Rom. 12.11 But do your best in every Duty Be you fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Be in good earnest as if this were the last prayer you were to put up Muster up all your Forces excite your Graces rouze your Affections to and in the work then you 'll pray better and better 5. Take a fit season for Family-Worship it 's a great fault to put off Family-prayer till the last thing you do it will not be so seasonable to go down upon your knees when you are fitter to ly down in your Beds Our Lord saith of his sleeping Disciples the Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 but alas some in your Families that have not a willing Spirit and would rather be at rest than wrestling with God Eutichus might be a Godly man Act 20 9. yet being at an unseasonable hour he dropt asleep which Calvin saith Quid mirum si nocte intempâ—â— cum Soâ—â—o â—â—latus â—â—â—dem Succâ—buit Calv. in loc might be in some sort excusable for it s no wonder if having struggl'd against sleep at such an unseasonable time at length he was overcome he concludes he had not compos'd himself to sleep because he chose an unfit place to sleep in being in a Window and it must be ascribed more to natural Infirmity than willful fault but by this instance Governours must learn to take fit times for Family-Worship not when Children and Servants are tired out with working if it be attainable go to prayers before Supper when your Spirits are most brisk and lively drowzy Devotion brings guilt on the person and Family especially if it be through imprudent Management a fit time for Duty Morning and Evening when the Family Comes together to their Stated Meals 6. Let Family-Worship be performed when other Worldly business can be best laid aside One thing is needfull Luk. 10.42 take heed of incumbring your selves with the many things of the World I hope I need not bid you order the members of your Family to lay hands off all other Works but you must endeavour that if possible their hearts be also taken off all other Imployments 1 Cor. 7.35 that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction not that Governours can pretend to govern the inward man but that they may so dispatch and dispose of Worldly concerns under their cognizance as to leave both themselves and Families as little occasion of diversion as may be therefore must you take such times for Religious Excercise wherein you may be freest from business Pro. 18.1 Solomon saith Through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and intermedleth with all Wisdom Mans mind is but Finite and cannot be intent on several things at once you must mind Religion in your Earthly business but if you mingle Earthly business with your Religious Dutys you marre all 7. Be short and serious Be not ordinarily long lest you be judged tedious Consider the infirmities of Children and some Family occasions and conveniences Weaklings of the Flock must not be over driven lest they faint or tire in the way Children and Servants have but a measure of affection especially if yet Carnal They will soon be ready to say Mal. 1.13 Amos 8.5 Behold what a weariness is it and when will the Duty be over Yea and perhaps will fall asleep or seek Diversions or take occasion to be absent Not but that 't is their fault but you may give them occasion Yet though you may be short you must be serious run not over Duties cursorily or in post hast as a task and longing for a Period You must be warm and lively Our Lords Prayer was short but pithy and full of affection Mat. 26.39 O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt It is not length of speaking but strength of affection that God looks at Yet a longer Prayer is not unlawful upon some special occasion or upon more than ordinary inlargement of affections But what I now say is in a stated course of Family Duty 's Be short Succinct Distinct Methodical and Pathetical in your Devotions 8. Let not guilt stop your Mouths If you have in the intervals of Duty slipt into any Sin Oh! Be sure to get it off before you wait on God in your Families Retire into a corner confess thy sin bewail it act Faith on the Mediator for Pardon Yea suffer not guilt in thy Family let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles for then thou shalt lift up thy face without spot Job 11.14 15. If thou indulge sin in thy self or in thy Family Conscience will stare in thy face and weaken thy confidence in thy Approaches to God Guilt had shut Davids Lips till it was Pardoned therefore he Prays O Lord open thou my Lips Psal 51.15 An unsuitable Carriage provokes God to withdraw Assistance Then what can you do And as guilt stops your Mouths so it opens the Mouths of others They will be ready to say it 's no matter of your praying except you practised better Your Servants and Children will be ready to despise you and withdraw from you and so breed Confusion in your Family which will hinder Prayer But if your Lives speak for God as well as your Lips you may say as David Psal 119.42 v. 43. So shall I have to answer him that Reproacheth me for I trust in thy Word Then you may hope he will not take the word of Truth out of your Mouth Let there be a sweet Harmony betwixt your Professions Prayers and Practices and then God will hear you Men will own you and your own Consciences will witness for you 9. Familiarize Holy Discourses with your Families and put the Members thereof upon Secret Duties If your Relations never hear a word of God or Religion in intervals of Family Exercise that Duty