A Family Altar Erected to the Honor of the Eternal God, Treatise · Chapter 5
Chap. V. An uſe of Conviction, Lamentation over Prayerleſs-Families.
THE firſt uſe I ſhall make of this point is of Lamentation, and ſevere Admonition; if this be ſo, as I have Proved, and Anſwered Objections againſt it; That Governours muſt Act the parts of Prieſts to Erect Altars for the Worſhip of God in their Families: Then I doubt it will fall heavily upon many thouſand Families in England, for which I fear God's Vengeance is hanging over their heads: God looks and expects, that in a Profeſſing Kingdom, a Nation where the Goſpel hath been ſo long owned by Publick Authority, that Religion Should have been more owned and practiſed in Families, than I fear it is; God may juſtly wonder, That there is no Interceſſor—Therefore how juſtly may the Lord put on Garments of Vengeance—.Iſa. 59.16, 17, 18. and Repay recompence to theſe Iſlands: Wo is us that there is ſo few ſerious gracious Families to be found in theſe Iſlands: Religion runs at a low Ebb, ſerious devotion is baniſhed from among us: Some Families are. 1. Without Prieſts. 2. Without Altar. 3. Without Sacrifice: Or, 4. The Sacrifice of Devils, inſtead of Gods, or joyned with Gods?
A Brief hint of all theſe.
1. There are many Houſes without Prieſt, i. e. where the Governour of the Family hath no Religion, is not devoted to God, anointed with the Spirit, and conſecrated to be a Goſpel-Prieſt to Erect an Altar or offer Sacrifice: A poor Carnal Maſter of a Family, that knows not how to frame for Gods Worſhip, alas poor ignorant ſott! He is not capable of ſpeaking a Word from God to his Family, or of ſpeaking a word to God for them! You go to bed and riſe,Pſal. 127.2. one time after another, Prayerleſs; you can keep them up late and call them up early to their work, but never ſay, come to Prayers: not a word of God all the day long, not a Chapter read, not a Pſalm Sung, not a Prayer put up in the Family from day to day; nay it's well if there be any ſolemn praying for a bleſſing at Meats, or giving God thanks for meat, but Schollars grace, as they ſay; every one for himſelf; ſo they ſit down and riſe up like beaſts; at beſt, they fall to ſaying [God bleſs my Meat, Amen] and ſo put off God with a compliment: Ah graceleſs Maſter, ah graceleſs Family! (i. e. as a Family) wo be to thee.
1. How durſt you Marry, ſet up Houſes, or take the charge of of a Family upon you, that are no better furniſhed for it? Do you not ſhame with your ſelves, that you cannot ſay a word to God for them? No not if thy Wife, Child or Servant lie a dying, and their Souls ready to be damned, thou haſt not a word to ſpeak for their recovery or Salvation, O wretched miſcreant!
2. Do you not condemn your ſelves, that can teach your Children and Servants a trade to get a livelyhood by, and live hanſomly in this World, and not one word for another World? You command them to work, never to Worſhip God: You quarrel with them for offending you, never for offending God: You expect they ask you for what they need, but you will not ask any thing of God either for them or your ſelves.
3. Are you not worſe than Idolatrous Micah, Judg. 17.5. He had an houſe of God's, and made an Ephod and Teraphim, and conſecrated one of his Sons, who became his Priest: Much what like ſome ignorant Parents that will ſet a Lad to ſay a Primmer-grace; better ſo than none at all. But Micah was not content with that, but got an Hedge-hog Prieſt, a wandring Levite to ſay Divine Service in his family; and now he's a jolly fellow, and thus boaſts, v. 13. Now know I that the Lord will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt. This poor Idolater will riſe in Judgment againſt thee.
4. How will you anſwer your charge? do not your Children and Servants cry out, Oh pity us, pray for us, cruel Parents; you brought us ſinful creatures in a ſinful World, help us out of this woful ſtate! But alas! you have not a word to ſay for them, with them; you regard their precious Souls no more than an Oxe or Horſe; their blood will be required at your hands: How will they curſe you in Hell? Oh wo is me! had I lived in a praying-family, I might have been converted and ſaved; I never heard a word of God except blaſpheming his Name: How will this grind your Ears, and grieve your Hearts another day!
2. Other families are without an Altar; have not ſo much as a form of godlineſs; not ſo much as a ſhew of Religion: Oh! that it ſhould be ſaid of many houſes of England, as of Iſrael, 2 Chron. 15.3. Now for a long ſeaſon Iſrael had been without the true God, without a teaching Priest, and without Law: As God threatens in Hoſ. 3.4. That the wretched Jews ſhall be without any Religion true or falſe, as it hath been ſince their murdering Chriſt to this day.
