Jury to try them but if they be praying persons they are Hypocrites as if Piety were a note of Hypocrisie The Lord rebuke thee oh Diabolist judge charitably till you know the truth you may wrong them as Primitive Christians were 2. Suppose they do miss and miscarry alas they are but men Thus the Angel excused honest Joshua when Satan accused him Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.13 Alas he smells of Babylon too much but may not these be upright for the main and how will God take it if you slander his Children But suppose it be true that they are faulty doth their Religion teach them so Is this the fault of their praying or not praying aright Is it because they are too religious or defective in it No say you they are Hypocrites and if they prove so that are so devout what will become of you 1 Pet. 4.18 that are so far short of them If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall you appear Object 9. We pray in publick and secret is not that sufficient what needs family-prayer too surely God never required so much a-do Ans 1. One duty cannot supersede another These are distinct circumstances of performing the same duty Religion must be carried on in all places relations 1 Pet. 3.7 Husband and Wife must pray together yea and Neighbours must call to each other and say Come come let us go speedily to pray before the Lord Zech. 8.21 Think not then to put off God with one sort of Religiousness but you must be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1 15◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every turn turn you which way you will to your general or particular Calling to a single or married state to solitariness or company you must still take your Religion with you and practise it as a Member of Church or Family 2. It 's very suspicious whether those worship God sincerely in publick or at all in their Closets that worship not God in and with their families It was the saying of Lactantius non est vera Religio quae cum Templo relinquitur that 's no true Religion which men leave behind them at Church Men may make a shift to serve God as others do at Church for vain-glory or ostentation and pretend secret prayer meerly for an evasion but family-prayer will try whether they worship God sincerely or no Men see the former but know not the latter Object 10. None of my Neighbours use it if I pray in my family I shall be singular Ans 1. Wouldst thou chuse rather to follow a multitude in evil to Hell Exod. 23.2 than travel with a few to Heaven Our Lord saith What do you more than others Mat. 5.47 Or what singular thing do you Are you content to fare as the most fare Will you rush with the Herd into the deep and be damned for company Is that good-fellowship that ends in the sad reckoning another day Christ's Flock is a little Flock But read Matth. 7. 13 14. and consider whether you 'll chuse 2. If you have not the greater you have the better company to travel with Abraham Isaac Jacob and all the holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Ministers Confessors Christians they have all travelled in this Road Psal 32.6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Methinks you should rather chuse to be Companions of the excellent Psal 16.8 Mal. 3.14 17. whom God will own when he makes up his Jewels than those Atheists that say It is in vain to serve God Object 11. But I know some strict Professors that use not to pray in their families nay that plead against it Ans 1. That 's no part or property of their goodness I deny not but some godly persons may for a season live in the omission of some duties either through want of information or their own sloth or through false Teachers and the power of delusion yet this is a temptation but free grace will recover them and the new Nature within them will incline them to own their duty when they are convinced of it and when they come to themselves 2. Yet some Professors seem good that are not so they may have a name to live Rev. 3.1 and yet be dead all 's not Gold that glisters men may have the face but not the frame or heart of Christians Gal. 6.12 How many make a fair shew in the flesh and account themselves the only Saints and are so esteemed by others that are not owned by the Lord The complexion of a Saint is one thing but the constitution of a Child of God is another Some Notionists spread their sails and think themselves wronged if they be not called the godly Party but herein they are proved rotten by casting off some precious truths and necessary duties imitate such at your peril Psal 119.6 a sincere Saint hath respect to all God's Commandments Object 12. We have scoffers in our families that will withdraw and not joyn but jear it may be a Son or Wife will be doing something else that while and this will breed confusion and do hurt Ans 1. But who is Master thou or they If thou hast lost thy governing power be ashamed