will be strange to them and they will but judge it as a formal round and your selves will have less Heart to the work If God be not in your thoughts all the day Psal 10.4 Impius hoc loco nomen collectivum est utque enim de una tantum persona loquitur sed indifinite de omnibus Talis est hominum natura quando destituitur gubernatore Deo Moller in hoc you will but coldly Pray at Night nay it 's well if you be not like those wicked Men that through the Pride of their Countenance will not seek after God Why so The Text saith God is not in all his thoughts or as it is in the Margent all his thoughts are there is no God Wicked here is a Collective word for he speaks not only of one person but indefinitely of all saith a good Interpreter for such is the Nature of Man when he is Destitute of God to govern him And if God be not in your thoughts he will not be in your words for out of the
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
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
Go to Bethel 3. Dwell there 3. The Duty to be done make there an Altar 4. The Reasons to inforce this Duty 1. God's appearing to him 2. His danger fleeing from his Brother Doct. 1. That most of God's manifestations to his People are personal or when they are alone Jacob was alone when he had the Vision of the Ladder Gen. 28.12 when God bids him return to the Land of his Fathers Gen. 31.3 Jacob was left alone when he wrestled with the Angel Hos 2.14 Song 7.11.12 Gen. 32.24 Our Lord invites Souls to solitary recesses where he whispers them in the Ear speaks to their Heart Nunquam mimes solus quata cum folus there usually is a reciprocal giving of Loves It 's good being alone with God Happy Souls that can say with our dear Lord Joh. 16.32 Ye shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me 2. From the Order and Appointment Arise go to Bethel Doct. 2. God alone is the fittest to dispose of Mens Habitations Deut. 32.8 The most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam The great God is the Author of all Topography and Geography as well as Genealogy and Chronology Act. 17.26 He hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed Sicut in castris sua cuique Turmae Dicuriâ—e distincta est statio ita in terra locatos esse homines ut singuli populi suis finibus contenti sint in ipsis populis suum quisque domicilium incolat Calv. in loc and the bounds of their Habitations And as God is the Soveraign Disposer of all so what he doth is in infinite Wisdom as a General of an Army ordering the Troops to their distinct Posts with which all men must be contented Qu. But why doth God bid Jacob here go to Bethel Ans 1. To convince him of his absolute dependance upon God and his duty of Resignation of himself and all he had to God's good pleasure 2. To quiet Jacob's spirit that was at this time full of fears because of the late slaughter of the Shechemites chap. 34.30 3. To secure him and his Family from danger by carrying them to a safer place out of harms way Gen. 28.11 19. Eight German Miles saith Paraeus in loc Bethel being thirty English Miles distant from Schechem Southwards God hath his Pathmos for his Servants in times of danger his Pella for his hidden ones in an Universal Slaughter 4. To put Jacob upon paying his Vows for hitherto he had been slack in making good his promise made at Bethel chap. 28.22 How God speaks of himself in the third person See Par. in loc 3. Here 's the Duty God puts Jacob upon which is to make there an Altar unto God which he must do partly to maintain and promote God's Worship partly to strengthen his Faith against his present fears from the gracious Experiments he had at Bethel Gen. 31.13 Doct. 3. God will be worshipped where ever his People inhabit Mens shifting their Habitation must not divorce them from God and Religion As God is every where present so in every place Incense must be offered to his Name Mal. 1.11 Change of place must not lessen our Piety 4. Here 's the Reason to urge this Duty 1. God's appearing to him there Doct. 4. Former Appearances of God to his Children are Memento's of present Duty Jacob had been nine years in the Countrey and had not returned to Bethel to pay his Vows made there whether 1. That he waited for a 〈◊〉 opportunity to do it solemnly with Tythes or Sacrifices Or 2. Waited for an admonition from God Totus à Divino Nutu pendebat nec dubitabat Dom. illi fignificaturum tempus Yid. Poli Syn. in loc and hoped for God's signifying his mind since he wholly depended on the Divine Appointment Or 3. Whether now his new straits put him in mind of his old straits receits Or 4. Whether this was Jacob's sin to forget and neglect this duty which is most likely that rich Jacob forgets what poor Jacob had vowed Doct. 5. God hath a day and a way to rub up his Peoples memories to perform forgotten duties God tells him there was a day he fled from Esau his Brother Dr. Lightfoot on Gen. thinks God was angry with Jacob for distrusting his promise and sending Esaâ— 500 Cattle which he had vowed the Tythes to the Lord of therefore sough to kill him Observat oâ— Gen. p. 16. and now lets him see the danger he is in of the Canaanites that he may perform old duties before he expects new mercies And indeed new straits revive old guilt Gen. 42.21 Thus much for the first General God's Commission 2. Here 's Jacob's Charge to his Family verse 23. Then Jacob said to his Houshold Wherein Jacob as an Housholder acts the part Of a 1. Prophet 2. Priest 3. King 1. He is as a Prophet to instruct his Family in the mind of God 2. Teaching them their duty 3. His own purpose what he is resolved upon And 4. Communicating to them his own Experience for Argument and Encouragement chap. 2. 