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A40178
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An epistle to the household of the seed of Abraham and to every family in particular to read & practise
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Fox, George, 1624-1691.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing F1812; ESTC R28649
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6,045
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10
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wit What ye shall Eat or what ye shall drink or wherewith you shall be Cloathed for after all these things that are below do the Gentiles seek for your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things And here Christ which was of the Seed of Abraham and of David according to the Flesh would have People to seek their Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness before they seek after outward things and they were to lay up for themselves Treasure in Heaven c. And to know that Portion for them and their Children Matthew 6. And the Apostle saith The Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed Rom. 9.8 For in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Gen. 21.12 And Christ saith the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom Mat. 13.38 and this is the Seed in which all Nations are blest who keep the way of the Lord and Justice and Judgment such the Almighty hath blessed with the blessings from above the blessings of the deep the blessings of the breast and of the womb Gen. 49. And he will also bless the fruit of the Land thy corn and thy wine and thy oile and the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep Deuteronomy 7. And they that serve the Lord their God he will bless their bread and their water Exod. 23. And a faithful man shall abound with blessings Proverbs 28 20. So you may see they that are in the Faith and in the Holy Seed which keeps in the way of the Lord and commands their Children and their Houshold to do the same they have the blessings from Heaven above and the blessings below yea the blessings of the Eternal Inheritance and of the Kingdom of God and that was their Chief Inheritance That all the Faithful Seed of Abraham sought to possess their Houshold and their Children in who did Command their Children and Houshold to keep the way of God That they might Inherit the Blessing David saith Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Council of the ungodly nor Standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful But his Delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth be meditate day and night Now here is the condition of them that doe enjoy the Blessing they must keep from the Counsel of the ungodly and the way of Sinners and the seat of the Scornful Now here you may see Davids Instruction how People might inherit the Blessing Levit. 10. That you may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy and between the clean and unclean and that you may teach your Children all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses And if it was so in the Old Testament that they might Learn the Statutes there surely much more they are to Learn the Commands of Christ in his New Testament And in Deut. 4.9 10. They were to Teach their Sons and their Sons Sons and again they were to Teach their Children that they might Learn to fear God all the days they lived upon the earth c. This they were to teach their Children and again in Deut. 11. It was the Command of God that they were to teach their Children the Commandments of God and they were to speak of them When they sat in their House and when they walkt by the Way when they lay down and when they rose up and in Deut. 30. Moses told them that the Word was nigh them in their Mouths and in their hearts that they might do it And David said come you Children hearken to me and I will Teach you the fear of the Lord. Oh fear the Lord you Saints there is no want to them that fear him Psal 34.9 11. Ye that fear the Lord Trust in the Lord he is their Help and their Shield Psal 115.11 And you may see all along in the Old Testament they that feared the Lord were Commanded to teach and Instruct their Children the way of the Lord that they might walk in it and inherit the Blessing which was a better Portion then outward Riches which will pass away for they make themselves Wings and Fly away Solomon saith Train up a Child in the Way he should go and when he is Old he will not depart from it Foolishness is bound up in the Heart of a Child but the rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22.15 He that spareth the rod hateth his Son But he that loveth him Chastiseth him betimes By mercy and truth Iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord they depart from evil Prov. 13.24 and 16.6 And the Apostles Command is Children to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is Right Eph. 6.1 and Colos 1.3 20. It is well Pleasing to the Lord Children to Obey their Parents and the Bishops or Elders were to rule well their own Houses and to have their Children in Subjection with all gravity and likewise The Deacons were to rule their own Children and their own Houses well Tim. 1.3 And likewise you may see the good report of the Widows bringing up Children which followed every good work c. And in Titus such as were Elders or Overseers their Children were to be faithful not accused of riot or unruly and the aged Women were to be of good Behaviour as becometh Holiness c. and Teachers of good things and that they teach the younger Women to be Sober c. And that the word of God he not Blasphemed And Titus was to Exhort Youngmen to be sober Minded for the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and Worldy Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World that being Justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life And Peter saith as obedient Children not Fashioning your selves according to your former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he which hath called you is Holy so be you Holy in all manner of Conversation and be not like them Feeding themselves without fear which are the Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water and Trees without fruit whom Jude declares against such cannot Eate and Drink to the Praise and Glory of God c. So you see what care both in the Old and New Testament the faithful Parents had to teach their Children the way of the Lord and the Lord hath a Confidence in all them that fear him and are of the faith and seed of Abram that they will not only Admonish their Children and Houshold but Command their Children and their Houshold after them to keep the way of the Lord c. Gen. 18. And to keep out of the Wicked Ways of the World The Apostle saith they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And so are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and if you be Christs then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the Promise Gall. 3. And so the Children of God are counted for the seed which good seed Christ saith are the Children of the Kingdom And the Apostle spake to the Romans that they should walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham Again the Apostle saith to the Corinthians concerning Titus Walked not we in the same spirit Walked not we in the same steps And in the first Epistle of Peter Christ hath Suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was guile found in his Mouth So these were Holy steps and are a Religious Holy People that walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and of Christ and the Apostles and these have the pure Religion and do visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction and keep themselves unspotted from the World and these are they that are Circumcised with the Spirit and Baptised with the Holy Ghost and serve God Night and