewise by how much more leisure men have for studying the Scriptures and attending on the means of Grace while they do enjoy them so much the more proportionably they should know They that have plentiful Estates easie employments few avocations may and therefore ought to seek after a greater measure of knowledge than they who by reason of more burdensome callings a lower condition in the World and the necessity of providing for themselves and their Families are not in a capacity of spending so much time in attending on those means whereby a greater proportion of knowledge might be gained They that have their time lying on their hands and know not how to fill it up but with enquiring after News and Fashions studying Pleasures and diversions how much knowledge might they arrive unto if they spent but half that time in studying the truth and enquiring after the things of God Rule 3. By how much the better capacities men have for the receiving of knowledge so much the more caeteris paribus they are to know They that have riper parts quicker apprehensions stronger memories a deeper reach should know more than they that are naturally more weak and less capable of learning Although I suppose there be none that have the use of their reason but they are capable of understanding so much of the things of God as is absolutely needful to Salvation and may be
sufficient for the Salvation of them in their circumstances yet there is a vast difference between the abilities of several persons and therefore men are not to take their measures for their enquiries after Spiritual things merely by the necessariness of the things themselves but likewise by the abilities God hath given them So that upon the whole the better means and advantages in any kind men have for the gaining of knowledge so much the more knowledge is required to be in them Rule 4. By how much the more use men have for their knowledge and by how much the more good they may do with it so much the more knowledge will be expected of them That knowledge which might do well in a private Christian yet is not ordinarily sufficient for a Minister That which would be much in the one might be but little in the other And that which might do well in a Child would not be sufficient in a Parent or Master of a Family They that are to instruct others in the knowledge of God ought themselves to be more abounding in it Prop. 2. Men should in their seeking knowledge first study those truths which are most confessedly necessary to Salvation and before those which are apparently less necessary and so Principles before Controversies things essential before such as are only Circumstantial And indeed by how much the nearer any truth is to the foundation so much the more they should labour after the knowledge of it as for instance men should acquaint themselves 1. With the Being and Attributes of God as the foundation of all service yeilded to him and expectations of rewards from him Psal 14.4 Heb. 11.6 He that knows not God to be holy how can he know that God requires holiness and then how can he himself be holy how can a man trust God if he know him not to be wise powerful faithful or love him if he know him not to be good or fear him if he know him not to be just and it will easily follow that he who knows not God as he can never worship him while he lives so he can never expect that he should save him when he dies 2. With the Doctrine of the Trinity three Persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Spirit John 1.5 7. John 14.16 John 15.26 each Person having his proper part in the Salvation of sinners The Father as the Original and Fountain of it the Son as the Manager and the Holy Ghost as the Applier 3. With their own natural state and condition their being by nature in a state of sin and misery as having sin'd against this Holy Righteous Eph. 2.1 2 3. John 16.8 Powerful God and thereby exposed themselves to his wrath and curse They that would be delivered from the curse must know themselves to be obnoxious to it They that would not perish must know themselves to be in danger of it Men are not like to enjoy God's favour unless they know that they have lost it 4. With the Doctrine of a Redeemer and that both 1. As to the Person Who he is That the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity is the Redeemer of sinners Math. 20.28 and the only one Act. 4.12 That God hath not left all mankind to perish in their sin and misery but hath out of his abundant Mercy and free Grace found out a ransom for them a Saviour to deliver them and that the Lord Jesus Christ is he and none besides him so that it is in vain to seek for Salvation in any else seeing he alone hath the words of Eternal life John 6.6.8 He that knows nothing of a Saviour knows nothing savingly nor can any man partake of Redemption without some knowledge of the Redeemer They can never come to God that know not by whom to come 2. And as to the way of his working that Redemption 1. That he did in order to the Salvation of sinners John 1.14 and 3.13 take the nature of man upon him was both God and Man in one person and still continues so to be He had those natures united in himself which he was to reconcile to each other 2. That not only he was able as being God fit as being man Rom. 3.24 25 26. Rom. 5.10 1 Tim. 2.6 to satisfie Divine justice for the injury sin had done it but that by his obedience and death he did it to the full He that knows God to be infinitely just and himself to be a sinner had need know something of a Sacrifice for sin or he can never have any well-grounded hopes of escaping the hands of such a God 3. That Christ being raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven sits at the Father's right hand Rom. 8.34 Mark 16.19 and by his intercession there is now making application of the redemption he wrought on Earth He ever lives to make intercession Heb. 7.25 Men would be in an ill condition if redemption were wrought and there were none to apply it if Christ had died for them and left them to intercede for themselves 5. Men should acquaint themselves with the Doctrine of Justification by Christ that sinners must be justified by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus imputed to them if ever they be justified at all He is the Lord their Righteousness Jer. 23.6 They are accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Found in Christ not having their own Righteousness c. but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 All their own Righteousness inherent in them and wrought by them even after regeneration and by the help of the Spirit of grace being finite imperfect short of the Law and due to it 6. With the way of their being made partakers of this Righteousness that it should be received by Faith alone as the means God hath appointed for their being interested in it God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 and therefore they that are justified must be justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 All the holiness any Saint could ever arrive unto in this life would never entitle him to Christ's Righteousness if faith were wanting 7. With the nature properties and fruit of that faith that it must be an effectual lively Faith not only an assent of their minds to the truth of the Scripture Jam. 2.17 John 1.12 but the consent of their hearts to the terms of the Covenant a receiving whole Christ with an eye to all rhe good things he offers there and for all those holy ends and purposes for which he is propounded to them In a word they are to look upon Faith as the Principle of their Obedience and walking with God according to that rule of Righteousness God hath given them 8. With the Doctrine of sanctification that God is wont to fit and frame mens hearts at first to the duties of
but the whole made up of these parts And the whole must needs be such as the parts are of which it consists Families are but like the Book in loose sheets and Kingdoms like the Book bound up The one but like letters that are single and apart the other like letters joined together Now if the sheets be not good or the letters not good the book or writing cannot possibly be good Give us the best Magistrates let them Enact the best Laws and back them with the strictest Exccution yet Societies will be naught whilest Governours of Families neglect their duty in Religious Education 3. With what a Cloud of Witnesses do the Holy Scriptures present us of Governours of Families that have been greatly conscientious in their faithful discharge of this duty Josh 24.15 We told you before of Abraham's Trained Instructed Catechized servants Gen. 18.19 After him Joshua who resolves that whatever others might do he and his houshold would serve the Lord though others should forsake the Lord yet he like Noah and Lot just in his Generation Joshua doth not only chuse to be saved by Jehovah but to serve Jehovah But more especially observe the latitude and circumference of his choice I and my House Not himself without his Family much less his Family without himself but himself and his Family and first himself and then his Family We vvill serve the Lord. Lo here the firmness and stability of Joshua's choice We will serve the Lord not only we desire to do it but we are fully resolv'd to do it Hear what David promises and pre-ingages when ever he came to sway the Royal Scepter viz. to be a singular example both as a Prince and as a Master of a Family Psal 101. In which respect this Psalm should be often read and ruminated on by such that their Houses may be as the House of David Zech. 12.8 And as Melancthon attests concerning the Palace of George Prince of Anhalt that it was at once Ecclesiastica Academica Curia a Royal Court a Learned Academy and an Holy Church Act and Mor. 1559. fol. Mr. Fox reports that Bishop Ridley often read and expounded this Psalm to his houshold hiring them with money to get it by heart Well what says David here v. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will begâ—n the intended Reformation at my self and then set things to rights in my Family I will walk within my house with a perfect heart and then see what work he makes how conscientiously he demeans himself towards those under his Family-charge from v. 3. to 8. Good Governours of Families are like that Noble-man who had for his impress two bundles of Millet bound together with this Motto Servare servari meum est for the Nature of Millet is to guard it self from all corruption and all those things that lye near it 'T is a rare Elogy that is given the late Reverend and Religious Dr. Chatterton that he was an House-keeper 53 years yet in all that time never kept any of his Servants from Church to dress his Meat saying Clark's lives that he desired as much to have his Servants know God as himself In short observe the strain and current of the whole Scriptures Dr. Jacom â— Dom. Deo Jun. â—07 and you shall find very few or none of those Family-Governours that were really converted themselves but they gave this excellent testimony of the Truth and soundness of the Grace of God in them viz. in being careful and sollicitous to beget and breed it in the hearts of those that were under their roof and charge If Esther fasts so shall her Maids too Esth 4.16 And in the New Testament we find the Masters interest and duty taken to be so great for the Conversion of the rest that as he was not to content himself with his own Conversion but to labour presently that his houshold should join with him that so the whole Family at once might be devoted to God So God did bless his own Order and Ordinance to that end And where he imposed duty on Masters he usually gave such success that commonly the whole Family was converted and baptized with the Ruler of the Family So we read Act. 10.2 Cornelius a Centurion a godly Captain a devout man and one that feared God with all his house to whom the Angel promised that Peter should tell him words whereby he and all his houshold should be saved Acts 11.14 Doth the Lord open Lydia's heart to attend to the things spoken by Paul It follows instantly she was baptized and her houshold Doth the Gaoler believe on the Lord Jesus Paul assuxes him that he shall be saved and his house and so it was for he and all his were baptized streightway for he believed in God with all his house Acts 16.32 33 34. Christ no sooner comes to Zacheus his Soul but Salvation comes to Zacheus house Luke 19.9 Crispus believes on the Lord with all his house Acts 18.8 The Noble man himself believed and his whole house John 4.53 These Family-Governours it seems took special care of the welfare of their Servants Souls did not act like Turks who mind nothing about their Slaves but their doing their own work These judg'd that if it were cruelty not to allow their servants bodily food much more savage and bloody to starve their Souls And therefore it might well be said of those happy Servants whom Providence fixt under their Conduct as the Queen of Sheba of Solomon's Servants 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom Obj. But there are some Masters whose weakness and delusion I cannot but pity that are apt to object thus True 't is good to teach our ignorant Servants but we must question yea in our Consciences doubt whether we may require and command them to learn Will not this incroach on the Liberty of their Consciences which ought to be left free Sol. 1. I cannot but wonder at this depth of Satan who so strangely inveigles men to tolerate all things by meer scrupling of them and to let the Reins loose purely out of strictness To think it a sin in themselves to press a duty on others and no less than a breach of God's Holy Laws to injoin the keeping of them 2. Tell me how comes it to pass that Masters who can allow themselves to be severe enough to their Servants for loytering in their Shops cannot find in their hearts to rebuke them for neglect of their Souls that they who hold themselves bound in Conscience to inform their Servants in all the secrets of their Trade should think themselves as much tied up from pressing them to learn the Mysteries of Religion 3. There is but too much cause of fear lest they who use not all the means they can to bring their own Servants to the Faith be themselves brought at last to an unprofitable Repentance