1. His Prayer 2. God's Answer in his deliverance and direction verse 3. 2. He acts herein as a Priest in his own house 1. In making an Altar unto God 2. In pouring a Drink-offering thereon and pouring Oil thereon verse 14. 3. He acts the part of a King or Supreme Governour over his own Family which consists 1. In the Command he lays on them 1. To put away strange Gods 2. To be clean 3. To change their Garments 2. In his actual exercises of Jurisdiction Viz. 1. Their compliance ver 4. They gave him the strange Gods and Ear-rings 2. His demolishing or putting them out of their sight he hid them Q. 1. How came idols to be in Jacob 's Family Ans 1. Either those newly taken from the Shechemites amongst other spoils chap. 34.29 which Jacob's Sons might keep not to worship but for their precious matter of Gold Silver 2. Or Jacob's Gentile Servants kept these Images to worship secretly unknown to Jacob. 3. Or they might be maintained and used by Leah or Jacob's two Wives or Concubines Billah and Zilpah or Deborah Nurse to Rebecca for Idolatry was but gradually purged out 4. Why might not these Gods be the Images that his beloved Rachel stole chap. 31.19 They are called Teraphims or Images Laban calls them his Gods v. 30. They were made in the shape of men whom the Heathen adored as subordinate Gods to whom they committed the protection of their Houses with whom they consulted about secret or future things from whom they received delusory and diabolical Answers These Idols Laban worshipt together with the true God which Rachel took as due to her for a Portion or it may be to prevent her Fathers consulting them
Governours Yea therefore are Parents rewarded or punished in their Children according to the second Commandment because Governours must account for their Inferiours Yea God orders Housholders to bring all under their roof to the feast of Weeks with their Free-will Offerings Deut. 16.10 11. and the feast of Tabernacles v 13 14. Yea they were to bring their Males yearly three times in the year v. 16. And it is not for nothing that Housholders have this charge laid on them because they have greater Authority opportunity to bring them together for God's Publick Worship in the family for they may call them together upon natural and civil accounts to eat and to work and why not to pray together their command is a Law A Master may say Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship and why not of such a Sermon They may demand an account of their time and talents committed to their trust and why not a Reason of their hope and an account of their piety or proficiency why not call them to prayer And indeed it is a debt due to mens Children and Servants This is implied in Col. 4.1 2. Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal presently he adds continue in prayer intimating that praying for and with Servants is just and equal both upon their own and Servants account it 's as due as their promised wages God makes Masters as truly Watch-men as Ministers and if they fail Ezek. 3.18 God will require their blood at their hand Besides the advantages and conveniency of frequent intercourse capacitates Governours for this solemn Exercise and God will require accounts of all these Talents another day 10. There are daily cases occasions necessities that concern families to be presented unto the Lord There are family-sins to be confessed wants to be bewailed mercies to be desired cares and crosses to be removed fears to be prevented temptations to be resisted duties to be performed graces to be exercised obtained peace to be maintained or regained passions to be suppressed mercies to be acknowledged and all these must be laid at God's foot in daily prayer That 's a rare family that hath not some Prodigal Son or Carnal Soul as a Member of it some body sick in it or some Child to dispose of in Marriage or Calling some doubts or difficulties that call for prayer wherein the whole family is concerned or if there be no such exigency at present yet who knows how soon any of these or all these may light upon a family And what remedy is there like family prayer Phil. 4.6 Be careful in nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God This is a Catholicon a Cure for all Diseases a Salve for every Sore We find that when God afflicted Abimelech's family Gen. 20.1 1 Exod. 9.2 Abraham prayed unto God and God healed him his Wife Maid-servants and they bare Children A Pharaoh will beg Moses prayers for him in his Affliction and oh what a woful state is that family in that hath no body to speak a word to God for it and with it in domestick troubles A Child lies groaning and the Father cannot groan out a prayer a Servant lying at the point of death and the Master hath no skill or will to bring him to Jesus for cure Alas that any should be so insensible of their wants Deest sempe quod petitur vel ex toâ—o vel ex parte vel in sâ—se veâ— in sersu nestro vel denique quoad actum vel quod continu atam ejus durationem Ames Med Theol. l. 2â— cap. 9. so ignorant of the means of relief or distrustful of the Power of God or efficacy of prayer No family is above wants therefore none should be without prayer for prayer riseth from sense of wants which no person or family is without in whole or in part in it self or in sense in act or continued duration of mercy 11. The