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
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
over-look them as the man Mr Shepheard tells of that frequented Taverns Ale houses and Whore-houses all day yet would not go out without Prayer in the Morning Oh horrible Impiety this is grosse Atheism for 1. It is a making God the Patron of their Impiety as if the Holy God approved and incouraged these Vices so they bribe him with a few Formal-duties But what saith God to such vile Atheists that hate instruction and cast his words behind them and then allow themselves in all villainies these things hast thou done Psal 50.17.21 and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine Eyes a time is coming that God will vindicate his Justice and Omniscience against these audacious Sinners that did misconstrue and abuse his long suffering as if by his connivance he had justified or allowed their courses 2. This greatly dishonours God Dicebantus Christiani ad Contumeliam Christi Sal. and takes his name in Vain as long as you say one thing and do quite contrary you discredit your profession whilst you will be called Jews or Christians make your boast of God know his Will and practise it otherwise through breaking the Law you dishonour God Rom. 2.17.24 for the name of God is Blasphemed among the Gentiles through You You harden wicked men against God's ways and make them conclude that either God is as bad as you or approves of you or is Ignorant of your doings else he would be avenged on you Exod. 20. he will not hold you guiltless that take his name in vain Psal 66.18 3. How can you expect acceptance that thus regard Iniquity in your hearts You bring your Sacrifice with a wicked heart therefore it is abomination to the Lord Pro. 21.87 when you spread your hands See Isai 1.11 19. saith God Yea when you make many Prayers I will not hear Your hands are full of Blood God will disown your Persons and performances Mal. 2.3 and even spread the dung of your Solemn Feasts upon your Faces methinks when you read that astonishing Text in Psal 50.16 your Consciences should fly in your faces as it did in Origen's But unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy Mouth O tremble at such a sharp rebuke 4. You tempt your Children and Servants to be Atheists while you act so contrary to your Prayers Professions just as scandalous Ministers that speak Well and live Ill people are ready to say if this man believed himself what he imposeth on us he would act at another rate will he direct us this way to Heaven and go clean contrary surely he thinks it 's but a fancy else he would embrace it himself Oh! what have both to answer for you lead them to Hell by your Example offend them hinder them in Heavens way Mat. 23.15 and make them many fold more the Children of Wrath than they were And by this means you gratifie Satan he will give you leave to say well and Pray well so that you be still in his Fetters by Wicked works this mightily strengthens his interest yea by this means you fortifie your selves against Convictions and go Hood-wink'd to Hell for you will not believe but that your state is safe as long you can Pray so well and are so Religious in your Families and alas though you bolster up your selves with an imagination of your interest in Christ yet abundance of Scriptures tell you you have nothing to do with him without holyness in heart life Tit. 2.14 for he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie to himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works And be it known to you that it 's not saying a few Prayers according to which you must be Judged another day 2 Cor. 5.10 but according to what you have done whether it be good or bad Nay these very Family Prayers without a principle of Grace and Holy Life will aggravate your Sin and Condemnation your Hypocrisy will sink you deeper in Hell and your long Prayers will make you receive greater damnation for the Furnace of Hypocrites is seven times hotter than others Mat. 23.14 Mat. 24.51 and Conscience will torment you the more nor is it a sprinkling a little Holy-water in your houses that will remove the Curse of God that lyes on your Families contracted by your wickedness Covetousness and unjust gain for brevity I referr you to Hab. 2.9.10 11 Zech. 5.3 Pro. 15.25 27. I say not all this to discourage any from Family-Prayer but to deter from Sin and regulate Prayer and that such specious Hypocrites and formalists may be alarmed to Repentance reformation A word more to such inferiours as live in praying Families young persons look to your state it 's not living amongst godly persons that will make you godly nor yet complying with Praying gestures that will denomintae you Saints or Gospel-Worshipers you may do as your Governours would have you for Carnal ends 2 Chro. 24.2 as young Joash did right in the sight of the lord all the days of Jehojadah but his heart was not right he prov'd naught so may You if you be unprincipled you will either gaze about you or think of other things or fall asleep which is the common practice of Young Persons when their Parents or Masters are at Prayer I shall but relate a passage of that Pregnant Young man Mr Janeway Mr. Clarkes last vol. of lives fol. 66. to his Brother sleeping at Family-Prayer Oh saith he what an high contempt is this of the great God! how little sense of your own danger what dreadful Hypocrisie what a miracle of Patience you were not wakned in Hell-flames This reproof softened his Brothers heart and wrought savingly on him as was hoped the Child being about 11 years of Age Oh! that it might have this effect on guilty Souls Alâ—â— Sirs are not you concerned in the Prayers of the Family while you sleep Satan watcheth and rocks the Cradle and be it known to you your judgment sleeps not 2 Pet. 2.3 your damnation slumbereth not for ought you know you may wake in Hell what meanest thou O Sleeper arise call upon thy God Jonah 1.6 if so be that God will think upon thee that thou Perish not But besides there are graceless Souls in Praying Families alas how many walk unsuitably will Swear Lye be Wanton Unclean tippling Drunken persons that commit lewdness when they are out of their Fathers or Masters sight and think if they can but hide their pranks from the Eye of their Superiours all 's right Ah poor Atheist doth not God see thee Psal 94.89 10 11. Vnderstand you bruitish among the People ye Fools when will ye be Wise he that planted the Ear shall he not hear he that
