A Dijp11t.1tio11 for Fami~·Worjhip. tinging to him; fecing teaching mufi ·be by praCbfing : And in moll practical DJC:bincs it is fa in i11mt: degree. If any qucfiion this, I appeal to Experience. I never knew any man that was well uught by man to pray without praCtiling it before them. They that ever knew any fuch, may have the more colour to ob~ec:t; but I did not: ·Or if they did, )'Ct fo rare_a thing, is not to be made the ordinary way of our Endc:1vours, no more than we: lhould fmbrar teJchtng mtn the mofl curious Artifices by ocular de– rnonflr.uion, bccmfcfome \-Vies luvc learnt them by few w01ds, or of their own Invention; They are· cruel to Child1cn and Sc1vants that teach them not ropray by praClicc and example. Argument 12· From 1 Tim. 4· 3, 4, 5---Meat1 Jrhich God bath created to be rccth.•cd with 1bankfgi1·ing :---for it i< fan[iijied by the Word <{God and Prayer. H~re 11'Lll k, That all our Mea~ is to be received with thanksgiving: not only with a dirpofitiOn of thankfulmfs: 2· That this is twice repeated here together exprdly, yea, thrice in fcnf~: 3· That God created them fo to be reniv(d. 4· That it is made a Condition of the goodHrfi, that is, the blcffin; of rhc:: Creltur.: to our ufe. ·5· That the Creature is (aid to be fantzifird byGJdJ 1Yord ar.d ~r.~·rr: and fo to be tm{anftijicd to us before; 6. That the fime thing which is called th.tnk.f-· p,ivi~rg in the two former vtrfes, is c~Jic::d Pr.Jytr in the tall: Elfc the conftquence of the ApoHic could not ho!d) when he thus argues, Its gocd if it be received witb thankJgivhtg, !lecllt~{t it is {t:u:{Jified by Prayo·. Hc11ce I will draw tl1cfc two Arguments: 11 If families mull with thanksgiving receive their meat as from God, then is the thanksglving of families a duty of Gods appointment: But the former is uue, therefore Cu is the Jauer. The Antecedent is plain: All mull receive thc.ir meat with th.mks· giving: TherefOre families mull. They eat together : th~.rtforc:: they mull: give thanks together: And that l)rayer is included in thanksgiving in this Text, I manifefted before. 2· 1r is tl~e Duty of (Jmilies to ufc means ' that all G0ds Creatures may be fand-ilicd to them; Prayer is the means to be: uftd that all Gods Creatures may be fanctitied to them : Therefore it is th~: duty of families to ufc praytr. Argument 13. frcm 1 Pc:t. 3· 7· Lilzm·ifo ye HzubandJ dwrU with them according to k.!t"wledge,giv· ing hom:ttr to tbe Tf'"lfi as to 1hc wettkcr vcfJcl, and as [eing heirs together nf tht grttct of life, that pu.r pra)'trs be 1:nt bindrru!. That Prayer which is dficci;:,l\y hinde1 cd by ignorant 2nd unkind convert(, is ir.that is cfjxci•lly meant here:: in this Tlxt. But ir is cor.junC\: Prayer that is ~fpccially fo hindered. Thtn(ore, 0"c. J know that frcrcr pnfonal prayer, is alfo t-.indercd by the fame caufcs; but not fa directly omd notably as conjund- rr;:ycr is. 'With wh:u hearts can Husband and Wife joyn toge· thu as one foul in prayer to God, whc~ they abufe and cxafperate each other, and come hot from chid ings and dilfwtions. This ftlmc:th lhe true meaning of lhc Text : And fo the conjunCl prayer ofHusb2nd and WifC bdng proved a duty, (who fomt'timc confiitutc a fatnily,) the fame rea[ons will include t!1< rell of the family alfo. · . Ar_g. 14• FromCol 3· 16, 17• to Col. 4• 4· Let the word of God drrtL' in you richly in aU wifdom, teaching and admonijhing one a11 thcr i 1 t Pf~ltm and Hymns and fpiriuul Songf, {inp)ng rritb ~race iJI. your he,zrts to the Lord: and wh.:zt{oct-cr )'t do in word or dud, do all i11 the n.zmc ofrhe Lord Jcfus; giving thanlv to God and tbc Father by him. TYi.ttJ f~tbmit your fllvu, &c. 4· 2· Continue in pray; er, a'nd watch in tbe fame witiJ tbankJgivii1g· Hence I may fetch rn.;ny arguments for family-prayers. I· It appcarcth to be f.smily-prayeu prin– cipally that the Apofile here fpeakc::th of. 1-"or it is familiu that he !pcal{s to: .For in vrrfe 16, 17. he fpcakcrh of pr.;zJ•Cr and thJJtk,J_r)ving ; and in the next words he fpcakcth to ead1 family-relation, '\Vives, Husbands, Children, Parents, ScrvJnrs, Ma!leJs, And in the mxc words, continuing his fpeccb to che fame:: pc1 fons, he' bids them, [Continue in prayr, and w.1tciJ in the f.um, &c. J 2· It" neighbours arc bound tO (peak together in Pfalms and Hymns and fpiritual Songs, with grace in their hearts to the Lord, and to continue in prayer and thar.ksgiving; thenf~miliu much more, who are nearlicr re– lated, and have more ncccflitics and c,pportunities: as is faid bc:ft,re. 3· lt what:.vel we do in word or de<.d, w~ mull do all in the name of the Lord Jcfus, giving thanks; thenf.;milles mull needs joyn in giving thanks. For they have much daily bufinefs in word and deed to b~.: dmle together and afundcr. Argument 15· FromDan. 6. IO• TPhtiJ Dlniel k;ttr:v tbat tbc 1Vriti~tg W.JJ {tgned, lu~ wmt imo. hi1 houfi, and hir 'fl'imlow being rpm i1t biJcbambcr towardJ Jeruf..tlem, he ~ut>led upo1t bi1 JvttCJ three times a d.iJ•, and prayed, and J!,.lVC thanks before his God as he did afore timt: Tbm t?efe mm tiff~mMfd, and found Dmicl praying andma~ng foppJication before hi1 God. Here note, 1· Tne Naturt ot rhc: dut}'• _ 2. The ntcrffity of tr. z, If ir had not been Gpm family-prayer which L>.micl here ~erformed, ho~v ....... ·, could they have known what he faid? It is nor probable that he:: would fpcak fo lowd 111 fccret; nor IS it like thty would have found him at it. So great a Prince would have had fome fcrvants in his outward rooms to have fhyed them before they had come fo near. 2• And rhe Necef!ily ofthis prayer is fuch, rhat Daniel would not omit it for a few d.1yes to fave his life, Argument 16. From JoOJ. 24· I5· Bltt aJ for me and my h(lu[e we n"iU ferve the Lgrd. Here note, I· That ic is a Houfhold that is here engaged: for if any would prove that ir cxrc.:~1deth further, to al} Jofhunh's Tribe, or inferiour kindred, yet his boufhold would be moll eminently mciuded. · 2· That it is the fame thing which J afhuab promifcth for bi< holl[e, which he would have all Ifrael do for 'theirs: for he maketh himi~!f an cx1mple to move them to ir. If Houj/Joldr mull[me the Lord, thtn houlholds muf\ pray 10 him and praife him: But houlholds mufi ferve him: Therefore, &c. The confequence is proved, in that Prayer andPrai[t are fo necef· lary
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