where Religion is set up that house is a Beth-el an house of God and there is the gate of Heaven Gen 28. 16. 17. not only for your Prayers ascending up to God but also for his blessings descending down upon you for he is Rich unto all persons and Families that call upon him Rom. 10. 12. Job 8. 6. whether you be small or great God is not an Austere Master but a liberal pay Master but that house wherein the Worship of God is not nor any calling upon his Name 't is not a Bethel but a Beth-Aven Hos 10. 5. an house of Sin and God will poure out his curse upon it and not his blessing Jer. 10. 25. Neglect of Family-duty doth as it were uncover the roof for Gods curse to be rained down upon a Mans Tables Beds all things he hath or doth Prov. 3. 33. yea Brimstone is is scattered upon his habitation Job 28. 15. which the wrath of God may soon give fire to Psal 11. 6. and hale in Hell at ' its Heels 15. Secondly a short word of Direction to the Governed as they stand related to the Governours 1. In General to all such whether Children or Servants c. The first Rule is account it your mercy and priviledg and not your burden that you live in Religious Families where Prayer Reading Catechizing yea order and discipline are observed Gen. 16. 8. 18. 19. Children of many Prayers and Servants of many Prayers and Spiritual helps may not say what a weariness is this Mal. 1. 13. 't was cursed Jeroboam that said 't is too much to do so 1 King 12. 28. Yea 't was the mad and raging Heathens that cryed let us break these bands asunder and cast away those cords from us Psal 2. 3. Those are Children of Belial that like not to be yoked as the word signifies no not with Christs easy yoak and those are the Redeemed of the Lord that look on Family duties not as Cords and Bands but as garters and girdles to confine them where they ought to be Rom. 7. 22. Christ left this pattern for all Families by the ordering of his own as 1 To worship God Joh. 4. 22. 2 To keep the Sabbath Luke 4. 16. 3 To pray with the Family Luke 9. 18. alone there is meant apart from the Multitude for his Disciples which were his Family were with him 4 To pray privately or secretly by himself Luke 5. 16. 5 And that morning and evening Mark 1. 35. Math. 14. 23. And 6 This was his practice and custome Luke 22. 39. yea 7 Sometimes all night long Luke 6. 12. And lastly with Submission and Devotion as a Servant of God Math. 26. 39. Governours and governed learn of him Math. 11. 29. he is your best Master all this Practice of Piety 't is no matter how dull the Scholler be if but desirous to learn so Christ himself be but your Teacher 16. Secondly in particular First to Children the second Rule is Obey your Parents Eph 6. 1. as Isaao did Abraham in submitting to be Sacrificed though he was then grown up and might have resisted and as Christ became obedient even to the death of the Cross Good Children help to lengthen their Parents days as Joseph did Jacobs God therefore in the first Commandment promises by way of requital to lengthen theirs Remember you are stars in Josephs dream who was himself a whole constellation of graces O be a bright and morning Star in Christ who is so called Revel 22. 16. be a morning-seeker in the morning of your life Prov. 8. 17. and grow in wisdom as well as in stature and in favour with God and man as the Child Jesus did Luke 2. 52. but be not a blazing meteor not a falling but a fixed Star not Sancti Juvenes Satanici Senes not degenerate plants Jer. 2. 21. Degenerating not only from your Godly Parents though a Child of many Prayers cannot easily miscarry as Ambrose told Monica concerning Austin her Son while a Manichee But from your seeming godly self in your younger years a falling Star falls not to the Earth only but as the Star wormwood Rev. 8. 11. bitter to Parents and self into the bottomless Pit also and is it not pitty that any one chip of the good old blocks should become fewel for everlasting burnings 17. The third Rule is be a Serving Son Mal. 3. 17. 't is an old and yet a true saying that God Parents and School Masters can never be requited both for your being and for your well being Parents have power to require the service of their Children and as it is the Parents priviledg to command service so 't is Childrens duty to do service even churlish Laban had serving Sons Gen. 30. 35. and so had the old seducing Prophet 1 King 13. 13. yea and the Prince or Priest of Midian had serving Daughters Exod. 2. 16. This is the honour that God commands Children to pay to their Parents Exod. 20. 12. Children can never do enough for their Parents that have done so much and also suffred so much for them 't is very remarkable that good Jonathan who was otherwise a truly serving Son was taken by Lot 1 Sam. 14. 42. the whole disposing whereof is of the Lord Prov. 16. 