brings Gods curse Exad 21. 17. Deut. 27. 16. Prov. 30. 17. The infernal Ravens shall pick out the Eye of him that mocketh his Parents as cursed Cham did blessed Noah yea God oft repays them again in the same Coin as one ungracious Son I Read of that kicked his Father down the Stares and dragged him by the hair of the head to turn him out of doors and for this end opening the door the old Father then spake saying Now Son it is enough do no more for thus far I went with my Father however God will take them to task as he did Abimelech and render to them the wickedness done to their Parents Judg. 9. 5. 56. And he was a Son of more wit then grace who when his Father complained that never Father had such an undutiful Child as he had replyed yes my Grandfather meaning his Father when a Child whom he spake to 19. The fifth Rule is if you be a Son or Daughter that fears your Parents have left you Job's Legacy laying up iniquity for you as well as Inheritance Job 21. 19. as 2 Sam. 3. 29. 2 King 5. 27. and Exod. 20. 5. Yet know none shall be damned eternally for their Parents Sin Ezek. 18. 17. Gal. 5. 6. unless they make it their own either by commission or approbation yet may they be punished Temporally yea though they prove good Children as 1 King 14. 12 13. and that you may escape this you must bewail your Parents Sins Ez. 9. 6 7. Dan. 9. 4 6 8. Deut. 21. 13. and as to the goods you derive from them you should do with them as you do with fruit out of the hands of some dirty Huckster you must wash them over again and then you may use them to the pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. besides grace cuts of the entail though the oldest and strongest of wickedness as a good Child may come from a bad Father as Ahaz had an Hezekiah 2 King 18. 1. and Amon a Josiah 2 King 21. 21 26. So a good Child may have a sanctified use of the goods of bad Parents as those two good Sons had of the Treasures of bad Fathers 20. The sixth and last Rule is Secondly to Servants please your Masters in all things not answering again either by chatting or thwarting Tit. 2. 9. The old saying is be it better be it worse please him that bears the Purse not with Eye-service Eph. 6. 5 6. 'T is not enough for you to fear man your Master who hath power over the flesh only but you must fear God Col. 4. 22. who hath power to cast Body and Soul into Hell Math. 10. 28. not one servant went into the Ark with Noah nor out of Sodom with Lot which shows that few Servants be good O be you of the Number of the few that takes some time for your Soul If Servants under the Law did so that were Slavish bond-men and bond-women much more you under the Gospel Abraham had a faithful and a praying Servant Gen. 24. 10 16 27 45. and Jacob was no less to Laban and Joseph to Potiphar and the Centurion was happy in his Servants Math. 8. 6. O see you make your Master happy c. by your faithfulness diligence and Conscience of duty The Conclusion 1. UPon the Review of the whole If you be the governour of a Family your great concern is to see that both your self and your Family do serve the Lord in walking all those pleasant and profitable walks of a Christian Josh 24. 15. the Reasons be three 1. 'T is your duty 2. 'T is your beauty 3. 'T is your safety so to do 1. Your duty as you are Gods Tenant at Will only quamdiu te bene gesseris so long as you behave your self well your Gold is his and your Silver in his Hag. 2. 8. your Land is his Lev. 25. 23. and your house is his he appoints it you Act. 17. 26. Gen. 49. 13. God is the true proprietary of all Ezek. 21. 27. and your serving of God is your Pepper-corn you pay to your great Landlord 2. Reason 't is your beauty holiness hath a beauty in it and therefore are they oft put together 1 Chro. 16. 29. 2 Chro. 20. 21. Psal 29. 2. 96. 9. 110. 3. That Family which worships the Lord in the beauty of holiness hath a Church in their house as Rom. 16. 5. 1 Cor. 16. 19. and to turn an house into a Church is a beautiful thing 3. Reason 't is your safety 1 From Gods wrath his destroying Angel shall not break in upon you Exod. 12. 12 13. but he doth break in upon the Families that call not upon his name Jer. 10. 25. 2 From the Devils malice such houses as are haunted with evil-Spirits what-ever other Reason there may be thereof yet sure I am this is one that the worship of God hath not been duly and truly observed in that house where the fear of God is not there all evil and any Devil may prevail to play their pranks Gen. 20. 11 17. and Isa 13. 21. Babylon may be a place for Satyrs or Devils in borrowed shapes and hideous apparitions but Sion is a place of Songs No Lyon shall be there not that roaring Lyon the Devil Esa 33. 13. 35 9 10. 2 Thes 3. 3. 1 Joh. 5. 18. Psal 118. 15. 2. If you be the Father of the Family then are you as the Sun if the Mother thereof then are you as the Moon and if Children then are you of the Stars as in Josephs dream Gen. 37. 