Six Sermons, Sermon 2
Concerning FAMILY-RELIGION. A SERMON Preached at St. LAWRENCE JURY, JULY the 13th. 1684.
JOSH. XXIV. 15.
—But as for me and MY HOUSE, we will ſerve the Lord.
I Shall now proceed to the Second Point contained in the Text, namely,
II. The pious Care of a good Maſter and Father of a Family, to train up thoſe under his Charge in the Worſhip and Service of the true God: As for me and MY HOUSE, we will ſerve the Lord.
And this is the more neceſſary to be ſpoken to, becauſe it is a great and very eſſential part of Religion, but ſtrangely overlook'd and neglected in this looſe and degenerate Age in which we live. It is a great part of Religion; for next to our perſonal Homage and Service to Almighty God, and the Care of our own Souls, it is incumbent upon us to make thoſe, who are under our Charge and ſubject to our Authority, God's ſubjects, and his Children and Servants; which is a much more honourable and happy Relation, than that which they bear to us.
Our Children are a natural part of our ſelves, and the reſt of our Family are a Civil and Political part: And not only we our ſelves, but all that we have and that belongs to us is God's, and ought to be devoted to his ſervice. And they that have the true Fear of God themſelves, will be careful to teach it to others; to thoſe eſpecially who are under their more immediate Care and Inſtruction. And therefore God had ſo great a confidence conc…rning …braham as to this particular, as to undertake for him, that being ſo very good a man himſelf he would not fail in ſo great and neceſſary a part of his Duty, For I know him, ſays God of him, that he will command his Children and his Houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, to do Juſtice and Judgment. God paſſeth his Word for him, that he would not only take care to inſtruct his Children and the reſt of his numerous Family in the true Religion, but that he would likewiſe lay a ſtrict Charge upon them to propagate and tranſmit it to their Poſterity.
And this certainly is the Duty of all Fathers and Maſters of Families; and an eſſential part of Religion, next to ſerving God in our own Perſons, to be very careful that all that belong to us do the ſame. For every man muſt not only give an account of himſelf to God, but of thoſe likewiſe that are committed to his Charge that they do do not miſcarry through his neglect.
In ſpeaking of this great and neceſſary Duty I ſhall do theſe four things.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew wherein it doth conſiſt.
Secondly, I ſhall conſider our Obligation to it, both in point of Duty and of Intereſt.
Thirdly, I ſhall enquire into the Cauſes of the ſo common and ſhameful neglect of this Duty, to the exceeding great Decay of Piety amongſt us.
Fourthly, As a Motive and Argument to us to endeavour to …etrieve the practice of this Duty, I ſhall repreſent to you the pe…nicious Conſ…quences of the neglect of it, both with regard to our Selves, and to the Publick. In all which I ſhall be very brief, becauſe things that are plain need not to be long.
I. I ſhall ſhew wherein the Practice of this Duty doth conſiſt. And in this I am ſure there is no need to be long, becauſe this Duty is much better known than practiſed. The principal Parts of it are theſe following.
Firſt, By ſetting up the conſtant Worſhip of God in our Families. By daily Pray…rs to God, every Morning and Evening; and by reading ſome Portion of the H. Scriptures at thoſe Times, eſpecially out of the Pſalms of David, and the New Teſtament. And this is ſo neceſſary to keep alive and to maintain a ſenſe of God and Religion in the minds of men, that where it is neglected I do not ſee how any Family can in reaſon be eſteemed a Family of Chriſtians, or indeed to have any Religion at all.
And there are not wanting excellent Helps to this purpoſe for thoſe that ſtand in need of them, as I think moſt Families do for the due and decent diſcharge of this ſolemn Duty of Prayer: I ſay, there are excellent Helps to this purpoſe, in the ſeveral Books of Dev… tion calculated for the private uſe of Families, as well as for Secret Prayer in our Cloſets.
