The Church Compared to a Family or Household

    THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD

    "You have I known above all the Families of the earth," Am 3:2.

    "The House of God, which is the Church of the living God," 1Ti 3:15.

    "As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, but especially to the Household of faith," Ga 6:10.

    "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the Household of God," Eph 2:19.

    A HOUSE in the holy Scripture is sometimes put for the Family or Household, and sometimes for the structure or building itself. In both these respects the Holy Ghost runs the parallel, in respect of the Church.

    METAPHOR

    I. "In a great house are not vessels of gold, and of silver only, but of wood, and of earth; some to honour, and some to dishonour." 2Ti 2:20.

    PARALLEL

    I. So in the Church of God, there is a mixture of good and bad, sheep and goats, sincere Christians 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. Though when any appear unsound, drossy, and ungodly, she turneth them out. When the Family of Christ consisted but of twelve men, there was a Judas amongst them.

    METAPHOR

    II. In a great family there are persons of different ages, of different strength, of different relations to the master of the Family, and of different employments.

    PARALLEL

    II. So in the Church of God there are little children, young men, and fathers; there are weak and stronger Christians, some that stand in need of milk, some that are fit for strong meat; some that need to be led, and carried in arms; some that are teachers and rulers, and others that are taught and ruled, 1Jo 2:12,14; Heb 5:11-14.

    METAPHOR

    III. The master, chief head, or governor of a Family, provides and takes care of all that belong to him; hence the Apostle saith, "He that provides not for his Family, is worse than an infidel, and hath denied the faith," 1Ti 5:8.

    PARALLEL

    III. So God, the great and good Master of this heavenly Family, doth and will provide for all and every soul that belongs to him. "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Why take ye thought for raiment; Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Therefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which is to-day, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Mt 6:25-30. "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that fear the Lord, shall want no good thing," Ps 84:11. "He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." "My God shall supply all your wants," &c., Php 4:19. "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you," &c.

    METAPHOR

    IV. A Family is also under the government of him who is the chief head and ruler thereof.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So is the Church under the government of Christ; and every member is subject to that authority, order, and rule, which he hath left therein.

    METAPHOR

    V. The master of a Family defends his Family, to the uttermost of his power against all enemies.

    PARALLEL

    V. So doth the blessed God defend and preserve his Church, whose power is infinite. "So will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending, also he will deliver."

    METAPHOR

    VI. Every person in a family, is privy to all such things as are publicly done in the house, many of which ought to be concealed, and not divulged to others. It is a reproach to a person of an honourable Family to make known anything that is done in the house, which ought by all means to be kept secret.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So each member of the Church is privy to all such things as are done publicly therein; and many things done therein do so particularly relate to the Family, that it is an evil thing, and justly to be reproved, for any member to divulge or make such private matters known to others. The Church of God in this respect, as well as in some others, should be "As a spring shut up, as a fountain sealed," &c., Song 4:12.

    METAPHOR

    VII. It is a great honour to a Family, when it is well governed. It was this very thing that the queen of Sheba was so much taken with, when she came to see Solomon. It is said, "When she saw his wisdom, and the house which he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and his drinking vessels, and his burnt-offerings, that he offered in the house of the Lord, she was astonished," &c. 1Ki 10:1,3-5. ' In a Family, the governor ought to know his place, and all the rest to be in subjection; or else great confusion and disorder will break forth. Hence a Bishop ought to be one that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection, with all gravity. What is more lovely in a Family, than to see every one behaving himself well, living in sweet concord, peace, and love together.