9. the Sun the Moon and the Stars as before Shows the duty of each besides the Governours of Families should be King Priest and Prophet in their own-families 1 You must be a King or a Queen if a Female to make Laws for your Family and to see to the Execution of them as you have power to make Laws so you have the Sword to Execute them Gen. 16. 6. she is in thy hand to correct her for her fault though this Lady or Queen as the word Sarah signifies shewed too much wrath to her maid and too little Reverence to her Husband in dealing so roughly with her correction given in Anger hath usually more of rigour then of right Socrates said to his offending Servant but that I am angry I would strike thee 2 You must be a Priest the word is used in Latin for he and she to Sanctify your Family and familiarity by the Sacrifice of Prayer dayly Thus did Job Chap. 1. 5. well knowing he was bound to the preservation of Gods precepts as well as to the Observation of them and to see that all his under his shadow Hos 14. 7. should keep them as well as himself he sues for pardon even of suspected Sins in his Sons and turns his suspicion into a supplication and this Job did Kolhajomim continually or every day This also was our Lord Christs custom as before not being weary of well doing yea further you must by your Priestly Office admonish offenders and excommunicate those that are Incorrigible cast out the bond-woman and her Son Gen. 21. 9. 10. The Son was a mocker and derider of the Covenant a fault it was no doubt and a great one too otherwise the Apostle would not have cal'd it persecution Gal. 4. 20. nor God have punished it with Excommunication and the Mother was likely the Author or at least the abettor of her Sons Sin in ambitiously seeking the Inheritance and therefore out they must go together Thus likewise David would not suffer a wicked Servant to tarry in his sight Psal 101. 4. 8. 3. And thirdly you must be a Prophet or Prophetess to instruct your Family in the knowledg of God and with Abraham command your Children and your houshold to keep the ways of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. The lips of the Righteous feed many Prov. 10. 21. Ruth carries her gleanings home Ruth 2. 17 18. and the Bee carries all her gatherings to the Hive so a good Housholder what he gathers abroad he carries home knowing that all the Souls in the house are given to him to care for as all the Souls in the Ship were given to Paul Act. 27. 24. 'T was a notable saying of Mr. Stocks that many Housholders in London while they are taking care of preserving the health of their own bodies in their Countrey houses they are all that time starving their Servants Souls O consider how may Servants Dog cry after and curse their Masters in Hell for Murthering their Souls which is worse then body-murther and for doing no more for them then they did for their Beasts to wit in feeding their bodies only but as Gallio not caring for better things Act. 18. 14 17. O how did the Queen of Sheba admire the order of Solomons house and the Apostle commend the order he saw in several houses and would they not as much wonder and discommend the disorder an perturbation in many houses that pray not apart Zech. 12. 10 12. but Moon and Stars above the Sun water above the Earth all Ataxies or disorder and brawling about triffles Thundrings rending the middle Region while all 's quiet in a well ordered house as in the upper Region Mox longe tarde Cede Recede Redi Such an house hath the Plague of Leprosy in it Levit. 14 35 to 42. If it be matter of choice to you depart quickly 〈◊〉 of it remove a great way from it and let it be throughly cleansed before you return to it again FINIS
telling of Divine truth which is the only Currant Coin in the Court of Heaven 17. Alas poor Soul if you do so I cannot say of you as Christ once said of Lazarus Joh. 11. 12. If he sleep he shall do well but the contrary if you sleep in an Ordinance you both do and will do very ill you can neither take nor tell even saving truth when it is told out to your hand and to your heart As the Apostle faith what have you not Houses to eat and to drink in 1 Cor. 11. 22. So I say what Have you not Houses to sleep in But you will shame your self and despise the Church of God Shall I praise you in this I praise you not O little do you know what drops of the Divine unction that flows from the two blessed Olive-Trees Christ and his Spirit Zech. 4. 2 3 12 14 Runs by your Vessel while you shut the mouth of it by your falling asleep Spare-diet on that day is a good Antidote against that evil and sure I am a truly thirsting Soul that followeth hand after Christ Psal 63. 1 2 8. hath the right Spiritual Antidote as spare-diet is the natural against it Such as wake much in Taverns and Ale-houses will be sure to sleep much in the Ordinances and they that dare do so and can be pleased with themselves in so doing may justly suspect their own state and standing God-ward Such as sleep to God God will sleep to them and 't is just saith Mr. Robert Bolton that such be plagued with some sudden vengeance from Heaven for neglecting so great Salvation Hebr. 2. 