A Family Altar Erected to the Honor of the Eternal God, Treatise · Chapter 7
Chap. VII. Directions how to ſet up an Altar in Families, and how to manage Family-Worſhip.
I Have now done with perſuaſives to this great Excerciſe of Family-worſhip; whether all that I have ſaid will prevail, I know not; but loath I am, all this ſhould be in vain; it's pitty ſo needfull an Exerciſe ſhould fall to the ground, and all that I have ſaid ſhould riſe up in judgment againſt you. I again renew my motion in the name of the Lord Jeſus: you that are young ſet up your families with God, whatever you have of the World beſide to ſet up with, this will be your treaſure; your Palladium, your defence; you cannot miſcarry if you begin with God; you that are old, & have been houſe-keepers long, ſet up this altar, turn over a new leaſe, begin a new life, you are not too old to learn, nor too good to be taught, better thrive late than never, though you begin at the eleventh hour, you ſhall not be rejected; Death looks you in the face, look up to God and be ſaved; ſay not, I will go to Hell becauſe I have been long traveling in that road. Be not aſhamed to undo all you have done or miſdone, unravel this confuſed skein; what ſtick you at? Is not the Infinite God worthy of your love? Fear, worſhip? are not the Souls of your Families precious; is not heaven worth your ſeeking, having?
Oh! ſay you, I would fain ſet up an Altar in my Family to the Lord; I would offer him a Sacrifice, and Worſhip God, but I know not how to ſet about it, or manage it to any purpoſe ſo as may be acceptable to God, profitable to my Family, or comfortable to my own Soul, I Pray you give me ſome directions on this behalf; I anſwer that I ſhall very willingly, but firſt I do ſolemnly require your promiſe to ſet about it in the name and ſtrength of Chriſt, and do thy beſt you can to do it right: my Inſtructions I ſhall reduce to two heads.
viz.
1. Preparatives to it.
2. Management of it.
For the Preparatives to your ſetting up this Family Altar, I ſhall but give you theſe four. 1. See your heads and hearts be well ſtock't; your heads with ſound Knowledge, and your hearts with Saving-Grace: without either of theſe you'll not be fit for this undertaking; without the former you'll have no skill, without the latter, you'll have no Will to the Work, but go to it as a Bear to the ſtake. 1. Be ſure you get Scripture knowledge, a knowledge of God, the object of worſhip, of the Mediator by whom only you muſt have acceſs to the Father, a knowledg of the Holy-Ghoſt that muſt help your infirmities, a knowledg of your ſelves, of Divine Truths, Precepts,Prov. 19.2. Promiſes; that the Soul be without knowledg it is not good, otherwiſe you will Worſhip you know not what, or you care not how, or regard not why; you'll degenerate into Formality and Superſtition; it's worth nothing, what you find in Iſa. 19. having told us of an Altar in ver. 19. he tells us of a Sacrifice ver. 22, but betwixt thoſe he ſaith, that the Lord ſhall be known to Egypt, yea and the Egyptians ſhall know the Lord in that day, and ſhall do Sacrifice and Oblation, by Altar is meant Goſpel-Worſhip, by a Pillar at the Border of it, is meant, a Monument of the True Religion, betokening Evidences of their Piety in all places, but without the true knowledg of God in Chriſt, they will ſet up the Athenian Altar, Act. 17.23.To the Ʋnknown God? and therefore it's ſaid, that the Lord ſhall be known to Egypt, in the Goſpel-Publication, and not only ſo, but the Egyptians ſhall know the Lord; Savingly, Sincerely, Senſibly, Experimentally (for words of ſenſe denote affection and practice) then and never till then will they be fit to offer an Oblation; for if men offer the blind for Sacrifice is it not Evil?Mal. 1.8. and if the offerer be blind and Ignorant, is not he Evil? will God accept ſuch a perſon? what cares God for mens Ignorant Devotions?Hoſ. 4.1. if there be no knowledg of God in the Land, there's no Mercy nor Truth: for ſaving knowledg is the door and window to let in Saving Grace. 