1 Cor. 14. 40. Gen. 29. 22. John 2. 3. The mutual rejoycing of the friends comes in next and surely there is a lawfulnesse of feasting and mutual rejoycing at marriages Else Christ would not have blessed one with his presence and first miracle nor would Es 62. 5. God have described the joy that he takes in Matth. 9. 15 Matth. 22. his Church by the joy of marriage nor would Christ have compared the kingdome of heaven to a wedding feast But let me say withall that there are no greater sins committed then about things lawfull It is lawfull to eat drink weare apparel and to feast hence thousands of excesses and miseries have come in Excesses as at Nabals feast was drunkennesse at Absolons was murther at Ahasuerus his was a breach betwixt him and his wife Vashti at Belteshazzars carrousing and blasphemy at Herods wanton dancing and cutting off of Iohn Baptists head Miâ—â—ries as Elah was smote and killed while he was drinking Benhadad was surprised Israel while meat was in their mouth felt wrath and Jobs children were stifled Therefore warily consider what ye do at weddings and what ye should do Ye do rejoyce indeed but it is with wanton dancings bawdy jests and hellish carrowsings But what should ye do Ye should be carefull to prevent excess as Christ saith Take heed Luke 21. that your hearts be not oppressed with surfetting and drunkenness lest that day come upon you at unawares Ye should bring God into all your thoughts that you feed not without fear Ye Iude. Philip. 4 should do nothing which is dishonest or of ill report Ye should have good wishes speaches counsels and prayers to the new married couples like those that said The Ruth 4. 11. Lord make thy wife like Rachel and Leah which two builded the house of Israel and do thou worthily in Ephrata and be famous in Bethlehem SECT 10. 3. THe consequents of marriage in the Lord are two 1. Cohabitation 2. Communion 1. Man and wife must dwell together Let the husband dwell with his wife saith Peter 1 Pet. 3. 7. Prov. 5. 18 19. and Solomon saith Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth and let her breasts satisfie thee at all times and delight continually in her This cannot be without Cohabitation The first institution was a remedy against solitariness It is not Gen. 2. good for man to be alone let us make an help meet for him and let him cleave to his wife Quest I know what you will say may they never live asunder Answ Yes upon three occasions Vpon mutual consent for a time for the good of the Family My husband saith she is not at home he is gone Prov. 7. 19 20. a far journey at the time appointed he will come again Vpon Compulsion when persecution or imprisonment forceth it When some weightie affairs either in Church or Common-wealth requires it This was Vriahs case 2 Sam. 11. 11. when he would not go to his own house while the Ark and Israel and Iudah with his Lord Ioab were in Tents Yet must they not live asunder out of choice It is for an harlot to be called a strange woman but for a Prov. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 12. wife to be a lamb in the bosome as for the other causes so for samenesse of dwelling 2. As Cohabitation followes upon marriage 1 Cor. 7. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 4. so Communion which stands in three things a communion of Bodies a communioâ— of helps and a communion of joyes They must have a communion of Bodies whereby they defraud not one another except it be by consent for a time that they may give themselves â—â— fasting and prayer yet must not this be excessive for there may be too much uxoriousness at home as well as adulterie abroad Ezâ—k 18. 6. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Gen. 25. 21 1 Sam. 1. â—7 And it must be sanctified by the Word oâ— God and Prayer Doe it by rule and with Prayer as Isaac and Hannah did They musâ— have a Communion of helps in nourishing and cherishing each other To this end there must be a communion of goods they must have one purse but not for waste a communion of Counsel in matters domestical they must have one head as Pilats wife and the Shunamite and a communion of labours they must have one hand and that an helper Lastly they must have a communion of joy by having one heart as Isaack and Rebeckah who sported together and as Solomon gives Gen. 26. 8. Prov. 5. 18 19. in rule Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth Oh how happy a foundation of Gods building would such a marriage lay to last till death us do part Thus of the first part of Gods setting up of his building in a Family the Foundation SECT 11. NOw secondly of the upper building which stands perfectly 1. In wife and husband 2. In parents and children 3. In masters and servants Begin where God begins still with inferiours Amor descendit officium ascendit Love descends but dutie ascends The first pair of beams in an house builded by God are wife and husband who bear up this frame The wife must submit to her husband as unto the Eph. 5. 22 24. Lord yea as the Church is subject to Christ The woman saith Paul is bound to the law Rom. 7. 2 of her husband yea this is comely it is the best fashion that ever they wore Therefore Col. 3. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 12. saith God I permit not a woman to usurp authoritie Object Whatsoever thou permittest will some women say I will do it Sol. Nay saith God Thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule over thee Gen. 3. 