3. to become Examples to others 'T is Gods great mercy Gods plagues are suspended God will sooner or later send out his Summons for sleepers 18. Fourthly you must attend the word without weariness as well as without drowsiness those two very often go together If Nero were so angry with Vespasian for being weary of and falling asleep at his Musick O what will the great God be if you both be weary of and fall asleep at his sacred Ordinance you must shake your self from sluggishness as Sampson did Judg. 16. 20. and not cry out O what a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. and when will the Sabbath be over Amos 8. 5. as if in the stocks all the while you sit there but consider how Christ standeth and knocketh at the door of your heart and this he hath done many days and weeks and mongths and years yet is not weary Revel 3. 20. although the posture of standing be a wearisom posture and the action of knocking a wearisom action yet his leggs ake not with standing nor his hands wearied with knocking Esa 59. 1. shall the Master wait and wait long upon the servant without weariness and dare the servant be weary with waiting a while upon his Lord and Master Such as have maintenance from the Kings palace or are salted with the Kings Salt in their Salaries as Ezr. 4. 14. Must not be weary with waiting in his Service 't is the brand of the Child of Perdition to have eaten of his Masters bread and yet lift up his heel against him Psal 41. 9. Matth. 26. 23. 19. How many lift up their heels to go away from Christ in the Ordinance if they do not lift up their heels to war against him know you not saith the Apostle that the Saints shall Judg the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. but alas the very Ox and Ass doth Judg such persons by their knowing and waiting on their Masters Crib better then they Esa 1. 4. Some cannot sit above an hour as if all spoke after were unsanctified matter and born out of due time Surely 't is easier to hear with the ear then to cry with the voice there is straining and stretching of both lungs and sides in this but none in that yet the Worshippers of the Idol Diana could cry out with an extended voice for the space of two hours great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19. 34. yet some cannot hear with the ear above one hour O Consider your Lords Heaven and Happiness for which you are hearing and which is prepared for all that hear aright is more then of an hour long and shall man make the Ephah of his makers Worship so small Amos 8. 5. when his Maker hath made the Omer of his Wages so great Our work is not the tenth part of our Wages Exod. 16. 36. Shall the Cedar of Lebanon woo and suit the Thistle in Lebanon for a Marriage as 2 King 14. 9. And can the poor Thistle be weary of such beseechings 20. Fifthly you must attend the word without wandrings as well as without weariness you must serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. as before David loved the word of God so much that he hated all vain thoughts that would have distracted him in it Psal 119. 113. he as it were shrinks out of himself into his God when the wicked one touched his heart with wandring thoughts alas the Plaque of Flies is upon the fal'n nature of Man as it was upon the land of Egypt from Beelzebub the God of Flies pray the Lord so to expel them as not one may be remaining Exod. 8. 31. 10 19. Those flocks may not feed before the Mount of God Exod. 3. 4 3. and those Fowls may not rest on your heart as 2 Sam 21. 10. that as Haman would ravish the Queen the Soul even in the Kings presence Esth 7. 8. hang them Ver. 10. Gen. 15. 11. 21. The second duty in the Act of hearing is Intention as before Attention there must be Intention of the heart as well as Attention of the ear first Luke 19. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendebat ab ore ejus the people there were so intent and earnest in hearing the word of Christ that they did as it were hang their ears at Christs mouth and tied them to his very Tongue Thus you should hear as for your life and as for your last just as Prisoners hear their Prince that Judgeth them at the Bar when every word he speaks to them is either life or death Or as Benhadads servants did hear the King of Israel whom they expected to find a merciful King 1 King 20. 31 32 33. How did they watch every Word and how did they catch at the word brother you must hang on God in his Ministers as the Babe doth upon the breast and as the Bee doth upon the flower 2. Open your hearts Acts 16. 14. God bids you open your mouth wide and he will fill it Psal 81. 10. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your narrow Soul and your narrow Faith will spoile you in this Ordinance you should bring large Sacks and such as will open wide when you come for the Corn of Heaven to the Lord of Heaven and Earth as the Patriarks did when they went in a Famine for Corn to the Lord of the land of Egypt Gen. 42. 2