Blessing of God usually attends Family-Altars Not as though God were tyed to Religious Families as Heathens chained their Idols or as Elies Sons fancied Gods presence necessarily attending the Ark but God usually visits pious Families Scripture and Experience testifie this Psal 115.12 13. Psal 118.15 He will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron he will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great i. e. Proselites Gentiles Converts The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous Our Lord loves to converse where his Children inhabit it 's true he prefers publick Assemblies The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion Psal 87.2 more than all the Dwellings of Jacob God loves to see his Children together in his H. Worship The greater the Solemnity if good the more of Gods Spirit and Presence But God doth not despise his Children seeking him in families Psal 101.1 2. when devout David sings of mercy and judgment to God and behaves himself wisely in a perfect way he cries out O when wilt thou come unto me Gods kind visits are worth a World whether by way of Providence Assistance Influence or Evidence How often have Gods Children met with God in their families Gen. 18.10 Act. 10.3 Luk. 8.43.51 Abraham had a Promise of a Child Cornelius had a glorious Vision of an Holy Angel and our Lord came to Jairus's house to raise his dead Daughter How often hath God answered Family-Prayer Even at present by melting the hearts of Children Servants And afterwards It 's recorded of Mr. Banen of Stepleford That he seldom performed Family-duty but he had some Answers of Prayer to bless God for since the former time of appearing there before God Anno autem 1584. terrae motu Mons quidam in Ditiore Bernatum ultra alias Montes violenter latus pagum quendam nonaginta familias habentem contexit totum dimidiâ domi exceptâ in qua paterfamilias cum uxore liberis in genua provolutus Deum invocabat Polani Syntag. cap. 22. fol. 301. It is a remarkable story that Polanus relates of an Earth-quake in the year 1584. in Berna in a Mountain violently hurried beyond other Mountains overturning a whole Village of Ninety houses and families excepting half of one house in which the Father of the family with his Wife and Children were prostrate on their knees praying So true is that of Solomon Prov. 12.7 The Wicked are overthrown and are not but the house of the Righteous shall stand Prov. 3.3 God blesseth the Habitation of the just Exo. 12.1 He thinks fit sometimes to distinguish by his wise Providence betwixt the houses of the Israelites and Egyptians And experience doth daily shew that the house is blessed where God is sincerely worshiped as the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and his Houshold for entertaining the Ark 2 Sam. 6.11 12. On the contraty God curseth Prayerless-families that 's
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
so much is writ by others concerning the necessary Essentials of all Prayer that it 's needless here to add any thing what belongs to all Prayer Publick 1 Cor. 14.15 Family Secret Prayer you must be sure it be Cordial you must pray with the Spirit and understanding also your Family devotion must not be a meer customary Formality like the Papists Tongue-threshing as Luther calls their Cantings You must ingage your hearts in the work Jer. 30.21 and then draw nigh to him You must also ask what is according to God's will 2 Sam 7.27 ground Your prayers upon a Promise as David did and God requires You must also prepare your heart and then stretch out Your hand to God in prayâ—â— 1 Joh. 5.14 15. Joh. 11.12 Psal 26 â— 66 â—8 Isa 64.7 Wash before You Worship for if you regard Iniquity God will not hear Your prayer You must stir up your selves to take hold of God come in sincerity with all Humility with Importunity You must propound right Ends in your prayers not for self-credit to be seen of Men as the Pharisees nor for Worldly profit or to please a Friend But for God's Glory and injoying Communion with him But above all see that you improve Christ as your Advocate in all your addresses to God without whom your best Sacrifices are rejected Buâ— I must not insist on these but lay down some general Directions how to manage this Family-Altar and the Sacrifice thereon 1. Set Your Souls in God's presence Remember who it is you have to deal with Psal 16.8 not with men like your selves but with the Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible Majesty of the great God an Heart-searching All-seeing and Holy God Hab. 1.13 Psal 11.57 Job 13.16 17 that is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil and cannot look on Iniquity whose Throne is in Heaven who loveth Righteouness but an Hypocrite cannot come before him work your hearts to an awe of his Divine Majesty Consider of his Infinite perfections and the great distance betwixt the Glorious God and silly Worms yea betwixt the Holy God and your Sinful Souls Remember God is a Consuming Fire Heb. 12.28.29 and you as dryed stubble therefore serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear Psal 29.2 give him the Glory due unto his Name internally externally in your conceptions of him affections to him prostration before him he is to be had in reverence of all that are round about him Psal 39.7 It 's more to appear before God than the Holiest men or greatest Princes on Earth regard not Auditors or joyners in Worship so much as the object of Worship Say as Abraham the friend of God Behold