16. Quest Will any good woman ask me What it is to submit that she may conscionably do it Answ It is to put her self willingly under the government of her husband Quest Will she further ask me how she must submit Answ Surely not by way of bondage but free service for her self because she and her husband do make but one Quest Will she further ask wherein she must submit Answ Paul saith In all things that are lawfull and honest Eph. 5. 22. In general she must submit to her husbands honour Sarah honoured her husband and called him Lord. The good wife calls her husband 1 Pet. 3. 6. Hos 2. Prov. 7. 19. Ishi my man but the harlot saith plain Ish the man is gone abroad this is a clear sign that she honours him not In particular she must submit three wayes By an inward act of the mind acknowledging Eph. 5. ult his headship and taking direction from him if he be wise and for him if he be a fool By an inward act of the will conforming to his good manners and affections By these outward acts of dutie which depend upon these thus 1. They must answer their husbands wills Their questions must not be Whose will shall be
Doctrine is propounded If we would have blessed Families we must get them builded by God Sect. 1. The Application where fall 2 quares 2 1 What Gods building in a Family is 1 Both for matter Sect. 2. And for rule and square 1 The word of God Not carnal policy Sect. 3. 2 2 How we may procure it By having 2 1 God's Timber Single persons Sect. 4. which must be framed as they are 1 Old men Sect. 5. Old women Sect. 6. Young men and young women Sect. 7. 2 3 2 God's building which must have 1 A foundation Marriage in the Lord. In which we must goe along with God 1 In the Antecedents 1 A right choise By right marks S. 8 2 In the concomitants 1 The gift of the Parents The blessing of the Minister The mutual rejoycing of the friends S. 9. 2 3 In the consequents 1 Cohabitation and Communion Sect. 10. 2 2 3 2 An upper building which stands in 3 relations betwixt 1 Wife Sect. 11. Husband Sect. 12. Children Sect. 13. Parents Sect. 14. Servants Sect. 15. Masters Sect. 16. 2 3 4 5 6 3 God's finishing by an orderly government Sect. 17. which must be executed 1 By a good Father of a Family Sect. 18. By a good Mother of a Family Sect. 19. 2 God's furnishing of a Family 1 By getting goods which is either 1 By lending Sect. 20. By borrowing Sect. 21. By selling Sect. 22. By buying Sect. 23. By letting Sect. 24. By hiring Sect. 25. 2 3 4 5 6 By giving goods Sect. 26. 2 4 A FAMILY BUILT BY GOD Or a Meditation to direct Housholders how to rise from the Foundation to the height of a blessed Family Psalm 127. 1. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it or are builders of it in it THere are fifteen Psalmes which are called Psalmes of Degrees and this is one They follow next to the hundred and nineteenth and are of excellent use upon severall occasions There were diverse staires up into the Temple and the Priests and Levites did stand higher then the rest upon some of them for the better edification of the people when they sung them and they say these Psalmes had their names from thence The scope of this Psalm is to confirm this general proposition That without Gods blessings the diligent endeavours of men are blasted This the Psalmist demonstrates by a Distribution Verse 1 by an Opposition by a Promise and by an Example He distributes all the labours of men into publike and private in both which he shews that there is no good success without Gods blessing He opposeth the carefullest worker who without this blessing of God is cursed He promiseth sweet contentment to them that work with the blessing of God Verse 2 They shall have sleep and rest as Gods beloved Verse 3 He Instanceth in children who are the nursery plants both of Church Common-wealth and Family yet cannot be obtained with any labour without Gods blessing therefore above all things we must wait upon Gods blessing to build the house first by Gods people were first in a Family next in a Church and next in a Common-wealth therefore first he mentions the building of an house Quest You will ask whether God be become a Carpenter Answ I must say No but it is Gods goodness by these things we know to bring us to the knowledge of what we know not For as the word House is taken figuratively for all things that constitute and maintain the honour and comfort of a family as wife children servants goods of all sorts within dores and without So to build signifies whatsoever contributes to raise up and enlarge a Family by honest and good means as an helpfull wife hopefull children faithfull servants and well gotten goods and inheritances Thus Exod. 1. 21. 1 Chron. 17. 12. 2 Sam. 7. 