So that beſides the reading of the H. Scriptures, which are the great Fountains of Divine Truth; we may do well likewiſe to add to theſe other pious and profitable Books, which by their plainneſs are fitted for the inſtruction of all Capacities in the moſt neceſſary Points of Belief and Practice: Of which ſort, God be thanked, there is an abundant ſtore; but none that I think is more fitted for general and conſtant uſe than that excellent Book ſo well known by the Title of The whole Duty of Man: Becauſe it is conveniently divided into Parts or Sections; one of which may be read in the Family, at any time when there is leiſure for it; but more eſpecially on the Lord's Day, when the whole Family may the more eaſily be brought and kept together, and have the Opportunity to attend upon theſe things without diſtraction.
And, which I muſt by no means omit, becauſe it is in many Families already gone, and in others going out of Faſhion: I mean a ſolemn acknowledgment of the Providence of God, by begging his Bleſſing, at our Meals, upon his good Creatures provided for our uſe; and by returning Thanks to him for the benefit and refreſhment of them: This being a piece of Natural Religion owned and practiſed in all Ages, and in moſt Places of the World; but never ſo ſhamefully and ſcandalouſly neglected, and I fear by many ſlighted and deſpiſed, as it is amongſt us at this Day: And moſt neglected where there is greateſt Reaſon for the doing of it, I mean at the moſt plentiful Tables, and among thoſe of higheſt Quality: As if Great Perſons were aſhamed, or thought ſcorn to own from whence theſe Bleſſings come; like the Nation of the Jews, of whom God complains in the Prophet, Hoſ. 2. 8. She knew not that I gave Her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and multiplied her Silver and Gold: She knew not, that is, She would not acknowledge from whoſe Bounty all theſe Bleſſings came: Or, as if the poor were obliged to thank God for a little, but thoſe who are fed to the full, and whoſe Cups overflow, ſo that they are almoſt every day ſurfeited of plenty, were not at leaſt equally bound to make returns of thankful acknowledgment to the Great Giver of all good things; and to implore His Bounty and Bleſſing, upon whom the eyes of all do wait, that He may give them their meat in due ſeaſon.
O crooked and perverſe Generation! Do you thus reaſon? Do ye thus requite the Lord, fooliſh and unwiſe? This is a very ſad and broad Sign of the prevalency of Atheiſm and Infidelity among us, when ſo Natural and ſo Reaſonable a piece of Religion, ſo meet and equal an acknomledgment of the conſtant and daily Care and Providence of Almighty God towards us begins to grow out of Date and uſe; in a Nation profeſſing Religion, and the Belief of the Being and Providence of God. Is it not a righteous thing with God to take away his Bleſſings from us, when we deny Him this juſt and eaſy Tribute of Praiſe and Thankſgiving? Shall not God viſit for this horrible Ingratitude? And ſhall not his Soul be avenged on ſuch a Nation a… this? Hear, O Heavens, and be ye horribly aſtoniſhed at this! I hope it cannot be thought misbecoming the meaneſt of God's Miniſters, in a matter wherein the Honour of God is ſo nearly concerned, to reprove, even in the Higheſt and Greateſt of the Sons of Men, ſo ſhameful and heinous a Fault, with a proportionable Vehemence and Severity.
Secondly, Another, and that alſo a very conſiderable Part of this Duty, conſiſts in inſtructing thoſe committed to our Charge in the Fundamental Principles, and in the careful Practice of the neceſſary Duties of Religion; inſtilling theſe into Children in their tender years, as they are capable of them, line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and into thoſe that are more grown up, by proper and ſuitable means of inſtruction, and by furniſhing them with ſuch Books as are moſt proper to teach them thoſe things in Religion which are moſt neceſſary by all to be believ'd and practis'd.
And in order hereunto we ſhould take care that thoſe under our Charge, our Children and Servants, ſhould be taught to read, becauſe this will make the buſineſs of Inſtruction much eaſier; ſo that if they are diligent and welldiſpos'd they may, after having been taught the firſt Principles of Religion, by reading the H. Scriptures and other good Books, greatly improve themſelves, ſo as to be prepared to receive much greater benefit and advantage by the publick teaching of their Miniſters.