58. 13 14. Psal 37. 4. 21. The ninth and last Direction is be careful to close up the Sabbath with a gracious frame of heart when with Zacheus you have got a view of your sweet Jesus from top to toe upon the Sycomore Tree of some Gospel-advantage though low of stature in your self this is your after duty be sure you take Christ home with you and joyfully receive him there as he did Luke 19. 3 4 5 9. he is you 'l find the most blessed guest that brings Salvation with him as well as a Supper Rev. 3. 20. Reflect then upon the whole carriage of your heart all the day and falling down upon your knees 1 Beg pardon for your drowsiness or distraction for your want of fervency of Spirit in serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. And a Sabbath frame of Soul 2 Return praise for the Angels moving the waters in order to any healing either the weakness of your grace or the strength of your Corruption lose not the warmth of the day in the cool of the evening for want of watchfulness and let Sabbath day thoughts abide with you all the week-days then week-day thoughts will less trouble you on the Sabbath day Of Family-Duties the first Pregnant Considerations second Practical and profitable Directions CHAP. XII 1. HItherto of the walk of a Christian in personal Holiness a short discourse of his Relative Holiness in the close of all Consider the first 't is true a man is what he is in private and in personal Actions habitually either good or evil and 't is as true that a man who is good privately and personally cannot but be good Relatively also he will labour to be good in all Relations be will desire and endeavour to be holy as a Father as a Husband and as a Master this holds true in all other Relations Superiour Inferiour or Equal as a Wife as a Child and as a Servant Yea as a Magistrate and as a Minister c. All persons are Really what they are Relatively unsound hearts like the Piller of smoak in the Wilderness will have a dark side as well as a bright because they be not what they seem to be they be not to God what they seem to be to men you may not be like the Candle in a dark Lantern that gives but light one way but rather as the Candle set upon the Candlestick that disperses its light every way into every corner of the House you must not be diligent in one Relation and negligent in another but be holy in all Relations wherein God has set you 2. The second Consideration is Religion in Truth disperses it self into every Relation and makes the New-Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publick-Creature for the good of others a blessing Gen. 12. 2. to Family Relations and so by consequence to both Church and State whereof a Family is the Epitome being as the Philosopher saith the first Society in Nature as before the flood both were bound up in private Families as in a little volume so now the way to have both good is to have Families good whereof Churches and Kingdoms do consist to make them as great Folios Religious Families are blessed nurseries out of which are transplanted a good Son into one place a good Daughter into another and these bring a blessing along with them to those several places as Jacob did to Laban Gen. 30. 27 30. and Joseph to Potiphar Gen. 39. 23. those two blessed branches of the Patriarks Families though transplanted into a Forraign Soil carries a blessing to Forraign Countreys 3. The third Consideration is seeing 't is the Lord that sets the Solitary in Families Psal 68. 6. and appoints the bounds of your habitation Act. 17. 26. the placing of persons in this or that place and habitation is from the appointment of the Lord thereof as your being so your dwelling is from the Lord and this is not for wordly conveniency only but for the worship of God Deut. 6. 6 7. 11. 18. 19. which is your homage and quit-Rent you must pay to the Lord of all Act. 10. 36. Prov. 3. 6. Deut. 26. 17. Gen. 18. 19. Hereupon every new house was to be dedicated to God Deu. 20. 5. with Prayers and Praises as David did his Psal 30. title and as all should be Sanctified 1 Tim. 4. 5. the walls of your house are ever before the Lord Isa 49. 16. and therefore Holiness to the Lord should ever be writ upon them Zech. 14. 20. that your house may be as the house of David Zech. 12. 8. Psal 101. 2. and as Melanctons Prince a Church Court and Academy 4. The fourth Consideration is in two branches 1. Keep out Sin that grand trouble house Job 5. 24. 11. 14. 22. 23. do you visit your habitation 't is a great mercy deny'd to many put Iniquity far from your Tabernacle by Repentance and Reformation and while God fills your house with good things do not you fill it with evil Sins O let not this be your kindness to your friend 2 Sam. 16. 