11. God is said to make the Aegyptian midwives houses and to build David an house over and over again SECT 1 Doctrine HEre then is the Doctrine which if God please I shall open and apply unto you that If we would have blessed Families we must get them builded by God Husband wife children servants must not be like rotten posts and as straw hay stubble upon a good foundation but must be builded by God and the whole state and house must be finished and furnished by God Nabal was the head of a Family but a drunken Epicure and so not builded by God Jezabel was a main rib of the Family but a painted and persecuting harlot and so not builded by God Cain Esau Adoniah Absolon were Couplings in the Family but a murtherer profane rebellious and so not builded by God Zihah was a tyle or rafter in the Family of Mephibosheth but a faithlesse cheating servant and so not builded by God Dives his house was furnished with great store of wealth but if he might go gay and fare daintily he regarded not the afflictions of Lazarus and so not builded by God Vse Therefore be you good Christians perswaded to make God the Surveyour Framer Joyner sole workman in your Families or else no comforting blessing comes The speech of Christ reacheth to every thing without me ye can do nothing Experience teacheth John 15. 5. thus much concerning Families Abraham was built by God and mark what God saith Gen. 18. 19. I know that my servant Abraham will teach his Family Joshuah was built by God and mark what he saith I and my house will serve the Josh 24. 15. Lord. Naomi was built by God and mark her Ruth 1. 16. 3. 1. Hest 4. 16. Gen. 24. faithfull care of Ruth Hester was built by God and mark her speech I and my maids will fast likewise Eleazar was built by God and mark his godly care in his masters service And if a whole Family be thus built what a joint serving of God is there Husbands and wives are faithfull servants are carefull children are obedient goods are blessed and then we may say as Paul Greet the Church Rom. 16. 5. that is in thy house Most complain and they have too just cause that husbands are drunkards and tyrants wives are stubborn children are disorderly servants are unfaithfull More complain that there is little charity much contention many brawles flouds of drunkenness vollies of oathes The reason of all is because they are not built by God What shall I say then suffer your selves to be builded by God He will pull down the old ruinous building of sinne He will hew you with his own axe his Word He will lay you upon that good foundation Christ He will make you grow up into an holy building in the Lord and then the Lord builds the house and your labour will not be in vain SECT 2. BUt to settle this upon you your consciences will enquire after two things 1. What Gods building in a Family is 2. How you may procure it 1. Gods building is a well ordered Family
A Christian FAMILY BVILDED BY GOD Directing all Governours of Families how to act 1. Gods Timber and framing 2. Gods Foundation and upper building 3. Gods Finishing 4. Gods Furnishing The sum whereof is shewed after the Epistle BY ROBERT ABBOTT Pastour of the Church of God at Austines near Pauls gate in Watling-street in London LONDON Printed by J. L. for Philemon Stephens at the gilded Lion in Pauls Church-yard 165â— TO His dearly beloved FLOCK my good people of Austines near Paul's stump in London ROBERT ABBOTT Their aged and unworthy Pastour humbly wisheth all happinesse Externall Internall Eternall Dearly beloved in Christ our common SAVIOUR I Know not how little time I shall be with you here nor how soon I shall goe home and be no more seen I speak not this of going to another place I am weary with tumbling or of not being seen among you here but of going the way of all the earth and not being seen after the manner of the living The Iewes in the midst of their worst troubles except the last complained that they had no Prophet none that could tell them how long I complain not because it is an advantage not to know that time that I may expect and prepare for it every day but I am sure that none except God be pleased to reveal it can tell my time of abode in this earthly Tabernacle I have now lived two above the great Clymacterieall year and it is a great wonder to me that amidst so many vexations and sadding griefes of mind so many troubles and tossings of body and so many weaknesses of mould and temper I should live even to this houre But God will have it so who still cuts out some work for me to do I am humbly content and doe with all chearfulnesse submit to our good God's pleasure Though I desire rest yet I refuse not labour at his command or at his pointing providence I confesse that three things might put my heart upon the wing to be gone to my Christ the burthen of Crosses the burthen of the Churches afflictions and the burthen of Impotent age and two things might discourage me from any further working in this shop below the contempt of the Ministery and the poorenesse of the encouragements that Ministers have from the most that hear them But when I looke upon the place where God hath unexpectedly pitched me and the loving persons for the greater part over whom God hath made me an Overseer as I doe from Lords day to Lords day chearfully work for the good of your souls besides at other private opportunities to doe you good So am I willing as I am able to leave some testimoniall of my love to you and care over you when I have made my bed in darknesse If our good God In whose hands are our dayes and wayes shall adde years to my few and evill dayes I may be able by his blessed assistance to shew it in some more spirituall and valuable piece In the mean time as I am so is this little Book which I here present yours And if it may set you but one staff or round in the ladder of life nearer to your happy journeyes end I shall abundantly rejoyce over you and in you You know that the first government that ever was in this world was in a Family and the first disorder that ever was in