of your Family will bring every one a Stone to raise the pile of praise to an higher pitch yea and bring their Coal to warm your hearts together and kindle a greater Flame of heavenly devotion try this course and you 'll see the blessed issue 9. Consider what dangers you are daily incident to and see if that will not afford you matter of Prayer possibly some of your Callings expose you to greater hazards than ordinary some ride much abroad early and late to Markets and are subject to falls some work under ground and may be crusht to death others go to Sea and see the wonder of the Lord in the deep and it hath been said he that knows not how to Pray Qui nescit orare discat navigare let him go to Sea there is no Calling but it hath its Snares and difficulties which it exposeth Persons to and Wisdom is profitable to direct foreseen Dangers least hurt for as Persons are forewarned at least it affords Matter of Deprecation But there are thousands of accidents that the most sagacious eye cannot foresee which you see others fall into and fall by one falls into a Pit and perisheth another his Horse falls and he breaks an Arm or Leg or his Neck others are assaulted by Robbers and Slain others are burnt by sudden Fires in their Houses your own observation may afford you many sad Instances and what befalls others may befall you and may not these afford you matter of Prayer for their prevention or your preparation for them put your selves into Gods hands every Morning and Evening for you are never safe but under his Tuition the Omniscient Omnipotent God can only guard you and your Family He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepeth Psa 121.4.227.1 2. other means are ineffectual without him Zech. 12.10 10. Beg Gods Holy Spirit It is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication go to God in the name of Christ and if you can say nothing else yet tell him you cannot Pray but withall say Lord I hear others can Pray why not I No matter how dull the Schollar is so I have thee for my Master I hear others of mean gifts Naturally are yet instructed Spiritually and have arrived to great dexterity in managing Family-Worship and may not I be endowed with the same Spirit first of Sanctification and then of Supplication come Lord and teach me to Pray as John taught his Disciples or rather as Jesus teacheth his Members thou saist Luk. 11.1 v. 13. if ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him I know this is an hard Text but it must not be understood as if God would give his Sanctifying Spirit to a carnal mans Prayer by vertue of a promise but either common gifts of the Spirit to such or further degrees of the Spirit to his own Children and so I think it is to be taken as the Pledge and earnest of the Holy Spirit to Sanctified Souls as Calvin takes it as being one of the good things of the kingdom of Heaven Which Godly Souls most importunately ask and beg for and you see here a free and faithful promise of Christ that his and our Father will bestow his Holy Spirit on us Jubemar qâ—idâ—m pulsare sed nemo Sponte praâ—nditari vel 〈◊〉 Syllabâ—m poâ—erit visi arcado Spiritus sui instinctu nos Deus puisiâ—â— adeâ—â—â— sibi corda nostra aperiat Cal. ix loc and the Blessed Apostle tells us the advantage of the Holy Spirit for our assistance in prayer Rom. 8.26 likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should Pray for as we ought c. All acknowledge that the Spirit must help our infirmities in the manner of right Praying exciting Graces and Holy affections and knitting our thoughts to God But the great question is whether the Holy Ghost dictates to Gods Children matter or expression in Prayer I think the Text is clear that it doth For the Text saith not that we know not how to pray but what we should pray for as we ought hence a Schoolman saith Dissicillimum est scire quid sit desiderandum it's most difficult to know what is to be desired a Godly man knows the end Gods Glory and the injoyment of him but unless the Spirit teach him he will miss it in the means and as our Saviour saith ask they know not what Mat. 20 2â— Luk. 9.54 55. Job 6.8 9 Jonah 4.3 as we have some instances in Scripture and many sad experiments in our selves and though the Lords Prayer be a rule in general yet we may be to seek in particulars except the Spirit bring things into our thoughts and often suggest Scripture expressions to our Memorys in earnest and perinent Pleading with the Lord the Spirit inlightens us in our Ignorance assists us in our weakness resolves us in our doubtings Comforts us in our Sadness Quickens us in our Deadness Composeth us in our distractions Oh! therefore sue out this blessed Advocate within which will make Interpellation in our Hearts as Christ makes intercession at Gods right hand and then you Pray acceptably But God hears no Language but that of his Spirit