Section 23

Section 23

If, through grace, the power of sin is broken in you, and you are delivered from the wrath to come, and being in Christ, there is no condemnation to you, yet the very remembrance of the misery and danger you were in, and are delivered from, how near you were to the pif s brink, and how you were

SOBER-MINDEDNESS RECOMMENDED

snatched as brands out of the burning, should make you serious. You still carry a body of death about with you, which should make you cry out, O wretched creatures that we are! You are compassed about with enemies, who war against your souls; you have not yet put oflf the harness, but have reason still to fear, lest a promise being left you of entering into rest, any of you should seem to come short, and this is enough to make you considerate and cautious, and sober-minded.

In short, till you have by faith in Christ made your peace with God, and are become sincere Christians, you have no reason to rejoice at all; and when you have done it, and have some comfortable evidence of a blessed change, through grace, wrought in you, you will then have better things to rejoice in, than this world can furnish you with; and having tasted spiritual pleasures, will be dead to all the delights of sense; and you will say, offer them to those who know no better.

3. You are setting out in a world of sorrows and snares, of troubles and temptations, and therefore are concerned to be sober-minded, that you may be armed accordingly, so that the troubles of the world may not rob you of your peace, nor the temptations oTF it rob you of your purity. Your way lies through a wilderness, a land of darkness and drought, and nothing but sober-mindedness will carry you safe through it to Canaan.

Now you are young, and have the world before you, you are apt to flatter yourselves with a conceit that every thing will be safe and pleasant, your mountain you think stands so strong, that it cannot be moved; that nothing can shake either your integrity, or your prosperity ; but you little know what this world is, a*hd what snares there are in every condition of life, and every company; in all employments, in all enjoyments. And if you be careless and vain, and live at large, you make yourselves an easy prey to the tempter, and are in danger of being carried away by the course of this world: you have need therefore to take heed to yourselves, and to keep your souls diligently, that is, to be sober-minded ; for considering the corruption that is in the world through lust, and the corruption that is in your own hearts, what may we not fear when they come together?

When the restraints of education are taken off, and you begin to find yourselves at liberty, you will meet with so many enticing sins and sinners, that you will be in danger of falling into licentiousness, and being undone, unless the impressions of your education still abide, unless by this sober-mindedness you still be your own parents, your own masters, your own tutors, and by an established virtue, through the grace of God, a law to yourselves.

You know not what trials and troubles you may be reserved for, but yon know that man who is born of a woman, is bat of few days, and full of titrable; his crosses certain, more or less ; a cross to be takes up daily; his comforts uncertain; and should sot this make you sober, that when afflictions come, they may not be so terrible as they are to those, who by indulging themselves in mirth and pleasure, hate made themselves like the tender and delicate womis, that would not set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground, for tenderness and delicacy, Deut. xxviiL 56. Even the common calamities of baman life press hard upon such, and wound deep; wheitti, those who live a sober, serious, self-denying life, are, like Christ, acquainted with fef, have Bade it familiar to them, and can the easier reconcile themselves to it.

Some of you, perhaps, are sickly, and often oatflf health; you carry distempers about with you, whiefc tell you what you are, and you are inexcusable if you be not thereby made sober; if they do oet deaden you to the delights of sense, and lower your expectations from the creature, and dispose yoa (o serious work. By the sickness of the body the bctit should be made better,—many a one's has been; the uncertainty of whose bodily health has eondoeed very much to the health of their soals. Those doia-deed walk contrary to God who allow themselves ii vanity, while they carry about with them sensible tokens of their mortality.

But even the most strong and healthful may die in their full strength, and must die at last; we tre all dying daily, death is working in os, and weaie walking toward it, and shall not that make ns sober? Theirs was an unpardonable crime who atdd,lMm eat and drink, for to-morrow we die, Isa. xxii. 13.14 Who when they were minded by the prophet of tbe near approach of death, as a reason why they AcM repent and reform speedily, turned it quite a cos-trary way, and argued, if we must have a short life, let it be a merry one; surely, says God, this imfw Ujf shall not be purged from you.

The end of all things is at hand, is near at hasd with us, be ye therefore sober; that whenever oir Lord shall come, we may be in a good frame to meet him. When we consider what oar bodies will k shortly, how near akin they are to cormption wd the worms, we shall see little reason to paa them, and to bring them up delicately, for we aie hastening to the house of darkness, where the itk» of mirth is no more heard.

When th' hair grows sweet with pride and losti The powder doth forget the dust,''— Mr. HerkrU

You see many young people abont yoa rained aid undone, and it was for want of being sober-miiidcd. Many, perhaps, you have known or might hate observed, who were born of good parents, had a religious education, set oat well, were for some tisB hopeful, and promised fair with buds and bksiM k k hx

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667 b ended in the flesh, after they had began in the lit, and it was for want of consideration; they could : be persuaded to think soberly; they were drawn ay of their own lust and enticed ; and those en-^ments were hearkened to, when a deaf ear was ned to Wisdom's calls, and to all the dictates of son and conscience; they would not hearken to voice of these charmers, charming ever so wisely. $ome have outrun their apprenticeships, others ^c foolishly thrown themselves away in marriage, crs have set up and made a flourish awhile, but re soon broke and become bankrupts, either by ing high, or by grasping at more business than y could secure; some have been carried away by eistical and profane notions, and others by a loose i vain conversation, all which would have been 3pily prevented, if they had been humble and creet, and duly governed their appetites and isions,

)thers' harms should be your warning, to take ;d of the rocks they split upon. Sir Richard ickmore, in his Heroic Poem of Job, thus gives reason of Job's pious care concerning his sons, sr the days of their feasting were gone about.

For he with mournful eyes had often spied, )catter'd on pleasure's smooth buttreach'rous tide. The spoils of virtue overpower'd by sense, ^nd floating wrecks of ruin'd innocence."

You are here in this world upon your trial for Lven. O that you would firmly believe this, not y that you are hastening apace into eternity, but t it will certainly be to you a comfortable or a terable eternity, according to what you are and while you are in the body; and this considera-Q, one would think, should make you sober. Sternal life is set before you, eternal happiness in vision and fruition of God; you may make it e, if it be not your own fault; may lay hold on it, you look about you now. There are substantial lours, satisfying pleasures, and true riches, in nparison with which all the riches, honours, i pleasures of this world are empty names and idows; these may be your portion for ever, they ill be so, if by a patient continuance in well-ng, through Christ, you seek for this glory, hour, and immortality. You are here probationers for best preferment, for a place in the New Jerusa-1; you stand candidates for a crown, a kingdom, orruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 stand fair for it; and is it not time to think then ? think seriou.<(ly, and soberly to apply yourselves that business for which you were sent into this rid, and from which» if it be done faithfully, you y remove with comfort to another world, but if t, your removal to that world will be terrible? Ml ought to be serious and circumspect now, be-iise as you spend your time, so you are likely to spend your eternity; and a great deal of work you have to do, and but little time to do it in.

Let mc put the case to you, as to this world. If a wise and wealthy man should take one of you who had but little, and tell you that you should come into his family, and he would provide food and clothing for you for one year, and if you carried yourself well for that year, would submit to the prudent discipline of his family, would be observant of him, and take care to please him, that then at the year's end he would give you ten thousand pounds ; but if you were rude and ungovernable, he would turn you out of doors ; would not this put you upon considering ? Would it not make you sober ? Would you not deny yourselves in the gratification of many a desire, for fear of displeasing such a benefactor ? If he were ever so humorsome you would humour him, when it were so much your interest. This is your case; the time of your probation is but short; the terms are easy and reasonable; the God you are to please is not hard to be pleased, nor will impose any thing upon you but what becomes you, and will be pleasant to you; the happiness he proposes is infinitely more worth than thousands of gold and silver, and the security he gives, is the inviolable promise of one who cannot lie nor deceive; the misery, if you come short of it, is worse than being turned out of doors, it is to be cast into utter darkness. Life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before you; and will you not then set your hearts to all the words which we testify unto you ; will you not think soberly, that you may make sure work in a matter of such vast importance, on which your lives, and the lives of your souls, depend ? You are here upon your good behaviour, and therefore are concerned to behave yourselves well; for if you do not, 5on, remember, will be a dreadful peal rung in your ears shortly, remember how fair thou stoodest for happiness, and what the morsel of meat was, for which, like profane Esau, thou .soldest that birthright.

Lastly, You must shortly go to judgment; with the consideration of this, Solomon endeavours to make his young man sober, that is for walking in the way of his heart, and in the sight of his eyes; Know thoUy that for all these things God sludl bring thee into judgment. And thou who makest a jest of every thing, shalt not be able to turn that off with a jest hereafter, however thou mayst think to do it now, Eccl. xi. 9. This likewise he urges upon his pupil in the close of that book, as a reason why he should be religious ; By these, my son, be admonished, to/ear God and heep his commandments, for God shall bring every work into judgnunt, with every secret thing, Eccl. xii. 12—14.

Young men who have strict masters, who will call them to an account bow they spend their time, and how they go on with their business, are thereby

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obliged to be industrioas and careful; whereas, if the master be careless, the servant is in temptation to be so too. Bat you know that you have a Master in heaven, whose eye is always upon you, and follows you closer than the eye of any master on earth can; he knows and observes all you do, all you say, all yon think, and an acconnt is kept of it in the book of his omniscience, and your oWn conscience. These books will shortly be opened, and not only all reviewed, but you will be judged accordingly; and are you not then concerned to think, and speak, and act accordingly? When you are vain and frothy, and your conversation loose and profane, should not this be a check upon you, and make you sober, to think. How will this look, when it comes to be looked over again ? How will it pass, when I pass my trials for eternity ?

Your bodies are mortal, your souls are immortal, therefore, let not sin reign either in the one or in the other ; you are dying, are dying daily; " In the midst of life,'' nay, in the beginning of it, " we are in death f' you may die this day; may die in youth, and the number of your months be cut off in the midst; and you know, that after death is the judgment; and as your state is fixed in the particular judgment at death, so it will be found in the general judgment at the end of time, and so it will remain to eternity. How awful, how dreadful, the appearance of the Judge will be in the great day, the word of God has again and again told us ; Knowing therefore those terrors of the Lord, the terrors of that day, icepersuade menj we persuade young men, to be sober-minded, and, therefbre, to let their moderation, that is, their sober-mindedness, their good government and management of themselves, be known unto all men, because the Lord is at hand. The Judge stand-tth before the door*

The Application.

You see now what is expected from you who are young, and how justly it is expected; you see both from the Word of God: and now shall I entreat you to make use of what I have said, to make it useful to yourselves, that this discourse may not be lost upon you.

1. Shall I desire you to examine yourselves, that you may know your own selves ; and take heed of being mistaken in your judgment concerning your-Itolves. Can your hearts witness for you, that through the grace of God, by remembering yourselves and your Creator in the days of your youth, you are become in some measure sober-minded, and answer this beautiful character of young people ? I hope I speak to many such; and the misery is that those who most need these instructions and warnings, tome least in the way of them; they will not hear them, will not read them, because they resolve they will not heed them, or be ruled by them.

But to you who are sober-minded, I say a Ckriit did to the faithful ones in Thyatira, Iwnll lay i you no other burthen, but that which you have tftttdif, and I am sure you will agree to call it a light bv-then. Hold fast till Christ comes ; bold fest yoor integrity, hold fast your sober-mindedness.

Some are more inclined to soberness in tkdr natural temper than others are, to them these laws of sober-mindedness will be easier than to othen; but to them who are not so, though it be more difficult, yet it is withal more necessary. Wisdon, and grace, and consideration, are intended for the checking of the disorders of the natural temper.

But take heed lest you deceive yourselves, and be more forward, than there is cause, to rank yourselves among the sober-minded, and to think HxtX you need not these admonitions. It is not a sober look that will serve, though that is graceful enough, if it be not affected and forced ; but it is the sober mind that we are pressing earnestly upon you; examine that now, for God will examine that, and judge of you by it; when you shall find that to be carnally minded is death, but to be ipiriiumUy mindtd is life and peace,

2. Shall I desire you to exhort yourselves; so some read that which we translate, Exhort one smother; preach to jour own hearts, preach over this sennoa to them. Let all young people charge, and admonish, and encourage themselves to be sober-minded.

Let those who have loose notions in religion, and are fond of suggestions, though ever so absurd, whidi derogate from the authority and honour of the Scriptures and revealed religion, exhort themselves to be sober-minded, and not to be carried about with eveiy wind, nor carried away from the great principles of Christianity, by the craft of them who lie in wait to deceive, and bring them to downright atheism.

Let those who are drawn in, or are in danger of being drawn into the mining sins of drunkenness or uncleanness, which have been so fatal to multitudes of young people, exhort themselves to be sober-minded, to sit down and consider seriously what will be in the end thereof, and how dreadful that destruction is which these vicious courses certainly lead to* Except you repent and reform, you most perish, must eternally perish; if the word of God be true, you must; and how miserable will your case be if you bring it to this dilemma, that either God must be false, or you must be damned!

Let those who spend their time in carnal mirth, and sensual pleasures, whose business is nothing but sport and pastime, and their conversation nothing but banter and buffoonery, exhort themselves to be sober-minded ; sometimes to be seriouSf and consider themselves; and try if they can make it as pleasant to themselves to think in earnest, as it is now to talk in jest; for I am sure it will be abun* dantly more profitable.

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Let those youn people who are addicted to gaming, and flatter tbemsclves with hopes of getting that easily and quickly, which they love ahove any thing, but are not willing to be at the pains of getting honestly, exhort themselves to be sober-minded, and to consider what a sinful way this is of trading with what they have, and which they cannot in faith pray to God to bless and prosper them in ; to consider, that whether they win or lose they can have no true comfort; no joy of their gains, for it is Wealth gotten by vanity, that has a curse attending it; nor any support under their losses, for they are owing to their own sin and folly. How many apprentices have been brought by their love of gaming to rob their masters, and so to ruin themselves! And how many young gentlemen have sunk their estates, ftnd young tradesmen their stocks and business, by it; and will yon for want of one sober thought, split upon the same rock ? Let those who are allured into this snare, into the beginning of it, dread it, and keep at the utmost distance from it; and let those who are taken in it break out of it immediately, with resolution : Do this now, my son deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter.

