~00 A 'Dij]mtatioil for Family.Worjhip. ----------- ---~ Prop. 3• Prop• f• ArK· 8. A furtiori, fellow ChriHians mu{\: exhort one another daily whilt it if c<.~Ued to day, hft be IJardenetl by the drceirfulmfi of fin, much more mun the Rulers of families do fo to Wjves c:Y dren and Servams, 1 Per. 4· If· If any [peak;_ it muft he ar tht Oraclu of God, rhuch more ~0 11 ~ o~n hmilit:s, C )!, 3. I 6. Let the TYord of God dwd in yo~ richly .in all ',"ifiJom, teaching and ad~~~~ nijhing one another, and much more muH a man do this to Wtfe, Children and Servanrs than to theft: more remocc. Arg. 9· Thofe that are to be chofen Deacons or Biiliops mufi be fuch as Rule their own Cb'!d and tbeirown l}()ujholdwell, I Tim. 3· 4, 12· Now rnatk, I· That this is one of thof~ Cbrijiia: ,.!11 tueJ which t~ey were to have before rh.ey wert.~ade Officers, thc~efore other Chriltians mull h:';; and pe~form 1t as we_I! as they. . 2. It IS ~ R~11~1ous Holy Govermng, fuch_ as a Miniflcr is to eXercife ovt:..r Ius flock that IS here rnentm~ed wh1ch IS m_rhe thmgs of God and talvation, or elfe the eom~ panfon or argument would not fun, ver. 5· For if a man ~now not IJow to rttle hir own houfe h jh;~ll ht nde the Clmr.:h of God l But of this more befOre. I would fay more en this point' b:C that I think it is fo clear in ScriptuJe as to make it needlefs; I pafs therefore to the next. ' Prop. 3· Family Di{ciplint i< part ef God,falemn Worjhip or Strvice appoinudilt ~is W.rd ; This is not called Worih1p m fo near a fcnfe as fome of the refi, but more remotely; yet fo it may well be c~lled, in ti1at I. le is an Author~tative ACt done ~y commi!lion from_ God; 2 . Upon fuch as difobey btm, and as fiteh. 3. And tO hiS Glory, yea and n iliould be done with as grcac folcmnity and I<· vcrence, as othc::r parts of wmfhip. The Acts of this difcipline are firfi denying the ungodly tntrance into the fomily, 2. Correcting3· Or calling out thole rhat are in. Ilhall be but brief on thefe. ' 1· The tlrtl you have 2 Job. to. If there come any to you and bring Hot thU DoCJrine, rtctive him "" into yom· hou[e, neither bid him God fpced; for he that biddtth him Godj}ttd i< parta~er of bi 1 evil dwl!. 2· The Duty of correcting ci1her by corporal fenfible puniilimcnt or loy withdrawing fame bene– fir, is fo coJCmonly required in Sdipture, dpecially towards Children, that I will not flan:! on it left I fpeak in vain what you all know already: and how Eli fulfercd for neglecting it you know. 3 The Difcipline of cafiing the wicked out of the family, (fnvants I mean who are feparable mem. bcrs) you may :ind Pfal. to!. 2, 3, 7, 8. I will w•ll;, within my houfe "'ith a perfe[l htan, I will [ei no rrickJd tbing brfore mine eyeJ. He tb.1t work!th deceit jh.1IJ not dweU within my hou{r, IJt th.st teUerb /yti jh.1U not tarry in my figiJt, Prop. 4• Solemn Pra)'tr and praifu of God in and by Chrijlian familitJ i< of Divine appoint• mcnJ. Ii'or proof of thi,, I mufi defire you to look back to all the Arguments which proved the duenefs of\Vorfhip in general, for they will yet more efpecially prove this fort ofWorChip, fceing Prayer and PraHC, are matt immediately and eminently called Gods Worfhip of any, ( Under praifu I comprehend Pfalmt, of Praifit, and under prayer, P[almt of prayer;) Yet let us add fome more. Arg. J. It i& Godt wiU tbat Chrijfia1tJ who have fit occaji011t and opporttmititt for Praytr 1 znd PraiftJ}hould improve tbem, but CbriJtian Families have fit occafions and opportunitiet for Prayer and Prai{e, therefure it i& GodJ will they jhould improve them. The major is evident in many Sc..ipture Precepts, Tirn. 2· 8. I wiU therefore thttt men prtiy every wf9trt lifting ttp holy /)audt witbottt wr:1th and durtbii11g, 'I Thef. 5· 17, 18. Pray without ceafing : in er.:ery thing give thanks,for tbi1 Mthe will of God concerningyou, Col. 4· 2. Continue in Prayer, amt watch i~t the Jimze witb tban~tgiving, Col. 3· 16, 17• teaching and.,admonij1Ji11g ont another i11 Pfo!ms and Hymn1 and ffiiritJtal {oug1, jinging with grace in your heart! ~mto the Lord, and whatfoever )'t d/J in word~rdced,·do aU in tbt:Hameof tiJcLord Je[ur; giui~tg tbank,f Hnto God and the Father by him: Rom. 12· 12· Continuing iHjlant in Prayer; Eph. 6. 18. PrayiJtg al'R'.1JI with all Prayer and Supplica– tion in tbe fpirit, and watching thereunto with aU perfcvera~tce and[upplic~Jticm for oll Saintt; And for me· tiJ.Jt tllttrance may be given me. Many the like Texts might ~e named, every one of which afford an Argument tor Family praifes moft effectual. 1 • Jf men mufi pray tvtry where ( that is convenient) then fure in their Families. But &c. Erg. 2. If men mufi pray without ceafing, then fure in their families. 3• If men mull in every thing give than~{{, then fure in Family-mercies, and then, according to the nature of them, together. 4· If men mull continue in pro)'er and watch in it, (for tit adviintages and againfi Impediments, ) and ifl thanklgiving, then doubtlcf9 they mufi not omit the fingular advantages which are adminifired in t'amilits. 5· If we mufi contimee injf.mtin pr.tyer and fupplication, &c. then doubtlefs in j&mil.J prayer, in our families; unlefs that be noplace and no pro)•tr. Obj. Bm thM bhult M no more topray in our fanlilies th.m any where elfe. An[rr. Yes it binds us to take all fit opportunitiu; and we have more tit opportunitiu in our own families then in other mens, or than in occafional meetings or than in any ordinary focieties, except the Church. . Aud here let me tciJ you that it is ignorance to call for particular exprefi Scriptttre, to requ1re Prayw ing in Families, as if we thought the Gemral. command, did not comprehend this particular, a~d w.ere not fufficient. God doth in much wifdom leave out of his Written Law, the txprefs determmanon of fome of thofe circumfiamials, or rhe application of general prc:cepts to fome of thofe fu?ject~ to which common reafon and the light of Nature fufficeth to determine and apply them. The Scrrpture giveth us the geNeral [ Pray alway with 11Um:znmr of Prayer in 11U places J that is! Omit nn fit ad· vant11gt1
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