Iosuahs resolution of houshold gouernment.
But I and my house will serue the Lord.
LET me speake vnto you Coherence of the text with that which went before. (O yee house of Israel) our fathers haue receiued mercy diuers wayes, wee their children haue experience of the goodnes of our God; we haue sound proofe of his assured promise, vs hath he deliuered, our enemies confounded, & hath giuen vs possessiō ouer Canaan, as appeareth this day. Now my aduise and will is, that you would therefore feare the Lord, & serue him in vprightnesse and truth, and serue him alone, abandoning all idolatry, and not follow your own corrupt wayes, nor errors of Forefathers, in so great an euill. If it seeme good vnto you, so to [Page 7] doe, I shall reioyce, it is that I wish heartily for your good: but if you will not, bee it knowen vnto you all this day, and take notice of my full determination herein, that I and my house will serue the Lord.
God forbid, God forbid, that wee should (O most noble Prince) be of any other mind, then so also with thee, to seeke the honour of our God, and to serue him.
Surely you well perswade mee of Gods continuing mercy to vs hereby, for if we seeke him, he will be found of vs, if we 2. Chr. 15. 2 1. Sam. 2. honour him, he will honour vs, but if wee forsake him, he will forsake vs. It is also my hearts ioy that we do conioine as one herein: but neuertheles this know, that though company doe encourage men to serue the Doct. First Lord, yet if a man be alone, and all do forsake him, that is no barre that a resolued Christian should desist in his holy purpose.
Godly men tie not their religion Proofe. vpon other mens sleeues, they resolue with Peter to follow Christ, if all els doe forsake him: thy words ( Iosuah) declare herein thy iudgement, and thy promise, what wee all ought to practise.
Therefore, as I purpose, so ought Vse. ye to walke with God alone, if none will else ioyne with you.
Vrge, I beseech thee, this point vpon the people with reasons, that they may see how they may perswade themselues herein to a resolution.
The Lord in giuing his law doth Reasons. speak singularly in the second person, as to 1 one man, Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me, Thou shalt make no grauen Image, and so in the rest, as if he had said; Though other will not serue me, though some will haue other Gods, though all other will commit idolatrie, yet see thou doe not so, I charg al as one, & one as al, that euery man may be obediēt to single himselfe forth alone to serue me the Lord his God.
Againe, we all do couenant one by one 2 at our baptisme, and some doe promise as much for this & that Infant, that in particular God shall by them be worshipped: now God will require the performance of the couenant, which bindeth vs vpon the holy Sacrament, and by that signe of the sprinkling of Christs blood vpō vs, that so we do serue the Lord, albeit other do not.
Indeed it is an honest mans part to Simil. keepe his word with men, as we see when two are bound in a bond, one, he that respects his credit, will performe the condition, though the other be careles: how much [Page 9] more ought we to regard to keep our word with God, the promise being made so voluntarily, before so many witnesses, and sealed with the blood of Christ? This reason were sufficient to perswade, but if you haue any more, I beseech you proceed, for we need much spurring to run on the race to eternall life.
Our Sauiour tels vs, that we are to 3 forsake father and mother, Luke 14 wife and children, yea to hate them for his sake and the Gospel, els can we not be his Disciples: by which he teacheth this instruction, that we are to depend on none in our religion to God, be held backe by none, from our walking with God: that all earthly affection must be laid aside, and we must embrace Christ and the Gospel alone, if none neither father nor mother, sister nor brother, will goe with vs.
Indeed men in matters of this life, 4 will, for wealth, honor, pleasure: single thē selues from other, they would be in honor alone, they would dwell alone, that the poore cannot tell where to haue rest for them, they can be singular in vanity, be pointed out for a new fashion, be loathed for beastly liues, be hated for oppression, be talked of for pride, be abhorred for vnchast [Page 10] conuersation, blasphemy, & prophanenes, and yet men are loath to be any whit more religious towards God, thē other be. Thus alas, we see, men hold it no shame to be notorious in and for the world, in & for their pleasures, in & for honor; Sathan can make them grow more vaine, more wicked, then other, without shame, without daunt of spirit, without feare of man, either to be noted, or pointed at: but the Lord cannot perswade vs by his word to become more holy then other; that is forsooth singularity, and men feare now a dayes more to be noted for any strict course of life, from a common road, then for crying sinnes.
