THeſe words were ſpoken by Joſhua to the Children of Iſrael; and they do acquaint us,

First of all, That the Service of God may have a great many Prejudices and Objections rais'd againſt it: For, It may ſeem evil to ſome Men to ſerve the Lord.

Secondly, They inform us, that though the Service of God may have ſo many Prejudices and Objections rais'd againſt it; Yet, its Excellence is ſo far beyond all things in the World, that it may be ſafely put to any Mans Choice, whether he will ſerve God or no. The difference between Religion and Irreligion is ſo great, that no reaſonable Man can be at a ſtand which to chuſe: God is ſure which way the choice will go. And therefore he ſays, Chuſe you this day whom you will ſerve. And therefore they give us to underſtand,

Thirdly, That, If notwithſtanding the Excellence of Religion, Men will be ſo wilfully blind, as to chuſe Irreligion before it; Yet, it is the Duty of every Joſhua, it is the Duty of every Maſter of a Family, to ingage both Himſelf and his Family, to ſerve God againſt all Oppoſition to the contrary. For, If it ſeem evil to you to ſerve the Lord, chuſe you this day whom you will ſerve: But, as for me and my Houſe, we will ſerve the Lord.

Theſe Three Heads of Diſcourſe would take me up Four Sermons at leaſt. And therefore, the next Lords-Day being the laſt time that I ſhall Preach from this place; I ſhall now treat only of the laſt Propoſition, which is moſt Vſeful for, and moſt Neglected by moſt Men. In treating of which, I ſhall ſhew you from Joſhua's Example, That,

Every Maſter of a Family is indiſpenſably bound in Conſcience to bring up his Family in the Service of God. And the Reaſons of this are ſuch as theſe.

First of all. The Law tells us, Deut. 20. 5. That every Man was bound to Dedicate, Reaſon 1. or to Conſecrate, or to Sanctifie his Houſe unto the Lord. And the reaſon of the thing tells us, that it being impoſſible to Sanctifie the Walls of a Houſe, there being no Sanctification, properly ſo called, in Stone, Brick and Timber: Therefore, to Sanctifie a Houſe unto the Lord, is nothing elſe, but to be careful for the Inſtruction of a Man's Family, and to bring it up in the Service of God; that ſo, his Houſe may be God's Houſe, his Children God's Children, and his Servants God's Servants.

For indeed, if a Man does not inſtruct his Family at Home all the Week long, their going to Church on the Lord's-day does them little or no good: For, the Maſter does them as much and more harm in his own Houſe, than the Miniſter did them good in God's Houſe. The Maſters bad Example out-does the Preachers good Preaching, though he Preaches with the Tongues of Men and Angels. The Maſter's cuſtomary Swearing and Drinking, and Cheating in his way of Trade, every Day in the Week, out-does a little ſhort florid Sermon, only once or twice a Week. And that too perhaps, deſign'd only to pleaſe a few itching Ears, and not to ſink down deep enough, and to work upon their Hearts and Conſciences. The Maſters neglect of Family-Duties which the Miniſter preſſes ſo home, and upon his Conſcience in Church, makes the Servant imagin, that the Miniſter is ſome Preciſe, Rigid Puritan, that would fain oblige Men to ſuch things as God never obliged them to. For elſe ſays the Servant, My Maſter who is reckon'd ſuch a Grave, Prudent and Just Man in all other things, would never be ſo unjuſt to God, as to deny him the ſmall Tribute of Family-Duties, if he thought they were any way due to him. And by this means, the Maſter infects his Servant, and the Servant infects his Servant when he has one; and ſo on to the end of the World. And thus, as I take it, the caſe now ſtands at this preſent time; I would to God I were miſtaken in it! This Evil of neglecting Family-Duties, is come to ſo great a Head, that partly by the ſtrength of Cuſtom and Preſcription, which ſome Men impudently pretend for it: Partly, by the General corruption of Manners: And Partly, for want of frequent and affectionate Preaching againſt it, it will be a very hard matter to convince Men of their Duty in this caſe.

And therefore, notwithſtanding it is my uſual way to ſpend much time in the Application of my Diſcourſes to the Hearts of Men, yet at this time, I ſhall be forced to apply my ſelf wholly to your Judgments, by endeavouring to Convince them of the Abſolute Neceſſity of Family-Duties, without ever applying my ſelf to raiſe and to ſtir up your Affections, which muſt be reſerved to ſome other opportunity, and ſome other Hand.