33. and this may well be supposed to be some Reason that God hereby did shew how tender he is in allowing the least shew of disobedience to Superiours and to make Children fear and avoid even the Rash and causeless curses of Parents which by a secret Judgment of God are sometimes inflicted a wise serving Son makes a glad Father c. Prov. 10. 1. every Son should be an Abner which signifies his Fathers light and every Daughter an Abigail which signifies her Fathers joy O then whether you be Son or Daughter do not bring down the gray hairs of your Parents with sorrow to the grave Gen. 42. 38. 44. 31. 18. The fourth Rule is you must nourish your Parents in their old Age that nourished you in your youth and as you expect that your Children should nourish you when you are old good Joseph is a blessed pattern Gen. 45. 9 10 11. Saying to his old Father come down to me and be near to me and there will I nourish thee and he did so Gen. 47. 12. and Obed was a restorer of life to old Naomai whose life had been long a lifeless life as it had been joyless and a nourisher of her old Age Ruth 4. 15. See Davids love herein 1 Sam. 22. 3. And Christs also the mystical David Joh. 19. 27. This the Apostle commends as a thing not only good before men but also acceptable unto God 1 Tim. 5. 4. and Christ reproves the neglect of it Math. 15 4. and Paul calls such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural affection Rom. 1. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 3. The stork hath a singular affection to the Aged sire as Pliny Relateth Lib. 10. Cap. 23. The contrary carriage
must find out that both by your own experience and by the Experiences of others It certainly availeth much though happily it availe not always God hath indeed said that the Children of Moab shall go into his Sanctuary to pray but shall not prevail Isa 16. 12. But he hath avowed before all the world that the Children of Sion shall not do so Isa 45. 19. They shall not seek the Lord in vain their Prayer shall be like Jonathans bow it shall never return empty God ever hears their Prayers always ad Salutem as Anstin saith though not ever ad Voluntatem he always hears their Prayers according to their well when he doth not hear them according to their Will 7. First the manner of Prayer Now that your Prayer may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a throughly-wrought effectual and available Prayer to work wonders in Heaven and Earth Jam. 5. 16. yea after a sort Omnipotent as Luther said take these following Directions for managing this duty aright first before duty as to the manner of it before in and after it First of those that are Antecedent or before Prayer Direct 1. You must be New born a New Creature until the Child be come out of the womb it cannot Cry no more can you Cry Abba Father so long as you are in the womb of a natural state Rom. 8. 15. God first accepts the person and then the Action or offering Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. your person must be accepted as Abel was and then your Prayer will be acceptable you must be Righteous in Christ 't is the Prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth Jam. 5. 16. as it is the Character of the unrighteous that they call not upon God Psal 14. 4. Paul was never said to pray till Converted from his Pharisaical State Act. 9. 11. So if at any time they do pray their Prayer is an Abomination Prov. 21. 27. and therefore 't is not accounted Prayer The long Prayers that Paul had while a Pharisee were not reckoned Prayer at all you must first be a Temple of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. and then you will be an House of Prayer for so the Temple is called Naturalists tell us of a Jewel that when put into a dead mans Mouth loseth all its Vertue So prayer a pretious Jewel in it self in the mouth of one that is dead in Sin hath no force nor efficacy God will not hear Sinners Joh. 9. 31. he will not take them by the hand Job 8. 20. Margin Hebr. and Geneva Biblt 't is but a Multiplying lies daily Hos 11. 12. a compassing God with lies to call God Father when we are not his Children and while we are without Christ You must pass through the merits of the Son into the mercies of the Father 8. The second Direction before duty is prepare to meet your God in duty Amos 4. 12. The Jews had their preparation for the Passeover Joh. 19. 31. So should you have for prayer setting some time apart as well to prepare for Prayer as for prayer it self 't is coming to duty with a common Spirit and with an Ordinary frame of heart that makes us lose many a duty 2 Chron. 12. 14. Ezra did better then Rehoboam herein Ezr. 7. 10. the latter lost all the former sav'd all hereby Labour therefore your heart into a praying frame before prayer this is done by getting First the Majesty of the great God before whom you are going wrought truly and throughly upon your heart Consider seriously he is a great King Mal. 1. 