This sheweth the power of Sathan in the one, & the litle loue or zeale of God in the other, the wicked herein shall condemne these, though they shall not so saue themselues: but to proceed; If we consider that we are made alone, brought out alone, that we die in our appointed time alone, & that though wee shall all appeare before God in the last day, yet must euery one giue om. 14. 13. Cor. 5. 10. an account for himselfe vnto God, we should walke and liue, if so we needs must with God alone.
I know if a man haue a long iourney simil. to goe, & that vpon a hard penalty, he [Page 11] would desire honest company, but if he can get none, the feare of punishment maketh him set forward alone. We all are in our iourney to heauen by our profession, and we must be so by our practise, vpon paine of damnation; if we can get any to goe in a good life with vs, it is well, but if not, must we therefore herein stay our course?
Be it farre from vs; the example of 6 holy men, who are as marks set vp for passengers to look vpon, shew vs the contrary. Noah would serue God alone, when all the Gen 6. old world was drowned in wickednes. Lot Gen. 19. was in his singular way from al the Inhabitāts, 1. King 19. 2. Chro. 18. Ruth. 1. in the midst of Sodō. Eliah was alone, Michaiah auouched the truth alone: & to cōclude, Ruth would go alone with Naomi, whē Orpha her sister left her. We must be of Ruths mind towards religion, as shew was in her loue to Naomi. If anything would withdraw vs, if any person would disswade vs from a godly & deuout course, let vs say to Ruth. 1. 16. 17. them with Ruths speech, Intreat me not to leaue religion, nor to depart from it, for whither it goeth, I will go; and where it dwelleth I will dwell: the true professours of it, shall be my Thy people, my people. companions, God, the Author thereof, shall be my God, where it resteth, will I rest, and there will I die: the Lord doe so to me, and more [Page 12] also, if ought but death depart it and me.
Without doubt these examples are very pregnant, and doe giue liuely encouragement to serue God, if we be alone. But (my Lord) is it not grieuous to be alone? Obiection. did not Eliah sorrow, and vexe his spiritat this, that he was left alone, yea and desired therefore to die?
True it is, that Salomon saith, woe to Answer to the obiection. him that is alone, but alone without helpe from the Lord: but this his children want neuer finally, the Lord is with them, and if he be their familiar friend, they may with Dauid say, We care not what man can doe vnto vs, for the Lord is on our side. By him more is with vs then against vs; this Elisha being alone saw, and prayed that his seruant Gehezi might see: & albeit Eliah seemed to himselfe to be alone, yet was he not alone, God was with him, and 7000. not seene, who bowed not their knee vnto Baal: and whereas he wished to die for bodily presence of men, it was his weakenes, in which the Lord did shew mercy, and afforded him comfort afterward; the like mercy may we expect, as holy martyrs haue experienced.
Doth it not derogate ( Renowned Duke) from your greatnesse, to professe singularity [Page 13] from all nations in religion, and Preuention of an obiection. from all Israel, though they doe follow their forefathers, which were beyond the flood, and in Egypt seruing strange Gods?
Albeit God hath exalted me here doctrine. The second vpon earth, to rule ouer his people Israel, and though I succeede their vnmatchable Moses, that man of God, yet iudge I true religion to be my chiefe honour, and to differ from all men differing from their way wherein they should walke towards God, to be my glory: therefore is it that I say, But I and my house will serue the Lord, euen I Iosua, though Duke, though Prince in Israel, and a guide to Gods people, I will with my family serue him, who hath shewed me this great mercy.
You haue great cause to blesse God, that you in such glory, haue so great humility, in so great prosperity such zeale. It is rare for men of note to entertaine religion, but most rare for such therein to become singular.