Secondly The Character that God gave Abraham was this:Reaſon 2. I know him; that is, I approve of him, I commend him for what I know in him: I know him 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, Gen. 18. 19. This was one of our Father Abraham's greateſt Commendations. And therefore without all doubt, it made up the greateſt, or at leaſt, a very conſiderable part of his bounden Duty and Service. And therefore alſo, if ever we will be the true Sons of our Father Abraham, We muſt do the Works of our Father Abraham; and among the reſt, we are more eſpecially bound to do this Work of his, we are to command our Children and our Houſhold after us. We are to take care for them againſt that time, when we ſhall be dead and gone, leſt our Memory ſhould Stink and Rot among Men. We are in our Life-time to take care what ſhall become of them after our Death. We are to command them to keep the way of the Lord, to do Juſtice and Judgment. And we are to bring them up in the Service of God. And therefore we find, that when Chriſt had converted Zaccheus, he ſaid, This day is Salvation come to this Houſe, foraſmuch as he alſo is the Son of Abraham, Luke 19. 9. Mark it all you Maſters of Families: Chriſt does not ſay, this Day is Salvation come to this Man Himſelf: But, it is come to this Man's Houſe alſo; his whole Houſe, as well as himſelf was to be ſaved by his Salvation. And if you would know the reaſon of it, he tells you in the very next Words, that the reaſon of it was this; The Maſter of that Houſe was the Son of Abraham; and therefore, he was bound to bring up his Family in the Service of God, as his Father Abraham had done before him. For, if Peter, or any one elſe that is Chief or Head of a Place, do fall away from his Duty; then, others alſo; yea, a very Barnabas himſelf will be drawn away too. And therefore, tho he himſelf diſcharge his own Duty well enough; yet, if he takes not care, that all under him diſcharge theirs alſo, he is guilty of their Sin. God never increaſeth a Man's Family, but at the ſame time he increaſeth his Charge and his Care too. It is not enough for a Maſter of a Family to do the Duty of a Man; but he muſt alſo do the Duty of a Maſter of a Family. And thus, it is not enough for a Conſtable, or a Church-warden, or a Juſtice of Peace to do the Duty of a Maſter of a Family, and to look after his own Affairs at home; but he muſt alſo do the reſpective Duties of Conſtable, Churchwarden, or Juſtice of Peace.

Thirdly. The Fourth Commandment commands every Maſter of a Family to take care of his Son and Daughter;Reaſon 3. his Man-Servant and Maid-Servant; yea, and even of the very Cattle and Strangers that are within his Gates, that is, within his Juriſdiction or Protection. And certainly; That God, who commands every Maſter of a Family to take care of his Servants, does much more command him to take care of his Children. And that God, who commands every Maſter of a Family to take care of his Cattle and his Strangers, that is, his Lodgers and his Sojourners, does much more command him to take care of his Servants. For, a Chriſtian Servant is really more than a Servant, he is above a Servant, he is a Brother beloved, Philem. 16. Yea rather, There is no difference between either Bond or Free: for, we are all but one in Chriſt Jeſus, Gal. 3. 28.

Fourthly. Every Maſter of a Family is bound to do as much Good as he can in his Generation:Reaſon 4. Or, as the Scripture ſpeaketh, of the Patriarch David, he is bound to ſerve his Generation. And whoever that Maſter of a Family is, who does not bring up his Family in the Service of God, he does not bring it up to ſerve his Generation: But, he is ſo far from ſerving it, that he does it all the Diſſervice imaginable. For, as Ariſtotle obſerveth in his Politicks, Families are the firſt Societies in Nature, and they are the Ground and Original of all the reſt. Families are the Nurſeries and the Seminaries of a Commonwealth. They are the ſame to a Kingdom, that a Fountain is to the Streams that flow from it: Or that a Cauſe is to the Effects that come from it. And as the Streams can never be good when the Fountain is bad; and as the Effects can never be good when the Cauſe is bad: So likewiſe, No Kingdom can ever be good as long as the Families of the Earth are out of courſe.

And therefore, the beſt, and indeed, the only way to make Godly Pariſhes, and Godly Countries, and Godly Kingdoms, is, to being where we ought to begin. It is in the firſt place, To make Godly Families. And therefore, a Miniſter is not only bound to Teach his People in Publick, but he is alſo to Teach them in Private: He is not only to go and meet them in God's Houſe, but he is alſo to go and meet them in their own Houſes, if he may be admitted without any extraordinary Rudeneſs offered to his Perſon and Meſſage: He is to go from Houſe to Houſe, and to ſet up a Godly, and a Strict Diſcipline in their Families. And let no Man imagin that he has not Authority enough to do this. For, St. Paul did it, Acts 20. 20. And what he did, is written for our inſtruction, that we might do ſo too. Aſſure your ſelves, Every Miniſter has as much Power to demand God's Rent out of every Houſe, that is, to call them to an account for the Improvement of their Spiritual Talents, as any Gentleman's Steward has to call for, and demand his Maſters Rents from his Tenants, Matth. 21. 24. And Wo be to Us if we do not exerciſe this Power! And Wo be to them that will not ſuffer us to put it in Execution! But ſerve us, as thoſe Wicked and Barbarous Husbandmen ſerved the Lord's Servants, who went to demand the Fruits of their Lord's Vineyard, either beat us, or ſtone us, or kill us, or ſend us away empty, and caſt us out of the Vineyard, ver. 35, 39.

From the Families it is, that Vertue or Vice, a good or a bad Example, does firſt ariſe, and ſpead it ſelf both far and near. And therefore, the Families are to be carefully looked after in the firſt place. One Atheiſtical Family is enough to infect the whole Neighbourhood. It ſendeth a Son into one Houſe, a Daughter into another, a Servant into another, and ſome Body or other almoſt into every Houſe. And every one of them, like ſo many infected Perſons, do poyſon and infect all thoſe with whom they converſe. But what do I ſay, that one Atheiſtical Family is enough to infect the whole Neighbourhood? When it is plain, That One Man, One Jeroboam, is enough to infect the whole Church and State, and to make all Iſrael to ſin, even for many Ages after his Death. One Achan troubled all Iſrael, and brought a ſevere Judgment upon them all by his own ſingle Treſpaſs, Joſh. 7. throughout the Chapter. One inceſtuous Corinthian made all the Church of Corinth to be puffed up, and involved them all in his Fault, becauſe they had him not Excommunicated, 1 Cor. 5. 2. One infected Member infects all the reſt. And we Chriſtians are all of us but ſo many Members one of another: And therefore, The care of one, ought to reach to, and affect us all, Rom. 12. 5. 15.