acceptance with God or in a condition of spiritual life that is the forerunner and earnest of a life of glory 2. But again if you consider the nature of the drink which he hath appointed it is wine and not water By it may be signified thus much that as there is no sort of drink so grateful to the palate so reviving and strengthning to the spirits so that spiritual life that the Soul is raised to by the Death of Christ is a life of the greatest pleasure and joy that is conceivable for as no liquor like Wine doth chear a sad drooping spirit so nothing doth so glad and chear the Soul as Faith in a Crucified Christ according to that of the Apostle Peter in whom though we have not seen 1 Pet. 1.8 yet believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory Thus much for the Duty this do 2. The end of the Duty and that is in remembrance of me Here are two things to be inquired into I. What reason was there for the instituting an Ordinance for his remembrance II. Why of all the acts and expressions of his love to sinners above all he would be remembred in his sufferings for us which is the special signification of this Supper 1 To the first I say you must call to mind that the time of instituting this supper was the night before that day he died Now the consequent of his Death was to be this that he should be taken from Earth to Heaven there to be personally present till the day of judgment Now that his Church on Earth might not forget him in this long absence he therefore appointed this supper for a frequent quickning them to the remembrance of him till he came again 2 To the other Question I Answer That the reasons why Jesus would have this act of his love to be especially remembred above all other may be these 1. Because his dying for his Church was the greatest act of love he ever shewed his Church Greater love saith Christ hath no man than this John 15.13 1 John 3.16 that a man lay down his life for his friends Again saith the Apostle Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us If a man should part with his liberty and suffer bonds or lay down his estate and become poor or leave his Country and become an exile for his friend these were all expressions of great love but none of them are comparable to laying down life and shedding ones blood for a friend This last is that wherein Christ hath eminently demonstrated his love to his Church this he glorieth in and this is that which he would never have his Church forget but frequently remember in this supper 2. Because that though he gave and still doth give very great testimonies of his love to us as in his Resurrection Ascension Intercession preparing Glory and lastly in his coming again to raise us justifie us and to take us to himself to behold and enjoy that Glory that he had with the Father before the World was yet this Ordinance is rather for the remembrance of his bloody Death for us than for the remembrance of any of the other blessings and why Because that all these other depend on this Christ could never have risen to our justification had he not died for the satisfaction of the Law and his Fathers Justice Nor would he have been admitted as an Intercessor nor have been allowed one mansion in Glory for any of us nor would his Father have suffered him to have returned again to take any one of us to himself if he had not by his death made our peace opened the new way into the Holy of Holies and purchased a glorious Resurrection and an Ascension to the Heavenly and eternal glory for us So that since all his other acts of love to his Church depend on this of his dying no wonder if he appointed this Supper for the remembrance of his death rather than any thing else he either did or promised to do for us The Conclusion is that since that the end of this Ordinance is so glorious and that is the remembrance of the greatest love that ever God the Father or Son shewed to us it cannot but cast a Lustre and Glory upon the duty of coming to this Supper and engage us to a chearful participation thereof 3. The Obligation to this duty and that is Christ's Command this is implied in the Text but exprest in the foregoing verse what saith the Apostle Paul I have received of the Lord that which also I declare unto you The Apostle doth but declare the Command is Christ's he is the Author of it It is Christ not Paul that said This do in remembrance of me Christ's Commands are the bonds by which we are tied up to Obedience if we break his bonds we are transgressors Remember who they were that conspired together saying Let us break his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from us they were such that the Lord hath in derision to whom he will one day speak in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure The commands of superiors set out all duty to inferiors and punish for neglect and the higher or greater the superior is the more authority hath the command and the greater punishment will be inflicted on the disobedient If disobedience to the word spoken by Angels received a just recompence of reward of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy that disobey the command of Jesus Christ If a Child's disobedience deserves the rod or a Servants the cudgel or a Subjects the axe or halter what doth disobedience to the Lord Jesus deserve that is greater than Father or Master or any earthly Soveraign whatever Take heed then my brethren of being found guilty of neglect of this duty that is bound upon you by the command of so great an authority as this of the Lord Jesus that hath said This do in remembrance of me 4. In the next place is to be considered the persons obliged and those are the Church of Christ so far as by Scriptural Qualifications they are capacitated to a participation thereof who are 1. Those that can discern the Lord's body in this supper the want of this the Apostle gives as the reason of unworthy receiving it 1 Cor. 10.29 and tells us they eat damnation to themselves Now there are two ways wherein the Lord's body may be said to be discerned in this supper 1. When the Understanding is spiritually enlightned to perceive the true nature and ends of this supper and thereby is enabled to see a greater difference between this and our ordinary meals for he that shall for want of knowledg therein come to this Table with no better preparations or to no other intents than when he goes to his own Table he doth certainly pervert the ends of the institution and prophanes the Ordinance and therefore cannot chuse
not the Christ but that I am sent before him He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom c. he must increase but I must decrease John would not suffer any envy or prejudice to remain in the hearts of his Disciples against Christ upon his account but seeks to check it presently But he being now not present with them the Pharisees more easily ingaged them in this opposition and objection against Christ about Fasting to join with them therein And the zeal that John's Disciples had for the reputation of their Master might somewhat incline them also to it for they saw the people following Christ which they thought might be some eclipse to it and consequently to their own as they were his Disciples And besides they knowing the austerity and abstinence that was practis'd by John his meat being locusts and wild honey such food as he found in the wilderness they might be more easily offended at that greater liberty that was taken by Christ and his Disciples about eating and drinking Especially at this time when their Master was in Prison they thought fasting might be more seasonable than going to a feast as Christ and his Disciples did at the house of Levi as Grotius observes upon the place Next we have Christ's reply to the Objection and he presents it in a parable as I said the parable of a Bridegroom who at his wedding hath his Bridemen and Bridemaids attending him in the wedding chamber who according to the Hebrew Dialect are here called the Children of the Bride-chamber And is it then a proper season for their fasting while they are in the wedding-chamber and the Bridegroom with them Wherein Christ doth represent himself as a Bridegroom and his Disciples as the Children of the Bride-chamber And he doth now represent himself thus the rather to put these Disciples of John in remembrance of their Masters speech when he call'd Christ the Bridegroom As we read John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom And should then his Disciples fast and mourn while Christ the Bridegroom was with them And their Master John he profest that he was the friend of this Bridegroom and rejoyced greatly to hear his voice John 3.29 And therefore why should they be offended at his Disciples that they did not fast and mourn when their Master John rejoiced and had his joy fulfill'd in hearing his voice as we read John 3.29 And herein Christ doth intimate to them that if they were indeed his Disciples and the children of the Bride-chamber they would not fast neither for the children of the Bride-chamber cannot fast while the Bridegroom is with them But he adds The days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days And so I come to the Text. Wherein we may observe by the way 1. That Christ doth exempt his Disciples from observing those fasts that the Pharisees and John's Disciples were in the practice of Chemnitiu Harm in loco And the rather because they were observed especially on the Pharisees part Ex simulato pietatis studio out of ostentation of piety and for self-justification As he did exempt them from their other traditions so also from their fasts 2. That the Bridegroom was to be taken away which is to be understood of Christ's fleshly presence for his spiritual presence never was nor never will be taken away from his Church And this presence discontinues till his coming to judg the world and then the cry will be heard at Midnight Behold the Bridegroom cometh Mat. 25.6 The Bridegroom that was once visibly present on earth with his Disciples is so taken away that he will not be in that manner present with them again till his return from heaven And his taking away doth either respect the acts of men who by cruel hands took him from prison and from judgment and nail'd him upon the cross Isa 53 8. and took him out of the Land of the living Or else it respects the act of his Father who took him up into heaven after he had finisht his work here upon earth as it is said 1 Tim. 3. ult Received up into glory which is the more probable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though there is nothing in the original word to determine it to either sense 3. He also declares what the practice of his Disciples would be after his taking away Then shall they fast in those days so that he doth not deny the practice of Fasting to his Disciples but rather commends it only it was not at present seasonable as it afterwards would be Qu. But why should they fast after he was taken away Ans 1. Some say because till then the Holy Ghost was not given in such a degree as might fit them for such extraordinary duties Chrysost As Christ seems to intimate when upon this occasion he excuseth his Disciples as being not yet fit for such spiritual services No man putteth a piece of new Cloth into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles Mark 2.22 It 's true they might be able to keep fast days as the Pharisees did but Christ that values our duties by the frame of spirit exerted in them would not have them put upon extraordinary duties till they had a suitable measure of the spirit to enable them thereunto 2. Others and I think more properly understand the words of Christ with respect to the afflictions and persecutions that would come upon the Church after his ascension into heaven vvhich vvould give them great occasions of prayer and extraordinary supplications and vvhich vvould reduce them to such great sorrows and distresses vvhereby fasting vvould be not only seasonable but that principle of grace that vvould act them in other duties vvould also naturally lead them to it Not to take up again the practice of these Pharisaical Fasts as the Montanists would hence infer but the duty of Fasting as suited to Gospel times And these persecutions began early First by the Jews and then the Arrians and then the Heathen persecutions under the Dragon in the Roman Empire and then under the Beast with the seven heads and ten horns to whom the Dragon gave his seat and great power Rev. 13.2 And Christ foretold this to his Disciples before he vvas taken away That they that kil'd them would think they did God good service John 16.1 And that Nation should rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there should be Famine Pestilence and Earthquakes Mat. 14.7 Now in these days should his Disciples fast Not that in these vvords Christ doth give an institution for fasting but declares what eventually would come to pass Neither doth he determine any particular days and times for fasting but only general during the absence of the Bridegroom they should fast in those days And indeed as soon as the Bridegroom was gone they began to have cause of mourning his absence it self was one great cause