Such as truely seeke God in heart Proofe. without hypocrisie, whatsoeuer their estate be, they hold it a speciall duty to do seruice vnto God, & that they can be in no estate, be it neuer so glorious with men, but that religion and the grace of sanctification [Page 14] maketh the same more glorious. By 1 deuotion in true religiō, we become Saints on earth, we haue the fruit of the spirit, the earnest and assurance of our adoption. By 2 sensible life are we better then things without life, and are but equall with beasts: by 3 reason we are better then these, but no better then Heathen: by religion, though false, are we worshippers of a diuine power, and therin more then Sauages; but by true religion are we Christians, and by sincerity therin with religious practise, are we more then common Christians, euen true and liuely members of Christ, in whom we are Gods adopted children, righteous before him: we haue inward peace of conscience, 4 and outward grace by the approbation of 5 the godly, Angels are giuen to attend vpon 6 vs, who are the children of the great King: Heauen is our inheritance, we haue 7 seats prepared, and shall with Christ iudge 8 the whole earth, and with him enioy the eternall 9 happinesse for euer, when the damned wicked shall be tormented world without end.
The weight of these reasons may force any man to hold religion and sincere walking with God, to be a grace vnto him, be he neuer so mightie in this world. He [Page 15] hath here honour, and men attend him, but by a holy conuersation he hath honor with God Alsufficient, & Angels wait vpon him. Here a man hath wealth, but by religious holines, he hath an euerlasting tresurie, and a supplie of all wants by grace. Here hath he, as a man, his pleasures and delights, but by deuout seruing of God, he hath peace which passeth all vnderstanding, that which the eie hath not seene, nor eare heard, nor the heart of a naturall man able to comprehend. Therefore ought we Vse. in what glory so euer we be before men, to adde religion to our state, and iudge it our crowne and glory.
Els may we rightly be iudged with Reasons. out it, no better then Heathen, rich Barbarians, honourable Atheists, & if men haue 1 delights without pietie, they be but prophane Epicures, which things indure not: 2 and without Gods good mercy, men without grace quaile by that very same thing whereby among men they be of highest estimation. Achitophels policie ouerthrew him: Absoloms beauty brought him to destruction: Hamans honor was his ruine. Religious feare of God is mans stay in euery 3 earthly estate; els the higher he is aduanced, & the more he possesseth without religion, [Page 16] the worse he is, farthest from God, and nigher to confusion. I therefore and my house will serue the Lord.
Mee thinke (Sir) by adding these And my house. The groūd of the doctrine following. words, my house, in your speech, you insinuate your care to haue other religious, as well as your selfe.
True it is you say, I now desire as did my Master Moses, Would to God all the people could prophecie. Indeede rather then God be vnserued, a man ought alone to serue the Lord, this is his feruencie & zeale to God; but true grace rests not in the bosome Doctrine. of a true beleeuer, as gold in a nigards chest, but sprouteth forth to the benefit of other, for he desireth to make other like himselfe, this is his compassion and loue.
I am able to avouch this from my Proofe. owne feeling, blessed be God, and I find it 1 2 true in that worthy Apostle who saith, My Rom. 10. 1. hearts desire and prayer to God is for Israel that they may be saued: who after his conuersion did labour in the Lords vineyard with vndurable paines to bring men vnto God.
Vse. So ought all of vs to doe in our places: Reasons. the Lord commandes it, Returne & cause other to returne; & our Sauiour said to 1 Peter, When thou art conuerted strengthen thy Ezec. 18. 33 Luk. 22. 32. [Page 17] brethren. The hatred of sinne should mooue vs where we may, to roote it out, the griefe which we ought to take, when we see men to sinne, should cause vs as far forth as wee be able to reclaime them, and not suffer sin Leu. 19. to rest vpon them. That we ought to grieue for sinne in our selues, so for the same in other, Psal. 119. 136. wee see by Dauid, whose eyes gushed out riuers of water, at the sight of other men breaking Gods law. Our Sauiour wept Luk. 19. 41. Ier. 13. ouer Ierusalem, Ieremies soule mourned in secret, S, Paul writ with teares; shall we haue a passion for sinne committed, and not vse meanes to haue it amended?