    PARALLEL

    VII. So it is a great honour to the Church of God, when it well and wisely governed. In this respect Solomon was a type of Christ, and his Family a type of the Family of the faithful, or Church of God. The Lord Jesus ought to be acknowledged as the Head, and chief Governor; and next to him, the bishop or pastor thereof must be obeyed, and submitted to in all things, in the Lord. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls," Heb 13:17. There is nothing that doth more beautify the Church of God, than good order what is any society of men, without rule, and good government? Strict discipline must be kept up in Christ's Family. Every member ought to know his place, and to strive to behave himself well. To this very end Paul wrote to Timothy, "That thou mayest," saith he, "know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God," &c. 1Ti 3:15. All the saints should live in perfect peace, unity, and sweet concord together as children of the same Father, and heirs of the same crown and kingdom. Hence the apostle exhorteth the saints, to "endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace," Eph 4:3. Nothing is at this day more grievous to a sincere soul, than to see the great divisions, and want of love, that is amongst us; nor doth any thing more encourage our Popish adversaries. Jovianus the Emperor, was much troubled at the divisions that were amongst Christians in his time, and showed his dislike at their contentions, in these words: "I tell you truly, I cannot bear with contention, but such as are for concord and unity I willingly honour and embrace: and certain I am, that such as strive for truth and peace, Christ will embrace, discord amongst brethren being one of those things he chiefly hates," Pr 6:16.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. There is, and ought to be, some special order and discipline kept up in a Family, that every one may know his place, place, work, and business

    PARALLEL

    VIII. So in the Church, or spiritual Family, there is a special order and discipline to be learned and kept up, and every one is to know his place, work, and business, some of which we shall briefly hint in this place. The first thing that I shall mind is, the choice of officers, viz., elders and deacons: They should be chosen according to the rules and directions God hath left in his word, viz., Men fitly qualified: "A bishop must not be soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not self-willed, not a brawler, nor covetous, not a novice. He must be blameless, one that rules well his own house, apt to teach, a lover of good men, sober, just, temperate, able by sound doctrine to convince gainsayers," 1Ti 3:3-8; Tit 1:5-7. There are directions also given about their wives.

    2. Every member hath his peculiar vote in choosing of their officers; after election, they are to be ordained, by prayer, and laying on of hands, Ac 6:6; 13:3.

    3. The pastor or bishop is to feed the flock, to be faithful and laborious in preaching the word of life, exhorting, reproving, comforting, according as he finds occasion, 1Ti 4:12,16.

    4. It behoveth him, together with the Church, to he careful whom they receive into the lamily, viz., none but such as are converted, true penitent and believing persons, as near as they can.

    5. They ought to know the state of the flock, and to watch over every member thereof, Pr 27:23; Heb 13:17.

    6. The members of the Church ought to study their duty.

    (1.) To their pastor, to provide for him a sufficient maintenance, that he may not be encumbered with worldly affairs, and thereby made unfit for his great work and business he is called to, 1Co 9:9; 14. See Planters, Labourers, &c.

    (2.) To pray for him, and show him all due respect, as the steward and ambassador of Christ, Eph 6:19.

    (3.) As to their duties one to another, as fellow-members of God's Church, it is needful for them to know how they should carry and behave themselves towards their offending brethren. And as touching this, it is necessary to consider, 1. The rule touching private offences. 2. Touching public and scandalous offences and offenders.

    1. Touching private offences, Christ hath left us directions, in Matt, 18:15,16 "If thy brother offend thee, tell him his fault between thee and him alone; but if he will not hear thee, take one or two more, &c. But if he still neglect to hear them tell it to the Church: But if he will not hear the Church, then he is fit for Church-dealing, or excommunication." Let all take heed they do not make public any evil or offence of their brethren, that is private; for this is an utter fault, and a violation of the law of Christ, and order of his house.

    2. Touching public and scandalous sins and offenders, such as expose the name of G 0( * to a reproach, as fornication, covetousness, idolatry, drunkenness, rioting, &c. These, without thorough and unfeigned repentance, ought forthwith to be delivered up to Satan, or put out of the Church, into the kingdom of Satan, from whence they came, 1Co 5:5. And truly it cannot be known quickly who hath true repentance, that fall into such great sins, until there be some time of trial. Reformation of life is the chief part of repentance; therefore to clear the name of God from reproach, and the better to bring the offender to the sense of his sin, the ordinance of excommunication ought, in my judgment, immediately upon conviction, to pass against him.