And in this work of Inſtruction our great care ſhould be to plant thoſe Principles of Religion in our Children and Servants which are moſt fundamental and neceſſary, and are like to have the greateſt and moſt laſting influence upon their whole Lives: As right and worthy Apprehenſions of God, eſpecially of his infinite Goodneſs, and that He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity: And a lively ſenſe alſo of the great evil and danger of Sin: A firm belief of the Immortality of our Souls, and of the unſpeakable and endleſs Rewards and Puniſhments of another World. If theſe Principles once take root, they will ſpread ſtrangely, and probably ſtick by them and continue with them all their Days.
Whereas if we plant in them doubtful Doctrines and Opinions, and inculcate upon them the Notions of a Sect, and the Jargon of a Party, this will turn to a very pitiful account, and we muſt expect that our Harveſt will be anſwerable to our Husbandry: We have ſown the Wind, and ſhall reap the Whirlwind. But of this I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more particularly and fully in the enſuing Sermons concerning the good Education of Children.
And this work of Inſtruction of thoſe that are under our Charge, as it ought not to be neglected at other Times, ſo is it more peculiarly ſeaſonable on the Lord's Day, which ought to be employed by us to Religious purpoſes, and in the Exerciſes of Piety and Devotion: Chiefly in the Publick Worſhip and Service of God, upon which we ſhould take care that our Children and Servants ſhould diligently and devoutly attend. Becauſe there God affords the Means which he hath appointed for the begetting and increaſing of Piety and Goodneſs and to which he hath promiſed a more eſpecial Bleſſing: There they will have the opportunity of joining in the publick Prayers of God's Church, and of ſharing in the unſpeakable bene…t and advantage of them: And there they will alſo have the advantage of being inſtructed by the Miniſters of God in the Doctrine of Salvation, and the way to Eternal Life; and of being powerfully incited to the practice of Piety and Virtue.
There likewiſe they will be invited to the Lord's Table, to participate of the H. Sacrament of Chriſt's moſt bleſſed Body and Blood; which being the moſt Solemn Inſtitution of the Chriſtian Religion, the frequent participation whereof is by our B. Lord, in remembrance of his Dying Love, enjoined upon all Chriſtians, we ought to take a very particular care that thoſe who are under our Charge, ſo ſoon as they are capable of it, be duly inſtructed and prepared for it; that ſo as often as Opportunity is offer'd for it, they may be preſent at this Holy Action, and partak… of the ineſtimable Benefits and Comforts of it.
And when the Publick Worſhip of that Day is over, our Families ſhould be inſtructed at Home, by having the Scriptures and other good Books read to them; and care likewiſe ſhould be taken that they do this themſelves; this being the chief Opportunity that moſt of them, eſpecially thoſe that are Servants, have of minding the buſineſs of Religion, and thinking ſeriouſly of another World.
And therefore I cannot but think it of very great conſequence to the maintaining and keeping alive of Religion in the World, that this Day be Religiouſly obſerved, and ſpent as much as may be in the exerciſes of Piety, and in the care of our Souls. For ſurely every one that hath a true ſenſe of Religion will grant that it is neceſſary that ſome Time ſhould be ſolemnly ſet apart for this purpoſe, which is of all other our greateſt Concernment: And they who neglect this ſo proper Seaſon and Opportunity, will hardly find any other Time for it: Eſpecially thoſe who are under the Government and Command of others, as Children and Servants, who are ſeldom upon any other Day allowed to be ſo much Maſters of their Time, as upon this Day.
Thirdly, I add further, as a conſiderable Part of the Duty of Parents and Maſters of Families, if they be deſirous to have their Children and Servants Religious in good earneſt and would ſet them forward in the way to Heaven, that they do not only allow them Time and Opportunity, but that they do alſo ſtrictly and earneſtly charge them to retire themſelves every Day, but more eſpecially on the Lord's Day, Morning and Evening, to pray to God for the Forgiveneſs of their Sins, and for his mercy and Bleſſing upon them; and likewiſe to Praiſe Him for all his Favours and Benefits conferred upon them from Day to Day.
And in order to this, they ought to take care that their Children and Servants be furniſh'd with ſuch ſhort Forms of Prayer and Praiſe, as are proper and ſuitable to their capacities and conditions reſpectively; becauſe there are but very few that know how to ſet about and perform theſe Duties, eſpecially at firſt, without ſome Helps of this kind.
Fourthly and laſtly, another principal Part of this Duty conſiſts in giving good Ex…mple to our Families. This was David's Reſolution, Pſal. 101. 2. I will behave my ſelf wiſely in a perfect way, I will walk within my Houſe with a perfect heart. Take great care to be exemplary to thy Family in the beſt things; in a conſtant and devout ſerving of God, and in a ſober and prudent and unblameable Converſation.
One of the beſt and moſt effectual ways to make thoſe who are under our Care and Authority good, is to be good our Selves, and by our good Example to ſhew them the way to be ſo. Without this our beſt Inſtructions will ſignify but very little, and the main force and efficacy of them will be loſt. We undermine the beſt Inſtructions we can give, when they are not ſeconded and confirmed by our own Example, and Practice. The want of this will weaken the Authority of all our good Counſel, and very little Reverence and Obedience will be paid to it. The Precepts and Admonitions of a very good Man have in them a great power of Perſuaſion, and are apt ſtrongly to move and to inflame others to go and do likewiſe: But the good Inſtructions of a bad Man are languid and faint, and of very little force; becauſe they give no heart and encouragement to follow that Counſel which they ſee he that gives it does not think fit to take himſelf. But of this likewiſe I ſhall have Occaſion to ſpeak more fully in the following Diſcourſes concerning the good Education of Children. And thus much may ſuffice to have ſpoken of the Firſt thing which I propoſed, namely, wherein the Practice of this Duty doth conſiſt. I proceed to the Second, namely,
II. To conſider our Obligation to it, both in point of Duty and of Intereſt.
Firſt, In Point of Duty. All Authority over others is a Talent intruſted with us by God for the benefit and good of others; and for which we are accountable, if we do not improve it and make uſe of it to that end. We are obliged by all lawful means to provide for the temporal welfare of our Family, to feed and cloath their Bodies and to give them a comfortable Subſiſtence here in the World: And ſurely much more are we obliged to take care of their Souls, and to conſult their eternal Happineſs in another Life; in compariſon of which all temporal Concernments and Conſiderations are as nothing.
It would be accounted a very barbarous thing in a Father or Maſter to ſuffer a Child to ſtarve for want of the neceſſaries of Life, food and raiment, and all the World would cry ſhame upon them for it: But how much greater Cruelty muſt it in reaſon be thought to let an immortal Soul, and one for whom Chriſt died, periſh for want of knowledge and neceſſary Inſtruction for the attaining of eternal Salvation?
The Apoſtle St. Paul thinks no words bad enough for thoſe who neglect the temporal welfare of their Families, He that provideth not, ſaith he, for his own, eſpecially for thoſe of his own Houſe, hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel, that is, he does not deſerve the Name of a Chriſtian, who neglects a Duty to which from the plain Dictates of Nature a Heathen thinks himſelf obliged. What then ſhall be ſaid for them who take no care to provide for the everlaſting Happineſs, and to prevent the eternal Miſery and Ruin of thoſe who are ſo immediately under their Charge, and ſo very nearly related to them?
We are obliged to procure the Happineſs of our Children not only by the Laws of Chriſtianity, but likewiſe by all the Natural bonds of Duty and Affection. For our Children are a part of our Selves, and if they periſh by our fault and neglect, it will be a perpetual Wound and Sting to us; their Blood will be upon our heads, and the guilt of it will for ever lye at our doors.