He that is truely touched with the sight of sinne, cannot possibly neglect the meanes to winne men from sinne. It is the nature of griefe to manifest it selfe, and workes in man an endeauour, to vse means to haue the cause of grief taken away. Therfore if wee truely grieue that men offend God, wee will not suffer them to goe on in sinne, if we may amend it.
And as griefe may mooue vs, so the consideration of the sinners misery, may enduce vs to care for their saluation. The sinner is Sathans slaue, subiect to wrath, the heire of confusion, who may daily looke for damnation and vengeance; oh, who [Page 18] can but pitty a man in so great misery? is he not mercilesse and cruell that seeth one in a deadly danger, and may releeue him, and yet will not? Can wee see a man hanging himselfe, stand by, and not cutte the cord? Can we beholde one running into a pit to drowne himselfe, and if we may, not holde him backe? These be mercilesse cruelties, if so we should neglect our brothers bodily life: and it is no lesse hardnesse of heart to suffer men by sinne, if it lie in vs to reclaime them, to runne headlong to hell, where they shall hang in torments, and be drowned in the gulfe of perdition.
Condemnation mercilesse belongeth Iam. 2. to such as will shew no mercy, it is true touching soule and body. No doubt 4 holy men iudged rightly of this, and therfore did discharge their duty herein. Abraham our Forefather taught his housholde; Dauid the King was so minded, who professed to teach Gods waies vnto the wicked, Psal. 51. 23. that sinners might be conuerted vnto the Lord. Philip we see sought out Nathaniel, & brought him to Christ; and the woman of Samaria did runne hastily for her neighbors to behold the Messias; all which are written for our learning, that wee by their examples should doe the like.
A man would thinke that enough were said to stirre vp one to care for anothers saluatiō, but for that men herein are too remisse, and indeed professe a carelesnes of this with cruell Cain; What, am I my Gen. 4. 9. brothers keeper? I will the longer stay vpon this point, as a matter of absolute necessity, the neglect wherof is the cause of so great encrease of wickednesse at home and abroad. It is the fruit of loue in the communion and holy fellowship of Saints: One 5 article of our Creed is to beleeue this communion, but we by no mutuall care shew any such spirituall coniunction. The members of the body in the bodily communion doe teach vs this, where euery member careth for the welfare of each other, and if any one be out of ioynt, all with one consent seeke to bring it in againe. The bodily fellowship worketh this mutual compassion, which keepeth the body in welfare; so ought our spiritual ioyning together work the like commiseration towards euery erring mēber, to keepe the Church in peace.
You haue here from a naturall worke, plainely set out our duty in a spirituall action: nature forceth the one, and therefore grace I hope will set vs forward to the other.
If this suffice not, let this mooue vs, 6 that our not seeking to saue them, in our place, is to make our selues guilty of their sin, he that is silent consenteth, & he that consents is worthie of death, Rom. 1. 31. He is accessarie to treason who knoweth it, and reuealeth it not: sinne is rebellion against God, we must attach the partie, at least by a brotherly rebuke, lest we let him escape, as Achab let goe Benadad, and his sinne be made our transgression, and so procure vnto our selues death. Againe, let 7 the enlarging Christs kingdome incite vs to this duty, yea the great reward and glorie 8 which belongeth to him that saueth a soule, he shall couer the multitude of sinnes, he Iam. 5. Dan. 12. 3. shal shine as the starres for euer and euer. The 9 care of sauing a soule, and the goodnesse of Ioh. 3. 16. the worke mooued God the Father to giue his onely Sonne to die, and Christ 10 himselfe was willing to suffer great and vnspeakeable torments to bring a poore sinner vnto safetie.