Let young dealers in the world, who are entering into business, exhort themselves to be sober-minded, to set out under the conduct of religion and true wisdom; to love their business, to apply themselves, and accommodate themselves, to it Let them learn betimes to take care ; for nothing will be done to purpose without it; to attend the work of their callings with diligence, and order the affairs of them with discretion, and in all their ways to acknowledge God, then are they likely to prosper, and to have good success.

Let young professors of religion, who by the grace of God have escaped the corruption that is in the World, and given up their names to Jesus Christ, exhort themselves to be sober-minded in their profession. Let them take heed of conceitedness and spiritual pride, of confidence in themselves, and their own judgment and ability; let them aim to be best, rather than to be greatest, in the kingdom of God among men. Let them take heed of running into extremes, and of falling into bigotry, and cen-soriousness ; let them be sober in their opinions of truth and fsehood, good and evil, of others and of themselves ; expecting that age and experience will rectify many of their present mistakes.

Let young scholars, whose genius leads to books and learning, exhort themselves to be sober-minded. You soon find that you must be serious, must be inach so, must learn to think, and to think closely, or you will never make any thing of it; it is not enough to read, but you must study and digest what you read. But that is not all; in your pursuits of knowledge you must be sober, not exercising your-ae Jves in things too high for ^ou, nor boasting your* selves of your attainments; be humble in the use of what you do know, using it for edification, not for ostentation; it is but unprofitable knowledge that puffeth up, that only is good for something that doeth good, 1 Cor. viii. 1. Be humble likewise in your inquiries after what you would know ; not coveting to be wise above what is written, or to intrude into those things which you have not seen, as many, who are vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind ; but be wise unto sobriety. Be willing to be in the dark about that which God has not thought fit to reveal, and in doubt about that which he has not thought fit to determine. This is very well expressed by the learned Grotius, in a poem of his:

Netrire velle qua Magister Maximut Docere non vult, erudxia insdtia est, —

Where Revelation ends, to check rash thought, Were shade illum'd, and ignorance well-taught.

To recommend this sober-mindedness to all of yoa who are young: This seriousness and sedateness of spirit, and an aptness to consider, are so much the more necessary, if you consider of what great advantage they will be to you every way.

(1.) Thus you will escape the vanity that child-' hood and youth is subject to, and rescue those precious years from it. It will keep them from running waste, as commonly they do, like water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, and will do much towards the filling up of the empty spaces, even of those years. When Solomon had observed that childhood and youth is vanity, he immediately adds for the cure of that vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, that is, in one word, " Be serious,"

By using yourselves to consideration, you will come to be aware of the snares that your spiritual enemies lay for you, of the snake under the green grass, and will not be imposed upon so easily as many are by the wiles of Satan ; and by habituating yourselves to self-denial and mortification of the flesh, and a holy contempt of this world, you will wrest the most dangerous weapons out of the hand of the strong man armed, and will take from him that part of his armour in which he most trusted, for it is by the world and the flesh that he mostly fights against us: nay, and this sober-mindedness will put upon you the whole armour of God, that yoa may be able to stand in the evil day; and so to re-> sist the devil, that he may flee from you.

This sober-mindedness will prevent many a temp* tation which a vain mind invites, and courts, and throws men into the way of; and will shut and lock the door against the tempter, who when he finds it so will give it up ; and his agents will be apt to do so too; concluding it in vain to tempt the sober mind; they will do as Naomi, who, when she saw that Ruth was itedfastly minded, left off speaking to her.

SOBER-MINDEDNESS RECOMMENDED

(2.) Thus you will recommend yourselves to the favour of God, and of all wise and good men; will obtain that good name which is better than precious ointment, and more fragrant; a name for good things with God and good people.

God will love those who love him and seek him early; and will never forget this kindness of your youth for serious godliness. If you thus give him the first of your first-fruits, it will be an acceptable offering to him. The beloved disciple was the youngest. And it is said of that young man, who asked that serious question, and asked it soberly. Good Master, what sliall I do that I may inherit eternal life ; that Jesus beholding him loved him, Mark x. 21. And as he was likewise well pleased with another, that answered discreetly, vttvtxc»Cf Hke one who had a sober mind, Mark xii. 34. And that humility and quietness of spirit, which is one branch of this sober mind, is an ornament, which, wherever it is found, especially in young people, is in the sight of God of great price; and that is valuable indeed which he values, and by it we ought to value ourselves.

Nor is it an argument to be despised by you, that all sober people who know you, will love you, and will have no greater joy than to see you live soberly; but it is an argument the rather to be insisted upon by us, because young people are commonly very much influenced by reputation, and have an eye to that more than any thing in the government of themselves, and the choice of their way ; now it is certain that reputation is on religion's side, and if the matter be rightly understood, will help to turn the scale for sober-mindedness. It is true there are some, there are many, to whom a young man will recommend himself by being loose and extravagant, and talking at random against that which is serious ; but what kind of people are they ? Are they not X\k fools in Israel? Are they not sots or fops, whose valuation of persons and things is not at all to be regarded ? But do not all discreet and considerate people esteem a young man who is sober, and show him respect, and converse with him, and put a confidence in him? It is the character of a citizen of Zion, that in his eyes a vile person is contemned; though he set up for a wit, or a beau, yet if he be loose and profane, he despises him as a fool, and a flash, but he honours them who fear the Lord, and live conscientiously. Now to which of these would you recommend yourselves ? Whose opinion would you covet to stand right in, to stand high in ? Would you not choose to have credit with men of virtue and probity, and who are themselves in reputation for wisdom and honour, and to be laid in their bosoms, rather than to be hugged, and caressed, and cried up by those who, being slaves to their pleasures, can never be masters of true reason ? Especially considering, that these young people who are truly sober, serious, and conscientious, provided they take care to avoid affectation and superciliousness, will beloved and respected even by those who are themselHS loose and vain; and will be manifested in theii consciences one time or other, that they are the moit valuable young men. And I think it is worth eos-sidering, and would bear a debate, whether oidi-narily sober, serious people do not love their fiieiids and companions better than vain, loose people do theirs, and are not more ready to do them true icr-vice?

(3.) Thus you will prepare for a useful life, if it please God you live long, and for aiumfortableoiK. Those who are sober-minded when they are yxaa%, as they are thereby fortified against every evil word and work, so they are furnished for every good wwd and work, and are likely to be in their day vesiels of honour fit for our Master's use, while the ludicrous and unthinking live to be at the best the unprofitable burthens of the earth, and good for nothrag.

Young people who are sober, are likely to be good, and to do good in every relation and condition of life ; who are sober when they are children and servants ; who do the duties, and improve the advantages, of their learning age, and behave themselfes prudently then, are preparing hereafter to have tk charge of families themselves, to which they tie likely to be great blessings, and to the places in which they live. They will not only be the joj of their parents' hearts while they live, but an honoor to their memories when they are gone, and thos tk children will rise up and call the discreet and lir-tuous mother blessed, by treading in her steps, and producing the good fruits of their prudent and reli-gious education.

Young men who are sober-minded, are likely to be in time serviceable to the communities they aie members of, civil or sacred, in a higher or lower sphere. They may be called to the magistracy or ministry, to serve the state, or to serve the chnreli, but few ever come to do real service or credit tt either, or to be of account in either of those posts of honour, unless they be sober-minded when they are young. Lose the morning, and you lose the day. But though they may not arrive to such a public station, yet they may, in a private capacity, be eminently useful to their neighbours, in the things of the world, and to their fellow-Christians in divine things, and so be instruments of glory to God-They who are sober-minded when they are yoiin;« if they go on as they begin, what will the wisdom be which the multitude of their years will teach \ Oba-diah, who feared the Lord from his youth, came to fear him greatly. Young saints, we hope, will be eminent ones.

(4.) Thus you will prepare for a happy deatb, if it please God you should die quickly, and may tben die cheerfully. O that young people were so wise as to consider their latter end, not only as sure, bat

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671 as near; for it is folly for the youngest, and stro Dgest, and most healthful, to put far from them the day of death, when death is every day working in us.

Now the best preparation you can make for it, if you should die in youth, is to live soberly. Then the sting of it will be taken out, through Christ, and consequently the terror of it taken off; and therefore, though you may pray with the Psalmist, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days, yet if the cup may not pass away you need not dread it, you know the worst that death can do you, if it shorten your life on earth, that will be abundantly made up in a better life. Abijah, that sober youth, in whom was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam, dies in the flower of his age, but there is no harm done him, he comes to his grave in peace, and goes to heaven triumphantly, 1 Kings xiv. 13. Whereas those who are loose and extravagant, if they die in youth, (as Elihu speaks. Job xxxvi. 14.) their soul dieth, so it is in the original, they are spiritually dead, twice dead; while they lived in pleasure, they were dead though they lived; and therefore when they die in sin they are twice dead, and their life, their life on the other side death, is among the unclean, among the Sodomites, (so the margin reads it,) who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 7,12.

Let me now close with some general directions to young people, which may be of use to them, in order to the making of them sober-minded.

[1.] Espouse sober principles; for men are, as their principles are. In these avoid extremes, and in the less weighty matters of the law, keep the mean, that you may reserve your zeal for the great things of God, the things that belong to your everlasting peace. Take heed on the one hand of bigotry in the circumstantials of religion, and on the other hand of lukewarmness and indifference in the essentials of it.

Fix such principles as these to yourselves with reference to the main matter: That God's favour Li better than life, and his displeasure worse than death. That sin is the greatest evil. That the soul is the man, and that that is best for us, that is best for our souls. That Jesus Christ is all in all to us, and we are undone without an interest in him. That it is as much our wisdom, as it is our duty, to be religious. That the world has not that in it, which will make us happy. That time, and the things of time, are nothing in comparison with eternity, and the things of eternity These, and such as these, are principles of eternal truth, and our firm belief of them, and adherence to them, will be to us of eternal consequence. And as to other things, let your principle be, that God is no respecter of persons, but m every nation, he that fears God, and works righte-ousnesss, is accepted of him, and therefore ought to be so of us; that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God and approved of men. By such principles as these keep up moderation and sober-mindedness in your profession of religion, which will contribute much to the promoting of it in every thing else.

[2.] Dwell much upon such considerations as are proper to make you sober-minded. Be frequent in meditation upon serious things, the great things of the law and gospel, and let not them be looked upon as foreign things. As you think in your hearts, so you are. If the imagination of the thought x>f the heart be vain and corrupt, if that eye be evil, the whole man will be accordingly; but if that be serious, the affections and aims will be sober too» However yon may allow the outward thoughts to be sometimes diverting, the inward thoughts must be reserved for that which is directing.

Think much of the eye of God, which is always upon you, that you may be careful to approve yourselves to him in every thing; of the glory of God, which you ought always to have your eye upon, that you may answer the end of your creation ; .think much of the many sins you have committed against God, that you may give diligence to make sure the pardon of them, and of the many mercies you have received from God, that you may study what returns you shall make for his favour; think much of the opportunities yon enjoy» that you may be busy to improve them, and of the spiritual Enemies yon are compassed about with, that you may be sober and vigilant in guarding against them.

The four last things, death and judgment, heaven and hell, are commonly recommended as proper subjects of meditation, in order to the making of the mind serious. Because the end of all things is at hand, and that end an entrance upon a state without end, be ye therefore sober; and check vanity with that consideration.

I have somewhere read of one who had been a great courtier and statesman in Queen Elizabeth's time, I think it was Secretary Walsingham, who in his advanced years retired into privacy in the conn-try, whither some of his pleasant companions came to see him, and told him he was melancholy. ** No,'' says he, '* I am serious, and it is fit I should be so; for alf are serious round about me, and why then should not yon and I be serious?" God is serious in observing us, Christ is serious in interceding for us, the Spirit is serious in striving with us; the truths of God are serious truths, his laws, his promises, his threatenings, all serious; angels are serious in their administrations to us, and our spiritual enemies serious in their attempts against us; glorified saints are serious in the embraces of divine love; poor damned sinners cannot but be serious

SOBER-MINDEDNESS RECOMMENDED, &c.

ander the pourings-out of divine wrath; and we ourselves shall be serious shortly.

[3.] Choose sober company. Nothing is of greater consequence to young people than what company they keep, for we insensibly grow like those with whom we converse, especially with whom we delight to converse. Many who were thought to be very soberly inclined, have had their good inclinations turned the contrary way, by keeping vain and loose company, which, perhaps, at first they were not aware of any danger by, but thought their conversation innocent enough. Though bad company, perhaps, bears more blame sometimes than it deserves, from those who think to excuse themselves by laying the fault on their companions, yet it is agreed to have been of most pernicious consequence to multitudes that set out well.

If, therefore, you would be wise and good, choose «uch for your associates and bosom-friends as will give you good advice, and set you good examples. He who walketh with wise men, is wise, or would be wise; and he shall be wise, when a companion of fools is deceived, and shall be destroyed. Keep at a distance from loose and vain company; for who can touch pitch and not be defiled ? Who can converse familiarly with those who are wicked and profane, and not contract guilt, or grief, or both ? If you resolve, as David did, to keep the commandments of your God, you must say to evil-doers, as he did. Depart frofn me, (Ps. cxix. 115.) and be, as he was, the compion of all those that fear God, (v. 03.) and let your delight be in tiie excellent ones of tfie earth, the sober ones.

[4.] Read sober books. Those who are given to reading, are as much under the influence of the books they read, as of the persons they converse with, and therefore in the choice of them you need to be very cautious, and take advice. Nothing more promotes vanity, especially among the refined part of mankind, than romances, and plays, and loose poems; and thus even their solitude and retirement, which we hope might contribute to their seriousness, are lost, and make them more vain, and more ingeniously so.

Let us, therefore, take the same method to make us sober, more sober; converse with those books which are substantial and judicious, out of which we may learn wisdom* The book of God is given us on purpose to make us wise to salvation; make it familiar to you, and let it dwell in you richly. Let it lead you, let it talk with you, and do you follow it, and talk with it, Prov. vi. 22. And many other good books we have, to help us to understand and apply the Scripture, which we should be conversant vrith. Inquire not for merry books, songs, and jests, but serious books, which will help to put you into» and keep you in, a serious frame.

[5.] Abound much in sober work. Habits uv contracted by frequent acts; if therefore you would have a sober mind, employ yourselves much in meditation and prayer, and other devout and holy exercises. And in these let your hearts be fixed, and let all that is within you be employed. Be much in secret worship, as well as diligent and constant in your attendance on public ordinance; those who neglect these cannot bat lose their seriousness.