Fifthly, Reaſon 5. No Maſter of a Family can have any Aſſurance of his own Goodneſs, unleſs he endeavour to make all his Family good as well as himſelf. He can have no ſure ſign of Grace in himſelf, unleſs he endeavour to make all about him to grow in Grace. For, even Nature teacheth us, that if a Needle be but touched with a Loadſtone, it will draw others along with it. And the very Birds of the Air teach us the ſame Leſſon. And why ſhould not I ſend you to them for Inſtruction, as Solomon ſends the Sluggard to the Ant for Good Husbandry? The very Birds of the Air teach us the ſame Leſſon: For, they no ſooner find a little heap of Corn themſelves, but they preſently Chirp and call their Fellows to come and partake with them. And therefore we find, that God does frequently make this to be the mark of a ſound Chriſtian that is himſelf thoroughly Converted, when his Care reacheth unto his Family, and he endeavours to Convert that as well as himſelf. For, the Mark of Abraham's goodneſs was, that he would command his Children and his Houſhold after him. The Mark of Joſhua's goodneſs was, that he and his Houſe would serve the Lord againſt all Oppoſition. The Mark of Zaccheus his goodneſs was, that he would ſave his Houſe as well as himſelf. The Mark of Cornelius the Centurion's goodneſs was, that he was a Devout Man, and one that Feared God with all his Houſe. The Mark of Lydia and the Jaylor's goodneſs was, that they and their Houſholds were Baptized. The Mark of Criſpus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue's goodneſs was, that he believed on the Lord, with all his Houſe. Yea, and the Mark of the Noble-Man of Capernaum's goodneſs was, that he himſelf believed and his whole Houſe. Neither Men nor Women, neither Rich nor Poor, neither Noble-Men, nor Rulers, nor Jaylors, no, nor yet the very Soldiers of thoſe Times, thought it below them to look after, and to inſtruct their Families in the Fear of God. Yea, and Holy David, though he were a King, did not think it below him to perform the ſame good Office to his Family▪ For, ſo careful was he upon this account, that he has left us the whole 101 Pſalm as a Pattern for all Maſters of Families to walk by. And yet alas! How much is this Duty neglected by all ſorts of Men now-a-days, which was heretofore ſo much, if not Vniverſally Practic'd. But however, let the neglect of it be what it will, yet ſure it is, if thou doſt not do all thou canſt to make thy whole Houſe good as well as thy ſelf, thou haſt no good Aſſurance that thou thy ſelf art a good Man. And therefore we find in Exod. 12. 48. That no Proſelyte might preſume to come to the Paſſover, unleſs his whole Houſe as well as himſelf were Circumciſed, and profeſſed the Jewiſh Religion. And how few then ſhould now come to the holy Sacrament, if this Law, as well as its Equity were ſtill in force? And we find alſo, that God would have Killed Moſes in the Inn, in his way to Egypt, becauſe he had not Circumciſed his Son, Exod. 4. 24. The great Concern of his Embaſſage, and the great Haſte it requir'd, could not poſſibly have prevented his Death, if his Wife had not preſently Circumciſed his Son. God never truſts them with any Publick Affairs, who are negligent in their Private Capacities. And we find further in Deut. 30. 2, 3. That the Iſraelites had no hope of ever returning from Captivity, unleſs their Children as well as themſelves would return unto the Lord, and obey his Voice.

But theſe you'll ſay,Obj. are all of them Old Teſtament Proofs; and what do thoſe affect you who are not under the Severe Diſcipline of a School-Maſters Rod, but the Milder Diſpenſation of the Goſpel of Chriſt?

But thanks be to God for it,Anſw. neither Chriſt nor his Goſpel do in the leaſt diſingage you from Family Duties, but do rather much more Confirm and Eſtabliſh them. For, St. Paul is expreſs, 1 Tim. 3. 4, 5. That no Man may be made a Biſhop or a Prieſt, but one that ruleth well his own Houſe, having his Children in Subjection with all Gravity. For, if a Man know not how to Rule his own Houſe, how ſhall he take care of the Church of God? Nay, and what's a great deal more than all this, St. Paul tell us plainly, 1 Tim. 5. 8. That if any provide not for his own, though they be abroad and gone from him; and eſpecially for thoſe of his own Houſe, that are at Home with him, he hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. And if a Man have denied the Faith, and be worſe than an Infidel, that does not provide Food and Raiment for his Family, and take care for the welfare of their Bodies only: How bad then is that Man that does not provide for the Souls of his Family? For, is it not worſe to ſtarve the Soul, than to ſtarve the Body? And is not Eternal Death far worſe than Temporal Death? And are not the Gnawings of the never-Dying Worm, far more intolerable, than the cravings of an Empty Stomach? Certainly, as much as the Soul exceeds the Body, ſo much the worſe is that Man that neglects the Souls of his Family, than he that neglects their Bodies. And yet, if he that only neglects their Bodies, have denied the Faith, and be worſe than an Infidel: Then judge you your ſelves, what Name is bad enough for that Man that neglects their Souls? And now, let any Maſter of a Family, that does not bring up his Houſe in the Service of God, tell Me and this Congregation, how he can pretend to be a Chriſtian, when St. Paul tells him here to his Face, that he hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel.