appointed this Society only for the mutual comfort of the Members thereof or of the whole and not also for his own glory Patres secundum haec temporalia bona filiorum sortem à servorum conditione distinguerent ad Deum autem colendum omnibus domus suae membris pari dilectione consulerent qued naturalis ordo ita praescripsit ut nomen patrum-familias hinc exortum sit Qui autem veri patres-familias sunt omnibus in f milia sua tanquam filiis ad colendum promerendum Deum consulant Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 9. cap. 16. even from the whole and doth that houshold Society as such live to God's glory that do not as such serve him and pray unto him Hath God given authority to the one to command and rule and the other a a charge to obey only in reference to worldly things and not at all to spiritual only in things pertaining to the world and in nothing to things pertaining to God Can the comfort of the Creature be God's ultimate end no it is his own glory Is one by authority from God and order of Nature Pater-familiâs the Master of the Family so called in reference to his Servants as well as to his Children because of the care he should take of the Souls of Servants and of their worshipping God with him as vvell as of his Children and should he not improve this power that God hath given him over them all for God and the welfare of all their Souls in calling them jointly to vvorship God and pray unto him Let Reason and Religion judg Proposition 2. God is the OWNER of our Families as such therefore as such they should pray unto him God being our absolute OWNER and Proprietor not only ratione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentiae suae by reason of the supereminency of his Nature sed etiam jure creationis giving us our being and all vve have We our selves and all that is Ours We and Ours being more His than our Own are unquestionably bound to lay out our selves for God vvherein vve might be most useful for our OWNERS interest and glory Besides the title of Creation God is the OWNER of our Families by right of conservation and redemption For hath God a right to and propriety in the persons in a Family or the particular Members of it and not of the vvhole Whose are your Families if not God's OWN Will you disclaim God as your OWNER If you should yet in some sense you are HIS still though not by resignation and wholly devoting of your selves to him Whose vvould you have your Families to be God's OWN or the Devil 's OWN Hath the Devil any title to your Families and shall your Families serve the Devil that hath no title to you neither of Creation Preservation or Redemption and vvill you not serve God that by all this hath a title to you and an absolute full propriety in you If you will say your Families are the Devils then serve him but if you say they are God's then serve him Or will you say we are Gods but we will serve the Devil If you do not say so yet if you do so is it not as bad Why are you not ashamed to do that that you are ashamed to speak out and tell the world what you do Speak then in the fear of God If your Families as such be God's own is it not reasonable that as such you should serve him and pray unto him for do not you expect honour and obedience from your Children because they be your own and work and labour and service from your own Servants because they be your own and whatever you are OWNERS of would you not have it for your Use and will you require these things from yours because they are yours and shall not God require service from His and if he do shall he not have it especially when God's title of Propriety in you is infinitely greater than any title you have to any thing you have or call your own Take heed lest your demands and expectations from yours be not a condemnation of your selves in denying that to God which is his due from you because you are his Proposition 3. God is the Master and Governour of your Families therefore as such they should serve him in praying to him If he be your OWNER he is your Ruler too and doth he not give you Laws to walk by and obey not only as you are particular persons but as you are a combined Society Eph. 5.25 to the end and 6.1 to v. 10. Col. 3.19 to the end and 4.1 Is God then the Master of your Family as such and should not then your Family as such serve him Do not Subjects as such ow obedience to their Governours Mal. 1.6 A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master if I then be a Father where is mine honour and if I be a Master where is my fear Where indeed Not in prayerless ungodly Families 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anton l. 1. Sect. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Proposition 4. God is the Benefactor of your Families as such therefore as such they should serve God in praying to him and praising of him God doth not do you good and give you mercies only as individual persons but also as a conjunct Society Is not the continuance of the Master of the Family not only a mercy to himself but to the whole Family also if he be not he is not over good Is not the continuance of the Mother Children Servants in life health and being a mercy to the Family that you have an house to dwell together and food to eat together do not you call these Family-mercies and do not these call aloud in your ears and to your consciences to give praises to your bountiful Benefactor together and to pray together for the continuance of these and the grant of more as you shall need them It would be endless to declare how many ways God is a Benefactor to your Families conjunctly and you are shameless if you do not conjunctly praise him for his bounty Such an house is rather a stye for Swine than a dwelling house for rational Creatures May not God call out to such prayerless Families as to them Jer. 2. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord Have I been a wilderness to Israel a land of darkness Wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee Hath God been forgetful of you Speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ibid. ye ungodly prayerless Families Hath God been forgetful of you No every morsel of bread you eat tells you God doth not forget you every time you see your Table spread and food set on you see God doth not forget you Why then saith God Will not this Family come at ME when you have food to put into your Childrens mouths that they do not cry for bread and you constrained to
and willing to receive them Sixthly Once more consider That Prayer is a special means to obtain knowledg from God and a blessing upon the teachings and instructions of the Master of the Family David prayed that God would open his eyes that he may behold wondrous things out of God's Law Psal 119.18 There are wondrous things in the Word of God that fallen man should be recovered is a wondrous thing that a holy God should be reconciled to sinful man is a wondrous thing that the Son of God should take upon him the nature of man and God be manifested in the flesh and a believer justified by the righteousness of another these are WONDROUS things But there is darkness upon our minds and a vail over our eyes and the Scripture a clasped closed Book that we cannot savingly understand these great wonderful things to have our love chiefly upon them and our delight in them except the Spirit of God take away the vail and remove our ignorance and enlighten our minds and this vvisdom is to be sought from God by fervent Prayer You that are Masters of Families would you have your Children and Servants know these things and be affected with them Would you have impressions made upon their minds and hearts of the great concernments of their Souls and therefore you do instruct them but can you reach their hearts Can you awaken their Consciences Can you not and yet doth it not become you to pray to God with them that he would do it While you are a praying jointly with them God may be secretly disposing and powerfully preparing their hearts to receive his Word and your instructions from it From all this I argue thus for Family Prayer Arg. 4. If it be the duty of Families as such to read and hear the Word of God together read then it is the duty of Families as such to pray together this is shewn by the six things last mentioned But it is the duty of Families as such to read the Word of God and to hear it together real this was proved from Scripture before Therefore it is the duty of Families as such to pray together Argument 5. Christian Families are or ought to be as so many domestick Churches Magnificum elogium quum uâ—i familiae nomen Ecclesiae tribuitur tamen sic institutas esse convenit singulas piorum familias ut totidem sint Ecclesiolae quod autem Erasmo congregationis nomen magis placuit alienum est à mente Pauli honorificè de Christiana oeconomia voluit loqui Calv. 1 Cor. 16.19 Erasmus in Annotationibus vertendum potius dicit congregatione qua in re ab eo dissentio apparet enim Apostolorum commendare Aquilae Priscillae familiam quasi sit Ecclesiola quaedam alioquin dixisset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Privatam familiam Ecclesiam vocat Estius Vel de Ecclesiae membris vel de domesticis tantum ipsius Nymphae ad dominum conversis Laudans hunc virum quod oeconomiam suam Christianè admodum rexerit instituerit Pareus Erat igitur tota familia pia bene Christianè instituta sicut solent esse Ecclesiae quia ibi legebatur verbum Dei preces habebantur canebantur Psalmi discamus ità regere familias ut sint verae Ecclesiae Piscator Adjungit etiam familiam ejus quam honorifico nomine vocat Ecclesiam quod ipsum quoque ad Philemonis laudem pertinet ut qui in familia educanda fidelis patris familiâ— efficio fungatur Piscator in Phil. 2. therefore they ought to pray together In a Church conjunct Prayers are made to God but vvhat kind of Church vvould that be in which there is never no joint praying There are three Families in the Scripture renowned with the name of a Church and have this honourable title put upon them by God himself as 1 The Family of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Church in their house So 1 Cor. 16.19 The 2 Family of Nymphas Col. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Nymphas and the Church in his house 3 The Family of Philemon v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to the Church in thy house Erasmus renders it the Congregation in their house but this is disliked by Calvin and by Beza too Pareus interprets these Texts either for the company of Christians that were wont to assemble in their houses to hear the Word and to worship God or else of their proper Families of vvhich these were the Heads and Governours whose houses were called Churches because of the religious duties there performed as reading of the Scripture praying unto God together and singing of Psalms Aquila and Priscilla by occupation were Tent-makers Act. 18.3 yet though they laboured in this Calling and worked with their hands they found time for Family worship and joint religious duties and were eminent and exemplary therein and stand in Scripture upon record for a pattern worthy of all Christian Families imitation Here is a plain proof So did the godly Families in the primitive times and they are approved by God for what they did in their houses and Families was pleasing unto God having this honourable name of a Church by God's holy Spirit put upon them And they will afford us this Argument Arg. 5. Those Families that are or ought to be houshold-Churches ought to serve God together therein and pray jointly to him for the Worship and Prayers of a Church as such are conjunct and from such religious duties these Families were so called But Christian Families are or ought to be houshold-Churches And they will be such Churches or Synagogues of Satan Therefore Christian Families ought jointly to pray to God Argument 6. That God is to be served and called upon conjunctly in proper Families will appear from the practice of holy men in the first Age of the world Conjunct worship was first performed in Families before it could be given to God from more publick Assemblies the Domestick Society being the first and the foundation and original of all other God's Church was first in Adam's Family and for some time only there therefore God was there worshipped and called upon or else God had a Church from which he had no conjunct worship at all That there was such Religious Worship in the first Families I offer these two things for confirmation thereof God appointed Adam after his Fall to offer Sacrifice to him and declared to him the use and signification thereof and commanded him to teach his children to do the same Which will be manifest by these two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo tributum significat respicere cum gratia favore Par. Q.d. placuit Domino Fag requievit in Abel Oleast Igne de coelo consumpsit sic grata esse probavit Lyra. Pisc Ainsworth Cultus modum mensuram homines ex se ignorant quem à revelatione divina expectare debent neque