If neither the commandement of God, the griefe of heart for sinne, the sinners Abriefe repetition of all the reasons. misery, holy mens exāples, the bond of fellowship & mutuall communion, our own danger in the neglect hereof, the care to enlarge Christs kingdom, the reward of [Page 21] happines, nor the loue of god, nor Christs sufferings, can mooue vs to doe our best to saue a poore sinner; let the deuill teach vs to look vnto it, who with his members studiously endeauonr to draw men frō God, to thēselues, & to bring them to destruction: If he & his be so forward to ill, the reward whereof is death, why should not we do more to oppose him & his instruments for mans life and saluation? especially ministers in feeding their flocke, who are charged to do it vpō their loue to Christ, Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 17. 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2 Ezec. 33. 8. Gouernours of families shold tea [...]h their houshold. vpō their alleageance to their soueraigne, to avoid blood guiltines, and to preuent eternall vengeance: And nothing lesse are gouernours of families tied thereunto, they see & blame, and not vnworthily, ministers that neglect their flocke: but they find not the same fault in themselues for carelesse omitting the instruction of their family, which they be in their own persōs Reasons. as much bound to discharge, as a minister is to feed his flock; the Congregatiō is the 1 ministers cure, so the family is the masters 2 charge, wherein the chiefe of the house, the Deut. 5. 7. Eph. 6. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 35 Gen. 18. 19. 2. Tim. 1. 5. with 3. 15. father, the mother, the master and Gouernour is to teach their children and houshold in the waies of God. So are they cō manded, so examples teach them to doe.
Thou hast truly spoken (Honourable Caleb) for we that haue charge of families are commanded to informe thē; euen necessitie to keepe a holy vnity among vs, 3 should hereto perswade vs, how else can there be peace, if the Lambe and the Lyon dwell together, a Cain and an Abel, a mocking Ismael, and faithfull Isaac, a scorning Michol, & a zealous Dauid? How can ministers reforme whole Assemblies, if we do not our endeauour to help them in our families? This want of priuate helpe maketh 4 the publike ministery so vnprofitable, as cōmōly it is. The whole burthē of care for soules is laid vpō the Ministers shoulders, when a priuate watch is imposed vpō euery man, & houshold instructiō vpon euery faithful & religious Gouernour of a family. 5 Therefore families haue bin called the Churches of God, wherein God was, & euer ought to be worshipped with holy exercises. And how can a master be a domesticall head, and let his members perish? The diuell so much opposing it, mans nature 6 so much distasting it, all so vsually 7 neglecting it, doe declare it sufficiently to 8 be a most holy and worthy worke to be carefully vndertaken, and with all good conscience performed.
Vndoubtedly, if the benefit which [Page 23] hence would arise, first to our selues, to our children and houshold, then to the help of the publike ministery, were well weighed, there be none that haue either care of thē selues, wish well to their children, desire faithfulnesse in their seruants, and couet to see Ierusalem in prosperity, but they would betake them speedily to this so great, so necessary and godly a worke. How come children 9 often to destruction, but by parents negligence in their religious education? If we bring them vp well, wee may by Gods mercie preuent their ill ende: if wee vse meanes, and they perish, yet our soules receiue comfort, that we are no way guilty: whereas otherwise the childe may say: Wo is me, and wo to you my parents, who haue neglected my education: and parents may answer, Wo to vs our sonne therefore, seeing thee now so miserable, and our selues hereby so vncomfortable.
I therfore and my house, by Gods help, will serue the Lord, as God hath giuen mes grace to see and know the euill, I will endeauour to preuent it in me and mine.
Your speech in the order thereof teacheth mee, as I take it, not onely your care herein to do what you ought, but your wisdome in an orderly proceeding therein.
It is well noted of you: I set my selfe Doctrine. before my houshold, because the head leadeth first the body, before the body can mooue by the members to performe any office. So it is in the naturall constitution of a body, so in the politicall gouernment of the common wealth, let Princes leade, the people will follow, for from the head Vse. commeth life & motion to the body. And the same order is to bee obserued in well guiding of a family. There is litle hope to finde a godly family, where the master is either carelesse, or prophane. He must set on and go before, if he intend to haue the rest good. His life is of authority, his example draweth other to him, his words are of force, and in doing his duty may he expect a blessing.