Nay, we are obliged likewiſe in Juſtice, and by way of Reparation, to take all poſſible care of their Happineſs; for we have conveyed a ſad Inheritance to them, in thoſe corrupt and evil inclinations which they have derived from us: And therefore we ſhould with the greateſt care and diligence endeavour to rectify their perverſe Natures, and to cure thoſe curſed diſpoſitions to evil which we have tranſmitted to them: And ſince God hath been pleaſed in ſo much mercy to provide, by the abundant Grace of the Goſpel, ſo powerful a Remedy for this hereditary Diſeaſe of our corrupt and degenerate Nature, we ſhould do what in us lies, that they may partake of the Bleſſing and Benefit of it.
And as to other Members of our Family, whether they be Servants, or other Relations of whom we have taken the Charge; common Humanity will oblige us to be concerned for their Happineſs as they are Men and of the ſame Nature with our Selves; and Charity likewiſe, as they are Chriſtians and Baptized into the ſame Faith and capable of the ſame common Salvation, does yet more ſtrictly oblige us by all means to endeavour that they may be made partakers of it; eſpecially ſince they are committed to our Care, and for that reaſon we muſt expect to be accountable to God for them.
So that our Obligation in point of Duty is very clear and ſtrong, and if we be remiſs and negligent in the diſcharge of it we can never anſwer it either to God, or to our own Conſciences: Which I hope will awaken us all who are concerned in it to the ſerious conſideration of it, and effectually engage us for the future to the faithful and conſcientious performance of it.
Secondly, We are hereto likewiſe obliged in point of Intereſt; becauſe it is really for our ſervice and advantage that thoſe that belong to us ſhould ſerve and fear God: Religion being the beſt and ſureſt Foundation of the Duties of all Relations, and the beſt Caution and Security for the true diſcharge and performance of them.
Would we have dutiful and obedient Children, diligent and faithful Servants? Nothing will ſo effectually oblige them to be ſo, as the Fear of God and the Principles of Religion firmly ſettled and rooted in them. Abraham who by the Teſtimony of God himſelf was ſo eminent an Example in this kind, both of a good Father and a good Maſter of his Family, found the good ſucceſs of his Religious care in the happy effects of it, both upon his Son Iſaac, and his chief Servant and Steward of his Houſe, Eliezer of Damaſcus.
What an unexampled Inſtance of the moſt profound reſpect and obedience to the Commands of his Father did Iſaac give, when without the leaſt murmuring or reluctancy he ſubmitted to be bound and laid upon the Altar, and to have been ſlain for a Sacrifice; if God had not by an Angel, ſent on purpoſe, interpoſed to prevent it?
What an admirable Servant to Abraham was the Steward of his Houſe, Eliezer of Damaſcus? How diligent and faithful was he in his Maſter's ſervice? So that he truſted him in his greateſt Concernments and with all that he had. And when he employed him in that great Affair of the Marriage of his Son Iſaac, what pains did he take, what prudence did he uſe, what fidelity did he ſhew in the diſcharge of that great Truſt, giving himſelf no reſt till he had accompliſh'd the Buſineſs he was ſent about? God ſeems purpoſely to have left theſe two Inſtances upon Record in Scripture, to encourage Fathers and Maſters of Families to a Religious care of their Children and Servants.
And to ſhew the power of Religion to oblige men to their Duty, I will add but one Inſtance more. How did the Fear of God ſecure Joſeph's fidelity to his Maſter, in the Caſe of a very great and violent Temptation? When there was nothing elſe to reſtrain him from ſo lewd and wicked an act and to which he was ſo powerfully tempted, the conſideration of the great truſt his Maſter repoſed in him and the ſenſe of his Duty to him, but above all the Fear of God preſerved him from conſenting to ſo vile and wicked an action, How can I, ſays he, do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God?