1. How do theſe wretches reſemble the Beaſts? that own God no more than a Dog or Swine;Iſa. 1.13. Jer. 8.7, 8. and it is better to be a Beaſt, than to be compared to a Beaſt: Yea God calls in dulleſt creatures to condemn an irreligious People.
2. How can you expect a bleſſing upon your mercies? they are unhallowed things as to you; nay, they are accurſed to you, and, if God give commiſſion, will riſe up in Rebellion againſt you:Lev. 27.14. Thou haſt not ſanctified thy Houſe, ſo it's not eſtimated as to thee.
3. You hinder God's Intereſt in the World, and do what you can to propagate Irreligion to future Generations; how will they plead the practice of Anceſtors? My Father never prayed in family, nor will I: Omiſſion is a Trade ſoon learned, hardly rooted out:1 King. 14.16. Here Jeroboam made Iſrael ſin many Generations after: Oh you little know how far your ſin may ſpread!
4. Do you not often read your ſin in the puniſhment of it? When you are Atheiſts in not worſhipping God, your Children are Atheiſts in denying God: You are defective in duty, they abound in iniquity: You pray not for them, God rejects them, and leaves them to notorious Villainies, to be puniſhed by the Judges; or God ſtrikes them with ſome aſtoniſhing Judgment, as he did Eli's Sons; This will make thy heart ake, and call thy ſins to remembrance.
3. Some families poſſibly have a Prieſt, an Altar, but want a Sacrifice: As Iſaac ſaid to his Father Abraham; Gen. 22.7.Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering? So ſay I, here is materials, the outward form, but where is the marrow, and myſtery of true godlineſs? Doſt thou give up thy Soul and Body as a Living Sacrifice to God?Rom. 12.1 Pſal. 51.17. Doſt thou bring a broken and contrite heart for ſin? Doſt thou practically obey Divine;Heb. 13.16. Commands, and do all the good thou canſt in thy Place? doſt thou eſpecially take Jeſus Chriſt in the Arms of thy Faith,Heb. 13.10. Eph. 1.6. and expect acceptance only in the Beloved? Doſt thou only Compliment with God? Wo be to thee.
1. If there be not a Principle of Grace within, thou art but a lifeleſs Machine, like a Parrot that ſpeaks articulatly without Senſe and feeling,Pſal. 17.1. David's Prayer went not out of feigned Lips,2 Sam. 7.27. why ſo? he had found in his heart to Pray his Prayer, mind it; thou muſt find thy Prayer in thy heart; before thou utter it with thy lips, and then thou muſt Pray a Prayer; and not only ſay a Prayer as moſt do: Some will down on their knees and patter over a few words in a heartleſs manner, when their minds are roving to a thouſand trifles; and this is their devotion they brag of, and God muſt be pleaſed with; whereas it is a poor Heartleſs, Lifeleſs, Spiritleſs form, without power,2 Tim. 3 5. Iſai. 29.13. Gal. 6.7. which God rejects: This Lip-labour is but Loſt-labour: for it is a mocking of God, and he will not be mocked.
2. If you ſleepily, ſlug giſhly, unſeaſonably perform your Family duties: Some ſpend all the day, and the evening in work or worldly buſineſs; it maybe in idle chat, and vain diſcourſe and juſt when they are for going to bed, ruſh up and fall on their knees, and patter over a few words betwixt ſleeping and waking: And moſt of the Family fitter for their beds than for Devotion: Alas! Sirs, doth not God clap a Curſe upon ſuch as do the work of the Lord negligently?Jer. 48.10. and doth not God ſay,Mal. 1.14. Curſed be the deceiver that hath in his ſtock a Male, and voweth and Sacrificeth to the Lord a Corrupt thing? Ah! Soul, hadſt thou not a Male, a better, fiter hour in thy Power, than that ſleepy hour at bed-time? muſt God be put off with the Worlds leavings? doth not he that gives thee all thy time deſerve the beſt? doth not God bid thee ſeek firſt his Kingdom? and ſhall this be laſt? muſt the very Flower and Cream of thy time be ſpent in Vanity, and God be thus ſerved? O! be aſhamed and bluſh at thy diſingenuous dealing with the Almighty.