Gen. 11.27 now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Oh that my Soul were weighted with the Glorious Majesty of God! 2. Call in Divine assistance presence and his Gracious Benidiction the first thing you do stand up and bespeak God's Blessing upon you in the present undertaking except you find it convenient to begin with a Psalm to call the Family together Psal 86.11 and desire the Lord to unite your hearts unto him and prevent distractions and Satans Temptations and vain Worldly cogitations in that Duty and lift up your Souls to himself with such an Ejaculation as that Lam. 3.41 Deu. 26.16 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens look down from thy Holy Habitation from Heaven and bless thy Servants We are taking thy blessed Book into our Hands Lord 〈◊〉 our Eyes to behold Wondrous things out of 〈…〉 let it be a light to our Feet and a 〈…〉 to our Paths let it be as our neces◠〈…〉 Food Yea sweeter than Honey or honey 〈…〉 more profitable than Thousands of 〈…〉 and Silver help us to understand ap◠〈…〉 and Practise what we read let our 〈…〉 a set before thee as Incense and the 〈…〉 of our hands as an Evening Sacrifice 〈…〉 be now attentive and thine Eyes 〈…〉 in the Prayer of thy Servants to us 〈…〉 shame and confusion of Face but to 〈…〉 Lord our God belong Mercys and Forgivâ—esses Thou hast Proclaimed thy name â—â—racious â—â—â—ifull Long-suffering c. To â—is name of the Lord do we flee pleading 〈◊〉 Mercy only for the sake of Christ look 〈…〉 be face of thine anointed 〈◊〉 â—mmediatly set upon this practice of 〈…〉 Altar to the Lord Embrace the 〈◊〉 â—viction the Evening of that day 〈◊〉 â—ou have heard the Duty pressed on 〈◊〉 about it plead no excuse to put it 〈◊〉 more convenient season Felix lost his 〈◊〉 and Soul by such a demur set about it 〈◊〉 your Spirits are warm give not Satan advantage by delay Imperatives have no future tense present dispatch is Essential to Gods commands anon anon at my leisure is no Obedience now or never there 's danger in delays Ps 119 60. I made haste saith David and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Remember his holy Resolution in a weighty matter of the like nature for settling God's Worship Psal 132.23 45. Your Spirits will cool by delays Satan will get advantage some have confessed that the Holy Spirit hath departed from them upon their not yeelding to it's motions and they have run into the dead Sea of Prophaness by degrees if you miss your opportunity you are undone you may dye before Morning if you go prayerless to Bed where will you be then You have no lease of your Lives you must not say to your Neighbour go Pro. 3.28 and come again and to Morrow I will give and will you say so to God Oh do not put off God in paying his dues either as to first undertaking or after-performance Qui non vul hodiâ— or as minus aptiâ— erit Take heed of delays and make no intermissions he that is not fit to day will be less sit to Morrow 4. Excite your selves and Families to the Work it was the Practice of the Primitive Church to have one to say before Prayer sursum corda up with your hearts alas our Spirits grow dull in the Intervals of Duty Isa 64.4 you must stir up your selve to take hold on God You must wind up your affections and turn your Spirits as you would do the strings of an instrument and you 'll find they will quickly slip down again twice did David say O God my heart is fixed yet immediately he found it unfix't again and crys Psa 57. â— Awake Psaltery and harp I my self will awake early You must be forced to give your hearts a pluck and check many times in a Duty if you make conscience to maintain them in a good frame 1 Pet. 4 7 Col. 4.2 hence those expressions of Watching unto Prayer and watching in Prayer as well as Watch and Pray Mat. 26.42 Oh take heed of doing the work of the Lord neglegently serve not God with that which costs you nothing
abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh And who will believe you are in earnest when your Lips are sealed up in Silence tell your Wife Children Servants at due seasons of the preciousness of Souls the necessity of grace excellency of Christ the Concernment of Eternity the near approach of Death the great account of Judgment and the importance of Watching Praying And put them upon going alone by themselves and praying as well as they can And as such Discourse will familiarize these Solemn Truth and Duties to them so it will make them willing to joyn with you in Family Worship If you will not own God before your Relations sure you will not own him before Enemies Gordius the Martyr being perswaded to keep his Heart to himself Oh! no saith he it is fit that this Mouth of mine which was made by God and for God should speak of God and for God Oh! Friends will you take your leave of God in the Morning or Evening Sacrifice and never own him till the return of that Family Service God forbid Are not the Souls of yours committed to you Must you not give an account of them And is not faithful speaking to them for God one way of discharging trust 2 Cor. 9.13 profess your Subjection to the Gospel and your example may prevail on all about you for God is much glorified thereby 10. Observe answers of Prayers and gather up Experiences As this will furnish you with matter of Prayer so it will help you in the due manner of managing it How did the Lord assist my Heart in such a Duty What quickenings What meltings What Communion with God What further degrees or strength of grace got I in such a performance What power