So that in prudence, and from a wiſe conſideration of the great benefit and advantage which will thereby redound to us, we ought with the greateſt care to inſtill the Principles of Religion into thoſe that belong to us. For if the Seeds of true Piety be ſown in them, we ſhall reap the fruits of it: And if this be neglected, we ſhall certainly find the miſchief and inconvenience of it. If out Children and Servants be not taught to fear and reverence God, how can we expect that they ſhould reverence and regard us? at leaſt we can have no ſure hold of them. For nothing but Religion lays an obligation upon Conſcience, nor is there any other certain bond of Duty and Obedience and Fidelity: Men will break looſe from all other Ties when a fit Occaſion and a fair Opportunity doth ſtrongly tempt them. And as Religion is neceſſary to procure the favour of God and all the comfort and happineſs which that brings along with it, ſo it is neceſſary likewiſe to ſecure the mutual Duties and Offices of men to one another. I proceed to the Third thing which I propoſed, namely,
III. To enquire into the Cauſes of the ſo common and ſhameful Neglect of this Duty, to the exceeding great decay of Piety among us. And this may in part be aſcribed to our Civil Confuſions and Diſtractions, but chiefly to our Diſſentions and Differences in Religion, which have not only divided and ſcattered our Parochial Churches and Congregations, but have entred likewiſe into our Families, and made great diſturbances and diſorders there.
Firſt, This may in good part be aſcribed to our Civil Confuſions and Diſtractions, which for the time do lay all Laws aſleep, and do not only occaſion a general Licentiouſneſs and diſſoluteneſs of Manners, but have uſually a proportionable bad in…luence upon the order and Government of Families; by weakning the Authority of thoſe that Govern, and by giving the opportunity of greater Licenſe to thoſe that ſhould be governed: For when publick Laws loſe their Authority, it is hard to maintain and keep up the ſtrict Rules and Order of Families, which after great and long Diſorder are very hard to be retriev'd and recover'd.
Secondly, This great Neglect and Decay of Religious Order in Families is chiefly owing to our Diſſentions and Differences in Religion, upon occaſion whereof many under the pretence of Conſcience have broke looſe into a boundleſs Liberty. So that among the manifold ill Conſequences of our Diviſions in Religion this is none of the leaſt, that the Religious Order of Families hath been in a great meaſure broken and diſſolved. Some will not meet at the ſame Prayers in the Family, nor go to the ſame Church and Place of publick Worſhip; and upon that pretence take the liberty to do what they pleaſe, and under colour of ſerving God in a different way according to their Conſciences, do either wholly or in great meaſure neglect the Worſhip of God; nay, it is well if they do not at that Time haunt and frequent Places of Debauchery and Lewdneſs; which they may ſafely do, being from under the eye of their Parents and Maſters: However by this means it becomes impoſſible for the moſt careful Maſters of Families, to take an account of thoſe under their Charge how they …pend their time on the Lord's Day, and to train them up in any certain and orderly way of Religion.
And this methinks is ſo great and ſenſible an inconvenience, and hath had ſuch diſmal effects in many Families, as ought effectually to convince us of the neceſſity of endeavouring a greater Union in matters of Religion; and to put us in mind of thoſe happy Days when God was ſerved in one way, and whole Families went to the Houſe of God in Companies; and Fathers and Maſters had their Children and Servants continually under their eye, and they were all united in their Worſhip and Devotion, both in their own Houſes and in the Houſe of God; and by this means the Work of Religious Education and Inſtruction was effectually carried on, and a ſteddy Authority and decent Order was maintained in Families; men were edified and built up in Religion, and God in all things was glorified.
And we may aſſure our ſelves, that till we are better agreed in matters of Religion, and our unhappy and childiſh Differences are laid aſide; and till the Publick and unanimous Worſhip of God do in ſome meaſure recover its reputation, the good Order and Government of Families as to the great ends of Religion is never likely to obtain and to have any conſiderable effect. Which I hope will make all men who heartily love God and Religion, to conſider ſeriouſly how neceſſary it is to put an end to theſe Differences; that in our private Families, as well as in the publick Aſſemblies of the Church, we may with one mind and with one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
I beſeech you therefore Brethren, as St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 1. 10. by the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ye all ſpeak the ſame thing, and that there be no diviſions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the ſame mind, and in the ſame judgment, that is, ſo far as is neceſſary to the keeping of the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, and to prevent Diviſions and Separations among Chriſtians. I proceed to the Fourth and laſt thing I propoſed, and which remains to be very briefly ſpoken to, namely,
