THE CHURCH coMPARED To A FAMILY, &c. Book IV. MET A PH 0 R. I. J N a great Houfe are not Vejfels of Gold, and of Silver onf)•, but of Wood, and of Earth; fome to Honor, and Jome to Dijhonor, 1- <Thn. ii. 20. PARALLEL. I. so in the Church of God, there is a Mixture of good and bad, Sheep and Goats, Gncere Chriftians, and Hypocrites; like as in a Field there is a Mixture of Wheat and Tares; and in a Floor of Grain, there is Chaff as well as Corn: Thourrh when any appear unfound, drofry, and ungodly, fhe turneth them "ut. ¥-Then the Family of Chrilt conlifted but of twdve Men, there was a Judas among!l: them. I!. In a great Famil¥ there are Porions of different Acres, of dif– frrcat Strength, of differtntRela– tions to the Mafl:cr of the Family, and of different Emplopnents. !I. So in the Church of God there are little Children, young Men, and Fathers; there are weak and !hanger Chrifl:ians, fome that fl:and in need of Milk, fome that are fie fo r ftrong Meat; fome that need to be led, •nd carrried in Arms; fame that are Teachers and Rulers, and others that are taug'lt and ruled, 2 'John. ii. 12, 14. Heb. v. 11, 12, 13, t<f. Ill. The Ma!l:er, chief Head, or Ill. So God, the great and good Mafter of this Governor .of a Family, provides heavenly Family, cloth and will provide for all and takes care of all chat bdong ro and every Soul dllt belongs to him. 'rake no him; hence the ApotileJaith, He Thought far )'Oztr Life, what)•ejhall eat, or what that prvvides not for his Famif)•, is ye jhall di'ink; nor )'et for JOUr Body, what )'e jha/1 worfe than an Infidel, and batb de · put an. Why take ye tbought for Raiment? Conji– nied the Faith, 1 'rim. iii. B. der the Lilies of the Field, how tbey grow; they toil not, neither do the)' fpin. Therefore if God fo clor.tb the Grafs 4 the Fitld, which is to Day .and 'J'o.morrow is ca.ft into the Oven; jha/1 be not mucb more cloatb you, 0 ye of little Faith? Matt. vi. 25-30.. The young L ions do iftck, find fuffer hunger; but tbey tbat fear the Lord. jha/1 want no good Thing, Pfal. lxxxiv. H. I/e will give Grace and Glory, and no good 'rbing will be with-bold from tbem that walk uprightly. Mj God jhallfupply all )'&Ur Wttnts,. &c. Cajhng all )'0111' Care upoit him, for he caretb for )'Oil, .&c. P.bi!. iv. 19. IV. A Family is allo under the IV. So is the Church under rhe Government of Government of him who is the Chri!l:; and every M<:mber is fttbjeCJ: to that Au– chief Head and Ruler the.reof. thoritv, Order, and Rule, which he hath left V. The Mafl:erofaFamilyde– fends his.Family, to the uttermo!l: of his Powec, againft all Eneniies. VI. Every Perfon in a Family, is privy to all fuch Things as are publickly done in the Houfe, many of which ought to be concealed., .and not divulged to others. It is a Reproach to a Perfon of an ho– nourable Family, to make known anf Thing that is done in the Houfe, which ought by all Means eo be kept fecret. VII. ,J t is a great Honor to a Family,.when it is well governed. It was this Nery Thing that the Q1,1een of Sheba was fo much taken with, when D1e came to fee Solo– mon: It is faid, When jhe faw his Wi.fdom, and tbe lloufe which he bad built, and the Mmt of bis Table, and the Sitting of bis Servants, ·and the Order of his ]vfinij/ers, and tbeir Apparel, and his drinking Veffels, flnd b s Burnt-Offerings, that .be .therein. V. So doth the bleffed God defend and preferve his Church, whofe Power is infin:te. So will the Lord of Hoj/s defend Jerulitlem; defending, aJo he will deliver. VI. So each Member of the Church is privy to all fuch Things as are done publickly ·therein; and many Things done therein do fo particularly re– .late ro the Family, that it is an evi l Thing, and jultly to be reproved, for any Member to dtvulge .or .make fuch priv.3te Matters known to others. The Church of God in this refpdl:, as well as io Jome others, fhould be as a Spring jhut up, as a .Fountainfealed, &c. Cant.iv. 12. VII. So .it is a great Honor to the Church of God, when it is well and wifely governed. In this refpetl: Solomon was a Type of Chrift, and his Family a Type of the Family of the Faithful, or Church of God. The Lord Jefus ought to be acknowledged as the Head, and chief Governor; and ·next to him;the -Bifl10p or Paftor thereof mull: be obeyed, and fubmitted to in all Things, in the Lord. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit )'Ottrfelves; for they watch for your Souls, Heb. xiii. 1 7· There is nothing that doth more beautify the Church of God, than good Order. 3 , What
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