6 14. and a God that will be Sanctified of all that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 3. this may help you to a God sanctisying frame of Spirit David prepared with all his might why the reason is rendred The Temple was not to entertain man but God therefore must it be more Magnificent and he more exact in all preparations for it 1 Chro. 29. 1 2. Christ tells you he is gone to prepare a place even a Temple a Mansion of glory for you Joh. 14. 2 3. and will not you prepare a place for him in that poor heart of yours Consider also Secondly his purity that the God with whom you have to do in prayer is a God of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. he cannot look upon it but he must loath it he cannot behold it but he must punish it this calls for a reverential heart Psal 2. 11. Before him who is in Heaven and you on Earth Eccles 5. 2. cover your face if Angels do so that are holy and blessed Esa 6. 2. Much more you that live in an House of clay and drinks up iniquity like water Job 4. 19. 15. 16. Tremble to bring along with you any Sin unrepented of unpardoned lay aside all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. as the Serpent her poison when she goes to drink yet with this difference she after drinking reassumes it again you may not do so with the Poison of Sin when you have been drinking of the Rivers of Gods favour this is to return with the Dog to his Vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. you must know it again no more Gen. 38. 26. nor have so much as a leering look towards it Psal 66. 18. much less allow of it or wallow in it 9. Would you have leave with God in prayer then leave Sin and that for ever you may not say concerning your Sins as Abraham did concerning his Servants and the Ass which he left at the foot of the Hill Gen. 22. 5. saying I will come again to you but you must take an everlasting farewel of your Sin when you come to your God and with David keep your self for ever from your Iniquity Psal 18. 23. and as he wash'd his hands in Innocency when he did compass Gods Altar Psal 26. 6. So must you wash your heart in that fountain that is opened Zech. 13. 1. Thus Ruth did wash and anoint her self before she went up to Boaz. Ruth 3. 3. and Esther purified and persumed her self for acceptance with Ahasuerus Esth 2. 9 12. and the Captive Damosel was to pair her nails c. Before she became a fit bride for an Israelitish Bed Deut. 21. 12 13 14. and the Rabbies say that a Man might not come into the Mountain of the House of God with his staff nor with his Shoos nor with his purse nor with dust upon his Feet hence Lavers were set at the door of the Tabarnacle for washing off defilements at their entrance thither Exod. 30. 18 19. and Bernard used to say at his entrance to his publick Devotion O wordly thoughts ad templi Januam manete vos stay ye here at the Church door alluding to Abrahams words Gen. 22. 5. and to Moses deed Exod. 3. 5. as above in Meditation Thus also Solomon saith keep your foot when you enter into the House of God Eccles 5. 1. that is look well to your affections those feet and out goings of the Soul
their Lord their founder and their finisher bring forth your bravery to entertain Christ 9. The second thing required in the Ordinance is self-excitation you must stir up your self as Deborah did calling up her own Soul saying awake awake Deborah awake awake Judg. 5. 12. open there all the Springs of your Soul for Christ as Christ opened all the veines of his heart for you 1. Open all your desires and affections for him come to this Ordinance as Behemoth to Jordan with a mighty and an all exhausting thirst upon you Job 40. 23. bring strong affections and a lusty appetite to this Supper where 't is a vertue Sublime to to be an holy glutton and to drink hearty draughts of the blood of Christ that you may go away from the Supper as Christ did from his Baptism filled with the Holy Ghost Mat. 3. 16. you must consider what is before you as Prov. 23. 1. but in that duty 't is not your work to restrain but to provoke appetite and the rather because Christ so exceedingly thirsted after your Salvation Luke 12. 50. though he knew it would prove so costly to him Christ saith with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with you Luke 22. 15. that had no need for himself of either you or it how much more should you say with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with Christ who is at all the charges pain and pains himself and all for your Eternal profit 10. Secondly excite and quicken up all your faculties as the affections those hand maids of the Soul give attendance to meet Christ the mistical David just as the Virgins of Israel met literal David in their Singings and dancing 1 Sam. 18. 