And after all, whether our words flow from the abundance of the heart, or we endeavour to excite affections answerable to what the words before us suggest; if the God who knows the heart sees sincerity and true devotion in the worshipper; it will undoubtedly be accepted, according to that a man hath, and not according to that which he hath not. I commend these discourses to the perusal of all serious christians, though of differing persuasions in lesser matters, earnestly begging, that by God's blessing they may reach the end of the author in preaching them, and of the transcriber in preparing them for public view; namely, the revival of religion in families, and by that means the diffusing of it far and wide in the present generation and in those which are to come. I am Your hearty well-wisher Prescott-street, for your best interests, JOHN EVANS. SERMON I.* Joshua xxiv. 15. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. THIS is the magnanimous resolution of that great and good man, Joshua, notwithstanding the supposed revolt of all the people of Israel from God, who had been bound to him by the most sacred and endearing ties. "Though you," says he, should all go off and apostatize from God, even to a man, after all the great and glorious things that he hath wrought among you and for you; that shall not alter me: through his grace, the course that I will take, and that mine shall take, whom I can have any influence upon or any power over, shall be the same it was. I and my house will serve the Lord notwithstanding. Though you should all turn pagans and idolaters to a man, that shall not overturn the religion of my family or of my closet, but there shall be serving of the Lord still." It hath been an unanimous resolution among the ministers of indulged congregations in and about this city, to insist upon the subject of family-worship, even all at once, at least as many as to whom it was possible; and to begin upon it this very day, as I doubt not they generally do. And I should as little doubt the approbation and concurrence of divers other reverend persons in the ministry, who are not of that character, if there had been the same opportunity of consulting them and of knowing their sense; that is, of as many as do seriously desire and covet to see the prosperous and flourishing state of serious, vital and • Preached December 25th, 1693 practical religion and godliness in our days. But they, who could confer and agree to concur in such an endeavour as this, have done it with all the cheerfulness and unanimity that could be thought. Indeed, since that resolution was taken, a providence hath occurred among us, which some might reckon would have diverted and altered it for the present: a farther breach, which God hath made upon our congregation, by the late decease of a considerable and very useful member of it, worthy Mr. Collet. Of whom divers might expect to hear a distinct account given them; apprehending, that it would not be so much an ornament to him or to his name when gone, as a means of instruction to them who are left behind. But I am under restraint as to this; partly by my relation; but more principally by his own express prohibition, who declared his unwillingness to be made the subject of a funeral sermon. And that prohibition was equal (as any might understand,) to the most copious one that could have been made by way of commendation. For it more represented the temper of his spirit, than my words could have done; the meekness, the humility, the modesty of it; and was most agreeable to the habitual frame, from whence the way of his walking proceeded; steady, but still and without noise; and shewed how wil– ling he was, that his exit out of this world might be with as much silence, as his course through it was. Yet however, had I been to have preached a funeral sermon upon his account, I should never have laid aside for that the thoughts of this text. For I could not have found one in the whole Bible, from whence I might have more taken occasion to represent him, as to his person and as to his family, as an example of both personal and domestical religion, single and family godliness. And indeed were they who profess godliness generally in these respects like him, there would be much less need of preaching upon such a subject, or of taking up such a resolution as you have heard hath been general in reference thereunto. But it hath been generally apprehended and feared, by them whom God hath set as watchmen amongst us, that the case is too much otherwise; and that the religion of families languisheth, or indeed hath no place at all in many families, where yet there is a profession of and a pretence unto godliness above the common rate. For my own part, I do not know that there is this sinful omission with any of you that have families; I do not know that there is: and therefore I cannot be understood, without great injury to me, to intend a reflection upon any particular person. But yet for all that, I cannot think a discourse upon this subject needless: for it is possible, many may be guilty of this omission, though I know nothing of it; who do not covet to pry into families, beyond any particular occasion or call that I may have thereunto. And if it