G 0 D AN H 0 U S H 0 -L D E R. Book II. The Word Houjholder it~ ports three Things: · I. One that is polfelfed of an Eftzte. 2. One that bath Bofinefs to do. 3· One that lrath a fami·ly of Se"ants no employ. All thefe feem fairly applicable to God, metaphorically. •· God is po!fetfed of an Eftate: The Earth is his, and the Fulnefs thereof, the VI'orld, and all the Inhabitants therein. 2. God bath Bulinefs to do in this World, to replenifi1 the Earth, and to efiablifi 1 his Will in refpetl of Worfi1ip and Service: 'l'hy Will be done in Eartb, aJ it iJ in Hea– cven, &c. 3· God hath a Family of Servants to govern: 'l'he Soul of the Father, aJ well aJ the Soul of the Son, iJ mine : Ezek. xviii. 4· ·And he faith to thefe Servants, D·well in tbe Land, do good, ar.d emplay the 'l'alentJ givm you. (,Gd is (and ma~ n<;>t pnfitly be compared to) a. Houjholder. Here I fh1ll give you · the Properues of a Houfholder, accordmg to the Senfe of the "Vord, and the .true · Intent of the Text; and fo go on, by God's Help, in Profecution of the Parallel. METAPHOR. I. AN Houfholcler is the firfl: . Founder of a Family; for there· can ,be no fuch Thing as a Houfholder, Family, &c. without a raifing, or firft founding of it: And there can be no fuch raifing or founding, without a Beginner or founder; where there are Ef– fects, there muft be a Caufe pro– ducing thofe EffeCts. I!. An Houfholder, that is to be concerned with Family-affairs, doth frame and build a Houfe or Dwelling, ~s a very needful Con– veniency for himfdf and Family. I>ARALLEL. I. THAT God is the firft Author, that aiv-. Being to Matter, Form, and Orde~, 13 fo great and evtdent a Truth, evidenced by Scnp– tme and Reafon, that none can deny It without fhaking the very Foundation of Heaven and Earth, and of all true Piety and Religion: For all Things that do appear, were produced by fame Cau(e pre-exiilenr, or elfe they did caufe themfdves; which latl: cannot be, becaufe then they muft be before themfelves which is a monftrous Abfurdity. See the ancient Records of the vVorld, and all 'Things therein, Gen. i. 11. God, the mort great and good Houfholder, feeing it very needful and convenient, bath built a Houfe for the Commodity of his Family, yea, many Houfes, fuitable tO the dittintl Parts of his Family, which is very great: One Houfe fit for Angels, and the Souls of Saints, that is, Heaven; one for Men, even on Eart.h; one for a Nurfing-houfc to the Offsprinp; of his Family, and that is his Church, which is the lloufe of tbe living God, the Nurfing-houfe for his Heirs and eldeft Sons, I 'Tim. iii. I5· The!t: Things have hi.> Hands begun and finifhed. He that built all 'l'hings is God. III. A good Houfholder gets Ill. God did not think it meet to be alone, ill him a Family fuited to all his Purthe Enjoyment of perfect: Happinefs in himtelt~ pofes, not thinking it meet to be and therefore hath taken into Covenant with him– alone, he doth efpoufe a Wife, and felf, "Angels and Men ; and for this End \ns bring in Servants, &c. Jefus Chriil: fet up from everlafting, to gatber to· gather in himftlf, both 'l'bingJ in Ileave11, and 'l'hii•;;s on Earth, &c. IV. Thus Gqd, the great and good Houfholder hath done. He hath made nothing in vain, bm hath fitted each Creatme with Natures, to do Work fuit,tble to their proper Station: The Angels to dwell in Heaven, to praife in Heaven, to fly throtlgh Heaven, to come down into the Air, to vifit the Earth, and view the Sons of Men: Men are fitted to look up to Heaven, to pray, to read, to con- , template, to reverence God, to propagate, to replenifh the Earth : BeaCts are litced for Labor and Service, as the Horfe, the Mule, the Ox, &c. the Sheep, wtth all other Creatures, receive Influence from his great and good Spirit, fo as to come to the Place where their Prey is, and where they are to be taken for afligned Ufe. IV. A good Houfholder fits his Family or Houfiwld for Bulinefs. V. God
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