An Earnest Call to Family Religion, Text (1 of 6)

An Earnest Call to Family Religion · Text (1 of 6)

p. 1Family Worship.

Joshua 24, 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

THese are the words of Ioshua, once the Servant, afterward the Successor of Moses, a great Man, and good too, and this is an excellent pair, how sweet and amiable in a conjunction, like pure White and Red, they make a curious complexion, and render a person indeed Noble and Illustrious. Goodness with Greatness is like a rich and sparkling Diamond sett in a Ring of Gold. This good and great Man had followed the Lord, not halting nor by halves, but fully; and it pleased God, who takes special notice of his faithful Servants, to reward him by exalting him; Moses having, as an Instrument in the Divine hand, brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and carried them through a wast and howling Wilderness to the very Borders of the promised Land: God called him off, having no more for him to do, commanded him to go up to Mount Nebo, and die there, in order to his happy Transportation to a better Countrey, the Celestial Canaan, the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, p. 2and chose Ioshua for the Man that must compleat that great and glorious work, and put that beloved People into the actual possession of that good Land.

This being done, and Ioshua now grown old, and finding himself after so many tedious Journeys and hard Labours sit and ready to go to his Long home, to his Everlasting Rest, He gathered all the Tribes of Israel, and the Chief Men among them unto Sechem; if any ask why thither? I answer; it is by some conceived, and not without an appearance of reason, because after that Abraham had in obedience to the Divine Command, gone out of his own Countrey, and from his Fathers house, God did there first appear to him, and gave him the Promise of the Land of Canaan, and upon that he did there first build an Altar unto the Lord, as you may read in Gen. 12.6, 7. And also because not long after their entrance into the Promised Land Ioshua himself had in Mount Ebal, which was near unto Shechem, built an Altar unto the Lord God of Israel, and wrote upon the Stones a Copy of the Law of Moses, and so renewed the Covenant between God and them, as we find, Iosh. 8.30, 31, 32. But that may suffice to be spoken as to the reasons of his gathering them unto Shechem.

Having there assembled them, He began with giving them in the Name of the Lord, a very short, but pithy Narrative of those great and wonderful things which had been by God done for them all along from the mercy that had been shewn unto Abraham their Father to his giving them the Land of Canaan according as he had promised. And then in his own Name He followed that Relation with a very serious and warm Exhortation p. 3grounded thereupon; verse 14. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth, and put away the Gods which your Fathers served on the other side of the Flood, and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord. He knew what an uncertain and fickle People they were, and so did endeavour to fix them; and if they had any ingenuity▪ any sense of kindness, to bind them to God with these Silken Cords of Love and Goodness.

In this 15th verse He bids them chuse, in case they did not like what he had propounded, then think of one under whose Government and Protection they might promise themselves a secure and comfortable Being. If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, chuse you this day whom ye will serve, whether the Gods which your Fathers served that were on the other side of the Flood, or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose Land ye dwell; which you must not look upon as a permission or allowance, or leaving them to themselves, as in a matter indifferent, whether they would worship the true God, or turn Idolaters: For in the preceding Chapter he had earnestly persuaded and charged them, vers. 6. to be very couragious to keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside therefrom, neither to the right hand nor to the left: And vers. 7. That they come not among the Nations, that remain among them, neither make mention of the Name of their Gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow themselves to them. But vers. 8. cleave unto the Lord Jehovah their God: And v. 11. to take good heed unto themselves, that they liv'd the Lord their God. And again in this Chapter, v. 14. Fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth. But in this way he endeavours sweetly to insinuate, p. 4and to get within them, and by an holy Art prevail with them to oblige and bind themselves to God: very well knowing that People care not for doing what they are forc'd to do; but without a blush depart from that which they were brought to by meer constraint; whereas they are pleas'd with their own choice, and are most likely to stand firm to that unto which they have in Judgment, and upon due deliberation engag'd themselves. In order therefore to a wise Election, which they may never have cause with sorrow and shame to reflect upon, he doth on the one hand set before them the greatness, excellency and glory of God, together with those many and singular advantages that will accrue to them who are his faithful Servants; and on the other hand he sets before them the vanity and baseness of Idols, the folly of those that own and serve them, and the mischiefs which do pursue them, and will for certain overtake them; and hereupon after a due weighing and comparing of things he would have them make their choice of one or the other, being guided therein by right reason, and their true Interest. He knew, that God would have his People serve him out of choice; as he chuseth them, so he would be chosen by them. And for a motive and inducement, he acquaints them with his own fixed and unalterable resolution, whom they had by long experience found to be a gracious and holy Man, a prudent and loving Governour, a valiant and successful Warriour. And we may conceive him speaking thus to them; O ye seed of Abraham! if ye be given to change, so am not I: If after all that God hath been to you, and done for you, you will be so ingrateful as to p. 5forget and forsake him, so will not I. He hath all along been so gracious a God to us all, that he shall be my God for ever and ever: I am so well, so happy with him, that I cannot mend my self: I can be no where better, no where so well, therefore I will abide with him; as in the Text,

I and my house will serve the Lord.

This was his holy resolve, and to this he would stand, there could be no reason to the contrary; and as for the example of Apostates, it should wi…h with him be of no significancy, nor would he be carried down by the stream. He was, and would be for God, be they for whom they would. In the words there are these things observable.

First, The thing he resolved upon, which he had in his heart and purpose; that was, to serve, while others of towring and ambitious spirits are altogether for commanding and Lording it, this good Man was for serving. Though he was a Prince, a great General, yet did he not look upon it as a disparagement and below him to be a Servant. No more did holy David afterward, the King of Israel, even when he had been called from following the Sheep, and placed upon the Throne, he knew how still to serve, and lov'd to do it; the King of Israel thought it no dishonour to serve the God of Israel, and therefore he with joy took upon him the name, Servant▪ reckoning it his highest and most honourable Title, Psal. 116.16. O Lord, truly, I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant. This service is made up of Acts of Worship performed to the Divine Majesty, and a Life of Obedience to the Divine Will. In it there is Liberty, p. 6yea most perfect Freedom; those that are strangers to it are the worst of Slaves; in it is the highest honour. To be one of God's Servants, is more noble than to be one of the World's Monarchs: And in it is the greatest comfort, Isa. 65.13, 14. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my Servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my Servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my Servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my Servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

Secondly; Here is the Person to whom the Service is to be performed; not to Idols, not to Devils, not to Sin, the wages of which is death; not to divers Lusts, which are tyrannical and cruel, but Iehovah, that is the word in the Original, the Lord, the Lord of Lords, the Lord of Life and Glory, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, the Lord God of Israel, whose Commandments are not grievous, but his Yoke is easie, and his Burden is light, his Yoke being lin'd with his Love, and his Burden having Wings.

Thirdly; Here are the Persons, by whom this Service is to be performed unto this God; We, i. e. I and my house; I my self, not only call others to the work, but also set my own hand to it, lead them the way: I will serve the Lord, and all that are mine shall do it together with me. Rather than not serve God at all, he would serve him alone. Ioshua would leave Israel if they would leave God. But he would not serve God alone so long as he could have company, so long as there were any that he could influence, any that he could rule and command; they that will live in my house shall serve my God; they that would p. 7enjoy the comfort of my house, shall joyn in the work and duty of my house; We will serve the Lord. Exemplum proponitur Gubernandae Familiae, saith Masius. Here is set before us an excellent Pattern, or good Example for the ordering and governing of a Family. Oh that it may be followed by all those who call themselves Christians, and own Iehovah for the Lord their God! That a Christian Profession and Practical Atheism may not meet in them. The Doctrine which I raise from these words, and offer to your most serious consideration as the Truth of God, to be believed by you, received in Love, and obeyed from the Heart, is this.

Doct. It is the great duty of all those whom God hath made Heads or Governours of Families, to set up Religious Duties and the Worship of God in their respective Families.

Oh that God would so assist and succeed me in the handling hereof, and accompany what shall delivered with such power upon your Consciences and Hearts, as by that time I have finished these Discourses, there may not be one Prayerless Family belonging to this numerous Congregation! How greatly then would my Soul bless God, and with what comfort and joy should I look upon you!

It is both a wicked and miserable thing for any to be without God in the World, Ephes. 2.12. He is so great, so necessary a good, that nothing can possibly supply the want of him. Notwithstanding Moon and all the Stars, it is night with us when once the Sun is departed off our Horizon. p. 8God is absolutely necessary for us, and our All is due to him. Single persons must know it to be their duty and interest to serve and worship God in their Capacities, as Publickly in the Gates of Sion, which God loves, in the Assemblies of the Saints, unto which they ought to joyn themselves as followers of the same Lord, and Members of the same Body; so singly and alone, let their Chambers and Closets be Witnesses for them that they do not live in an ingrateful and wicked unmindfulness of God. Let Children begin betimes with God. Let young Men and Maids have early converses with God, waiting upon him, and walking with him: And when they come to alter their condition, and to have Yoke-fellows and Families, let them be careful to set up the Worship of God in them; though let them still remember to keep up their retirements. It is not enough for them to worship God in their Families, but they ought to do it in their Chambers too; nor is it enough for them to worship God in their Chambers, but they ought to do it in their Families too. Let not these jostle nor exclude one another, but as Sister-duties live sweetly together under the same Roofs. In private Duties the holy Soul hath the greater liberty, from Family-duties God hath the greater Honour. Secret duties are plainer Evidences of Sincerity, Family and publick duties are of larger influence and usefulness. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord: We will unite in his Service, not only approve of it, or consent to it, but joyn in it. Take here with you these two things.