3. If you come to own God in Family excerciſes, by Fits and Starts, in a good mood, or when ſome affliction lyes on You or Your Family, Oh how ſlaviſh are you? but Alas! there are ſome that are never gracious, but in Pangs; never Serious, but when ſeverely handled, like a Dog under the Cudgel,Hoſ. 7. and then it is but howling, not Child like Crying,Hoſ. 5.15. Iſa. 26.16. in their affliction they will ſeek God early and earneſtly, they pour out a Prayer when his chaſtning is upon them; and never elſe: Poor Souls, ſhould you not come to the Throne of Grace!Heb. 4.16. to find Grace to help in time of need? And when is the day, wher's the place, and what's the ſtate wherein you have not need of God? are you not daily Sinning, and need Pardon as well as Daily-bread, may you not dye this Day, this Night? are not Morning and Evening due times to ſeek God; Some will not Pray in their Families, but a little on Lords-days Nights, when they have nothing elſe to do: as though all time were not Gods week-day as well as Lords-day; ſurely God is to be owned daily, I will, ſaid David, Pſal. 61.8.86.3.daily perform my vows and I cry unto thee daily; and why ſhould you be as the Morning Cloud and early D…w, Hoſ. 6.4.when God is daily teaching you with his benefits, and therefore muſt be daily praiſed, not Lords-day but week-day, and every day in the week;Pſal. 68.19.72.15. what if God forget or forſake you any day, what would become of you?
4. If you miſs it in the End of your Family-dutys you will be rejected, and alas! thouſands propound wrong Ends to themſelves, in this as in other excerciſes of Religion: ſome keep up Family-duty, becauſe it was the cuſtom of their Anceſtours, and it would be a kind of diſparagement to degenerate: Some to gratify a Religious Wiſe, or Pious Servant; ſome to make a ſhew and oſtentation of their gifts: others to ſtop the mouth of a clamorous Conſcience: Some for a Worldly gain:Mal. 6. Mal. 23.14. others as the Phariſees to be ſeen of Men; nay it's well if ſome Pray not for a Cloak of their Villainy, that devour Widows Houſes, and for a pretence make long Prayers; long Prayers are not ſimply condemned in themſelves, for it's a ſign of rare Piety, [Nam quo quiſ que Sanctior eſt, precandi ſtudio magis eſt deditus] the more Holy men are, the more Prayerful: But, Oh! damnable Hypocriſy, to make ſo Holy an Ordinance truckle to ſo vile a luſt: it's well if that wickedneſs be dead and buried with the Phariſees: of whom Calvin ſaith,Quia illis precanda aſſiduitas turpis lucri fit ancupium, neq exim aliter preces vendebant, quam Mercenarii diurnas operas locant: Calv. in loc—quod res per ſ… laudabilis in pravum finem converſa eſt, nam ubi ex conductitiis precibus, captatur quaeſtus, quo magis creſcit fervida (ut loquuntur) devotionis ſpecies, to magi… profanatur Dei nomen. Id. ibid. their aſſiduous Praying was a kind of ſtalking-horſe, or occaſion to their filthy lucre, neither did they ſell their Prayers otherwiſe than Mercenary men order their day-labours.
For (ſaith that Prince of Interpreters,) Where gain is gotten by ſuch deſigning Prayers, the more fervent that kind of Devotion increaſeth, the more is the name of God Prophaned: thus he I beſeech you therefore tremble to think of proſtituting ſo Glorious a work to ſo Ignominious an End: for the End makes or mar…s an Action.
