DISCOURSE IV.

THE EXCUSES FOR THE NEGLECT OF FAMILY WORSHIP CONSIDERED.

JOB XXI. 15.

What is the Almighty that we should serve him: and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? JOB had been, in the preceding verses, describing the great prosperity of many wicked men; one ill consequence of which, was, that it made them more bold and daring in their impieties. Therefore they say unto God, depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if pray unto him?" These words are proper to introduce that part of the subject of family worship, which I am now to consider namely, the excuses that are made for the neglect of it. It is no wonder that profane and profligate sinners make objections to so important and useful a duty men who forget God, and themselves, and another life; who have no concern about their own

souls, and their spiritual necessities, much less any about the souls of their domestics. But it is very strange, that any thing like this should be the language of professing christians, who own a God, a providence, and a future state, and call themselves disciples of Christ. Were they thoroughly disposed to do their duty; to consider the obligations to family worship and the many advantages of it, they would be so far from making objections against it, that they would rather desire their obligations may be increased and strengthened. But, since there is such an unhappy disposition in mankind to cavil and object, I now proceed, according to the method I proposed,

V. To consider the objections which have been raised against the practice of this duty, or the excuses which have been made for the neglect of it for they are rather excuses than reasonable objections.

Those, which appear to be mere cavils, I shall but just mention, and insist more. largely upon those, which may have some weight in them, or concerning which honest minds may want further light. But let it be remembered, that the matter is to be examined, as in the presence of God, the final Judge; and if you cannot bear to consider and debate it as in his presence, it is a sign of a bad cause indeed, and that you are secretly

convinced it is so. The principal reasons that I have heard, or met with, against the stated and regular practice of this duty arethat there is no difference between those families that do, and do not practise it—that it is generally neglected-that other methods are taken to promote the religion of their families-that they want time-or ability for itthat their families will not submit to it, or that it hath been so long neglected, that they know not how to introduce it. Let us now examine what weight each of these excuses hath. It has been alleged,

1. That there is no difference between those families that do, and those that do not worship God.

I mention this first, because our text refers to it; and the language of it suits those, who start such an objection. You see it is not a modern objection. The profane sinners in Job time thought prayer unnecessary, because they prospered without it. And some, in the prophet Malachi's time, said, “It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his word, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts ?"* If the objectors refer to worldly prosperity, it may have some weight. But then it is an

* Malachi iii. 14.

objection that a christian cannot consistently make; unless he can prove that such prosperity is the necessary consequence of religion, or absolutely promised to those who practise it. The question is, what is true prosperity? and if that consists in the favour of God, an interest in Christ, peace and comfort of mind, and good hope of future blessedness, through the witness of the spirit, then we may confidently assert, that this is only to be found in the way of duty, and keeping God's commandments. It is true indeed, that many families prosper in the world, who never call upon God: but then they have their good things in this life only; and the prosperity of fools destroys them. It must be allowed, that many good men defeat their own prayers by an imprudent conduct.

But

if you will look abroad in the world, you will find, it is not religion that reduceth men to beggary or straits. If the objectors mean spiritual prosperity, and that family worship doth not make men so wise and good as I have represented, we only consider its natural, probable consequences. There may be bad men in good families, as there was a Judas in Christ's. But no one will say, that his instructions and prayers were not adapted to make his household good. Many of those, whose miscarriages and infirmities give occasion to such an objection, would very likely

have been worse, had it not been for family worship. The same objection would lie against public or secret prayer: every one is not made good by it. The best answer to

this objection would be fact. Let us look. abroad in the world, and see, whether there be not an evident difference, in general, be-tween those families that worship God and those that do not. Which of them abounds most with impiety and injustice; with oaths, curses, drunkenness, quarrelling and a worldly spirit? which of them appear most clean, decent, orderly ; are most respected and countenanced by their superiors? were a fair trial made, I durst put the whole upon this issue. But if religion be a friend to worldly prosperity, and the only way to the prosperity of the soul, then family prayer, as a part, and an excellent means of religion, must be serviceable to prosperity, though there may be some instances in which its good effects do not appear. It may be pleaded,

2. That it is generally neglected; and that too, by some good men; and therefore is not so important as hath been represented.

This is a mere cavil: for is not the fear of God, the Lord's supper, and, in many places, public worship, generally neglected? And if this duty be so too, which, by the way, is not so easy to be known, it is so much the