I doe perswade my selfe, that some haue good desires hereunto, & more perhappes by this may bee set forward to settle their housholds in order: but euery one that gladly would doe well, know not how to doe so; therefore let me obtaine (most Noble Lord) the knowledge of 3. things at your hands, both for mine owne, and the peoples instruction herein. I. How a family Three questions. may bee at the first religiously planted? II. How a family irreligious may be [Page 25] reformed? III. How it may be so kept, and preserued?
Three necessary questions propounded and worthy to be answered. To satisfie you in the first. To plant a family in religious Answer to the first. How a family may be religiously planted. feare of God. I. Parents must bring vp such children well, with which they will build vp a house, acquaint them with the Lords will, with duties of a husband and wife, of a father and mother, and so marry in iudgement, before they marry, and not in carnall lust. Without knowledge of the former christian duties, mens mariages are but Turkish, and to marry in the latter only, is sensual & brutish. II. Parents must see that the parties to be maried be fitted, that their be no dislike in affection, nor iarre in religion, but that the marriage be made in loue, and setled in Gods feare; both beleeuers, both imbracing one & the same truth, as neere as may be. Abraham doth fetch a Rebecca for Isaac, from his fathers house, & there is religion; when Iehosaphat taking an Athalia for his sonne, bringeth into his house idolatry and superstition. To plant religion, wee must bring in religion into a family, by education, and by a holy coniunction of them togither in the feare of God. III. and lastly, Parents must care [Page 26] that the religious persons, religiously married, bee religiously serued. And therfore, that such as become seruants to them, bee of the same holy profession with them, and of like conuersation. And thus may a family be planted religiously.
What direction giue you for the second, viz. to reforme a disordered family?
The gouernour must do, as in making Answer to the second question. How a family may be reformed. a new house, where an olde stood; hee must remooue the old wholly as far forth as it is vnprofitable, and make the rest all new. The man and the wife must be sound, they bee the two side posts; so their children, who are as the beames laid ouerthwart, if they be rotten, though all the rest be new, at the length the worke will fall.
How must they be made sound, if they be rotten?
By repenting of all former sin, and negligence past, and by vndertaking this work sincerely with a cōstant durablenes.
What timber is so rotten, as wil neuer serue to be put in the new building?
Euery one that persists in euill, and will not be reformed.
But what if there be some such, whom the master of the family cannot cast out?
Let such so be in the house, as they [Page 27] beare no rule in it, neither any sound part depend or stay vpon them; so shall there be neither breach nor ruine thereby.
What other meanes is there to reforme by?
Secondly, the gouernour must bring all his houshold in subiection to Gods word, to heare and attend vnto the publike ministerie thereof, as the ordinarie meanes to reclame men. It is the power of Rom. 1. 18. Heb 4. 12. Psal 1 [...]9 9. Pro. 2. 11. 12. 16. The benefit of religious exercises in houses. God to saluation, it is mighty in operation, it cleanseth our waies, and keepeth vs from all euill. Thirdly, he must set vp within his house religious exercises; these make publike meanes more profitable, more highly to be esteemed, and the iudgement better to be setled; euill hereby is preuented, yea thrust out from the family, bad persons hereby are tried and found out, the well disposed made more religious, and God not a litle glorified.
What are the holy exercises which you here speake of?
Reading of the holy Scriptures, the voice of God, Catechising, telling some short storie of some notable example in the word, making vse thereof, singing of psalmes, and when the publike sermon hath bin heard, to repeate therof as much as is remembred.
This, say some, will make seruants wearie, and none will come to them.
It were better to be without seruants then haue such as hate goodnesse, but this same which is obiected, and so much feared, may be answered easily, and the feare taken away. The master to hold vp such good exercises, and not to wearie his houshold, must I. be towards all his seruants mercifull, in giuing them a time to rest, not to dogge them day and night to their labour, as beasts. II. He must performe al things seasnably, not late in the night after toylsome labour, & whē wearines & time it selfe doe inforce the body to sleepe. III. He must not haue the same exercises held long, at one time, but auoid tedious prayers, least one be speaking, whilst the rest be sleeping; as it falleth out sometime by the weaknesse of one, & the zealous indiscretion of an other. IV. He must regard much a religious seruant, reward him well, and pray to God for such, & he shall not want godly seruants, and be well rid of the lewd and prophane.