And if any of you ſhall be pleaſed to call me Raſh, Cenſorious, Poſitive, Peremptory, and I know not what, for paſſing ſuch a ſevere Judgment upon you that are guilty of this Sin, (if any of you are guilty of it,) do but remember it is not my Judgment, but St. Paul's: And then, if you muſt needs find fault, find fault with him; and let him anſwer for it, and not I. And with Him, not to ſay with Us, It is a very ſmall thing that we ſhould be judged of You, or of Mans judgment: He that judgeth us is the Lord, 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4. And therefore, do you ſay what you will, I do conclude notwithſtanding, that no Maſter of a Family can have any Aſſurance of his own Faith; for, he hath denyed that: and conſequently, he can have no Aſſurance of his own Salvation neither, unleſs he endeavour to make all his Family good as well as himſelf. He can have no ſure ſign of Grace in himſelf, unleſs he endeavour to make all about him to grow in Grace.

Sixthly. Reaſon 6. A Bad Maſter of a Family makes all his Family bad; or at leaſt, he is not wanting on his part, as far as his bad Example will go. An Adulterous Maſter makes all his Family to ſerve his Luſt, and prompts them to Uncleanneſs. A Drunken, Swearing Maſter, provokes all his Family to give themſelves to Drinking and Swearing: And a Covetous Maſter brings the very Root of all Evil into his Family, and infects them all with a ſtingy penurious Humour, which Eats up the very Vitals and Bowels of Chriſtianity. And ſhall not a good Maſter of a Family be as careful to make his Family good, as a bad Maſter is to make his Family bad? Shall not the good be as true to God, as the bad is to the Devil? Shall not Heaven ingage the good to make as many Converts, as Hell does ingage the Bad? And ſhall not everlaſting Joys be as ſtrong and prevailing Motives, as everlaſting Torments? Oh how will the Devil inſult over thee for this at the day of Judgment! How will he then Accuſe thee for this, which he now provokes thee to, and commends thee for! And how will he then upbraid thee for having promoted his Kingdom of Darkneſs, more than thou didſt the Kingdom of Chriſt? Me, thinks I hear, and I even tremble to hear him Plead againſt thee after ſome ſuch manner as this! This Man was thine by Creation, O'Chriſt; but he has made himſelf mine by his own Choice: He was thine whether he would or no; he could not hinder his Creation; but he became mine by his own voluntary Act and Deed. Thou didſt Redeem him; but he preſently ſold himſelf to me for a trifle, for nothing, for worſe than nothing; for Death, for Eternal Death. Thou didſt Dye for him; but he ſerved me, and lived and died in my Service; in the drudgery and ſlavery of Sin. And yet for all this, I gave him nothing, and I promiſed him nothing, ſave only the burden of a Surſeit, or the vanity of Fame, or the filthy pleaſure of a Night, or the joys of Madneſs, or the delights of a Diſeaſe, or the comfortable entertainment of Horror, Anguiſh and Deſpair. I never Sweated great Drops of Blood for him; I never Hanged upon the Croſs for him; only, when he was thine by the merit of thy precious Death, he became mine by his own baſe Ingratitude. He Swore in his Baptiſm to be thy Soldier, and he has forſworn himſelf a Thouſand times over to Fight my Battles. He ought to have made his Houſe a Houſhold of Faith, but he has made it a Den of Thieves, and a Cage of every unclean thing. None of my Servants do ſerve me thus: My Servants are all true and faithful to me; they take care that nothing be ſeen or heard in their Houſes all the Year long, but Drinking, and Swearing, and Gaming, and Whoring, and Backbiting, and ſuch like extravagant Frolicks. And yet, does this Maſter of a Family pretend to be thy Servant, and ſerve me all the while, and ſuffer his Houſe to be full of all manner of Sinners, yea, and prefer Sinners to his Acquaintance, to his Table, to his Boſom, to his very Bed, before thoſe which his own Conſcience cannot but tell him to be good and honeſt Men. And this, or ſome ſuch invidious Accuſation, the Accuſer of the Brethren, the Devil, will certainly bring againſt thee at the Day of Judgment. And therefore, as thou wouldſt avoid it Then; ſo, be thou Now ſure to bring up thy Family in the Service of God: which is the only thing that will be able to ſtop the Devil's Mouth againſt thee at that great and terrible Day of the Lord.

