A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

Proposition 4.

Joshua in the name of God, and by Authority from him, ¹exhorteth all the rest of the Families of Israel to the same duties which he promised and resolved upon before them all, that is, that they in their houses should serve the Lord. That his Exhortation was in the name of God, and by Authority from him, is evident; for he protesteth that he was to say the Lords words to them, ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel. That he exhorted them in the name of the Lord to serve God with their families is also manifest. Doth he engage that he will serve the Lord? So he exhorteth them to do also, ver. 14. Now therefore fear ye the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth. —And again, Serve ye the Lord: the matter of the duty then is the same, expressed in the same words. That this exhortation of serving the Lord reached to their families also, is apparent from the Argument that he useth to enforce it, namely, his own example in his house; else the strength and reason of it would be lost. Would you have it run thus, When I do so earnestly persuade, counsel, and command you to serve the Lord, I would not have you to understand me, as if this reached to your houses and proper families, that ye should there set up conjunct religious duties; but I and my house will serve the Lord? would not this destroy the very sense and strength of his reasoning? But if you take it on the contrary, When I persuade you and command you in the name of God, to serve him, I would have you understand that my meaning is, that both you and your houses should be engaged conjunctly to serve God, and I exhort you to no more then what I do declare before you all, that I will do in my house: And so the sense is goo• […] argument strong to move them to it, when he dot• […] to the^* Proverb, Begin at home; and by his own, •••mple influence them into the same practice: it being an effectual way to back an exhortation by ones own example, doing what we persuade others to do.