against such a Corruption What strength against Temptation What further Ability or Incouragement in and for Gods Service Or make your remarks upon your Family what person is informed reformed conformed to the ways of God What Convictions or Impressions have I observed on the Spirit of such a Child or Servant What Miscarriages to be reproved or bewailed What evils have been prevented or removed How the Lord hath blessed or prospered your undertakings That God may have the glory your selves may have the use or profit of what you have met with in your Families David saith Ps 8 8. Ps 5.3 I will bear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his People and to his Saints In the Morning I will direct my Prayer unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dispâ—â—iom â—ibi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est spiculâ—â—or instâ—r speculatoris observaturus â—â— venias mihi auxilio and will look up the words are very Emphatical First his great care and exactness so to Order Direct and Compose both his Person and Prayers in such a manner as to be well pleasing to God Then will I stand as a Watchman upon my Watch-Tower to consider what answer he will give me The Altar which I have made shall be my Watch-Tower also on which I will stand to expect some blessed Answer What help the Lord will afford me By this means you may suit the condition of your Family and not shoot at Rovers But always find matter from things daily occurring to present before the Lord yea and those very occurrences will excite suitable affections of Joy and Sorrow to quicken you in Prayers or Praises This is what Solomon prescribes in Prov. 27.23 Be thou diligent to know the State of thy Flocks and look well to thy Herds Whether it refer to a literal Inspection of Shepherds in a proper Sense or Metaphorical in a Political as Magistrates Ecclesiastical as Ministers or Oeconomical as Governors of Families It 's a great Duty in all respects est praeceptum oeconomicum saith Mercer it properly and principally belongs to House-holders Else how can you accommodate your Counsels Admonitions of them or Petitions for them or your Sympathy or Compassion with them Thus I have disparcht my Instructions both Preparatory for erecting this Family Altar and also directed in the due manner of managing this Family Worship both for matter and manner And now you cannot plead Ignorance or Imbecillity I have in my weak Capacity reacht out my Hand to help you your way is lined out yea some have written down words and forms of Prayer to assist you and you have godly Ministers to whom you may repair for further direction and if still you wilfully live in the neglect of this known Duty your Blood â—e upon your own Heads yea the Blood of your Families will also be required at your Hands God Almighty make you willing and able for the Discharge of your relative Duty But if after all this you will not speak a word to God for your Poor Languishing Gasping Dying Families to keep them out of Hell I leave you to that Justice which will shortly plead with you at another rate than we poor Ministers can do and will take vengance on you for your willful neglect and Disobedience to the Calls of God Chap. 10. A Resolution of several Cases of Conscience concerning the Worship of God in Families MY last work is the Answering of Sundry Cases of Conscience some whereof have been propounded to me others are ordinarily incident in this point concerning this Family-Altar and Sacrifices in Families 1. Query Whether may an House-Holder take upon him to Preach expound Scripture dispense the Seals of the Covenant as Baptism and the Lords Supper to the Members of his Family seeing he is a Priest Answ 1. Ministerial Authoritative teaching by vertue of others is one thing and charitative subservient teaching is another A Master of a Family Deut. 11.18 19 20 21. Heb. 5.4 must teach all under his Charge as a Master yet not usurp the Office of a Minister without a just due Call His teaching must not be in opposition but in subordination to Ministerial Instruction As Families are Subordinate to Churches 2. Masters of Families must not take upon them that they are not fit for or presume beyond their Capacity incurring the guilt of proud self-conceitedness or vain ostentation as to undertake to interpret the Original or give the Sense of dark Prophecy or obscure Scriptures or determine knotty Controversies Yet may declare when it lies in their way what they have read or heard from Learned Pious Men or got in publick Preaching 3. Yet it is safest ordinarily to pass by those abstruse and difficult points and insist upon plain practical fundamental catechistical Truths or take occasion from the Chapter read in the Family to infer such a seasonable word suppose of admonition as I have heard a godly Father say this is for you look to 't this aims at you in such a case and with serious Exhortations press it home upon Conscience Or inform the ignorant in such or such a point requiring them to remember it 4. But as for administring Baptism and the Lords Supper they may not