of it and resume thy Authority Whose Cause dost thou manage God's or the Devil's If the Cause be God's in the name and strength of God own it and he will stand by thee fear not Man in the way of duty It was thy carelesness to joyn thy self to an untamed Heifer or admit an unruly Servant into thy family add not Rebellion to that sin be humbled and reform 2. Had never any of God's Children profane wretches in their family Abraham had a persecuting Ishmael Isaac a profane Esau David a scoffing Michal what did they did they give over praying no they prayed more fervently Gen. 17.18 2 Sam. 6.20 21 22. Oh that Ishmael may live in thy sight David was so far from ceasing his Devotion that Michal's scornes were as Oyl to inflame his Zeal I will yet saith he be more vile than thus and will be base in mine own sight if they account it sordid baseness I account it my chiefest honour to humble my self before the Lord And what think you is a total omission or vigorous performance of family-duty more likely to win and work upon your carnal scornful Relations I am sure a laborious charity is better than contemptuous withdrawing and is usually blessed with success however it 's a mean to set order Object 13. I am bashful modest and of weak gifts and cannot fashion to pray before others I shall but bewray my ignorance Ans 1. Canst thou take upon thee in other Cases and not in this Who commands thy Servants to work or who instructs them in their Calling or chides them when they displease thee they shall hear from thee if they miss it and canst thou not speak
a Prophecy as well as a Prayer Jer 10 25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy name It 's a dreadful Prediction 1. For the wrath threatned not ordinary but fury anger boyled up to the highest degree of revenge anger and fury are sometimes joyned Jer. 7.20 Ezek. 8.18 and when God deals in fury his eyes spare not neither hath he pity This is dreadful But 2. Here 's the measure of it Pour out thy fury this notes plenty abundance variety of sore Judgments not one or two but multitudes of Plagues like drops in a Shower or as Flood-gates opened as a general Inundation spreading it self universally poured out on Children Jer. 6.11 young Men Husband and Wife aged with him that is full of days Isa 34.2 Oh what would become of England if this fury were as universal as the neglect of this family-family-duty Descensus à â—ummis in â—imum and this fury is irresistible it 's like a descent from above which can no more be stopped and avoided than the Showers of Rain There is no stopping these Cataracts of Heaven no quenching this fire of fierce wrath against irreligious Families when the Lord renders his anger with fury Isa 66.15 and his rebuke with flames of fire 3. But what is all this for what meaneth the heat of this great anger is it for Idolatry Murder Drunkenness Blasphemy or for some horrible hainous crimes no it 's for sins of omission not knowing God not calling on God's Name O miserable families where Religion is not exercised there these threatnings must be executed Object But we see no such thing prayerless families flourish live bravely have all things at command Job 21.7 13. prosper more than others their houses are safe from fear neither is the Rod of God upon them I must confess this promiscuous dispensing of outward Providences that wickedness is prosperous holiness oppressed hath been an offence to the godly and an hardening to the wicked And David himself was puzzled with it Psal 73.17 till he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their End and God's End in this Deut. 32.35 Rom. 9.22 But I answer 1. Forbearance is no acquittance a Reprieve is no Pardon Their foot shall slide in due time God bears long with sinners for wise ends till the Vessels of Wrath be fitted for destruction God will be in some mens debt till another World They shall have their good things here Luk. 16.25 and torments hereafter A wise man will chuse his Heaven hereafter though he have an Hell here 2. Yet this Curse and wrath upon wicked persons and prayerless families is secret and invisible even in outwards Hag. 16. Mat. 22. they may sow much and bring in little eat and not have enough Yea God curseth even the Blessings of such as worship not God however they have not a Covenant-right to what they do enjoy it is not sanctified to them for their good 1 Tim. 4.5 for the Creature is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer but prayerless families have no outward comforts thus sanctified Besides the saddest invisible Curse is upon their Souls and Spirits a blind mind hard heart a seared conscience and a spirit of slumber are the greatest Judgments and Fruits of God's heaviest fury Rom. 1.26 28. 