yet God's Spirit makes intercession by helping God's people to intercede Spiritus iâ—tâ—â—lat â—aâ—i endo nos â—â—terpell 〈◊〉 â—r ac saciâ—â— to nos orare clamat faciendo nos clamare videsis Pareâ—m in loc it Prays by helping us to Pray not as Arrians imagine that the Holy-Ghost is below the Son as supplicating the Son or that the Son is less than the Father as supplicating the Father which is a grosse mistake for Christ intercedes for us by the vertue of his merit with the Father the Holy-Ghost by helping us to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Let none Imagin that this is an Euthusiastick fancy or a miraculous gift as Chrysostom thought no nor a Melancholy dream they that have any solid experience in the things of God know that the assistance of the Spirit in Prayer is the greatest reality in the World nor was it a temporary gift but a permanent Grace abiding with the Church for Ever Joh. 14.16 Eph. 6.18 Jude 20. Enabling even private Christians to Pray in the Spirit and in the Holy-Ghost yet differently as God sees good sometimes more inlarging their hearts and at other times withdrawing his Influences but it becomes us to embrace its Motions and Pray earnestly for it Thus much for helps to the matter of Prayer Chap. IX Helps how to manage Family-Worship as to the manner of Performance THUS at last I have dispatch't the instructions that concern the matter of Family-Prayer for the help of such as are weak and are sensible of their own Insufficiency and have been longer than I intended and must contract in the Rest As to the due manner of managing this Solemn Family-Work
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-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
to God before them Cursed is that Modesty that 's ashamed of duty Mat. 10.33 Hast thou not reason to fear Christ will be ashamed of thee Is not this for God's Cause 2 Tim. 2.12 deny him at your peril he will deny you 2. Are not all in your family underlings to you have not you Authority over them to enjoyn them silence and reverence if you have lost your Authority by your ignorance or childishness thank your selves Those that honour God he will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 Mal. 2.8 9. but departing out of God's ways renders men contemptible and base It 's Grace and Holiness that must recover your credit But I know the reason why you 'll not pray it 's because you think you cannot do so well as others or to get applause this is your pride But if you would shame your selves and do your best God would provide for your credit Gifts would increase Object 14. But I am poor it 's an hard World we work hard cannot spare time I have a great family and charge to maintain Ans 1. Do'st not thou and thy family spend as much time in idle talk sports needless Visits sitting by the fire as this would come to None so hard set in their Callings but they might redeem half an hour in the morning Eph. 5.15 and more at night yea though it were from sleep for God's Service if they had an heart for God Conscience will tell thee thou spendest more time that might be better imployed but an heart is wanting 2. It 's an usual saying Meat and Mattins hinder no work There 's a great truth in it Prayer expedites business for it obtains a blessing from God Eliezer Abraham's Servant prayed and God prospered his Journey You are Atheists if you think work stands in prayer-time Psal 1.3 No no it makes whatsoever you take in hand to prosper The poor man cried to Mr. Carter Sir I work hard and fare bare and thrive not he answered Work hard and pray hard and see what that will do Object 15. I saith the rich thriving man in the World but my hands are so full of business and Chapmen or Customers come so fast or I am to go abroad in my Calling that I cannot get time for prayer Ans 1. I shall to this give the same Answer that Mr. Ignatius Jurdan gave to a Shop-keeper in London accounted religious being very busie in his Shop early in the morning Mr. Jurdan took him aside said Sir I perceive you are very busie do you keep up the Trade of Religion in all this throng he answered I hope I do I but saith he do you visit God in your Closet and Family morning and evening he replied In the evening I pray constantly with my family but in the morning sometimes Customers come and hinder us Mr. Jurdan said I tell you I would throw these goods into the Channel or set a fire on them rather than they should hinder me in my course of Devotion or in the way to Heaven So say I Sirs do you prize gain above godliness then you are none of God s Servants but the World's Slaves Say not it 's but for a time one neglect brings on another and thy heart will be more hardened and by missing one season of Communion with God you lose more than all your Estates are worth Are you content that the World be your Portion Oh make not gain