And here now I am preſently aware of a Middling ſort of Men, who are neither notorious ill Livers, nor notorious good Livers: Who neither drink nor ſwear, nor whore, nor keep any bad hours in their Families. And theſe Men content themſelves with a Negative ſort of Religion. They think it enough to eſchew Evil, and they never think of doing Good. They think it enough to haue their Families at home, and to give them good ordinary Food and Raiment, and to keep them in pretty good Order for their Credit and their Trade's ſake; and they never think of providing for their Immortal Souls, for God's ſake, tho they do much more deſerve, and do much more ſtand in need of their utmoſt Aſſiſtance. They call them to an exact Account for every Farthing that they entruſt them with; and they never call them to any Account at all for thoſe innumerable Talents that God hath committed to their Charge. They enquire of them diligently what News they have heard abroad; and they never enquire of them what good Sermon they have heard at Church, and how much the better they are for having heard it. They ask them, whether ſuch a ſtrong Place, or ſuch a Fortreſs be taken or ſurrendred; and they never ask them whether ſuch a Thorn be taken out of their Fleſh, or ſuch a Sin taken Captive, or ſuch a Jericho demoliſhed, or ſuch a Luſt mortified, or ſuch earthly Members crucified to the Croſs of Chriſt. They take on mightily, and lay on unmercifully, if they be not always at home to wait on them at their Tables, and they never are at all concern'd whether ever they wait at God's Table, and go to his Altar to receive the Bleſſed Sacrament.

And thus theſe Middling Sort of Men do keep their Families at home indeed, but they do not make them do any good at home. They keep them from the groſſer Acts of Sin, but they do not bring them up to Vertue. They keep them from Drinking, and Swearing, and Whoring, (and 'twere well if all would but do ſo much) but they do not bring them up to Read and to Pray, and to ſing Pſalms; and they do not inſtruct them in the Principles of Religion, by Catechizing them, and Reading and expounding the Scriptures to them, as far as they are able.

Sure I am, Theſe and ſuch like Godly Exerciſes were conſtantly uſed in thoſe Late Times, which ſome Men have learned to call Hypocritical. But how deſervedly, let them look to it. For, none is able to diſtinguiſh a Hypocrite from an Honeſt Man, unleſs he can do as God does, Search the Heart. And if our Religion does not Exceed, yet, does not Equal, that of the Hypocrites, Good God, what will become of us! Let us have a care leſt our Portion be not as good as theirs! Let us not deceive our ſelves! The cloſe Hypocrite does not do the Church of God ſo much Harm as the Profane Perſon. The Hypocrite commends Religion. For, none counterfeits that which is bad. But the Profane Perſon lives in open Defiance to it, and proclaims War againſt Heaven, and dares the Almighty to his Face. Ahab's Hypocritical Repentance procured him a great Temporal Bleſſing, even from God Himſelf. But we never read of any Bleſſing that God beſtows upon a Man for his Profaneneſs. And therefore▪

Firſt of all, Do not thou call any Times Hypocritical. For, thou doſt not know which are ſo, and which are not ſo. And then▪

Secondly, Do not thou preſume to neglect Family-Duties, becauſe they were moſt practiced in thoſe Times, which thou thinkeſt moſt Hypocritical. The very Hypocrite's Practice of them, both juſtifies and commends them. For, he is never at the pains to counterfeit ought but what is good. The Devil transforms himſelf only into an Angel of Light, or at leaſt, ſomething elſe that is better than himſelf.

Let us not therefore thus pitifully deceive our ſelves any longer. The Hypocrite's practice of Family-Duties will not juſtifie, but condemn us, and aggravate our Condemnation for their Neglect. God neither is, nor will, nor can be mocked by you. Your Sins of Omiſſion are damnable as well as your Sins of Commiſſion. Your omitting Family-Duties is damnable, as well as your committing Family-Sins. Men ſhall be damned for doing Nothing, as well as for doing Somthing that is bad. Idleneſs is mortal as well as Sinfulneſs▪ And the ſlothful Napkiner of his Talent is accountable for That, as well as he that ſpends his Eſtate upon Eaſe, Luxury and Pomp. Men ſhall be damned not only for Cheating, and Oppreſſing, and grinding the Face of the Poor; but alſo, for not Aſſiſting, and not Relieving the Poor; for not giving them Meat, Drink, Cloathing and Lodging when they ſtand in need of it, as too many of them do in this cold Seaſon of the Year, as you heard this Morning from His Majeſty's Gracious Letter to the Lord Biſhop and the Lord Mayor of London, on the behalf of the Poor in and about this City. Which I would have you all Effectually to lay to Heart. And therefore▪

I beſeech thee, yea, I beg of thee for Chriſt his ſake, and for thine own ſake too, that when thou haſt taken ſo much care to keep thy ſelf from Sins of Commiſſion, do not ſuffer thy ſelf to be damned for Sins of Omiſſion. Thou that haſt kept thy ſelf from Doing Evil, do not ſuffer thy ſelf to be undone for not doing Good. Thou that haſt kept thy Family from Sin, do not ſuffer thy ſelf to periſh for not bringing it up to Vertue. It is the height of Miſery to have watched for the Bridegroom till he was juſt coming, and then in the very nick of Time to fall aſleep, and to be ſhut out for ever from the Marriage-Feaſt. It is the utmoſt diſappointment to fall ſhort of the Prize within a ſtep of the Races end. There are Proverbs made on't. 'Tis a diſappointment beyond Expreſſion, beyond Thought, beyond all things, to go to the Devil in the ſight of God, and to be tumbled into Hell from Heaven-Gates. And therefore, thou that haſt taken ſo much care with thy Family, do not make thy ſelf eternally miſerable for not taking a little more care with it. Thou that haſt gone ſo far, do not damn thy ſelf for not going one ſtep farther. Do not forfeit Heaven for one bad Action. Do not forfeit Eternity for nothing, for one Sin of Omiſſion, the Omiſſion of Family-Duties.

