SecoiuU}^, See tliat, yon improve this spiritual advantage, or else it will go worse with you tlian others. Rebellions Isr-acl is told, they shall know that they had a prophet among them ; the meaning is, they shall know it to their cost ; and so shall those that have lived in families, under such governors, who went before them, and, as it were, chalked out a way to heaven by their godly exainple, lamenting over their precious soiils so often with their prayers and tears; if sucli miscarry, they shall know to their terror what families they once lived in, but had not a heart to prize or improve the mercy. God forbid that any of you should find the way to hell out of such doors, and force your way to danmation through such means. What will Cain answer, when his father that begat him shall bear witness against him, and say, Lord, this wicked child of mine never learned his atheism of me ; I brought him to thy worship, and taught him thy fear, but he liked it not, and first proved a nuu-derer, and then an apostate : first, he behaved himself wickedly in thy service, and then ran out of thy doors and cast it quite off. What will then the flouting wife of David — who though of a wicked flock, was privileged with so gracious a husband — say, when slie shall be accused for making him her laughing-stock for his zeal in the worship of God ? Or how will the wicked children of the same holy man, who walked with such u])rightncss in his house, look their godly father in the face at the great day? You", my children, said dying Mr. Bolton, dare not, I believe, meet me at the day of judgment in an xmregenerate state. The weight of such holy men's prayers and admonitions will then sink their ungodly relations deeper into hell than others, who drop thither out of dark and blin'd families.
CHAPTER XL.
A WORD TO THOSE GOVERNORS OF FAMILIES, THAT HAVE NOT THE WORSHIf OF GOD IN THEIR HOUSES.
You that are heads of families, but yet have not had a heart to set up the worship of God in them, — I am afraid God hatli little from you in your closets, who hath none from you in your families : it is no breach of charity to suspect your care for your own souls, when you shew none for your relations'. If ever thou hadst been acqxiainted with God, and tasted any sweetness in secret comnumiou with him, coidd thou thus rob thy family of so great a blessing? Could you find such a treasure, and hide it from them you love so well ? Have they not souls as precious as thy own ? Art thou not \villing they should find the way to heaven as well as thyself? Yea, art thou not God's trustee, to take care of their souls as well as their bodies? Dost thou owe no more to thy child, or thy servant, than to thy hog, or liorse ? Their bodies are looked to, and wilt thou do no more fen- the others ? How knowest thou but thy holy example in the duties of God's worsliip among them, may leave such impressions on their hearts as shall never be worn off? Did you never hear any to the praise of God acknowledge, that the first turn towards heaven they ever had, was by living in such a godly family, where, with the worship of God, a savour and secret sense of the things of God did secretly steal into their hearts? Certainly, were our youth more acquainted witlf the duties of religion in private, the minister's work would be much facilitated in public; by this, the consciences of many would be preserved tender, and so be more pliable to the counsels of the word preached : whereas now the devil hath a sad advantage (from the irreligion that is in most families) to harden their hearts to such a degree, as renders them almost impenetrable. It is no wonder to see that tree thrives not, which stands but little in the sun ; and as little wonder to see them continue profane and wicked, that but once in a week come under the beams of an ordinance. One well compareth the public ministry to the mason that builds the house, and family governors to them that make the brick. Now if you, by neglecting your duty, bring clay instead of brick, you make the minister's work double. The truth is, the neglect of family worship opens a wide flood-gate to let in a deluge of profaneness. Thou livest now without the worship of God in thy family, and perhaps in a few years, from thee many other families may arise, aiul most likely they will follow thy copy : indeed it were a wonder, that they who are taught no better should do otherwise : and so irreligion is likely to spread apace. When thy head is laid in the dust, thy profaneness is not l)uried
WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. (391