your godliness 2. How can you expect your gains and riches should be blessed to you when you take not God's way to obtain a blessing Prov. 3.34 If you begin not with God the end will be cursed Prov. 10. God's curse is in the House of such wicked persons However such treasures of wickedness profit nothing 1 Tim. 6.9 10 and since you will be rich you fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which will drown you in destruction and perdition Do not you know that worldly riches cannot satisfie Consider the more you get of the World the more difficult is your journey to Heaven and greater your account Object 16. You bind us to a tedious Bondage this is a wearisom task to Pray with our Families Morning and Evening it 's not to be endured Answ 1. It 's a sign of a Carnal Heart to be weary of Duty A gracious Soul thankfully accepts the offer of frequent approaching to God Psal 43.4 Then saith David will I go to the Altar of God Psal 73.28 to God my exceeding joy It 's good for me to draw nigh to God This is the height of a Christians preferment the sweetest recreation and only gainful imployment To them that love God his commands are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 Prov. 3.17 but these ways of Wisdom are not only pleasant but pleasantness Alas Sirs what Spirits are you of Mal. 1 1â— that say What a weariness is it Surely Heaven it self would be your Hell unless your Hearts and Natures were changed 2. It is a dreadful token of Gods rejecting that man and of that Mans forsaking the Lord that will rather pick quarrels with Divine Commands than obey them Remember what became of them that said â—oh 6.60 66. This is an hard saying who can hear it They went back and walked no more with Christ It 's a sign thou takest thy Religion for low and base ends and when those ends are attained then farewell Christ And Oh the wretched end of forlorn Apostates and whither wilt thou go for a better Master where wilt thou find a better Service will'st thou prefer Satans Drudgery to Gods Service which is perfect freedom Joh. 12.26 Ah sinner thou hast the black brand of Reprobation upon thee and and shalt be filled with thy own ways Prov. 14.14 Object 17. Saith one I never used this Family-Prayer and have been an House-keeper this Twenty Thirty or Forty years and am loath to bring up a new Custom or condemn my former Practices Answ 1. Custom in sin or sinful neglects doubles the sin and hardens the heart Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil What think you is it an extermination or aggravation of a fault to plead Custom Will the Thief say to the Judge My Lord I have been so accustomed to stealing that I cannot leave it Oh say not I will go to Hell because I have travelled in that Road all my days and am loath to change 2. Converting Grace can break off a bad Custom yea sanctifying work will turn an old Stream into a new Channel or rather renew the Souls Faculties and make a new Creature or Creation 2 Cor 5.17 Old things pass away and behold all things are become new new Principles Motives Rule and End You are not true Christians if you be not new Creatures Phil. 3.9 And if you be not found in Christ you are lost
us of a Sacrifice ver 22 but betwixt those he saith that the Lord shall be known to Egypt yea and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day and shall do Sacrifice and Oblation by Altar is meant Gospel-Worship by a Pillar at the Border of it is meant a Monument of the True Religion betokening Evidences of their Piety in all places but without the true knowledg of God in Christ they will set up the Athenian Altar Act. 17.23 To the Vnknown God and therefore it 's said that the Lord shall be known to Egypt in the Gospel-Publication and not only so but the Egyptians shall know the Lord Savingly Sincerely Sensibly Experimentally for words of sense denote affection and practice then and never till then will they be fit to offer an Oblation for if men offer the blind for Sacrifice is it not Evil Mal. 1.8 and if the offerer be blind and Ignorant is not he Evil will God accept such a person what cares God for mens Ignorant Devotions Hos 4.1 if there be no knowledg of God in the Land there 's no Mercy nor Truth for saving knowledg is the door and window to let in Saving Grace 2. You must allo have a saving Principle of Grace in your hearts a bowed Will a renewed Conscience Sanctified affections a Soul set with a by as Heaven-wards that you may delight in the Law of God Rom. 7.22 Joh. 4.24 after the inward man and may Worship God in Spirit and in Truth else your Praying will be but canting your labour will be but lip labour and so lost labour all your Piety will be but Hypocrisie and your hearts will not be ingaged in it then you will be heartless in setting about it and soon weary of it without union to Christ you can do nothing see then that Christ dwell in your hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 1 Joh. 4.16 that 's the Mistical Bond that you be united to him by love that 's the Moral Bond and Ligament from that Spring flow Holy desires delight in God fear of God repentance Humility Self-denyal Zeal and all other Graces without which you will be but cold Worshipers of God Set up with something within or you are Formalists at best But you 'll say how shall we get this principle of Grace I answer you must be convinced that you have it not by Nature that you cannot work it in your own hearts Eph. 2.8 for Faith is the gift of God 2 Cor. 13.5 you must examine your selves whether Faith be in you you must study and plead the Covenant of Grace Jer. 31.33 34. Deut. 30.6 wherein God promiseth to put his Law in your inward parts to teach you to know him to circumcise your hearts to love him to put his fear in your hearts Jer. 32.40 Ezek. 36.26 27. to put his Spirit into you and a new Spirit within you and by studying and pleading these pretious Promises you may be partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that you may serve the Lord in a new and due manner 2. Another Preparative to this Family-Altar is the due and regular constitution of Families which consists in a Solemn choice of Family Relations Governours of Families must be very cautious herein that are a going to set up Families 't is true Children are necessary parts thereof and persons must take these as God sends them they are not Elective or of our choice but there are ways appointed by God to make them good but that I meddle not with at present it is such as are arbitrary or within our power to make choice of as Wives and Servants the first inferiours or assistants in Families these may be a great furtherance or hinderance to an House-holder in the Excercise of Religion 1. When you are to choose a Wife be very shy and carefull 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally Yoked together with Vnbelievers lest it come to pass that when you draw one way she draws another when you would Pray in your Family she be busie about the World and will not joyn with you but act the part of Scoffing Michal 2 Sam. 6.20 who jeer'd her holy Husband David for his servent Zeal to Gods Worship in Dancing before the Ark Oh what grief of heart will this be to you that must be forced to turn your sweet communion with into a severe admonition of your own Wife and the nearer the Relation the heavier the affliction when your Wife proves a tempting Eve or as Solomons Wives who turned away his heart from God Oh! 1 Kin. 11.2 3 4. the danger of Seduction but if not so yet a bad wife will be a continual vexation like a constant dropping in a very rainy day you little know the inconveniences attending such a Relation you 'll say how can we help it I answer Prudence Prayer and due consideration before-hand may ordinarily Prevent such a bad choice if you make it your business to Marry in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 and Yoke only with such an one as bears Christ's Yoke consulting Christian Friends renouncing Carnal Ends in your Choice as Beauty Portion Parentage but be sure of grounded hopes of Saving Grace in the first place let Religion and Reason not Lust or Fancy make your choice lest you smart for your Folly Oh what an help may a Prudent Gracious Wife be in assisting you in setting up this Family-Altar a Wise Woman buildeth her House Pro 14.1 Judg. 13.23 Ruth 4.11 1 Sam. 1. â— 10,13 Manoahs Wife incouraged her Husband and Rachel and Leah builded the house of Jacob or Israel Hanna Prayed while her Husband Elkanah Sacrificed and no doubt joyned with him devoutly at home Oh what a blessed harmony to see Husband and Wife heirs together of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 that their Prayers may not be hindred but mutually furthered this plainly intimates that unsuitableness of Spirit or untowardness in either hinders Prayers i. e. either diverts them from Praying or spoils the efficacy of Prayer therefore let Young men be Wise in this main concern of choosing a Wife for who would fetch Water to kindle Fire as one saith or a Bed of Snow to keep one Warm you have quench-coals enough now within espouse not more rather get Bellows to kindle your Spark 2. As for Servants be Serious and cautious in choosing godly ones if it be possible choose godly Servants trust not to your care and pains to make them so if Onesimus be begot in Bonds he will be profitable to his Godly Master Philemon there 's no trusting Carnal Servants Philem. 10.11 they will but comply out of awe may degenerate into Atheism If thy Servant be upright he will not only Pray when thou prayest which will make a blessed harmony Gen. 24.12 but will Pray alone for thee and as Godly Eliezer did in his Masters business and then things will succeed well for as one