4. As ſome Families are without Prieſt-Altar, Sacrifice of the right kind, ſo there are ſome that have ſomething of all theſe, yet have another Altar and Sacrifice inconſiſtent with theſe, that Swear by the Lord and that Swear by Malcham: Zeph. 1.5.that ſet up the Devils Altar by the Lords; as the Samaritans of old, it's ſaid in one verſe they feared the Lord, in the next verſe they feared not the Lord, why ſo? the anſwer is put betwixt them, they feared the Lord, and ſerved their own Gods, 2 Kings 17.32, 33, 34. i. e. They did materially do the ſame things in Worſhip that Iſrael did, for fear of being hurt by the Lions, ver. 25, but they had Gods of their own, ver. 29. and God could not endure this Mongrel-Religion, and interprets it to be no true Fear, or due Worſhip of God: for God will not be partner with Idols, he only muſt be ſerved or not at all:Ezek. 43.8. Our Lord takes it ill when men ſet their threſholds by his threſholds, there poſt by his Poſts, — thus they defile his Holy Name by their abominations: theſe are a grievous nauſeance to the Holy and jealous God:Pſal. 94.20. ſhall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowſhip with thee? can men ſerve God and Mammon? muſt Bacchus, Venus, Vulcan, be ſet up cheek by joul with the Living and True God? wickedneſs practiſed in the Governours, tolerated in Inferiours: Swearing, Curſing, Lying, Cheating, Drunkeneſs, Uncleaneſs, mocking at Strictneſs of Religion? obſerve it, ther's no true Worſhip where there is not ſtrict Diſciplin: how ſad is it to ſee ſome men devout in Worſhip profligate in Practice? one thing on their knees, another on their feet: Pray like Angels, practiſe like Devils? confeſs Sin one hour, commit it the next: plead for Pardon, to obtain a Diſpenſation; Alas! that any now a days ſhould reſemble Iſrael of old, that would Steal, Murder, commit adultery, ſteal falſly? and come & ſtand before god in his houſe,Jer. 79.10.11. or worſhip & ſay, we are delivered to do all theſe abominations: or like the impudent whore, pro. 7.14 I have peace-Offerings with me, this day have I paid my vows▪ ſo ſome men think they may do as they liſt, and caſt the reins in the Neck to run to all licentiouſneſs, why ſo? have they no Religion? yes they have ſaid their Prayers, and are in good Reputation for Religion, and ſince they have been ſo Serious, now they hope God will not take notice of their infirmities, but over-look them, as the man Mr Shepheard tells of, that frequented Taverns, Ale houſes, and Whore-houſes all day, yet would not go out without Prayer in the Morning, Oh horrible Impiety: this is groſse Atheiſm, for, 1. It is a making God the Patron of their Impiety, as if the Holy God approved and incouraged theſe Vices: ſo they bribe him with a few Formal-duties; But what ſaith God to ſuch vile Atheiſts, that hate inſtruction, and caſt his words behind them—and then allow themſelves in all villainies, — theſe things haſt thou done, Pſal. 50.17.21.and I kept ſilence, thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf, but I will reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine Eyes: a time is coming that God will vindicate his Juſtice and Omniſcience againſt theſe audacious Sinners, that did miſconſtrue and abuſe his long ſuffering; as if by his connivance he had juſtified or allowed their courſes.
2. This greatly diſhonours God,Dicebantus Chriſtiani ad Contumeliam Chriſti. Sal. and takes his name in Vain: as long as you ſay one thing and do quite contrary; you diſcredit your profeſſion: whilſt you will be called Jews, or Chriſtians, make your boaſt of God, know his Will — and practiſe it; otherwiſe through breaking the Law you diſhonour God,Rom. 2.17.24. for the name of God is Blaſphemed among the Gentiles through You — You harden wicked men againſt God's ways, and make them conclude that either God is as bad as you, or approves of you, or is Ignorant of your doings, elſe he would be avenged on you:Exod. 20. he will not hold you guiltleſs that take his name in vain.
Pſal. 66.18.3. How can you expect acceptance that thus regard Iniquity in your hearts? You bring your Sacrifice with a wicked heart, therefore it is abomination to the Lord: Pro. 21.87.when you ſpread your hands, See Iſai. 1.11, 19.ſaith God. Yea when you make many Prayers, I will not hear, Your hands are full of Blood, — God will diſown your Perſons and performances,Mal. 2.3. and even ſpread the dung of your Solemn Feaſts upon your Faces: methinks when you read that aſtoniſhing Text, in Pſal. 50.16. your Conſciences ſhould fly in your faces, as it did in Origen's, But unto the wicked God ſaith, what haſt thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy Mouth? O tremble at ſuch a ſharp rebuke.