make such great gaps as from one Lord's day to another cannot be said to continue therein Praceptum est generale ut serviamus Deo cunctis viâ—e nostrâ—e diebus Luk. 1.75 Ille igitur cultus qui commodè possit quotidie frequentaâ—i non debet ullo die omitti Sed oratio etiam cum domesii is est talis Ergò Ames Cas Consc We have general precepts to serve God all the daies of our lives Luke 1.75 So that that worship for which we have opportunity every day should no day be omitted but Families have or may have such opportunities every day if they be well ordered and wisely governed as they ought to be particulars are commanded under generals God hath commanded us to preserve our own lives and the lives of others and therein is included food and physick c. yet God hath not expresly commanded that we shall eat once or twice or thrice a day nor how often we shall take physick yet we do these as often as we find we need them Know your selves feel your own spiritual wants and do so as to Prayer and we need to say no more upon this subject But because we are not so sensible of the wants of our Souls as of our Bodies and are not so easily brought with frequency to our knees in our Families together as to sit down at our Tables together Quoad dispesitionem preparationem cordis ad orandum debemus perpetuò illam retinere quoad actum orationis debemus occasionem omnem capere captare illius exercendi Similis phraesis 2 Sam. 9.13 Mephibosheth semper comedebat in mensa regis Ames Cas Cons Cum fenestras suas aperiret versus Jerusalem hoc symbolo sibi domesticis suis ostendere voluit se perseverare in sp fiducia promissae redemptionis Calv. in loc something must be said to shew the reasonableness usefulness and necessity of daily praying to God in our Houses We are commanded 1 Thess 5.17 to pray without ceasing Eph. 6.18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance We should always be habitually disposed to pray and should actually be engaged in it as we have occasion and opportunity and watch for such praying seasons Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God but can such be said to answer these commands that do not pray at all Is praying alwaies and not at all all one or is continually and seldom all one and the same or doth praying without ceasing and ceasing to pray all the week long import and signifie the same thing nothing less Frequency then is expresly commanded Set before you the example of Daniel Dan. 6.10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his House and his windows being open in his Chamber toward Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime Where may be observed 1 The place He prayed in his own house and why not with his houshold for if it had been in secret alone Daniel might have found out in so large an house as such a great man as he was had some retired Closet where the Nobles that waited to accuse him might not have known that he did pray Mane orandum est recedente item sole ac die cessante necessariò rursus orandum est Cyprian in Orat. Dominic 2. The circumstance of time three times a day in the morning before he went to his employments at noon when he came home to eat meat and at night before he went to sleep These three times a day David observed for Prayer also Psal 55.17 Evening and morning and noon will I pray and he shall hear my voice 3. The danger he was in if he prayed of being cast into the Lions Den and yet he prayed thrice a day even in hazard of his life 4. That this was his usual practice for he did thus afore-time 5. From the event we might gather how pleasing this was to God who did so miraculously deliver and save him by stopping of the Lyons mouths The Jews had their daily Sacrifices morning and evening Num. 28.3 Thou shalt say unto them this is the Offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord two Lambs of the first year without spot day by day for a continual Burnt-offering v. 4. The one Lamb shalt thou offer in the morning and the other Lamb thou shalt offer at even By this daily Sacrifice they shewed their thankfulness to God and expected from him a blessing upon themselves upon their labours and their rest And is there not as much reason that Christians under the Gospel should worship God morning and evening and pray unto him Take these reasons for it Reason 1. Because we receive every day Family mercies from the hand of God 1. 1 Alorationem statam quotidi hibendam à Deo viriis beneficiis invitamur Commoda quibus utimur Lucéâ—que qua fruimur spiritú nque quem ducimus ab co Deo nobis dari atque impertiri vidimus Cicero pro Ros. Ameri Ante omnes actus seculi debemus actus habere pictatis qui nos quiescentes dormientes in lâ—ctulis custodivit quis enim nisi Deus dormientem custodit hominem qui ita resolutus in sâ—mnum oblitus sui vigoris humani à se alienus efficitur ut ne sciat quid ipse sit ubinam demoretur adesse sibi ipsi certè non pâ—ssit Necessarius igitur Deus adest dormientibus quia do mientes sibi adessâ— non possunt à nectuâ—nis insidiis genus hominum ipse custodit quia id temporis ad custodiendum alter nemo pervigilat debeo ergo illi gratiam quia ut ego securus dormiam lie peâ—vigilat Sed cum vespera diem claudit ipsi debemus per Psalteriam laudem dicere gloriam ejus modulata voce concinere Ambros lib. Serm. Serm. 23. He loads us daily with his benefits Psal 68.19 When you wake in the morning and find your dwelling safe not consumed with fire not broke through by thieves is not this a Family mercy When you wake and find none dead in their beds that news is not brought you in the morning there is one Child dead in one bed and another in another and there is not a lodging room in the house but the last night one or other died in it but on the contrary you find all well in the morning and refreshed by the rest and sleep of the night are not these and many more such mercies to the Family that when you rise you should call them altogether jointly to bless God for If it had been otherwise Master or Mistress dead Children or Servants dead would not the rest say It would have been a mercy
in a praying Family and were frequent at the duty but we did not pray as they should do that were to pray for the escaping of such dreadful torments we did sleep often in our prayers but there is no sleeping here no ease no resting here O that God would try us once more once more were it but for a moneth or two and set us out and send us to a praying life again O that we were in time again in time again and in the same circumstances again as once we were and had the same possibility yea probability of escaping those restless torments But this cannot be this must not be this will not be time is gone is gone and we must pray no more for ever O time how didst thou slip away How swift was thy motion O that this eternity would hasten as fast as time did hasten When we had lived twenty years our life was so much nearer expiration but here we have been a thousand years and yet as far from an end as the first moment we came into this dreadful place and dark and doleful dungeon This then addeth to our misery that here we are and must be here for ever here we are woe be to us that here we are and that without all hopes of recovery and possibility of redemption and deliverance Had our pain been extreme yet if it had not been eternal it might have been the better born or if it were to be eternal if it had not been extreme it might have been more easily endured but to FEEL it is EXTREME and to THINK it is ETERNAL makes our misery unexpressible What! O what extreme and eternal too extreme and eternal too Cannot we dye cannot we dig into our own bowels and take away our own beings but must we live in pain and torment extreme and eternal too O miserable Caitiffs that we are those creatures that were Toads and Serpents feel none of this as they are not happy so they are not miserable but we are not happy no no there is no happiness here misery is our portion Oh cursed wretches Oh foolish sinners that we were that prayed with no life to escape eternal death Damnation is a dreadful things we find we feel to our own confusion that damnation is a dreadful thing Thus realize the happiness and the misery of souls in the unseen world and take a believing view of them beyond this life and try whether you shall not find much benefit by such prayers that after such a sight are put up unto God Direction 5. 5. Direct Then next consider Quemadmodum â—ovem mensibus noâ— tenet maternus uterus praeparaâ— non sibi sed illi loco in quem videmur emuti jam idonei Spiritum trahere in apâ—rto durare sic per hoc spotium quod ab infantia patet in sâ—nâ—ctutem in alium naturae sumimur partum alia erigo nos expectat alius rerum status detrahetur tibi haec circumjecta novissimum vehimentum tui cuâ—is detrahetur care suffusus sanguis discurrensque per totum detrahentur essa nervique sirmamenta fluâ—dorum labentium dies iste quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterni natalis est Senec. Epist p. 816 817. Vigilandum est nisi preperamus relinquimur agit nos agitur velex dies Inscii rapimur omnia in futurum disponimus inter praecipitia lenti sumus fugit des fugere currendi genus concitatissimum est quid ergo câ—ssamus nos ipsi concitare ut velocitatem rapid ssurae rei possia â—s aequare Idem Epist p. 834. that one of these two places you must shortly very shortly be in When you are going to prayer look behind you and you shall see death hastning after you that death is at your backs and look forward and you shall see Heaven and Hell before you your selves standing upon the very brink of time and the next step might be into eternity of joy or sorrow where you did but now by faith see others were there you your selves must quickly really be where you shall rejoyce with them or suffer and sorrow with them Do but look a little before you fall down upon your knees and you might see your selves cast down upon a bed of sickness your friends weeping and fearing you will die the Physicians are puzled and at a loss giving you over for the grave and your self gasping for life and breathing out your last Look but a little before you and you might as it were hear your friends saying he is dead he is dead he is gone he is departed and then as it were you might see them haling you out of your bed and wrapping you in your winding sheet and nailing you up in your Coffin you might see your Grave a digging and men hired to carry you on their shoulders from your house to your grave Relations and Neighbours following after to see you lodged in the dust to lie and rot among the dead Then think before all this can be done unto your body your Soul hath taken its flight into eternity where it is without change and alteration for ever to be with God or Devils Work it on your hearts that you must quickly and O how quickly will it be that you must be in Heaven or Hell that when you die Heaven must be won or lost for ever and everlasting torments escaped or endured for ever Try whether such believing thoughts as these will not stir you up to manage all your praying together as well as apart in that manner that you shall find great benefit thereby Direction 6. Id ago ut mihi instar totius vitae sit dies nec mehercule tanquam ultimum rapie sed sic illum aspiciâ— tanquam esse vel ultimus possit hoc animo tibi hanc Epistolam scribo tanquam cum maxime scribentem morâ— ea oâ—atura sit Son Epist p. 634 6 5. 6. Direct Since this is so consider next that you do not know but now you are going to make your last Family Prayer together You do not know but God and death might seize upon some of you before the next time of prayer do come again that God might single out the Master or Mistris of the house this Child or that Servant and every one think I might be the first that you may never pray all together again Pray then as if you were to pray no more and see if you shall not find real spiritual benefit by such a Prayer A Heathen writing a Letter to his Friend did say I write unto you not knowing but death might call me away whilst the pen is in my hand and should not Christians pray as such as do not know but death might seiz upon them with their prayers in their mouths Direction 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anton. lib. 2. §. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehementer assiduè incumbere rei alicui difficili laboriâ—sae donec eum ad
token of ill behaviour under Government and do disguise Children of the most comly structure in the world Thus of the first general in Childrens duties The second is concerning the Latitude and extent of Childrens obedience in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text. We cannot imagine this is so universal and absolute as Obedience to God or that the obligation lies in any thing beside the mind of the supreme Governour of Heaven and Earth or dissonant to the holy will of our Lord for only that obedience is required which is well-pleasing and grateful unto him So that the Power demanding it must have a warrant from him unless we should embrace the horrid opinion of the daring Atheist in his Leviathan †c. 42 p. 234. who impiously affirms that if a Christian be commanded by his lawful Prince or Soveraign whose authority was first paternal to say he doth not believe in Christ it is lawful to obey which atheistical tenet doth either post-pone the command of God to the command of man which is most abominable or without further enquiry doth account it a divine precept which would prefer an hellish error to the Heavenly verity overturn the whole Christian institution and set up diabolical adoration ‖ Dr Templar Idea Theol. Levia p. 96 97 251. 101 102. 