And see to it that you be very aerious when yoi are about serious work, that yoa profane not the holy things. I look upon it to be in youog people u happy an indication of a serious mind, and as hopeful an omen of a serious life, as any other, to be reverent and serious in the worship of God. For it is a sign that the vanity of the mind runs high and strong indeed, when even there it will not be restrained from indecencies; and be is loose indeed, that is almott in all evil in the midst of the amgrff tion and astemhly, Prov. ▼. 14. The greatness of the God with whom you have to do, and the greatness of the concern you have to do with him in, when joi are engaged in his worship, should strike an awe upon you, and make you serious.

And have this in your eye in all religious exercises, that by them you may be made more seriovs; and that the impressions of other holy exercises my be the deeper, and take the faster hold, let me advise young people who are sober-minded, to come betimes to the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Let me press it upon them, not only as a duty they owe to Christ, but as that which will be of great advantage to themselves, to strengthen their resolatloBS, with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord.

Those who keep off from it, it is either becaose they know they are not sober-minded, or becaase they are not determined to continue so ; but none of you will own either of those reasons. Delay not therefore, by that most sacred, solemn bond, to join yourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, nefer to be forgotten.

And how do you like this sober, serious work joo have now been about in hearing or reading diis discourse ? Have you been in it as in jrour element? or as a fish upon dry ground ? Have you suffered this word of exhortation, and bidden it welcome? Shall I leave 3rou all resolved, in thestrengtii of God's grace, that now in the days of your youth you will be sober-minded ? If so. The Lord keep it alwayi m the imagination of the thought of your kettrt and by writing the law of sobriety there, establish your wef before kim !

A SERMON

CONCERNING THE

RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF FRIENDLY VISITS,

PREACHED IN LONDON, APRIL 14, 1704.

Acts xv. 36.

Let us go again, and visit our brethren, in every city where we have preached the word of the Lordj and see how they do.

This was a good motion which St. Paul made to Barnabas, his brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, inviting his company and assistance in watering those churches among the Gentiles which they had together lately planted. Blessed Paul, that prime minister of state in Christ's kingdom, was not only thoroughly furnished for every good word and work, but was always forward to put forth himself to both; not only a chief speaker, (Acts xiv. 12.) but a chief doer. Many will be content to follow, who do not care to lead in those services that are difficult and hazardous; but those who by the gprace of God are spirited frpoi'saa Baif to go before in good works, as the word is, (Tit iii. 8.) are worthy of double honour: such a one was Paul; witness this instance here.

Though Paul and Barnabas had an extraordinary call to preach the gospel among the Gentiles at first, the Holy Ghost by special designation, separating them to that great work, (Acts xiii. 2.) yet in the prosecution of that service, they were not to expect immediate direction from heaven at every turn, but much was left to their own prudence and zeal, that their example might be the more imitable, in after-times ; and this, particularly, of visiting those to whom they had preached.

Antioch was now a safe and quiet harbour, into which Paul and Barnabas, after a troublesome but soccessful voyage, were lately retired to refresh fkemselves a little: there they were easy, and yet not idle; for while they continued there (though not many days) they were teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, Acts xv. 35. And they had reason to say. It is good to be here; better be here than in those cities, where bonds and afflictions continually awaited them. But St Paul's active spirit could not long be reconciled to rest; and, therefore, he has soon thoughts of putting to sea again; he is not unmindful of, nor will he be disobedient to, that heavenly vision which appointed him his work afar off among the Gentiles, Acts xxi. 21. Among then, therefore, he is here meditating a second expedition. Against this it was easy to object, as the disciples did against Christ's going into Judea, (John xii. 8.) Master, the Jews of hUe sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again ? The Gentiles had of late actually stoned Paul, (cA. xiv. 19.) and yet like a stout soldier of Jesus Christ, that he might make full proof of his ministry, he resolves to go thither again. Those who have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful, will prefer the service of God and their generation before their own ease and safety; and will consult the honour of Christ, and the good of souls, more than any secular interest or satisfaction of their own. If we would approve ourselves the servants of Christ, we must be vrillingboth to labour for him, for this is the day of our work, it will be time enough to rest when we come to heaven; and to venture for him, for this is the day of our combat, and we must not expect our crown, till our warfare is accomplished. Nay, and those who have laboured much, and ventured far, must be willing, with St Paul here, to labour more, and venture further; Let us go again to do the same work, and encounter the same difficulties. If we would finish our course with joy, we must, like the sun, be constant to it, rejoicing as a strong man to run a race, according as our work is renewed upon our hands, and as the duty of every day requires.

\ SERMON CONCERNING THE

That which St. Paul here designs is a visit, a circular visit; and as one who neither presumed that be was able himself alone for the work that was to be done, nor was ambitious himself alone to receive the respects that would be paid, he urges Barnabas to go along with him, as a sharer in both : for we are members one of another, and the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee. Christ sent forth his disciples two and two.

Now observe in this project of Paul's,

I. Who they were whom he designed a visit to: Let us visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord. Note here,

(1.) That he called them brethren; not only the brethren; he means not only the ministers, the eiders they had ordained in every church, (ch, xiv. 23.) but all the believers. Though St. Paul was an eminent apostle, the greatest favourite of heaven, and the greatest blessing to this earth, tliat (for ought I know) ever any mere man was, yet he styles himself brother to the least fmd meanest of the disciples of Christ; so setting us a copy of humility and condescension, and giving us an example to Christ's rule, with an eye to its reason, (Matt, xxiii. 8.) Be not ye called Rabbi, for all ye are brethren, IfourMastei be not ashamed to call us all brethren, we must not be ashamed to call one another so; not in formality, but in sincerity, and in token of brotherly love.

(2.) That he takes it for granted, that they had brethren in every city where they had preached the word of the Lord; for the word of the gospel, though in every place it met with a fierce opposition from some, yet others gave it a kind reception ; though to some it was a savour of death unto death, to others it was a savour of life unto life. In every city where the gospel was preached, there was some good done; some lost sheep brought home, some lost silver found. This caused the apostles always to triumph, that by them Christ made manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place, 2 Cor. ii. 14. Even in those cities out of which the apostles were driven in seeming weakness and disgrace, yet they left behind them some lasting trophies of the Redeemer's victories, and seed under the clods, which sprung up and grew by degrees to a plentiful harvest

They who are acquainted with the true principles and pleasures of the communion of saints, have a kind and tender concern, not only for their brethren in their own city, but for their brethren in every city, even those whom they never saw, nor are ever likely to see in this world; they love, esteem, and pray for, and are one with, all that in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, and have room for them all in their enlarged hearts; and when perhaps not many serious Christians fall within the lines of their own communication, which occasions them some melancholy thoughts, they comfort themselves with this, that they have brethren in every city; who all belong to that one city of tk living God, the Jerusalem which i above, whick is free, and is the mother of us all.

(3.) That he speaks with a particular concein for their brethren, in those cities where they had preacli-ed the word of the Lord. Those whom be had preached to, were in a special manner dear to hiii, dearer than others. To them he had imparted the gospel of Christ, and was ready to impart even Atf own soul also, as he speaks, 1 Thess. ii. 8. Tbey who truly love Christ and his gospel, cannot bat dearly love those to whom they preach Christ and his gospel, especially those who, through giace, have by their ministry received theai. Spiritaal fathers naturally care for the state of those who are born again by the word they have preached to them; and it is a pity that there should be any love lost be-tn'cen them.

These were they whom St. Paul would visit though they lay remote and scattered: he did not think it enough to send some of his attendants to wait upon them, and bring him an account of their state, much less did he summon them to come and attend him with their several reports, but he under-took*a perilous and expensive journey to visit them, for he was in journeying often; and yet all the toil and fatigue of them was nothing compared with that which put him upon them, even that which eame upon him daily, the care of all the churches, 2 Cor. xi. 26, 28.

2. On what errand he would visit them. Let as see how they do, wtaQ txsi — how it is with them; qmd faciunt — what they do; so some : quid faeti suni— what they have done ; so others; and both from the Syriac. It was not merely a compliment that he designed, nor did he take such a journey with a bare *' How do ye?" No, he made this visit to his brethren, that he might acquaint himself with their case, and impart unto them such spiritual gifts as were suited to it. He visited them as the physician visits his recovering patient, that he may prescribe what is proper for him, for the perfecting of his core, and the preventing of a relapse.

Let us see how they do; that is. Let us see what spirit they are of, and what state they are in.

(1.) Let us see what their temper and conversation are; how they stand affected, and bow diey behave themselves. They received the word of tiie Lord, which we preached to them, with all readincsi of mind; let us see whether they hold fast that whid they received, or no, and what is become of the blessedness they then spake of: a good work was begun among them; let us see how it goes on, and what advances are made in the building which we laid the foundation of. They embraced the gospel of Christ, and professed a subjection to it; let tf see whether they stand firm or are shaken, wfaftker they get ground or lose it, whether they arc an

RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF FRIENDLY VISITS.

tnent to that worthy name by which they are called, or a reproach to it.

This inquiry was the fruit of his godly jealousy over them, which he expresses in many of his epistles with a great deal of tenderness, and true affection: he was afraid concerning those among whom he had laboured, lest he had bestowed upon them labour in Tain, and lest Satan's emissaries had disordered and undone that good work which had been done with so much care and pains by Christ's ambassadors. See 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. If tar lest your minds should be corrupted. —Gal. iv. 11. I am afraid of you, —1 Thess. iii. 5. Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you. This was the language, not of his ill opinion of them, but of his good affection to them: and from this jealousy proceeded a diligent endeavour to recall them if he found them straying, to confirm them if he found them wavering, and to comfort them if he found them stedfast Let those suspicions which arc the bane of friendship be banished, and then let not those jealousies, which are the fruits of friendship, be misinterpreted.

(2.) Let us see what condition they are in, and what their present circumstances are; whether the churches have rest and liberty, and their door of opportunity open, or whether they are not in trouble and distress, scattered and broken up. When they had last taken leave of them, they gave them notice of approaching trouble, {ch, xiv. 22.) that through much tribulation they must enter into the hingdom of Ood. Now, says he, let us go see whether the clouds which were then gathering are dispersed, or no; whether the wrath of their enemies be cooled and restrained, or no. Come, let us go see how it is with them, that however it is, we may be some way help-fal to them; that we may rejoice with them if they rejoice, and caution them against security; that we may mourn with them if they mourn, and comfort them under the cross.

Now this \isit here designed may be considered two ways; either,

1. As an apostolical visit to the churches; or

2. As a friendly visit to their friends.

1. This visit was an apostolical visit to the churches, those particularly to whom they themselves had preached the word of the Lord; not building upon another man's foundation, as St Paul speaks, (Rom. XV. 20.) but cultivating their own husbandry. The persons visited must be considered as those who faftd been within hearing of the joyful sound of the gospel, and to whom the word of this salvation was sent, as St. Paul had told them. Acts xiii. 26. Now he would go and see how they do. Whence we may observe.

That it is needful to inquire into the spiritual state of those to whom the word of the Lord is preached.

1 know I speak to those who have the word of the

Lord preached to them in as much purity and power, as, perhaps, any people under the sun; you have precept upon precept, and line upon line, in season and out of season. Now I would, as a friend to your souls, suggest to you a necessary inquiry, whether the intention of all this good preaching you have here be answered, and the ends of it in some measure attained, or whether it be not lost upon you, and the grace of God therein received in vain.

(1.) Every man is most concerned to inquire into the state of his own soul, while he sits under the ministry of the gospel. It is the work and office of conscience to visit the soul with this interrogation, and to gve in a true answer to it. O that I could prevail with you to deal faithfully with yourselves in this matter, and to try and judge yourselves, because the day is coming when the righteous God will try and judge us all.

So long the word of the Lord has been preached to me, '< How do I do" with it ? It is a word of life; has it quickened me ? or am not I to this day dead in trespasses and sins? It is light; has it enlightened me, or am not I still sitting in darkness? It is spiritual food; has it nourished me ? It is spiritual physic; has it healed me ? What am I the better for all the sennons I have heard, and all the acquaintance I have got with the Holy Scriptures? What state am I in, a state of sin, or a state of grace? What frame am I in ? am I habitually serious and heavenly, or vain and worldly ? Is my soul in health ? Does not some spiritual disease hang upon me, which is both weakening and threatening? What appetite have I to spiritual delights? What digestion of spiritual food ? What strength for spiritual labour ? How do I breathe in prayer? How do I walk in a religious conversation? Does my soul prosper, as the soul of Gains did, 3 John 2 ? Do I thrive in my spiritual merchandise, and increase my stock of wisdom, grace and comfort, or do I decline and go behind-hand? Am I getting nearer to God, and fitter for heaven, or am I not cleaving to this earth, and setting my heart upon it as much as ever ?

According as we find the case to be upon inquiry, let us proceed in dealing vrith ourselves; if we find no improvement by the word, we ought to take the shame of it; if our profiting does through gce appear, we ought to take the comfort of it.

(2.) Every minister is next concerned, to inquire into the state of his own hearers; they who dispense God's words and sacraments should sometimes, with Paul and Barnabas here, visit those to whom they dispense them, and see how they do, how their souls do. These are the visits which the text would in a special manner lead us to discourse of.

Ministers should not think it eugh to preach sound doctrine to their congregations in the lump, which is like the shepherd's turning all bis flock together into a good pasture, but they must search

A SERMON CONCERNING THE

the particular sheep, and seek them out, (as it is expressed, (Ezek. xxxiv. 11.) that they may streuheu the diseased, heal the sick, bind up that which is broken, and bring again that which is driven away, V. 4,16. As we must look after our prayers, to hear what answer God gives to them, (Hab. ii. I.) so we must look after our preaching, to see what success it has among those we preach to, that we may return answer to him who sent us, (2 Sam. xxiv. 13.) and like the servant who invited the guests, may show our Lord all these things, (Luke xiv. 21.) Blessed Paul, that prince and pattern of preachers, taught not only publicly, but from house to house; warning every one night and day with tears (Acts xx. 20, 31.) exhorting comforting, and charging every one, at a father doth his children, 1 Thess. ii. 11. Let us go and do likewise, as those who naturally care for the state of souls.