weight c. Mr. Hildersham the Oracle of his time saith Hildersham on Psal 51. Lect. 12. p. 63. See 3. Arg. for forms I dare not deny but a weak Christian may use the help of a good Prayer-Book in this Case better to pray on a Book than not to pray at all certainly it is the Spirit of Errour that hath taught the World otherwise 2. Yet these worthy men affirm truely that every Christian even the meanest and weakest hath the gift and Spirit of Prayer 1 Tim. 4.14 So saith the latter of these Worthys and must not neglect the gift that 's in him Dr. Preston saith there is no man that hath any work of Grace in his heart but he is enabled in some measure to pray without a set Form of prayer there was never any man in any extream want but he knew how to express himself where he had liberty to speak 3. But Yet considering that some Christians though truely Gracious may for a season be very raw and unfit to open their Cases to God methodically or in apt words and considering it's before a Family that a man is to be the Mouth of and considering that unmeet and undigested expressions expose an Ordinance of God to contempt I could advise some Christians before they pray with others to premeditate and duly weigh what they are to say to God and think of a proper method and some Scriptural expressions to produce them in Prayer as I have before directed 4. As I doubt not the lawfulness of a member in a Family joyning with such a Prayer if the matter be sound and Orthodox so I question but such a Master as Conscientiously useth this practice will so increase in gifts and abilities that in due time he will cast away those Crutches and learn to go on profitably in daily Family Exercise to the edification of all that joyn with him So that in the diligent and humble use of these means many nauseous Tautologies and needless Impertinencies will be paired off which offended intelligent ears The Worthy Dr. Preston saith a Child that cannot go may have a prop to help it but we must not always be Children we must not always use that help 8. Case is What if the Housholder or Governour be loose and careless possibly comes home full of Drink yet will Pray though in no fit case for it or he is unsound at heart Prays but coldly formally may I joyn Answ 1. Thy acceptance with God depends not on the state of him that Prays nor on his zeal but upon thy non acting of Faith in Christ it thou be upright in joyning with the words and endeavoured to lift up thy Heart to God the Lord may graciously entertain thee Gal. 6.5 Rom. 14.12 though the person praying may be Rejected For every one shall bear his own burden and give an account of himself to God Not of others that we joyn with 2. Yet if thou beest certainly assured that the party Praying speaks Nonsense or Blasphemy in stead of Praying thou art bound in Conscience to shew thy dislike of it lest God be Dishonoured and Offended with the whole Family the Man hardned in sin thy own Conscience defiled and thy selt in danger of playing the Hypocrite in pretending to joyn with what thy Soul abhors In this case thou must withdraw and get alone and mourn for it 2 Kin. 5.13 1 Sam. 25.37 3. And 't is also thy Duty humbly and modestly to take a fit season to speak to thy Master as Naamans Servants did to him when they saw him out and you know it did good And Abigail told her Husband Nabal of his fault and danger and his heart dyed within him who can tell what good such a word in season may do He may think of it afterwards Jonathans Preaching Davids Case 1 Sam. 19.4 6. with his Passionate Father Saul did good for a while If you come to a Father or Master humbly and submissively not saucily and malapartly you may win upon them and if you can say little yet if you burst out into tears for their sin it may prove as convincing Rhetorick to them as King Edward's weeping was to Bishop Cranmer and Ridley denying his Sister Mary liberty for Mass who said The King had more Divinity in his little finger than they had in their whole body 4. If still there be no Remedy or Reformation tho' thou must not with cursed Cham discover thy Fathers or Masters nakedness if otherwise it may be helpt yet thou may'st or must acquaint a godly Minister or Christian friend ask their advice and if that be judged expedient that they may speak to thy Father or Master with as much secresie as possible and this runs parallel to our Lord's Rule Mat. 18.15 16. Who knows but a conviction may fasten and if he be obstinate he will leave off his praying in a little time for his sinning will make him give over praying or his praying his sinning 9 Case Suppose I be cast into a graceless and prayerless family how must I do or what is my duty A. 1. Examine thy grounds and ends in coming thither consider thy Call if thy Parents fixed thee there as an Apprentice quiet thy self in God's dispose make good use of this Providence if thou came thither voluntarily without due consideration be humbled for sin beg pardon make sure of a friend above 2. Use all lawful means to remove into a more wholesom Air I say to thee as the Apostle to a godly Servant 2 Cor. 7.21 Art thou called being a Servant care not for it but if thou may'st be made free use it rather Methinks God saith to you as once to Israel Numb 16.21 24 26 31. Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men It 's a wonder the ground doth not cleave in sunder or some Judgment comes not down upon such praverless Families 3. Humbly propound some Expedients for Remedy See if any other Member in the Family will undertake that work or whether the Governour will give you leave to pray in the Family and behave your selves so holily and winningly that the good conceit of Superiours or Equals may be a prologue and preparative to that work 4. If all this avail not for Family-worship and necessity detains you there as you love your Souls spend more time take more pains in secret Abi in Cellam dic miserere mei get into your Cell and say Lord have mercy on me as the old Monk said to Luther Jer. 13.17 or as Jeremiah If ye will not hear it my Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride Pray for your own Soul that you may not perish with others pray for the Family and all the Members thereof Governours and Governed be not discourraged with their scoffs who knows what the Event may prove 10 Case What if I be cast into a praying-family what use shall I make thereof Ans 1. Give
