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perfect way, he shall ferve me.

III. Let them fet up the practife of true Religion in good earnest in their Families. Let them worship God together morning and evening, offering up the spiritual Sacrifice of prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving. For let them confider,

1. Is it not the duty of all fincere Chriftians to make Religion the main businesse of their lives? Should not Governours of Families endeavour to make their Families Godly, to win the fouls of thofe under their Government to Christ? And can this be done by them who neglect to pray in their Families?

2. Does not the very light of Nature seem to fuggeft we should begin and end the day with

God?

3. Was not Family Worship the first Worship performed to God in the world, for a long time? 4. Did not God declare his pleafure under the Law, by the evening and morning Sacrifice? And does not the Apostle in Analogie to this continual and daily facrifice, bid us pray continually? 1 Thef. 5.17. Col.4.2.

5. Is not the neglect of prayer made a branch of Atheism? Pfal.14. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. And are not Heathens defcribed to be Families that call not on Gods Name? Jer.10.ult. Pour out thy fu

ry

Chap. 10. ry upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the Families that call not on thy Name, &c.

6. If Job offered Sacrifice, and prayed for his Children, when they were abfent, Is it not more then probable he did the like with them when preJent? feeing 'tis faid, thus did Fob continually, Fob 1.5.

7. Did not Queen Efther, and her maids Pray and faft together, Efth.4.16. Go gather together all the fews that are prefent in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three daies, night nor day; I also and my maidens will fast likewife.

8. Did not Christ pray with his Family, Luke 9.18? And it came to paß, as he was alone praying, his Difciples were with him-As he was alone, not fingly, but privately alone; as appears by comparing this place with Mark 4.10. And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the Parable.

9. Does not our Saviour in the Lords Prayer, plainly teach that Christians should pray joymily, as well as feverally? Our Father, &c. Give us this day our daily bread, &c.

10. Does not the Apostle bid us pray with all prayer, Eph.6.18. i. e. With all manner of lawful prayer, therefore with Family prayer.

11. 13 there not a bleffing promised to joyntprayer, Macch, 18. 19? Again I fay unto you,

that

that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it fhall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven; v.20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them.

12. Should not every Chriftian Family be a little Church of Chrift? And is not a Church to pray together, Acts 12. 5? Peter therefore was kept in prifon, but prayer was made without ceafing of the Church for him. v.12. And when he had confidered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whofe Sir-name was Mark, where many were gathered together, praying. Acts 2.42. And they continued ftedfaftly in the Apostles Doct rine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.

13. Do not the neceffities of a Family require it? They are joyn'd in mercies, in judgments, and often in fins; Should they not therefore joyn in humiliations, prayers, and thanksgivings?

14. Can a Family expect to be bleffed by God, that lives in a conftant neglect of this duty? The favour of Providence is a mans beft inheritance. Family Piety is ufually attended with Family pros fperity, Prov.3.33. The curfe of the Lord is in the houfe of the wicked; but he bleffeth the habitation of the juft.

15. Were not houses as well as Temples to be dedicated to God, by the inhabitants, at their first entrance into them, Deut.20.5. And the Officers

fhall speak unto the people, faying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, left. he die in the battel, and another man dedicate it. Pfal.30. Title. A Pfalm and fong at the dedication of the house of David. And why fhould they not afterward be used for places to pray in, to read the Word, to fing Pfalms in, as well as to eat, and drink and fleep in? Is there not as good fellowship in boly duties, as in merry company, and idle communication? Why should a Family do nothing joyntly that tends to the good of their fouls? Are we Chriftians, and shall we not be willing God fhould be the Master of our houses?

16. Does not the neglect of prayer expose a Family to many judgments, and many fins? Where prayers are fhut out of any house, there ufually the door is opened wide to prophaneneffe, and all licentioufneffe: And what follows thereupon, but the wrath and curfe of God?

Let not Family prayer therefore morning and evening be neglected, upon any pretence whatfoever; and let all perfons be carefull they be not flight and formal in the performance of it. And befides prayer, let there be reading the holy Scriptures, and other good books; finging Pfalms, Catechizing and private inftruction; a due care to fanctifie the Lords day, a diligent frequenting the publick Ordinances, a reviving by repetition in private, what they have heard in the

publick,

publick; religious conference, and whatever elfe may conduce to the encreafing true Piety and Godlineffe among them.

IV. Let Governours of Families call upon and charge thofe under their Government, to pray privately and in fecret, and not to content themselves only with the Family-prayer, as too many are apt to do.

V. Let them keep out (as much as they can ) lewd company out of their Families. When wearers, drunkards, Atheists, fcorners of Godlineffe, may have free acceß, entertainment, and countenance in a Family, Religion is not like to thrive there, nor any thing that is of good report or = praise-worthy.

VI. Let them alfo be careful to preferve their Families from feducers, and foul deceivers 2 Epift. John v. 10. If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your houfe, neither bid him God speed.

VII. Let them watch over their Families. The want of vigilancy in the Governour, is ufually the fountain of most diforders in the Family. Let there be Family-Difcipline. Let them admonifh the unruly, and feek to reclaim them, and if they prove incorrigible, caft them out, if they be feparable members: Let them incourage those that do well; letting them fee, they take notice is readily of their well-doing, as of their faults: When there is caufe to rebuke any offender, let it

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be