Seventhly, Reaſon 7. Self-love and Self-preſervation oblige a Man to bring up his Family in the Service of God, tho he himſelf has not God in all his Thoughts. For, Self-preſervation obliges a Man to avoid a Peſt-Houſe, or an Houſe infected with the Plague: It obliges him to avoid all violent Torments, ſuch as the Rack, the Wheel, and the Gallows; and it never makes him over-fond either of Sword, Fire, or Faggot. And yet, the very ſame Principle that obliges a Man to avoid theſe and ſuch like fatal Meſſengers of God's Wrath, does much more oblige him to bring up his Family in the Service of God, and to empty his Houſe of all Bad Livers. For, if thy Servant be ſick of any Catching Diſtemper, doſt not thou preſently get him out of thy Houſe, leſt Thou, and thy Wife, and thy Children, and the reſt of thy Family ſhould catch that Diſtemper? And yet, is there any Diſtemper half ſo catching, and half ſo miſchievous, as that of Sin? And wilt not thou then much more get rid of a Sinful, than a Sick Servant? Eſpecially, ſeeing all his Sickneſs is only the effect of his Sinfulneſs; And it is Charity, and perhaps thy Duty, to entertain thy ſick Servant, which thou art never bound to do to thy ſinful Servant. Doſt thou harbor a Company of Thieves or Robbers in thy Houſe, if thou haſt any thing by thee that is worth their ſtealing? Doſt thou harbor a Company of Adulterers or Fornicators in thy Houſe, if thou haſt either a Chaſte Wife, or a Chaſte Daughter, or a Chaſte Maid living with thee? And yet, wilt thou harbor a Company of Wicked Servants in thy Houſe, that will rob thee of thy very Soul, and will bring the Curſe and the Plague of God upon thee and all thy Family? Yea, wilt thou harbor a Company of Incarnate Devils in thy Houſe? For, what our Saviour ſaid of Judas, I have choſen Twelve Diſciples, and behold one of them is a Devil, is but too true of every other Wicked Man, he is a Devil; he is led, or rather violently hurried on, by the ſame Spirit that the Devil himſelf is led by. And art not thou afraid to keep a Company of Incarnate Devils in thy Houſe, when a little Fire or Water, or a few Thieves ſhall be ready to make thee at thy Wits end?

Eighthly, Reaſon 8. Self-Intereſt obliges a Man to bring up his Family in the Service of God, though he himſelf careth not for God. And Intereſt certainly will do much in ſuch a place as This, when all other things fail. Where Robbing of Orphans, Oppreſſing Widows, Grinding the Face of the Poor, Griping Vſury, and Suing out Pardons from the State for Extortion: Where theſe and ſuch like abominable Sins do reign at ſuch a rate; certainly Interest, yea, the very Name of it, will paſs for a ſtronger Argument than all the Power and Demonſtration of the Spirit. And therefore, methinks, that this Place of all others ſhould be moſt remarkable for Family-Duties, which advance their Intereſt even to an Hundred-fold. For, if a Man be bad himſelf, yet if he have but a good Servant, God will bleſs that bad Man for the ſake of his good Servant. For, notwithſtanding Potiphar was an Idolater, and notwithſtanding his Wife was an Adultreſs, and would have committed a Rape upon her Chaſt Servant, that preferred the Members of Chriſt before the Members of ſuch a Lewd Harlot: Notwithſtanding all theſe Villanies that were enough to have undone a whole Kingdom, and much more one Houſe: Yet ſtill, the Holy Ghoſt is expreſs, that the Lord bleſſed the Egyptians Houſe for Joſeph's ſake. And again, The Lord bleſſed the Houſe of Obed-Edom, for the Arks ſake, And again, The Lord bleſſed Laban for his Servant Jacob's ſake. And again, The Lord cured Naaman the Syrian of his Leproſie, for his little Hebrew Maids ſake. And again, The Lord ſaved all the Men that were with Paul in the Ship, for Paul's ſake. And again, The Lord would have ſaved all Sodom and Gomorrha for the ſake of Ten Righteous Men. And in one word, whatever a good Servant putteth his Hand to, the Lord will proſper it in his Hand, Pſal. 1. 3. And who then would be without a good Servant, or ſome other good Man in his Family, if he might be had either for Love or Mony, if he might be had at any rate? Eſpecially, ſeeing that even Self-Intereſt obliges a Man to get him ſuch a one. And therefore, though a Man ſhould be never ſo bad himſelf, yet even his Intereſt would oblige him, one would think, to bring up his Family in the Service of God, though he, like the Unjuſt Judge in the Goſpel, cared neither for God nor Man, nor did at all value either Heaven or Hell.