'T would introduce an infallible spirit in all Civil as the Papists pretend to have in their Ecclesiastical Government yea quite exterminate all regards of Conscience and raze out the common notions of good and evil whereas all subjection which is not of faith i. e. agrees not with the judgment of Conscience propounding it's dictates under the reason of the Divine will is sin (x) Rom. 13.1 4.5 with 14.23 God is only arbitrary and absolute Lawgiver (y) Jam 4.12 And as Constant the Father of Constantine the Emperour affirm'd they could not be faithful Subjects unto him who easily contemn'd God and their Conscience neither Children be truly obedient to their Parents who do so Our obedience then ought to be only in all things acceptable to our supreme Lord and Master And therefore the Apostle hath elsewhere express'd the command to obey in the Lord (z) Eph. 6.1 5 6. which is the same as unto the Lord and unto Christ fearing God (a) Colos 3.22 23. in opposition to the pleasing of men This doth moderate the commands of Parents and regulate the obedience of Children Wives and Servants 'T is true had Parents kept their original rectitude their commands would never have been other than consonant to the Divine pleasure and Law of Nature but the fall that disordered that harmonious and happy constitution and now their precepts do often thwart or jar with the will of him who is Soveraign Lord whom to please is the determination or limit as well as motive to Childrens obedience This agrees with the sense of Arch-bishop Anselm †Comment in Colos in his tantummodo quae praâ—eptum Domini non excedunt c. 580 years ago expounding my Text. How it will rellish now with those of his order in an Hypothesis of theirs I determine not But he saith that Natural and Ecclesiastical Carnal and Spiritual Parents are to be obeyed in all things only in the Lord i. e. saith he in those things only which are not beside or Do not exceed the precept of the Lord because it is pleasing unto God that in such a manner we should obey them It should seem he held then according to truth that if a Superiour should exceed his commission by imposing any preter-evangelical Canon for Doctrine or practice the Inferiors non-conformity thereunto was no transgression For in obeying the commands of a subordinate power (b) Acts 4.19 5.29 Exod. 1.17 we are primarily to take care that the rights of the absolute Soveraign remain inviolable seeing God gave the Parent that Authority he hath in requiring that which is displeasing to God he hath none And as the Child is to obey him so he is to obey God without whose warrant his child is not oblig'd to active obedience but passive or submission by suffering the penalty with cheerfulness that is pleasing to God in such a case For the truth is It is thank-worthy if one for Conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully (c) 1 Pet. 2.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is acceptable with God whatever acceptance it find among men there is a grace in this behaviour before God Now the great thing Children are to look at in their obedience to Parents is that it be well-pleasing to God so saith my Text and if they obey without his warrant who can secure them they shall do what is acceptable with him God is to have an affection predominant to that we have for our Parents (d) Mat. 10.37 Luke 14.26.9.59 60 61. We must not dishonour him in pretension to honour them In things impious or dishonest Parents have no authority herein disobedience would be just and obsequiousness criminal Hence we find Acrotatus commended amongst the Antients because when his Parents had required of him to do an unjust thing he answered I know you are willing I should do that which is just for so you taught me to do I will therefore do that which you desire I should but what you bid me I will not do A denial in this case is to be express'd in all humble language Hierocles though no Christian hath notable things about the extent of Childrens obedience for he arguing in this case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ‖ Comment in Câ—rm Pytbag p. 53 c. If in all things we must obey our Parents how shall we go astray from piety and other vertues if through the pravity of their manners they lead us into those things which are not altogether honest and commendable If sometime their will be not consonant to the Divine Laws He gives this answer amongst others * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If indeed the Divine Law draw you to one thing and your Parents to another in this disagreement of wills it is more excellent to choose those things which are better and in those only to be inobservant of the commands of Parents wherein even they themselves obey not the Divine Laws for it cannot be that he who is resolv'd to observe the rules of vertue can consent to them by whom they are neglected but in all other things we ought as much as we can to honour our Parents viz. in bodily observance and a most ready free supply of things necessary sith they have right to use those they have brought forth and nourished c. Neither will the Parents unkindness be enough to discharge the Child from obedience which is to be yielded in all the circumstances of their lives And that considering 3. The great reason to engage in the duties of Childrens obedience in the Lord is undoubtedly the most cogent Motive
by the Prophet in the name of the Lord (m) Jer. 29.6 1 Cor. 7.36 to take wives to their sons and give daughters to their husbands should with a good and serious conscience without carnal glosses study this prime Canon as they really design the promotion and spiritual advancement of their offspring Thus Abraham so famous in his parental government (n) Gen. 18.19 was very careful with respect to the Lord in covenant for the matching of his son Isaac that in a matter of so great importance lest he should be tempted to a failure in his trust he took a most solemn oath by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth from his faithful Steward Eleazer (o) 24.2 4 6 8. upon serious seeking of God by Prayer that he should take a wife for him out of a religious Family and by no means yield that Isaac should be brought into a relation communion and residence with any of those who might be an occasion to alienate his affections from the service of the true God in a true manner which had an excellent effect sith Isaac and Rebekah were the most chast pair of all those Patriarchal Worthies their affections being entirely united And Isaac at his wife Rebekah's motion when almost dead for fear of an ungodly wife (p) 27. ver followed his Father's example in the disposal of his son Jacob (q) 28.2 c. We indeed live in an age wherein there is much complaint by many wealthy Parents that though they like well of this grand rule yet they know not where to have suitable matches for their children especially of the female sex I confess there is too much ground for this lamentation The Lord remove it Yet I may with submission not being sollicitous to please man but my Lord and Master (r) Gal. 1.10 Eph. 6.6 Mr. White put these complainants in mind of what hath been observ'd by another before me That Persons of quality and estate likely have in one respect a greater advantage than others in that they have a greater latitude of choice amongst those who are in estate below them So that of religious prudent and suitable persons they may choose almost whom they please But the truth is many Parents who sit at the upper end of the world though they profess Religion they are too often so biassed with the love of this world that marrying to the very height of their estate hath the casting vote and so they bestow their pious hopeful children upon persons in whom they have no probable positive evidence of real godliness and sobriety or on such who are not comparably so vertuous as others they might have more religious prudent and desirable who upon conjuncture of Estates would be abundantly well accommodated for a comfortable and chearful livelyhood When alas some of them are so sway'd by carnal motives that as one saith †Mr. Baxter pol. p. 484. they marry their children to a swine for a golden trough they prefer temporals to spirituals and eternals riches and honour or comliness to vertue and godliness and take one that is at enmity with God (s) Rom. 8.7 8. into the nearest and strictest league of amity with those they are oblig'd to love best And thence it comes to pass that in succeeding generations by unequal mixture of the holy seed with the profane (t) Ezra 9 2 4. there is such a decay of piety as at this day amongst those sprung on one side from worthy Progenitors being much like those of the old world who defiled the face of the earth with an unblest generation which so grieved the Almighty that after he had given the inhabitants fair warning by the preacher of righteousness (u) Gen. 6.2 4. See more Gen. 26.34 35. 34 14. 38.2 7 8.9 10. he swept them all away but eight persons with an universal deluge I know upon the hearing of this some professing Parents of our Age will be touch'd to the quick though they do thereby a little shake their own title to the best inheritance but it concerns a watchman when call'd to give them warning from the Lord (w) Ezek. 3.17 to deal faithfully Upon the remembrance of which and an affecting apprhension of this growing epidemical distemper I do in the name of the Lord put all Christian Parents in mind not too vehemently to seek after great things to themselves (x) Jer. 45.5 in bestowing of their children richly but labour to link them with gracious and suitable persons where there may be mutual kindness and hearty liking of each other and with vvhom they may live religiously and contentedly For the truth is without this mutual complacency and loving contentment each in other vvhich the Scripture calls for (y) Prov. 5.19 with Gen. 20.16 Ezek. 24.16 18. upon a good foundation there cannot be an happy match Wherefore in this great office of Parents vvhich is a comfortable one for their Children if well done but most uncomfortable if otherwise they are mostly concern'd to look after the fear of the Lord. For the Wise man by the spirit of God hath so determin'd upon weighing of things saying (z) Prov. 31.30 with 19.23 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised and so shall the man also If things be tryed at God's ballance Religion will weigh most Houses and riches are the inheritance of Fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord (a) 19.14 and so is a prudent husband too Either is to be valued as a more blessed gift than any temporal portion left by Parents who may and ought to be provident but there is a more special finger of God who gives wisdom and unites hearts in every happy match Wherein good-nature or as we now speak good-humour doth much sweeten society in a humane way but I pray you what doth it in a Christian way wherein the married couple should live as being heirs together of the grace of life that their prayers he not hindred (b) 1 Pet. 3.7 Alas my Friends as to this a good nature as one saith * Mr. Thomas Couns l to married Couples is but like the white of an egg which as it offends not so it relisheth not There may be a tolerable conversation as to temporals on the week day but what is pleasant in it as to spirituals especially on the Lord's day and at other seasons when the Soul hath need of quickening direction and comfort or a companion in Heavenly joys Then real grace with all its faults will be better than refined nature (c) Eccles 2.13 as light than darkness Discretion will set a lustre on Religion and is to be look'd after else how troublesom will it be for wisdom to be subject to folly No one can live lovingly and comfortably with a Fool. Next an ungodly an unworthy yoke-fellow especially if in Husbands is to be feared And next to
de Clementia That your servants are the inferior and poor friends and are to be accounted next to children and came not into the house for servitude and vassalage but patronage Fifthly Take heed of letting them have too littie employment It 's of dangerous consequence to get a habit of idleness It was none of the least commendations of that worthy woman Prov. 31.27 that she would suffer none in her house to eat the bread of idleness As you must give an account of your own time so must you also of your servants too how it is spent When your Servants are idle the Devil is at work If you have nothing for them to do remember God hath something Set them to reading the Word praying and put them upon using all diligence in making their calling and election sure It is far better to have no Servant than to keep one to do nothing but look about him This this hath laid the foundation of some young mens ruin this is unfaithfulness to God and man by this you wrong body and soul Sixthly Take heed of bitterness and threatning of cruelty and injustice of wronging them in meat drink clothing or lodging and neglecting them when they are sick and denying them that tendance physick and care that is fit for them at such a time Take heed of calling them names and cursing them and of correcting them with unreasonable weapons for slight or no faults and using them worse than a merciful man would do his beast Are not your Servants of the same mettal with your selves they have sense and feeling as well as you their flesh is not iron nor their bones brass Would you have God give you such mercy as you give your Servants If he should mark what you do amiss what would soon become of you Did you never read the woes that God denounceth against oppressors and do you think God threatens in jest can't he easily give life and execution to his woes and where are you then man What if God should curse when you curse what if he should strike as well as you are you able to bear the strokes that his hand can lay on can thy heart endure or thy back bear what he can inflict when you are just lifting up your hand consider a little the nature of the fault and do as thou would'st have God do by thee and then be outragious and cruel if you can Remember your Servants are God's Servants and you must not rule them with rigour Lev. 25.42 43 Deut. 24.14 Jam. 5.4 read those Scriptures which you find quoted in the Margent Some may wonder that I insist upon this caution so long but I wish the empty bellies the thin checks the black and blew skins of many poor Servants did not give me too good reason for what I say Anton. l. 5. 