17. O do not thus requite the Lord Deut. 32. 6. your house should be all built of Irish-Oak as it were which cannot endure any venemous Spider to come near it 2. You must keep in the Ark as well as keep out Sin thus did David Psal 101. 2 3. he would set no wicked thing before him yet he did the holy Ark before which he danced with all his might 2 Sam. 6 14 16 17. 5. That you may be rightly guided in this last walk of a Christian to walk in your house with a perfect heart as David did Psal 101. 2. and both keep out Sin and keep in the Ark to wit Religion as Obed-edom did and was blessed for so doing 2 Sam. 6. 11. take these following directions the second thing propounded which relates First to the Governours of a Family and Secondly to the governed in it First to Governours the 1 Direction is wheresoever God hath set out the bounds of your habitation Act. 17. 26. though God say to you as Gen. 49. 13. Zebulun shall dwell by the Sea-shore an unruly Neighbour and that yields no good Air and it may be not an house to your liking in all things yet say this is the place appointed me of God and having God for your Portion there cry with David your lines are fallen to you in a pleasant place and that you have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 9 6. Gods company to give all good things to you Math. 7. 11. and to take all evil things from you makes a Cottage yea a Cave to become a Stately Court and a Princely Palace for where the King is there is the Court though you have not all to your mind yet this will make you say you have all as Jacob Gen. 33. 11. as Paul Phil. 4. 18. in having him that hath all yea though you have nothing in comparison yet possessing all things in him
of Honour from them Deo servire est regnare saith Augustin And David accounted it a greater honour to be Gods Servant then to be Israels King Psal 18. Title The great God is the most honourable Master who Employs his Servants in this most honourable work and will undoubtedly pay them with the most honourable wages even with an hundred fould in this life and in the World to come with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. I have no cause to doubt but that you are both of you already true Spiritual Pilgrims in this Divine walk and work And I cannot but be confident that you both do Ardently affect what soever may promote your Progress herein O that my poor Labours might contribute any thing to further your passage If but some few steps I could then wish every word were Ten every line a Leaf and every Leaf a Volum and that both my Tongue and my Pen might have ten-fold more of the Divine tincture upon them to be serviceable to you thereunto Your God and the God of your Fathers hath already done singular things for you and therefore he doth expect singular things from you Math. 5. 47. Where the Husbandman bestows his greatest cost there he expects his largest crop Your Trading and your Talents should be proportionable to whom much is given of them much is Required Luke 12. 48. I beseech you therefore as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to work in this paradise of christianity into which the second Adam hath graciously restored you as the first Adam cast you out in himself from thence so ye would abound more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. According to the Divine directions herein presented you That ye may follow the foot steps of your Father Abraham who followed God blind-fold when called as you have been out of one Land into another Heb. 11. 8. That ye may be called at last from Earth to Heaven in Soul and Body as ye are already in Spirit after ye have walked out your generation-work in Abrahams steps to be safely lodged in Abrahams bosom that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the hearts of your Son and Daughter and of their seed for ever and that your Walls and theirs may be continually before the Lord of the whole Earth Isa 49. 16. All this is the unfeigned desire and hearty Prayer which shall never be wanting of Your Worships sincerely and thankfully Devoted Christopher Nesse To the READER Candid and Christian Reader HEre I present you with the Walk and Work of a Christian upon Earth till he get to Heaven Wherein 1. Observe the matter And 2. The method hereof 1. The matter is twofold 1. Your Walk and 2. Your Work 1. As to your Walk there be three remarkable phrases in the holy Scriptures that all concern your Christian Walk 1. A walking with God 2. A walking before God And 3. A walking after God The first was that Walk of Enoch who is said to walk with God Gen. 5. 22 24. as a man walks with his friend with whom he is well agreed Amos 3. 3. hand in hand and heart in heart aequis passibus in equal pace and equipage And this he did not only for an hour or a day or a week or a month or a year but for 300 years Alas we can neither watch with Christ nor walk with God for the space of one single hour Mat. 26. 