In the most humble, tender, and obliging manner that may be, let us visit our brethren to whom we have preached the word of the Lord, and inquire what improvements they have made in knowledge by the means of knowledge, that where we find them defective, we may instruct them, mistaken, we may rectify their mistakes. Inquire also what progress they make in practical godliness, that what is amiss may be amended, and what is good may be encouraged ; that their doubts may be removed, and they may be helped over their difficulties and discouragements. '* Come, (my friend) you are a constant hearer of the word of the Lord, and you seem to heed it, and to be attentive to it, I am come to ask you how you do? The soul is the man; if it be well with the soul it is well with the man. How does your soul ? Have you understood all these things? If any of the sayings you have heard be hard sayings, let me know, and I will endeavour to make them more easy. Are you affected with what you hear ? And does your heart burn within you while we reason with you ? Do you relish good truths, and experience the power and influence of them upon your heart? If so, it is well, go on and prosper, the Lord is with you while you be with him: that is a good sermon indeed that does you good ; that convinces you of sin, and humbles you for it; shows you your duty, and quickens you to it. But if you find yourself cold and unaffected with the things of God, dull and inactive in the work of God, dark and unacquainted with the life of God, inquire into the cause of it; whence it is that the things which remain are ready to die. It may be there is some secret sin indulged and harboured, the love of the world perhaps, or some lust of the flesh; and this is the worm at the root of your profession, which withers its leaves, and dries up all its fruit; if you love your soul, whatever it is, mortify it, crucify it, and suppress the first risings of it. It may be that you are not so close and constant to your secret devotions as you should be, or careless and liie-less in them, and the soul cannot prosper while tkat work of the Lord is neglected, or done dec»tfallj. Perhaps famil}' worship is not kept up as it sboakl be, and therefore God has withholden the dews of his grace from you. You let your place be emptj perhaps at the table of the Lord, and deprive your* self of the benefit of that ordinance; the commu Bioa of saints is slighted, and it is well if the society of evil-doers be not chosen rather. Come, let me be of you, as a friend who wishes well to yoor soul, that you will walk more circumspectly, and keep more close to God and your duty, and you will soon find the comfort of it in your own breasC

How to adapt the inquiries and counsels to tlie case of each person visited, young and old, rich and poor, weak and strong, careless and careful, I cannot undertake here to give particular rules; hot mih dom is prof table to direct. And many excelleot books we are furnished with, both ancient and modem, for our assistance herein. Mr. Baxter's Gil-das Salvianus, or Reformed Pastor, will either qnickes us or shame us. And cause for shame, I doubt, we all have, for our woful neglect of this part of ov duty. God by his grace revive this good work!

But if ministers have not the opportunity tbej would have to visit their brethen, it would come aO to one if their brethren would sometimes visit tbeo, as their spiritual physicians, to consult them, and converse with them about their spiritual state. If the priest's lips should keep knowledgty the peopii should seek the law at his mouth, for A« it the mustnr ger of the Lord of hosts, Mai. ii. 7. And the spiritual help thus sought is likely to be given molt cheerfully, and received most thankfully.

2. This visit may be considered as a friendly viiit made to their friends, with a pious design, and to very good purposes. The brethren they speak of were such as they had some knowledge of, and coB' cem for, and whose welfare they were desirous of; Let us go, (says St. Paul,) and visit them, thcry to testify the kindness we retain for them, now we aic at a distance, and that though they are out of sight, they are not out of mind. And let us see how tkf do, that we may sympathize with them according as their condition is, and contribute what we can to their holiness and comfort. This was that which St Paul had in his eye, and thought worth his while, la undertaking this circuit. Hence observe.

That friendly visits, and kind inquiries into eaah others' state, are very good things, if they hi managed in a right manner, and intended kt good purposes.

There are two sorts of commendable visits to ht made to our brethren.

(1.) There are visits, that are properly called Christian visits, I mean visits of pure charity, <i signed for the succour, help, and comfort of thM

RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF FRIENDLY VISITS.

who are in sorrow, need, sickness, or any other ad-Yersity. Few consider what stress the Scripture lays on this part of our duty. When the apostle undertakes to give a description of religion, and to show wherein it consists, this is the first thing he describes it by. Jam. i. 27. Pure religion and unde-Jiled before God and the Father is this ; one would think it should follow,—It is wholly to retire from the world and all communication with it, and to spend the whole time in acts of devotion, in prayer and pious contemplations, or at least to fast twice in the week, and to attend all the public performances of divine service ; sure, this is the principal part of pure religion, and which must stand first in its description : No, it is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction; that by owning them and sympathizing with them, we may comfort and en-<M>urage them; and by inquiring into their state, may learn which way we may show them real kindness.

Nor does this act of charity make a less figure in our Saviour's description of the processes of the judgment-day, wherein this will be published to the praise, and honour, and glory of the saved remnant, f was sick, and ye visited me, I was in ftrison, and yt came unto me, (Matt xxv. M.) therefore, Come inherii the kingdom, (v. 34.) as if all the happiness of heaven were not too much to be the return of these visits. Probably St Paul had an eye of faith to that word of Christ, when upon the mention of the kind visits which Onesiphorus had made to him in his bonds at Rome, he prayed. The Lord grant unto kim that he mayfid mercy of the Lord in that day, (2 Tim. i. 18.) that day when such visits shall be remembered, and abundantly recompensed, and accounted as visits made to Christ himself.

Among all your visits therefore, I pray, let not these charitable ones be omitted : the poor, the sick, tiie prisoners, you have always with you ; the widows and the fatherless you have always with you ; and whenever you will, you may thus do them god,

Mark xiv. 7. You do not want objects of this charity, if you do not want a heart to it Look after your poor neighbours, Tisit them, either yourselves or by your servants, and see how they do. Inquire into the necessities of those who are not themselves forward to make them known. Deep poverty, (as the apostle calls it, 2 Cor. viii. 2.) like deep waters, commonly makes the least noise, while counterfeit poverty is telamorous. What our Saviour directs in making feasts, (Luke xiv. I2cr—14.) may be applied to tlie making of visits, visit not thy friends and thy rich neighbours, not them only who will visit thee again, and so a recompence will be made thee; but visit the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, who cannot recompense thee, and thou shalt be recompensed at the tesmrreetion of the just. The liberal should devise itberai things; and since by works of charity we

2 p sow upon the best soil, let out what we have to the best interest, and upon the best securities, and send our effects upon the most advantageous voyages, contrivances of doing good will turn to a better account at last, than the most celebrated projects of worldly wisdom. God presents us with the blessings of his goodness, gives before we ask, and is found of those who seek him not: therefore, we must be merciful, as mir Father in heaven is mercifuL We must seek opportunities of doing good, by visiting our poor brethren, and inquiring into their wants. If our proud hearts be sometimes ready to ask. What are such and such poor people, that we should visit them and regard them? we may soon answer them with another question, What is man, then, tliat God should visit him ? Man who is a worm, and the son of man who is a worm ? What are we that he should visit us, so visit and regard us? That he should regard us, who are so mean and vile, oe-cording to the estate of a man of high degree, 1 Chron. xvii. 17. If we think much to visit the sick and poor often, and to be liberal to them in our visits, let us remember that God visits us every morning (Job vii. 18.) and that his visitation preserves our spirits. Job x. 12.

(2.) Our common visits, which we make to our relations, friends, and neighbours, as such, should be so managed that they may be truly Christian visits. These and the like—polite aetions of life, as well as natural ones—are in themselves, morally, neither good nor evil, but according to the principle we are actuated by, and the rule we are governed by in the doing of them. Whatever we do, even in our calling and common conversation, we must do it to the glory of God; and then it is sanctified, it is dignified. Holiness to the Lord is written upon it, and it will be fruit abounding to our account. It is a common piece of civility to bring our friends forward on their journey, and few look further therein tlian the obliging of their friends, and the diverting of themselves ; and yet, even this is capable of being done after a godly sort, as we find, 3 John 6. Whom if thou bring forward on their journey, after a godly sort, acinic rM Ofit, as becomes one that belongs to God to respect those who belong to him likewise, thou shalt do well. And without controversy .great is the mystery of godliness, wherein lies much of its life and power, the doing of common actions after a godly sort, with an eye to God's honour as our end, his word as our rule, and his providence as our guide and disposer. Believe it. Christians, religion is not a thing to be confined to our churches and closets; no, wherever we are we must have it with us: Bind it continually upon thine heart, tie it about thy neck: When thou goest, let it lead thee ; when thou steepest let it keep thee ; when thou wakest, let it talk with thee, Prov. vi. 21, 22. Let it sit down with thee at thy table, lie down with thee in thy bed, go out with

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thee about thy business, come in with thee to thy repose; let it be at thy right hand in buying and selling, in reading and writing, alone and in company. As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so let it cleave to thee: by this let it appear that religion has renewed thy heart, let it regulate thy life; and abide always under the commanding power and influence of it.

Among other common actions of life, let this of visiting our friends be done after a godly sort To assist you herein is what I principally designed in the choice of this text, and what will take up the remainder of our time. And I shall offer something by way of caution against those things which corrupt our visits, and turn them into sin to us ; and by way of direction to those things which will sanctify our visits, and make them to turn to a very good purpose. 4

I. Suffer, I beseech you, a word of caution ; and take heed that your visits of your friends, and your inquiries into their state, beot so mismanaged, as to turn to some ill purpose. This we must not judge of by the common sentiment or fashion of a vain world; for our Saviour has told us, that there is that which is highly esteemed among tfifit, perhaps as a mighty accomplishment, and a piece of very good breeding, which yet is an abomination in the sight of God, Luke x vi. 16. Let us, therefore, have recourse to the law and to the testimony, and take admonition thence in this case.

1. Let us take heed, that our friendly visits be not the waste and consumption of our precious time. We are intrusted with time as a talent to be traded with for eternity: as we spend our time well or ill, so will our eternity be spent, comfortably or miserably. Every good Christian will therefore endeavour to approve himself a good husband of his time; and that is a piece of good husbandry, which is indeed good divinity. It is not only necessary that .«^ome part of our time be spent in actual preparation for another world, but all our time must be spent with an habitual regard to it. Every hour of the hireling's day must be at the disposal of him who hired him into his vineyard. Our time is oot our own, for we know in whose hands our tim'es are, and must always live to him, by whom we always live.

The wisdom which is from above will therefore direct us what proportion of time is to be allotted to every service, both of our general and particular calling, so that the several duties we have to perform, and the several enjoyments we have to take the comfort of, ipay not interfere with or intrench upon one another. Every thing is beautiful in its season, and to every purpose there is a time, which the wise man's heart discerns. Now if that time be spent in visits, which should be spent in any needful duties relating to life or godliness, then they are not

Christian visits. If, under ooloar of visiting our friends, and seeing how they do, we indalge ourselves in sloth and laziness, and the careless neglect of business and labour, we shall |^ve but a bad account of so many of oar hours mispent. We may justly say to many, as Pharaoh anjnstly sud to Moses and the Israelites, Ye are idle, ye are uflr, therefore ye say. Let us go and visit oar brethren; nay, it is perhaps pretended. Let ut go and do eaerijkt, Exod. v. 17. Such as these the apostle describei, (1 Tim. V. 13.) who learn to be idle, wmndering abeei from house to house, under pretence of friendly visits; and not only idle, (for few who are idle are only idle, usually they have other faults; when they have nothing to do, the devil will find them somethiog to do,) they are tattlers also and busy-bodies; idle in good, but busy in evil. But what will they do wbea God rises up, and shall bring them into jadgment, for all their idle visits, and idle frolics, and ereiy idle word ?

Learn, therefore, to adjust and limit the expense of your time, and be not prodigal of such a talent. When you say that yoa will go and visit a friend, ask. Can I afford time for it? Is there not some greater good to be done at the same time, wbick cannot so well be deferred till another time ? Will not the calling be neglected, or some religious duties be prevented by it? And let that be done first, which, all things considered, is most needfal,—and every thing in its own order. And where a visit, which must be made, we fear intrenches too maeb upon some more necessary business, it will be our wisdom to improve it the more carefully for sonie very good purpose, that so at least we may eiectii-ally save it from being an idle visit.

2. Let us take heed that our friendly visits be not the gratifications of pride and vain cmriosity. They who desire to make a fair show in the flesh, (as the apostle speaks. Gal. vi. 12.) visit their friends only that they may see and be seen ; that they may shov themselves in their best ornaments and accomplisli-ments, and that they may observe what figure other people make, and what they set themselves off by. They go abroad only to learn fashions, and to sec how the world goes ; like the Athenians, who spest their time in nothing else, but either to tell or hear some new thing, (Acts xvii. 21.) or like Dinak. who went out to see the daughters of the land, (Get. xxxiv. 1.) to see how they were dressed, what entertainments they gave, and how they lived, only that she might have something to talk of when rte cane home, either by way of praise or censure. This was all her business; and the sequel of the story sbowt. that the journey was not for her honour. Yet it is to be feared that many of our visits are made froai no better a principle.

Decency indeed is duty; civility must be ptad wi returned in that which is the current cflin of eitf

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ooantry. Religion was never intended to destroy good manners, or to make men rude and unfashionable ; in matters of common conversation, it is a rule of direction, not a rule of contraries. But in our compliances with the customs and usages of Uie place we live in, and the persons we converse with, we have need to look well to our spirits, and to keep onr hearts with all diligence, lest that which is not only innocent but commendable in itself, arise from a corrupt principle, and so become sin to us. Hezekiah's showing his house and furniture, his armoury and jewels, to the king of Babylon's ambassadors, seemed but a piece of common respect, and what is usually done among friends; and yet, because he did it in tbe pride of his heart, wrath came upon him, and on Judah and Jerusalem, for it, (2 Chron. xxxii. 25.) and it is upon record for warning to all, even to those who have escaped the grosser corruptions that are in the world through lust, to take heed lest foolish pride, that root of bitterness, which bears so much gall and wormwood, make their visits, dress, and compliments, a snare to them. Pride is a subtle sin, a sin that most easily besets us, a sin that is apt to mingle itself with our best actions, and like a dead fly it spoils many a pot of precious ointment; we have therefore need to keep a jealous eye, and a strict hand, upon the motions of our own souls, as in other instances, so in this of making and receiving visits, lest being lifted up with pride we fall into the condemnation of the devil.

If in our common conversation we are more solicitous to approve ourselves to men, by appearing gay and agreeable, than to approve ourselves to God, either by doing or getting good, surely we forget that fundamental law of our Christianity, not to live to ourselves, but to him that died for us, and rose again. That common principle, (which too many govern themselves by more than by the principles of religion,) *' As good be out of the world as out of the fashion," ought to be of no force with them who know that they are called out of the world, and are not to be conformed to it, nor to walk according to the course of it.