Ignorance or Negligence if you be barren in your addresses to the throne of Grace some good Devines have proposed a method and words in Scripture-phrase which I will not now trouble you with but if you daily use to read the Bible you will find patt expressions flowing into your mind in Prayer which will prove pertinent matter upon all occasions when you read Scripture think now God is speaking to me and thereby furnishing me with matter to speak to him in Prayer this passage suits my case I will improve it in Confession Petition Deprecation or Thanksgiving in my addresses to God and thus you will arrive to an habit of free-conversing with God and it becomes Governours of families to be more imployed in reading Scriptures than others Deu. 17.19 Josh 1 8. 1 Tim. 4.14 so God appoints Kings Captains Ministers to be daily exercised in this duty because they were to be helpfull to others so must you if you consult with Gods word you go in unto God so some observe by comparing Psal 73.17 of going into the Sanctuary of God with 2 Sam. 7.18 then went King David in and sate before the Lord. i. e. he went in to God to intimate that Reading and Praying are near a kinâ— the one is an help to the other if you read much it will help you to Pray much it will help you to read and understand Be much imployed in both 3. Learn to understand and improve the Lords Prayer Mat. 6.9 12. Consider the Prologue Parts and Conclusion of it get some Succinct and plain Exposition of it do not Cantingly Formally and Superstitiously blubber it over as a Charm but use it as a Comprehensive Platform of Praying I am not altogether against the use of the words in the Lords Prayer Nay I would rather you kneel down with your Family and said nothing but the Lords Prayer than that you should use no Prayer at all only see you understand the meaning of it and do not rabble it over as a Parrot but do it seriously and take heed of Mocking God Hypocrisie is a sin as well as Atheism to pray otherwise than Christ hath taught is not only Ignorance but a gievous sin saith an Ancient * Aliter orarâ— quam doâ—uit non ignorantâ—a Selaest sed et Culpa Cyprian Serm. 6. a orat Domini et cum ipsuâ— habâ—amus apud â—atreâ— Advocatum â—o peccatis nostriâ— Advocatâ— nostâ— verba prommus id ib. this referrs both to the matter and manner of praying for saith he the Father will acknowledge the words of his Son when we Pray to him in his name qui habitat intus in pectore ipse sit et in voce let him be in our voice that dwells in our hearts quia Deus non vocis sed cordis auditor est God is not the hearer of the voice but of the heart But we are now speaking of Family-Prayer wherein God requires both voice and heart and I am giving helps for the matter of Prayer and this is a certain truth that all and only the things that are to be asked of God are comprehended in the Lords Prayer that 's the summe and substance of the petenda things to be asked if you do not always utter the words you must express the Sense therefore it 's fit you should understand them for every word hath it's weight Our Father which art in Heaven thou art the common Father of all Mankind our Father in Christ we humbly and reverently prostrate our Selves at thy Footstool in confidence of entertainment through thy well-beloved Son and our Advocate give us child-like affections to thee and endeared love to all thine and tender Compassion to all others Hallowed be thy name let thy Glorious Titles Attributes Word and Ordinances be manifested through the World dispose all things to the Glory of thy name assist us in our confessing and forsaking our Sins adoring thine infinite perfections believing in thee subjecting our selves to thee attending on thee and aiming at thy Glory in all we are or do or suffer Thy Kingdom come destroy O Lord the Devils kingdom of Ignorance Wickedness advance thy Kingdom in Converting Sinners building thy Church maintaining the power of Godliness and hastning the Kingdom of Glory confirming and preparing our own Souls for our Lords second coming Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven let thy preceptive Will be our rule enable us to comply with it give us knowledge of it conquer the enmity of our stubborn wills enable us to do it singly Sincerely Universally and constantly as Angels and Saints Glorified help us quietly to acquiesce in thy Providential will be it for us or against us Give us this day our daily bread vouchafe to us a competent portion of outward Comforts for our daily supply thy blessing therewith which is the staff of our bread for we depend on thee for all Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors for Christ's sake and satisfaction Pardon all our Sins whereby we are endebted to divine Justice and can never satisfie but lay hold by Faith on the Lord our Righteousness and freely forgive all men their offences against us and Pray God to forgive them And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from Evil Lord we have bad Herds prevent occasions of Sin restrain the tempter keep us out of harms way or make us conqerours of World Flesh and Devil let not Sin have Dominion over us For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for Ever Amen We take not our incouragement in our Prayers from any thing in our Selves but from Thee who art the only Soveraign All sufficient God able and willing to help poor Creatures to thee only be ascribed all Dominion Blessing Honour Glory and Power for evermore Amen So be it Thus I have given you a short hint of the meaning of this Excellent Prayer that you may be left without excuse for your willful Neglect 4. Frequent Christian Society converse with Godly Praying persons this will help you in Family Work and Worship not only as it is a good Example but as it assimilates you to them and also as it provokes to an holy Emulation it will make you shame with your selves that such as had no better breeding or higher Education than you have yet attained to such Knowledge Gifts and Elocution this will make you admire the Grace of God in them and think it not impossible but that the same Grace may do as much in you Rom. 11.12 2 Cor. 9.2 Paul sought by the Gentiles Piety to provoke the Jews to Emulation and tells us the Corinthians zeal in Charitable contribution had provoked very many it 's not to tell what Light and Life Eccl. 49.12 and Love may be conveyed from one Christian to another If two lye together they have heat Pro. 27.17 Iron sharpens Iron A â—ow majori discit all â—ll so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his
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