the world was in a Family and all the disorders that ever fell out since sprung from Families If Families had been better Churches and Common-wealths all along had prospered As we read it was in Athens of old the boy ruled the mother the mother ruled the father and he ruled the whole City and thence sprung many disorders which made those present times sick of them even to complaining so hath it been in all ages and I am sure it hath been in ours all we that live here groan under it still even to more then a complaint Had young and old been right set before they entered into a Family Had the Family been founded in marriage in the Lord. Had relations betwixt wife and husband children and parents servants and masters been holily carried on according to the rule of Christ Had the house been furnished with a wise holy and carefull father and mother of the family had it been furnished with a just getting and giving it had bin a thousand times better with Church Common-wealth and Family then it hath been or is yet To this end Christians have I taken this little pains first by preaching then by writing to present this little Treatise unto you Read it over seriously between God and your own souls and when you find any touch of it to strike upon any string in your hearts see what may be done to make your Families better and Doe it It may be ye have been rotten timber when you were put into the Family Oh pray that the Sonne of Righteousnesse would come and bring healing under his wings Or it may be when you were young or old you have not been made suitable to the Word of God pray that now he would write his Law in your hearts to make an alteration by an application of the work of the Spirit Or it may be you have not laid a good foundation for a Family by Marriage in the Lord but have married for money or lust pray that God would forget that and give an after establishment to that which was wickedly done at first Or it may be you have faithlesly and unconscionably carried your selves in your relations pray for union with Christ to purge out the wickednesse of nature and with hearty sorrow for what is past you will stand fast in all your relations hereafter Or it may be for want of a good Master and Mistres there hath been no good order in the Family either every day or on the Lords day pray that God would rule in their hearts that God may rule in their house till they may be saluted The Church that is in thy house Or it may be for want of true justice both in lending borrowing buying selling letting hiring and giving the wages of iniquitie are yet in your houses Oh pray that there be not self-seeking nor deceit no coloured covetousnesse nor any thing that savours of injurious evil to be found amongst you If God will blesse you by this Book or any other means doe what you can to be built by God in your Families Thus God will prosper the worke of his own hands upon you and bring out of your Families blessings to the Church and Common-wealth as well as to you This God requires this I aimed at among you and for this while I am you shall have the prayers Christians of Your loving Pastour for Christs sake and by his appointment ROBERT ABBOTT The sum of this following Book which is in stead of a generall Table referring to every Section Psalme 127. 1. 1 An Introduction Page 1. A Traction wherein 2 1 The
husbands to your daughters and the practise of Abraham for Isaac Manoah for Sampson yea and of Agar for Ishmael I now humbly beseech that all Parents would ply these three Rules of Paul and that they would not be Judasses under pretence of a kisse to betray their childrens souls But as Crates was wont to cry out to the people O men whither now away why take ye such care to gather riches for your children and have no care to train them up that should enjoy them So may we say of too many carelesse Parents among Christians to the shame of holy Christianitie SECT 15. THe last paire are as rafters in Gods building when it comes to the highest and are 1. Masters and 2. Servants 1. Servants must be obedient to their masters Eph. 6. 5. according to the flesh By Masters you may not understand those that usurp authoritie over the consciences of men for this none must doe and none must suffer according to Pauls rule Be not the servants of men but 1 Cor. 7. those that are Masters according to the flesh that is who rule over the body By Servants you must understand those that by Covenant cannot dispose of their service as they please but must be at the command of those that hire them Now these must be obedient of which they must weigh 1. The Ground 2. The manner 3. The reason of it 1. The ground is that subjection which is due from the servant to the master By this he stoops under the authoritie of his master and it must be discovered three wayes 1. By inward reverence his master bearing the Image of Gods soveraigntie in which respect God saith If I be your master where Mal. 1. 6. is my fear 2. By out ward expressing of it in speech and Luke 17. 