Let us always endeavour, while we accommodate ourselves to the fashions of our country, and of our place in it, yet to be dead to them, and observe them with a holy indifference, as those who seek a better country, that is, a heavenly, and belong to it: BO we may do what others do, and yet not as the most do it. Let the visits we make daily to our God by prayer, be more our care, and more our delight, than any visits we have to make to our friends.

3. Let us take heed that our friendly visits be not the cloak and cover of hypocrisy ; that they be not such visits as David's enemies made to him, (Ps.

6.) If he come to see me he speaheth vanity that is, what he says by way of compassion and condotonce is all counterfeit and pretended: His heart

2 p « gathereth iniquity to itself when he goeth abroad he telleth it. A base practice, and that which all, who have any sense of virtue and honour, will cry out shame on. Next to hypocrisy in religion, nothing is worse than hypocrisy in friendship.

It is bad enough if kindness be not designed in our visits, and if we do not duly respect those whom we thus profess a respect for; for love ought to be without dissimulation, (Rom. xii. 9.) but it is much worse if mischief and unkindness be intended to those whom we pretend to make visits of friendship to; and we go to see them, that we, may find some occasion against them, and pick up something to make the matter of their reproach in the next company. Thus to make the shows and ceremonies of friendship serve the designs of malice and ill-willy is to involve ourselves in a double guilt, both the want of charity, and the want of sincerity.

Not that therefore, when we have conceived a displeasure against any, whom upon the account of relation, communion, neighbourhood, or former acquaintance, we owe respect to, we must presently break off all intercourse and conversation with them, and deny due civilities to them, for fear of hypocrisy in paying them; no, that is to make ill, worse: but we must mortify that corrupt passion which is working in us; not let the sun go down upon our wrath ; forgive the injury, whether real or imaginary; be reconciled to our friend, cordially reconciled, and then come and offer our gift to God, and our respects to our friend. We ought carefully to avoid every thing that tends to the alienating of the affections of Christians one from another, and the cooling of love; and to devise all means possible for the preserving of true friendship where it is, and the reparation and retrieval of it where it is withering and ready to die.

4. Let us take heed that our friendly visits be not made the opportunities of slandering and talebearing. Our rule is. Speak evil of no man, not only that evil which is false and altogether groundless; but not that which is true, when our speaking of it will do more hurt than good. If we have not wherewithal to speak well of those we speak of, we had better not say any thing of them than say ill. The general law of justice obliges to do as we would be done by: we would not have our own faults and follies, our own miscarriages and mismanagements, proclaimed in all companies, and made the subject of discourse and remark; let us then treat other people's good name with the same tenderness that we expect and desire our own should be treated with. There is also a particular lawof charity, which obliges us to cover even a multitude of sins ; to keep that secret which is secret, for we need not make scandals, by divulging that which might be concealed: and to speak of that which cannot be hid, as those who mourn, and not as those who are puffed up; as those who are willing to make the best, and hope

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the best, of every person, and every action, and not as if we were of counsel against the delinquent, and thought ourselves obliged to aggravate the crime, and press for judgment against the criminal.

Nothing is more destructive to love and friendship than tale-bearing is: we have in the Scripture laws against it, (Lev. xix. 16.) Thou shah not go up and down as a talc'hearer among thy people. The word S»3"^ here and elsewhere used for a tale-bearer, properly signifies a pedlar or petty chapman, who buys goods (stolen ones it may be) at one place, and sells them at another, taking care to make his own markets of them ; so a tale-bearer makes his visits, to pick up at one place, and utter at another, that which he thinks will lessen his neighbour's reputation, that he may build his own upon the ruin of it. Another law to tlie same effect we have, (Exod. xxiii. 1.) Thou shalt not raise a false report. The margin reads it. Thou shalt not receive a false report: for, many times, the receiver in this case is as bad as the thief. We have also proverbs against it, (Prov. XX. 19.) He that goes about (making visits suppose) as a tale-bearer, revealeth secrets ; and (Prov. xxvi. 20, 22.) Where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth —and the words of a tale-bearer are as wounds. They who make it their business in their visits to carry peevish, ill-natured stories and characters from place to place, to the wounding of their neighbours' good name secretly, the propagating of contempts and jealousies, and the sowing of discord, do the devil's work, and serve his interests, more than they are aware of. That geat and good roan, St. Austin, ordered the law of his house to be written over his table, which forbad all tale-bearers any room there '»

Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere famam, Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi, —

Be it known that this table is forbidden the man, who delights in injuring the reputation of absent persons.

As a greater than he had done before him, (Ps. ci. 6.) Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off; and I heartily wish that not the persons but the thing might be cut off from all conversation.

You will do me the justice (my brethren) to think that what I say in these cautions is intended not as an accusation of any, I know the faces of but few of you, much less do I know your faults ; but as an admonition to you all, to take heed of those sins, which I know most easily beset us: for as in water face answers face, so doth the heart of man to man,

II. Suffer, I beseech you, a word of counsel, and direction ; and let us all endeavour that our visits of our friends, and our inquiries into their state, may be made to serve some good purpose ; that they may not only be rectified, and made innocent, but sanctified, and made excellent; and may be so managed as to rescue that from being lost time, which we cannot but be sensible has been too macb so, and to make it pass well in our account. Even acts of civility may be so improved as to become acts of piety; and the common salutation of a ** How <!• you," may, by a good intention, be advanced to the rank of those good words, which they that fear tke Lord speak often one to another, and which the Lord hearkens and hears, and of which he writes a book of remembrance, Mai. iii. 16. As the sincere, sacred words of *' God be with you," and *' God bless yoo," when they are used carelessly and lightly, degenerate, and turn into the sin of taking the name of the Lord our God in vain ; so this common word, '* How do you do?" and, *' How does your family?" maj be consecrated by a principle of Christian friendship, and we may even therein glorify God.

This, which I say concerning the personal visits of our friends, may also be much of it accommodated to paper visits, by letter. The keeping up of our friendly correspondences, which is the chief is-tention of most of the letters which we write, wIm are not men of business in the world, ought to taut from a good principle, and to be managed by as u becomes Christians, that we may not have to answer for waste paper, as well as lost time.

Let us then be governed in this matter by the following directions:

1. Let our friendly visits be the proofs and pnscf-vatives of brotherly love. Brotherly love is the hf of Christ's kingdom, the livery of his family, the great lesson to be learned in his school; nothing is more the beauty and strength of the Christiai church, nor a brighter ornament to that holy leligioi which we make profession of: it is maintained asd kept up by reciprocal kindnesses, and particnlarlj by mutual visits. This, therefore, we must intend, both in giving and receiving them, and manage then accordingly, to testify our affection to those whoa we are obliged by nature, providence, or gniee, is a particular manner to respect; and so to show tkc proof of our love, as the apostle speaks, (2 Cor. viii. 21.) and thereby to confirm and improve that unity wherein brethren ought to dwell together. We most therefore visit one another, that we may the better love one another, with a pure heart and more fervently.

Mutual strangeness and affected distance, is botk the effect and the cause of the decay of love; it is an evidence that it is cooled, and it cools it yet more, and perhaps by degrees kills it, and gives Satu room to sow his tares. When relations and neiglH hours, and those who are under some partieular tici of friendship, yet are as shy one of another, and as much on the reserve, as if they never had seen ose another before In this world, and never expected tv see one another in a better world, it is easy to Hit I contrary to what was said of the orimidvf ddi* ^

RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF FRIENDLY VISITS.

68L liana, iSee haw little these people love one another*; but when they visit each other with mutual Oeeness and openness, embrace each other with a cordial endearedness, and concern themselves for each other with all possible tenderness, by this it will appear that they are taught of God to love one another; and hereby the holy fire m kept burning upon the altar.

Now since our lot is cast in those latter days, wherein it is foretold, that iniquity should abound, and the love of many wax cold, (Matt. xxiv. 12.) those perilous times in which men shall be lovers of their own selves only, (2 Tim. iii. 1,2.) it is a good service to the public, by all means possible to culti-▼ate true and hearty friendship, and bring it into reputation. Why should we be strange one to another, who hope to be together for ever with the Lord?

But if the diseases of selfishness and deceit should prove still obstinate to the methods of cure among most people ; yet if we approve ourselves warm and cordial in our love, we shall have the comfort of having done our duty, and delivered our souls: and perhaps they who are more loving than others, will have the further comfort of being better beloved than others ; for he who watereth shall be watered also himself.

2. Let our friendly visits be the helps and occasions of Christian sympathy. Christian sympathy is one branch of Christian love. As it is in the natural body, it ought to be in the mystical body, If erne member Buffers all the memhert suffer with ity and if one member be honoured, all the members rejoice wfiik it, 1 Cor. xii. 26. What is love but a union of aouls, and a twisting of interests ? And where these are, there will be sympathy, according to that law of •or religion. Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep, Rom. xii. 15.

We must therefore visit our friends, and see how tketf do, that we may rejoice with them in those things which are the matter of their rejoicing ; that when we find them and their families in health and peace, their employments successful, their substance increased, their relations agreeable, the vine by the side of the house fruitful, and the olive plants round about the table geen and flourishing, we may be comforted in their comfort, as the apostle speaks, 'S Cor. vii. 13. God takes pleasure in the prospe-fity of his servants, and so should we, Ps. xxxv. 27. And we should be the more studious to show our-»idve8 pleased in the prosperity of our friends, be-mxiae most seek their own, and few another's weal; ■'Hid thence arise envy, and emulation, and mutual ^Jealousies.

We mast likewise desire to know the state of our iftiendSy that we may mourn with them for their af-^iietions, and mingle our tears with theirs ; that if 4ibe hand of the Lord be gone out against them, and breaches are made on them and their comforts, we may give them some relief, by putting a respect upon them in their sorrows, and assuring them of our con-tinned friendship, when they are most apt to be discouraged, and to think themselves slighted; also by giving them an opportunity of making their complaints to such as will hear them, not only with patience, but with tenderness and compassion, and this is some ease to a burthcned spirit. And perhaps we may then speak some word in season, which God may bless for the strengthening of the weak hands, and confirming the feeble knees.

On this errand Job's friends came to visit him, when they heard of all the evil tliat was come upon him, that they might mourn with him, and comfort him, (Job ii. 11.) and it is some comfort to the mourners to have their friends mourn with them. Thus Nehemiah inquired after the condition of his friends with a tender concern; as appears by his deep resentment of the evil tidings brought him; He sat down and wept, and mourned certain days. Neb. i. 3, 4. Let us learn in this manner to bear one another's burthens, by a compassionate sorrow for others' griefs; and this suffering at secondhand, will either prevent our own afllictions, or prepare us for them.

3. Let our friendly visits furnish us with matter for prayer and praise. Besides the plain intimation which our Master has given us, in teaching us to address ourselves to God as our Father, we have an express command, Praif one for another, (James v. 16.) whiq||i supposes it our duty likewise to give thanks for one another; for whatever mercy we pray for, when it is given, we ought to return thanks for it. We find St Paul, in mot of his Epistles, botK to churches and particular friends, speaking of the prayers and thanksgivings he offered up to God daily upon their, account. And it could not but be an unspeakable comfort to them, to think of the interest they had in the prayers of so great an inter-^ cesser as he was. It is written also for our learning, that we may in like manner give thanks to God for our friends, making mention of them always in our prayers; that thus we may testify our affection to them, and may be really serviceable to their comfort, when perhaps we are not in a capacity of being so any other way; and that we may thus keep up the communion of saints in faith, hope, and love.

Now, that we may do this the more particularly, and the more sensibly, it is of good use to visit our brethren, and to see how they do; that, whatever is the matter of their rejoicing, and ours with them, we may make the matter of our thanksgiving to God; and wliatever just complaint they make to us, we may with them spread it before the Lord, and beg relief and comfort for them. When we visit our friends, we have an opportunity of praying with them, and I heartily wish it were more practised,.

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especially by ministers; this would indeed sanctify our visits, and turn them to a very good account* When you are sick and in trouble, you desire us to pray with you ; and why should you not desire us to pray with you when you are in health and peace ? that your prosperity may be continued and sanctified; and that you may be kept from the snares and temptations of it. Help likewise in returning thanks, is as necessary as help in prayer; and they who know how to value aright the privilege of communion with God, will reckon this as good an entertainment as they can either give or receive.

But besides the opportunity it gives of praying together, it gives us much assistance in praying for one another when we are alone. When we have seen our friends, and talked with them, or heard from them, we can pray the more affectionately for them. And perhaps we shall find it a furtherance to us in this part of our work, if we would make it a rule to ourselves, (not to bind conscience, but to mind it,) that those friends whom in the day we have visited, or have visited us, whom we have written to, or heiird from, we will at night in .our closets particularly pray for, and give thanks for, as there is occasion. I know not why we may not as well spread the letter of a friend before the Lord, as Hezekiah did the letter of an enemy. And some have observed, that they have had most comfort in those relations and friends which they have prayed most for: or if herein we should be disappointed, as holy David was, and those we pray for should prove unkind to us, it will be our satisfaction, as it was his, that our prayers will return into our own bosom, and we ourselves shall have the comfort of them, Ps. XXXV. 13.

It is a pious request which serious Christians commonly make one to another, both by word and letter, ** Pray remember me in your prayers;" and it is good to use it, provided it do not degenerate into a formality, and that we request this kindness from a deep sense of our own wants and unworthi-ness, and a real value both for the duty of prayer in general, and for our friends, and their prayers in particular, whom we suppose to have an interest in heaven. And being separated from each other in this scattering world, a world we cannot expect to be always together in, by those mutual requests for a share in each other's prayers, we make appointments of meeting often at the same throne of grace, in hopes of meeting shortly at the right hand of the throne of glory to part no more.

4. Let our friendly visits be improved as opportunities of doing good to the souls of our friends. Spiritual charity, though it must begin at home in teaching ourselves and our families, yet it must not end there ; we must contribute what we can to the edification of others in knowledge, faith, holiness, and joy. This is mutual duty to be studied and I done, in giving and receiving Tisits; that «# tna tharpens iron, so our pious affections and resolutions may be sharpened by conversation vrith one another, Prov. xxvii. 17. We are often commanded to exhort one another, admonish one another, teacb one another, comfort one another, and stir up one another to that which is good, Heb. iii. 13; x. 25. 1 Tbesi. V. 11. And when can this be better done thanniieii we come together for mutual society ? Then we htTC a price put into our hands, if we have bat a heart to it, that is,—skill, and will, and courage to improve it, Prov. xvii. 16.