    3. In the administration of justice and judgment in the Church, special care ought to be taken, that with all wisdom and impartiality persons may be dealt withal. Let the Church and pastor see to it, that the rich be no more spared than the poor. Levi was not to know his father in judgment.

    METAPHOR

    IX. In a religious Family, devotion is carefully and duly performed, prayer, reading the word, &c. It is a reproach to a Family, especially to the master, or governor and governess, to have this neglected, and a sin very provoking to God: "Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the Families that call not upon thy name," Jer 10:25.

    PARALLEL

    IX. So the Church of God is the chief place of public devotion; there the word of God is and ought to be read. And hence Paul saith to the Colossians, "when this epistle is read amongst you, cause it to be read also in the Church, (mark,} of the Laodiceans," Col 4:16-17. There the word of God is truly and duly preached, and the sacraments administered. "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." "To the intent, that now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God," Ps 1:2; Eph 3:10. Hence God is said to "love the gates of Zion," viz., the place of his visible worship, "more than all the dwellings of Jacob," Ps 87:2. Can there be a greater reproach to a Church, or anything more provoking to God, than to have prayer, and other branches of public worship and devotion, wholly neglected among them?

    METAPHOR

    X. All the Family, yea, every particular person thereof, ought to be called together, and they diligently to obey that call, and come together at the time of devotion, or when prayer is solemnly performed therein.

    PARALLEL

    X. So the whole Church, I mean each community of Christians, yea, every particular member thereof, ought to be called together, and they diligently to obey that call, at all times, when prayer or any other part of Church-service, devotion, and worship is to be performed. "Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is," &c., Heb 10:25. "They were all with one accord in one place." Ac 2:1.

    METAPHOR

    XI. Some Families are exceeding great, consisting of many persons, especially, if it be the Family of a prince, or noble person.

    PARALLEL

    XI. The whole Family of Christ, the great Prince of heaven and earth, I mean the whole universal Church, both militant and triumphant, is exceeding great, the one part of which is in heaven, and the other on earth: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole Family in heaven and earth is named," &c. Eph 3:15-16.

    METAPHOR

    XII. It is exceedingly commendable and honourable, for all that belong unto a Family, to be truly and cordially affectionate one to another, to be ready and willing to do all offices of love and kindness, so far as the law of such a relation doth require of each, in their respective places and callings.

    PARALLEL

    XII. So the Lord Jesus, the Head and Governor of his Church, hath strictly commanded, and doth exceedingly commend the grace of love in and among all his Family. The Church is never more desirable or comely in this world, than when the love of each member doth abound one towards another; when ministers love the people, and the people heartily love them, and when every one, in the station wherein God hath set him, is ready and willing to do any office of love. How amiable upon this account is the Church of God!

    INFERENCES.

    This shows, that the Church of God are a choice and peculiar people, such who have given up themselves in the order and fellowship of the Gospel, walking together in love, as a holy, religious, and united Family, according to the order and discipline Christ hath left in his word, having sweet acquaintance and intimacy one with another.

    And now to conclude with this head, from the whole we may infer,

    1. That God's Church is most dear and precious in his sight, or a people that he hath most choice love and affections to, and takes great care of.

    2. That the Church of God under the Gospel dispensation, is not national, parochial, &c.

    3. That the Church of God are a people separated from the world, in respect of the worship, traditions, and sinful customs thereof, &c., non-conformity to the world in these respects is an indispensable duty: "Be not conformed to this world." Ro 12:2. "Come out from amongst them, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing," &c., 2Co 6:17.

    4. That the true Church of God is a number of sincere and godly Christians, who have solemnly covenanted, and given up themselves, to walk in the true order and fellowship of the Gospel, according to the exact rule of God's word, amongst whom the word of God is truly preached, and the sacraments are duly and in a right manner administered.

    5. That God's Church hath many enemies, and yet in despite of them all, shall abide, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against her: and though for a time she may be low, and under great sufferings, yet she shall arise to a great degree of glory in the latter day.