7. gesture as that wearie servant when he came from the field did not refresh at his pleasure but waited upon his masters leisure 3. By patient bearing of rebukes though bitter and unjust as Peter saith servants be subject to your masters with all fear not onely 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. to the good and gentle but also the froward for this is thank worthy Quest But hath a servant no remedy if he be wronged Answ God forbid for the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vain Rom. 13. If that cannot be had he may withdraw for the present till the storm be over as David from Saul and the Egyptian from the Amalekite and then come again 2. The manner of his obedience is 1. Readily 2. Pleasingly 3. Silently 4. Faithfully 5. Diligently 1. Readily having their eyes alwayes to their masters to be directed by a word or a Ps 123. 2. nod Thus did the Centurions when he said Matth. 8. 9. to one goe he went to another come he came to another doe this and he did it when it was otherwise with Jobs servants Job 19. 16. according to his complaint I called my servant and he gave me no answer I entreated him Quoad Reverentiam Dominorum quoad Judicium Domini with my mouth in vain it was for want of fear in reference to reverence to their master and for want of trembling in reference to the judgement of the Lord. 2. Pleasingly pleasing their masters in all Tit. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 6. things saith Paul not as men-pleasers with eye service but with singlenesse of heart as in Gods sight as good Jacob did to churlish Laban If you ask wherein they must please them God saith according to the flesh in all lawfull and honest things The masters are over the flesh not the spirit therefore slaves are called bodies because Apoc. 18. 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commands of masters reach onely to the body The servants must obey onely in outward things As the dominion of masters is Col. 3. 22. limited so is the obedience of servants 3. Silently not answering again saith Paul Tit. 2. 10. Sit servus monosyllabus Domino therefore that rule is good Let the servant speak in one syllable to his master Yet I shall shew you two things 1. Wherein servants may speak 2. Wherein they may not speak 1. They may speak in three cases First when just occasion is offered by questions for they are condemned who when they understand will not answer Prov. 29. 19 Secondly when they receive wrong from their masters they may with humble respect clear themselves as David did of treason by 1 Sam. 24. 10 11. shewing his innocencie by three signes the lap of Sauls garment his water pot and speare Thirdly when wholsome and good advice may doe their masters good as you see not onely in Naamans servants when they advised 2 Kings 5. 13. Job 31. 13. him to follow the Prophets counsel though it seemed but mean unto him and also in Job when he was in his prosperitie 2. They may not speak in two cases First by private mutterings and grumblings against the command of their masters Secondly by open crossing and thwarting them by perverse and snarling words to provoke them to anger and displeasure 4. Faithfully as Jacob obeyed Laban by bearing the heat of the day and burthen of Gen. 38. 39 40. the night for his good and Joseph obeyed both Potiphar and the Jaylor who looked not to any thing under his hand so faithfull was he This faithfulnesse stands in two things 1. In seeking to encrease their masters good to their lawful power for talents are Matth. 25. 27. Tit. 2. put out to the servants for the masters gain 2. In not diminishing them They must be no pickers and stealers saith Paul Object They will say I may make bold with a little which hurts not my master Sol. But I say crack conscience for a little which doth a little hurt and who will trust thee in more If Achans toung of gold lye before thee thou wilt not spare God delights to say to a good servant Thou hast been faithfull Matth. 25. in a little Object But haply thou wilt say my master is hard and this provokes me to do otherwise then I would Sol. I say it matters not thou goest by this way from the service of an hard master to the service of an harder The Devil and what gainst thou by that 5. Diligently He that waits on his master Prov. 27. 18. 1 Kings 17. 1. 2 Kings 5. 16. shall be honoured saith Solomon For this cause servants are said to stand before their masters to be alwayes at hand upon every occasion and Heathens painted servants with their hands full of tools to imply their diligence about any work that their masters set them about Quest But you may ask me whether servants are never free from this obedience to their masters Answ I answer they are not free from the habit of it so long as they are under Covenant Yet they are from the acts of it at three times when they are the
I am thy Apoc. 19. fellow servant much more may the master to the servant 2. Death will level us all yea it may be will make the servant above his master if he be above him in grace for there the servant is free from his master 3. Masters have a Master in Heaven that is God He is Job 3. 