Much has been said, and much written, to promote pious discourse among Christians, but I fear to little purpose. We have all reason to lament it« that so much corrupt communication proceeds out of our mouths, and so little of that which is good, and to the use of edifying; which might either manifest grace in him who speaks, or minister grace to them who hear. A nd shall vain words never kmve an end! Job xvi. 3. Shall we reason always with unpratahk talk, and with speeches wherewith we can do no geei but are in danger of doing hurt? Job xv. 3. Shall we never learn the art of introducing and keepiof up profitable discourse in our conversation with o«r friends, such as we may hear of with comfort in that day, when by our words we must be justified, and by our words we must be condemned? Matt. liL 37. A visit thus improved will be fruit aboondiiif to a good account: What hnowest thou but thai thou mayest thus save a soul from deaths eternal death, or at least further a soul toward life, etcnnl life ? Thus we must confess Christ before men, as those who are not ashamed of him or of his words: reproach for it wc must not fear, but say. If this he to be vile, I will be yet more vile ; nay, we need not fear it, for perhaps even of them whose reproach we fear, if we manage it with meekness and hamilitj, and without affectation, we may be had in boooor. Serious godliness is an awful tJiing, and will cqb-mand respect.

We grant, that our discourses with our friends cannot be turned entirely into this channel; allowance must be made for a geat deal of common talk, yet even upon that there should appear an air of religion and godliness. Though a foreigner maj speak English, yet ordinarily we can discern by kis pronunciation, that he is a foreigner; so, though a good Christian, who belongs to another world, while he is here cannot avoid speaking much of the things of this world, yet he ought to do it in such a manner, that those he converses with may take knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus, (Acts iv. 13.) asd may say unto him. Thou art a ChriitUm mid thf speech bewrays thee* I

If it appear that we make conscience of oar words, ! and are afraid of offending with our lips; if in otr / tongue be the law of kindness; if we always tfetk

S

RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF FRIENDLY VISITS.

of God and his providence with reverence and a holy awe, like the geatMr. Boyle, who, in discourse, "was observed never to mention the name of God without a discerning pause, or stop, leaving room for a pious thought; if we speak of common things after a godly sort, as those who accustom themselves to the language of Canaan, and not the language of Ashdod ; God will hereby be honoured, our profession will be beautified, those we converse with will be edified, and say that God is with us of a truth. Our speech, though it be not always of grace, should be always with grace, seasoned with it as with salt, which gives it its own relish and savour. Col. iv. 6.

5. Let our friendly visits be improved as opportunities of getting good to our own souls. By doing good, we do indeed get good; our own lamp vnll bum the brighter for its lighting others ; but those who are not in a capacity of doing much good in conversation, and can say little to edify others, may yet hear that which will edify themselves. They who cannot be teachers, must be glad to be learners; and should visit those who are knowing and g^-clous with this design, that they may improve themselves in knowledge and grace by conversation with them, and that by walking with wise men they may be wise. When St. Paul designed a visit to his friends at Rome, he aimed both at their spiritual benefit, and at his own, Rom. i. 11,12. Hong to tee ffoUj that I may impart unto you tome tpiritual gift, — and, that I may be comfoi'ted together with you.

What we hear from our friends we visit that is instructive, and what we see in tHem that is exemplary and praise-worthy, we should take notice of and treasure up, that it may be ready for our use when there is occasion. By conversing with those who are wise and good, we should strive to be made wiser and better. Some rules either of prudence, or piety, or both, we should gather up for our own use out of every visit, that in every thing we may order our conversation aright. As vain people make visits chiefly to see fashions, so serious people should make visits chiefly to learn wisdom. A wite man will thut hear and inereate learning, and a man of underttanding will by this means attain to wite eoun-selt, Prov. i. 6.

Nay, even from what we hear and see, which is foolish and blame-worthy, we may learn that which will be profitable to us. Solomon received instruction, even from the field of the slothful, and the vineyard of the man void of understanding. What we observe indecent in others, we most learn to avoid ; and take warning by others' harms. Thus out of the eater may come forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness.

But it is now time to conclude, with a word or two of exhortation, upon the whole matter.

1. Let us all remember our faults this day, and be humbled before God for the guilt we have contracted by our mismanaged visits of our friends., In our common conversation, as well as in our common business, it is hard to keep ourselves unspotted. Think, how much time we have lost in needless and unprofitable visits, which might have been better bestowed, and cannot now be recalled ! What mean and low ends we have proposed to ourselves in making our visits, and how we have in them walked after the course of a vain and foolish world, and not after the conduct of the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus! Are we not carnal, and do we not walh at men ? as the apostle speaks, (1 Cor. iii. 3.) far short of the spirit of Christianity, that high and holy call-ing wherewith we are called.

Think, how little good we have done in the visits we have made and received! How few have been the better for us! It is well if many have not been the worse for us, and for our corrupt communication. When the company has fallen into vain discourse, that foolish talking and jesting which the word of God expressly condemns, (Eph. v. 4.) have we not been as forward as any to promote it and keep it up, and showed ourselves well pleased with it? Have we not provoked one another's lusts and passions, instead of provoking one another to love and to good works ? Have we not given ofience, and put an occasion of stumbling in our brother's way, by taking too great a liberty of speech in our conversation with our friends, encouraging the hearts of the licentious in their looseness, and grieving the hearts of those who are serious themselves, and expect we should be so too ? Let us for these things judge mtrtelvet this day, that we may not he judged of the Lord.

2. Let us be so wise as to choose those for our intimate friends, who will concur with us in a serious endeavour to get this matter mended. For the truth is, in this, as in a trade, we have the making but of one side of the bargain; we can do but little toward the rectifying of what is ordinarily amiss in conversation, and the improving of it to some good purposes, unless those we converse with will do their part: those therefore we should desire to associate ourselves with, who will edify us, and be edified by us, whom we may either do good to, or get good by, or both.

It is our wisdom to avoid that company which we find corrupts our minds, and makes them vain, and indisposes them for serious exercises: what good there is in us is apt enough to dwindle and decay of itself, we need not the help of others to quench it. Therefore take Solomon's counsel. Go from the pre-sence of a foolish nugn, when thou perceivett not in him the lipt of knowledge, Prov. xiv. 7.

But since the communion of saints is intended to be the furtherance of our holiness and comfort, and the earnest of our future bliss, and we are taught by the pattern of that truly primitive church (Acta

A SERMON, &c.

ii. 42.) to continue stedfast, not only in the Apostle*s doctrine, bat in fellowship, let us acquaint ourselves with some who appear to be serious Christians, without distinction of parties, and converse with them ; let such only be our bosom-friends: and let us say to them, as the neighbour nations did to God's Israel, (Zech. viii. 23.) We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Let God's people be our people, and David's resolution ours, (Ps. cxix. 63.) lam a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts,

3. Let us all resolve, by the grace of God, to look well to ourselves, and to the frame of our own spirits, in giving and receiving visits. If we cannot reform the world, yet I hope we may reform our own hearts and lives, and every man prove his own work, so shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, though perhaps not in another ; so shall his praise be of God, though perhaps not of men.

Christians, I am not persuading you to any thing that is rude or morose, or looks like an affectation of singularity; nor am I declaiming against the innocent diversions and entertainments of conyersa-tion, which make it pleasant to yourselves and your friends, and are a relief to the fatigue of business: but I am only to remind you, that you be very careful not to lose your religion in them. Remember that you are Christians, and you must speak and act in every thing as becomes saints, Eph. ▼. 3. Remember that you are hastening into eternity, the days of your probation vrill shortly be numbered and finished : you are therefore concerned to spend your time on earth as those who are candidates and probationers for heaven, so that you may not seem to come short. Converse vrith this world of sense, as those who know you must shortly remove to the world of spirits ; and let this thought give a check to every thing that is vain and frothy, and put you upon considering, seeing you look for such things, what manner of persons you ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 2 Pet. iii. 11.

Lay before you (my brethren) the example of the Lord Jesus, and as he was so let us be in this world; walking as he walked,—as in other things, so in this: let us make visits as he did, with a design to do good, according as the sphere of our activity is. His lips dropt as a honey-comb, and fed many ; let ours do so too, as we are able. Wherever he was, still he was about his Father's business ; and let u, though unworthy such an honour, still endeavour to be so employed. When he visited his friends, be sympathized with them in their ^efs, comforted them under their afflictions, reproved them for what was amiss, and entertained them with edifying and instructive discourse, taking rise for it usually bj an admirable yet imitable art, from common occar-rences ; and these things are written for our leani-ing: Go thou and do likewise.

And that we may be thoroughly fomished, like the good householder, who brings out of his treasarj things new and old, let us daily pray to God for that wisdom of the prudent, which is to understand his way in every thing. There is no one grace that ire are more particularly directed and encouraged to pray for than this; (Jam. i. 5.) If any man lack wisdom (and which of us is there that does not ?) let kim ask it of God, vfho gives liberally, and upbraids us not with our former follies, our present necessity, or the frequency of our addresses and applications to him. Solomon, who in his youth made wisdom his choice, wisdom his request, had that gpnted him, and abundance of other good things added thereto. In putting up this petition, let us, therefore, be not only constant and earnest, but very particular: Lord, give me wisdom to direct me in such a case that is difii-cult and doubtful! Lord, enable me to behave myself wisely in a perfect way towards my family, and mj friends and neighbours whom I visit, and to walk in wisdom also toward them that are without, that my profession of religion and relation to Christ may never suffer damage or reproach through any impra-dence or indiscretion of mine, in any Tisit, given or received.

And lest this wisdom should degenerate into that which is worldly, and err by an excess of cautioii, let us pray to God for a spirit of holy boldness and courage also, that we may be enabled to appear and act for God and godliness in all companies, and upon all occasions, vrith that pioas zeal which becomes the good soldiers of Jesus Christ, that all we converse vrith may see, that we serve a Master whom we are neither ashamed nor afraid to own ; and that we have ventured all our credit with men, upon the security of that promise of God, Them thai konowr me I will honour.

I

A CHURCH IN THE HOUSE.

SERMON

CONCERNING

FAMILY RELIGION.

PREACHED IN LONDON, APRIL 16, 1704.

1 Cor. xvi. 10. With the church that is in their house.

Some very good interpreters (1 know) understand this of a settled, stated, solemn meeting of Christians at the house of Aquila and Priscilla, for public worship; and they were glad of houses to meet in, where they wanted those better conveniences, which the church was afterwards, in her prosperous days, accommodated with. When they had not such places as they could wish, they thankfully made use of such as they could get.

But others think it is meant only of their own family, and the strangers within their gtes, among whom there was so much piety and devotion, that it might well be called a. church, or religious house. Thus the ancients generally understood it. Nor was it only Aquila and Priscilla, whose house was thus celebrated for religion, (here and Rom. jcvi. 5.) but Nymphas also had a church in his house, (Col. iv. 15.) and Philemon, v, 2. Not but that others, to whom and from whom salutations are sent in St Paul's epistles, made conscience of keeping up religion in their families; but these are mentioned, probably because their families were more numerous than most of those other families were; which made their family devotions more solemn, and consequently more taken notice of.

In this sense I shall choose to take it; hence to recommend family religion to you, under a notion of a church in the house. When we see your public assemblies so well filled, so well frequented, we cannot but thank God, and take courage; your diligent attendance on the ministry of the word and prayers, is your praise, and I trust, through grace, it redounds to your spiritual comfort and benefit.

But my subject at this time will lead me to inquire into the state of religion in your private houses, whether it flourish or wither there ? whether it be on the throne, or under foot there ? Herein I desire to deal plainly and faithfully with your consciences, and I beg you will give them leave to deal so with you.

The pious and zealous endeavours both of magistrates and ministers for the reformation of manners, and the suppression of vice and profaneness, are the joy and encouragement of all good people in the land, and a happy indication that God has yet mercy in store for us: If the Lord had been pleased to hill us, he would not have shewed us such things as these. Now I know not any thing that will contribute more to the furtherance of this good work than the bringing of family-religion more into practice and reputation. Here the reformation must begin. Other methods may check the disease we complain of, but this, if it might universally obtain, would cure it. Salt must be cast into these springs, and then the waters would be healed.

Many a time, no doubt, you have been urged to this part of your duty ; many a good sermon perhaps you have heard, and many a good book has leen put into your hands with this design, to persuade you to keep up religion in your families, and to assist you therein: but I hope a further attempt to advance this good work, by one who is a hearty wellwisher to it, and to the prosperity of your souls and families, will not be thought altogether needless, and that by the grace of God it will not be wholly fruitless: at least it will serve to remind you of what you have received and heard to this purpose, that you may hold fast what is good, and repent of what is amiss. Rev. iii. 3.

The lesson then which I would recommend to yon from this text, is this;

A SERMON ON FAMILY REUGION.

That the familxet of Christians should be little churches; or thus, That wherever we have a house, God should have a church in it.

Unhappy contests there have been, and still are, among wise and good men about the constitution, order, and government of churches. God by his grace heal these breaches, lead us into all truth, and dispose our minds to love and peace ; that while we endeavour herein to walk according to the light God has given us, we may charitably believe that others do so too ; longing to be there where we shall be all of a mind.

But I am now speaking of churches, concerning which there is no controversy. All agree that masters of families who profess religion, and the fear of God themselves, should, according to the talents they are intrusted with, maintain and keep up religion and the fear of God in their families, as those who must give account; and that families, as such, should contribute to the support of Christianity in a nation, whose honour and happiness it is to be a Christian nation. As nature makes families little kingdoms, (and perhaps economics were the first and most ancient politics,) so grace makes families little churches; and those were the primitive churches of the Old Testament, before men began to call upon the name of the Lord in solemn assemblies, and the sons of God came together to present themselves before him.

Not that I would have these family churches set up and kept up in competition with, much less in contradiction to, public religious assemblies, which ought always to have the preference: The Lord loves the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, (Ps. Ixxxvii. 2.) and so must we; and must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, under colour of exhorting one another daily at home. Far be it from us to offer any thing that may countenance the invading of the office of the ministry, or laying it in common, and the usurping or superseding of the administration of sacraments. No, but these family churches, (which are but figuratively so,) must be erected and maintained in subordination to those more sacred and solemn establishments.

Now, that I may the more distinctly open to you, and press upon you, this gat duty of family religion, from the example of this and other texts, of a ** church in the house," I shall endeavour, I. To show what this church in the house is, and when our families may be called churches. And, II. To persuade you by some motives, thus to turn your families into churches. And then. III. To address yon upon the whole matter by way of application.