glory to God admire his wise and gracious Providence It 's not the Lot of all young people Think and say Lord who am I to enjoy this Priviledge this is a blessed place Judg. 6.37 Gen. 28.17 a place of blessings This Fleece is wet with Dew when others are dry This is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Blessed be God that hath cast my Lot here 2. Joyn in family-prayer Be not needlesly absent but do not content your selves with bodily presence or postures but see to it that your hearts also joyn with the expressions else you play the Hypocrites And when you go forth and set up Families of your own use the same practice but with the same spirit of your pious Masters 3. Improve this stock of your Relation's prayers A Father may lay up an Estate for his Child in Bills and Bonds which may prove a good Portion The Corn sown in the Field is as good as that in the Garner in some respects better The Father sows the Child reaps a blessed Crop God forbid that I should lose my Child's Portion for want of looking after it Lord cut not off the Entail of my Fathers Covenant Oh hear the many cryes he put up for me in my hearing 4. Behave your selves suitably to that Family where so gracious a Providence hath cast you God forbid you should be a scoffing Ishmael in an Abraham's house a prophane Esau in Jacob's a Rebellious Absalom or a filthy Ammon in holy David's Family You disgrace the ways of God more than others when it shall be said See what a Beast was bred in a praying-family You greatly discredit your Breeding and sink your selves deeper in Hell God Almighty open your Eyes awake your Consciences and reform your Conversation that you may walk worthy of God to all well pleasing I have now done with this great Subject of a due Erecting a Family-Altar and offering Gospel Sacrifices to the Lord and oh that there were of these Altars set up in every dwelling-house Cant. 3.6 and Divine Incense ascending like Pillars of Smoke Heaven wards I have but a word of Incouragement to weak but willing Souls that set upon Family-worship but meet with so many discouragements from without but especially within that their hearts are apalled and are ready to give hack and say Will God accept such poor lean and lank Sacrifices so dead heartless lifeless I do no good I get no good I might as well give over I am oft so wofully indisposed for duty that I might as well let it alone O my Friends look on this as a temptation and beware of it strive against it rouze up your spirits 1. Consider you are not the first or only persons that Satan hath resisted in duty for even Joshua the High-Priest a Type of Christ had Satan standing at his right hand Zech. 3.13 2 Cor. 2.11 to resist hâ—â— and he had too much advantage against him for he was cloathed with filthy garments And our weakness is Satan's strength our guilt his advantage But our Jehovah saith The Lord rebuke thee The Devil makes spots and then accuseth us of our spots but Christ wipes them off 2. Our Lord takes well your good will to do though you can do but little 2 Cor. 8.12 The imprimis of a willing mind is accepted though your following Items be few and poor The Lord is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 i. e. those duties we perform to the Lord with labour and hard struggling It 's the observation of precious Mr. Hildersham Think not On Psal 51. p. 65. saith he Beloved that those prayers only are pleasing to God wherein we please our selves best or which we perform with most facility and aptness of mind and speech no no when we can perform this duty in obedience to God even against our own disposition and oppositions in our own heares these are the prayers that are most acceptable to God as Abraham's Obedience Gen. 22.12 3. By using and exercising little grace improving small ability to pray you will encrease it and will more comfortably carry on the work Mat. 25.29 so the Text To every one that hath i. e. by employing it he shews that he hath for otherwise the unprofitable Servant had a Talent also shall be given and he shall have abundance Sick persons whose appetite is weakned by eating provoke and recover them one morsel drawing down another You 'll find this true in spirituals 4. The weaker you think your selves and the more likely to depend on the right means of your acceptance that is the Spirit of Christ for assistance and the Merit and Intercession of Christ for entertainment For alas you find you have no flush of gifts to fill the Sails or height of enlargement to carry with full gale to God you are emptied and your Plumes quite fallen as to any thing you do and therefore conclude you are too low to reach God and your duties quite lost except your persons and performances be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 I shall therefore conclude this whole Discourse with that sweet Text that 's worth a world without the benefit of which all our Altars and Sacrifices are Ciphers Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much Iecense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne FINIS