4. You tempt your Children and Servants to be Atheiſts, while you act ſo contrary to your Prayers, Profeſſions: juſt as ſcandalous Miniſters that ſpeak Well and live Ill; people are ready to ſay if this man believed himſelf▪ what he impoſeth on us, he would act at another rate will he direct us this way to Heaven, and go clean contrary? ſurely he thinks it's but a fancy, elſe he would embrace it himſelf Oh! what have both to anſwer for? you lead them to Hell by your Example, offend them, hinder them in Heavens way;Mat. 23.15. and make them many fold more the Children of Wrath than they were. And by this means you gratifie Satan, he will give you leave to ſay well and Pray well, ſo that you be ſtill in his Fetters by Wicked works: this mightily ſtrengthens his intereſt: yea by this means you fortifie your ſelves againſt Convictions and go Hoodwink'd to Hell, for you will not believe but that your ſtate is ſafe as long you can Pray ſo well, and are ſo Religious in your Families: and alas! though you bolſter up your ſelves with an imagination of your intereſt in Chriſt, yet abundance of Scriptures tell you, you have nothing to do with him, without holyneſs in heart & life,Tit. 2.14. for he gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and Purifie to himſelf a peculiar People Zealous of good Works: And be it known to you that it's not ſaying a few Prayers, according to which you muſt be Judged another day,2 Cor. 5.10. but according to what you have done whether it be good or bad; Nay theſe very Family Prayers, without a principle of Grace, and Holy Life, will aggravate your Sin and Condemnation: your Hypocriſy will ſink you deeper in Hell, and your long Prayers will make you receive greater damnation: for the Furnace of Hypocrites is ſeven times hotter than others,Mat. 23.14. Mat. 24.51. and Conſcience will torment you the more: nor is it a ſprinkling a little Holy-water in your houſes that will remove the Curſe of God, that lyes on your Families, contracted by your wickedneſs, Covetouſneſs and unjuſt gain: for brevity I referr you to Hab. 2.9.10, 11, Zech. 5.3. Pro. 15.25, 27.
I ſay not all this to diſcourage any from Family-Prayer, but to deter from Sin, and regulate Prayer, and that ſuch ſpecious Hypocrites and formaliſts may be alarmed to Repentance reformation.
A word more to ſuch inferiours as live in praying Families: young perſons, look to your ſtate, it's not living amongſt godly perſons, that will make you godly, nor yet complying with Praying geſtures that will denomintae you Saints or Goſpel-Worſhipers: you may do as your Governours would have you for Carnal ends:2 Chro. 24.2. as young Joaſh did right in the ſight of the lord all the days of Jehojadah: but his heart was not right, he prov'd naught; ſo may You; if you be unprincipled, you will either gaze about you, or think of other things or fall aſleep which is the common practice of Young Perſons, when their Parents or Maſters are at Prayer: I ſhall but relate a paſſage of that Pregnant Young man Mr Janeway, Mr. Clarkes laſt vol. of lives, fol. 66.to his Brother ſleeping at Family-Prayer, Oh, ſaith he, what an high contempt is this of the great God! how little ſenſe of your own danger, what dreadful Hypocriſie! what a miracle of Patience you were not wakned in Hell-flames! This reproof ſoftened his Brothers heart, and wrought ſavingly on him as was hoped▪ the Child being about 11 years of Age: Oh! that it might have this effect on guilty Souls.
Al…! Sirs, are not you concerned in the Prayers of the Family? while you ſleep, Satan watcheth, and rocks the Cradle? and be it known to you, your judgment ſleeps not,2 Pet. 2.3. your damnation ſlumbereth not: for ought you know you may wake in Hell; what meaneſt thou O Sleeper? ariſe, call upon thy God;Jonah 1.6. if ſo be that God will think upon thee that thou Periſh not?
But beſides, there are graceleſs Souls in Praying Families: alas! how many walk unſuitably, will Swear, Lye, be Wanton, Unclean, tippling Drunken perſons, that commit lewdneſs when they are out of their Fathers or Maſters ſight, and think, if they can but hide their pranks from the Eye of their Superiours, all's right Ah poor Atheiſt, doth not God ſee thee,Pſal. 94.89. 10, 11. Ʋnderſtand you bruitiſh among the People, ye Fools, when will ye be Wiſe? he that planted the Ear ſhall he not hear? he that formed the Eye, ſhall he not See? Be ſure your ſin will find you out: And do not others ſee you? will not they cry ſhame on you? and reflect upon the Families where you were bred, or have lived? Oh what a reproach and diſparagement do you caſt on the Inſtruments of your Education? what grief are you to the Godly, that ſhake the head, and cover their faces to behold you? where's your imitation of Godly patterns? is this the fruit of their pains, the anſwer of their Prayers? were you thus taught? Wo be to you that muſt be ſnatch't out of Godly-Families, and caſt among Devils, you had better never have been born, or born among Turks or Pagans, your condemnation will be aggravated; your own Conſciences will fly in your faces: Oh how many good inſtructions have I ſlighted! how many convictions have I ſtriffled, What great Motionss have I reſiſted, good examples contradicted!Prov. 5.11, 12, 13, 14. I have not Obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ears to them that inſtructed me! and now I muſt mourn without hope, and dye without inſtruction, or any to pray for me.