I. I am in the first place to tell you what that family religion is which will be as a church in the house, and wherein it consists, that you may see what it is we are persuading you to.

Churches are sacred societies, incorporated for the honour and service of God in Christ, devoted to

God, and employed for him: no should oar familiet be.

1. Churches are societies devoted to God, calW out of the world, taken in out of the common to be enclosures for God; he has set them apart for himself; and because he hath chosen them, they also have chosen him, and set themselves apart for buD. The Jewish church was separated to God forajMCtt-liar people, a hingdom of priests.

Thus our houses must be churches; with oarselves we must give up our houses to the Liord, to be to hia for a name and a people. All the interest we haTe, both in our relations, and in our possessions, most be consecrated to God; as under the law all that the servant had was his master's for ever, after be had consented to have his ear bored to the door-post When God effectually called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees, his family assumed the appearance of a particular church ; for in obedience to God's precept, and in dependence on God's promise, they took all the substance they had gathered, and the seals they had gotten, and put themselves and their all under a divine conduct and government. Gen. xii. 5. His was a great family, not dnly numerous, but very considerable; the father of it was the fathered all them that believe; but even little families, jointly and entirely given up to God, so become churches. When all the members of the family yield themselves to God, subscribe with their hands to be the Lord's, and surname themselves by the name of Israel,—and the master of the family, witb himself, gives up all his right, title, and interest, in his house, and all that belongs to it, unto God, to be used for him, and disposed of by him; here is a church in the house.

Baptism was ordained for the discipline of natioBS, (Matt xxviii. 19.) that the kingdoms of the world, as such, might, by their conversion of the people to the faith of Christ, and the consecration of their powers and governments to the honour of Christ, become his kingdoms. Rev. xi. 15. Thus by baptism households likewise are discipled, as Lydia's and the jailer's, (Acts xvi. 15, 33.) and in their family capacity are given up to him, who is in a particular manner the God of all the families of Israel, Jer. xxxi. 1. Circumcision was at first a family ordinance, and in that particular, as well as others, baptism somewhat symbolizes with it. When the children of Christian parents are by baptism admitted members of the universal church, as their right to baptism is grounded upon, so their communion with the universal church is, during their infancy, maintained and kept up chiefly by, their immediate relation to these "churches in the house;" to them, therefore, they are, first, given back, and in them they are deposited,—under the tuition of them, to be trained up till they become capable of a place and a name in particular churches of larger figure and

A SERMON ON FAMILY REU6I0N.

587

BXtent. So that baptized families, who own their baptism, and adhere to it, and in their joint and re-Lative capacity make profession of the Christian Faith, may so far be called little churches.

More than once in the Old Testament we read of Ihe dedication of private houses. It is spoken of as a eommon practice, (Deut xx. 5.) What man is there that hath built a new houte and liath not dedicated it ? that is, taken possession of it; in the doing of which it was usual to dedicate it to God by some solemn acts of religious worship. The 30th Psalm is entitled, A Psalm or Song at the Dedication of the House ef David, It is a good thing when a man has a house of his own, thus to convert it into a church, by dedicating it to the service and honour of God, that it may be a Bethel, a house of God, and not a Bethaven, a house of vanity and iniquity. Every good Christian who is a householder, no doubt does this habitually and virtually ; having first given his ownself to the Lord, he freely surrenders all he has to him: but it may be of good use to do it actually and expressly, and often to repeat this act of resignation ; This stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house. Gen. xxviii. 22. Let all I have in my house, and all I do in it, be for the glory of God; I own him to be my great Landlord, and I ^Id all from and under him: to him I promise to pay the rents (the quit-rents) of daily praises and thanksgivings ; and to do the services, the easy services, of gospel obedience. Let Holiness to the Lord he written upon the house, and all the furniture of it, according to the word which God has spoken, (Zech. xiv. 20, 21.) That every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness to the Lord of hosts. Let God by his providence dispose of the affairs of my family, and by his grace dispose the affections of all in my family, according to his will, to his- own praise. Let me and mine be only, wholly, and for ever his.

Be persuaded (brethren) thus to dedicate your bouses to God, and beg of him to come and take possession of them. If you never did it, do it tonight with all possible seriousness and sincerity. hift up your heads, O ye gatesy and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Bring the ark of the Lord into the tent you have pitched, and oblige yourselves, and all yours, to attend it. Look upon your houses as temples for God, places for worship, and all your possessions as dedicated things, to be used for God's honour, and not to be alienated or profaned.

2. Churches are societies employed for God, pursuant to the true intent and meaning of this dedication.

There are three things necessary to the well-being of a church, and which are most considerable in the eonstitution of it. Those are doctrine, worship, and discipline. Where the truths of Christ are professed and taught, the ordinances of Christ administered and observed, and due care taken to put the laws of Christ in execution among all who profess themselves his subjects, and this under the conduct and inspection of a gospel ministry; there is a church. And something answerable hereunto there must be in our families, to denominate them little churches.

Masters of families, who preside in the other affairs of the house, must go before their households in the things of God. They must be as prophets, priests, and kings, in their own families; and as such they must keep up family doctrine, family worship, and family discipline ; then is there a church in the house, and this is the family religion that I am persuading you to.

(1.) Keep up family doctrine. It is not enough that you and yours are baptized into the Christian faith, and profess to own the truth as it is in Jesus, but care must be taken, and means used, that yon and yours be well acquainted with that truth, and that you gow in that acquaintance, to the honour of Christ and his holy religion, and the improvement of your own minds, and theirs who are under your charge. You must deal with your families as men of hnowledge, (1 Pet. iii. 7.) that is, as men who desire to grow in knowledge yourselves, and to communicate your knowledge for the benefit of others, which are the two good properties of those who deserve to be called men of knowledge.

That you may keep up family doctrine,

[1.] You must read the Scriptures to your families, in a solemn manner, requiring their attendance on your reading, and their attention to it; and inquiring sometimes whether they understand what you read. I hope you are none of you without Bibles in your houses, store of Bibles, every one a Bible. Thanks be to God, we have them cheap and common in a language that we understand. The book of the law is not such a rarity with us as it was in Josiah's time. We need not fetch this knowledge from afar, nor send from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, to seek the word of God; no, the Word is nigh us. When popery reigned in our land, English Bibles were scarce things; a load of hay (it is said) was once given for one torn leaf of a Bible. But now Bibles are every one's money. You know where to buy them ; or if not able to do that, perhaps in this charitable city you may know where to beg them. It is better to be without bread in your houses than without Bibles, for the words of God's mouth are and should be to you more than your necessary food.

Bat what will it avail you to have Bibles in your houses, if yon do not use them? to have the great things of God's law and gospel written to you, if you count them as a strange thing f You look daily into your shop-books, and perhaps converse much with the news-books, and shall your Bibles be thrown

A SERMON ON FAMILY RELIGION.

by as an almanack out of date ? It is not now penal to read the Scriptures in your families, as it was in the dawning of the day of reformation from popery when there were those who were accused and prosecuted for reading in a certain great heretical book, called an English bible. The Philistines do not now stop up these wells, (as Gen. xxvi. 18.) nor do the shepherds drive away your flocks from them, (as Exod. ii. 17.) nor are they as a spring shut up, or a fountain sealed; but the gifts giycn to men have been happily employed in rolling away the stone from the mouth of these wells. You have great encouragements to read the Scripture; for notwithstanding the malicious endeavours of atheists to vilify sacred things, the knowledge of the Scripture is still in reputation with all wise and good men. You have also a variety of excellent helps to understand the Scripture, and to improve your reading of it; so that if you or yours perish for lack of this knowledge, as you certainly will if you persist in the neglect of it, you may thank yourselves, the guilt will lie wholly at your own doors.

Let me, therefore, with all earnestness press it upon you to make the solemn reading of the Scripture a part of your daily worship in your families. When you speak to God by prayer, be willing to hear him speak to you in his word, that there may be a complete communion between you and God. This will add much to the solemnity of your family worship, and will make the transaction the more awful and serious, if it be done in a right manner; which will conduce much to the honour of God, and your own and your family's edification. It will help to make the word of God familiar to yourselves, and your children and servants, that you may be ready and mighty in the Scriptures, and may thence be thoroughly furnished for every good word and work. It will likewise furnish you with matter and words for prayer, and so be helpful to you in other parts of the service. If some parts of Scripture seem less edifying, let those be most frequently read that are most so. David's Psalms are of daily use in devotion, and Solomon's proverbs in conversation ; it will be greatly to your advantage to be well versed in them. And I hope I need not press any Christian to the study of the New Testament, nor any Christian parents to the frequent instructing of their children in the pleasant and profitable histories of the Old Testament. When you only hear your children read the Bible, they are tempted to look upon it as no more than a school-book ; but when they hear you read it to them in a solemn, religious manner, it comes, as it ought, with more authority. Those masters of families who make conscience of doing this daily, morning and evening, reckoning it part of that which the duty of every day requires, I am sure they have comfort and satisfaction in so doing, and find it contributes much to their own improvement in Christian knowMp and the edification of those who dwell under thci shadow; and the more, if those who are ministcn expound, themselves, and other masters of faai- ^ lies read some plain and profitable expo&tkmtf what is read, or of some part of it.

It is easy to add under this head, that the seam-able reading of otlier good books will contribute to; much to family instruction. In helps of this kisd we are as happy as any people under the sun, if ic have but hearts to use the helps we have, as ikm who must give an account shortly of them amMi other talents which we are intrusted with.

[2.] Yon must also catechise yoor children and servants, so long as they continue in that age of life which needs this milk. Oblige them to learn sone good catechism by heart, and to keep it in remes-brance; and by familiar discourse with tbera bdy them to understand it, as they become capable. It is an excellent method of catechising, which M himself directs us to, (Deut. vi. 7.) to teach ow children the things of God, by talking of them as we sit in the house, and go by the way, when web down, and when we rise up. It is good to keep >p stated times for this service, and be constant ta them, as those who know how industrious the eneaf is to sow tares while men sleep. If this good waik be not kept going forward, it will of itself go backward. Wisdom also vnll direct you to manageyov catechising, as well as the other branches of faaulf religion, so as not to make it a task and bortko, but as much as may be a pleasure to those andcr your charge, that the blame may lie wholly opoi their own impiety, and not at all upon your inqire-dencc, if they should say. Behold what a vMitaot is it!

This way of instruction by catechising does is a special manner belong to the ** church in the hoase;" for that is the nursery in which the trees of righteousness are reared, that afterwards are planted io the courts of our God. Public catechising will tani to little account without family catechising. Tke labour of ministers in instructing youth, and feeding the lambs of the flock, therefore proves to many labour in vain, because masters of families do mn do their duty, in preparing them for public instrae-tion, and examining their improvement by it. As mothers are children's best nurses, so parents are,or should be, their best teachers. Solomon's father was his tutor, (Prov. iv. 3, 4.) and he never forgot the lessons his mother taught him, Prov. xxxi. 1.

The baptism of your children, as it laid a strong and lasting obligation upon them to live in the fear of God, so it brought you under the most powerfal engagements imaginable to bring them up in that fear. The child you gave up to God to be dedicated to him, and admitted a member of Christ's vtsiUe church, was in God's name gven hack to joo, vilh

I

A SERMON ON FAMILY REU6I0N.

Ihe same charge that Pharaoh's daughter gave to Moses's mother, Take this child and nurse it forme; and in narsing it for God, you nurse it for better preferment than that of being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. It is worth observing, that he to whom God first did the honour of entailing the seal of the covenant upon his seed, was eminent for this part of family religion: / know Abraham (says God,) that he wiU command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord Gen. xviii. 19. Those, therefore, who would have the €»mfort of God's covenant with them and their seed, and would share in that blessing of Abraham which comes upon the Gentiles, must herein follow the example of faithful Abraham. The entail of the covenant of grace is forfeited and cut off, if care be not taken, with it, to transmit the means of grace. To what purpose were they discipled if they be not taught? Why did you give them a Christian name, if you will not give them the knowledge of Christ and Christianity ? God has owned them as his children, and bom unto him, (Ezek. xvi. 20.) and therefore he expects that they should be brought up for bim; you are unjust to your God, unkind to your children, and unfaithful to your trust, if, having by baptism entered your children in Christ's school, and enlisted them under his banner, you do not make conscience of training them up in the learning of Christ's scholars, and under the discipline of his soldiers.

Consider what your children are now capable of, even in the days of their childhood. They are capable of receiving impressions now which may abide upon them while they live; they are turned as clay to the seal, and now is the time to apply to them the seal of the IHing God. They are capable of honouring God now, if they be well taught; and by their joining, as they can, in religious services with so much reverence and application as their age will admit, God is honoured, and you in them present to him living sacrifices, holy and acceptable. The Hosannas even of children well taught will be the perfecting of praise, and highly pleasing to the Lord Jesus.

Consider what your children are designed for (we hope) in this world; they must be a seed to serve the Lord, which shall be accounted to him for a generation. They are to bear up the name of Christ in their day, and into their hands must be transmitted that good thing which is committed to us. They are to be praising God on earth, when we are praising him in heaven. Let them then be brought up accordingly, that they may answer the end of their birth and being. They are designed for the service of their generation, and to do»good in their day. Consult the public welfare then, and let nothing be wanting on your parts to qualify them for nsefulnessy according as their place and capacity is.

Consider especially what they are designed for in another world : they are made for eternity. Every child thou hast has a precious and immortal soul, that must be for ever either in heaven or hell, according as it is prepared in this present state; and, perhaps, it must remove to that world of spirits very shortly: and will it not be very mournful, if through your carelessness and neglect, your children should learn the ways of sin, and perish eternally in those ways? Give them warning, that, if possible, you may deliver their souls, at least, that you may deliver your own, and may not bring their curse and God's too, their blood and your own too, upon your heads.

I know you cannot give grace to your children, nor is a religious conversation the constant consequent of a religious education; The race is not always to the swifts nor the battle to the strong: but if you make conscience of doing your duty, by keeping up family doctrine; if you teach them the good and the right way, and warn them of by-paths; if you reprove, exhort, and encourage them as there is occasion ; if you pray with them, and for them, and set them a good example, and at last consult their soul's welfare in the disposal of them, you have done your part, and may comfortably leave the issue and success with God.