First; The Service of God should begin as soon as the Family begins. This I desire Young ones to p. 9consider of, who are entring into the World, and setting upon House-keeping; lay this down as an undeniable Maxim, that it is best beginning with God; so to do is both duty and wisdom. That Man who doth not carry God along with him, is like to miscarry by the way, and at last lie down in sorrow: He opens his door to the Devil (that will bring very bad company along with him) who at his first entrance upon House-keeping shuts God out, and turns his back upon him, or at least doth not invite him. It is not feasting, not eating and drinking together (tho' that is lawful and friendly) but Prayer that will prove the best House-warming.

Secondly; As it is good beginning with God, so it is as good holding on: To be weary of well doing argues a bad temper of Soul; to throw up duty is sin, and shews plainly that a person was never upright in it, never hearty to it, never really tasted the sweetness of it, Iob 27.10. Will the Hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? No, neither; and because not the former, therefore not the latter, because God is not his delight, Prayer will not be his constant business; he hath in his heart no suitableness to God, and therefore no pleasure in his Service; but such as have been sincere in it will be stedfast, and indeed they will never find any reason for the giving of it over. God is as full and free as ever he was, the Trade of Godliness as safe and sure, and the returns as considerable. God can with as much cause and boldness appeal now to those that shall desert him, and throw up Religious Exercises, as formerly he did to ungrateful Israel, Ier. 2.5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, p. 10that they are gone far from me, and have followed after vanity, and are become vain? He well knew, tho' he could charge vanity and folly upon them, and make good the charge, yet they could not justly charge iniquity upon him. And so again, verse 37. Have I been a Wilderness unto Israel, or a Land of Darkness? No, no, not a Wilderness, but a fruitful Field; not a Land of Darkness, but a Goshen, a Sun of Righteousness; and such as have been indeed his Servants, have continued firm and faithful, liking him too well, and loving him too dearly to leave him. Will ye go away? said Christ to his Disciples; Peter desired not time to consider of it, but had his Answer ready, which he immediately returns in the names of them all, Ioh. 6.68. Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of Eternal Life. Ioshua had served and followed God for a great many years: He was now grown old, and his Experiences of God's care and goodness had more multiplied and encreast to a far greater number than his days, and thereupon he saw abundant reason for resolving to continue in his Service. And so did holy Polycarp the Disciple of St. Iohn, for being tempted to deny Christ, and return to Heathen Idolatry, he briskly replied, I have served my Master Christ now these fourscore years, and all along found him a good Master to me, therefore I will not leave him now. And if you will believe David, he assures you they are all of the same mind, Psal. 84.4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee; they are and will be so, always delighting in his Work, and always commending and glorying in their Lord. But yet for the further opening to you the duty it self, I must acquaint you with two p. 11things which are incumbent upon the Governours of Families, and which they are bound carefully to look after; viz.

1. That God be served in their Families.

2. That they and their Families do together serve him.

First; It is the duty of Family-Governours to take care that there be the Service and Worship of God in their Families; that they themselves do serve the Lord, and that their Children do serve him, yea and that also their Servants do serve him. That as the precious Ointment poured out upon the Head of Aaron ran down to the skirts of his Garments; so Religion, and at least, the outward practices of Piety, may sweetly descend from the Head of the House to the inferiour and meanest Members of it. You, Masters, Mistresses, and Parents, ought to take care, not only that your Children be respective and obedient to you, nor only that your Servants be faithful to you, and industrious in their working for you; but likewise that both the one and the other do perform their duty to God as well as to you, and be far more ready to pass by a failure in them with respect to your selves, than to bear with a contempt and neglect of God. Do not only see to the feeding and cloathing of your Children and Servants, but as they are capable of receiving it, do you feed their Minds with Knowledge, and exercise them unto Godliness; and let it not be your desire only or chiefly that they may live well and comfortably, but that they may live holily; that they may live like Christians, as well as like Men. The Apostle's charge is this, Rom. 12.17. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Now I p. 12will appeal to your Consciences, wh…her it be not so to fear and serve God, to pray and seek God, to worship God, to perform duty to God; this cannot but be honest, foreign, good, very good, amiable and becoming in the sight and account of all men, except those that are Atheists, and because of their being Atheists, do not deserve the name of Men, but have forfeited the name, since they contradict the very Light of Nature, and run counter to the dictates of Reason, and are sit to herd only among the Beasts. And if that notion be true (which some have embrac'd, and I do not reject) that it is not Reason so much as Religion which is the specifical Difference, and doth distinguish between a Man and a Brute, because there is something of Reason to be found in Brutes, at least, call it by what name you please, some shadow of Reason, some Resemblance, something that may claim a little Kindred, whereas there is not to be found in them any thing that looks like Religion, no appearance nor footsteeps of it; then we may very well say, without being guilty of injustice, or doing a real injury, That Atheists do deserve, with Nebuchadnezzar, to be driven from among Men, until they have with him learnt to own, praise, extel and honour the King of Heaven, all whose works are Truth, and his ways Iudgment, and those that walk in Pride he is able to abase; but at the present they are degenerate, and no better than Beasts in the mapes of Men. For they deny a Being to him by whom all things are, to him who is the Fountain of all Being, and the Author of their own; they do not only cast off a Religious Life, and live without all acts of Divine Worship, but also they do, as much as in them is, p. 13take away the Object of it, in whom they live, and move, and have their Being, and by this one thing open a wide and effectual door to Villanies of all sorts.

But from the Scripture last named, it is evident to all those that do believe the Scripture, that it is your duty to provide things honest; such things as are good and lovely. See that all in your Families be honest, that they be honest to you and to one another, and to the Great God; that they give unto every one their due, unto God his due; that they do not rob God, nor with-hold from him that which is meet, and that is, Worship. Honour is not so due to Parents, nor Service to Masters as Worship is to God, Ier. 10.5. Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations, for to thee it doth appertain. The fear of God is there put not only for the Holy Affection of fear, which we should keep up all the day, and carry with us into every place; but likewise for all Divine Worship, which upon all accounts he may challenge at our hands: It appertains to him, he hath an undoubted right to it. For God to crown Man at first with Glory and Honour, and make him have Dominion over the works of his hands; was an Act of Goodness: For God to spare fallen sinful Man, to keep him out of Hell, and afford him any comforts of Life; is an Act of Mercy, Lam. 3. It is of the Lords Mercies we are not consumed. But for Man to Own and Honour God, to Fear, Seek, Serve and Worship God; is an Act of Iustice. And let men provide what they will for their Families, for their Wives, Children and Servants; let them see to it that they have all p. 14things richly to enjoy: Yet if in this one particular they be negligent and careless, if they do not see to it, that those who Live with them do Serve and Worship God; they do not provide that which is Honest.

Observe the Resolution of Holy David and imitate his Example, Psal. 101.6. Mine Eyes shall be upon the Faithful of the Land. i. e. Good Men, that will be every way faithful to me, and to my God as well as to me. Men that do not only profess him, but will be true to that Profession. Men that call him Master, and will serve him as such, that they may dwell with me; he would delight in their company, and count them the Ornaments of his House. He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. The perfect way is the way of God's Commandments, the Scripture way, the way of Holiness and Duty, the way Everlasting. He that walketh in such a way is a Man for me, such an one I like, and such an one I will chuse; such an one shall serve me as will serve my God as well as me. And he had said before, verse 4. that He would not know a wicked person. You must not understand it of a common ordinary knowledge, a nuda scientia, bare naked knowledge, for in that sense he did, and could not but know many, too too many; but he would not know a wicked person so as to countenance him, not so know him as to make him his choice, and have fellowship with him. He that doth not fear God, that will not mind, serve and worship God, that is without God in the World, may well be branded for a wicked Man; in all companies let him go for such an one: And, saith David, I will have nothing to do with that sort of men; such a person p. 15shall be none of my Familiars, none of my intimate Acquaintance; he shall be none of my Family, none of my Court. And it would be well for the World, if all Princes would say the same, and be as good as their word; if they would not know wicked persons, fewer wicked persons would be known: Were there no wicked men in Favour at Courts, there would be fewer in the Cities, and fewer in the Countreys. But when they swarm at a Court, they flie about, and like Locusts overspread and cover the face of a Land.