40. The second was the Walk of Abraham who is bid to walk before God Gen. 17. 1 that is to set himself evermore solemnly in Gods Presence as having the great God always in his Rear his Lieutenant-General and for his rereward Isa 52. 12. Thus the people of the God of Abraham had the cloudy pillar behind them in their passage through the red Sea Exod. 14. 19 20. where Jehovah himself brought up the Rear of 600000. Now to know that you are ever under Gods eye and ever before him this must needs make you walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurately Eph. 5. 15. and not to take up one foot until you know where to set down the other walking exactly by line and by rule and as it were in a frame footing it rightly and uprightly as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Gal. 2. 14. striving to get to the very top of Godliness The third was the Walk of Israel who were commanded to Walk after the Lord Deut. 13. 4. as after the Captain-General of their salvation Heb. 2. 10. Thus the pillar of glory went before them through the wilderness and they followed after it in all their removes Exod. 13. 21 22. Thus Caleb with a better Spirit than that of the World walk'd after God fully Numb 14. 24. as the needle doth after the Load-stone that draws it Cant. 1. 4. Joh. 6. 44. you walk after a good guide while you walk after your good God and in so doing you cannot easily wander in this wilderness of the World This will be a blessed Antidote to you against cursed Apostacy 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. and thus God must be your All and in All Col. 3. 11. he must be with you before you and behind you also that you may be as a Ship under Sail carried end-ways strongly by a favourable Wind and fearing neither Rocks nor Sands in the River of Gods Paradise Psal 46. 4. Gen. 2. 10. to 15. This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Revel 10. 9 10. Or little Book is a rude draught or Plat-form or Land-Skip of the Gospel-garden of Eden the true Spiritual Paradise of pleasure the sublimest Spring-garden of Scriptural-Holiness wherein you have not only pleasant Rivers as above but also delightful walks far surpassing the best gardens and galleries that can be found in this Chabul 1 King 9. 12 13. or dirty world Herein you are directed not to be Idle nor to stand still but to go forward as walkers do and to walk Arm in Arm as it were not only with God but with his holy Angels Zech. 3. 4 5 7. Mat. 22. 30. Isa 57. 2. And that not in one walk only but in many Delectable walks whereof this blessed Paradise of Piety consisteth insomuch that as the laborious Bee in a fruitful field of fragrant Flowers when Tyred with one Flower flyeth to another even so you when wearied with one walk or duty for you may be weary in it when you are not weary of it then may you pass to another without nauseating upon any one only you may walk Orderly out of one Ordinance to another Secondly as to your work which is as the walk the best work in the World though it be least minded by the World 't is a work wherein you serve the most honourable Master that employs his Servants in the most honourable work and will reward them with the most honourable wages to wit with an hundred fold in this life and in the world to come again with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. yea 't
obtained favour of the Lord Prov. 18. 22. as this calls for abundance of praise to your God so for abundance of prudence to your Consort which is the weaker Vessel and so ought to be handled as a Venice glass with all tenderness even as Christ and his Church Eph. 5. 29. 10. The sixth Direction is if God make you the head and Governour of an house and Family then learn in the first place to rule your little house well to wit your self he that hath no rule over his own Spirit is very unfit to take the rule over others Prov. 14. 29. 16. 32. and Eccles 7. 9. Anger may rush into a wise-mans bosom but it shall not rest there he dare not let the Sun go down upon so evil a guest and Counseller sury dwells and domineers in no house or heart not only till the Sun go down a whole day but while it go round a whole year Eph. 4. 26. but where a fool is the Master of the Family a troubler of his own house that brings all to nothing Prov. 11. 29. his livelihood by a secret curse Vanishes into Smoak and if not his life by fretting yet his liberty goes away for he shall be servant to the wise in heart none Triumphed in Rome but such as had five Victories nor you in Heaven without Victory over your five senses 11. The seventh Direction is be careful to lead an Exemplary and a convincing Life that you may be a pattern of Piety to your whole Family patterns are so prevalent both to good and evil that Pelagius did think though amiss Sin came into and is continued in the World by imitation and not by propagation be sure you shew Piety at home as well as abroad 1 Tim. 5. 