2 Thes 2.10 11. Psal 81.11 12. It 's a dreadful thing when a Lord have mercy on them is writ upon mens Doors and they cannot read it will not believe it or lay it to heart Isa 42.24 25. This is next to Pharaoh's Plague and next door to Hell They that will not heed now must feel this fury and in the latter days shall consider it perfectly Read Jer. 23.19 20. Deut. 29.19 20. Thus much for the Reasons to prove erecting Family-Altars for God's Worship an important duty The Command of God Scripture-Types Natural Religion Promises Prophecies Scripture-Examples Divine Providence discriminating Character their being Christian Churches Governours charge and account daily necessities of Families God's Blessing on praying-families his Curse and Wrath upon prayerless families Chap. IV. Objections proposed and answered that militate against Family-Altars BUT there is no Truth so plain no Duty so good but Satan can furnish a witty head and wicked heart with plausible Arguments against it And it 's strange if men have not something to say against this Duty that apparently tends to undermine Satan's Kingdom Object 1. Had Family-prayer been a Duty we had found it expresly commanded in Scripture but we find it not in any express Precept Ans 1. Where find you Infant-Baptism expresly commanded in the N. Teftam yet it is plain by necessary consequence so is this Circumcision was commanded there 's the like Reason for Baptism both are plain to all but perverse spirits I hinted before that proper consequence is strong Argument 2. Let not proud Reason dictate to the wise God how he must speak General Rules laid down in Scripture are to be applied to particular Cases by Nature and Reason in several circumstances If God say Men must provide for their families he leaves it to their discretion what kind of Meat Cloaths Lodging Callings they provide God bids us pray without ceasing in all places all manner of prayer and leaves it to prudence for particular places times words company so that it answer the main End of God's Glory Communion with himself and Edification Let not captious Wits pick quarrels to evacuate the substance of a Duty because the circumstance is not exprest God gives Laws to Rational Creatures and indulgeth us so far as to leave us to our liberty in mutable circumstances except expresly prescribed Object 2. Jesus Christ prayed not with his family yet he is the best Pattern if he had prayed with them constantly they would have learned from him but they want to be taught Luk. 11.1 Ans 1. Christ's case and ours are far different what was suitable to his Disciples was not proper to him he needed not for himself to confess sin ask forgiveness beg mortification increase of grace assurance so that it was not necessary that he should ordinarily be their mouth 2. Yet Scripture-silence is no good Argument And their desire of instruction in Prayer is no good Argument he Prayed not with them for Prayer is a Personal Duty And our Lord could not be always with them And yet we find our Lord did occasionally Pray with his Family In Gratitude Mat. 11.25 26. In working Miracles Mat. 14.19 In the Holy Supper Luke 22.19 And that large and last Prayer uttered with his Disciples John 17. In all which he spake what was proper to him as God-Man and our Mediator and herein he is an excellent pattern to all Housholders Object 3. The Sacrifice of the wicked and so his Prayer is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 How can you then put them on Praying when most are bad
presume to do it being an act of Office This being annexed to Christs Commission Teach and Baptize and this is the Cup of Blessing Mat. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Cor. 11.13 which we viz. as Ministers bless And this they receive of the Lord and are to deliver it to the People And I find several Judicious Divines affirming that Dispensing the Seals is peculiar to an Organized Church and is proper only to Ministers rightly Ordained For the Lords Supper is a Symbol and mean of publick Communion not of Families as such For though Christ administred it to his Family yet not as a Family but as a Church The Judgment and Practice of the Primitive Doctors and Christians is a sufficient proof of this 2. Query Is the Master or Governour of the Family always bound to perform Family Duty May he not in some cases Substitute another to perform that Office for him Answ 1. It is incumbent upon the governour of a Family as his proper charge And it is the fittest he do it himself it capable David was a great King and had much business abroad 2 Sam. 6.20 Job 1.35 yet returned to bless his House and put it not off to a Chaplain Job was the greatest of all the Men in the East yet he acted personally in Family Worship I have heard of a Noble Man in England that though he keep a Chaplain yet to shew his Authority and Duty voluntarily at some times himself prays with his Family This is well done 2. Yet a Chaplain may be made use of especially where the Family is numerous or when his gifts and graces are more taking and edifying and he is