Secondly; It is the duty of those who are Governours of Families, to take care, and so to order things, that they and their Families together do serve and worship God; I say, that they do it together, that it be their joynt act, and that all concur to the making up of an holy Harmony. It is not enough that there is some Worshipping of God in the Family, but besides, over and above that there ought to be an holy Family-Worship. David saith, Psal. 133.1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to walk together in Vnity. It is a very commendable and lovely thing to see the same among Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, Mistresses and Maids; it is sweet dwelling together in Vnity; but it is far more pleasant and delightful to God and all good Men, to see them dwelling and walking together in Piety. As to live together, and love together, and eat and drink together without any quarrels or contentions; so to read the Sacred Scriptures, and other good Books together, and pray together, and sing Psalms together, and put forth other Acts of Religion. In short, how good and how pleasant is it to see p. 16them living together, not only a natural and civil Life, in Love and mutual Kindness, but likewise a gracious and holy Life in all goodness. So much may suffice for the opening to you, what I mean by setting up the Worship of God in Family.

Now a person would think, that such as live in London, where there is so much Light, and plenty of Gospel-means; specially such as own a God, and call themselves Christians, should not need many Arguments either to convince them that this is a Duty, or to persuade them to the performance of it; but they would of themselves at the very mentioning of the thing assent to the goodness and reasonableness of it; that all those who do profess their believing that there is a God, and their own standing in Relation to him, and having an Interest him as their God, should at their hearing of Family-Worship cheerfully acknowledge it to be his due. But, alas! alas! whatever the Light doth plainly discover, and whatever their well-informed and awakened Consciences do suggest to them, how many are there among us that imprison the Truth, and hold it in unrighteousness! and by consequence how great is the number of them who live in the great, if not total neglect of this excellent work? And I do not now speak of Atheists, nor of those who are scandalously wicked and prophane; for it is not to be wondred at in them, since they have no fear of God before their Eyes. But I and others of my Brethren are greatly mis-inform'd, if the guilt hereof doth not cleave to some, yea to many of those who profess Religion, and have joyned themselves in Communion with those who do really desire and aim at the p. 17greatest strictness and most exact holiness; so that there is apparent necessity of doing what we can towards the reviving of this excellent practice, which hath been by so many so unkindly, so sinfully shut out of doors. And to this end I shall do these two things.

First; I shall prove that the setting up of the Worship of God and Religious Exercises in Families is a Duty.

Secondly; Lay down some Arguments by which this may appear your reasonable Service. We begin with the former, That Family-worship is a Duty; and that I prove by these three things: The Practice of the Heathen; The Precepts of the Scripture; And the Practice of Saints.

I. This was the Practice amongst the Heathens; though they had no more than the dim Light of Nature, yet by that they did see this to be their Duty; These not having the Law written, were a Law to themselves; and have done by Nature many of the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14. And among others this. We find they had their Lares their Penates, such as they counted and called their Houshold-Gods, and unto them they did offer up Sacrifices in their Families, and unto them they did together perform acts of Religious Worship. And therefore Prayer to God in Families, is a part of Natural Worship, because discovered by Natural Light; and for the shameful neglect thereof the poor blind Heathen will rise up against multitudes of the Men and Women of this untoward Generation. Shall they be more liberal to their Gods of Dung, than we are to the Lord of Glory? Shall they do more for p. 18the Honouring of their false Gods, than some of us do for the living and true God who made Heaven and Earth, and who is the Author of your Being, the God of your Comforts, and the Father of all your Mercies; by the Hand of whose Power ye were made, and upon whose Cost ye spend. How sore and dreadful punishment will you deserve if the very Heathen shall condemn you! If they were more observant of their Idols than you are of God; it will be unspeakably more tollerable for them in the Day of Judgment than for you. Think upon and apply to your selves what the Apostle Paul said to the wicked Jew, Rom. 2.27. Shall not Vncircumcision which is by Nature if it fulfil the Law, Iudge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law? The clearer that Light is which men do enjoy, if they rebel against it, the greater is the Sin which they commit, the greater is the guilt which they contract, and therefore the fiercer that wrath which they deserve.

II. Family-Worshiping of God is the matter of the Precept. It is a burden, if any will be so vile as to think or call it so, which the great God, whose we are, hath bound upon us. Let me particularly instance in Family-Prayer, which sweet and precious Incense I would gladly have all your houses perfumed daily with. It must be granted, that it is not expresly commanded in Scripture, not totidem verbis, in so many words, but it is included in express commands, and from those commands, by necessary consequence it will appear to any one that doth not shut his own Eyes, to be the Mind and Will of God concerning us. For observe:

p. 19First; We are expresly commanded to make use of all Prayer. Take notice of that word, All, all Prayer, i. e. all kinds of holy Prayer, Ephes. 6.18. The Apostle had before told them, they must wrestle with Principalities and Powers, and Spiritual Wickednesses in high places; and having thereupon counsell'd them to make sure of a sufficient strength, being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and Armour of Proof, the whole Armour of God, he doth here in this Verse advise them to a wrestling with God; and indeed it is excellent advice; for he that can like a Prince wrestle with God in a way of Supplication, will come off a Conqueror, when he is called out to wrestle with Devils in a way of Opposition. Observe the words, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all Saints. Mark that, with all prayer. Now there are many sorts of Prayer, namely, Ejaculatory Prayer, in which the holy Soul shoots out a Dart to Heaven, and on a sudden lifts a Request up to God; which may be done at any time, and in any place, in Company, at Dinner, in the Street as you are walking, in the Shop as you are working or trading; and in this way you may sweeten and sanctifie your worldly Affairs by mingling spiritual and gracious thoughts with them. Thus, while good old Iacob had his Sons before him, and was telling them what should befal them in the last days; in the midst of it his Soul got on the wing and mounted up to Heaven in that short, but sweet expression, Gen. 49.18. I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord! and there is stated, fixed prayer, when a person doth at appointed times, p. 20and in a solemn manner set it self to pour forth its Requests before God, and make its desires known to him. There is Publick Prayer, in the Congregations and Assemblies of the Saints, when not only two or three, but scores, hundreds, thousands are met together in the Name of Christ, and the Minister as the Mouth speaks to God, and the hearts of the People go along with him by a real consent, and to his Confessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings add their Amen. And there is Secret Prayer, performed in the greatest retirement, when a person hath withdrawn himself from all company, and no body seeth nor hears, but God alone, and so it can be more free and open, not hiding its groans from him, but spreading all its desires before him, and acquainting him with that which it would not have any one in the World besides to know. And then there is Family-Prayer, wherein the Governour gets the Children, and Servants, and all the Members thereof together, and goeth with them to the Throne of Grace in order to the paying of their Homage unto God, and the obtaining from God a blessing upon himself, and upon them. Now this kind of Prayer is in that Scripture required as well as any other. God doth here by the Apostle require our praying with all prayer, and if with all prayer, then with Family-prayer.

Secondly; We are commanded to pray every where, 1 Tim. 5.8. I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting, foreign, in every place; not only in the Temple, and in the Synagogue, but every where, in any place where it is convenient, and you may be safe. As God is no respecter of Persons, so p. 21not of Places, as Beggars go up down scattering their Vermin in all places, and at every door; so you should every where be scattering your Treasure in gracious discourses, and pouring out your Souls to God in prayer. Now, faith famous Mr. Perkins upon this very place; if it be the duty of men to pray every where, then certainly in their Families, where God hath set them in so near a Relation one to another.

Thirdly; We are commanded to pray continually, or to pray always; as in that fore-mentioned, Ephes. 6. Praying always, with all prayer. Which words of the Apostle we are not to understand, as if praying must ingross and take up all our time, and we had nothing else to do, but live Drones, like a company of lazy Beggars that will not work though they are able. Prayer indeed is a very considerable part of a Christians duty, yet it is but a part. There are various duties which he hath to perform, and much other work of the Lord, in which he ought to abound. There is reading of the Scriptures, singing of Psalms, hearing the Word, serious meditation and self-examination as well as prayer. There is instructing of Youth, and Catechizing of Children, and exhorting one another, and provoking one another to Love and to good works, as well as praying. Yea and there is tending of the Shop, and working in the Trade, and looking to the Children, and washing of the house, and providing for the Family, and several other things, and must be done. We must have respect to all Gods Commandments, and labour to fill up our places, and to stand compleat in all the will of God concerning us. Therefore when the Apostle speaks of our p. 22praying always; understand it thus, pray in every thing; for so we are required to do in another Scripture; Phil. 4.6. Be careful for nothing, i. e. with a distrustful care, with a solicitous and anxious care, with a distracting disquieting care; But in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God. Pray in great things, as believing the greatness of God's Power; and pray in little things, as believing also the extensiveness of his Care. Pray over thy Calling, because it is not the diligent hand alone, but the Divine Blessing with it that makes rich. Pray over your Meat and Drink, and go not to your Tables as Swine to their Trough, knowing that Creatures cannot befriend or serve you any further than as they are commissioned and assisted by God. When Ministers go to study, let them pray, because it is the Spirit of Truth that must lead them into all Truth. They will make sad work of it if God be not with their heads in studying their Sermons, and with their mouths in delivering them. And when People come to hear, let them pray, under and after all our Labours; they will learn nothing to purppose, they will not be wise to Salvation, unless they are taught of God. Thus to pray alway, is to pray in every thing.