Laſtly, Reaſon 9. Good Manners, and good Breeding, and common Civility, oblige a Man to bring up his Family in the Service of God, though he himſelf has no Religion at all. For, there is no Man ſo ill-bred, as to invite a Friend to take a Commons with him, and yet provide him nothing but what he knows he hath a perfect Antipathy againſt, and what he hates in his Heart, and what will make him Swoon away at the very ſight of it. No Man is ſo ill-bred as to ſerve his Friend thus. And I believe, that no Man is ſo ill-bred as to invite a Friend to a Place, where he can neither ſee, nor hear, nor ſpeak to any but what are his Mortal Enemies, and what have Murdered his beſt and his only Friend, and what would Murder him alſo, if ever they meet him. No Man certainly is ſo ill-bred as this comes to. And yet we all know, there is ſcarce a wicked Man upon Earth, but what Prays in his Houſe at ſome time or other, or at leaſt ſends for the Miniſter to Pray with him at the point of Death. Then at leaſt, once in his Life-time, the Miniſter, That Diminitive Creature he ſo often Laugh'd at, and Libell'd in all Places, the Miniſter is thought ſit for his Company, when he himſelf is fit for no Bodies elſe. And what is it for a Man to pray to God in his Houſe? Is it any thing elſe, but to deſire God to come into, and to Bleſs his Houſe, and to enter under his Roof, and to Dwell in the Temple of his Body, and to Sup with him, and to tranſlate him from Death to Life, and from Earth to Heaven? Is a Family-Prayer any thing elſe? And yet ſhall that Wicked Man Invite God to come into that place, that place of Sin, that Dunghil of Filth, his own Houſe, which he knows that God hates, and loaths and abhors? Shall that Wicked Man invite God to come into the Company of thoſe wicked Servants of his, who have Crucified his only begotten Son, and trampled upon the Lord of Life, and counted his Blood an unholy thing, and done deſpite to his Spirit of Grace? Shall that wicked Man invite a Jealous God to come into the Company of Whoremongers and Adulterers, whom he himſelf will judge to Eternal Scorchings in Hell▪Fire? Shall that Wicked Man invite God to come into that place where he ſhall hear himſelf Curſed and Sworn againſt, and his Name Blaſphemed to his Face? Where he ſhall ſee a Swiniſh Luſt preferr'd before him, and a Drunken Cup preferr'd before the Cup of Bleſſing, and a PAINTED Jezabel preferr'd before the Charms of the Immaculate Jeſus that has neither SPOT nor Wrinkle? Would any Man that has either Good Manners, or good Breeding, or any common Civility left him; would any Man at all ſerve a Friend at ſuch a rate, ſuch a barbarous rate as this? What, ſend for a Friend to abuſe and affront him in his own Houſe, and to buffet and to ſpit upon him, and to turn him out of Doors aſſoon as he comes, wounded, mangled, bleeding, gaſping, dead, dead with the death of the Croſs? And yet, at this and a far worſe rate does every Man ſerve God, who invites him to come into his Houſe, where he can neither ſee nor hear any thing, but what Wounds and Stabs him to the Heart, and pierces his Bleeding Sides, and Crucifies him afreſh, and puts him again to an open ſhame.

And now canſt thou poſſibly find in thy Heart to ſerve God thus? What has God done that he ſhould deſerve this at thy Hands? The very Abjects of the People that came about, and the Drunkards that made Songs, and Jeſted upon Holy David, did not ſerve him ſo ill as thou doſt God. Nay, and ev'n Balaam himſelf did not ſerve his very Aſs ſo ill as thou doſt God: He preſently ſaw his Error, but thou goeſt on ſtill in thine, and wilt not ſee it. Tell me ſeriouſly, wherein has God offended thee ſo much, that thou doſt thus uſe him? Is not God thy Creator, thy Preſerver, thy Redeemer, thy Saviour, thy All? If yet thou haſt any ſhare at all in him. And which of all theſe unſpeakable Mercies makes thee ſo much his Enemy? 'Tis greatly to be feared, that thou haſt not the leaſt Intereſt in God. Thou haſt not the leaſt Intereſt in that Houſe which thou thy ſelf doſt wilfully ſet on Fire. Thou haſt not the leaſt intereſt in that Ship which thou thy ſelf doſt help to Sink. Thou art not the Right Owner of that Child which thou thy ſelf doſt cauſe to be divided, and killed in it's Mother's Preſence.

And if it be againſt all Good Manners to invite God to come into your Houſes that you may affront him to his Face: Then, No Man that pretends to love God may preſume to keep Company with bad Men, where God is daily affronted, without forfeiting all Claims to good Breeding. For, can I poſſibly go into that Company, and can I take any Pleaſure in that Society, which abuſes, and kills my Friend, that I love as my own Soul? Yea, Is it not far worſe for me to take pleaſure in bad Men's Company, than it is for me to be a bad Man my ſelf? Is it not worſe for me to love a Fornicator, than it is for me to be a Fornicator? Yea verily. For ſays St. Paul ſpeaking of Fornicators, and the Haters of God, They knowing the Judgment of God (that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of Death) not only do the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that do them, Rom. 1. 32. From whence it is plain, That to take pleaſure in thoſe Men's Company that do bad things, is far worſe than for a Man to be bad himſelf. And therefore for the future, take ſpecial care what Men and Women's Company you take Delight in, and become One Fleſh with. Do not find fault with thoſe Men that bear their Teſtimony againſt theſe things. And do not reckon thoſe Men proud, who are reſolved, by God's Grace, to live and die according to theſe Rules, and to avoid all Familiarity with all God's Enemies, as far as they know them. For, how canſt thou poſſibly pretend to be the Spouſe of Chriſt, and yet take her for thy Wife, or him for thy Husband, who takes the Members of Chriſt and makes them the Members of an Harlot? From all which it is plain. That tho thou pretendeſt to no great ſhare of Religion: Yet, thou pretendeſt to Good Manners, and Good Breeding, and Common Civility; and theſe very Motives, if there were none beſides oblige thee to bring up thy Family in the Service of God.