(2.) Keep up family worship. You must not only as prophets teach your families, but as priests must go before them, in offering the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise. Herein likewise you must tread in the steps of faithful Abraham; (whose sons yon arc while thus you do dwell;) you must not only like him instruct your household, but like him yon must with them call on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God, Gen. xxi. 33. Wherever he pitched his tent, there he built an altar unto the Lord, (Gen. xii. 7, 8; xiii. 4, 18.) though he was yet in an unsettled state, but a stranger and a sojourner; though he was among jealous and envious neighbours, for the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land, yet, wherever Abraham had a tent God had an altar in it, and he himself served at that altar. Herein he has left us an example.

Families, as such, have many errands at the throne of grace, which furnish them* with matter and occasion for family prayer every day; errands which cannot be done so well in secret, or public, but are fittest to be done by the family, in consort, and apart from other families. And it is good for those who go before the rest in family devotions, ordinarily to dwell most upon the concerns of those who join in their family capacity, that it may be indeed a family prayer, not only offered up in and by the family, but suited to it. In this and other services we should endeavour not only to say something, but something to the purpose.

Five things especially yon should have upon your

A SERMON ON FAMILY RELIGION.

heart in your family prayer, and should endeavour to bring something of each, more or less, into eery prayer with your families.

[1.] You ought to make family acknowledgments of your dependence upon God and his providence, as you are a family. Our great business in all acts of religious worship, is to give onto the Lord the glory due unto his name; and this we must do in our family worship. Give honour to God as the founder of families by his ordinance, because ** it was not good for man to be alone ;" as the founder of your families by his providence, for he it is ** who buildeth the house, and setteth the solitary in families." Give honour to him as the Owner and Ruler of families; acknowledge that you and yours are his, under his government, and at his disposal, *' as the sheep of his pasture." Especially adore him as the ** God of all the families of Israel," in covenant relation to them, and having a particular concern for them above others, Jer. xxxi. 1. Give honour to the great Redeemer as the head of all the churches, even those in your houses ; call him the Master of the family, and the great upholder and benefactor of it; for he it is in whom all the families of the earth are blessed. Gen. xii. 3. All fam-ily blessings are owing to Christ, and come to us through his hand by his blood. Own your dependence upon God, and your obligations to Christ, for all good things pertaining both to life and godliness; and make conscience of paying homage to your chief Lord, and never set up a title to any of your enjoyments in competition with his.

[2.] You ought to make family confessions of your sins against God ; those sins you have contracted the guilt of in your family capacity. We read in Scripture of the iniquity of the house, as of Eli's, 1 Sam. iii. 13,14. Iniquity visited upon the children; sins that bring wrath upon families, and a curse that enters into the house to consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof, Zech. v. 4. How sad is the condition of those families who sin together, and never pray together! who, by concurring in frauds, quarrels, and excesses, by strengthening one another's hands in impiety and profaneness, fill the measure of family guilt, and never agree together to do any think to empty it!

And even religious families, that are not polluted with gross and scandalous sins, yet have need to join every day in solemn acts and expressions of repentance before God for their sins of daily infirmity. Their vain words and unprofitable conversation among themselves ; their manifold defects in relative duties, provoking one another's lusts and passions, instead of provoking one another to love and to good works: these ought to be confessed and bewailed by the family together, that God may be glorified, and what has been amiss may be amended for the future. It was not only in a time of great and extraordinary repentance that families mov Bei apart, (Zech. xii. 11.) but in the stated retamiif the day of expiation the priest was particularly ti make atonement for his household. Lev. xvi. 17. In many things we, all, ofiend God, and one another; and a penitent confession of it in prayer together} will be the most efi'ectual way of reconciling oiff-selves both to God, and to one another. The best families, and those in which piety and love prenfl most, yet in many things come short, and do enovgli every day to bring them upon their knees at night

[3.] You ought to ofier up family thanksgiving for the blessings which you, with your families, receive from God. Many are the mercies which yw enjoy the sweetness and benefit of in common; whichi if wanting to one, all the family would be sensible of it. Has not God made a hedge of protectioi about you and your houses, and all that yon have! Job i. 10. Has he not created a defence upon every ** dwelling place" of Mount Zion, as well as upoo her assemblies? Isa. iv. 5. The dreadful alarms of a storm, and the desolations made, as by a fire, once in an age, should make us sensible of our obligations to the Divine Providence for our preservation fn» tempests and fire every day and every night hit of the Lord*s mercies that we are not consumed and buried in the ruins of our houses. When the whole family comes together safe in the morning from their respective retirements, and when they retam safe at night from their respective employments, there having been no disaster, no *' adversary,'' no evil occurrence,—it is so reasonable, and (as I may say) so natural, for them to join ^gether in solemn thanksgivings to their great Protector, that I wonder how any who believe in a God, and a providence, can omit it. Have you not healt in your family, sickness kept or taken from the midst of you ? Does not God bring plentifully into your hands, and Increase your substance? Have you not your table spread, and your cup running over, and manna rained about your tents? and does not the whole family share in the comfort of all ihh ? Shall not then the voice of thanksgiving be in those tabernacles where the voire of rejoicing is? Ps. cxviii. 15. Is the vine by the house-side fruitful and flourishing, and the olive plants round the table green and growing? Are family relations comfortable and agreeable, not broken nor imbittered, and shall not that God he acknowledged herein who makes every creature to be that to us that it is? Shall not the God of yoor mercies, your family mercies, be the God of yoor praises, your family praises, and tliat daily ?

The benefit and honour of your being ChristiaD families, your having in God's house, and within his walls, a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters, and the salvation this brings to your house, furnishes you with abundant matter for joint thanksgivings. You hath he known ubov€ aB the

A SERMON ON FAMILY RELIGION.

591 families of tftt earth, and, therefore, he expects in a .special manner to be owned by you. Of all houses, . the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, and the house of Levi, have most reason to bless the Lord, and to say. His mercy endureth/or ever,

[4.] You ought to present your family petitions for the mercy and gace which your families stand in need of. Daily bread is received by families together, and we are taught not only to pray for it every day, but to pray together for it, saying, Our leather, give it us. There are affairs and employments which the family is jointly concerned in the success of, and, therefore, should jointly ask of God wisdom for the management of them, and prosperity therein. There are family cares to be cast upon God by prayer, family comforts to be sought for, and family crosses which they should together beg for the saoctification and removal of. Hereby your children will be more effectually possessed with a belief of, and regard to, the Divine Providence, than by all the instructions you can give them; which will look best in their eye, when thus reduced to practice by your daily acknowledging God in all your ways.

You desire that God will give wisdom and grace to your children, you travail in birth again till you see Christ formed in them, you pray for them; it is well, but it is not enough ; you must pray with them ; let them hear you pray to God for a blessing npon the good instructions and counsels you give them; it may perhaps put them upon praying for themselves, and increase their esteem both of you, and of the good lessons you teach them. Yon would have your servant<i diligent and faithful, and this perhaps would help to make them so. Masters do not give to their servants that which is just and equal, if they do not continue in prayer with them. They are put together, Col. iv. 1,2.

There are some temptations which families, as sach, lie open to. Busy families are in temptation to world liness, and neglect of religious duties; mixed families are in temptation to discord, and mutual jealousies; decaying families are in temptation to distrust, discontent, and indirect courses to help themselves; they should therefore not only watch, but pray together, that they be not overcome by the temptations they are exposed to.

There are family blessings which God has promised, and for which he will be sought unto, such as those on the house of Obed-edom for the arh*s sahe; or the mercy which St. Paul begs for the house of Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. i. 16. These joint blessings mast be sued out by joint prayers. There is a special blessing which God commands upon families that dwell together in unity, (Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 3.) which they mast seek for by prayer, and come together to seek for it, in token of that unity which qualifies for it. Where God commands the blessing, we must beg the blessing. God by promise blesses David's house, and, therefore, David by prayer blesses it too, 2 Sam. vi. 20.

[6.] You ought to make family intercessions for others also. There are families you stand related to, or which by neighbourhood, friendship, or acquaintance, you become interested in and concerned for; and these you should recommend in your prayers to the grace of God, and your family that are joined with you in the alliances should join with you in those prayers. Evil tidings perhaps are received from relations at a distance, which are the grief of the family ; God must then be sought unto by the family for succour and deliverance. Some of the branches of the family are, perhaps, in distant countries, and in dangerous circumstances, and you are solicitous about them; it will be a comfort to yourselves, and perhaps of advantage to them, to make mention of them daily in your family prayers. The benefit of prayer will reach far, because he who hears prayer can extend his hand of power and mercy to the utmost comers of the earth, and to them that are afar off upon the sea.

In the public peace likewise we and our families have peace; and therefore, if we forget thee, O Jerusalem, we are unworthy ever to stand in thy courts, or dwell within thy walls. Our families should be witnesses for us that we pray daily for the land of our nativity, and the prosperity of all its interests; that praying every where we make supplication for the Queen, and all in authority, 1 Tim. ii. 2,8. That we bear upon our hearts the concerns of God's church abroad, especially the suffering parts of it. Thus keeping up a spiritual communion with all the families that in every place call on the name of the Lord Jesus.

In a word, let us go by this rule in our family devotions ; whatever is the matter of our care, let it be the matter of our prayer; and let us allow no care which we cannot in faith spread before God. And whatever is the matter of our rejoicing, let it be the matter of our thanksgiving; and let us withhold our hearts from all those joys which do not dispose us for the duty of praise.

Under this head of family worship, I must not omit to recommend to you the singing of psalms in your families, as a part of daily worship, especially sabbath worship. This is a part of religious worship, which participates both of the word and prayer; for therein we are not only to give glory to God, but to teach and admonish one another; it is, therefore, very proper to make it a transition from the one to the other. It will warm and quieken yoa, refresh and comfort yoa ; and, perhaps, if you have little children in your houses, they will sooner take notice of it than of any other part of your family devotion; and some good impressions may thereby be fastened apon them insensibly.

S&2

A SERMON ON FAMILY REUGION.

(3.) Keep np family discipline, that so you may have a complete charch in your house, though in little. Reason teaches us that every man should bear rule in his own house, Esth. i. 22. And since that as well as other power is of God, it ought to be employed for God ; and Ihey who so rule must be just, ruling in his fear. Joshua looked further than the acts of religious worship, when he made that pious resolution. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord, Josh. xxiv. 16. For we do not serve him in sincerity and truth, (which is the service he there speaks of, v, 14.) if we and ours serre him only on our knees, and do not take care to serve him in all the instances of a religious conversation. Those only who have clean hands, and a pure heart, are accounted the generation of them that seek God, Ps. xxiv. 4, 6. And without this those who pretend to seek God daily, do but mock him, Isa. Iviii. 2.

The authority God has given you over your children and servants is principally designed for this end, that you jnay thereby engage them for God and godliness. If you use it only to oblige them to do your will, and so to serve your pride; and to do your business, and so to serve your worldliness; yon do not answer the great end of your being invested with it; you must use it for God's honour, by it to engage them, as far as you can, to do the will of God, and mind the business of religion. Holy David not only blessed his household, but took care to keep good order in it, as appears by that plan of his family discipline, which we have in the lOlst Psalm, a psalm wliich Mr. Fox tells us that blessed martyr Bishop Ridley often read to his family, as the rule by which he resolved to govern it

You are made keepers of the vineyard, be faithful to your trust, and carefully watch over those who are under your charge, knowing you must give account.

[1.] Countenance every thing that is good and praise-worthy in your children and servants. It is as much your duty to commend and encourage those in your family who do well, as to reprove and admonish those who do amiss; and if you take delight only in blaming that which is culpable, and are backward to praise that which is laudable, you give occasion to suspect something of an ill nature, not becoming a good man, much less a good Christian. It should be a trouble to us when we have a reproof to give, but a pleasure to us to say, with the apostle, (1 Cor. xi. 2.) Now I praise you.

Most people will be easier led than driven, and we all love to be spoken fair to: when yon see any thing that is hopeful and promising in your inferiors, any thing of a towardly and tractable disposition, much more any thing of a pious affection to the things of God, you should contrive to encourage it. Smile upon them when you see them set their faces heavenwards, and take the first opportnnity to lei thi know you observe it, and are well pleased viftI, and do not despise the day of small things. T\m will quicken them to continue and abound iaftit which is good, it will hearten them against the tf-ficulties they see in their way ; and, perhaps, mj turn the watering, trembling scale the right way, and effectually determine their resolutions to clem to the Lord. When you see them forward to cow to family worship, attentive to the word, devout ii prayer, industrious to get knowledge, afraid of m, and careful to do their duty, let them have the prue of it, for you have the comfort of it, and God sai have all the glory. Draw them with the cords of t man, hold them with the bands of love; so sbl your rebukes, when they are necessary, be the mmc acceptable and effectual. The great ShepM gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries tbem ia his bosom, and gently leads them; and so AM you.

[2.] Discountenance every thing that is evil ii your children and servants. Use your authorityfiv the preventing of sin, and the suppressing of evoy root of bitterness, lest it spring up, and trouble jn, and thereby many be defiled. Frown upon eioj thing that brings sin into your families, and intiv-duces any ill words, or ill practices. Pride iii passion, strife and contention, idleness and iBt» perance, lying and slandering, these are sins whkk you must not connive at, nor suffer to go witkooti rebuke. If you return to the Almighty, this aaaif other things is required of you, that you ftui iniquity f all iniquity, these and other the likeiniqa-iieSf far from your tahemaeUy Job xxii. 23. Mike it to appear, that in the go Temment of your fanilics you are more jealous for God's honour, than for jnr own authority and interest; and show yooneHa more displeased at that which is an offence to Goi than at that which is only an affront or damage to yourselves.

You must indeed be careful not to provoke yon children to wrath, lest they be discouraged; and ts to your servants, it is your duty to " forbear, tr moderate, threatening:'' yet you most also, with holy zeal and resolution, and the meekness of wisdom, keep good order in your families, and set d0 wicked thing before their eyes, but witness againstit A little leaven leavenetH the whole lump* Be afraid of having wicked servants in your houses, lest yfm children learn their way, and get a snare to tkir souls. Drive away with an angry coonteoaoee aB that evil communication which cormpt good nai-ners, that your houses may be habitations of rights ousness, and sin may never find shelter in then.

I corae now, II. To offer some motives to pemadt you thus to turn your families into little chmcto And O that I could find out acceptable words, wilk which to reason with you, so as to prevail! Stfr

A SERMON ON FAMILY RELIGION.

593 fne a little, and I will show you what is to be said on God's behalff which is worth your consideration.

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