Again; To pray always, is to pray in every condition. When you are High, as knowing you are neither out of the reach of Trouble, nor too good to serve and wait upon God: And when you are Low, as knowing you are not out of the reach of the Everlasting Arms, but still there is hope in Israel concerning you. Pray in Sickness and in Health too, for it is God that must remove the p. 23former, preserve and continue the latter. Pray in Advrrsity, for it is God that must support and comfort under that, and Prosperity, for it is God that must sanctifie that, and give you an heart and wisdom to improve it. Pray in Trouble, that God would not be a Terrour to you, in Danger, that he would be a Defence to you, and the Rock of your Refuge, and in Peace, that your Halcion days may neither be overcast nor abus'd. By Prayer in Adversity shew your trusting in God, and believing no case to be desperate which he will please to undertake; and by Prayer in Prosperity, shew to others your dependence upon God, and your expectations being wholly from him; and that you live more upon a Father in Heaven, than you do upon any, or all the Creatures here below.

Once again; Pray always, that is, pray daily, pray every day. This is to be not only a Sabbath- days work, as I am inform'd, some penurious strait-lac'd Professors make it, no, no, it ought … to be your every day-work. Sure I am, there is a great deal of reason for it. We do commit sin, and contract much guilt every day, therefore it becomes us to repent and confess, and it concerns us to sue out our pardon every day. We have our Dangers, visible and invisible Dangers every day, therefore should be daily hiding our selves under our Fathers gracious wing, and craving the Divine Protection. We have Mercies every day, a continued succession of them, an innumerable number of them; they follow us, they load us, they compass us about, therefore we should have our Sacrifices of Praise, and as persons of ingenuity, pay our thankful acknowledgments to God p. 24every day. Further, we have our Wants every day, we want our daily Bread, and our daily Pardon; we want daily Supplies. Our Cistern would soon be empty if God should cut off the stream of his goodness, we want daily Supports, and should quickly drop into the Grave, yea into nothing, if God should withdraw his hand, and let go his hold of us. And we want a daily blessing, without which all our contrivances are vain, and all our endeavours fruitless. If God do not say, go and prosper, we had as good sit still, and therefore there is very great reason why we should have our daily prayers. We are commanded by our Saviour to pray and not to faint; for this end he spake a Parable, Luk. 18.1. and by the Apostle, to continue instant in prayer, Rom. 12.12. that is, to pray daily, which was signified and taught by the daily Sacrifice under the Law; concerning which you may read in Exod. 29. It is said in the 42 verse, This shall be a continual Burnt-Offering thorow-out your Generations, at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Lord, where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. This shall be a continual Burnt-Offering, this, what? If you look back to the 38th and 39th verses, you will see; This is that which thou shalt offer upon the Altar, two Lambs of the first year day by day continually, the one Lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other Lamb shalt thou offer at Even. Where you may take notice of this that the offering up of these two Lambs every day is called a continual Burnt-Offering. And Mr. Answorth upon the place tells us, that daily Sacrifice signified the continual sanctification of the Church through Faith in Christ the Lamb of p. 25God, by whose mediation we and our actions are accepted of God; and likewise he there tells us, the Hebrew Doctors say, the continual Sacrifice of the Morning did make atonement for the sins that were done in the night, and the Evening Sacrifices made atonement for iniquities committed in the day. Now by a parity of Reason we may affirm, that praying every day Morning and Envening, is praying always, or, continuing instant in prayer.

And truly this is the least you can do if you would be grateful, if you would bring glory to God, if you would be exemplary in your places; and to do this is good. So the holy Prophet assures us in Psal. 92. which he intituled, A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day, vers. 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most High. This is good, there is all good in it, honest, and profitable, and pleasant good; it is a paying of God what we owe to him, and it will bring over advantage to us, and it carries a great deal of sweetness along with it. But when is it good to do this? upon a Sabbath-day, the Lord's-day, yes, it is good then, it is very good then, it is then specially in season, because that day is given us not so much for the outward rest of the Body, as for the inward and spiritual refreshing of the Soul, that being taken off and set at liberty from the Labours and Toils of the World, we may be wholly taken up with, and imployed about the Service and Worship of God; but though this be good, singularly good upon our Sabbath-days, yet it is not good only then, for it is always good at other times as well as then; so the same Psalmist assures us in the next Verse; p. 26To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and and thy faithfulness every night. Mark that word, every, every night, and by consequence every morning, day by day; in the morning, because then the mind is more fresh, and free, and lively, not yet intangled with, nor deprest and fetter'd with secular Affairs, but more fit to wait upon God, and engage to holy works, which call for, and deserve the best and happiest frame. And in the night, the pleasant peace, stilness and silence whereof doth render it very accommodate to, and proper for the most sacred, serious and solemn exercises. In the morning prayer should open the door to business; give your first visit to God, who is your best Friend, and at Evening let Prayer lock up the door and draw the Curtain. Before the Body lies down in its Bed, let the Soul return unto its Rest. This is a most excellent way for you to enjoy your selves and your God too; a most excellent way to bring down from Heaven a Blessing upon your Labours in the day, and to put a sweetness and refreshing into your sleep at night. In this way you commit your selves and your all to God, and engage God for you.

III. Family-worshipping of God hath been the practice ef Holy men in all Ages. Saints standing upon Record in the Scriptures have sough… and served God in their Families, and with them; and so have all others in succeeding Generations, who have been sound both in Head and Heart, and acted by right Principles. They have loved the work, and delighted in the performance of it, out of Conscience and Choice. As for those Persons, whose Heads have been Flie-blown, and their mnds corrupted with Errour, they are to be the p. 27Objects of our Compassion and Pity; and the good Lord cause his Light to shine into their Minds in order to their better information, and the reducing them from the Errour of their way; but their practices are by no means to be made use of as your Directory, or followed as your Pattern. For if any have imbibed false notions, it is no wonder that their lives and actions are crooked and irregular, shamefully deficient in some things, and no less extravagant in others. Let us look to the precious and eminent Saints of God, those that lived and died in the Faith, and obtained a good report. You are commanded to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience have inherited the Promises, who are now possessed of those great things which they before lived in the belief and joyful expectation of, who were here graciously accepted of God, and are now received and glorified by him. Let you and me, my dearly Beloved, follow them, and tread in their steps. Keep the same way now, for it is the way Everlasting, and turn not aside from that, neither to the right hand nor to the left, and equal their pace; make as much haste as the best of them did, considering that your time is as uncertain as theirs, and it may be shorter; only walk with circumspection, not blindfold, avoiding those things which were blame-worthy in them, for even they were but Men, and that, imperfect Men, compast about with infirmities, having in them flesh as well as spirit. Imitate them therefore in that which was good in them, and will be so in you, and in nothing else. I may very well apply that of Paul to the present case, and let you and me mind it as our Rule, Phil. 4.8. Whatsoever things are p. 28honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, and were so in them, in all, or in any of them, think of those things, and go you and do the like: so long as they wrote fair imitate them, but beware of their blots. I am, and oh that all professing Religion would be for the reviving of the old godliness. Primitive Government in Churches, and Primitive Godliness in Christians are like old Gold, the best; Ier. 6.16. Thus saith the Lord, stand there in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your Souls. The old way is the good way, meddle not with new upstart Doctrines and Practices, that is best which is eldest. Now then come we to the Business before us, upon enquiry we shall find that the setting up of Prayer and other Religious Exercises in the Family was the good old way, that way in which those precious Saints walked here upon Earth, who at last got safely to Heaven, and whose Prayers are changed for Eternal Allelujahs. I will not multiply Instances, but bring three or four out of the Old and New Testaments, and in the Mouth of so many Witnesses I hope you will look upon the thing as evident and established.

First; I Appeal to you, Was not this the way in which this great and excellent Person Joshua walked? He was a Person that God put great Honour upon, he was the Man that must give Israel Possession of the Land of Promise, and this was his way. He had walked in it, and he was not ashamed to own it before all Israel, both the good p. 29and the bad, yea, to declare openly unto them his fixed and immoveable resolution of persevering therein. This is plain in the Text, As for me and my house we will serve the Lord; not I alone, but I and they too, I with them, whoever was or would be of his House should serve his God, and join with him in Family Duties.