If seruants be encouraged, godly discretion be vsed, honest libertie graunted, competent wages allowed, tollerable labour onely vrged, difference made, and [Page 29] the best answerably rewarded, there is no doubt either of getting or retaining seruants: but how may a family reformed so be preserued?
I. The chiefe must themselues keep 1 good orders established; their neglect Answer to the third question. How to keepe in order a family reformed. breeds in other carelesnes, their omission occasioneth in other transgression. II. They must make knowne their ful resolution to all, in matters of religion, that they will walke vprightly in the midst of the house, that they will allow no order to be 2 broken. III. They must see to offences Psal. 101. against God and religion more narrowly, 3 then iniuries done to themselues, and rebuke and correct the one more, then the other, so doe they shew greater regard of God, then respect of themselues. IV. 4 They must shew fauour to th [...] towardly, pardō easily the first or second offence, but not be remisse in punishing duly, where and when the fault and partie offending iustly deserues correction; this is so to be courteous in loue and compassion, as an awefull hand may be kept ouer the family with godly discretion. V. They 5 must cast out the vile persons, wilfull and Psal. 101. obstinate, mocking Ismaels may not remaine with Isaacs: a little leauen leaueneth 1. Cor. 5. the whole lumpe, one lewde person [Page 30] may doe much hurt. VI. They may not 6 receiue in any knowne wicked person for feare of infection. VII. They must will 7 one to exhort another to a mutual emulation of grace, louingly to admonish one an other, and to pray one for another. VIII. 8 They must keepe all frō idlenes, the nurse, or rather mother of all wickednesse, as of pride in apparell, wastfull expences, vaine pastimes, and other sinnes of the flesh to be abhorred among Christians. IX. They 9 must performe mutuall duties one to another, masters to seruants, and these to their masters, but chiefly the husband and wife must loue each other: if wrongs bee betweene them, let themselues between thē selues, or with the good liking of a faithfull secret friend to both, be ended. They must beware that the houshold become not partners in the matter; for seruants by slander, flattery, and whisperings will kindle the contention, and make a prey of them. The contending of man and wife must neuer want loue, but if any smite either by the tongue, both must ioine in one against the smiter. But to preuent this, let none faile to performe what is due to be done. Complaints arise first vpon neglect of duty, the performance whereof is the [Page 31] touchstone of profession: where the husband is louing, the wife learnes obedience; where the wife is obedient, the husband is mooued to bee kinde, by their well liuing the house is preserued in peace, and where they two do as they ought to themselues & their family, the children & seruants learn to walk in subiection, and do in an awefull loue discharge their duties, and hereby do they prouoke one another vnto piety, continue loue and vnity in the spirit, and keep vp holy exercises with prayer. Lastly, they 10 must vpholde the publike ministery and preaching of the word, without which, by reason of the loosenesse of al other neighbours, who do not voluntarily take a godly course priuately, they can neuer continue long in good order.
It remaines only now to giue some reasons, why the seuerall sorts in a family, and so that all therein should be religious, as first why the father, master & husband, which are all one person in the house, should be religious? Why the husband should be religious. Deut. 6. Exod. 20. Ephes. 6. 4.
I. Because he is specially charged with instruction of the housholde, and to see to thē. Secondly, because the family hath frō him chiefly the name. Thirdly, because he is the head. Fourthly, for a speciall exāple, [Page 32] as most forcible to draw other on. Fiftly, because of the exāples of good gouernors of families, as Abraham, Cornelius, & other. Sixtly, for that he shall answer for his houshold, as the minister for his flock. Seuenthly, to bring a blessing vppn his children. Exod. 20.
Why should the wife, mother, mistresse of the family be religious?