6 7 8. every one Singing their part appointed them accordingly hope is sent out to wait for this King of glory and if he come not desire is sent out to fetch him Love Delight and Joy receives and entertains him all these Virgins go out to meet this blessed bridegroom Mat. 25. 1. having first swept the House clear and cast all the filth away into the brook Kidron 2 Chron. 30. 14. Math. 13. 14. Jam. 1. 21. and brought forth their best bravery Arras hangings Persian Carpets rich stools all their Plate and Jewels to wit all the graces of the Spirit far surpassing Aarons rich garments that were for glory and beauty all to prepare a large upper-Room for entertaining the King of glory even so all the faculties of the Soul must be stirred up to Improve their Interest in such a blessed guest as 1. your understanding must look round about him and behold him altogether lovely from this Sycamore-Tree as Zacheus Luke 19. 3 4. Cant. 5. 16. 2. Your will must offer up both Sword and Keyes c. As the Major doth to his Prince at his entertainment 3. Your memory must be ready to Register every act of love to your Soul remembring his loves more then Wine Cant. 1. 4. In a word Christ must be led into every Room of your heart and Lastly all your graces must be excited and made ready to receive each their Alms from Christs fulness as saving knowledg justifying Faith sincere Repentance servent love c. All come to touch him for healing vertue well knowing that Christ comes with a Royal heart into the Soul to give abundantly and like himself no mean gift can come from so noble an hand and heart and that all this may be done you must use the third thing required to wit strong Invocation coming as a Prince to him Job 21. 37. and begging his grace in all with your whole heart Psal 119. 58. 11. The third general is your Improvement after all When Faith and all your other graces together with your affections and the faculties of your Soul have plaid their part in the Mount and brought you even to a Transfiguration as was done both to Moses and to the Messias Exod. 34. 29. Luke 9. 29. then 1. You must tremble to lose that luster and glory that God hath put upon you by your conversing with him If he hath made you one of his Jewels by communicating his presence to you Mal. 3. 17. then shine as a Jewel in all your Relations that all which see you may acknowledg you to be a seed the Lord hath been blessing Isa 61. 9. 2. Be thankful to your Lord for this inestimable benefit Psal 116. 12. be of a rendring disposition and that in your life as well as with your lip If Davids condescension to such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth accounted himself was so admired by him 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. how much more by you that in rigour of Justice might be fed with Wormwood and have the waters of gall to drink Jer. 9. 15. yet the Lord gives you the flesh of his own Son to be meat indeed to you and his blood to be your drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. that might say I will not feed you at all Zech. 11. 9. 3. Let it be an everlasting obligement on you to keep far from every evil matter Exod. 23. 7. The Oath of God no less is a Sacrament is upon you lay Gods charge upon all your corruptions Cant. 2. 7. you are Vas Signatum shall you Sin Neh. 6. 12. your all is for the Prince Ezek. 44. 3. do singular things for Christ that doth singular things for you Mat. 5. 47. The seventh Walk of a Christian wherein all the other Walks do meet is the Lordy-Day CHAP. XI 1. COnsiderations and 2. Directions before in and after it 1. Consideration Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day Exod. 20. 8. you must first Consider the Number of it Before the fall when Mans nature was pure that the Lord God gave Man but one Commandment to wit that of not eating the forbidden Fruit but after the fall when Mans nature was defiled God gave him ten Commandments and those mostly prohibitive to stop his proneness and strong Inclinations unto evil The first of the tenth doth teach you the Object of Worship The second the matter of Worship the third the manner of worship both of outward and inward worship in all these as the fourth teaches you the time of worship inwardly and outwardly also The time of worshipping God is not left to mans own liberty for then the loose heart of man would keep no time at all though time of worship as well as that God is to be worshipped is Juris naturalis written on the Tables of mans heart yet one of seven is Juris positivi and written on the Tables of stone both which are the Writings and the workmanship of God as Exod. 32. 16. The fourth Commandment closes up the first Table 1 As the most powerful means to keep all the three former and 2 As it draws into one the whole worship of God and lastly as it makes Gods worship known to the World which otherwise would not be so well known as it is by keeping a day
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