Secondly; Let us look some hundred of years before Joshua, and consider the practice of Abraham, who was called the Friend of God, and the Father of the Faithful. A most remarkable Person, whose Children we shall all of us be willing and glad to be found at the last and great Day, in order to which we are concerned to have and be expressive of his Spirit, and tread in his steps: Now I desire that all of us who are Governours of Families would seriously consider what God saith of him, Gen. 18.19. The Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? I know him, that he will command his Children, and his Houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. I shall have occasion to make use of this Scripture more than once for several purposes. That which I do at present observe from it is, That there was Government kept up in Abraham's Family, and that the gracious Principles, by which he was acted, led him thereunto, and that thing was very acceptable and pleasing to God; God knew that he would do so, and he knew it with a knowledge of approbation. Abraham knew his place, that God had made him Lord and King in his own House, and he would use and exercise that power and aunhority, with which as such he was invested. He would command his Children and his Houshold; not only wish and desire it, nor p. 30only perswade and exhort to it, but command it. Now I think we may from hence without the least suspicion of violence or unfair dealing draw this as a good and necessary Consequence; That since Abraham did command in his House as a King, he also would teach and instruct them as a Prophet, though there be many in the World who love Domination, that do not care to take the trouble and pains of Instruction; but doubtless Abraham being so good a Man was none of them: He took care that those who were under his Roof should know the way of the Lord. He would teach them that good way, for it is certain, had there not been due means used for the making of them to know it, it had been a vain and foolish absurd thing in him to command them to keep it. Afterward we find that Moses did first teach, and then charge, Deut. 4.5, 6. Behold, I have taught you Statutes and Iudgments even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should so do in the Land whither ye go to possess it, keep therefore and do them.

And I would ask whether we can rationally think that Abraham would command his Children and Houshold to keep the way, and while he was so doing not keep it himself. Our Lord Iesus doth indeed charge the Scribes and Pharisees who sat in Moses Seat, with binding heavy burdens, and grievous to be born; and laying them on mens shoulders, when they themselves would not move them with one of their fingers: But Abraham without doubt would not only move his Finger and Hand toward this burden of Duty, but also with all his Heart put his Shoulder under it, not counting it grievous, but pleasant and delightful; and as he instructed them by his teaching, and obliged p. 31them by his command, so he would sweetly allure and draw them by his example; for otherwise we may well think, and he might well fear that his Counsels and Commands, though loving and reasonable would be lost, and not have their desired effect; for they might in such a case judge they had enough to excuse and warrant their not following his Counsel, and not obeying his Command, because though their Father and Master did order them to do so▪ yet he would not do it himself. There are indeed Parents will teach their Children sobriety, but are drunk themselves; command them chastity, but are filthy and unclean themselves, these pull down with one hand what they seem to build with the other. Abraham, I doubt not, would practice what he taught, and tread the way he would have them to go in.

Thirdly; Did not Queen Esther do the same. The Case of the Iews was very sad, Haman being advanced by Aloashuerus, and set above all the Princes, Mordecai knowing him an Amalekite, would not bow unto him, nor do him any reverence; this Affront put the Man into a rage, and upon the study of Revenge, Mordecai single and alone was too inconsiderable and mean a prey for him to stoop to, therefore he laid a cursed Plot for the destroying all the Iews that were thoroughout the whole Kingdom, and it was very like to take; an Order was obtained for the destroying, killing and causing to perish all Iews both young and old, little Children and Women in one day, this set them all upon fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in Sackcloth and Ashes. Mordecai sent to Esther word of p. 32this, charging her to go in unto the King, to make Supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people, threatning her that in case she did altogether hold her peace, enlargement and deliverance should arise unto the Iews from another place, but she and her Fathers House should be destroyed. God would take care of his people, but her timerousness and neglect would issue in her own ruin: Observe now the Answer which hereupon she returned to him, Esther 4.16. Go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, day nor night, I also and my Maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the King, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish I perish. Grotius saith, These were two Maidens that waited upon the Queen, one of them gave her her Hand for a support when she went abroad, and the other held up her Train, and there is no question to be made, but they were either natural Iews or Proselytes, i. e. such as had been brought off from Gentilism and Converted to the Iewish Religion, and she and they fasted together. I and my Maidens will fast, not I alone, but I and they; and I am very confident, you all will readily grant it was a Religious Fast which they then kept; they did not only chasten their Bodies (as David phras'd it) by abstaining so long from all kinds of Meat and Drink, but they did worship God together, and sought him together, and joined their Hearts and Powers in a mighty wrestling with him for their own Lives, and the Lives of their People which were in such eminent and imminent danger, and which would certainly be cut off, unless God p. 33did by some wonderful Providence interpose for the preventing it. But once more.

Fourthly; We have the precious Example of our Lord Iesus Christ, whom we are bound to imitate, as he was in the world so should we be in the world, 1 John 4.17. and we should run the Race that is set before us looking to Jesus, Heb. 12.1, 2. not only for encouragement, but likewise for direction. Now he had a Family, his Twelve Disciples were his Family, and he prayed and gave thanks at his Meats, and also at other times, and he prayed not only for them, but with them, Luke 9.16. As he was alone praying his Disciples were with him. Here is a seeming contradiction, that Christ should be said to be alone, and yet his Disciples with him, but there is no real one for that word, alone must be understood, as intimating no more than the multitudes being departed from him; when the Miracle of Feeding Five Thousand Men with Five Loaves and Two Fishes had been wrought, they having what they came for, the filling of their Bellies, and satisfying their Curiosity, withdrew themselves and went away, and they being gone he went to Prayer, which was a work he greatly delighted in, and in and at that Prayer his Disciples were with him.

I hope it may without vanity be said, That in what I have spoken to you upon this Subject there is enough said for the satisfaction of any sober, serious and consciencious Christian▪ that the setting and keeping up of the Family-worship of God is the Duty of those that are the Masters or Governours of Families. Wilful Cavillers against plain Truths are not worthy nor fit to be dealt with; time and pains bestowed upon them is meerly thrown away: Therefore as for those wicked Persons, who are either of Atheistical Principles, not believing, but denying p. 34the Being of a God, or of desperately Profane Spirits, that value neither his Love nor his Wrath, and so have no fear of him before their Eyes; I do not now in these Discourses go about to perswade them, another course must be first taken with them, them I leave to the great and mighty God, begging that he would have Mercy upon them in convincing them that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and that there is a day coming when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8, 9. So we have done with the first thing propounded, viz. That Family-worship is a Duty; the second part of the work before us is to prove that there is very great and cogent reasons for our performance of this Duty, and that it is (using the Apostle Paul's expression) no other than foreign, your reasonable service. That which is to be done by rational Creatures, and is most consonant and agreeable to the Principles and Dictates of right Reason; and I doubt not but this will appear evidently to you, if you will duly consider and weigh the Arguments which we shall draw from these Four Topicks.

1. From God.

2. From Governours of Families.

3. From the Families themselves.

4. From the Publick.

You will find that there do Obligations rise from all these, many and strong ones for the enaging and binding you hereunto; the good Lord grant we may study the Obligations, and answer them by a suitable practice.

p. 35First; You are to set up Religious Worship in your Families upon the account of the most great and glorious God, who alone is the proper Object of it, unto whom it is to be performed. And here are three things which did immediately occur to my thoughts, and which I do now offer to your Consideration.

I. God is the Author and Original of our Families: They had their Being from God, and therefore they should pay Homage, and perform Service unto him; this is that which doth without all Controversie lay an Everlasting Engagement upon particular Persons, high and low, young and old to serve God, to love him with all their Hearts, to fear him all the day, and to worship him, because he made them. Children are to honour their Father, and Mother, but God much more; because God was the principal efficient of their Being, their Earthly Parents no more than Instruments in his Hand. And if it be a good way of arguing in David, and so in us, to say as he did, Psal. 119.94. I am thine, save me; and verse 73. Thy hands have made me, and fashion'd me, give me understanding. It cannot but be as strong, and if we be ingenuous, as forcible and taking an Argument on God's side, for him to say to us, You are mine, you were wonderfully made, formed and fashioned by my wisdom, and the hand of my power, therefore do you serve me. It is full out as good an Argument for Duty, as it can be a plea for Mercy; do not the Rivers send back their Waters to the Sea from which they received them? And shall not Man return praise and service to God from whom he received life and strength, all that he is, and hath? I desire you to take notice what a loud and earnest call there is, and how much importunity the Prophet useth in Psal. 100. 1, 2. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all p. 36ye Lands. Be joyful, be chearful, it is lawful for you to be so, it is allowed you to be so, and if you be gracious, of all persons in the World, you have the greatest right to Joy, only see that your Joy be directed to God, and terminated in God. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Well, he goeth on, vers. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing. Do not go to his work as Bears to a Stake, nor meerly as to a Task, but as to your Recreation, as to your Meat and Drink, so Christ did; be sure that your duty be your delight. And yet again he adds, Enter into his Gates with thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise; be thankful unto him and bless his Name. We should labour to have our hearts greatly raised and enlarged in our serving of God; that we have such a God, so glorious, so good, and that he is pleased to admit us into his Service, and employ us about it. But why all this? what reason is there for it? doth any one here ask that Question? let him know, yea and let all men know. So saith the Prophet, in verse 3. Know ye that the Lord He is God. He alone is God. Let others be what they will, never so great, and high, and good, there is not a God among them. Iehovah is God; of whom, and thro whom, and for whom are all things. It is He that hath made us, and not we our selves. The Hebrew reads it in the Margin, His we are. And Mr. Ainsworth tells us the Chaldee keeps that reading. It is He that hath made us, and his we are. He hath the best Title to us, the Supream Soveraign Right; We are his People, and the Sheep of his Pasture. And since we are his Creatures, we should be his Servants; we should delight to do his work, because He gave us Being.