IV. The very miſchievous and fatal Conſequences of the neglect of this Duty, both to the Publick, and to our Selves.
Firſt, To the Publick. Families are the firſt Seminaries of Religion, and if care be not there taken to prepare perſons, eſpecially in their tender years, for publick teaching and inſtruction, it is like to have but very little effect. The neglect of a due preparation of our Children and Servants at home, to make them capable of profiting by what they hear and may learn at Church, is like an error in the firſt Concoction which can hardly ever be corrected afterwards. So that in this firſt neglect the foundation of an infinite Miſchief is laid; becauſe if no care be taken of perſons in their younger years, when they are moſt capable of the impreſſions of Religion, how can it reaſonably be expected that they ſhould come to good afterwards? And if they continue void of the Fear of God, which there hath been no care taken to plant in them, they will almoſt neceſſarily be bad in all Relations; undutiful Children, ſlothful and unfaithful Servants, ſcandalous Members of the Church, unprofitable to the Commonwealth, diſobedient to Governours both Eccleſiaſtical and Civil; and in a word, Burthens of the Earth, and ſo many Plagues of Human Society: And this Evil, if no Remedy be applied to it, will continually grow worſe, and diffuſe and ſpread it ſelf farther in every Age, till Impiety and Wickedneſs, Infidelity and Profaneneſs have over-run all, and the World be ripe for its final Ruin: Juſt as it was before the Deſtruction of the Old World, when the wickedneſs of Man was great upon the Earth, and all Fleſh had corrupted their way, then the Flood came and ſwept them all away.
Secondly, The Conſequences of this Neglect will likewiſe be very diſmal to our Selves. We ſhall firſt of all others feel the Inconvenience, as we had the greateſt ſhare in the Guilt of it. We can have no manner of ſecurity of the Duty and Fidelity of thoſe of our Family to us, if they have no ſenſe of Religion, no fear of God before their eyes. If we have taken no care to inſtruct them in their Duty to God, it is no-wiſe probable that they will make Conſcience of their Duty to us.
So that we ſhall have the firſt ill Conſequences of their Miſcarriage; beſides the Shame and Sorrow of it: And not only ſo, but all the evil they commit ever after, will be in a great meaſure chargeable upon us, and will be put upon our ſcore in the Judgment of the Great Day. It ought to make us tremble to think with what bitterneſs and Rage our Children and Servants will then fly in our faces, for having been the Cauſe of their eternal Ruin, for want of due care on our part to prevent it. In that Day, next to God and our own Conſciences, our moſt terrible Accuſers will be thoſe of our own Houſe, nay thoſe that came out of our own Bowels, and were not only Part of our Family, but even of our Selves. But this alſo I ſhall have a proper Occaſion to proſecute more fully in the following Diſcourſes concerning the Education of Children, to which I refer it.
Upon all theſe Conſiderations and many more that might be urged upon us, we ſhould take up the pious Reſolution of Joſhua here in the Text, that We and OUR HOUSES will ſerve the Lord: And that, through God's Grace, we will do all that in us lies by our future Care and Diligence to repair our former neglects in this kind.
I ſhall only add this one Conſideration more to all that I have already mentioned: If Children were carefully educated, and Families regularly and Religiouſly ordered, what a happy and delightful Place, what a Paradiſe would this World be, in compariſon of what now it is?
I beſeech you therefore Brethren, that theſe things which I have with ſo much plainneſs and faithfulneſs laid before you, may ſink into your hearts, before it be too late, and whilſt the thing may be remedied; that you may not for ever lament this neglect and repent of it, when the thing will be paſt Remedy and there will be no place for Repentance. But I hope better things of you, Brethren, and things that accompany Salvation, though I thus ſpeak.