Day and Worship him in Spirit and truth and these are the Religious Families which are of the Holy Divine Pure and Precious faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of which faith Purifieth their heart and is their victory by which they have access to God in which they Please him in that which Chirst is the Author and Finisher of which is called the Gift of God and they that are of this Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and are Blessed with faithful Abraham and Abraham was called the friend of God and so are all his Children that be of his seed and faith they are not friends of the devil the wicked and unrighteous one but him and his works they forsake who are Friends of God they are Friends of Righteousness and Holiness c. And such the Blessings of God rest upon them that are of the seed and walk in the seed Christ that bruises the Serpent's head and in that seed are all Nations blest and out of the mouth of the Seeds seed shall not Gods word depart but it shall abide in the Mouth of the Seeds seed this Living word of God but the Word of God doth not abide in them who make a Profession of the Scriptures but live not in the Power and Spirit or the Holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures such are like the Jews John 5. and such think to have Life in the Scriptures but they will not come unto Christ that they may have life for none come to Christ but by believeing in the light which is the life in him the Word Now dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus if you keep in the seed and Faith of Abraham in it Command your Children and Families to walk in the way of the Lord for in it you have Authority that they may keep the Pure Holy and Righteous way of the Lord after you when you are gone that they may succeed you in the Faith and seed and way of the Lord and in the Blessings of God as Isaac and Jacob did Abram Amen G. F. THE END
AN EPISTLE TO THE HOUSHOLD OF THE SEED OF ABRAHAM AND To every Family in particular TO READ PRACTISE The Lord saith I know Abraham that he will Command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken of him Gen. 18.19 LONDON Printed and Sold by John Bringhurst at the Sign of the Book in Grace-church-street 1682. AN EPISTLE TO THE HOUSHOLD c. FRiends consider how the Blessing of the Lord came upon the Obedient and Faithful to the Lord and rested upon them The Lord said to Abraham Get thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House c. And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will Bless thee c. And thou shall be a Blessing and I will Bless them that Bless thee and Curse them that Curse thee and in thee and in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed Abraham obeyed the Lord and went forth from Vr of the Caldees and so he left all the Religions and Worships and Teachers of the Countrey of the Caldees behind him and followed the Lord And the Lord said unto Abraham Walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 17.1 And again The Lord said unto Abraham Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the Earth shall he Blessed in him Gen. 12.1 2 3. 18.18 And again The Lord said unto Abraham That in Blessing I will Bless thee and in Multiplying I will Multiply thy seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand which is upon the Sea-Shore and thy Seed shall possess the Gates of his Enemies and in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed because thou hast Obeyed my Voice Abraham Obeying Gods Voice brought this Blessing upon him as in Gen. 22. And the Lord said I know Abraham that he will Command his Children and his Houshold after him That they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham all that which he hath spoken of him Now you may see here what it is that brings the Blessing and kept the Blessing upon Abraham and his seed c. Now if you be of the true Faith you are of Abraham and are Blessed with faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 And in this seed and faith of Abraham you will Command your Children and your houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring the Blessing upon you and your Houshold and Children keeping in the same Faith and Seed of Abraham and you and your Children and your Houshold keeping in the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment then I say the Blessing which came upon Abraham will come upon you and upon your Children and your Houshold and then you will know the Promise of God fullfiled Cursed is he that Curses thee and Blessed his he that Blesseth thee and therefore live and walk in the seed which bruses the Head of the Serpent in which seed all Nations are Blessed yea all Families Housholds and Children in which faith and seed you Command Mark Command your Children and your Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord as Abraham did to do Justice and Judgment Gen. 18. 19. Now you that have not this authority to Command over your Children and Housholds you are not in the same faith and seed of Abraham to wit To Command your Children and Houshold after you to keep the way of the Lord and to do Justice and Judgment Now the Lord had a Confidence in Abraham and so he hath in all them that be of his seed and faith now that they will Command their Children and Houshold to keep the way of the Lord as he did and walk before the Lord and to do Justice and Judgment and that Abraham's Family and Children should not go back again into those Countrey Religions or Ways which the Seed and Faith of Abraham hath and had led them out of for they that are commanded to come out of them into Gods Way into the Way of the Lord are commanded to keep in the Way of the Lord and they are to command their Children and their Houshold to keep the Way of the Lord and to keep out of all the Ways of the World and out of all the Ungodly Unjust Ways in the Seed which bruises the head of the Serpent And the Lord said to Isaac I will make thy Seed to Multiply as the Stars of Heaven c. And in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed Gen. 26.4 Now here you may see that Isaac inherited his Fathers Inheritance in the Seed and in the Faith and Way of the Lord in which Seed all Nations are Blest and so do all they that be of the Faith and Seed of Abraham that walk in the steps of Faithful Abraham in the Way of the Lord and obey his Voice c. Inherit the Blessing of Abraham for so you may see it was not the only Care that their Children might inherit a little Earth after them but that they might inherit the Seed and the Faith which had the Blessing And Isaac said to Jacob God Almighty Bless thee and give thee the Blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy Seed with thee Gen. 28. And this Isaac spake to Jacob before Jacob had any Children and here you may see Isaac's Care that Jacob and his Seed might inherit the Faith and Blessing of Abraham and Isaac and this should be their first inheritance and then they should inherit the outward Land and this should be the care of all them that walk in the steps of the Faith of Abraham to see that their Children and Houshold do inherit that Faith Seed and Blessing of Abraham in the first place by keeping in the way of the Lord c. And they are to Command their Children to walk in the way of the Lord c. that they may and you may see that Jacob did inherit the Blessing of Abraham and Isaac in Abrahams and Isaac's Seed and Faith When the Lord said unto Jacob Thy Seed shall be as the dust of the Earth and thou shall spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed So here you may see Jacob's Possession who did inherit the blessing of Abraham and Isaac c. And they that are of his Seed and Faith which keep the Way of the Lord c. They do inherit this blessing in the Seed in which all Nations are blest And this is according to Christ's Doctrine Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you to