Now if there be so much reason in God's making them, why every individual, every particular single p. 37Person should serve and worship God, why they should thus come before him with praises and thanksgivings, there is as great reason why Families should do so too, nay there is the very same reason. For God made Families too, Families have their Being from God. Nay, there is a double reason, for he hath put forth a double act of Mercy and Power: He did both make the Persons and the Family, Psal. 68.4.5. Sing unto God, sing praises to his Name, extol him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his Name IAH, and rejoyce before him. One well observes, that our thoughts of God should not be low and mean, but high and heavenly, lifting up his Name above the most excellent and glorious Creatures, because they all are his Servants, and he makes use of them as he pleaseth, riding upon the Heavens as his Chariot, and because he only hath Being of himself, and gives Being to all those things that are. But what other reason is to be given for this, read on, A Father of the Fatherless, and a Iudge of the Widdow is God in his holy Habitation. So then, he is a God of Bowels, his Compassions work and fail not; he is a good Friend to the Poor and Helpless, Orphans and Widdows, whose Tears, and the Cries of whose Necessities sometimes, and among some persons, can hardly obtain the consideration of their case; but God will be a careful Father of the Fatherless, and a righteous Judge for the Widdow. But what is this to the present purpose? though it be not, yet I was willing to take notice of it as that which may be comfortable to some; and now look into the next Verse, and we shall meet with something apposite to our case. Sing unto God, and extol him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his Name IAH. But why so? God setteth the solitary in Families. He sets them in an House, those that were destitute; so some render it, poor▪ p. 38wretched, destitute, were not worth a foot of Land, had not where to lay their head; he provides a place for them, and an Habitation; others read it, those that were solitary, and so do our Translators, such as are all Solitary, single Persons, and all alone, and upon that account lead a melancholick and uncomfortable life; God sets them in Families; they were once poor Servants in other mens Families, where they were fain to labour and toil, and some of them were beaten unmercifully, and pinched in their Dyet, but since God hath been graciously pleased to raise them, and to give them Families of their own; they have now Yoke-fellows to delight in, and Children to rejoyce in, and Servants to work for them, and wait upon them. Nay, it is God that doth not only set in Families, but doth for many multiply and magnifie them; they have numerous Families, and plenty for them. Those that had but a small matter to begin with, are now arrived at a very considerable Estate, and have not only wherewith to answer their necessities, and to silence the lamentable, bitter, heart-piercing Cries of hungry craving Children, but enough and to spare, and therefore these should worship at his footstool, and both speak and live his praise; Psal. 107. The Prophet doth in a pang and rapture, as it were, for several times one after another, break out in this holy wish; Oh that men would praise the Lord! Oh that men would praise the Lord! Oh that men would praise the Lord! vers. 8.15, 21, 31. But what is the matter? What, do you enquire? and would you indeed know? There is matter enough, abundant matter; they that have hearts devoted to the praising of God, will never want matter of praise. The Prophet in those Verses wisheth that men would praise him for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the Children of p. 39men. His works are so wonderful, that they call for admirings, and there is such a goodness in them that they deserve praises. And the Children of Men are greatly obliged to abound in these praises, because they are no less concerned and interested in these works, they being done to and for them. But this is only spoken in general, particulars are more affecting; and if any one here hath not taken notice of many, he hath been very heedless and unworthy. But the Prophet doth multiply particulars in that Psalm, as he will find that peruseth it. I shall take only one out of the heap, as serving our occasion, vers. 41. He setteth the poor on high from, or, after affliction, and maketh him Families like a Flock. The Man was poor before, exceeding poor, possibly not worth a Groat, yea and he was in affliction too; though Poverty is it self a sore affliction, there needs no other, yet it doth not go alone; the poor Man is slighted by his Friends, and trampled upon by his Neighbours, and it is likely, afraid to stir out of his own door, lest a Serjeant should clap an Arrest upon his back; but now after this affliction God raiseth him up, and sets him on high: He is now grown a considerable Person, a Man of Estate, a Gentleman in the Countrey, an Alderman in the City; it is well, if he be humble now he is high, and doth not forget himself, and that God too, who advanced him, and hath given him a Family like a Flock; and as a considerable Flock, so a rich Pasture for him and it to feed in; there you see, Families are of God's making. Hast thou, O Woman! a careful Husband that minds his business and provides well? thou hadst him from God. Hast thou, O Man! a prudent Wife that orders well? it was God laid her out for thee. Have you both Children that are the Crown of your Conjugal Relation, it was God that bestowed them upon you, p. 40they all are his Off-spring. When Iacob was upon his Journey towards the Land of his Kindred, Esau went out to meet him, and God having conquer'd and influenced his Spirit, he embraced him and fell upon his Neck and kissed him; and seeing the Women and the Children, he said, Who are those with thee? Gen. 33.5. Iacob answered, The Children which God hath graciously given thy Servant. Children are God's gift, and they are a gracious gift, which carrieth in it a great deal of goodness and mercy. That is the first thing, God is the Author of Families, and since they had their Being from him, it is fit he should have service and worship from them so long as they have a Being.

II. My second Reason shall be drawn from that Honour which we all should bring to God. He that is the most excellent and glorious Being may challenge, for he doth deserve glory at the hands of all his Creatures. And they have wickedly forfeited their Being, who do not make their contributions, and cast in something, nay all they can into the Treasury of his Glory. Here I shall more briefly touch upon these few things, but do you ponder them.

First; The Glory of God was the end he aimed at in all that he makes and doth, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: And well he might, for there is none higher than himself, none better. He made all for himself, as Heaven, for that is his Throne, so Earth, for that is his Footstool. And as other Creatures, so intelligent rational Creatures, as Angels, so Men, and as Persons, so Families; all of them for himself, all for his glory; and is there not reason that they whom God hath made should mind and pursue that which they were made for? Those that do not live to that purpose, do not live to good purpose; and if they do not live to that p. 41end for which God made them, will at last miss of that Reward which they are now so forward to promise themselves.

Secondly; Other Creatures do in their kind honour God; not only the irrational Creatures, but also the inanimate ones; the Heavens and the Firmament; Psal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work. So do the Day and the Night; vers. 2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge; yea, and they go up and down doing it; they compass Sea and Land doing it; vers. 3, 4. There is no Speech nor Language, where their Voice is not heard; their Line is gone out through all the Earth, and their Words to the end of the World. And it would certainly be a shame and reproach to us if any of our Families should be mute and silent, and bring him no glory.

Thirdly; God doth expect glory from us. This is the Tribute he looks should be paid him by us; Mal. 1.6. A Son honoureth his Father, and a Servant his Master; if I then be a Father, where is my honour? and if I be a Master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of Hosts. God hath been graciously pleased to put himself into all endearing Relations to his People. There you read of his being both a Father and a Master; and those that desire to be his Children, must resolve to be his Servants; and in order to an happy enjoyment of the Priviledges, there must be a cordial and chearful performance of the duties. We must honour him as a Father, and fear him as a Master. Now the fear of God doth contain in it, as that inward filial and holy affection of the Soul, so the outward Worship of God; and they that do not so fear him, do not honour him: Nay, let your Profession be never so great, and your pretences to Religion never so high, your not having his Worship in your Families p. 42is no other than so far a practical disowning and renouncing him.

Fourthly; The Honour of God is to be dearer to us than our own Interest. This should be laid at the foot of that. Iohn the Baptist was most freely willing to decrease, so that Christ might increase; to dwindle away, and vanish into a worthless inconsiderable nothing, so that Christ might be exalted in the hearts of Men; and it should be so with us, and with all upon whom his Name is called. The design of honouring God, and lifting up of his Name, should be uppermost, and run through our whole course, and be the main principal scope of all our Actions, as is evident from that Scripture Precept, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. As all our Affections should meet in God as the only Center, so all our Actions should be directed to his glory as the supream▪ ultimate and most noble end: But are they obedient to this Command, do they walk according to this excellent Rule, who do not set up the Worship of God in their Families? no, they are far from it, they live in a direct contrariety. Instead of doing all to the glory of God, in their Families they do nothing; they mind their own things, but mind not, regard not the things of God and Iesus Christ; they do neither seek after God, nor live unto him; and what is this but vile ingratitude, and most sordid baseness? what is it but brutish selfishness? When men are confin'd to, and wrapt up in themselves, do not look above nor beyond themselves; they eat and drink, they wake and sleep for themselves, they dress and deck, and finifie themselves; they labour, and toil, and trade for themselves; they scrape, and hoard, and lay up for themselves, and in this they are unwearied and unsatisfied, never think they are fine p. 43enough, nor rich enough, nor great enough; but all this while the great God is most shamefully forgotten and neglected, he is not in their thoughts, nor in their designs.