19. Omniscient and it were impudencie to deal wickedly when he looks on He is Holy and Iust and will not wink at iniquitie though indulgent masters will and doe He is Omnipotent and able to punish all iniquitie he hates The very thought of these things ought to make better servants and better masters SECT 17. THus I have brought Gods building in a Family from the Rule to the Timber from the Timber to the Framing from the Framing to the Foundation from the Foundation to the upper Building even to the Roof We are come now to Gods Finishing of a Family which is by an orderly government under a good father and mother of a Family Quest You may aske me why doe you say an orderly government For may not disorderly persons be in a good Family You ask not of may as lawfully approvedly but may as possible and then I answer They may Answ It was holy Augustines case therefore he writes to the ministers seniors and the whole Citie of Hippo that they would not faint in Epist 137. quamtumlibet vigileÌ„t disciplina domus mâ—ae â—omo sum inter homines viâ—â— Nec mihi arrogare audeo ut domus mea melior sit quam Arca Noae c. their course or judge hardly of him for it Although saith he the discipline of my house be quiet and vigilant yet am I a man and live amongst men neither dare I arrogate to my selfe that my house should be better then the Ark of Noah the house of Abraham Isaack Jacob and of Christ Thus may it be also with many a good man Yea there have been no worse men in the world then they that have the best means of grace in the best Families In Adams family there was a murthering Cain in Abrahams a persecuting Ishmael In Noahs a scoffing Cham in Isaacks a profane Esau in Davids an undutiful Abshalom in Mephibosheths a faithlesse Zibah and in Elishahs a lying Gehazi Neither may we wonder at it because Religion descends not by inheritance for Adam begat a child in his Gen. 5. 3. own likeness a sinner like himself Yea Religion is the work of God and he hath other Rom. 9. 17. 1 Sam. 2. 25. ends in means of Reformation then Conversion as we may see in Pharaoh and in Elies sons Yet what then Shall not therefore a good father and mother of a Family strive for an orderly government Yea much more Ye know what a people God told the Prophets Jeremy and Ezechiel that they should preach Jer. 1. 19. Ezâ—ch 2. 5. 7. 3. 7. unto even as bad as briars and thorns yet he did it not to cool their affections but to make them more zealous so I present what possibly may be to whet you to put to all your strength for orderly Families Thus did Adam and Evah whose religious Family was called The face of God Thus Gen. 4. 14. Gen. 18. 19 Josh 24. 15. Acts 10. 2. did Joshuah David Cornelius or else such high praises of them would never have been left recorded for our imitation Consider therefore seriously 1. What all Governours of Families must doe to this end 2. What either of the Governours must doe 1. In general all Governours of Families must be carefull to looke to themselves If they shine not before the rest but lie rotting in the dunghil of nature ye â—â—all have a den of swearers drunkards lyars whoremongers cheaters and the like in a Family For Jeroboam will make Israel to sinne Augustus will fill his Court with Schollars Tyberius with dissemblers and Julian with Apostates They must care again to be such at home as they seem to be in the assemblies of Gods people that is truely religious David prayes that his people may be corner stones and polished so doe I pray that all Governours of Families may be such They must care as they can to draw into their Families such as be gracious or at least submit to gratious courses Though a Family may be named Good from the better part yet it is best when the Canaanites are kept out of it But now secondly to come unto particulars see what either of the Governours of a good Family must doe for their parts 1. The Father of a Family 2. The Mother of a Family SECT 18. 1. THe Father of a Family must care for three things 1. That his Family serve God everie day When Joshuah saith I and my Family will Josh 24. 15 serve God he doth promise and binde himself for every day of his life after As when David said thy face will I seek it binds him for his ever To this end the master must either teach as he can and ought in a private way or provide Deut. 6. 7. 20. that his Family be taught in Gods will The command of God requires it and the general bond of Christians to exhort edifie and comfort one another reacheth unto them Besides the pattern of good men which doth powerfully invite them See what God saith of Abraham and it is notable Gen 18. 19 what Solomon saith of his father Heare O you children I give you a good Doctrine Prov. 4. 1. 2 3 4. for I was my Fathers sonne and he taught me 2. The master must pray by himself or other both with and for his Familie As the Patriarch's were the Princes and Priests of the Familie so masters are chief heads and truely without Praier they and their Families lie open to the fearful wrath of God for he will powre out his wrath upon the Families Ier. 10. 25. that call not upoâ— his name Certainly masters are bound to do what good they can for their Families and how can they say so to God when they have not praied for and with them which is a special means Quest All the question wil be when they must do it Answ Not once in a moon or week or year but pray continually argues morning and evening 1 Thess 5. at least 1. They must do it in the morning if they be at home and well because though their family rise well yet ere night they may fail fall sick and die Though they seem faithful now they may be faithlesse if God deliver them not from their own hearts Er and Onan were alive in the morning but dead before night Abimelech well in the morning Gen. 38. Judâ— 9. but his brains almost near beat out before night Jobs children well in the morning Iob 1. but crushed to death before night How would such accidents sting masters Consciences if they had not cared to prevent such accidents by prayer 2.