4. and be not like the stage-Players that act the part of both great and good men upon the stage but follow them into the Tiring-House where they dis-robe themselves and then it will appear they are but very Rogues and vile-Varlots every man is what he is at home and in private If Godliness be writ in a fair Character and in large and lovely Letters in the leaves of your life 't will invite your Children and Servants to Read like and love it who otherwise possibly would never have heeded it the Master of a Family is the Ordinary Looking-glass whereby the whole Family do dress themselves Regis ad exemplum totus Componitur Orbis as is the politick-head so are the People the body and as is the domestick-head so usually is the houshold good or evil as it is with a fish if the head be sweet all 's sweet if it stink all 's putrifying The Office of an head is great in guiding and going before the whole body in Josephs dream Gen. 37. 9. behold the Sun the Moon and the Stars c. the Father of the Family should be as the Sun full of Heavenly light in himself and communicating of his light to enlighten the Moon his wise and the Stars of several Magnitudes his Children yea and the Air and the Earth too to wit all his Servants 12. The eighth Direction is if you be the Wise or Mother of the Family you must be of a wise Conversation which wonderfully wins as well as wooes all you are related to towards Conversion as well as Conviction 1 Pet. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. you must be as the Moon in Josephs dream shining out in your Orb in your husbands absence and yet vailing to him as the Moon to the Sun when he is present and in his power being Subject to him in all his lawful commands or restraints O that you may be fair as the Moon Cant. 6. 10. Shining bright in all Vertues and Graces while you are ordering your Family-affaires as Sarah and Abigail c. And though you may have sometimes a dark side towards the Earth yet as the Moon in her very Ecclipse you may have a bright side towards Heaven which may never be Ecclipsed you should be to your Husband what Davids harp was to Saul in his fury and Phrensy 1 Sam. 16. 23. when your Husband is at any time as who is not at some time transported into passion see that you cast Milk and not Oile upon the flames of his Anger that you may quench that fire and not more enflame it by adding another fire your own anger to it 't was once a blessed Expedient in a godly Couple though both Cholerick to live lovingly together for forty years without ever any fallings out betwixt them by yeilding evermore to each others passions and never being angry both together 13. The ninth Direction is to both the Sun and the Moon the Husband and the Wife jointly that you live together as heirs of the grace of life that your Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. Alas you are Men and Women Subject to many passions and infirmities Act. 14. 15. Jam. 5. 17. and not Angels freed from all frailties of the Flesh and therefore you have need to be enriched with all grace whereby you may perform the duties enjoy the comforts undergo the cares and resist the Temptations that do attend your persons and conditions as becommeth the Gospel you profess Phil. 1. 27. and your praying much with and for each other without hindrance 1 Pet. 3. 7. will with Gods blessing wonderfully encrease and Spiritualize your mutual affections one to another either jarring will make you leave praying or praying will make you leave jarring Isaac and Rebeccah were the most loving Couple we Read of Gen. 24. 67. For they were a praying Couple Gen. 25. 21 22. he prayed for his Wife constantly as the Hebrew signifies and she prayed down her passions prudently he got the mercy desired and she the Oracle Abraham obeys God in things grievous to him Gen. 21. 11 22. 2 3. and Sarah hindered him not by saying why do you so for she was a straight Rib and Satan cannot use it to break the head As the Husband must be a Son of Abraham so the Wife must be a Daughter of Sarah 1 Pet. 3. 6. O happy house with such Couples and where there is but one will the Wives swallowed up in the Husbands and the Husband in the Lords will 14. The tenth Direction to both is neglect not to let up the Worship of God in your Family this is not only to entertain the Ark of God but even God himself the Ark was the sign of Gods presence no sooner is David settled on his Throne but he will settle Religion and therefore sends for the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 1 2 3. 'T is come to Obed edoms Ver. 10. And brought a blessing with it thither V. 11. David then crys O when wilt thou come unto me Psal 101. 2. he would have the blessing Ark come to his house as well as to Obed-edoms and not only the Ark of God but also God himself Arise thou and the Ark of thy strength Psal 132. 8.