Fifthly; The Glory of God is to be sought and promoted by us to our utmost. Our best is his due; therefore he calls for the Heart, the whole of it, and for the Male of the Flock. Our All is his due; we have it from him, and we owe it to him; Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Might. Where you have the Object of your Love, the most proper and principal Object of it, God, and the Reasons, why we should love him, the one is his own Nature, because He is the Lord, Iehovah, who hath his Being of himself, gives Being to all things that are, and accomplishment to his Word and Promises; the other is his Relation to us, or our Interest in him; He is thy God, thine in a Covenant of Grace. Again, there you have the Manner of your Love, or the Degree of it, how high it must reach, how far extend, to all, all thy Heart; to which the Scripture ascribes Understanding, Wisdom and Faith; all thy Soul, which is the seat of the Will and Affections, and with all thy Might; love him as well as we can, blow up our Love to God unto the hottest and most vehement flame. Love him with all your ability. Let your Love to God go as far as your Authority reacheth, and the Power of your Hand, and there let your Love express it self. Honour him in your House, and with your Substance. By all these things it doth evidently appear, the Glory of God should be exceeding dear to us, and industriously served and promoted by us.

Now I will appeal to you in the case, who are Heads of Houses, and ask this one Question, What p. 44better way can you take? What course can you think of that will be more proper and probably successful for the advancing of the Honour of God, than the setting up of his Worship and Religious Exercises in your Families? What can you do more toward it? what better? What is there within the compass of your Power that hath a fairer, a more promising aspect and tendency to this great & noble End? How can you better serve the Interest of God and Godliness? And I do earnestly desire you to spend now and then a little time in thinking seriously with your selves, what sad, wretched, miserable Families those are, in which there is a great many Creature-comforts, Epicurean Provisions for the Table and the Belly; there is eating and drinking to excess, if not to drunkenness; there is Cards and Dice, Chambering and Wantonness; a great deal of Mirth and Jollity, Vanity and Folly; but there is no Praying there, no Reading of the Scriptures; there is great dressing of Meat, and decking of the Body, but in the midst of all this there is no duty done to God, no Honour brought him, no care taken for precious and immortal Souls. I do pity them, and oh that my Soul might weep▪ in secret for their sinful neglect! And I do earnestly desire them to remember and lay to heart, that which God hath spoken, and will certainly stand to. He will make that word of his good, to the comfort of his People, and confusion of his Enemies, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour, but they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. From whence it is plain, that God takes special notice of Persons, their Spirits and Actions, and as they carry toward him, so will he to them. That Tree may expect to fall under a blasting withering Curse, from which the Lord Iesus doth gather no Fruit.

p. 45III. My third and last Reason shall be drawn from the equity of the thing: Family-worship is God's due, as you heard before, the Prophet said, Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations, for to thee it doth appertain; it doth of right belong to him; Man cannot lay claim to any Comfort or Blessing as due to him from God for any thing that he hath done, for all is Mercy, than the least of which Man is less, yea, the best of Men, but God may lay claim to fear, and honour, and service, as due to him from Man, and I may say the same in the present case; what Family is there that should not serve and worship thee, O thou King of Nations, O thou King of Saints, for to thee it doth appertain. It is too true, and a sad truth it is, that too many Families in England, yea, and in London do not do it, and I am afraid when all is said that can be said, will not worship God, they are setled upon their Lees, but what Family is there that should not do it. There is none, not the greatest, not the poorest, not those that have most leisure, not those that have most business, not those that live in the greatest fulness and splendor, nor those that are forced to earn their Bread with their hard labour, and in the sweat of their Brows. The more any have, the more abundant they should be in praises, and the more any want, the more frequent and fervent they should be in prayers; whatever their case and condition is, still they do owe this to God. I may very well call it and House-…ent, which they are bound to be continually paying to their great Landlord, and for a neglect or default therein he may justly turn them out of Doors, cast them into the open Street, yea, bring them to a Dunghil and Morsel of Bread. I am not censorious, nor do I charge any one, but this is apparent, many that have been topping Men, yea, and p. 46made a great Profession, have come to nothing, to a Goal, the Mint, the White-friers, they have broken scandalously, and by that means have made Religion to stink in the Nostrils of those who are no Friends to it; and I would advise them to reflect upon time past, and consider whether they were not wanting to, or remiss in Family-duties, and if they were, let them humble themselves and justifie God, and say, Righteous art thou, O Lord; why should they think that God would bless and prosper them, to the enabling them to pay their Debts to Men, if they do not make any Conscience of paying that Tribute which they owe to him? but that is only a serious and seasonable hint by the way. I am to shew you that Family-worship is due to God, and it is so upon these accounts.

First; VponUpon the account of their Being. I before proved that they are of God; he made you and them too: Now the Prophet saith, Psal. 145.10. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; our Families are his work, and therefore they should praise him.

Secondly; Family worship ought to be conscienciously and constantly performed to God upon the account of those Mercies which they do receive from God. We have personal Mercies, preservation and supply, health and strength, food and raiment, and these do engage us to personal services. Iacob thought so when Gen. 28.20, 21, 22. He vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace, the Lord shall be my God, and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house; and he accordingly did afterward there Build an Altar, which was for the Service and Worship of God. Now by a parity of Reason Family-mercies p. 47do oblige unto Family-worship. Alas! what miserable Houses would ours be if God should not look after them, and befriend them; how would they be exposed should he withdraw his protection, and not cover them with his Wing? How would they be straitned and pinched did not he reach out to them his Hand of Bounty, they soon would turn into Houses of Mourning, and Places of Confusion; it is God that by his shining upon our Tabernacles makes them comfortable and pleasant to us, and doth commend and sweeten our Communion together, so that we lye down, and rise up, and live in peace, therefore it is fit and highly becoming that we should serve and worship him together. Those that are drawn with the same Cords of Kindness should draw in the same Yoke of Obedience. Methinks the Father should of his own accord, without a Monitor, say to his Family as in Psal. 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Thirdly; Family-worship is due to God upon the account of his continuing and repeating his Mercies to our Families. How much doth he do for them? And how unwearied is he in doing? We deserve nothing, we have forfeited all, yet his compassion doth not fail, nor is the Stream of Mercy cut off: Must you not say, have ye not reason to say, he daily loads you with his Benefits, and he causeth Mercy and Goodness to follow you? It is his Mercy that maketh us dwell in safety, and sets an Hedge about us and our Houses, and about all that we have on every side, else we should become a prey to the Sons of Violence, or fuel to the greedy devouring Flames. It is he that continueth the peace of our Families, else a perverse froward Spirit would be conjur'd up in one or other, and give a disturbance to the whole: p. 48How great a matter may a little Fire kindle? It is he that gives you the Comforts of your Families, spreads your Tables, and fills your Cups, and giveth you all things to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6.17. Your Cisterns would quickly be empty, had they not recruits from the Eternal Fountain. It is he that prevents breaches in your Families, sinful breaches through anger and discontent, jarrs and fallings out, so that you would be Wolves and Tygers one to another; afflictive breaches, that would be Heart-breakings and cloath you in Sables, and fetch Rivers of Tears from your Eyes, and such a Groan as was utter'd by Naomi, Ruth 1.21, 22. Call me Marah, for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me; I was full, and the Lord hath made me empty. How easily else might Death come with his Dart and stab one, and with his Sythe mow down another, so that the Parents shall sit down lamenting, and refuse to be comforted, and a numerous Family moulder away into nothing. It hath been thus in other Houses, why is it not so in yours? But because of God's sparing Mercy he hath not given Death a Commission: To instance in all that God doth for us, to give in the total Sum of his favours is beyond our power, we have reason to say with holy David, Psal. 139.17, 18. How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God, how great is the sum of them? if I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee. Under thy careful watchful Eye, thy securing comforting Wing, and surely all this doth greatly oblige Families to own, serve and honour God; the Bonds of God are upon us, there is the Bond of his Law, the Bond of his Covenant, and the Bond of Kindness; let us not break these Bonds, lest he bind us in the Bonds of Affliction, and Fetters of Wrath: As it would be a burning shame, so an high provocation, if they who p. 49receive so much from God, should return little or nothing to him.

Fourthly; Family-worship is due to God, because of that necessary and absolute dependance which they have upon him for the future. He that gave particular Persons their Being, doth continue them in being, else they would drop into the Grave. Thou holdest our soul in life, and sufferest not our feet to be moved, Psal. 66.9. God by his Word created the World, and the like Word of his Power is required for its preservation, else it would return to its ancient Chaos, Heb. 1.3. He upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power; so he that made our Families must maintain them, he that raised them up must keep them up; how soon would they sink if his Everlasting Arm were not underneath! In the Church, he that planteth is nothing, and he that watereth is nothing, but God that giveth the increase; so in the House, he that ordereth and commandeth is nothing, and they that assist and labour are nothing, but God that giveth the blessing and the success. I desire you to bestow some thoughts upon that one Scripture, Iob 8.6. He shall make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous; where I desire you to take notice of these few things.

