be like the unjuft judge, "One that neither feared GOD, nor regarded man?" And yet, odious as fuch a character would be, it is no worse than that governor of a family deferves, who thinks himself obliged only to fave his own foul, without paying any regard to the fouls of his houthold. For (as was above hinted) every house is as it were a parish, and every mafter is concerned to fecure, as much as in him lies, the fpiritual profperity of every one under his roof, as any minifter whatever is obliged to look to the fpiritual welfare of every individual perfon, under his charge..

What precedents men who neglect their duty in this particular, can plead for fuch omiffion, I cannot tell. Doubtlefs not the example of holy Job, who was fo far from imagining that he had no concern, as governor of a family, with any one's foul but his own, that the fcripture acquaints us, "When the days of his childrens feafting were gone about, that Fob fent and fanctified them, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job faid, It may be that my fons have finned and curfed GOD in their hearts: thus did Job continually." Nor can they plead the practice of good old fofbua, whom, in the text, we find as much concerned for his houfhold's welfare, as his own. Nor laftly, that of Cornelius, who feared GOD, not only himself, but with all his house and were chriftians but of the fame spirit of Job, Fofhua, and the Gentile centurion, they would act as Job, Joshua, and Cornelius did.

But alas if this be the cafe, and all governors of families ought not only to ferve the LORD themfelves, but likewife to fee that their respective houfholds do fo too; what will then become of those who not only neglect ferving God themselves, but alfo make it their business to ridicule and scoff at any of their houfe that do? Who are not content with "not entering into the kingdom of heaven themselves; but thofe alfo. that are willing to enter in, they hinder." Surely fuch men are factors for the devil indeed. Surely their damnation flumbereth not for although GOD, in his good providence, may fuffer fuch stumbling-blocks to be put in his childrens way, and fuffer their greatest enemies to be thofe of their own houfholds, for a trial of their fincerity, and improvement of their faith; yet we cannot but pronounce a woe against those

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mafters

mafters by whom fuch offences come. For if those that only take care of their own fouls, can scarcely be saved, where will fuch monftrous profane and wicked governors appear?

But hoping there are but few of this unhappy stamp, proceed we now to the 16, + Leevisiman

Second thing propofed; To fhew after what manner, a governor and his houfhold ought to ferve the LORD

4. And the first thing I shall mention, is, reading the word of GOD. This is a duty incumbent on every private person.

Search the fcriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life," is a precept given by our bleffed LORD indifferently sto all but much more fo, ought every governor of a family to think it in a peculiar manner spoken to himself, becaufer das hath been already proved) he ought to look upon himself as a prophet, and therefore, agreeably to fuch a character, bound to inftruct thofe under his charge in the knowledge of the word of God. a dquodį „ch & eran 1

This we find was the order God gave to his peculiar people Ifrael for thus fpeaks his reprefentative Mofes, Deutavi, 6, 7. "Thefe words," that is, the scripture words, "which I command thee this day, fhall be in thy heart, and thou fhalt teach them diligently unto thy children," that is, as it is generally explained, fervants, as well as children, and shalt talk of them when thou fitteft in thy houfe," From whence we may infer, that the only reafon, why so many neglect tọ read the words of fcripture diligently to their children is, becaufe the words of feripture are not in their hearts for if they were, out of the abundance of the heart their mouth would fpeak. Tave gue of ERA zomba di mi sooct Befides, fervants as well as children, are, for the generality, very ignorant, and mere novices in the laws of Gont and how fhall they know, unless some one teach them? And what more proper to teach them by, than the lively oracles of God, which are able to make them wife unto falvation And who more proper to inftruct them by thefe lively oracles, than parents and masters, who (as hath been more than once obferved) are as much concerned to feed them with spiritual, as 96 LgA with bodily bread, day by daying s bil meng end Woldus ym ai vdiggot haubtes, di 20 ows 10vsolated W , TÈ

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But

But if these things be fog what a miferable condition are those unhappy governors in, who are fo far from feeding thofe committed to their care with the fincere milk of the word, to -the intent they may grow thereby that they neither fearch the fcriptures themselves, nor are careful to explain them to others? Such families must be in a happy way indeed to do. be

their Matter's will, who take fuch prodigious pains to know

it! Would not one imagine that they had turned converts to the Church of Rome that they thought ignorance to be the mothers of devotion; and that those were to be condemned as 'theretics swho read their Bibles And yet how few families are there among ft lus, who do not act after this unfeemly manner! But fhallok praise them in this praise them not; 2&Brethren, this thing ought not foto being

£ as 21 Pass we on now to the fecond means whereby every gbbvernor and his shouthold ought to ferve the LORD, familyprayersghal ond sdr mi ogiedo an abnu proof