2. You muſt allo have a ſaving Principle of Grace in your hearts, a bowed Will, a renewed Conſcience, Sanctified affections, a Soul ſet with a by as Heaven-wards, that you may delight in the Law of God,Rom. 7.22. Joh. 4.24. after the inward man and may Worſhip God in Spirit and in Truth, elſe your Praying will be but canting, your labour will be but lip labour, and ſo loſt labour, all your Piety will be but Hypocriſie, and your hearts will not be ingaged in it, then you will be heartleſs in ſetting about it, and ſoon weary of it, without union to Chriſt; you can do nothing, ſee then that Chriſt dwell in your hearts by Faith;Eph. 3.17. 1 Joh. 4.16. that's the Miſtical Bond that you be united to him by love, that's the Moral Bond and Ligament, from that Spring flow Holy deſires, delight in God; fear of God; repentance, Humility, Self-denyal, Zeal, and all other Graces, without which you will be but cold Worſhipers of God; Set up with ſomething within, or you are Formaliſts at beſt. But you'll ſay, how ſhall we get this principle of Grace? I anſwer, you muſt be convinced, that you have it not by Nature, that you cannot work it in your own hearts,Eph. 2.8. for Faith is the gift of God, 2 Cor. 13.5.you muſt examine your ſelves whether Faith be in you, you muſt ſtudy and plead the Covenant of Grace,Jer. 31.33, 34. Deut. 30.6. wherein God promiſeth to put his Law in your inward parts, to teach you to know him, to circumciſe your hearts to love him, to put his fear in your hearts;Jer. 32.40. Ezek. 36.26, 27. to put his Spirit into you, and a new Spirit within you; and by ſtudying and pleading theſe pretious Promiſes you may be partakers of the Divine nature,2 Pet. 1.4. that you may ſerve the Lord in a new and due manner.
2. Another Preparative to this Family-Altar, is the due and regular conſtitution of Families: which conſiſts in a Solemn choice of Family Relations, Governours of Families muſt be very cautious herein that are a going to ſet up Families; 'tis true, Children are neceſſary parts thereof and perſons muſt take theſe as God ſends them, they are not Elective, or of our choice, but there are ways appointed by God to make them good, but that I meddle not with at preſent; it is ſuch as are arbitrary or within our power to make choice of; as Wives and Servants, the firſt inferiours or aſſiſtants in Families, theſe may be a great furtherance or hinderance to an Houſe-holder in the Excerciſe of Religion.
1. When you are to chooſe a Wife, be very ſhy and carefull,2 Cor. 6.14. Be not unequally Yoked together with Ʋnbelievers, leſt it come to paſs, that when you draw one way, ſhe draws another: when you would Pray in your Family, ſhe be buſie about the World, and will not joyn with you, but act the part of Scoffing Michal, 2 Sam. 6.20.who jeer'd her holy Husband David for his ſervent Zeal to Gods Worſhip in Dancing before the Ark; Oh what grief of heart will this be to you that muſt be forced to turn your ſweet communion with, into a ſevere admonition of your own Wife! and the nearer the Relation the heavier the affliction; when your Wife proves a tempting Eve, or as Solomons Wives who turned away his heart from God; Oh!1 Kin. 11.2, 3, 4. the danger of Seduction, but if not ſo, yet a bad wife will be a continual vexation, like a conſtant dropping in a very rainy day; you little know the inconveniences attending ſuch a Relation; you'll ſay, how can we help it? I anſwer, Prudence, Prayer, and due conſideration before-hand may ordinarily Prevent ſuch a bad choice; if you make it your buſineſs to Marry in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7.39.and Yoke only with ſuch an one as bears Chriſt's Yoke, conſulting Chriſtian Friends, renouncing Carnal Ends in your Choice, as Beauty, Portion, Parentage, but be ſure of grounded hopes of Saving Grace in the firſt place; let Religion and Reaſon, not Luſt or Fancy make your choice, leſt you ſmart for your Folly; Oh what an help may a Prudent Gracious Wife be in aſſiſting you in ſetting up this Family-Altar; a Wiſe Woman buildeth her Houſe, Pro 14.1. Judg. 13.23. Ruth. 4.11. 1 Sam. 1.