First; That it is God's work to make Habitations prosperous; yea, it is his alone; all endeavours are vain and fruitless without his concurrence. The diligent Hand indeed is said to make rich, but another place tells us, the Blessing of the Lord makes rich. Man's diligence and God's blessing do excellently together, then much good will come of it; but when Man works alone, he doth but beat the Air, and loseth his labour, nothing will prosper, that God doth not command so to do; in Spirituals, the Spices will not flow forth unless the North and South Wind blow p. 50upon the Garden: In Temporals, the Ship must lye still and not reach its desired Haven, except the Divine Blessing fill the Sails. God's Curse at the Root will blast Families, and make the greatest and most flourishing of them fade and dwindle into nothing.

Secondly; Our Reason will tell us, and so doth that Scripture, That righteous Families stand fairest for God's Blessing; I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way, said David, I will walk within my house with a perfect heart, O when wilt thou come to me! Psal. 101. A person of such an Heart and Way may desire and wish for God, humbly invite him, and believingly expect him with smiles and sweet manifestations of himself, and gracious favourable Providences. It is most probable and most rational to conclude that God will prosper Habitations of Righteousness; this looks most consonant to his Nature▪ most agreeable to his Justice, and for this there is the greatest assurance in his Promises. It is a righteous thing with God that Habitations of Wickedness should be Instances of Divine Vengeance, that Habitations of Uncleanness should be Habitations for Owls and Satyrs, that where the Tables are full of Vomit, the Houses should spew them out; but righteous Persons and Habitations of Righteousness are under the Blessing of Heaven, and so most like to flourish, Psal. 5.12. Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous, with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. But then,

Thirdly; The great Question will be, What it is that doth make or denominate any House an Habitation of Righteousness; and to that I answer, the giving of every one his due; the performing all righteous acts toward Men, and of all holy acts toward God, that is an Habitation of Righteousness in which there is the true fear and worship of God. There may be a p. 51righteous Person in a Family that is wicked, there was a righteous Noah in a wicked World, a just Lot in a wicked Sodom, a Diamond in a sink, a good Ahijah in the House of Iereboam who made Israel to sin, Saints in the House of Nero, who was at that day the Monster of Men, though there have been as bad since, and worse too, but this did not make those Houses Habitations of Righteousness, notwithstanding that they were Habitations of Devils; there must be the Families fearing, serving, and worshipping of God, else it is not, it cannot truly be called an Habitation of Righteousness: So much may well suffice to be spoken to the first sett of Arguments for the proving to you, that the setting up of the Worship of God in our Families is no more than our reasonable service.

I proceed now, according to the method before propounded, to a second order or company of Arguments for the setting up of Family-worship and Duty, and they shall be drawn from the Heads and Governours of Families, and there will be several of them, which I advise and earnestly desire every one of you seriously to consider; for what will Arguments signifie, if they be not duly weighed? Prov. 24.32. Solomon tells us, that passing by the Field and Vineyard of the slothful Man void of understanding, the Wall whereof was broken down, and it was overgrown with Thorns, and Nettles cover'd the face thereof; He saw it, and more than so, he looked upon it, wistly, curiously, again and again, and he consider'd it, he laid it to his Heart, and he consider'd it well, and thereupon he received instruction; Oh that you would do the like as to those things which you do find in the Scriptures, and in the holy Discourses of your Faithful Ministers against sin, and for duty, and in particular for Family-duty, p. 52consider them well, that so you may receive instruction: And the good Lord, without whom we poor Worms can do nothing, grant that what hath been, and shall be said to this purpose may be accompanied with his holy Spirit, and so come with such a power upon your Souls, as that his glory may be a gainer, and his worship may be carefully and constantly performed for the future in those Families, (if there be any such in this numerous Congregation) in which hitherto it hath been shamefully neglected.

I. You that are Governours of Families, Masters or Mistresses, are charged with them. Your Families are your Charge, God hath committed them to your Care and Government; as they are to act for you, so you are to care for them. Kings have a great power, and that maketh some of them Oppressive and Tyrannical. They have great Honour, and that makes them Proud and Lofty; but all of them have a great Trust, the whole Kingdom is committed to them; and they should not only indeavour to secure their own Prerogative, but also publick good, the peace, welfare and prosperity of their people; this they are all of them bound to do, and those that do it are great Blessings. Ministers also have a great Charge; as it is an honourable, so it is a weighty thing to be a Minister of Jesus Christ, for the Churches of which they be Pastors are committed to them; they are to look to the Flock of God, over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers, and they are to watch for the Peoples Souls, that they may feed them with understanding and sound knowledge, and also preserve them from those that lye in wait to deceive, and from every path of the destroyer; and O that while we do all, with the Apostle Paul, Magnifie our Office; we may all be p. 53careful to fulfil our Ministry, and do the work of our Office!

And so, that I may return to the business before us, Masters and Mistresses of Families have no small Charge, no little Trust, for their Families are committed to them; the Family is a Body, bigger or less, and the Master is the Head of it, and he should rule, order and influence all the Members thereof; they have both a power and a trust, a power, and so set over them; a trust, and so charged with them; and as they would not be deprived of their power, so they ought not to betray their trust; you that are Rulers of Families will be known in your places, it is fit you should be so. I pray be good in your places; and as you will maintain your Authority, and make use of your power, be true to your trust too; some of you will say in some cases that you will not abate an Ace, stand as much upon it, and be as exact here; you will be Kings in your own Houses, you ought to be so, God hath made you so, but be Prophets and Priests also, in such a manner take, and keep, and use the Iurisdiction, as that labouring in Prayer, in the Word and Doctrine, may not slip through your Fingers. As Magistrates, so Ministers, and Parents, and Masters ought to rule in the fear of God.

For you are to remember that you are intrusted with the Souls of your Families, as well as with their Bodies; and you ought to seek and endeavour the good of their Souls as well as the good of their Bodies; I mean, both of their Children, and of their Servants, yea, and more too, because the Soul is best, and the welfare and comfort of the Body depends upon the happiness of the Soul. Indeed the Soul may be in a thriving condition Godward, but the Body crazy and wasting; the Soul may be of an healthful Constitution, but the Body sickly and p. 54weak, as is clear from that of Paul, 2 Cor. 4.16. Though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day; and that this was the case of Gaius, I am very apt to conclude from that kind and friendly wish of Iohn in his third Epistle, I wish that thy body may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. But if the Soul be void of Knowledge and Grace, if there be not a saving Light in the Head, nor the Law of God in the Heart, the Body will come to lye down at last in misery and sorrow; cocker and pamper it never so much, care and cark for it as you will, the issue will at last be dreadful, the compositum, i e. the whole Man will come to ruin, Hos. 4.6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, not only deformed as a Person is for want of an Eye, but destroyed, cut off, utterly ruined and undone; and ought not the greatest care be taken for the prevention of that?

We read in 1 Tim. 5.6. If any man provide not for his own, specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Though he doth not deny the Faith in words, yet he doth in deeds; he hath practically renounced Christianity by his not living up to the Laws and Rules thereof; and he is worse than an Infidel by his falling short of them. He is defective and wanting in that which they perform, though he lives in a Valley of Vision, though he sits under the bright and glorious Beams of the Sun of Righteousness display'd in the Everlasting Gospel, yet he is outdone by the very Heathen, who have no more than the dark glimmering Light of Nature, which is like a Candle burnt down to the Socket; so that it is the Duty of all Parents and Masters to provide for their own Houses.

But here the Question will be, What are they to provide? What? All that is convenient for them; p. 55according to that Prayer of Holy and Wise Agur, in Prov. 30.8. feed me with food convenient for me. To be sure they must provide things necessary, if it be in their power, but necessary for what? only for the Body? Meat, and Drink, and Cloaths, and Lodging, Mony, and Wages? are these all the things that are necessary and convenient for them? is this the supplying of all their need? is this all that the Lord requires and expects at their hands? surely no, it is true, this is a part of their duty, but it is the least, and lowest part; this he provides for the Brute, but not for the Man; for the Cabinet, but not for the Jewel; they should so provide for them, as that it may be well with them every way, to all intents and purposes; their Families have precious Souls, as well as comely Bodies, craving Souls as well as hungry Bodies, and they should so provide for their Souls, as that it may not be their fault if it be not well with their Souls, and that both in time, and to Eternity. in the 2d of Peter ▪ 1, 2 ver. the Apostle Peter speaking of God, saith, His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life, and Godliness. O let us learn to admire and endear this God who is so gracious and liberal unto us! now let us be followers of him as dear Children; this is an excellent Copy for us to write after who are House holders; let us provide for ours, all that is necessary for this their Temporal Life, yea, and all that is necessary for Godliness.