〈◊〉 l. 6. n. 21. I shall desire such Masters to ask themselves sometimes Whose Soul do I now properly possess a Tyrant's a Mad-man's or a Beast's Suppose your Servant is not so wise strong and active as you would have him it may be for this he more needs pity than blows or curses But if he be really faulty were you never so too and when punishment is due remember that Religion Reason and Humanity must always measure punishment Think not they are in your power and poor and friendless and that they have none that can or will right them If this were a good warrant for oppressing another how many are there who would soon crush you to pieces Seventhly Take heed of neglecting your Servants souls Their souls as well as their bodies are your charge and you must be accountable shortly for them O! how few consider seriously of this Are not the souls of Servants slighted as if they were little better than the souls of Brutes Sirs is that which Christ thought worth his blood not worth your care The neglect of most Masters in this thing is horrible How seldom do they speak a word of God to their Servants how great a rarity is it for them to pray with them and read the Scriptures before them and to call upon them to mind what they read who endeavours to convince their Servants of the corruption of their nature and that they are born slaves of Sin and Satan who commends Christ as the best Master and commands his Servants to obey him where is the Master to be found that is frequently and importunately endeavouring to convince all under his charge of the necessity of faith in Christ repentance and a holy life how little are Masters concerned for God's honour and service nay are there not some that are so far from minding the souls of their Servants that if once they perceive a poor Servant begins to set his face towards Heaven how are they set against him what scoffs and jeers shall he then have 2 Kings 21.11 Isa 57.24 and scarce live a quiet life after it and there are others that put their Servants upon sin that keep them up to work so unreasonably late upon Saturday-nights that they lose half the Lords-day with sleeping How many that put their Servants upon work and serving of Goods upon the Lords-day How many do we see keeping their Stalls open to sell Fruit O where are our Nehemiah's who reproves his Servants for neglecting God's service more than for neglecting of his own who observes what company they keep how the Sabbath is spent who reproves them for lying and cheating for their profit are there not too many that put them upon telling lyes to cover their own neglect do such Masters as these deserve the name of Christians do they look like God's Servants whose fault is it that Moor-fields is so full of idle youths and that the Houses and Taverns are so frequented on the Lord's-day who may we thank for many of our disorders judgments and miseries but careless Masters whence is it that so many vile women are maintained so high that bastards are so common and that we hear so oft of murdered Infants how comes it to pass that Prisons are so full and Tyburn so fruitful if the matter were well canvased we should find that Masters and Parents neglect of catechising instructing reproving and correcting them under their charge is not the least cause of this and other evils Sirs can you prove the Bible to be a lye and souls and invisibles to be but fancies O! what then do you mean by your strange neglect of these affairs Ezek. 3.18 God hath made you watchmen and if you be asleep or give not warning at whose hand do you think must the blood of the Souls in your Family be required The very Heathens have declaimed notably against this sin Epictetus If saith one a friend had but a dog under your care you would not starve him but in some measure proportion your care of him to the love you bear to your friend and hath not God put souls
under your care and are they to be neglected I have been the more large upon this Head because this sin is so common and of such dismal consequence and so little care is taken for the redress of it I come now to lay down the positive duties of Masters and that I shall do with somewhat more brevity 〈◊〉 First Let all Masters endeavour to be God's Servants True Religion and divine Principles in the heart will give a man the best measures of action the grace of God will teach him to deny his pride passion sensuality and worldly lusts and to live holily soberly and righteously in this present world Religion in its power O how lovely doth it make a man with what wisdom and prudence doth such an one act with what sweetness and love and yet with what majesty What a brave Master was Abraham and what made him so but the fear of God Mat. 11 28. this this will make a man merciful patient meek heavenly minded and yet diligent in his place this will make him exemplary and as much as in him lyes to act like God in his place And what injury can such a person do can he be cruel that hath such a Master as Christ can he find in his heart to be unmerciful who hath obtained mercy if a man be very holy himself his example will have a drawing power in it to allure to that which is so good and be a constant check to that which is bad Such a one is under the promise of God's blessing and he will teach him and give him wisdom to discharge the duty of his place He is made partaker of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Epictetus Philem. 2â— and so enabled in some measure to act in a conformity to the Divine will It was no small commendation which Paul gave of Philemon when he spake of the Church in his house When our first Parents were in their pure state what homage did all the creatures give them as their visible Lord and had not man by his fall forfeited this prerogative and by denying God's soveraignty lost their own they had no doubt still kept their dominion over the Creatures And now the more of holiness is in a man and the more near God and like him the more likely to get and keep a majesty and dominion in his place Pythagoras Surely great holiness commands respect and reverence and rather choose to have your inferiours reverence than fear you for admiration and love accompany reverence but hatred fear O! what a noble thing were man Hierocles if goodness and purity did always accompany superiority and government these are and shall be honourable in spite of malice it self A right worshipping of God is the captain of all vertue and when this Divine seed is cast into the soul Idem it lays the foundation of brave and true honour and respect such a one he offers himself a sacrifice to God and makes a Temple for God in himself and then in his family and such a Master who would grudg to serve How sweet must obedience then be when nothing is commanded but what God commands and it's interest and profit to obey O Sirs 1 Pet. 5 1. little do you think how much power a meek holy grave conversation hath who that hath the least spark of ingenuity in him will not be restrained if not conquered by it O that Masters would but try this way and if honouring God do not more secure their honour than severity then let me be counted a deceiver this this is the most effectual way to make Servants good 1 Sam. 1.21 to be good your selves this will bring them to a true relish of Religion when it is pressed upon them by precept and example I have known some Servants that have blessed the day that ever they saw their Masters faces O let your excellency allure and draw those under you as the Sun doth mens eyes Aâ— Epict. Anton l. 6. n. 27. or as meat and drink doth the hungry Secondly Endeavour the good of the souls of those under your charge with all your might be in travail to see Christ formed in their souls Rom. 10.1 Give them no rest till you have prevailed with them to be in good earnest for heaven allow them time for prayer reading of the Word hearing of good Sermons and for conversing with good Books commend to them Baxter's Call to the Vnconverted and Mr. Thomas Vincent's Explanation of the Assemblie's Catechism c. and observe what company they keep and if you know a holy experiâ—nced Servant commend their Society and example to them keep â—â—â—stent watch over your Servants remember what temptations they are exposed to know how they spend their time call them oft to an account and look well to your Books it will do them no hurt and you much good be oft in meekness and pity treating with them about their everlasting concerns and let your carriage bring full evidence along with it of your dear love to their immortal souls Labour as well as you can to convince them of the corruption of their nature of the evil of sin of their lost and undone state of their impotency and utter inability to save themselves or to make the least satisfaction to Divine justice or to bear that punishment that is due unto them for every sin shew them their absolute need of a Christ and that without him there is no salvation make them to understand what the new birth is what kind of change it is and how necessary and warn them of the danger of miscarriage in conversion and of taking up with a half work and resting in the outward part of Religion Mat. 5.20 Joh. 17.3 Prov. 3.17 Rom. 12.1 Mat. 11.28 1 Tim. 4.8 and their own righteousness Put them upon labouring to know God in Christ this is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Do what you can possibly to convince their Judgments of the reasonableness profitableness and sweetness of Religion where it is in its reality vigour and constancy take off the imputations and aspersions which the unexperienced foolish Infidel would cast upon Christianity Cant. 5.16 Prov. 3.15 Never think you can commend Christ too much to them O! if you could allure their souls captivate their hearts and make them in love with him who is altogether lovely O! let them not alone till you see them deeply affected with these things expostulate the case with them frequently by themselves ask them what they think of the estate of their Souls and leave not with their sullen silence ask them plainly how they can eat or drink or sleep without Christ and pardon and what they mean to be so unconcerned Tell them that death may be nearer them than they imagine and that as death leaveth them judgment will find them Tell them that their stupidity is an effect
there any thing of dishonesty in what I have been perswading you to Is it a dishonest thing to pray in your Families to instruct them in the things of God to be holy diligent and faithful What harm is there in all this Would it do you or yours any injury Would it hinder either your profit or pleasure Can godliness which hath the promise of this life and that which is to come undo you Should that which pleaseth God displease you Is it an unpleasant thing to see the beauty of holiness in your Family and to have yours serving God and you faithfully Is it an unpleasant thing to have God's commendation and peace and to have good hopes that all yours are God's and shall be delivered from the wrath to come and be heirs of a Crown of glory If you talk of pleasure no pleasure like them that are in duty and at the end of duty Well now What have you to say against your duty You cry pish this is the way to be a slave a mope a fool Is it true indeed that to be enlarged for God in ones place is a slavery how come such to be so full of peace and joy Is that the state of slaves no body is about to debar you of moderate liberty and recreation But will you call nothing liberty and recreation but that which exposes you and yours to ruine But if you take this course you shall be poor if you and your Servants may not lye cheat break Sabbaths you shall never be able to live How then come so many honest men that would not do any of all these things for a world to live so well Were Abraham Joshua David Cornelius all such poor men If diligence honesty and holiness undo men what will make them I hope you will not say that cursing lying fraud idleness sensuality and carelesness are better ways of thriving Well once more what have you yet to say against what I have been perswading you to Will you now without delay bewail your former neglect and in good earnest set to your work like a man that in some measure knows the power of divine precepts the worth of souls and the greatness of that charge that lyeth upon you O that there were in you such a heart O that all Masters of Families were resolved for that which humanity reason interest reputation and their comfort call for as well as the law of God and men oblige them to What blessed Families then should we have What noble Corporations what glorious Cities Might not Jehovah-Shammah be written then upon our Gates and holiness to the Lord upon every door O when shall it once be Now in hopes that some honest hearts are affected with what hath been spoken and are desirous to engage with all their might in their duties I shall briefly add a few Helps for the better performance of their duty First Get a heart inflamed with love to God This will make you much more concerned for his honour than your own this will cause you to promote his interest with vigor and remove whatsoever may be prejudicial to it love will break thorow difficulties and make duty easie love will engage you body soul estate head tongue hand heart all for God then you can't live without prayer and instructing your Servants If the love of God dwell in you I never fear the disputing your duty Secondly Get a deep sense of the worth of souls upon your spirits Remember he that made them values them highly he that bought them and paid dearly for them judged them worth his heart-blood they that are wise believe that their utmost care for them is not too much their loss is an irreparable loss and if they are saved and secured all losses are tolerable light inconsiderable A due sense of the worth of a soul would make you wonderful careful to prevent its miscarriage greatly solicitous to make sure its happiness Thirdly Beg of God a spirit of wisdom and government that you may know how to go in and out before your house like a man of prudence and Religion 1 Kings 3.9 Jam. 1.17 You know whence every good and perfect gift comes and if any man lack wisdom they must ask of him that is ready to answer such requests who will give liberally and not upbraid Beg of God the gift and grace of prayer and utterance beg experience and knowledg and use and improve fruitfully what talent God hath given you already Hierocles A wise man instructed of God is a Priest of God and the only man fit to do his work Fourthly Study the Scriptures much Attend upon a conscientious powerful Ministry and read some practical Books there you will find the most excellent precepts there you will meet with the most commendable presidents there you have the most powerful motives to your duty the most successful helps In a word there you will meet with the assistance of God's Spirit Psal 119.11 by them you will be kept from any unrighteous thing Fifthly Do as you would be done by remember what measure you mete to another Mat. 7.12 shall be measured to you again I believe David would scarce have been so ready to pass such a sentence as he did if he had well considered who was at the bar and it 's likely a less punishment than burning might have been pronounced against Tamar if Judah had remembred who was the Father of her Child Sixthly Take heed of pride selfishness and sensuality These are the great make-bates these make the world so full of confusion and trouble from hence come war and fightings Jam 4.1 this brings such disorder misery and sorrow unto Kingdoms Cities Houses if instead of these we had humility publick-spiritedness Prov. 3.10 temperance the world would be quickly well mended with us Seventhly Think much upon your account Death Judgment Heaven Hell and Eternity I had almost said believe this truly and think of it frequently and be unfaithful if you can I am perswaded that every wilful omission of a known duty and commission of known sin hath much of atheism and unbelief in it it is but yet a little while and Master and Servant must be equal death knows no difference the worms and rottenness will seize as soon on the one as the other and this might a little teach us humanity and moderation Consider that account that must be given of our opportunities of service and every talent we are intrusted with Suppose God's Messenger were just ready to knock at your door and you were surely to appear before God before to morrow morning what meekness diligence faithfulness would you then exercise and how hardly brought to do any thing to hazard God's displeasure how full of good counsel to every body why Luke 16.2 Heb. 9.27 Job 31.14 how knowest thou O man but this hour may be thy last This was that which did not a little prevail with Job to do his