be so, it is not to be despaired of, but that through the blessing of God his word may be made use of to effect a conviction and a reforma-' tion of so great and so unsufferable an evil. And it is possible too, that it may serve for the confirmation of such in that good course, as may be tempted to desist from it. For have none ever come within the compass of your knowledge, who have for some time continued to practise and keep on foot the worship of God in their families, but have at length abandoned it and given it over? That is a far fouler case. Turpius ejicitur, quam non admittitur: it is a more ignominious thing to throw your religion and your God out of your families, than never to have admitted them. I would labour to fortify all, as much as is possible, against that temptation. And it is possible farther to be useful to divers, who yet have not families, but who may have; so as to be a guide and incentive to their purpose and practice for the future, when there shall be such occasions. And even to us all, who are ever so resolute in the present use and for the continuance of this holy course, it may be useful for our quickening to manage this holy work with more seriousness, with more vigour, with more spirituality, and to better purpose, than we have been any of us to wont to do. And as to the subject itself, you see the words of this text are very plain words. I and my house will serve the Lord. The word, house, indeed doth sometimes signify more largely; but it cannot be understood to signify any thing else here but an houshold: and so we are saved from any thing of a dispu tation about that matter. For Joshua speaks only of them, for whom he would answer, at least as to their visible practice, and whom he had a power over. "I and my house will serve the Lord.". And he contradistinguisheth the case of his own family from the supposed different common case. For he supposeth all the rest to be gone off to paganism or the service of other gods; notwithstanding which the practice of his house. and family should be the same that it was. And for the term, serve, it is true the hebrew word here used is rendered promiscuously by the Septuagint in several places, so as sometimes to signify area, that is, that service which is peculiar and appropriate to God under the notion of worship to him; and sometimes to signify deas, service in at much larger sense. Therefore I lay no stress upon the word, abstractly considered; but only considered according to the present circumstances. Abstractly considered, it is very true it doth sometimes signify not only service to God, but to man And again being referred to God, it sometimes signifies any other service or obedience or duty, besides worship; as we are to obey and comport with his pleasure in other things besides worshipping of him: and then this word serves to express that service. But in this place it can signify nothing but worship. That is most plain. It signifieth that sort of service, which must either be paid to the true God, or will be paid to false ones. "You may serve other gods; but I and my house will serve the Lord." So that it is worship or religion that is meant here, and nothing else. And therefore about that, there is no place or room left for disputation. And now so much being plain, you find a twofold resolution expressed in the text. First. Concerning personal religion: the religion of a single person, solitary worship; that worship, that may be confined to a man's soul and to his closet. "I will serve the Lord: I will be a worshipper of him, as long as I live, let the rest of the world do what they will." And then here is a resolution expressed too, Secondly. Concerning family-religion; and that as the care of the family-master, the governor of the family. He did not think he should answer the obligation that lay upon him as such, or do the part incumbent on him as so related, if he should shut up himself and his religion in a closet. No, but "I and my house will serve the Lord;" implying his resolution, both to do what was incumbent upon himself in worshipping God even among them, and to use the power he had to oblige them to a compliance and concurrence therein. Otherwise he must be thought to have spoken absurdly, when he says, "As for my house, we will serve the Lord;" if he must not be understood to have the authority in his own family to oblige them to attend thereupon. It is the latter of these, which it suits our purpose to speak unto; though we shall in the close, God willing, look back upon the other two, as there will be occasion. The text will give it, and the series of the discourse will lead to it. So that, that which is left as the designed subject of my present discourse, is family-religion; the religion that belongs to a family as such, and which it belongs to a family as such to set on foot and to keep on foot in the family. And here I cannot but be apprehensive, that wherever there is among professed christians a disinclination and aversion from such a course and practice as this, there will be (that they may give themselves a relief, that they may have some pretence and shelter against the urgency of what may be said in such a case,) an aptness clamourously to insist and cry out ż |