…, 10,13.Manoahs Wife incouraged her Husband, and Rachel and Leah builded the houſe of Jacob or Iſrael: Hanna Prayed while her Husband Elkanah Sacrificed, and no doubt joyned with him devoutly at home; Oh what a bleſſed harmony to ſee Husband and Wife heirs together of the Grace of Life, 1 Pet. 3.7.that their Prayers may not be hindred, but mutually furthered! this plainly intimates that unſuitableneſs of Spirit, or untowardneſs in either hinders Prayers, i. e. either diverts them from Praying, or ſpoils the efficacy of Prayer; therefore let Young men be Wiſe in this main concern of chooſing a Wife, for who would fetch Water to kindle Fire, as one ſaith, or a Bed of Snow to keep one Warm? you have quench-coals enough now within, eſpouſe not more, rather get Bellows to kindle your Spark. 2. As for Servants, be Serious and cautious in chooſing godly ones; if it be poſſible chooſe godly Servants: truſt not to your care and pains to make them ſo; if Oneſimus be begot in Bonds, he will be profitable to his Godly Maſter Philemon; there's no truſting Carnal Servants,Philem. 10.11. they will but comply out of awe, & may degenerate into Atheiſm; If thy Servant be upright, he will not only Pray when thou prayeſt, which will make a bleſſed harmony,Gen. 24.12. but will Pray alone for thee and as Godly Eliezer did in his Maſters buſineſs, and then things will ſucceed well; for (as one ſaith) a Praying Servant, will not only work, but ſet God a work: Oh happy Family where Servants Eccho to their Maſters Sighs! theſe will unanimouſly beſiege Heaven with importunate groans: yea let carnal Laban and Potiphar ſpeak as they find,Gen. 30.27 c. 39.5. and they will affirm that God hath bleſſed them for Jacob and Joſephs ſakes. But you little know the hurt you may have, and Children alſo by graceleſs Servants. This was Davids purpoſe and endeavour to have men faithfull to God, to be houſe-fellows with him, and to baniſh from him froward Perſons, Proud,Pſa. 101.38. Slanderers, Apoſtates, Deceitful Liars, and wicked doers; and if you'll ſerve God comfortably in your Families, you muſt imitate Pious Example.
3. Dedicate your houſes to the Lord; ſo did Gods ſervants of old, when they had built a new houſe they dedicated it, Deut. 20.5. when they had been baniſhed from it, and were reſtored, they again dedicated it as David did, when Abſalom had polluted it:Pſal. 30. we read alſo of a man ſanctifying his houſe to be Holy unto the Lord Lev.1 Cor. 4.11. 27.14. this muſt be done, by Praiſing God for houſes to dwell in, all have not this Mercy, ſome choice Saints have had no certain dwelling place: others have wandred in Deſerts, Mountains, Dens and caves,Heb. 11.28. Mat. 8.20. of whom the world was not worthy: yea our dear Lord himſelf had not not where to lay his head? and who are we that God ſhould honour us with convenient habitations? It becomes us to own him as our chief Landlord, and reſolve by God's aſſiſtance to pay our chief rent to him, and Honour the Lord with our ſubſtance and all that we have: Prov, 3.9.we muſt thank God that we have any thing to give back again to him;1 Cron. 29.10,-14. Pſal. 119.38, 94, 106. for all things come of him, and of his own we give him; we muſt firſt give our ſelves to the Lord, as devoted to his Fear, Service, Worſhip: as we muſt not be content with what God gives us, except he give us himſelf, no more will God be content with what we give him, without giving our ſelves to him: then let us give him our Children, Servants, ſo far as we are able: Be earneſt with him in Prayer for a Bleſſing on all we are or have; let us plead the Covenant and promiſes for our Selves and ours,Gen. 32.9, 10. as Holy Jacob did; obſerve the word of precept for our Warrant to dwell in our houſes, promiſes for our incouragement, and act according to rule, and the beſt patterns, that we will walk within our houſe with a Perfect heart, Pſal. 101.2.that we will uſe all we have to Gods Glory and the good of his Church;Act. 16.15. that we will entertain Chriſt's Embaſſadors in our houſes, as Lydia and the Jaylor did: that we will read Scriptures, inſtruct our Families, Sing Pſalms, continue inſtant in Family and Cloſet-Prayer, that all the rooms of our houſe may be ſeaſoned; if you thus begin with good, you lay a good foundation, and may groundedly hope the preſence of God will be with you, and with your Families.