duty and not to despise the cause of his hand-maid What then said he should I do when God shall rise up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Let death when he comes find you doing the best work Ar. Epict. l. 3. c. 15. Antoninus l. 2. n. 2. and faithful in your place I shall conclude this with the advice of that gallant Emperour Let it be thy earnest care constantly to perform every thing thou art about with justice to every one which you may well do if you go about every act as your last I am now come to the last thing which I promised to do and that is to shew What is the Duty of Servants and that I shall perform in the same method as I did before 1. By giving them some cautionary Directions 2. Some positive Directions and pressing these with some Motives and give them some Helps for the better performance of their Duty 1. I shall give Servants some cautionary Directions First Let Servants take heed of pride This was the sin of the Angels this made them Devils this was the sin of our first Parents 1 Tim. 3.6 this made them rebellious to God A humble heart is ready for any work or state that God in his providence calls him to any thing but sin will down with a humble man Remember pride unfits for the service of God and man makes one think himself fitter to command than to be commanded that makes one go on heavily with their work impatient of reproof ready to answer again malepert saucy ready to commit other sins to gratifie their pride A proud Servant will scorn to be catechized called to an account or be kept under those bounds that reason and Religion set Humility doth no body any harm brings no dishonour or inconveniency but is as good a security to reputation comfort and profit as any thing I know Secondly Take heed of disobedience to the lawful commands of your Master Think not that your arrogance bigness and parentage will bear you out It may be you think scorn that your Master should correct you and you say in your mind that you will give him as good as he brings know this that if you have a Master that may be low-spirited weak or poor and it may be such a one that is loth to deal with you as Law and Religion gives him leave yet are you too strong for God Is he afraid of your swelling and big looks Will he count you innocent Is not your rebellion and disobedience to your Master disobedience and rebellion against God And can his purity suffer long or his justice bear such impâ—â—â—â—y always without some signification of his displeasure Must the great ones of the world that break his Laws feel his power and shall such a despicable wretch as thou go unpunished Remember what is said of disobedience to the lawful commands of Magistrates holds here Whosoever resisteth shall receive to himself damnation Rom 13.2 Thirdly Take heed of negligence idleness carelesness By this you rob your Master of what in honesty you should and might have got for him by this you secretly waste your Master and answer not that trust that is put in you and is justly expected from you by this you give just occasion of displeasure to your Master by this you break your promise made to your Master and provoke God highly Mat. 5 26. Remember what a sentence the wicked slothful Servant must shortly hear Fourthly Take heed of mere eye-service Is the eye of God nothing to you and his warnings insignificant Col. 3.12 Doth not he in plain words forbid this O how many such Servants be there that when their Master is by are very diligent but when his back is turned then how lazy how wanton how careless Would you be served thus your selves if you were Masters Doth God take no notice at all and if he do how do you think he liketh such doings Is it a small matter to make light of his presence and if it be so you shall shortly find to your cost that his eye was more than your Master 's upon you and if you will not believe his knowledg observation and eye his hand shall shortly give you such a demonstration of both as you shall not be able to slight Fifthly Take heed of Lying By a lye you deny God's knowledg you make one fault two you make your self an enemy to humane society that is a sin which is hateful to every honest man and abominable to the Lord the lyar shall be shut out of Heaven Prov. 6.17 Rev. 21.8 and have his portion in that Lake that burns for ever I spare to speak how it spoils a man's credit and feeds jealousies in a Master and maketh him scarce believe you when you speak truth O! little do Servants think what folly they are guilty of by covering their faults with a lye Little do they think how dear that sin must cost them either here by deep repentance or hereafter by intolerable torments Sixthly Take heed of purloining or imbezeling any part of your Master's goods for your own use Tit. 2.10 Luke 16.6 Meddle with nothing but what is your own and is allowed you you would be loth any one should call you a Thief I pray then take care of that which will make you deserve such a name do not consent to any that are in the least guilty in that kind be not partners with a Thief and make not your self an accessory to another's wickedness by concealing any unfaithfulness of that nature in your fellow-servants after you have roundly warned them your self eat not of the junkets that sensuality wantonness and theft hath provided If you would know what such doings tend to in a word I may tell you they pamper lust many times end in uncleanness murder a prison a halter and if that were all it were not so bad in comparison by this you wrong God and man fear your conscience and make way for a world of other sins and bring speedy and sure damnation except a thorow repentance prevent it Seventhly Take heed of bad companions have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them O how many hopeful youths are blasted by wicked company I am not ignorant of the high pretences of love that such may have and what excuses they may palliate their wickedness with but please none to displease God never count him your friend nor one that will do you a kindness that would lead you to sin the devil damnation Eighthly Take heed of disclosing your Master's secrets do not speak any thing that may wound his reputation make no mention of his faults without you are called to it lawfully and then not without deep regret and trouble upon the account of God's honour and his soul Some Servants make nothing of prating against their Masters and Mistresses behind their backs little considering that this is a sin
what the good works are which we must be alwayes ready to To speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness to all men Tit. 3.1 2. The Scripture speaks more of this than I have leisure to recite See Gal. 5.23 and 6.1 1 Tim. 6.11 and 2 Tim. 2.25 1 Pet. 3.15 Jam. 3.13 Zeph. 2.3 Isa 29.19 Psal 141.4 and 76.9 and 147.6 and 37.11 3. And Patience both towards God and Man is a necessary Companion of Humility and Meekness This greatly differeth from Natural dulness and an insensible temperature When a man's Soul is partly so much awed by God's Authority and Presence and partly so much taken up with the great matters of his Service and partly so much contented with his favour and grace and the hopes of glory as to make light of all the Interests of the Flesh as such and therefore to bear patiently such losses and crosses and wants and sufferings as touch the Flesh as taking it for no great matter to lose all the World if we save our Souls this is true Patience by which God is glorified For by this men will see that Christians have indeed such great things in their hopes as set them quite above the transitory things of the Flesh and World But when they are much troubled at every Cross and Loss and whine and complain as if they were undone if they live in Poverty or Reproach and are at their wit's end in every danger and fret and storm at every ill word or every one that wrongeth them they are the shame of their Profession and scandals to the World It is not a sudden Anger which is the great sin of Impatience but an impotent disability to suffer in the Flesh in Estate or Name and a repining under every want which sheweth a Fleshly Worldly mind and a want of true believing the heavenly Felicity Though I confess that Pity must make some Excuse for many poor Women whose Natural temper maketh their Passions troubles and fears invincible He that said In your Patience possess your souls doth intimate that we have lost our selves and the government order and Peace of our Souls when we have lost our Patience Luke 21.19 See Eccl. 7.8 Jam. 5.7 8. 1 Pet. 2.20 1 Thes 5.14 Be patient towards all men 1 Tim. 6.11 Col. 1.11 Whatever Zeal you seem to have in Prayer in Preaching and for purity of Worship if you can bear wants and sickness and the loss of all the World no better than others you will appear no better in their Eyes for if you faint in the day of Adversity your strength is small Prov. 20.10 XII And as a special fruit of Humility An easie and thankful bearing of Reproof and readiness to confess a fault upon due conviction is a necessary duty to the Honouring of God It will shew men that you are Enemies to sin indeed and that you are not Hypocrites who weed only their Neighbours Fields and see the Mote in another's Eye and not the Beam which is in your own If the Righteous smite us by Reproofs it must be taken as a kindness and as a precious Balsome which doth not break our Head but heal us Psal 141.5 Not that we are bound to belye our selves in compliance with every man's censorious humour that will accuse us but we must be readier to censure our selves than others and readier to confess a fault than to expect a confession from others whom we Reprove Sincerity and serious Repentance will be honourable in that Person who is most careful to avoid sin and most ready penitently to confess it when he hath been overcome and truly thankful to those that call him to Repentance as being more desirous that God and his Laws and Religion have the glory of their Holiness than that he himself should have the undue glory of Innocency and escape the deserved shame of his sin It is one of the most dangerous Diseases of Professors and greatest scandals of this Age that Persons taken for eminently Religious are more impatient of plain though just reproof than many a Drunkard Swearer or Fornicator And when they have spent hours or dayes in the seeming earnest Confession of their sin and lament before God and Man that they cannot do it with more grief and tears yet they take it for a hainous injury in another that will say half so much against them and take him for a malignant Enemy of the godly who will call them as they call themselves They look that the chief business of a Preacher should be to praise them and set them above the rest as the only People of God and they take him for an Enemy that will tell them the truth But the scandal is greatest in those Preachers themselves who cannot endure to hear that they are sinners So tender and impatient of Reproof are some yea some that for their Learning and Preaching and Piety are ranked in the highest form or expect to be so that almost nothing but flattery or praise can please them and they can hardly bear the gentlest Reproof no nor a contradiction of any of their Opinions But they seem to tell men that it is their part and priviledge to be the Reprovers of others and to have no Reprover and to tell other men of sin and be themselves accounted Innocent and to call other men to Repentance for Particular sins while they themselves must have no other Repentance than in general to say that they a sinners and to proclaim to all that their Publick Confessions are formalities and that it is a Christ to heal the Souls of others that they Preach while they acknowledge but little work for his remedies on themselves But he that refuseth reproof doth err and he that hateth it is brutish how Learned or Reverend or Pious soever he would be accounted Prov. 11.17 and 12.1 He that regardeth reproof is prudent and he that hateth it shall die Prov. 15.5 10. As ready humble penitent confession of sin doth tend to our Pardon from God so doth it tend to our acceptation with Man When God and Man will condemn the Pharisee that justifies himself till Confession be extorted from him XIII It is another very Honourable fruit of Humility to have a learning disposition and not to be Magisterial and to be swift to hear and slâ—w to speak All Christ's Disciples must be as little Children Matth. 18.3 4. especially in a learning teachable disposition A Child doth not use to set his wit against his Master's or any other that will teach him nor to rise up against instruction as a Disputer that must have the better and be accounted the wisest but his daily business is submissively to learn A Genuine Christian is indeed communicative and willing that others should partake with him in the wisdom and happiness which God hath revealed to him But he is ready first to learn himself and knoweth that he must receive before he can communicate And