First, because she is the husbands shadow, Why the wife should be religious. or rather picture to represēt him in al good things, and as the moone doth from the sunne, so she is to receiue her light from him, which she also is to let shine out to other. Secōdly, because she is to be an help to her husband; now she can be in nothing more a helpe, then in being with him religious to further his instructions taught to his houshold. Thirdly, for that the husbād is often from home, & shee is to supply his place, to see the houshold kept in good order. Fourthly, for mutuall peace sake; if she bee not religious, shee will oppose him, as a mocking Michol, or as an idolatrus Iesabel, cause him to forsake the worshippe of the tru God. Fiftly, because godly wiues are cō mēded for religion in scripuure, which are to be followed. Sixtly, because shee is the first that instructs the child, as being most with it, causing it to vnderstand that which [Page 33] she doth please to teach it. Seuenthly, for that she beeing fraile by nature, and apt without grace to goe astray herselfe, may sooner, as vsually it commeth to passe, corrupt the child then the father, by being so continually with it.
Why ought childrē to be religious?
First, for their godly parents sake. Why children should be religious. Secondly, because they bee the second linke in a family, and so in the middle betweene the highest and lowest; they therefore next Parents must be religious, that seruants by them grow not vicious. Thirdly, for their fathers ioy, whose true & sure comfort is not that their children can hunt, so could prophane Esau; nor that they be faire; so was Absolom beautifull, & came to anill end; nor that they be in Honour; so was Saul a cast-way; nor great Churchmen, so were Elies sonnes who perished in their sinnes: but euen because they be religious, for the grace of God endureth euer. Fourthly, for a blessing vnto themselues, as God hath promised to all that feare him. Fiftly, for encouragement vnto their Parents, beholding grace in them, which will cause them to continue gracious, lest their children lose grace. Sixtly: because they preserue the good name vpon their Parents, [Page 34] get them honour, and are a crowne of glory to them, euen after death.
Why ought seruants to be religious?
1. For their masters praise. 2. For Why seruants ought to be godly. their owne comfort. 3. Because good seruants are recorded in Scripture for imitation sake. 4. Because whilest they be mens seruants, they may bee the Lords free men by religion. 5. To doe their seruice honestly, as looking for reward from God. 6. For childrens good, whome leud seruants may easily misleade.
So then, all ought to be religious, that the master with his whole family may be said to serue the Lord, as thou hast (most noble Iosua) promised this day for thy selfe and thy housholde.
So it is, and great is that blessing, where all become the Lords true seruants, religion their practise, the holy word their guide: there man and wife are brother and sister, parents & children of spirituall kindred, and haue one father: masters and seruants mutuall members & co-heires with Christ Iesus: there haue they one voice in prayer with deuotion, one care to abandon superstition. All performe mutuall duties; one seeketh to please another, to [Page 35] hold loue, to keepe peace, and to preserue a holy communion in charitie with pietie. One distrusteth not another, one wrongeth not another, there is a godly striuing together, who shall doe the best to please God. They beare with weaknesses, they ioy in each others goodnesse; here they desire peace of conscience, the fellowship of the godly; Gods glorie they doe ayme at: the world they liue in, but euer with desire of heauen, which God hath promised to all that walke righteously before him, and serue him; which grace the Lord vouchsafe vs now and euer.
Amen, Amen. But yet (Sir) before we end, I beseech you commend to my meditation some speciall Scriptures to stir me vp vnto deuotion.
If it please you for the godly mans blessednesse, reade Psal. 1. for his comfort, Psal. 37. Heb. 12. for his holy desires to Gods word, and his obedience, Psal. 119. for his religious practise, Iob. 31. Rom. 12. Heb. 13. for his faith, Heb. 11. for his loue, 1. Cor. 13. and for the effectuall markes of his vocation, and eternall saluation, Rom. 8.
I thanke you humbly, and blesse God for you, whome I beseech to prosper [Page 36] these things to our comfort, and that they may further vs to a holy practise, to the praise of the God of Israel, that we may be found the Israel of God in the last day.
Amen.