4. Order your Families aright, as there muſt be diſcipline in the Church which is a fence to Doctrine and Worſhip, beholding, Col. 2.5.ſaith the Apoſtle, your order and the ſtedfaſtneſs of your Faith, ſo it is in Families, if the Maſter have by groſſe Sin, Paſſion, Pride, too much Lenity, or Imprudent Behaviour forfeited his Autority, or by Tyranny have abuſed it, that he become Contemptible, he ſhall hardly keep up Family-Worſhip, Children or Servants will be ready to laugh him to ſcorn, as not able to rule himſelf, therefore little fit to rule others, and think they have good reaſon to ramble abroad, and will be under no government; and will come none to Prayers; this is their Sin, but there hath been too much occaſion given by their Weak or Wilfull Governours; therefore I adviſe that you maintain your Authority, and uſe it for God. Looſe not the reins of Government, yet ſweeten it with Love: when Love Oyles the Wheels, and lines the Yoke, Government becomes amiable and attractive to Duty; when David ſaid, hear my Brethren, it chained his Subjects to him, but when Rehoboam anſwered roughly, it deterred them from him: Rule in love and they will obey in love: if you ſhew good will to their Souls,Eph. 5.7, 9. with good-will they will do you Service, as to the Lord Holineſs begets awfulneſs; tenderneſs produceth Ingenuous Subjection; Humility maintains authority more than domineering rigour; let it appear you rule your Familes under God, and for God: I confeſs this Theam is more proper to the next ſubject of the Regal or Magiſtratical power of Houſe-holders, whither I remit it; yet a word or two, as due order and government doth promote Gods Worſhip; Be ſure that every member in your Family know and keep in their poſts and places, that there be no interfeiring or Envy: and ſee that every one order their buſineſs both within doors and without, that they attend Family-Prayer; and ſee you do not overcharge them with ſo much buſineſs as to render them uncapable, either by unſeaſonable attendance on their Secular concern, forcing them to be abſent, or by over-tiring them, that they are fitter to lye down in their Beds, than to fall down on their Knees and lift up their Hearts to God in Prayer; learn to order your affairs with Diſcretion: Pſal. 112.5.Let every Work know it's time, and every one know his work; that confuſion may not ſhut out Religion; Order Facilitates any buſineſs: prevents impediments, produceth good Succeſs; I know ſome Families cannot ordinarily be reduced to ſuch a good order as ſome others; but if Governours were prudent to contract their Worldly buſineſs into a leſs compaſs, or wiſely forecaſt for it, though their Families be numerous, and buſineſs urgent, they might do much this way: Oh be not greedy of gain to trouble your own houſe: cumber not your ſelves or yours with many things, but mind the one thing needful. Pſal. 10.4….Be ſure you maintain Religion whatever you do; give unto God the things that are Gods: learn to divide the hoof aright, that the World incroach not upon Gods due, or rob him of his right: if you part Religion from your calling, it's meer Heatheniſm; if you part your particular callings from Religion, it becomes Enthuſiaſm? joyn them together, and they will be mutually helpful to each other, and to you in a due purſuit of both: change of imployments will make both a diverſion, a Pleaſing Recration; obſerve the Apoſtles rule: Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God; 1 Cor. 7.24. Let your Condition, Station, Relation be what it will, ingage God to be with you, beſpeak his preſence by Prayer, and beſprinkle all your Civil Actions with Religious Excerciſes.