the act of prayer upon him as a sin, but liis remissness therein ; much less will he impute to thee another's sinful frame of heart, with whom thou joinest in prayer. Pray thou in faith, and his unbelief shall not prejudice thy faith, nor his jjride tliy humility. Thou joinest with him in the duty, but hast no com- munion with his sin. You may as well say, if a thief in the time of prayer should pick another's pocket, that all the company are guilty of his theft. How much better were it, to fear lest thou pray with a wicked heart in thy bosom, than with a wicked person in thy family ! Thou art likely neither to hurt thy own sold by praying in his company, nor better his by omitting the duty for his sake. May be, though he be carnal, yet he is outwardly complying; and how knowest thou but thy prayer may pierce his heart, and assist toward his conversion ? Such I have heard of, who have had the first sensible impression made upon their hearts in this duty. If he be not only carnal, but a mocker of the worship of God, and a disturber of the duty, better thou shouldst, with Abraham, turn such an Ishmael out of doors, than, for his sake, turn God out by denying him the worship due unto him.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
A REPROOF TO THOSE THAT UNNECESSARILY THROW THEMSELVES TO LIVE IN SUCH FAMILIES WHERE THE WORSHIP OF GOD IS NOT SET UP.
Dost thou know whither thou goest? Thou art running, with Jonah, from the presence of the Lord, and mayest expect a storm to be sent after thee. Haply thou art a servant, who once lived in a godly family, where thou hadst many sweet privileges and spiritual advantages ; a table spread eveiy day for thy soul as often as for thy body, thereby enjoying a kind of heaven upon earth ; but, for a little ease in thy work, or gain in thy wages, thou hast made this unhappy change, to put thyself under tlie roof of those who will sooner teach thee to curse than to pray ; and where, by the orders kept in the family, thou canst not know a Lord's day from a v/eek day, or whether there be such a thing as religious worship due to thy Maker or no. Alas, poor creature ! "What ! wert thou in so green a pasture, and now wandering upon the barren heath, where nothing is to be got for thy precious soul ; — where (as on the mountain of Gilboa) none of those heavenly dews fall, with which thy soul was wont to be watered ! Truly, thou art gone out of God's blessing into the warm sun. Had God, indeed, cast thee by a necessary providence on such a place, thou mightest then have hope to keep thy spiritual state, though wanting thy former repast ; but being thy own choice, it is to be feared thou wilt soon languish : leanness is likely to shrivel up thy soul, while thou hast thy fat morsels in thy mouth ; thy spirit will grow poor, though thy purse may grow heavy : we shall have thee ere long complaining, as Naomi, that thou wentest out full, but earnest home empty. How darest thou choose to dwell where God himself doth not visit with his gracious presence ? ' He inhabits the praises of his people,' and takes his abode in the house of praj'er ; and if the Holy Spirit dwells not, walks and breathes not, in the house, it must needs be haunted with the evil one. Make thy stay there as short as possible. Leave the dead to dwell with the dead : thy safety will be to get among better company. Is the church so barren of godly families, that none such are to be found who will open their door to let thee in ? Go, inquire where such live, and offer to do the meanest office in that house where thou mayest enjoy thy former privileges for thy soul. The very beasts groan to serve the wicked ; whereas holy angels themselves disdain not to minister unto the saints. But haply thou wilt say, it is not thy choice, but necessity. Thou art by thy parents put apprentice to a master that is wicked; or thou livest imder thy own parent's shadow, and thou canst not help it, though they be jjrofane ; or with a husband, whom thou didst hope would prove a kind help to thy soul, but thou findest it otherwise : what would you have us to do in this case ?
First, Mourn under it as thy great affliction. Thus David did, when he lived in Saul's wicked family, whose court, for irreligion and profaneness, he compareth to the barbarous Arabians, and profane Ishmaelites, lamenting that he was under the necessity of living with such, whom, by his relation, he could not well leave, and, for their wickedness, he could worse bear ; ' Woe is me that I sojourn in INIesech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar.'
WITH ALL PHAVKU AND SUPPLICATION. (Jg9