This is a duty, though as much neglected, yet as abfolutely neceflary as the former. Reading is a good preparative for prayer, as prayer is an excellent means to render reading effectual. And the reafon why every governor of a family hould join both thefe exercifes together, is plain, because a governor of a family cannot perform his prieftly office (which we before obferved he is in fome degree invested with) withsout performing this duty of family prayer.

a foWerfind it therefore remarked, when mention is made of Cain and Abel's offering facrifices, that they brought them. But to whom did they bring them? Why, in all probability, blto their father Adam, who, as priest of the family, was to offer facrifice in their names. And fo ought every fpiritual fon of the fecond Adam, who is entrusted with the care of an houfbhold, to offer up the fpiritual facrifices of fupplications and thanksgivings, acceptable to God through JESUS CHRIST, in the prefence and name of all who wait upon, or eat meat at orqud ma b.his table,lolau Six med

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und Thus we read our blefied LORD behaved, when he tabernacled -damongst us :3 for it is said often, that he prayed 2173:80 with his twelve disciples, which was then his little family. And he himself has promised a particular bleffing to joint fupplications: "Wherefoever two or three are gathered together in my

name,

name, there am I in the midst of them." And- again," If two or three are agreed touching any thing they fhall ask, it fhall be given them." Add to this, that we are commanded by the Apostle to "pray always, with all manner of supplication," which doubtless includes family prayer. And holy Joshua, when he fet up the good refolution in the text, that he and his houfhold would ferve the LORD, certainly refolved to pray with his family, which is one of the best testimonies they could give of their ferving him.

Befides, there are no families but what have fome com→ mon bleffings, of which they have been, all partakers, to give thanks for fome common croffes and afflictions, which they are to pray against fome common fins, which they are all to lament and bewail : but how this can be done, without joining together in one common act of humiliation, fupplication, and thanksgiving, is difficult to devise.

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From all which confiderations put together, it is evident, that family prayer is a great and neceflary duty; and confequently, thofe governors that neglect it, are certainly without excufe. And it is much to be feared, if they live without fa mily prayer, they live without GOD in the world.

And yet, fuch an hateful character as this is, it is to be feared, that was GOD to fend out an angel to destroy us, as he did once to deftroy the Egyptian firft-born, and withal give him a commiffion, as then, to fpare no houses but where they faw the blood of the lintel, fprinkled on the door-poft, fa now, to let no families efcape, but those that called upon him in morning and evening prayer; few would remain unhurt by. his avenging fword. Shall I term fuch families chriftians or hea thens? Doublefs they deferve not the name of christians; and heathens will rife up in judgment against such profane families of this generation; for they had always their houfhold gods, whom they worshipped, and whofe affiftance they frequently invoked. And a pretty pafs those families furely are arrived at, who must be sent to school to pagans. But will not the LORD be avenged on fuch profane houfholds as thefe? Will he not pour out his fury upon those that call not upon his name?

3. But it is time for me to haften to the third and last means I fhall recommend, whereby every governor ought with his houfhold to ferve the LORD, catechizing and inftruct

ing their children and fervants, and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.

And parents are combreed up their children

That this, as well as the two former, is a duty incumbent on every governor of an house, appears from that famous encomium or commendation God gives of Abraham: "I know that he will command his children and his houshold after him, to keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment.” And indeed fcarce any thing is more frequently preffed upon us in holy writ, than this duty of catechifing. Thus, fays GOD in a paffage before cited, Thou shalt teach thefe words diligently unto thy children." manded in the New Teftament, to in the nurture and admonition of the LORD." The holy Pfalmift acquaints us, that one great end why God did fuch great wonders for his people, was, to the intent that when they grew up, they fhould fhew their children, or fervants, the fame." And in Deutuvi. at the 20th and following verfes, GoDoftrictly commands his people to inftruct their children in the true nature of the ceremonial worship, when they fhould enquire about it, as he fuppofed they would do, in time to come. And if fervants and children were to be inftructed in the nature of Jewish rites, much more ought they now to be initiated and grounded in the doctrines and first prin

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ciples of the gospel of CH not only, becaufe it is a

revelation, which has brought life and immortality to a fuller and clearer light, but also, because many feducers are gone abroad into the world, who do their utmoft endeavour to deftroy not only the fuperftructure, but likewife to fap the very foundation of our moft holy religion.

Would then the prefent generation have their pofterity be true lovers and honourers of GOD mafters and parents must take Solomon's good advice, and train up and catechife their respective houfholds in the way wherein they fhould go. 5.Iams aware but of one objection, that can, with any fhew of reafon, be urged against what has been advanced; which is, that fuch a procedure as this will take up too much time, and hinder families too long from their worldly bufinefs But it is much to be queftioned, whether perfons that start fuch an objection, are not of the fame hypocritical spirit as the traitor Judas, who had indignation against devout Marys

for