likely to do more good than the Governour Deut. 12.12 18. It may seem probable that some Levites were kept in some of the Jews Families being oft reckoned with their Sons Daughters Servants it may be in some Cases to perform these Religious Duties in the Family Judg. 27.13 And so Idolatrous Micah had his Levite-Chaplain which he too much boasted of 3. Some have thought that a Wife in a Family may in some Cases perform Family-Duty and that this Honour may be given to the weaker vessel to do the Office of Religious Exercise 1 Pet. 3 7. as well as partake in the Government of the Family doubtless she is to pray And it hath been judged by Learned men that she may and must pray in the family with her husbands leave and in her husbands presence so she cover her face with a Vail in token of her subjection This they think is meant by a woman praying or prophecying with her head covered 1 Tim. 2.12 1 Cor 14.34 not in the church where she was not to speak but in the family when she performed that peice of worship Quanquam nec hoc malè quadrabit fi dicamus Apostolum hanc modestiam non modò in loco ubi tota Ecclesia congregatur requirere a mulieribus sed etiam in quovis graviore caetu aut matronarum aâ—t virorum Quales interdum in privatas aedes conveniunt Calv. in locum and Calvin seems to incline to this apprehension saying the Apostle requires this modesty of women not only in the place where the Church meets together but in any grave assembly of Matrons or such as sometimes are in private houses It 's true he denys them liberty to prophecy in any other place but I see no reason why an Abigail a Deborah may not at least be the mouth of a family to God But I am not positive herein but leave it to others consideration 4. And why may not a Servant a Steward of the house such as Eliezer Abrahams Servant or Obadiah Ahabs Servant pray in the Family Especially in these cases when the Master gives him not only liberty but a call to that Performance yea requests him to pray in the Family 2. When that Servant hath gifts to qualifie him for such a work and is not exposed to the scorn and contempt of his fellows 3. In case of the Masters sickness or absence from home or when more publick necessary business diverts him 4. In case that Servant be Humble Submissive Self-denying and know his place and do it not with a kind of Bravado over his Fellow-Servants or Contempt of his Master And if in all things that Servant shew himself Obedient according to his Duty 1 Tim. 6.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.18 19. 3. Query Or case of Conscience is When is the fittest time for the performance of Family-Worship Answ As to the time of Prayer I am really ashamed when I read how often the Turks and Mehometans Pray it is said by Writers they go seven times a Day to their Devotion viz. 1. Diluculo Early in the Morning 2. Oriente Sole at Sun-rising 3. Meridie at Noon 4. Inter Meridiem Vesperam betwixt Noon and Even 5. Occidente Sole at Sun-set 6. In Vespere an hour after Sun-set 7. Mediâ nocte at Midnight Oh! Be ashamed you professed Christians to be out stript by the Barbarous Turks * Weems Christian Synag p 85. David thrice Psal 55 17. Dan. 6.10 But as for the Jews whom primitive Christians imitated their hours of Prayer were borrowed from the times of their Sacrificing 1. Morning which was any time before the third hour Acts 2.15 2. Their Mid-day called the sixth hour Acts 10.9 or about Noon †Inde colligimus non posse cavere Ecclesiam certâ disciplinâ ac hodie nisi obstaret nimius corpor atile esset quotidie habere tales Conventus Calvin Act 31. 3. Evening-Prayer which was about the ninth hour which was six a Clock at Night Act. 3.1 Calvin thinks they did not go into the Temple to Pray meerly to comply with Jewish Rites but the better to propagate the Gospel yet asserts that the Church cannot want her certain Disciplin and at this Day saith he but that too much drowziness hinders it were profitable to have daily such meetings for Prayer He means in a more publick manner But for the Circumstance of time it is judged that Morning and Evening are fittest seasons for Family-Devotion Hence Calvin notes Hoc excercitio docebantur ab invocatione cultu dei incipere diem claudere by this exercise they were taught to begin and shut up the Day with Prayer and the Worship of God I have hinted this before and shall only add in short a few Directions 1. You must be sure to Pray for a Blessing upon your Meat at Meals according to 1 Tim. 4.4.5 2. Take your Family at Meal-time to seek God and read his Scriptures to sing Gods praise and to perform Family-Duty Morning and Evening 3. Let it be a stated time if possible known to the Family that none may plead excuse for their absence But the whole Family may attend 4. Yet if some extraordinary accident intervene you must not think your selves so precisely bound to a time as to be perplexed in Conscience