And yet alas! theſe very Men that pretend moſt to Good Breeding and good Manners, do treat God the moſt unmannerly and the moſt rudely of all others. For, their Houſes have the leaſt Devotion in them. There it is, that Reading the Scripture, and Praying, and Singing of Pſalms, and Repeating of Sermons, and Examining and Instructing of Families are the leaſt obſerved. The richer thoſe Men are, the more careleſs they are in Family-Duties. That is in plain Engliſh, The more kind God is to them, the more unkind, and the more ungrateful they are to him. Thoſe very Bleſſings that ſhould oblige them to bring God's Service into their Families, are uſed as Arguments to baniſh it out of all their Dwellings. Their very Greatneſs. Their Honour, which ſhould oblige them to honour God moſt, for having honoured them ſo much above their Fellows, makes them to think it below them to condeſcend ſo far as to inſtruct their own Children, and much leſs their Servants. They did not think it below them to beget their Children in Sin, and conſequently to ſerve the Devil; and yet, they think it below them to bring up their Children in the Service of the Living God. They did not think it beneath them to make their Children the Firebrands of Hell, and the Children of Wrath; and yet, they think it beneath them to make their Children the Children of Light, and the Heirs of Heaven.

And here now, I know very well, that theſe Gentile-Men, as they think themſelves, do charge us with Ill-Breeding for telling them of theirs ſo Publickly. But, whatever they Think of it, we know otherwiſe. We know whom we have believed. We know our ſelves guilty of as great a Fault, in not telling them of their Faults, as they are in committing them. And therefore we are forc'd to tell them further, That, this is not all the Rudeneſs and Incivility that theſe Civil Men, theſe Men of Good Manners, and Good Breeding are guilty of. For, it is not enough for them to think it below themthemſelves to bring Religion into their Families, but they would have all others think it ſo too. They would have all others to run into the ſame exceſs of Riot with themſelves. They neither go to Heaven themſelves, nor ſuffer others to go thither, by their Good Will. But, if their Cups, their Roaring, their Revelling, and Clamorous Balling and Quarrelling do perhaps permit them at ſometime to over-hear their Godly Neighbours either a Praying or a Singing of Pſalms, or a doing any other Chriſtian Duty in their Families, the leaſt they ſay, is, That they are diſturbed by them, and that they can have no quiet in their Houſes for their ſilly whining; and in plain Terms, that they are a Company of rank Hypocrites and Fanaticks. But Oh good God, what Times are we now fall'n into, when Sobriety, Gravity, and Family-Duties, ſhall be enough to Un-Church a Man! What Times are we now fall'n into! when Men are counted Sinners for following the Example of the Bleſſed Jeſus, who expounded All thoſe things to his Family in Private, which he had taught them in Publick, Mark 4. 34. What an Age is this that we now live in! When Men are counted Sinners for doing as the Primitive Chriſtians did; for making their Houſes to be the Houſes of God, and for turning them into ſo many little Churches and Aſſemblies of the Saints of God, Rom. 16. 5. 1 Cor. 16. 19. Col. 4. 15. Philem. 2. And you do not know but that in one of theſe Little Hutts, your Lot, the Pawn of your Peace, the Pledge of your Safety, and the Hoſtage of your Security, your Lot may dwell. Once more. What an Age is this that we now live in! When Men ſhall be counted Hypocrites for doing thoſe Family-Duties, and making ſuch a neceſſary Proviſion for the Souls of their Children and their Servants, which if they do not make, St. Paul tells them expreſly, They deny the Faith, and are worſe than Infidels! And if Men are grown to ſuch an extravagant, and ſuch a monſtrous Height of Impiety, as to reckon that to be no Breach of Duty, but rather a commendable Action, which makes them Denyers of their Faith, yea, and makes them worſe than the very worſt Infidels. Good God! What will the end of theſe things be?

And thus I have done. But do not you think, that you alſo have done with what you have now heard. Your Work does but Begin, when mine is Ended. Your Work is to Do and Practiſe what I have deliver'd according to God's Word, and not to Judge, and to Cenſure it. For, if thou judge the Law, thou art not a Doer of the Law, but a Judge, Jam. 4. 11. Your Work is to Do, and not Only to Hear. Do you therefore make a Solemn Vow unto the Lord: But make it Now: Make it before you ſtir from hence. Joſhua gives you, and the thing it ſelf requires no longer time to conſider of it. For ſays he, Chuſe you this day whom you will ſerve. If you will chuſe at all, you muſt chuſe out of hand, you muſt chuſe to day, even Now. Now therefore do you All make a Solemn Vow unto the Lord, That, if you have neglected Family-Duties hitherto, you will never neglect them for the time to come. But, whatever others may do in their Families, As for Vs, as for All Vs that are here preſent, we and our Families will ſerve the Lord; yea, we will ſerve him againſt all Oppoſition to the contrary. And let all the People ſay, Amen, Lord Jeſu, Amen and Amen.