Mens carriages will be answerable to the truth and power of their Faith and Hope in reference to the comforts of the unseen world Inf. 3. All the dejectedness of thorow-Gracious Christians arises from their inconsiderateness Inf. 4. To understand the regular measures of Fear and Love is of considerable concernment in our Christian Course Inf. 5. To look and act for joys to come and to make them quickning arguments to our obedience and preparations is an essential part of our Religion 2 John 8. Inf. 6. Immoderate love of Life and fear of Death is sinful and of dangerous consequence Inf. 7. It is of great use to understand the truth and worth of the Comforts of a well-finished Course Inf. 8. Infidelity in whole or in part as far as it reaches cannot but mortifie those noble dispositions and necessary preparations which Christianity calls us to for it is impossible to be religious any further than God's existence and rewarding excellencies and resolutions are credited Heb. 1-1 6 Inf. 9. The want or distance of pertinent and smart temptations is the only reason of perseverance in the formality of Godliness amongst Professors whose hearts and aims are not upon and for the joys of Heaven Inf. 10. To have our Faith and Hope well fixt and exercised is the best Method and Expedient for Chearfulness Constancy and Courage in the whole frame of Christian sufferings and duty This makes exalted active Souls in Godliness and for it Inf. 11. Then what considerable friends are God and Christ to Christianity and serious Christians who have furnished us with hopes and arguments drawn from the certainty and transcendent excellence of joys to come Inf. 12. No man hath cause to quarrel with what he is called to do and suffer for the Christian Cause nor reason to decline Religion because of difficulties in the way These Inferences should and might be enlarged upon but that the determined Bounds of a single Sermon must not be exceeded Close with the Truth delivered here and with the Author lament and pray for the heightning of his too mean accomplishments and furniture What Gifts of Grace are chiefly to be exercised in order to an actual preparation for the coming of Christ by Death and Judgment SERMON XXXI Matth. 25.10 And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut WE have two large and weighty discourses of Jesus Christ to his Disciples newly before his Death Joh. 14 15 16. the one to comfort them against his departure out of the world the other to prep re both them and us against his return to judge the World of which the present Chapter treateth and part of the precedent In the former Chapter we have Christ's Exhortation unto watchfulness against his second coming Chap. 24.42 urged from the uncertainty of the time of his return And this Exhortation is continued in this 25th Chapter in which there are these three parts The first is contained in the Parable of the Ten Virgins from the first to the fourteenth Verse The second in that of the several Talents given by the Master to his Servants to be employed and improved by them against his return from the fourteenth to the thirty first Verse The third containeth the Description of the Coming of Christ to judge the world from Verse 31 to the end of the Chapter My Text lieth in the first Parable viz. That of the Ten Virgins of which five were wise and five were foolish And whereas Christ very often opened his mouth in Parables none of them comes closer to the Consciences of men than this as I may have occasion to shew hereafter I shall not insist in opening the whole Parable seeing the following Discourse will take in most thereof I will hasten therefore to that part thereof which I have now read unto you Now as for these Ten Virgins they professed alike and who were the wise and who the foolish lay undiscovered till the Midnight-cry was heard Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him behold he cometh with Clouds he cometh to judge the Earth he shall judge the world in righteousness and his People with equity This was an awaking Cry to slumbring Virgins in the midst of the dark and black night who little dream'd that Christ was so near at hand but wise and foolish are startled and raised with it all of them betake themselves forthwith to the trimming of their Lamps when the foolish finding theirs extinguished desire the wise to communicate of their Oil unto them they speak like persons not well awaked For though there is a Communion of Saints in the exercise of their Graces mutually among themselves yet there is no communication of personal Graces to each other and moreover the just shall live by his own and not by another's Faith What therefore say the Wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nequaquam By no means say they lest there be not enough for us and you we have no Oil to spare but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves Salsa derisio non cohortatio saith Beza The Wise answer the Foolish wisely yea wittily upbraid them for their Folly for was this a time to get Grace when the Bridegroom was come and time was slipt Is that a time to have Oil to buy when we should have Oil to burn Or is this Oil to be bought with money and price which is most freely given in the day of Grace and Mercy What therefore do the foolish do As if they foolishly understood an Exprobration for an Exhortation they are thinking now of buying but while they went to buy the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him and the Door was shut In which words you have 1. The going of the Foolish to buy 2. The coming of the Bridegroom to the Marriage 3. The preparedness of the Wise to enter with him 4. The shutting of the Door after them But not to insist upon these things distinctly let me gather up the principal scope of our Saviour in the words which is to shew us Obs That very miserable is the condition of such especially Professors of the Gospel who have Grace to seek and get at the coming of Jesus Christ Observ and as happy is the state of such who are ready to enter with him into the Bride-Chamber of eternal Rest and Peace This is the Point that I shall insist upon which in the Application will lead me to the Question that is to be spoken to 1. I say Very miserable is the condition of such i. e. of such in general and not only of such as profess to Christ but of others also that profess not to him at all as to any shew of Godliness in their lives such as are the far greatest part of men yea and commonly too where the Gospel is preached who are sure enough to seek not
and therefore the Blessing is null and moreover what the meaning of this Providence is that my Brother should come forth against me in this hostile manner I knovv not Wherefore I humbly beg thy Blessing and the confirmation of that Title vvhich hath so great an error in it Thus God brought an old reckoning to his remembrance in an evil day and set it on his conscience and put him to repent and mourn for he wept and made supplication to the Angel Hos 12.4 He came not off so easily but was fain to vvrestle hard all night to lose his rest and to struggle and sweat and pray and vveep and shed many a tear and to go halting aftervvard upon his Thigh unto his dying day Take heed therefore of old Reckonings undischarged look back and consider hovv it hath been and omit not a day vvithout revievving your Actions and Repentings I say as duly as the day determineth let not the Sun go dovvn upon any guilt contracted that so your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and exercise your self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and men and this vvill the better prepare you for the coming of Jesus Christ both by Death and Judgment Fifthly Be much in the exercise of Goodness Mercy and works of Liberality towards Christ in his needy Members according to your opportunity and power For though you shall be saved by your Faith yet you shall be judged according to your Works And it greatly concerneth us to be laborious in that Service upon vvhich the judgment shall pass at Christ's appearance Mat. 25.35 36. Call your self therefore to an account what you have done in this way for Christ as how you have fed cloathed visited relieved him in his Members here on earth And if this were more considered such as profess to Christ would be more active for him in ought wherein they might be more serviceable to him but when we see but little activity in the exercise of this Grace we may well fear there is but little Oil in the Vessel for rich anointings will make men agile and ready for every good work inasmuch as the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and they that hope for eternal Life when Christ shall come by Death and Judgment must seek for Glory Honour and Immortality not only in well-doing but in continuance in it Beware of Omissions and among others of this great duty The Judgment will reach unto all sins In the Narrative of his Life and Death and to omissions in a special manner Mat. 25.37 38. For which that learned and holy Vsher was humbled upon his death-bed The Nobleman hath put a Pound into your hand saying Occupy till I come yea he hath given you many Pounds in a literal sense with which you must trade as well as with the Talents of your Parts and Gifts of Grace And I know you would be glad to find Mercy with Onesiphorus in the day of Christ Remember therefore Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 But He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shewed no mercy whereas mercy rejoyceth against judgment A merciful man is so far from fearing judgment at Christ's coming that he rather rejoyceth at the thoughts of it Sixthly Exercise diligence and faithfulness in your particular Calling For when Christ speaketh of his Coming saith he Be ye ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh What followeth Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.44 45 46. When Christ was speaking to this Point saith Peter Lord speakest thou this Parable to us or even unto all Luke 12.41 Truly Christ spake it unto all though in a special manner to such as Peter for Christ will have an account how every one of us have managed our particular Callings But they that are Stewards in the House of God which is his Church have a very great account to give and it is required of them in a special manner that a man be found faithful and of all Christ's servants his Stewards have most to answer for that if a dispensation of the Gospel and the care of souls were not committed to them he that understandeth the weight of Stewardship would dread to undertake it but a necessity is laid upon them and wo unto them if they Preach not the Gospel It is said of Calvin that when Nature began to decline in him Melch. Adam in vit Calv. and the symptoms of a dying man appeared on him he would be diligent at his Studies from which his friends disswading him saith he Nunquid me Dominus inveniet otiosum Shall my Master find me idle Let such therefore and all be diligent and faithful in their respective place and employments And indeed every man is a Steward more or less You know what the Master saith of the slothful Servant Take him and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Such slothful servants shall be under the tribute of eternal pains Prov. 12.24 when the good and faithful Servant shall be made ruler over many things and enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.23 Would you stand before Christ at his coming Oh dread Idleness and unfaithfulness in your Callings as you desire to be sound of him in peace at his appearance Fill up your days with Duty and give your time to him who gave it to you Paul was a great lover of Christ and his Appearance and who more abundant in his Labours for him For he had the Conscience of his indefatigable industry and fidelity in his work for his Master Saith he I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith 2 Tim 4.7 8. He meaneth especially his military faith and oath in fighting a good fight for Christ And wherefore do we hear him groaning so earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with his house which is from Heaven It was because he laboured ambitiously that whether present or absent he might be accepted of him For saith he We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one might receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5 2. with 9.10 Lastly That I might not multiply particulars let me add what Christ hath joined together Sobriety Watchfulness and Prayer Luk. 21 34.36 And therefore take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this Life and that Day come upon you unawares Gird up therefore the loins of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought