glLJLtitls g i Jjrfl l ^ ^Jl I C- 1 E < I 5 i so CD i 5 1 B I I $ t o c* S-i JUfl , C? Cc I I I 3 f* = U ' J 3 V 1 'I ^EUNIVER% i s ^ "5. . Mirrl DISCOURSES O N DOMESTICK DUTIES, B y SAMUEL STENNETT, D.D. I WILL WALK WITHIN MY HOUSE WITH A PERFECT HEART. DAVID. .LONDON: Printed by R. H E T T ; And Sold by J. BUCKLAND, in Pater-Nofter-Row ; and T. CAD ELL, in the Strand. M.DCC.LXXXIII, T O T H E CHURCH AND CONGREGATION ASSEMBLING IN LITTLE WILD-STREET, N E A R^ LINCOLN's-INN-FIELDSj THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSES O N DOMESTICK DUTIES^ ARE, WITH GREAT RESPECT, INSCRIBED, B y THEIR AFFECTIONATE FRIEND, AND OBLIGED HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. Stack Annex 04+ 35V 1316178 3 K T i^- v;xi : 3^r j- o'aia o T /iiv; ADVERTISEMENT. A SERIOUS attention to Do- meftick - Duties hath ever been confidered, by wife and good people, as a matter of the laft im- portance to the civil and religious interefts of mankind. To perfuade men to the faithful and chearful difcharge of thefe duties, is the ob- ject of the following Difcourfes. The author is fenfible that there are many excellent treatifes on moft of the fubjects that compofe this volume. But he prefumes, that the chara&er of the prefent times, too fadly marked by inattention to thefe im- portant matters ; and the poffibility of placing them in a light fomevvhat different from that in which they have been ufually coniidered, are fufficient reafons to juftify this at- A 3 tempt. vi ADVERTISEMENT, tempt. With great diffidence he fubmits it to the candour of the Publick : not doubting but his views, however h.e may have failed in the execution of his plan, will meet the approbation of the friends of virtue and religion ; and engage their good wifhes for its favourable reception, and their cordial prayers for its fuccefs. The firft difcourfe, which has a general refpect to all the duties of benevolence, was in- tended as an introductory one to a plan of which this volume is only a part. Whether the plan will ever be completed is uncertain. But this circumftance is here mentioned as an apology for what might other- wife be deemed an impropriety. CONTENTS. CONTENTS. DISCOURSE I. The Duties of Benevolence confidered and enforced. In Two Parts. PHILIP, ii. 4. Loo-k not every Man on bis own Things, but every Man alfo on the Things of others. P. i. D I S C O U R S E II. Family Religion in general. In Two Parts. JOSHUA xxiv. 15. As for me and my Houfe, we will ferve the Lord. P. 45. DISCOURSE III. Family Worfhip. In Two Parts. ROM. xvi. 5. Likewife greet the Church that is in their Houje. P. 90. A 4 D I S- Vlll CONTENTS. DISCOURSE IV. Reciprocal Duties of Hufbands and Wives. In Two Parts. EPH. v. 33. Let every one of you in particular, fo love his Wife even as bimfelf-, and the Wife 'fee that Jhe reverence her Hujband. P. 140. DISCOURSE V. Duties of Parents to their Children. , > . In Three Parts. P R o v. xxii. 6. Train up a Child in the Way he foould go : and when he is old, he 'will not depart from if.> * * P. 1 88. DISCOURSE VI. Duties of Children to their Parents. In Two Parts. EPH. vi. i, 2, 3. Children, obey your Parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy Father and Mother, f which is the firft Commandment with Promife) that it may be well with thee, and thou may eft live long on the Earth. P. 266. D I S- CONTENTS. ix DISCOURSE VII. Duties of Servants to Matters. In Three Parts. E P n. vi. 5 8. Servants, be obedient to them that are your Mafters according to the Flejh, 'with Fear and Trembling, in Singlenefs of your Heart 9 as unto Chrift : not 'with Eye-fervice, as Men-pleafers, but as the Servants of Chrift, doing the Will of God from the Heart ; with good Will doing Service, as to the Lord, and not to Men : knowing that whatfoever good Thing any Man doth, , the fame flail he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. P. 324. DISCOURSE VIII. ' Duties of Mafters to Servants. In Two Parts. EPH. vi. 9. And ye Mafters, do the fame Things unto them, forbearing Threatening : knowing that your Mafter alfo is in Heaven, neither is there Refpeft ofPerfons with Him. P. 395. DISCOURSE IX. Domeftick-Friendfhip. In Three Parts. PSALM x CONTENTS. PSALM cxxxiii. Behold, bow good and bow pleafant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity. It is like the precious Ointment upon the Head, that ran down upon the Beard> even Aaron s Beard, that went down to the Skirts of his Garments. As the Dew of Hermon, and as the Dew that defcended upon the Mountains of Zion ; for there the Lord commanded the Blejfing, even Life for .>.'>''". V -p. evermore. P. 441. DISCOURSE X. Hofpitality. In Two Parts. - I P E T. iv. 9. Ufe Hofpitality one to another, without grudging. P. 512. DISCOURSE XI. Convivial Intercourfe. In Two Parts. JOB i. 4, 5. And his Sons went andfeajled in their Houfes, every one his Day ; and fent and called for their three Sifters, to eat and to drink with them. And it was fo, when the Days of 3 their CONTENTS. xi their feafting 'were gone about, that yob fent and fanSlified them, and rofe up early in the Morning, and offered burnt Offerings according to the Number of them all: for Job faid, It may be that my Sons have Jinned, and curfed God in their Hearts. 'Thus did "Job continually. P. 561. DISCOURSE XII. Heaven confidered as a Family. In Two Parts. JOHN xiv. 2. In my "Father s Houfe are many Man/ions ; if it were not fo, I would have told you : I go to prepare a Place for you. P. 607. ERRATA. ERRATA. Page 190, Note, for "|p read ^p Sofit read them* *a and iince he has neither oppor- tunity, or ability, equal to every fervice that may be demanded of him, it is his duty to exert himfelf in fuch ways as he judges upon the whole will beft promote the in- terefts of fociety. From whence it follows, that we mould be cautious how we haftily cenfure others, as of a private and felfifli, fpirit, becaufe they do not take an adlive, part with us in every fcheme for the publiqk good, to which our impetuofity would urge them. They may be purfuing a line of conduct, which Providence hath pointed out to them, and which may more efTen- tially contribute to the general welfare than that to which we would divert their at- tention. Secondly, The fpiritual interefls of others are to be preferred to their temporal. This appears from what has been already obferved, and muft ftrike every confiderate man as a moft important truth. If there be a God, the duties we owe him ought to take the lead of thofe we owe our neigh- bour. If our fouls, are of infinitely greater value confidered and enforced. \ 5 value than our bodies, and the prefent is only an introduction to a future eternal life, there can be no doubt that the moft im- portant concerns of a worldly kind fhould yield to thofe of religion, when they come into competition with each other. The civil immunities of nations, focieties, and families, are objects of great magnitude, but their moral and religious interefts of much greater. And what further entitles the latter to the precedence of the former is, the direct and mighty influence which virtue and piety unqueftionably have upon men's temporal happinefs. Here permit me to obferve/ that this reafoning ftamps a dignity upon the character of thofe, how- ever mean and contemptible their external appearance and circumftances may be, whom divine Providence hath raifed up and fent to preach the gofpel in the world. Again, Thirdly, The nearer the relation the greater is the regard we owe to one ano- ther. Charity, we ufually fay, begins at home. And it is a plain dictate of nature, that offices of benevolence mould originate among our moft intimate connections, and fo proceed by gradual progreffion to thofe at the remoteft diftance from us. Men emi- nent 1 6 The Duties of Benevolence nent for a difinterefted and publick fpirit, have generally given diftinguimed proofs of a humane and friendly difpofition. Nor is much to be expected from thofe, however warm their profeffions of zeal for the pub- lick good may be, who pay little or no at- tention to the important obligations of confanguinity, neighbourhood, and private friendmip. Thefe things premifed, we go on to fpeak of the duties of benevo- lence under the following heads, namely, thofe we owe to mankind in general our country the church of Chrift and indi- viduals. i . There are duties we owe to men as men, and purely on the ground of their being of the fame fpecies with ourfelves. All our fellow-creatures, whatever may be their, fituations, characters, or circum- ftances, are entitled to our fympathy and benevolence. A good man will wilh well to every one of his brethren of mankind, iincerely pray for their happinefs, and hear- tily concur in meafures for extending the bleffings of civil and religious liberty far and wide. The attention he pays to his family, friends, and neighbourhood, will not exclude thofe from his regards who are beyond the circle wherein he moves. His predilection. conjidered and enforced. I J predilection in favour of his native country will not excite animofity in his breaft againffc the fubjects of other ftates. Nor will the juft prejudices he has conceived againft the ignorance, fuperftition, and bigotry of Pa- gans, Mahometans, and Papifts, or againft thofe who have injured him, obliterate the compaffionate feelings of humanity towards them. Deterring thofe wretched maxims of policy and felf-intereft which tend to the dividing mankind, and alienating them from one another, he will confiderhimfelf obliged, upon the grand principle that God hath made men of one blood, and that his fun ihines upon the evil and the good, to con- tribute what in him lies to the welfare of all. In fhort, as religion confirms and im- proves that univerfal philanthropy which nature teaches, fo the chriftian feels him- felf difpofed not only to the duties of truth, fincerity, and juftice, but to thofe of ci- vility, fympathy, and love towards the whole race of mankind. 2. The duties we owe to our country come next to be enumerated. Thefe are of a more particular defcription than the former. They are the refult of a regard due to others, not as men only, but as men inhabiting one country, caft into C one 1 8 The Duties of Benevolence one civil fociety, and fubfifting under one form of government. This regard or at- tachment is what we call patriotifm, a kind of inftintt implanted in our breafts for wife and noble purpofes ; and which, therefore, a good man will cherifh and cultivate to the utmoft of his power. And the duties of it are fuch as thefe : in general, the feeking the fafety, honour, and profperity of our country. The coniidering the enemies of it, whether foreign or domeftick, as our ene- mies. The ufing our endeavours to deted: every iniidious, and to defeat every open attempt againft it. The contending earn- eftly for its civil and religious rights and liberties. The paying all due allegiance, honour, and fubmiffion to its magistrates fupreme and fubordinate. The rendering tribute to whom tribute is due. The lead- ing peaceable lives in all godlinefs, and honefty. The endeavouring to promote harmony and good will, condefcenfion and fubordination among all orders of men. And, in a word, the exerting ourfelves, as far as our abilities and flations will admit, to check the progrefs of vice and profane- nefs, and to promote virtue and religion. Which leads me, 3- To ronfidered and enforced. 19 3. To the duties we owe^ as chriflians, to the church of God. Here our views are confined within a circle of a different defcription from the former. All good men, wherever fituated and however diftinguimed from one another^ compofe one large family, fociety, or king- dom, of which God is the Father^ and Chrift is the Sovereign and King. And our duty, as belonging to this one catho- lick church or body, is, in general, to main- tain fteadily the grand principles on which it is united, to contend earneftly for its rights and privileges; to endeavour, by all poffible means, to promote its profperity and increafe, and to cherim in our breafts a cordial and unreferved affection to every; individual of which it is compofed. But as the various iituations and circum- flances of ehriftians, and their different modes of thinking refpecling matters which do not affect the exiftence of the whole, make it neceflary that they fhould be formed into diftincl: focieties, fo there are duties which the members of fuch focieties owe to one another. And it is an important ex- premon of a publick fpirit to pay a faithful attention to thefe duties, as hereby not only the particular interefls of thefe feparate C 2 focieties 20 *Ibe Duties of Benevolence focieties are promoted, but the general wel- fare and glory of the whole. And here I might mention the various mutual offices required of minifters and their people to- wards each other, in regard of publick wor- fhip, the celebration of divine ordinances, and the maintenance of good order, fellow- fhip, and love. He is a man of a publick catholick fpirit, who in refpect of thefe mat- ters feeks not his own things but the things of Chrift, and can fay with the apoftle, " For me to live is Chrift," it is my grand object to promote his kingdom and intereft : who endeavours with all his might to pre- ferve the chriftian doctrine and inftitutions inviolable; and to that end often foregoes bis own eafe, emolument, and honour: and who, abhorring from his very heart a narrow, uncandid, bigotted fpirit, feels a cordial affection for all other chriftian fo- cieties, who hold Chrift as the head, though they differ in many circumftantials of doc- trine and duty; and moft heartily concurs with them in every laudable fcheme for the general-good. 4. And laftly, the duties of benevolence are to be further confidered in their refe- rence to families and individuals. And confidered and enforced. 2 1 And here I forbear to enumerate all the offices required of us towards each other, in the various characters of hufbands and wives, parents and children, brethren and fillers, matters and fervants, buyers and fellers, relatives, friends, neighbours, and members of civil fociety. Thefe offices are almoft infinitely diverfified, yet they are all the objects of his attention who looks not on his own things only, but alfo on the things of others. A bufy officious temper ought, however, to be particularly guarded againft. Far was it from the apoftle's intention to give any countenance to fo little, mean, and bale, a paffion, as that of looking or prying into other people's affairs. A paffion that has done infinite mifchief in the world and in the church. He particularly inveighs againft it in his epiflles to the Theffalonians and to Timothy, where he defcribes perfons of this character, as "walking diforderly, working " not at all, and being bufy-bodies '." And, as " learning to be idle, wandering about " from houie to houfe, tatlers, and fpeaking " things 'which they ought not V A man of apublick and benevolent fpirit is infinitely 1 2 Theff. iii. u. m i Tim. v. 13. C 3 * fuperior 22 The Duties of Benevo knee fuperior to every thing of this fort. He meddles not with the concerns of others. Yet glad would he be to make every indi- vidual with whom he is connected happy, and fincerely does he lament it, that too. often, through human frailty and criminal neglecl, he fails in his duty. This general view of the duties to which the apoftle ex- horts us in the text, and which are here- after to be more particularly confidered, mail at prefent fuffice. Our obligations to the regular and chearful difcharge of the duties of a publick fpirit, remain now to be confidered. But this will be the fubjeft o our attention the next opportunity. PART II. WE have particularly confidered the evil we are cautioned againft in the text, namely, a private or felfifh fpirit Look not every man on bis own things. And we have ex- plained and illuftrated the temper and con- ducT: oppofed to it, namely, a benevolent and publick fpirit Let every man look alfo on the things of others. And we now proceed, SECONDLY, To enquire into our obliga- tions to the regular and chearful difcharge pf the duties of Benevolence. confidered and enforced. 2 3 i . We will begin with the obligation which refults from the relation we ft and in- to each other. There are relations fubfifting among man- kind, and thefe relations do of neceffity be- get reciprocal duties. As for inftance, the moment I contemplate the relation between parents and their children, the obligation of the former to love the latter, and of the latter to reverence the former, forces itfelf upon my mind. There is no feparating the ideas. And the fame may be faid of every other relation among reafonable beings. Let men be placed in what connection they may with each other, that connection will, it muft, produce fome confequent obliga- tion. And that obligation, fuppofing the connection to fubfift, is in the reafon and nature of the thing immutable. All the movements of a watch are adapted to one great end, and it is by the regular operation of the feveral parts, which bear an imme- diate relation to each other, that that end is attained. So it is in the moral world. The various orders of rational beings that exift bear certain relations to each other, and were the feveral duties refulting from thefe relations rightly and uniformly difcharged, the happinefs of every individual would be C 4 fecured, 24 *fbe Duties of 'Benevolence fecured, and 'fo the general good of the whole, which is the grand object, would be attained. Now they who look on their own things, and not on the things of others, do violate the obligations which refult from the re- lation they ftand in to their fellow-crea- tures. And how very abfurd and criminal is fuch a conduct ! Will they deny that any relation fubfifts between them and man- kind ? No, it cannot be denied. Will they deny that thefe relations oblige them to certain duties ? This would be to offer vio- lence to common fenfe, and to tear the whole fabrick of this moral fyflem to pieces. Will they fay, they are no further obliged, to confult the interefts of others than the doing it will tend in their apprehenfion to promote their own interefts ? If they may be allowed to fay fo, others may too ; and then not only the welfare of the whole will be defeated, but of individuals, and in the long run of themfelves likewife. On the contrary, it were eafy to mew (and will be fhewn afterwards) that by feeking the things of others we feek our own things ; and that however in many inftances our prefent worldly advantage may be affedted by our attention to the general good, we fhall yet be conjidered and enforced. 2 5 be gainers upon the whole : not to fay how the common feelings of humanity, upon a little recollection, are hurt by the wretched bafenefs of a felfifh fpirit. A man of this character is his own tormentor : for felfifhnefs begets envy, envy malevolence, and malevolence torment. Whence the phi- lofopher, feeing a fpiteful fellow look fad, wittily faid, he knew not what to think was the caufe of his melancholy, whether fome difafter of his own, or fome good for- tune of another. What are they then doing who void of all generofity (it may be added juftice and humanity too) obftinately refufe obedience to the admonition in our text ? They are in arms againft their whole fpe- cies \ hoftile to all focial connections, do- meftick, civil, and religious - y and flrange infatuation ! enemies to themfelves. 2. To the duties of benevolence we are obliged by the exprefs command of God. That great Being hath fignified his will to us two ways, namely, by the light of nature, and by the holy fcriptures. As to the former, if the reafoning under the laft head be juft, then that reafoning is the voice of God. He has eftablifhed thefe re- lations among mankind, and endowed us with capacities to perceive their fitnefs to the 26 The Duties of Benevolence the ends of their appointment, and the du- ties refulting from them. By fo doing, therefore, he has authoritatively required of us the fulfilment of thefe duties, and every failure therein is not only an injury done to our fellow-creatures, but a direcl: violation of the command of our Creator, thus Signified to us by the dictates of nature. But, as our reafon is enervated and de- praved by the general apoftacy of mankind, and fo through weaknefs and prejudice we err; he has given us a fecond edition of the law of nature in the bible. Here we are commanded " to love the Lord with all our '* heart, and foul, and Strength ; and to love " our neighbour as ourfelves V And here we have thefe relations particularly ex- plained, and the obligations refulting from them urged upon us by a variety of motives the moft interesting and important. If we Hand at the foot of Mount Sinai, we hear the law pronounced by the ble^Ted God himfelf with a majefty and terror that can- not fail of exciting the profoundeft reve- rence and dread. If we go to the prophets for instruction, we have not only the poii- tive declarations of the divine will, but fuch * Luke x. 27. reafonings confidered and enforced. 27 reafonings thereon as are level to the plained undemanding, and addreffed to all the feelings of the human heart. If, again, we fit at the feet of the divine Jefus to re- ceive the law at his lips, we have the whole fyftem of moral obligation laid open to our view, with a clearnefs and pathos that infi- nitely furpaffes what was to be met with in the fchools of philofophers, or the colleges of Jewi(h teachers. The apoflles too, un- der the immediate infpiration of the holy Spirit, fail not to exhort us to the duties we owe one another, and to urge them upon us by thofe fublime motives peculiar to the gofpel, which they were cpmmifTioned to publifti throughout the whole world. If then the fcriptures are the word of God, it is his command, lignified to us in the moft plain and authoritative manner, that " we look not every one on his own things " only, but every man alfo on the things of *' others." And wilful difobedience to fuch authority cannot fail to expofe men to the heavieft punifhment. 3. Our obligations to the duties of bene- volence receive the noblefl fupport from the gofpel of Jefus Cbrifl. Such is the admirable conftru&ion of the gofpel that it throws light upon the duties we 28 The Duties of Benevolence we owe one another, and enflames our breafts with a holy emulation to excel all around us in the discharge of them. The apoftle had no fooner given the admonition in our text, but he felt himfelf tranfported almofl into an ecftafy by this divine argu- ment, which inftantly rofe to his view. " Let this mind," fays he, " be in you, " which was alfo in Chrift Jefus : who " being in the form of God, thought it not " robbery to be equal with God : but made " himfelf of no reputation, and took upon " him the form of a fervant, and was made tisfadion. Now what better evidence can a man pofTefs upon this important point, next to the witneffing of the holy Spirit, than what refults from his participating the fame divine temper, which aduated. the blefled Jefus in all he did and fufTered for our fakes ? " Let this mind be in you," fays the apoftle in the verfe following the text, " which was alfo in Chrift Jefus." And what was this mind but that which we have been fo largely defcrjbing in this dif* courfe ? conjidered and enforced. 4 1 courfe ? God is love. His moral perfections are all of them fo many different modifi-r cations of love. The gofpel is a fuper- ftructure which wifdom has erected on this foundation, love. And love is the feature which prevailed in the countenance of our Saviour, and expreffed itfelf more ftrongly than any other excellence in all bisections here on earth. And now, can a man have this fame mind in him which Chrift had ? Can he feel in his breaft a tender fympathy for the diftreffed ? Can he paffionately wifh the happinefs of all around him ? Can he make their welfare his object, even to his own injury ? Can he, in a word, be actuated in all thefe exertions for the publick good, by the duty he owes to God, and the love he bears to his divine Mailer ? And at the fame time not be a good man, a real chriftian, a believer in the fenfe of the New Teflament ? It is impoffible. Would we then enjoy the fweet fatisfaction refulting from a humble hope, that we are reconciled to God through Jefus Chrift, and are thfc heirs of future happinefs and glory? O then let us be perfuaded, from the nobleft mo- tives, to look not on our own things only, but alfo on the things of others ! Thus 42 fhe Duties of Benevolence Thus have we held up to your view the duties of a publick fpirit, and endeavoured to allure you to the practice of them by every poffible argument arguments drawn from the relation we ft and in to one another the exprefs will of God fignified to us in va- rious ways the frame and tenor of the gof- p e l the moft illuftrious examples and our own trueji intereft. Two or three reflections fhall clofe the whole. I. What fad caufe have the beft of us for deep humiliation before God ! Ah ! my brethren, we have all failed in the duties we owe one another, and in the fervour of that difmterefled and generous temper which ought to have impelled us to them. Do we not look back with fhame, regret, and for- row upon the unprofitablenefs of our paft lives ? Are we not pained at our very hearts with the thought, that we have lived fo much to ourfelves, and fo little to the good of others r Does it not grieve us to recoiled!: the many fair opportunities we have miffed qf ferving the interefts of our fellow-crea- tures ? And is it not afflicting to the laft degree to reflect, that the flattering prof- pedts of worldly eafe, honour, and emolu- ment, have too often impeded, if not wholly pbftructed, our nobler purfuits ? How nu- merous conjldered and enforced. 43 merous have been our defects and failings in every character we fuftain, and in every ftation of life we fill ! And how great are the aggravations of our guilt ! Let us hum- ble ourfelves in the duft before God. And at the fame time, let us not be unduly dif* couraged ; but rather, 2. Rejoice that God of his mercy is dif- pofed, for the fake of the generous inter- pofition of his Son in our favour, to pardon, all thefe our offences, and to accept and fave us, How free and unmerited is the love of God ! And how unfpeakably great the condefcenfion and grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift ! To expiate the guilt of all thofe omimons we have been lamenting, he wept, and bled, and died. The tendered: offices of kindnefs he has rendered us, though we have been fo parfimonious in our favours to others. The veil of chanty he has thrown over our ingratitude, felfimnefs and bafe- nefsj and entitled .us, who had no claim at all upon the bounty of Heaven, and little upon that of our fellow-creatures, to the nobleft fruits of divine benevolence, O may we then be perfuaded, 3* Henceforth to live not unto ourfelves, but unto him that died for us, and rofe again J 44 be Duties of Benevolence, &c. again ! To look not on our own things, but every one of us on the things of others! The lead return we can make to him for all his generofity to us, is to imitate the ex- ample he has fet us, and to contribute all that lies in our power to the happinefs of our fellow-immortals* DISCOURSE * p** *c f 1 * ** DISCOURSE II. Family Religion in general. JOSHUA xxiv. 15. "As for me and my hcufe, we will Jervc the Lord. More ftriking fcene can fcarcely be beheld, than that exhibited to our view in the hiftory before usJoflua, the fervant of the Lord, and the fucceffor of Mofes, at the head of a numerous houfehold, with a coun- tenance which piety and age had made fe- rene and venerable, publickly announcing his own perfonal regard to religion, and offering his example in the government of his family to the imitation of all the tribes of Ifrael. The 46 Family Religion in general. The afTembly was large : it confifted of* the people in general, with their elders, heads, governors, and officers. They all felt the obligations they owed this great and good man, as their captain and leader, their ruler and judge; and were in a difpofition, 2s the event mewed, to receive the in- ftrudtions he mould give them. He puts them in mind, therefore, of what God had done for their forefathers and for them, the fignal miracles he had wrought in their fa- vour, the glorious victories which through his interpolition they had obtained, and the happy fruits they had reaped from them. And he then with great earneftnefs and af- fection entreats them to fear the Lord, and ferve him in fincerity and truth, totally re- nouncing the idolatrous practices of the heathens. So he adds, in the verfe of which our text is a part, " If it feem evil unto " you to ferve the Lord, chufe you this " day whom ye will ferve, whether the Gods " which your fathers ferved on the other fide " of the flood, or the Gods of the Amorites, " in whofe land ye dwell." The manner of his addrefs is at once au- thoritative and perfuafive. It is as if he had faid, " If after you have duly weighed the (f facts which have been laid before you, " and Family Religion in genera!. 47 < and thofe of which you have been your- " felves eye-witnefles, it fhould feem im- ' reafonable, or any way prejudicial to your " intereft, to ferve the Lord, Jehovah the "God that refcued you from the cruel yoke " of Pharaoh, led you through the wilder- " nefs, and put you in pofTeffion of this " fair and fruitful country; chufe you this " day whom ye will ferve. Confider under " whofe protection ye will put yourfelves, " and whom it is moft eligible to worfhip, " whether the Gods of your anceftors, Te- " rah, Nahor, and others from whom your " father Abraham fprung, or the Gods of " the Amorites, in whofe land ye dwell, " and who were utterly unable to defend " their wormippers, or themfelves, againft " the vengeance of Jehovah, the only living " and true God." In fuch terms does he cxpofe the great fin and folly of their be- coming again idolaters, and at the fame time teach them the infinite reafonablenefs and importance, not only of their profeffing the true religion, but of their acting therein upon the grounds of the moft deliberate confideration and choice. He then adds in the text, But ax for me and my houfe, ive will ferine the Lord. As if he had faid, " Whatever effect thefe my 5 " reafonings 48 family Religion in general. " reafonings and perfuafions may have upon " your minds, whether ye adhere to the " true religion or renounce it, I am come c to a point with myfelf upon the matter : " it is my free, deliberate and firm refo- *' lution toferve the Lord, to avow Jehovah " for my God in the face of the whole " world, to render him the wormip he has " required, to aim at univerfal obedience to " his commands, and to endeavour, to the " utmoft of my ability, to promote his in- " terefts among mankind. This was the " refolution I formed in early life, to this ' refolution I have hitherto adhered, and, " by the grace of God, I am determined to " abide by it to the end of my days. Nor " am I fingular in this refolution : my fa- " mily agree with me in it. They are all " convinced it is bath their duty and in^ " tereft to ferve the Lord. There is not a " diflenting voice among them. And as to *' thofe of them who are not yet capable of " difcerning good and evil, I will train them " up in the fear of God. By my authority " I will reftrain them from vice and fin, " and oblige them to comply with the ex- ** ternal forms of religion. By my counfels * and inftrudions I will endeavour to fix '? falutary impreilions upon their young and " tender Family Religion in general. 49 ** tender minds. By my example I will " allure them to the practice of virtue and * e piety. And my inceflant cries mall afcend *' to Heaven for the bleffing of God on * k thefe my well-meant exertions for their ** good. As for me and my boufe, we will " ferve the Lord." What a noble refolution was this, and how happily exprefTed ! Never did Jofiua appear to the eyes of the pious Israelites in a more venerable point of light than upon this occafion. His attitude, voice, coun- tenance, and manner of addrefs, we may be fure, all ilrongly marked his ardent zeal for the glory of God, arid the tender feelings of his heart for their real good. Nor was the effect inconfiderable, which this laft fermon of his produced on the minds of this large and folemn audience. The people anfwered and faid, " God forbid, that we mould for- " fake the Lord, to ferve other Gods. We *' will ferve the Lord, for he is our God"." And now the object we have in view, is to perfuade you, Sirs, and ourfelves, with great fmcerity and chearfulnefs to adopt the language of the text. And mould we fuc- ceed, how glorious will be the confequencef a Ver. 16, i. E You 50 Family Religion in general. You will be happy and honourable in life, in death, and to all eternity. Yea, I will add, a thought which cannot fail of in- fpiring every ingenuous mind with ardor you will be the inftruments of making mul- titudes around you happy alfo. Let us then confider more particularly, FIRST, The import of this refolution which every good man, who is mafter of a family, forms in regard of himfelf As for me, I willferve the Lord. And, SECONDLY, The influence which this re- folution, rightly formed, will and ought to have upon his temper and conduct towards thofe under his care. " I will ufe my en- " deavours that my houfe alfo may ferve the " Lord" FIRST, Let us confider the import of this refolution in regard of the mafter of a fa- mily himfelf. What we here mean is, to give a clear and compendious account of Perfonal-reli- gion ; and the rather as this is the true and proper ground of Family -religion. For if he who prefides over a houfe is himfelf an utter ftranger to the fear of God, it is much to be apprehended that there will be little of it among thofe under his care. Our ideas we Family Religion in general. 5 1 we will clafs under two heads What it is to ferve the Lord and the principles upon which every chriftian man is difpofed fo to do. I. As to fervmg the Lord, it is a phrafe that comprehends in it the whole of our duty j the main branches of which are the worfhip of God the living a holy life- and the ufmg our influence to promote the caufe of religion in the world. God is to be wormipped. This is the main idea meant to be conveyed in the text, as is evident from the occafion on which the words were fpoken, namely, the pro- penlity of the Ifraelites to idolatry. 'Jojhua wimed therefore to diffuade them from this great evil, and to engage them to the wor- fhip of the only living snd true God. The modes of worfhip indeed under the prefent difpenfation are different from thofe of the former, not tedious and expenfive, but plain and fimple. We are to offer prayer and praife to God, in his houfe, in our own houfes, and in our retirements. We are to profefs our faith in Chriit, through Whofe mediation we look for pardon and eternal life, by a fubrniffion to the two institutions of baptifm and {he Lord's fupper. And we are devoutly to attend the preaching of the E 2 word j2 Family Religion in general. word on the ftated feafons appointed fcr that purpofe, and other opportunities that offer. This is ferving God, in the nrft and direct fenfe of the phrafe. But we are ferving him alfo, when we are conforming to the dictates of reafon and confcience in the general courfe of our lives. Every at of juftice, humanity, and benevolence we perform, in obedience to the will of God, is a fervice rendered to our Creator; and he mercifully acknowledges it as fuch. And every endeavour *to fubdue our irregular paflions, and to cultivate the oppofite vir- tues, comes under the fame denomination. So that as the real chriilian habitually aims to pleafe God, he is continually ferving him. In a word, we are on fome occalions more efpecially to ufe extraordinary efforts, for the noble purpofe of promoting the caufe of religion in the world. Eminent fervice fome men have rendered their generation, by their faithful inductions, prudent coun- fels, vigorous defence of the truth, right application of their fubftance, and exem- plary lives. By their fpirited exertions, with the bleffing of God, the kingdom of Satan h r h : been fhaken to its very founda- tions, and the church of Chrift acquired new fplendor and glory. Vice hath fled before Family Religion in general. 53 before their fharp and unremitting rebukes into corners, and civil fociety itfelf received a large acceffion of honour, wealth, and happinefs, through their fervices. and fuf- ferings. This it is fojerve the Lord. But what, II. Are the principles upon which every real chriftian ferves God ? Here we are led into a view of all thofe reafonings and affections of the heart, which conftitute what we call experimental reli- gion. Deeply fenfible of his paft fins, and the miferable depravity of his nature, and well perfuaded upon the divine teftimony of the abounding mercy and love of God through Chrift, the chriftian feels himfelf difpofed to all that fervice which has juft been defcribed. His reafonings on the great truths of religion are calm, fober, and deli- berate : his approbation of the things that are excellent, free, cordial, and unreferved : and his refolution to adhere to God and his duty, in a dependance on fuperior affiftance, firm and fteady. Many a doubt has arifen in his mind upon the moft interefting points of religion ; many a ftruggle he has endured with pride, paffion, and unbelief; many a tear he has poured over his own frailty and weaknefs j and many a fervent cry he has E addreiled 54 Family Religion in general. addrefTed to Heaven for the enlightening, renewing, and quickening influence of the blefled Spirit, And the refult of the whole is, as well as himfelf, may ferve the Lord. A Family is a little fociety, ufually con- fifting of parents, children, and fervants. This focial connection is a plain dictate of nature, and hath uniformly fubfifted in the v/orld from the beginning of time, and all over the earth. It is the wife contrivance and appointment of Providence, for the general good of mankind. And in order rightly to underftand the duties and privi~ leges of the feveral members of this littla community. Religion in generdl. 6t community, we need only contemplate the relation they bear to each other. It {hall fuffice at prefent to fpeak of thofe which are peculiar to the matter of a houfe. To him nature and the confent of all nations have delegated the care, protection, and government of the family, upon a pre- fumption that affection will induce him to do the utmoft in his power to promote their honour and happinefs. The conjugal and parental ties are moft intimate and endear- ing, and will therefore Simulate him to the nobleft exertions in their favour. And his own intereft, as well as confiderations of friendfhip and equity, will difpofe him to feek the good of thole who voluntarily fervc him. And furely it is fit that in him the government of the family mould be vefled, on whom the weight of its care and pro- tection thus devolves. His fex, age, expe- rience, and ability to provide for the welfare of the whole, entitle him to the fupreme authority. And the prudent ufe of that authority, mingled with good-nature and parental fondnefs and love, will be likely to fecure to him reverence and obedience. Now the utility of religion to affift the mafler of a family in the difcharge of all the duties he owes to thofe under his care, will 3 clearly 2 Family Religion in genera/. clearly appear upon a little reflection. It will have a confiderable influence in the management of his temporal concerns, in the fuccefs of which his family are deeply in* terefted. To him they look up for their maintenance and protection, the neceilaries and accommodations of life. And if pru- dence, integrity, frugality, and induftry, are virtues which contribute largely, with the bleffing of Providence, to worldly prof- perity? it is eafy to fee that religion, which evidently teaches and inculcates them, mufl .be of no fmall ufe to the head of a family in his worldly purfuits. And hence Solomon defcribes Wifdom as having " Length of -" days in her right hand : and in her left ** riches and honour V It will make a man honeft, difcreet, and diligent : or, if he at all fails in the two laft particulars, it will not be owing to any defect in religion itfelf, but to his own folly. And then, that af- fection for their offspring, which ftrongly impels parents to the moft vigorous ex- ertions for the improvement of their worldly circumftances, receives additional ftrength and energy from a lively fenfe of religion. A good man feels the operation of this f Prov. iii. 16. paffion Family Religion in general. 63 paiticn in its full force and extent : and however fome worthlefs parents, by preci- pitating themfelves into fenfual indulgences, may have loft fight of the interests of their families; his religion will effectually fee u re him from thus " denying the faith, and " becoming worfe than an infidel V Yea, there have been inftances of perfons natu- rally ilothful, who upon their converfion to, the knowledge and love of religion, have become remarkably induitrious : and their families, though no friends to ferious god- linefs, have acknowledged the fecular ad- vantages they have derived from this extra- ordinary revolution in their characters fc But let us now view the chriilian^r^//^ in bis family, and fee how happily the fear of God affifts him in the exercife of that au- thority with which nature has inverted him. His object will be to make all under his care happy. But domellick happinefs is not to be enjoyed where the mailer is churliih, morofe, and fevere. Set on the gratification of his peeviih humours, and the making all about him fubmit obfequi- oufly to his contemptible idea of defpotick power, he may be feared, but he cannot be 8 I Tim. v. 8. i loved. 64 Family Religion, in general. loved. Thefe notions, and this kind of de- meanour, which are the refult of ignorance^ vanity, and ill-nature, religion will not fail to correct. A chriftian will value his au- thority, as a parent and a mafter, no further than as it is a means to promote the welfare of thofe entruited to his care. And if on any occafion the refolute exertion of it be- comes neceffary, he will not forget to blend prudence, forbearance, and good-nature with it. That meeknefs-, ferenity, and joy, which the grace of God infpires, will, in pro- portion to their prevalence in his breafl,- infufe mildnefs, fweetnefs, and chearfulnefs, into the whole of his deportment. And O! how pleafing the fcene, to fee him, under the influence of his religion, fmiling on all around him, affifting with the foft language of conjugal affection the cares of the dear partner of his joys, embracing his young offspring in the arms of paternal fondnefs, taking a part with them in their innocen-t amufements, and contriving how to render the offices of thofe who ferve him cafy and beneficial to themfelves ! Is religion un- friendly to domeftick happinefs ? No, it is moft friendly to it. For the truth of this we appeal to the reafon and nature of the thing itfelf, to the book of God, to hiftory, and Family Religion in general. 65 and to what I doubt not your eyes muft have beheld in many houfes confecrated to virtue and religion. How much is it to be lamented that any who profefs the name of Chrift, mould, by a contrary demeanour, in- duce a doubt in. the breads of others that fuch is its tendency ! But the happinefs of a family depends not only upon the good nature and bene- volence of thofe who prefide, but on the religious char after of thofe who compofe it. This therefore is the grand object with that matter who himfelf fears God. And to this idea our enlargement in this difcourfe will be chiefly directed. Here then let us view him, under a deep impreffion of the truth and importance of religion, exerting all his prudence, good -nature, and authority, to the purpofe of conciliating the affections of every one under his roof to it. The duties which he will confider himfelf obliged to practice to this great end, may be comprifed under the following heads the diligently watching the morals of his family the care- fully injlr uft ing them in the principles of reli- gion the regular maintenance of family de- votion the obliging them to attend upon pub- lick worfhip and the fetting before them a F holy 66 Family Religion in general. holy and pious example. But the confideration of theie particulars muft be referred to ano- ther opportunity. PART II. WE have taken a view of perfonal reli- gion, and proceeded to mew, fecondly, the influence it will have upon the mafter of a family, to regulate his temper and conduct towards thofe under his care. " He will ' ufe his endeavours to engage his houfe, as " well as himfelf, to ferve the Lord." Here, having fpoken of the origin of families, and the wifdom and goodnefs of Providence, in the forming thefe important focial con- nections ; we have coniidered the utility of religion to affift the mafter of a family in the management of his temporal concerns, and in the exercife of that domejlick autho~ rity with which nature has entrufted him. And now, lince the happinefs of a family principally depends upon their* religious cha- racter, we proceed to confider the duties he will feel himfelf obliged to practice, in or- der to the promoting their beft interefts. I. It is the duty of Heads of houfes to look 'well after the morals of their families. Men family Religion in general. 67 Men of reputable characters, though they may not have entered into the fpirit of reli- gion, feel the importance of this duty. Per- fuaded that vice brings after it fhame, po- verty, and wretchedneis, they will not har- bour it under their roof. Who in his fenfes would permit a diflioneft fervant to enter his houfe, or fufferhis children, if he could prevent it, to wafte his fubftance in riotous living ? A regard, therefore, to their tem- poral intereft will induce moft people to preferve fomekind of order in their families. But the reftraints held over children and fer- vants, which proceed merely from motives of worldly intereft, are too often feeble and ineffectual. That domeftick government which ftands alcne upon this principle, reaches not the true fources of thofe evils which are fo generally dreaded. It is reli- gion that lays the axe at the root of vice, and enables a mafler, feeling the force of it in his own heart, to take fuch meafures as will effectually prevent, with the bleffing of God, the feeds of immorality from growing up in his houfe, and fpreading their noxious influence all around him. With a jealous eye he will watch the frrfl expreflions of pride, paffion, deceit, indo- lence, and Qifier vices, in the countenances, F 2 language, 68 Family Religion in general. language, and behaviour of his children and fervants. Thefe evils will not fail to meet his ftern difapprobation and cenfure. Pu- nifhments he will inflict adequate to the nature and aggravation of the offence ; at the fame time labouring to fix upon the delinquent a deep fenfe of the greatnefs of the crime. " Chaflen thy fon while there " is hope," fays Solomon, " and let. not " thy foul fpare for his crying 11 ." And if, notwithstanding all his endeavours, the vi- cious temper is not to be retrained, but breaks out in open and repeated acts of ini- quity, he will take fome prudent and re- iolute meafure to feparate the infectious member from the reit of the fociety, and thereby prevent the fpread of the fatal dif- temper. " He that worketh deceit," fays David, " mall not dwell within my houfe j " he that telleth lies, mall not tarry in my " fight V And on the other hand, the pious matter of a family will ufe his utmoft endeavours to cultivate the oppofite virtues in his children and fervants. He will often familiarly explain to them their nature and tendency, and pleafantly defcant upon their excellence and utility. And the early. ex- h Prov. xix. 1 8. * Pf. ci. 7. preflions Family Religion in general. 69 preflions of thcfe amiable qualities he will not fail to mark and applaud, rewarding them with fmiles and carefTes, and every token of approbation that prudence and good-nature can devife. Such meafures as thefe for the promoting good morals in our families, every conli- derate perfon mud needs approve. But alas! what through parental indulgence, and what through floth, they are miferably neglected by multitudes among us. Who then does not fee the great importance, as well as the direct tendency of a lively fenfe of religion in the matter of a family, to ftimulate him to the right difcharge of this branch of his duty? Can I, infpired with an utter de- tefbtion of vice, and an unconquerable at- tachment to virtue, forbear te exert all my powers to eradicate the feeds of the former from the bofoms of my dear offspring, and to cherim thofe of the latter there? Will not my religious feelings extort tears of an- guifh from my eyes, whilft I am admi- niftring the bitter, but wholefome, draught of correction to their perverfenefs ? And will not the fame feelings fpread a chearful pleafure over my countenance, whilft I am applauding their flexibility and filial obe- dience ? Having the command of the great F 3 God, 70 Family Religion in general. God, and their temporal and everlafting in- terefts in full view before my eyes, thefe duties will not be neglected through falfe- fondnefs, nor abufed by undue feverity. 2. Another office we owe to our families is, the carefully tnftrufting them in the prin- ciples of religion. There is not a plainer dictate of nature than this : and yet how fhamefully this duty is neglected you need not be told. The caufe of this great evil is in general, the want of a due fenfe of religion in thofe of whom this fervice is required. And, as men are never at a lofs to find an excufe for omitting what they are not difpofed to do, fo in this cafe we mail hear fome object, that the tatechifing children is the way to prejudice them unduly in favour of par-^ ticular opinions, and fo to difqualify them, for future free enquiry. And others we ihall hear flrange to think it !---gravely infinuating, that the adopting this meafure with children, is taking God's work out of his hand, and is therefore an affront to him, and nugatory in itfelf. The futility and indeed impiety of thefe objections may be eafily made appear. But as we mall have a more proper opportunity hereafter to difcufs cjueftions k , it fhall fuffice at prefent k See Difc. V, in. Family Religion in general. 7 I in a few words to explain the duty, and mew how forcibly a prevailing fenfe of re- ligion will impel a chriftian man to it. The leading truths of natural an i re- vealed religion, I mean fuch as are inti- mately connected with experience and prac- tice, every chriftian underfrands, and there- fore ought to inculcate them upon thofe under his care. His instructions mould be adapted to their age and abilities. He mould begin with firft principles, and fo proceed to thofe that follow, taking the fcriptures for his guide, and calling in to his aid fuch explanations of them as he judges moft con- formable to the truth. His meaning he mould endeavour to convey by eafy and fa- miliar language, and to illuftrate it by apt and natural fimiles. He mould not only require them to anfwer questions put to them from their memory, but take pains to Ex the fenfe of both queftions and anfwers upon their underftandings. The grounds an.d reafons of each truth he mould lay open to their view, reprefent their importance with all the earneftnefs of parental affection, examine them frequently upon the progrefs they make, and add fervent prayer to his jnftrudtions and counfels. There is a way of infmuating knowledge to the minds of F 4 young 72 Family Religion in general. young people, which hath often had a won- derful effect. Much depends, with the bleffing of God, upon our conciliating their affections to us, convincing them that we mean their good, carefully avoiding the making religion a talk, not over-burdening their memories, and properly rewarding their diligence and attention. Thefe meafures furely every one's fober reafon and underftanding muft approve. They were fuch as Abraham ufed with his family. " I know him," fays God, " that " he will command his cllildren and his *' houfehold after him, and they mail keep " the way of the Lord, to do juftice and "Judgment : that the Lord may bripg upon " Abraham that which he hath fpoken of *' him '." And they were fuch as his grand- mother Lois, and his mother Eunice ufed with 'Timothy y of whom the apoftle tells us, that " from a child he had known the holy " fcriptures V And r what man, whole heart burns with love to God, and whofe bowels yearn towards his children, but will feel himielf obliged to copy after the ex- ample of thefe excellent people? Can I be- lieve there is a God, and that my happinefs 1 Gen. xviii. 19. m 2 Tim. i. 5. and iii. 15. depends Family Religion in general. 73 depends upon his favour, and not wifh to imprefs thefe fentiments upon my children whom I confider as parts of myfelf ? Can I be deeply feniible of the guilt and depravity of human nature, and not endeavour to awaken a conviction thereof in their con- fciences ? Can I fee clearly my own need of fuch a Saviour as Chrift, and not hold him up to their view, in every light that may attract their hearts and affections to him ? Can I be perfuaded of the infinite pleafure which the experience and practice of reli- gion afford, and not from the bottom of my foul wifh that they may largely participate of that divine pleafure ? Can I, in fine, be- lieve there is fuch a place as heaven, and not long, and pray, and ufe my utmofl en- deavours to bring my children, friends, and fervants thither alfo ? O ! no. Religion is not a mere fpeculation : it is an operative principle, and thefe fruits of it are a noble evidence of its exigence and prevalence in . our hearts. 3. The regular maintenance of family ivor/hip, is the next duty to be confidered. V/e (hall not here enter particularly into pur obligations to this duty that will be Attempted hereafter": but only, following Difc. III. the 74 Family Religion in general. the line we have already purfued, defcribe it, and (hew the influence of religion to qualify us for the right difcharge of it. By Family -Worfiip we mean the aflembling our children and fervants together, at con- venient feafons, for the purpofe of reading the fcriptures, and offering prayer and praife to God. The matter of every family ought to be king and pried in his own houfe. It is his province to determine the proper time for thefe folemn and pleafing exercifes, and the manner in which they mould be conducted. The feveral members of this little community being gathered to- gether, a portion of fcripture mould be diftin&ly read; this followed, if the fitua- tion and circumttances of the family will admit, with a fong of praife to God; and then the matter, or fome other perfon pro- perly qualified, mould devoutly prefent the fupplications of the whole houfe to Heaven. Certain prudential rules it may not be im- proper here to lay down, fubmitting them to the judgment and piety of thofe who prefide in families. The morning and the evening feem each a fit feafon for this focial exercife. That time, however, mould be chofen which may beft conduce to the right difcharge of the duty j not a late hour of the Family Religion in general. 7 $ the morning, for that will clafh with the hurries of bufmefs ; nor a late hour at night, for that will indifpofe perfons to ferious attention. The fervice, for obvious reafons, mould not be protracted to an undue length: the whole may perhaps be comprehended within about a quarter of an hour. Every one in the houfe mould confider it as his duty to attend. The fcriptures mould be read in regular order, that fo their con- nection may be understood, and the whole in a courfe of time gone through. A par- ticular attention mould be paid to the cir- cumftances of the family in the prayers ad- drefled to God. And as variety and brevity mould be aimed at, to prevent tedioufnefs, fo formality mould be carefully guarded againft, that being an evil which too often attends the frequent returns of thefe pe- riodical exercifes. Family-w or/hip thus conducted, with a due regard to the important ends of it, muft, I think, flrike every good man as a moft reafonable and pleafing fervice. The fcrip- tures authorize it, and many intimations occur therein to direct us in fome of the circumftances that relate to it. But thefe I forbear to mention here, as alfo to combat the difcouragements fome pious minds la- bour j6 Family Religion in general. hour under refpecting the right difcharge of this duty; it being our intention more par- ticularly to confider thefe matters in the next difcourfe. How ftrange this duty mould be negle&ed ! Yet fo it is in too many families. And in moft inftances to what is the total negledt of it owing but a want of religion ? Nor is it indeed to be wondered, that they who have no fenfe of their dependance on divine Providence, and no tafte for the exalted pleafures of devotion, mould account a fervice returning fo fre- quently upon them, tedious and unpro- fitable. But it is to thofe matters of families who have religion at heart, that we mean here to add re is ourfelves. You, Sirs, feel your obligations to him that made you, preferves you, and faves you. It was his providence that led you into this focial connection, gave you the partner of your cares and joys, and blefled you with the hopeful offspring, which like olive plants furround your table. He pitched your tent for you, he com- manded you to erect an altar to him. And can you find it in your hearts to refufe obe- dience to his command ? or to decline a fervice in which you have already' found your account ? Think how great the plear 3 fure Family Religion In general. jj fure the good man fometimes feels, whillt officiating at the head of his family in this little temple confecrated to Heaven ! Recol- lecting the many undeferved favours he has received, how gratefully does he acknow- ledge them ! Calling to mind his own and their fins, how penitently does he confefs them ! Feeling the moil anxious concern for their beft interefts, how earneftly does he requeft not only temporal but fpiritual bleffings ! Viewing the blefTed God in the character of an indulgent parent, how paf- fionately does he commend them to his pro- te6tion and love ! And, amidft the various viciffitudes of life, truiting under the fhadow of his wings, with what exultation of heart does he fometimes cry out, " O God, how " excellent is thy loving-kindnefs I" Can fuch a fcene as this be contemplated, and any heart among us, in which parental affection and genuine piety are united, re- main indifpofed to this duty ? Be perfuaded then, O! be perfuaded, Sirs, to fall in with the dictates of confcience, and the command of the blefled God. Say with Jofiua, As for me and my houfe, ive will few e the Lord. In this little congregation the great God Pf. xxxvi. 7, Will 78 Family Religion in general. will not difdain to dwell. " He loves the " gates of Zion, and he loves the dwellings " of Jacob too p ." Who knows but divine life may be communicated, as well as che- rimed and maintained, within your confe- crated walls ? Who knows but it may be faid of this and that child, of this and that fervant, and of this and that friend who fojourns with you faid of him in the nobleft fenfe of the expreffion " He was " born there q ?" 4. The next duty to be considered, is the obliging our families to attend 'regularly on the pubhck worjhip of God. By Publick-WorJhip we mean the offering homage to God in a larger circle than that of our own families. Many families are to aflemble together, at ftated feafons, in one place, for this purpofe. This practice, un- der various forms, hath obtained from the beginning over almoft all the earth. It is the dictate of nature, and the exprefs ap- pointment of fcripture. The fervice re- quired under the Mofaic difpenfation con- fifted of numerous rites, which are now moft of them abolimed. Under the prefent, all that is expected of us in this focial con- * Pf. Jxxxvii. 2. ^ Ibid. ver. 6. nedlion Family Religion in general. 79 neftion is, that we prefent our joint prayers and praifes to God; that fome one duly qualified for the important office, explain and enforce the great truths and duties of religion to us j and that thofe who truly fear God profefs their faith in Chrift, and their love to him, by the celebration of the two inftitutions of baptifrn and the Lord's fupper. Now as every pious man will feel himfelf obliged to pay a due regard to publick wor- fhip, fo they who have families muft be fen- fible it is their duty to oblige their children and fervants to attend regularly upon it. At an early hour the matter of a houfe, at the head of thofe under his care, mould appear in his proper place. The affairs of his fa- mily mould be fo adjufted, as that not one member of it, except neceffity require, be abfent. A paffion for novelty, which may induce any of them to wander about to various places of wormip, mould be checked. His eye mould properly watch their demeanour during divine fervice, that it be ferious and attentive. At the clofe of the two ftated fervices the whole family mould retire to their own home. Viiits, except where offices of mercy are required, mould be interdicted, and all focial inter- 3 courfes 80 Family Religion in general. courfes for the purpofe of mere amufement avoided. Opportunity mould be given every one to recoiled: ferioufly by bimfelf what he has been about. And a fuitable exercife in the evening, wherein the younger part of the family may have an opportunity of giv- ing an account of what they have heard, and ferious impreffions may be made on the minds of all, will happily and ufefully clofe the day. Religion, I am fenlible, mould not be made a burden : and young minds efpecially mould not be held too long to one fubjecl. As therefore two publick fervices in the day will be fufficient, fo prudence will teach the mailer of a family to direct his difcourfe in the intervals of worihip, and to diverfify the evening exercife in fuch a manner, as that, with the agreeable re- fremments nature has provided, no one may have caufe to fay that this is the moil un- pleafant day in the week. And now let me afk the mailers of fa- milies, whether if they were to purfue this line of conduct, they might not hope, with the bleffing of God, to fee virtue and reli- gion flouriih in their houfes ? Sure I am fuch mailers as are chriilians indeed, per- fuaded that the publick preaching of the gofpel is the appointment of Heaven for the Family Religion in general. 8 1 the falvation of men, will not, cannot, be eafy while any under their influence deprive themfelves of the opportunity of hearing it. Befides, it is an affront to the good fenfe and authority of him who prefides in a fa- mily, for any one of the members of it to turn his back contemptuoufly upon what he believes the great God hath required. As to the young they will be eafily led to their duty by the gentle hand of parental affection. And if any one juft entering on life can, without the leaft pretence of reafon, per- ver-fely oppofe the will of a father in fo interefting a concern as this, his natural temper and his principles muft be horrid indeed. But it is not to fuch depraved young people we are here addreffing our- felves : it is to you, Sirs, to whofe hands nature hath entrufted the power, and vvhofe hearts divine grace hath infpired with a dif- . poiition, to contribute fomewhat at leaft to the prefent and everlafting welfare of your children and fervants. And how can you better contribute to this great object, than by ufing every means in your power, to make it agreeable to them to join you in the publick wormip of that God, on whofe favour their as well as your happinefs de- pends ? The prudent and fleady difcharge G of 82 Family Religion in general. of your duty in this refpedl, is a dictate both of good fenfe and of piety. It will do you honour in the view of all wife and good men, it will be highly pleafmg to God, and no doubt they, in the great day of ac- count, having reaped the benefit of this proper exertion of your paternal authority, will with infinite joy call you bleffed. It now remains to conlider, 5. And lailly, the obligations which mailers are under to Jet before their families holy and pious examples. Although the duties juft recommended were difcharged, in regard of the external expreffions of them, with the greateil punc- tuality, yet their ends would in all proba- bility be defeated, if the heads of families were wholly inattentive to their own tem- pers and conduct. What falutary effect will the bell leilons of morality, enforced with the moft vigorous difcipline, produce, if they who give them do not themfelves practice them ? Our children and fervants will keep a watchful eye on our manners, and if they can convict us of pride, pafiion, deceit, intemperance, and the like vices, they will inflantly conclude that the fevere hand we hold over them, does not proceed from any motive of good will to them, but from Family Religion in general. 3 from a wifh to enflave them to our humours. Zeal for certain principles in religion, they will, in fuch cafe, fet down to the account of narrownefs, bigotry, and hypocrify. The religious order obferved in the family they will confider as a mere form, the effect of education and cuftom. And the duties of publick vvorfhip itfelf, which we oblige them to attend upon, they will treat with indif- ference if not contempt. But fuch wretch- edly inconiiftent characters as thefe, are, I hope, rarely to be met with. There is truth in religion. And if the account we have given of it in the former part of this difcourfe be juft, as it will impel thbfe matters of families who really poiTefs it to the obfervance of the duties we have been recommending, fo it will infallibly fecure them from thofe grofs evils which tend to defeat their effect. Here permit me to hold up to your view the temper and conduct of a Jofhua, who, as he fpake the language of the text with unfeigned fervour and iincerity, fo, we may be bold to affirm, walked within his houie with a perfect heart. The vices which were fternly forbidden in his children and fer- vants, were firft driven with deteftation from his own bread. And while in familiar and G 2 expreflive 84 "Family Religion in general. exprefiive language he recommended to them the duties of truth, integrity, mo- defty, meeknefs, and benevolence ; the na- tive beauty of thefe virtues was Aill more itrikingly exhibited to their view in his own countenance and actions. The truths of revealed religion which he taught them, were the genuine fentiments of his own heart : and while his doctrine dropped as the rain, and diililled as the dew, he felt the influence of thofe divine hopes which the promife made to the fathers of the Mef- iiah was adapted to produce. Deeply iin- preffed himfelf with the greatnefs and good- nefs of God, he daily offered the prayers and praifes of his family to Heaven* with a fer- vour and affection that could fcarce fail to excite and enflame their devotion. At the ftated feafons he led up his numerous houfe- hold to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and there, on the altar Mofes had erected, prefented the facrifices to Jevovah the God of Ifrael which he had required at his hands. His venerable appearance, and the unaffected iimplicity and ardour with which he affifted at thefe exercifes, added folemnity to them, . and begat a reverence in the breads of all around him for thefe divine inftitutions. And when he withdrew from the houfe of God Family 'Religion in .general. 85 God to his own habitation, the chearfulnefs which appeared on his countenance) and the benevolence which mingled itfelf with all his domeflick behaviour, attached every heart under his roof to him, and excited a noble emulation among them which mould beft imitate the example their mafter fet them. And now if fuch were our tempers and conduct in the families over which we prefide, there would be light in all our dwellings, and joy in every heart there : our houfes would be fchools of virtue, tem- ples of devotion, and nurferies for heaven. Thus have we feen in what manner that mader of a family, who has himfelf on right principles refolved to ferve the Lord, ought to regulate his conduct towards thofe whom Providence hath entrufted to his care. It is his duty diligently to watch the morals of his children and fervants carefully to in- ftruff them in the principles of religion regu- larly to maintain family devotio?i to oblige them to attend on publick ivorfoip and tQ Jet before them a holy and pious example. To clofe what has been faid, i . We fee the true reafon why there is fo little family-religion in the world. It is becaufe rnafters of families do, in general, pay fo little attention to religion G 3 themfelves. 86 Family Religion in general. themfelves. Is it imaginable that he who has entered into the genuine fpirit of chrif- tianity, and under the influence of thofe di- vine principles daily aims to pleafe and ferve God, can be totally infenfible of his obligations to promote the belt interefts of thofe he dearly loves, and who look up to him for protedtion and fupport ? It cannot be. The rniferable neglect therefore of the duties we have been recommending, in too many houito among us, forces upon us the painful fufpicion of the want of perfonal religion in thofe who preiide over them. Every effort, therefore, mould be ufed by thofe who fear God, both miniflers and people, to diffufe the knowledge and favour of religion among their friends, neighbours, and acquaintance. He who beft fucceeds in this attempt does the moft erTential fer- vice to the community. Let us then, chrif- tians, animated by the love of our heavenly Father to us the children of his family, fet our hands and hearts to this great work. Let us, by our inftrudions, influence, and example, preach the gofpel of our divine Mafter to all around us, in treat and befeech, men to become his difciples, and pour out our fervent cries at the throne of grace for an effectual bleffing on our endeavours. Nor (hould Family Religion in general. 87 iliould we forget here to prefs it earneftly upon thole who are juft entering on life, to confider well the ftate of their own fouls towards God, and to confecrate the houfes in which they mean to dwell to his fervice, on whofe favour their temporal and ever- lafting happinefs depends. Erect an altar, Sirs, to God under the tent he has pitched. Dare not adopt any worldly fchemes, or en- ter into any domeftick connection without firft confulting him. Having him for your friend all will be well : his arm will protect you from every danger, and his hand pour upon you every needful good thing. 2. How great is the condefcenlion and goodnefs of the ever-blelTed God, in deign- ing to dwell under our humble roofs ! Will he indeed, whom the heaven of* heavens cannot contain, take up his abode with men ? What heart among us but glows with gratitude and love at thefe joyful tid- ings ! Let us, my brethren, at the head of our feveral families, in a tranfport of devout affection, welcome this kind and generous gueft into our houfes, " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye ever- " lafting doors of the heart, and the King / " of Glory fhall come in V Let us give f Pf. xxiv. . G him 88 Family Religion in general. him the entertainment he demands, even that of cordial love and unreferved obe- dience. Let us prefent him the facrifices he requires, even thofe of daily prayer and praifej remembring what he himfelf hath gracioufly faid, * f Whofo offereth praife, * ' glorifieth me : and to him that ordereth " his converfation aright, will I (hew the " falvation ofGodV And let us tremble at the thought of fo demeaning ourfelves in the habitations he has thus honoured, as ever to provoke him to depart thence. 3. And laftly. If the prefence of God with his people here renders their dwellings fo light, fecure, and happy j how glorious muft that houfe be which he has prepared for their reception above ! It has often been obferved that an ha- bitation wherein virtue, friendfhip, and piety reign* is a lively emblem of the hea- venly ftate. But the latter infinitely excels the former. That houfe on earth which is moft devoted to God, has yet more or lefs of imperfection, forrow* and fin in it. But thefe evils are held at an eternal diftance from thofe bright manfions, in which our heavenly Father refides above. There, in p.f. l. 23. due Family Religion in general. 89 due time, his whole family whom he hath redeemed with the blood of his Son, will be alTembled together. The moft perfect know- ledge, purity, and love, fhall prevail among them. His prefence, without an intervening cloud, mall gladden all their hearts. And, in the character of kings and priefts, they fhall be employed in adts of the moft exalted and rapturous devotion to him that fits on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever- more. DISCOURSE fe^fe$*toWtf^^ DISCOURSE III. . Family Worfhip. ROM. xvi. 5. Hkeivife greet the Church that is in their Houfe. HNHH?&E have laid before you, in the _gy ;A^ 4* w *f* former Difcourfe, the duties of |* 5 Family -Religion in general: that O f Famtty-WorJbip merits a more particular difcuffion. To this purpofe we have chofen the words juft read, as the mode of language the apoftle here ufes will very naturally lead us into a pleating view of this fubjedh Indeed it is not abfolutely certain that the little afTembly here fpoken of, is to be underftood Family WorjIAp. 91 underflood reftri&ively of the family ofPrzf- cilla and Aquila, as poffibly other perfons might occasionally meet with them in their houfe for religious wormip. But that the whole chriftian church at Rome are intended is unlikely : and it is the more fo, as a great number of perfons are mentioned in the fol- lowing verfes who belonged to other houfe- holds. And it is remarkable that in an epiftle written from Epbefus to Corinth, the apoftle having addrefled the falutations of thefe fame perfons (who happened at that time to be at Epbefus) and of the church In their boufe, he immediately adds, " All the c'/.x.ff:. Similitcr alii patres apud " Sutcerum, Tomo I. Thcfauri p. 1051. Vitringa tamcft " hicinteiligere mavult fideles, qui ad aedes mcmbri Ec- " clefia; nobilioris foliti fiot congregari. Hxc enim expo- " litio maxirng fatisficere yldetur fignificationi receptx vocis tc em my i a. ficut pfxterea conftat, primes fideles in cedibus <( privatorum Eccleiiae membrorum conventus -fuos agere " confr.evidc. Ita Aft ii. 46* cap. v. 42. Curnque privati '* uniur. ocdes non caperent tan tarn hominum multitudinem, " quanta Ecclefiam Hierofqlymitanam conftituebat, pon " potuit non fieri quin plpres ad hoc inflitutum deflina- " renttir." But Doftor Whitly fecms clearly of opinion, that where a whole family was converted to the chriftian faith, fuch family was called a church. Sec his notes on the tqyt, .and on i Cor. xvi. 19. with Family Worjhip* ^3 -with in their honfe at Corinth, and Af olios afterwards at Epbefus, from the attention they paid to the latter, " whom," it is faid, ily contribute to the habituating thofe around 122 Family Worjhip. around you to a carelefs trifling mode of treatment of divine things. Give full fcope to that genuine flame of devotion which may on fome occafions efpecially be excited in your breaft. But take heed that you do not launch out into fuch extravagancies of expreffion as will not fail, inftead of edi- fying, to difguft thofe who hear you. Let your language be plain and intelligible, that the dulleft capacities in your houfe may not be at a lofs to comprehend your meaning. Some general method obferved in the ordering your prayer, will contribute not a little to edification. Confider the circumftances of your family, and fuit your petitions to their feveral exigencies. Avoid, aa much as may be, a famenefs of expreffion : variety will not only pleafe, but have a great effect to fecure the attention. -And permit me to add, that tedioufnefs ought to be par- ticularly guarded againft. Our Saviour, you know, earneftly cautions his difciples againft " ufmg vain repetitions, as.the heathens did, tc who thought theymould beheard for their ' much fpeakingV It is true, on parti- cular occafions, fome indulgence in regard of the length of family prayer may be. very P Matth. vi. 7. properly Family WorjIAp. 123 properly allowed. The occafions I refer to are iuch as thefe, the evening of the day devoted to publick wormip ; feafous diftin- guimed by extraordinary providential oc- currences ; and thofe plealing moments in which he who takes the lead in family- duty, feels his heart more than ordinarily affeded with the great things of God. A little tranfgreffion in regard of length on thefe occafions will be eafily forgiven, and indeed the fervour of devotion that then prevails, will, it may be hoped, fo diffiife itfelf through the family as that few prefent will think the fervice tedious. But on or- dinary occafions, to draw out a prayer to twenty minutes, or half an hour, is, to fay the bcft of it, extremely imprudent. How is it to be expected that the attention of children and fervants mould be held with any pleafure to fuch an exercife, thus con- ilantly returning morning and evening ? In- deed it muft be difficult for any to fupport with patience, under the weight of that un- fufferable tautology which too often dif- graces fuch fervices. But I forbear It is time now, III. To confider the Behaviour required of the family in general on thefe occafions. Every 124 Family W or {hip. Every one in the houfe, it is prefun will fee it his duty to attend ; and w hope, if the fervice is properly cone ;led, will be difpofed to do fo. But if any, thro' a total dilaffedtion to religion, mould con- temptuoufly turn his back upon the worfliip of God, fuch a depraved member of the fociety or " church," as our text ftiles it, well deferves to be excluded from it. But there is little danger of this in well regu- lated families, where good nature and au- thority are happily blended in the character and deportment of thofe v/ho preiide over them. Nor fhould any be permitted to abfent themfelves on thefe occafions, unlefs for very juftifiable reafons. With Cornelius the matter of the family mould have it in his power to fay, " We are all here prefent " before God, to hear all things that are " commanded us of him V Thus affembled it fhould be the concern of every one to behave himfelf with re- verence and ferioufnefs. How difgufting to fee an air of indifference, if not levity, on the countenances of one and another, as is too often the cafe ! Such a demeanour is very indecent, and mufl be highly offenfive s Atls x. 33. to Family Worjhlp. to God. The attention mould be wholly taken off from civil bufmefTes and amufe- ments, and fixed with all pomble feriouf- nefs to what we are about. When the Ro- mans facrificed, before the proceffion went a publick crier, proclaiming aloud to the people, Hoc age, to give them notice that they mould forbear working, and attend to the folemnity. In like manner we mould,, charge it upon ourfelves, to mind well the duty we are engaging in, to hear diligently the word that' is read, and to follow clofely with our thoughts the petitions that are of- fered. To this end we mould remember, that we are in the immediate prefence of the great God, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked ; and who, as he has re- quired this fervice at ourhands, fo has therein confulted our real good. Nor are decency and attention only re- quired of us, our affections too mould be fuitably engaged in what we are about. As ferioufnefs ought to.be oppofed to levity, fo devotion to formality. This latter evil is to be carefully guarded againfb, and the ra- ther as the frequency and mortnefs of thefe periodical exercifes too often prove an oc- cafion of it. How have the moft fublime duties of religion with many people, in a courfe 126 Family Worfoip. courfe of time, dwindled into a form ! And when this has come to be the cafe, fervices that are in their own nature and tendency moft rational, improving, and entertaining, have become irkfome and burdenfome. This therefore mould be particularly dreaded in regard of the duty we are recommending/ becaufe, as we have obferved, the temptation to it is fo considerable. I am fenfible, in- deed, it is fcarce to be expelled, that every one in a family fhould have a real tafte for the exalted pleafures of devotion ; and in fuch cafe decency and attention is the moft we can look for. But more than this is to be expected of thofe who have entered into the fpirit of religion : and fuch we fuppofe to be their character who prefide on thefe occafions. The heads of families, therefore, more efpecially mould be on their guard, left formality, to which they are liable in a degree as well as others, fteal upon them at unawares ; and fo, like the fly in the pot of ointment, fpoil the favour of thefe pleafant exercifes. And of this evil they fhould be the more jealous, becaufe it will beget a dullnefs and infipidnels in their manner of conducting family worihip, which will tend to confirm the prejudices of young people and fervants againft it. And thus, by the wav, Family Worjhip. 127 way, we are enabled to account for the difufe into which this moft reafonable and important duty hath fallen. Formality be- gets dullnefs, dullnefs wearinefs, wearinefs difguft, and difguft neglect. O therefore, if we have religion at heart, let us endeavour to diffufe the fweet and enlivening fpirit of it through thefe mort exercifes ! Let us read, and hear the fcriptures read, with all the attention andeagernefs of thofe who believe and know-tt to be the word of God. Let the fragrant incenfe of genuine gratitude and love perfume our praifes, deep contrition of heart accompany our confeffions, and ar- dent defires afcend with our petitions. Thus family worfhip will not be a tafk, but a moft pleafmg and chearful fervice. In fine, great care ought to be taken that our deportment through the day be agree- able to the folemn profefnons we thus make morning and evening. The dignity of our character as chriftians mould be exprefled by an upright, .ferious, and manly beha- viour ; and the lovelinefs of it by our good-nature, benevolence, and chearfulnefs. Having officiated at the altar of our God, we .mould preferve a fuitable decorum of con- duel: both at home and abroad; and not furTer the holy veftments in which we have 4 Sacrificed 123. Family Worfiip. facrificed to be polluted with fin. Like David, we mould walk within our houfe with a perfect heart, and with a pleafant countenance; and fo give proof to all that family wor(hip is no way inimical, but moft friendly to our real happinefs. It remains that we now, THIRDLY, Confider the objections that are ufually urged againft a regular attention to this duty, and endeavour to obviate them. After what has been faid, it is prefumed no one will be fo hardy as to maintain, that God has not required this fervice at our hands. We have clearly proved that it is a dictate of nature, that the fcriptures have enjoined it, and that it tends to promote both our temporal and fpiritual welfare. The objections, therefore, we have to com- bat are of a practical kind. We {hall rank them under three heads, thofe which refult, firft, from a total difaffettion to religion ; fecondly, from a criminal indifference to it; and, thirdly, from a very cenfurable kind of timidity and weaknefs. I. Men who have no fenfe of religion, and who yet have not thrown off the publick profeflion of it, do many of them object, that " the practice is now a days fo fingular, " that it would expofe them to the con- 4 " ternptuous Family Worftrip. 129 *' temptuous fneer of their neighbours and " acquaintance." An objection this which one would think a man of fenfe and fpirit mould be afhamed to make. What! will you juftify your omif- fion of a duty, which the light of nature and revelation teaches, by the general neglect of thofe around you ? This fort of reafoning might be urged in favour of all manner of wickednefs and villainy. Muft we follow a multitude to do evil? No furely. Neither mould we then follow a multitude in the omiffion of what is good and praife- worthy. But this objedlion, proceeding from pufil- lanimity, is an imputation upon your refo- lution as well as your undemanding. What mameful cowardice, to fuffer yourfelves to be laughed out of your duty, by people who have not fenfe enough to difguife their con- tempt of religion with even the fhadow of a reafon ! Void of all manly courage, you are lefs deferving of the authority you hold in your houfe, than the meanefl fervant in it. But the impiety of the objection is the main confideration. The language of it is, that you had rather obey men than God, endure his frowns than theirs. And think you that this will not awaken the refentments of Heaven againft you? Yes, the day, the K awful 1 30 Family awful day, is coming, when it (hall be told in the hearing of angels and men, that the fneer of a contemptible infidel had more weight with you than the difapprobation of him who made you. 2. Others, more through a criminal indif- ference to religion than a dread of the cen- fure of the world, object that " their affairs *' are focircumftanced that they cannot con- " veniently worfhip God in their families." But, in how trifling a point of light muft fuch perfons view this duty ! Coniider, I befeech you, what has been faid of its nature, utility, and importance ; and tell us whe- ther you can ferioufly think, that every other bufinefs ought to take the precedence of this. Do you from day to day go without your food and reft, and excufe the neglect by fay- ing, that you have not convenient time for the one or the other? If you were fenfible, as you ought to be, that your fuccefs in worldly bufinefs depends upon the favour of Providence, and that what you get cannot be properly enjoyed without the divine blef- ling ; and efpecially if you were duly fen- iible of the vaft importance of your heft interefts, and of thofe of your family -, you would blufh at making fo frivolous an ex- cufe. A firm perfuafion that there is a God, and Family Worjhip. 131 and that he requires this fervice at your hands, would bear down before it much greater obftruclions than you have to com- plain of. Be the hurries of buiinefs what they may, is there no time to be redeemed from reft, and other fenfual gratifications, for the worfhip of him to whofe goodnefs you owe all your enjoyments ? It is no long tedious fervice that is required of you. And your habitation muft be very ftrait and in- convenient indeed, if it will not admit of fome place to which you and your children may retire, to offer a few petitions to Heaven, Think with yoUrfelves whether thefe ex- cufes will bear a ferious reflection . Can you lay your hand on your heart, and fay, your confcience is fatisfied with them ? If not, will they avail you any thing on that great occaiion, when you will be called to a ftricl account for thefe qeglecls ? O realize that awfiil day ! It is quickly approaching. The warnings you have received, the ex- amples of praying-families around you, the evils your children and fervants fufFer thro' thefe criminal omiffions of yours, and even the regard that pagans themfelves have in their way paid to this duty, will all rife up in" judgment againft you. O be entreated then to give no longer heed to thefe fri- K 2 volous 132 Family Worjhip. volous objections, but to fet about this bu- finefs immediately, with all the attention and ferioufnefs which its importance demands!- But there is one more objection, ^ A nr ^ -Jafl-ly^ which as it proceeds not from a contempt of religion or indifference to it, but from timid bajhfulnefs and iveak- nefs, deferves to be treated with tendernefs and pity. It is this : " I would gladly " worlhip God in my family, but am not " qualified to conduct the fervice in a de- " cent, agreeable, and edifying manner." If this objection arifes from an appre- henfion, that by engaging in this duty you will hazard your reputation for good fenfe and elocution, in the opinion of your chil- dren and fervants, it is a very cenfurable one. It is an argument of a weak mind. For what though you do fail in eafe and propriety of expreffion, the authority you hold in your family ought furely to make you fuperior to any apprehenlions of this fort from thofe who are fo much your in- feriors. And it is an argument of fome defect too in your religious character. For a regard to the great God, who requires this duty of you, and in whofe prefence it is to be performed, ought to fubdue the fir ft rifings of pride in your breaft. But Family Worfolp. 133 But you iniift that " you really have not " the gift of prayer." Let me befeech you to coniider what prayer is. It is the offering our deiires to God. Words are of no ac- count in regard of him : it is the fincerity, humility, and fervency of our fpirit he looks at. In regard of others, however, words are neceilary : but if they are plain and intel- ligible, that is enough. Now, poflefTed of fuitable defires and afFedions, and having overcome that timidity we juft fpoke of, you will not be at fo great a lofs for words as you are ready to imagine. You feel your wants both temporal and fpiritual, your own and thofe of your family : where then is the great difficulty of enumerating them either more generally or particularly, and of earneftly entreating God to fupply them? You feel and enjoy thofe bleffings you have received : where then, I may add, is the great difficulty of reciting and acknow- ledging them with exprerTions of gratitude and praife ? Further, the way to obtain a freedom of praying in your family, is to ac- cuftom yourfelf to free prayer in your re- tirements. He who regularly maintains intercourfe with God in his clofet, will foon find himfelf qualified for it in his family. But even admitting that you cannot, after K 3 all, ^34 Family Worjhip. all, fummon together refolution enough for the profitable difcharge of this duty, you are not juftified in the negled; of family- worfhip : for there are forms of prayer which you may ufe, and which it is infi- nitely better to ufe, than wholly to neglect this important fervice. And now this ob- je<5tion removed, permit me to entreat you, as you tender the honour of God, the prof- perity of your family, and your own com- fort, to erect immediately an altar in your tent, and to offer thereon, with pure hands and ferveqt lips, daily facrifices of prayer and praife to Heaven. Before we put a period to this difcourfe, you will allow me to detain your attention a moment to two religious exercifes, not yet mentioned, which come within the idea of Family worfhip. The one is ordinary, and the other extraordinary. As to the former, it is the ajking a blej/ing, and re- turning thanks at our meals. This is a very natural duty, and pretty generally practifed among fober people. How fit, when we fit down at our tables, to beg of God to command his bleffing on the food his providence has prepared for us ! And when we rife, to make our grateful acknow- ledgments for the refreihment we have re- ceived ! Family Worfoif. 135 ceived ! Nor are we without fufficient au- thority in fcripture for this practice. The apoftle exhorts us, in general, " Whether " we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, to " do all to the glory of God 1 ." And in another place tells us, that " every creature " of God is good, and nothing to be re- " fufed, if it be received with thankfgiving: " for it is fanctified by the word of God, " and prayer 1 ." Our Saviour's example too has added a pleafing and moft important fanction to this cuftom. When he fed the multitude in the wildernefs, " he took the " loaves and the times, and gave thanks 1 ." When he instituted the holy fupper, in commemoration of his death, ** he took " bread and bleffed it; and he took the cup " alfo, and gave thanks u ." And when he fat at meat with the difciples at Emmaus, *' he took bread and bleffed it V Nothing more need be faid, in general, to enforce this duty. But the carelefs manner in which it is too often performed, deferves very fevere reprehenfion. The faying grace, as it is ufually called, is in moft instances a mere 1 i Cor. x. 31. * i Tim. iv. 4, 5. l Matth. xv. 36. 15 Matth. xxvi. 26, 27. ' * Luke xxiv, 30. K 4 Form, 136 Family Worftip. form, as may be too fadly fufpeded from the negligent air on the countenances of moft prefent. And, in fome inftances, the words are fo haflily and irreverently fpoken, that the form itfelf borders very nearly on profanenefs. The offence which this has juftly given to ferious people, has driven fome of them into an oppofite extreme, which hath not failed to be fharply cenfured as favouring of pharifaicifm. Prudence and piety plainly dictate the medium between the two extremes. Let us be ferious and felf- collected whilfl, in two or three fen- tences, we are addreffing ourfelves to God. The importance of this is great. For it Hands to reafon that a heedlefs defultory manner of performing this duty muft be very offenfive to God, and not only defeat the falutary ends of the fervice, but tend to fix a habit of trifling with facred things. We mail clofe the whole, with fubmitting to the confideration of mafters of families, a few thoughts on a fervice of an extraor-* dinary kind, in which our pious anceftors, and fome, I truft, now living, have found their account : I mean, the fetting apart a day, on fpecial occafions, for folemn prayer and rhaakfgrving to God. The reafonable- nefs and utility of fuch fervices, in regard of Family W or flip. 137 of nations and churches, have been ge- nerally admitted : and I know not why they ihould not be admitted in regard of private families. It is true, fome families may be fo circumftanced as to render the obfervation of a day of fading and prayer abfolutely im- practicable : or, however, it would be diffi- cult for them to fix on a time in which the bufinefs of the houfe would allow all of them to attend. But this furely is not the cafe with every family. Nor is it to be doubted but moft good people might, in the courfe of a year or two, or at certain periods of their lives, find a convenient feafon for this purpofe, if they were really fenfible of the importance of it. To fix upon your minds, therefore, a fenfe of its importance is my object; and then the time, and man- ner of conducting the fervice, may very well be fubmitted to difcretion. Events of a momentous kind do fome- times take place in families, fuch as births, deaths, change of habitation, and other ex- traordinary providences either adverfe or profperous. Now if on fuch occafions every family., to ufe the language of the prophet Zechariah, were to mourn, and pray, and Qiter praife apart*; would not fuch fervice x Zech. xii. 14.. be 138 Family Worftrip. be acceptable to God, and highly beneficial to themfelves ? A giddy world, who pay little attention to the providence of God in their temporal concerns, and lefs to the re- ligious interests of their families, may treat what we are recommending with contempt. But will a wife, prudent, ferious man, who has the welfare of his houfe at heart, fay that this is an unmeaning unneceiTary fer- vice ? Figure to yourfelf fuch a little af- fembly, on a fixed day, convened, without noife or oftentation, in fome retired part of the houfe, there feriouily recollecting their pafl fins and mercies, there earneftly pleading with God for a bleffing, there chearfully acknowledging his goodnefs, and there cor- dially devoting themfelves to his fervice ; figure to yourfelf, I fay, fuch a little af- fembly, confifting of parents, children and fervants, all deeply imprefled with the fo- lemnity of this extraordinary act of do- nieftick worfhip, and tell us, whether it is not a lovely fight. Can any one find it in his heart to fneer at the idea of fuch a fer- vice as trifling, nugatory, and unprofitable? Or will any one in his fober fenfes pro- nounce fuch a day a loft day ? Be that as it may, they who have enjoyed the comfort of thefe folemnities, and felt the fubftantial Family Worjhip. 139 benefit that refults from them, will think and ayy, and for which we want a word in our language. This inftindt prevails in the bread of the mother in a foft and tender manner, fuited to the kind of duty required of her towards her children, in the firft and early flage of life. In the father it operates in a different, but like effectual manner. It impels him to the exertion of all his powers, in order to provide a fubfiftence for his family ; and to the beft ufe of that fuperior fenfe and judgment he poffeffes, in order to prepare and qualify them for the ftations of life they are to fill. Now fuch an inftinct being implanted in the breafts of parents >a paffion for the wel- fare of their children which renders them equal to all the anxieties, cares, and labours that attend the painful bufmefs of bringing them up into life 3 there can be no doubt that the right of education lies in them. This is the clear plain voice of nature. To this to their Children. 193 tiiis we have the confent of all mankind . And it is abundantly confirmed by the fen- tence of fcripture. Any meafures taken, therefore, to deprive parents of this right, is a cruel violation of the law of nature. Indeed there is in the general little or no temptation to this evil : for what mould induce thofe who have no immediate in- terefl in children, to bring upon themfelves the expence and burden of their education ? Things have been, however, fo circumftanced in fome countries, where fuperftition and defpotifrn have obtained, that parents, whofe religion hath differed from that of the flate^ have been deprived of the invaluable right of educating their children in their own principles. The time was when bold efforts were ufed to this end in our country, and when the objecl: was very nearly compafled. But the aeceffion of the prefent family to the throne of thefe kingdoms, through the favour of Providence, defeated the attempt. To enter particularly into the reafoning on The Romans had fuch a fenfe of the right of parents over their children, an-d fuch a perfuafion that natural aft'eftion would not fuffer them to abufe it, that they even . entrufted them with the power of life and death. This Juftinian calls, proprium CiOnce more, 6 III. Support to their Parents. 289 III. Support is another office due from children to their parents. In this idea is included every kind of affiftance that can be afforded them, to render their laft days eafy and comfortable e . It is fad indeed to fee old age, which mould have nothing but its own infirmities to ftruggle with, linking under the prefTures of penury and want ; and efpecially when this is the effect of the imprudent arrangement of their affairs, in favour of unnatural children. For furely nothing can be more foolifh than for parents, whom Providence has bleffed with an affluence of the things of this life, to throw themfelves into a ftate of abfolute dependance on their children. If this is at any time done, through an excefs of fondnefs on the one part, and in compliance with avaricious views on the other; very {lender returns of filial reverence and af- fection are to be expected. Such unhappy parents have, in too many inftances, lived to fee their imprudent confidence abufed, and their incautious generofity rewarded with neglect, if not contempt. The idea, how- ever, of fecuring the homage and obedience f ^f e By one of the laws of Solon, he wat to bo. accounted ttrtfj.-, infamous, who beats his parents, or does not provide for them . U cf 29 Duties of Children of children, by parfimonioufly withholding from them the neceflary means of improving their fortunes in life, is as miflaken a con- duct on the other hand. A competency is all a prudent and good parent would wifti to referve to himfelf, when eafe and retire- ment are his only objects as to this world, except it be the gratification of a benevolent difpofition, in the little circle of declining life. " I would not," fays a fprightly writer, " in the evening of my days ftrip myfelf to my very fhirt; a warm night- gown I may be allowed to provide my- felf." But, pofTefied of fuch an uncontrouled competency, there are yet many offices of kindnefs requifite on the part of children, to render the clofing fcene of life comfortable* Attention, reverence, fympathy, and an affi- duous wifh to pleafe, are the proper cordials to be adminiitered to old age, by the tender hands of filial affection f . And thefe are cordials which dutiful children will account it their higheft honour and happinefs to f Me let the tender office long engage To rock the cradle of repofing age ; With lenient arts extend a mother's breath, Make languor fmile, and fmooth the bed of death ; Explore the thought, explain the afking eye, And keep a while one parent from the flcy ! Pope. adminifler to their Parents^ 291 adminifter to the lateft period. To that moment they will look forward with painful anxiety, its approach they will dread, and life every means in their power to protract it to the utmoft length. And when it does arrive, they will meet it with tears of ge- nuine forrow and regret. And how pleating the fight to fee dutiful and affectionate chil- dren, after having chearfully devoted the vigour of youth to the fervice of their pa- rents, furrounding their dying beds with unfeigned grief, following their dear re- mains to the grave with the moft paffionate lamentations, and recording in their faithful memory the debt of gratitude they owe to parental care and love ! Affecting examples of this kind I might here cite, but they mall be referred to the following fermon ; in which we mean to hold up to the view of children the various confiderations which humanity and religion fuggeft, to move the fprings of filial duty and affection. PART II. WE have laid before children, in the preceding fermon, the duties they owe their parents; all which are comprehended in U 2 the 292 Duties of Children the ideas of Obedience Reverence and Sup- port. And we now proceed, SECONDLY, To pcrfuade them by fuitablc motives to the chearful difcharge of thefe duties. Our arguments we (hall clafs under three heads, the law of nature the exprefs command of God and the examples of per- fons eminent for their virtue and piety. And how happy will it be, if thefe reafon- ings, accompanied with a divine energy, produce the deiired effect ! I. The law of Nature. This law operates two ways, by InftincJ, and by Rcafon. Inftinft is a ftrong bias to actions, which produces its effect without any previous reafoning or confideration. It is common to men and brutes, and cannot be counteracted without a violent force put on nature. Of this kind, as we have ob- ferved before, is that exceffive fondnefs which parents, particularly mothers, feel for their offspring. And of this kind, too, is that regard which children feel for their parents, efpecially in the earlier part of life. During thai, period, it fupplies the place of reafon, and urges them to that reverence and obedience, which they afterwards come clearly to perceive is their duty. And from this principle, the force of which ajl chil- dren to their Parents. 293 dren feel, we may be allowed to argue with them, as they are advancing to years of dif- cretion. Cafl your eyes back, children, to the earlier! moment you can recoiled!:; call to mind the eagernefs and attention with which you looked up to your parents for fupport and protection, and the reverence, fubmiffion, and obedience which this at- tachment to them drew after it : and fay, whether you can avoid inferring from thence, now you are capable of reafoning, your obligation to the duties we have been recommending. It is the voice of nature : and will you, can you eradicate from your breafts a propennty that is coeval with your cxiflence ? If you could, what would be the effect but to link you beneath the level of the brute creation ? Horrid degradation ! But it is Reafon that enables us to per- ceive what are the true grounds upon which the law of nature ftands. And if we can clearly make it appear, that Equity, Gra- titudey and Inte'reft require a chearful com- pliance with the duties we have been re- commending, it will follow that whoever withholds fuch compliance ftands charge- able with complicated guilt and fliameful abfurdity. U 3 i. The 294 Duties of Children I. The law of equity, in the firft place, demands filial obedience. It is a truth acknowledged on all hands, that refpect and fubmiflion are due from inferiors to their fuperiors. The authority which the latter acquire over the former is founded in age, wildom, experience, pro- perty, benefits conferred, and the confent of the community : and thefe obligations, faving the juft rights of confcience, are not to be difputed without manifeft injuftice. Now upon this ground how equitable are the claims of parents upon their children ! They have the advantage of age, experience, and property ; to which muft be added the confideration of their having done more for their children than any others could poflibly do for them, yea, that of their being under God the inftruments of their exigence. Should it be objeded, " You have done no more for me than natural afFe&ion obliged you to do/' It is replied, That is not in every inftance true : and if it were, it does not in juftice vacate their claim of obedience. But the beft reply to fuch un- natural difingenuity is, " ILetyour children, when you have them, object this te you, and then tell us how you like fuch to their Parents. fuch treatment 8 ." Indeed, the common fenfe and feelings of mankind reprobate fuch language. All wife and good men are agreed in the reafonablenefs of filial obe- dience, and nothing but the moft horrid depravity can extort from the human breaft an objection to it. Here I cannot help taking notice of the unexampled abfurdity and profligacy of the leaders among the Jews, in our Saviour's time, who under a fpecious pretence of regard to pofitive, fapped the foundation of moral, duties. In no inftance was it more flagrant, than in their deciiion on a queftion relative to what is now before us. A man wifhes to be free from his obligation to this great command, " Honour thy " father and mother." He comes to thefe men for, advice upon the matter. And what fay they ? ' Oh ! bring a gift to the altar, do fome work of fupererogation, and you fhall be free/ Thus did thefe hypocrites make the commandment of God of none effed: by their tradition h . What fober man f " TC/ST- yiv* irtu rxf yov&(, ems etv eu%a.io vtpt " fft&uTov ytvtfda.1 T< i Duties of Children joy! to fmooth the brow of parental ad- verfity, to affift the infirmities of declining nature, to wipe away the falling tear, lift up the palfied hand, convert languor into fmiles, and make the dying bed of old age eafy ! But the moft important confideration of all is, the influence which filial obedience hath upon the religious character of chil- dren, and of confequence on their nobleft interefts here and hereafter. If our paren^ fear God, our final falvation is their grand object. With a view to this they teach, counfel, reflrain, and correct us ; weep over us, expoftulate with us, and pray in- cellantly for us. Now what are we doing, when we turn a deaf ear to all they fay, but depriving ourfelves of the greateft ad- vantages, and laying violent hands on our immortal fouls ? A religious education is a lingular blciling. Happy they who improve it! How many-perverfe undutiful children have lamented their abufe of it, with the {harped accents, upon their dying beds ! And how many of the contrary character, whofe dutiful carriage has furnifhed one among many other proofs of their piety, have acknowledged this great benefit witfy their lateft breath, thanking God that they 5 were to their Parents . 305 U'ere not left to the folly and madncfs of treating parental counfel and authority with contempt ! It is your Intereji then, chil- dren, to obsy your parents. Your repu- tation, your health, your worldly profperity, your comfort, your happinefs your hap- pinefs in this world and in that to come, all, under God, depend upon it. From the law of Nature we proceed now, II. To urge upon you the exprefs command of God. " that " they fet light by father and mother;" and threatens them with very fore calamities on account of it q . And with thefe re- markable words the canon of the Old Teftament fcriptures is clofed, " Behold, " I will fend you Elijah the prophet, before- " the coming of the great and dreadful day " of the Lord. And he mall turn the heart " of the fathers to the children, and the " heart of the children to their fathers, " left I come and fmite the earth with a " curfeV What the moral lav/, by the lips of Mofes and the prophets, thus enjoins, the New Teftament confirms. Our Lord re- cognizes the duties of filial obedience, in his difcourfe with the Scribes and Pharifees, whom he feverely reprehends for having mutilated the commandment of God re-* fpefting this matter, and made it of none effect by their tradition. " God com- " manded, faying, Honour thy father and ' Prov, xxx. 17. ? Ezek. xxii. 7. r Mai. iv. 5, 6. Xz "mother: 308 Duties of Children "mother: and he that curfeth father or " mother, let him die the death. But ye " fay, Whofoever lliall fay to his fatl/er or *' his mother, It is a gift by whatsoever as when he fpoke thofe words himfelf on Mount Sinai, '* Honour thy father and " mother." Wilfully, therefore, to violate this law, is to offend againft the exprefs . y z Tim. iii. 5, 3. X 3 author if v 3 1 o Ditties of Children authority of God : and curfed is he who thus dares to affront his Creator. What then are they doing who trifle with the obligations they owe their parents ? To all fuch impenitent iinners, the Jew firfl and the Gentile alfo, he wijl render indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguifh. But, in order yet further to enforce obe- dience to this command, the apoftle holds up to our view the promife originally an- nexed to it. " It is," he reminds us, " the " nrft commandment with promife" diftin- guimed by a particular mark of the divine regard, and defigned to be considered by us as the ground of all the other duties we owe to fociety. He that wilfully violates this precept, is in the direct road to the open violation of all the precepts that follow. And indeed it were cafy to mew, both from the reafon and nature of the thing, and from the hiftory of mankind, that all tr^ofe tremendous evils which (hake the founda- tions of civil fociety, fuch as theft, murder, adultery, perjury, and the like, originate from the want of natural affection, and a failure in filial obedience. And on the con- trary, it were as eafy to mew, that all the focial virtues comprehended in the genera} idea of love to pur neighbour, naturally flow to their Parents. 31 flow from this firft and moffc important of them, dutifulnefs to parents. There fcarce ever was an affectionate obedient child who did not make a ufeful member of fociety. And how much it is the will of God that a univerfal attention mould be paid to this precept, may be further argued from the promife itfelf of temporal bleffings an- nexed to it. " Honour thy father and " mother, that it may be well and our X 4 living 312 Duties of Children living long on the earth, in a qualified fenfe, (as we certainly fliould, the ftate of c'hriftians in civil fociety being different from that of the Jews) it will not be diffi- cult to prove, that God is mindful of his promife now as well as formerly. There are few ages, and few countries, which do not furnim fome remarkable inftances di- rectly in point to the matter before us. We ourfelves have known perfons, whofe tender regards to their parents have been tried by very peculiar circumftances, and who have acquitted themfelves in a manner as extra- ordinary : thefe perfons, I fay, we have feen emerge from low and obfcure ftations in life to fituations of affluence and eminence, in which they have flourimed to a good old age. So that it might be faid of them in the ftridteft fenfe of the expreffion, that it hath been well with them, and that they have lived long on the earth. But ad- mitting, with refpect to many dutiful chil- dren, that an abundance of wealth, honour, and years does not fall to their fhare ; yet if fo much of this world's good is allotted them as it is for their real advantage to have, and if, having been ufeful and happy in life, they die in honour and peace, the words of our text may be faid, in the ge- neral to the'*)' Parents. 3 I 3 rieral ana fubflantial import of them, to be made good to them. And that this is a fad: in regard of thofe who obey their parents in the Lord, that is, obey them from a fenfe of duty to God, is capable of clear proof. Such perfoils may be itiled pious or godly, and we are allured that " godlinefs hath *' the promife of the life that now is, and V* of that which is to come V It is the will of God then, children, that you obey your parents. Be per- fuaded, therefore, to your duty. You be- lieve that there is a God, that he governs the world, that profperity and adverlity are at his difpofal, that you muft die, and that your happinefs in a future ftate depends upon his favour. Will you then, dare you, be wilfully difobedient to fo great a Being, who can make you miferable in this world, and who can deftroy both foul and body in Jiell ? But rather let me entreat you, by the mercies of <^od, to render a chearful obe- dience to his will by the mercies of a God, who, in the character of a tender and in- dulgent Father, deigns to pardon the nu- merous offences of us his undutiful but pe- jntent children, for the fake of the obe- * I Tim. :\: 8. dience 2 1 4 Duties of Children dience and death of Chrift his only-begotten and well-beloved Son. And now, to all the arguments we have drawn from the law of nature, and the exprefs command of God, I have only to add thofe which refult, III. From Example. Here to illuftrate is to perfuade : to hold up to your view inftances of filial piety, is at once to inftrud: you in your duty, and to allure you to it. And, thanks be to God ! degenerate as the world is, hiftory, both profane 3 and facred, furniflies examples enough 3 The character of Pius jEneas, which Virgil fo repeatedly gives the hero of his poem, on account of his filial attention and duty to his father Anchi/es, cannot fail of giving plea- fure to a reader of fenfibility. Epaminondas , the Thebaq general, amidft the flattering applaufe he received on the viftory he gained over the Spartans at Leuttra, faid, " My ' joy chiefly confifts in knowing, that my father and mother - will hear of my victory." By the tears of his mother Veturia the brave Coriolanus was prevailed on to grant peace to Rome, though at the hazard of fuffering the refentment of the Volfc'i, whofe troops he commanded in the fiege of that city. " Ah ! my mother," faid he, " you difarm me : " Rome is faved, but your fon is undone." Pint, in Coriol. In the dreadful proscription that took place in Rome on the arrival of the Triumvirs, Qaavianus, Antony, and Lepidm* there was an Oppius, who faved his old and infirm father, by carrying him on his moulders to the fea-fide, and efcaping with him into Sicily : for which generous a&ion }ie was afterwards raifed to the ^Edilefhip, and otherwife munificently rewarded by the Roman people. There was alfo, oa the fame occafion, an Hofidw, who eluded the fearch jo their Parents. 315 enough to our purpofe. We will content ourfelves here with citing a few from- fcripture. The reverence which S&em and Japhet exprefled for their father's honour, failed not to draw a bleffing upon them ; as did the contrary behaviour of Ham a curfe upon his family . The entire confidence which Ifaac placed in his father Abraham, and the ready fubmifiion he yielded to his will on the moil trying occafion, were tempers truly admirable, and iignally rewarded by Heaven c . "Jacob acled as became one who had received the bleffing at the hand of his venerable parent, when he paid fo dutiful fearch that was to have been mp.de after him, by an artifice which filial tendernefs fuggefted : the fon fpread a report that his father had laid violent hands on himfelf, and, to make the fadi the more credible, fpcnt his fortune in performing his obfequies. The Cbine_ C- are faid to 'be a people remarkable for filial piety : and I remember to have fomewhere met with a ftriking inftance of it. "A Man- darine having been condemned to deatli for fome crime committed by him in his office, his fon, a child of only fifteen years, befought the Emperor that he might fuffer. in his ftead. The Emperor, moved with this uncommon inftance of filial affection, gave the father his life. And he. would have conferred fome tokens of honour on the fon, but the fon declined them, faying, he would not accept any diftin&ion which mould recall to him the idea of a guilty father." fc Gen. ix. 20 27. - c Gen. xxii. i 19. 2 a regard 2 1 6 Duties of Children a regard to his commands, in the alliance he contracted with the family of Lab an. And it was commendable in Efau, whatever might be his character in other refpects, to forbear marrying the daughters of Canaan, becaufe he faw they pleafed not Ijaac his father d . The many expreflions of filial duty and affection which occur in the flory of Jofepb, muft ftrike every attentive reader with ad- miration and pleafure : nor can we fee him diftinguiihed in fo extraordinary a manner as he was by the fmiles of Providence, without concluding that his piety to his father was highly pleating to God. The love which good old Jacob bare to him in his tender years, was no doubt heightened by the fon's amduous attention to conform to the will of fo indulgent a parent. And as he learnc-i obedience by fuffering, (for he was trained in the fchool of affliction) fo he gave the moft affecting proofs of it, when elevated to the higheft flation, next to Pharaoh, in Egypt. How earneftly did he enquire of his brethren, when they came to buy corn of him, after the welfare of his father I " Is your father well, the ' (Ten. xxviii. i 9-. "pld to their Parent^. 3 1 7 " old man of whom ye fpake ? Is he yet " alive 6 ?" What a tender meiTage did he fend to him by his brethren, entreating him to come down to Egypt, and afTuring him that " he mould be near him, and he " would nourim him left he mould come " to poverty f !" What refpect did he mew him by meeting him, in his chariot with his proper attendants, at Goihen ! and what ardent affection, by falling on his neck and weeping on it for a confiderable time g ! How did he pride himfelf in the honour of prefenting his aged parent to Pharaoh ! and how happy was he in making him ib princely a provilion for the remainder of his days ! In mort, filial affection, reverence, and obedience flampt his whole conduct to the end of life. When he prefented bis children to their grand-father to receive his dying bleffing, " he bowed himfelf with " his face to the earth h ." When he had performed the laft tender office of doling his eyes in death, " he fell upon his face, "and wept upon him, and killed him 1 ." And the dear remains of his venerable pa- rent he failed not to attend to the land of Canaan, and to depofit them in the fepul- e Gen. xliii. 27. f Ch. xlv. 10, 11. * Ch. xlvi. 29. h Ch. xlviii. 1.2. Ch. 1. i. chni 3 1 S Duties of Children chre of his anceftors, with every poliiblc expreffion of genuine forrow and affectionate refpect. So extraordinary a character as Mofes is not to be palfed over in filence, and the rather, as a remarkable circumftance occurs in his ftory to juftify the inference, that he was particularly attentive to the duties we have been recommending. The circum- ftance I refer to was the refpect he paid to Jethro his father-in-law, when he made him a viiit in the wildernefs. " Mofes " went out to meet him, and did obeifance, "and kitted himV Nor did he content himfelf with rendering him thefe external expreffions of regard : he liftened to the prudent advice which Jetbro gave him, " and did all that he had laid'." And thus were the duties of filial obedience, which he fo folemnly enjoined on the Ifraelites, exemplified in his own conduct. The generous attention, too, of Ruth to her mother Naomi, amidft all that fad re- verfe of fortune which me fuffered in a flrange land, is not to be enough admired. Naomi was her husband's mother, a widow, childlefs, and reduced to poverty. In this k E.xod. xviii-. 7. ! Ver. 24. deftitutc to their Parents. 319 deftitute ftate {he refolves to return to her own country. And it might naturally he expected, confidering what is the manner of the world, that Ruth, having loft her hufband Naomi's fon, fhould have no great objection to the parting with his mother. But fuch is her attachment {he will on no account leave her m ." And how God re- warded her duty and piety the {lory at large relates : me married into a wealthy family, became the mother of a numerous offspring, and had the great honour of ftanding on the lift of thofe from whom the Meffiah de- fcended. David was as eminent for his magna- nimity and generofity, as for his fincere and fervent piety j and his attention to the fafety and repofe of his venerable parents, during the cruel perfecution he fufFered from the houfe of Saul, affords a ftriking proof of the one as well as the other. Driven as he was by that infatuated prince into the wildernefs, he prefented an addrefs on their behalf to the king of Moab, en- treating him to grant them an afylum at Mizpeh. " Let my father and my mo- " ther," fays he, " I pray thee, come forth m Ruth i. 16, 17. ** and 320 Duties cf Children " and be with you, till I know what Godl " will do for me. And he brought them," it is added, " before the king of M'oab : " and they dwelt with him all the time " that David was in the hold"." The next inftance to be mentioned, and which we have already adverted to, is So- lomon. From the great refpect he paid to his mother, when he was grown to man's eftate, and had afcended the throne of ff- rael, it may be fairly concluded, that he held all that duty we have been explaining and enforcing in the greateft reverence. And his dutiful carriage to his parents was one ftriking proof of that vvifdom, for which he is fo much celebrated in facred writ. The particular I refer to was his behaviour to his mother, when (lie demanded an au- dience of him. It is faid, and in moft cafes the lower people are not at all acceflbry to the difpute, and fo do not deferve to be deprived of their liberty. But it is of the rights of matters and fervants in a domeftick capacity that we are here fpeaking. And thefe are, no doubt, the refult of voluntary compact or agree- ment. No man has a right, becaufe he poflefTes more than his neighbour, to com- pel him to become his fervant. Nor has another a right, becaufe of his poverty, to force his fervice on the rich. Indeed, upon the general grounds of humanity, the for- mer is an object of the charitable regard of the latter, apd having received his bounty he ought to be thankful. But authority and obedience take place in confequence of a direct and pofitive contract. The mailer flipulates with the fervant, for fuch and fuch iervices to pay him fuch and fuch wages; and the fervant ftipulates with the matter, for fuch and fuch wages to render him Duties of Servants to Majlefs. 337 him fuch and fuch fervices. And fo the mailer has a juft right to exercife authority over the fervant^ and the fervant is obliged to yield obedience to the mailer. And in- deed not only juftice requires that there fhould be fuch agreement between the two parties, but interefl alfo. For if there be not good will on both fides, neither the one nor the other are likely to be benefited by this important connection.- And this leads us to the, VI. And lafl propofition* That 'where tbefe matters are properly adjufted, there 'will be a pretty equal diflribution of bap- pinefs. The welfare of individuals isj or ought to be, the object of all civil and domeftick arrangements. The aggrandizing one to the degradation of another, for the purpofe of gratifying avarice and ambition, is unjuft and inhuman. Why mould one be an ab- folute defpot, and another an abject flave ? Nature revolts at the idea. Every one has a right to as much happinefs as his character^ abilities, and flation of life are capabje of procuring him. And if in this relation between matters and fervants, the contract is founded in equity and good faith, and there is a hearty good will on both (ides, it Z is 338 Duties of Servants to Majiers. is fcarce poffible that either party fhould inifs of the end propofed. There will be mutual concord, peace, and contentment- And indeed regard, cultivated by the mild and humane ufe of authority on the one hand, and by an attentive chearful obedi- ence on the other, will pretty generally, in a courfe of time, ripen into a cordial and lafting friendmip and affection. And from hence it follows that there is, or at lead if the voice of reafon were duly regarded there would be, a more equal par- tition of happinefs among mankind than is commonly apprehended. Through the miftaken eftimates which men have formed of fuperior and inferior ftations of life, and through the miferable abufe of the rights and duties of thefe relations, too many have come to conceive of authority and dominion, as the real and only 'fources of happinefs j and of fervitude and obedience, as neceiTarily fubjecting men to contempt and wretched- nefs. But if the light in which we have placed the matter is juft, a fenfible and fober man would be almoft at a lofs to determine which ftation upon the whole is moft eli- gible; So equally has a wife and good Providence distributed happinefs among mankind ! If more bodily pain and labour 2 falls Duties of Servants to Mafters. 339 frills to the (hare of the fervant than the mailer, the fervant has however lefs care and anxiety to difturb his peace. He has no weighty concern to exercife his fagacity, attention, and patience. Having done his duty, and Ijy honeft labour contributed to liis own health, .he may eat his bread with a peculiar relim, enjoy his reft without in- terruption, and have the comfort too of hoping that he has .attached the affections of his matter to himfelf, and may reap fome extraordinary advantages from thence in time to come. Let no one therefore be offended at the idea of authority, as if it monopolized the fum total of human hap- pinefs } nor at fervitude, as if it funk men beneath the fpecies into a condition of wretchednefs and contempt. Thus we fee then Men as men, are equal Their condition in life is unequal They are not furBcient to their own fup- port, and therefore ftand in need of each others affiftance *-But effectual affiftance can only be rendered by the due exercife of au- thority on the one part, and obedience on the other Authority and obedience are, however^ the refult of voluntary agreement * And, where thefe are properly adjufted,* Z 2 there 34 Duties of Servants to Mafters. there will be a pretty equal diftribution of happincfs. Such are the grounds of the relation be- tween mailers and fervants* and of the obligations they owe to each other. And it is upon thefe principles the admonitions to the latter in our text, and to the former in the verfe following, are .founded. We iliould now, therefore, proceed to explain the apoftolick exhortation to fervants, and fo go on to a more particular confideration of the feveral duties of this character, and the motives to urge men to the practice of them. But this we muft refer to the next fermon, and content ourfelves at prefent with two or three remarks, which the per- fect agreement there is between the dictates of nature and the language of the text and context fuggefts. The firft is, that they very injurioufly mifreprefent the chriftian institution who infinuate, that it countenances a levelling principle in fociety. Nothing can be clearer than that it every where recommends de- cency, regularity, and fubordlnation among mankind. This is the plain language of the text and the verfe following it, in re- regard of domeftick arrangements. The of matters and fervants is not confounded Duties of Servants to Mafters. 341 confounded, but on the contrary marked with the greateft precifion. The latter, whatever real dignity their chriftian cha- racter may confer on them, are required to behave towards the former, though infidels, in the moft refpectful manner, remembring the different ranks they hold in the com- munity. " Let as many fervants as are " under the yoke, count their own matters " (that is, matters who are unbelievers, as ** the context plainly mews) worthy of all *' honour ; that the name of God, and his " doctrine, be not blafphemed V And again, " Servants be fubjeft to your matters " with all fear, not only to the good and " gentle, but alfo to the froward V They are alfo cautioned againtt treating their matters, becaufe fellow chrittmns, with in- decent freedom. " They that have believing " matters, let them not defpife them, be- " caufe they arc brethren : but rather do ' them fervice, becaufe they are faithful " and beloved, partakers of the benefit 1 ." This levelling principle then, which fome have palmed upon the chriftian inttitution, is totally without foundation. It is a fact that men hold different ranks and ttations in * i Tim, vi. i. y i Pet. H. 18. * i Tim. vi. 2. Z 3 life : 342 Duties of Servants to Mafters. life : it is the will of Providence that it fhould be fo, in order to anfvver purpofes of utility and importance to themfelves and fociety : and agreeably to this wife arrange- ment of things, and without any cenfure thereon, they are addreffed in the bible. It is further to be remarked, that as the New Teftament arTerts the rights of fu- periors, fo it is alike attentive to the claims of inferiors. It does not court the regards of the rich and mighty, to the injury or negleft of the poor and helplefs. It teaches that men, as men, are equal j that they are all fubjedl to the fame laws, and are all alike amenable at the tribunal of the great God, who is no refpe&er of perfons. And it not only warns thofe in exalted ftations againtr. adts of injustice and opprefilon, but earneftly perfuades them to thofe of condefcenfion, humanity, and benevolence. This is the general tenor of the bible : and it is enough to refer you to the text, wherein we have the caufe of the fervant pleaded with the fame impartial regards as that of the mafter. From this view, then, of the morality of the fcriptures we derive a prefumptive proof of their truth. And that proof is confider- ably augmented, when we reflect that the Duties of Servants to Mafters. 343 duties of morality are not only here happily explained and ftridtly enjoined, but that they have here a further and nobler fupport than the law of nature can afford them. What I mean is, that the gofpel is fo con- ftructed as at once to throw light upon our duty, and to poffefs us of new and extraor- dinary motives to perfuade us to a com- pliance with it. To apply this idea to the matter before us. The reciprocal duties of mafters and fervants mud be acknow- ledged, wlien examined only by the light of nature, to be right, fit, and mutually bene- ficial. But the chriftian fcheme, when properly understood, enables us more clearly to apprehend than we otherwife could the iubftantial difference between right and wrong - y and by the noble temper it infpires powerfully animates us to the duties of fidelity, fubmiffion, and obedience, on the one hand, and of condefcenfion, gentlenefs, and love on the other. And fo it is of infinite ufe in explaining and enforcing the mutual obligations of mafters and fervants. vJ> This is an obfervation we may have an op- portunity more fully to confider and il- luftrate hereafter. And, if it be found to be true, it will have no fmall weight, in concurrence with the external evidence of Z 4 the 344 Duties of Servants te Majlers. the gofpel, to prove the chriftjan inftitu$ioi4 divine. P. A R T JI. WE have confidered the true grounds of this important relation between Majlers and Servants, and now go on to explain the ad- monition in our text, which is founded on the principles laid down jn the laft fermon. So we fhall proceed more particularly to ftate the duties of fervants, and to point out their obligations to them -, and then, in the fucceeding difcourfe, to explain the duties of matters, and with proper argu- ments to enforce them. Servants, be obedient to. them that are your majlers according to the jlejh, with fear and trembling, in Jinglenefs of your heart, as unto Cbrift : not with eye-fervice, as men- pleafers, but as the fervants of Chrift, doing the will of God from the heart-, with good- will doing Jervice , as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatfoever good thing any man doth, the fame flail he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free, In order to the right understanding of the words, we will caft the feveral par- ticulars contained in them under the three following Dutie s of Servants to Mafters. 345 following general heads Firft, the perfons addrefled: Secondly, the duties enjoined, and the qualifications of them: And thirdly, the motives to enforce them. Firft, the perfons add relied are Servants. Thefe are defcribed as bond or free. By bond-fervants are meant flaves, who became jfuch by being taken in war, or by being born in captivity, or by having for certain confiderations fold their freedom. And by free are meant hired fervants, who were of much the fame defcription with fervants in. this and other free countries. Of the for- mer there were many among the Romans, and their ftate was coniidered as very abject and wretched, though they fpmetimes met with matters who treated them with great humanity. But it mould here be obferved, that it does not follow from the apoflle's admo- ni filing bond fervants or Ilaves how to behave themfelves in this humiliating fituation, that he meant to countenance the tyranny commonly exercifed over them. The truth is, the gofpel where it came did not interfere with the civil government, or by any forcible exertions make a change in men's external condition. Yet it by no means authorizes the unjuft invafion of 2 men's 346 Duties of Servants to Majlers. men's natural rights. The apoftle, who thus indifcriminately addrefTes all fervants, himfelf knew the value of freedom, and with no fmall fpirit on more occaiions than one afferted it*. And in his epiftle to the Corinthians he exhorts thofe fervants " who " may be made free," to take the proper rneafures to that end b .- The admonition then in our text is addrefled to all fervants, whether bond or free. Secondly, We are next to confider the duties enjoined, and. the qualifications of them. i. The duties enjoined are compre- hended in the terms obedience fervice and doing good. " Servants be obedient to your mailers." Or, as it is elfewhere exprefled, " Obey " them in all things c ." Comply with their will in all things that are within the com- pafs of your ability, and do not affedfc your confcience towards God; especially in thofe matters that belong to your particular pro- vince, and which by your original contract you bound yourfelves to attend to. Service is another term ufed to exprefs what is re- quired of them. They are " to do them Afts xvi. 37. Ch. xxii. 25, 2,8. b j Cor. vii. 21. e Col. 'Hi. 22. Duties of Servants to Mafters. 347 *' fervice" to wait on them, to minifter to them, to affift and defend them. There are offices peculiar to certain departments ; thefe mould be more efpecially regarded : and not only thefe but every other office that occafion may require, and that is within their power. Again, they are " to do them good." A eomprehennve term this ! Servants are to be benefactors to their mafters, to make their welfare their object, and to contrive every poffible way to promote their intereft. 2. The qualifications of thefe dutiqs, or the temper in which they are to be dif- charged, are particularly defcribed. Mafters are to be obeyed with fear and trembling. This may intend the caution that mould be on the minds of fervants, left they fail in the obedience they owe their mafters ; and the reverence in which they fhould hold their perfons and command?, and which is to refemble that caution which accompanies obedience to Cbrift : and thus all that forwardnefs and indecent familiarity is forbidden, which breeds contempt, and by bringing both parties on a level, defeats the end of this important relation. So the apoftle Peter fays, " Servants be fubjedt to ',* your mafters with all fearV Or perhaps d i Pet, it. 1 3. this 248 Duties of Servants to Majlers. this fear and trembling may mean the con- cern they mould feel, left, by any negli- gence or unfaithfulnefs in the management of their matter's affairs, they mould bring a reproach upon their chriftian profeffion. For there may be a reference to an after- claufe, thus, " Be obedient to them with tc fear and trembling, as unto Chrift^ as becometh chriftians, thofe who have the higheft reverence for that facred name. So the apoftle, in another place, exhorts fer- vants to " {hew all good fidelity, that they " may adorn the doctrine of God our Sa- ' viour in all things':" and to "count " their own mailers worthy of all honour^ " that the name of God, and his doctrine, be not blafphemedV Singknefe of heart is next mentioned. $y which is meant fimplicity, fmcerity, and uprightnefs j in oppofition to guile, dupli- city, and cunning. And obedience, in thefe regards of it likewife, is to be rendered as unto Chrift : it is to be fincere, artlefs, and uniform, like that which he demands, and fuch as is moft agreeable to the genuine fpirit and tendency of his doctrine. e Tit. H. 10. f i Tim. vi. i. . Not Duties of Servants to Mafters. 349 Not with eye- fervice 9 as men-pleafers** Too many fervants attend to their bufinefs only while their mailer's eye is upon them, thinking to fecure their regards by an ap- pearance of induftry, though they are in fad carelefs and indolent. This therefore is forbidden. On the contrary, they are required to acquit themfelves as the fervants of Cbrift, with all that fidelity which he hath poiitively enjoined, and with which he expects to be ferved himielf : doing the will of God from the heart, aiming iincerely to approve themfelves to him, whofe eye is conftantly upon them, and who cannot be deceived though their matters may. To which is added the further idea of ferving them chearfully as well as faithfully, with good-will doing fervice, taking delight in their duty, and accounting themfelves happy in promoting their mailer's interefts : doing fervice to them, as to the Lord) and not to men, that is, with a cordiality like that which enters into the effence of fuch fervice as is acceptable to God. -Thus ad- mirably does the apoftle defcribe the temper It has been obferved here by fome critical exporters, that as the original words the apoftle ufes, o$ and .ii'&pa'Trare^Ko/, are 1 compound words, fo our translators have happily imitated the original by the ufe of compound words allb. in 35 Duties of Servants to Mafters. in which fervants are to difcharge the duties of their ttation. And in language fimilar to this he addrefles them, in his epiftle to the Coloffians, tf Servants^ obey in all things " your mailers according to the flefh : not "with eye-fervice> as men-pleafers, but in V finglenefs of heart, fearing God: and " whatfoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto " the Lord, and not unto men V Thirdly, we have next the motives to enforce ihefe duties. The firft is taken from the authority of the blefied God. It is his ivi/! that fervants fhould obey their matters in the manner they are here admonifhed. The duty en- joined approves itfelf to every one's fober reafon, and the voice of reafon is the voice of God. But more than this, it has, coming from the infpired pen of an apoftle, the fanclion of a direct pofitive command " Servants, obey your matters, doing the " 'will of God," or as it is in the parallel place, "fearing God." The next motive is taken from the obli- gations they owe to Chrift : fuch fervants as are chriftians are the fervants of Chrift* and in their obedience they are to have re- h Col. iii. 22, 23.. gard Duties of Servants to Majlers. 351 gard to Cbriji to the Lord. And by thus expreffing himfelf, the apoftle no doubt meant to remind them of the obedience which Chrift, as a man, had faithfully ren- dered to God ; and of the eflential fervices he had hereby moil cordially rendered to them. Though " he was in the form of " God, and thought it not robbery to be " equal with God, yet he made himfelf of " no reputation, and took upon him the " form of a fervant 1 ," that he might re- deem and fave them. They were therefore bound, by every imaginable tie of love and gratitude, to comply with his will. They are too by profeilion the fervants of Cbriji : to him, as their mailer, they have voluntarily fubmitted themfelves, and are therefore obliged by their own engagements to conform to his precepts, of which this of obedience to their mailers according to the flefh is one. The third and lail motive is taken from confiderations of intereil. Be obedient to your mailers, knowing that whatfoever good thing any man doth, the Jame jhall he receive of the Lordy whether he be bond or free. The offices required of fervants are all of them * Philip, ii. 6, 7. good, 352 Duties of Servants to Majhrs. good, fit and right in themfelves, and truly commendable and praife- worthy. But it is poffible they may not, in fome, inftances,- receive thofe returns from men which they 'deferve. Be that however as it may, they are allured that Chrifl, of his great mercy* will not fail to reward them. So all the comforts of religion in this life, and all the joys confequent upon it in another, are held up to their view as arguments to perfuade them to the faithful difcharge of their duty. To the fame purpofe the apoflle exprefies himfclf in that other pafFage before referred to, "knowing, that of the Lord ye mall " receive the reward of the inheritance : for " ye ferve the Lord Chrift V Thus have we explained the admonition in our text, and now proceed to eonfider more particularly the duties incumbent on Servants, and to enforce them with fuitable arguments. The duties of Servants, in regard both of the Matter and the Manner of them, are all comprehended in the general idea of Obedience. We propofe therefore to con- fider, FIRST, The Service itfelf that is de- manded of them, and their Obligations- to it : and, k Col. iii. 24. SECONDLY, Duties vf Servants to Mafters\ 353 SECONDLY, The Manner in which it is to be rendered, and their Obligations to comply with the feveral rules which will here be laid down. FIRST, Let us confider the Duty itfelf that is required of fervants, and their Obli- gations in general to obedience. The name Jervant, by which they are defcribed, is expreffive of the help or affift- ance they are to render their matters. They are to wait upon them, to minifler to them, to fupport and defend them. But the kinds of fervice required of them are fo diverfified that we cannot, nor indeed is it to our pur- pofe particularly to enumerate them. In large families there are various departments f fervice, and in frnaller the whole bufinefs of the houfe falls upon two or three or one only. It is however here to be obferved, that whatever rank the fervant holds in the family, the general interefl of the matter is to be his objed. Now the fer.vice due from perfons in this relation, is of a different denomination from that which men who are in the fame line of life owe to one another. It is to be con- fidered as the refult of that authority which their mafters have over them, and is there- fore properly defcribed by the term Obe- A a dience. 354 Duties of Servants to Mafters. dience. It is the matter's province to com- mand, the fervant's to obey.. And the obe- dience is to be univerfal " Servants," fays the apoftle, ' obey your matters in all " things V But this requifition is to be underftood with certain limitations. Thefe therefore we mail mention, and all thofe commands which do not fall within thefe reftridions, are to be punctually and un- refervedly complied with. There are three cafes wherein a fervant may be juftified in refuling obedience to his matter's com- mands. i. When the matter's commands are con- trary to the commands of God. The authority of the great God is infi- nitely fuperior to that of any man on earth. He is our matter in a more abfolute fenfe than any one elfe can poffibly be. When therefore the will of any fuperior clafhes with his will, it is on no account to be complied with. Suppoling, for inftance, a matter commands a fervant to fpeak an un- truth, to be an accomplice with him in a fraudulent bargain, to break the fabbath, or to profane divine inftitutions, he is peremp- torily to refufe. For obedience in any fuch cafes Duties of Servants to Majlers. cafes would bring guilt on his conference, and fubjed: him to infinitely greater evils than he could poffibly furTer from the re- fentments of an earthly matter, however powerful he may be. And as fervants are reafonable creatures, and accountable to God for their conduct, fo they are to judge for themfelves of the lawfulnefs or unlaw- fulnefs of any command they receive from their fuperiors. But then they are to look well to it, that they do not, under pretence of confcience, but really from motives of floth and felf-gratification, withhold obe- dience to their matter's juft commands. For in fuch cafe they con tract double guilt, that of violating their duty to man, and to God alfo. 2. They are juttified in difobeying their matter's commands, when they are required to do what is not within their power. Such unreafonable matters as thefe there have been : fuch was Pharaoh who de- manded bricks -of the Ifraelltes, while he withheld from them the neceflary materials for making them. But in thefe cafes there can be nothing criminal in difobedience, becaufe the contrary is impoffible. Nor is there any criminality in men's not at- tempting what they are not competent to. A a 2 But 2 $6 Duties of Servants to Mafters. But then it too often fo happens that fer- vants, through a flothful difpofition, do not exert themfelves as they might ; and fo pre- tend incapacity when the fault is not in their ability but their will. This is a very great evil, and the complaints of fuch fervants, as if their matter's commands were rigorous and therefore ought to be difobeyed, are groundlefs. Mafters, however, mould be cautious that they do not impofe unrea- fonable burdens on their fervants; always bearing in mind the golden rule, ' to do unto ethers, as we would have others do unto us.' There is one more inftance which will juftify the not complying with a matter's commands, and that is, 3. When fuch fervice is demanded as falls not within the compafs of the fervant's agreement. There are various departments of fervice, as we have obferved, in fome families : and when fervants engage to do the bufinefs of one of them exclufively of all other bufinefs, and receive wages for fuch duty only, it is unreafonable, and a breach of covenant, to force them beyond that line. Wherefore, non-compliance on their part is not to be conftrued into difobedience. But then that general good- will which fervants owe to their Duties of Servants to Mafters. 357 their mailers, and to one another, ihould difpofe them on particular occafions to gp beyond their own proper province in a fa- mily, in order to be helpful to the whole. And as in moil cafes fuch occalional affiil- ance is fuppofed to come within the compafs of their original agreement, an obilinate re- fufal is an argument of want of temper, if it may not be deemed downright difobe- dience. It cannot, however, be doubted that a difrefpeclful manner of treating fuch commands, though the fervice itfelf be not flridly due, is a breach of duty. And here fervants mould be cautioned, as under the former particulars, againfl the great evil of making frivolous pretences an occasion of indulging iloth and ill-nature : and heads of families too mould be careful that they do not puih their requifitions beyond the bounds of reafon and prudence. And now thefe three inilances of non- compliance with a matter's commands being admitted as lawful, all his other commands are no doubt to be punctually obeyed. " Servants, obey your mailers in all things " The Centurion, of whom we read in the gofpel, was not a hard mailer, as ruay be concluded from the honourable character pur Saviour himfelf gives him. And what A a 3 is 358 Duties of Servants to Mafters* is the language he holds ? It is in perfect unifon with the pafTage juft mentioned. " I am a man fet under authority, having " under me foldiers, and I fay unto one, " Go, and he goeth : and to another, Come, " and he cometh : and to my fervant, Do " this, and he doeth it ra ." A matter's com- mands are to be obeyed in every inftance, whether they refpecl: matters of moment, or thofe only of an indifferent and trifling na- ture. Difobedience, indeed, in the former cafe may be more effentially injurious to his interefts than in the latter, and the guilt of the fervant be thereby aggravated. But a failure of duty in the fmalleft inftance, when it proceeds from contempt of his au- thority, is alike criminal. Nor is difference of opinion, whether right or wrong, or dif- inclination to the butinefs, let it proceed from what caufe it will, to overrule the decifive commands of a matter, provided, as we have obferved before, they are lawful commands. A fervant may very properly fpeak his mind upon any matter, fo he does it refpectfully ; but he is to remember that his matter's judgment is to determine, tho 1 it be contrary to his own, and there be no 01 Luke vii. 8. reafon Duties of Servants to Mafters. 359 reafon affigned for it. And however a defire of eafe may fometimes put him on excufing himfelf of a fervice that is painful and la- borious, yet, when poiitively required, a fenie of duty moul'd get the better of floth and felf-indulgence. And thus the will of the mafter is to be the governing rule of the fervant's conduct, in every inftance that does not come within the restrictions we juft now mentioned. We proceed now to confider the Obli- gations which fervants are under to fuch univerfal obedience. i. It is fa and right that fervants fhould obey their matters in all things. The relation between mafters and fervants is founded on principles of equity and mu- tual convenience, as we have (hewn at large in the preceding fermon. The reafoning is in (hort this. Men, as men, are equal : but their condition in life is various and unequal. Not being able to fubfift of them- felves, they need one another's afliftance. But effectual affiftance cannot be rendered by inferiors to their fuperiors, if the latter have not a right to command, and the for- mer are not obliged to obey : for how can a perfon be ferved to his fat isf action, if he may not direct in what manner he will be A a 4 ferved ? 360 Duties of Servants to Mafters. ferved ? And how can he be fure of re- ceiving any ferviee at all, if he has not au- thority to require it ? Wherefore the fer- vant agrees, for a valuable confideration, to fubmit himfelf to the will of the mafler. And thus the relation clearly appears to be founded on principles of equity and mutual convenience. Now, when the fervant re- fufes obedience to the mafler, the end pro- pofed by the character he fuflains is defeated, his own pofitive engagements are violated, and the relation itfelf is diflblved. Where- fore it is fit and right that fervants mould obey their maflers. And the reafoning ex- tends to univerfal obedience. For if a fer- vant is at liberty to determine for himfelf, juft as his own fancy or humour may dire<5t, in what inflances he will and in what he will not obey, how can the mafler be af- fured that he mall be obeyed at all ? If his authority does not reach every cafe within the limitations jufl mentioned, it is no au- thority at all. The precept therefore is mofl fit and right, " Servants, obey your *' maflers in all things " that is, in all things which God your fuperior mafter has not forbidden, which are within your power, and which are included in your covenant \vith them when you became their fervants. 2. This Duties of Servants to Mafters. 361 2. This, too, is the exprefs command of God. Indeed, whatever is fit and right in itfelf is unqueftionably the will of God. Where- fore as the duty before us has been proved to be fit and right in itfelf, it cannot be doubted that it is the will of God. But the fcriptures exprefsly declare that it is his will : and, as the divine authority will al- ways have a commanding influence on every ferious mind, it will be of ufe to take a ge- neral view of what the bible fays upon this matter. Here it is to be remarked, that the obligation of fervants to obey their mafters is often fpoken of in fcripture as a generally acknowledged principle : a mode this of holding up our duty to our view the ftrongeft, perhaps, and moft natural that could beufed. In fuch manner the pfalmifl refers to it, when, fpeaking of the earneft attention which good men pay to the blerTed God, he fays, '< As the eyes of fervants *' look unto the hand of their mafters, and *' as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of *' her miftrefs ; fo our eyes wait upon the " Lord our God V And the apoftle, u Know ye not, that to whom ye yield Q Pfalm cxxiii. 2. f< yourfelves 362 Duties of Servants to Majlers. " yourfelves fervants to obey, his fervants " ye are to whom ye obey ?" So Job, taking this as a principle granted, fpeaks of the difobedience of his fervants as one of the many grievous calamities he fuftered : " I called my fervant, and he gave, me " no anfwer : I entreated him with my " mouth p ." As if he had faid, ' that duty which all men agree is fit and reafonable, is unnaturally and cruelly denied to me/ So our Lord fpeaks of it as a truth of un- queftionable authority, that " that fervant " who knows his Lord's will, and does not " conform to it, is deferving of punim- "mentV And in another place, having defcribed the fervant as making ready his matter's fupper for him, and girding him- felf, and ferving him, he puts this quettion as what no one would be at a lofs to reply to, " Doth he thank that fervant becauib " he did the things that were commanded " him? I trow not'." Further, the obli- gation lying upon fervants to obey their matters, is the principle fuppofed when that character is applied to men in regard of God. Mofes was the fervant of God, and the apoftles the fervants of Chrift. Who Rom. vi. 1 6. P Job xix. 16. * Luke xii. 47, r Ch. xvii. 9. can Duties of Servants to Mafters. 363 can view them in this character, without inftantly affixing the idea of a difpofition to conform in all things to the will of their divine mafter ? But this duty is directly and pofitively enjoined upon fervants. Not to fpeak of particular instances, fuch as Hagar's being commanded " to fubmit herfelf to her they have not inclination or patience to go thro' with it : or if they have, it is done in fo fuperficial a manner that it cannot give fa- tisfaCtion. And thus having no heart. for the work, but ever toiling againft the ftream, what is thus ill done cofts them as much pains and labour as if it were well done. * Prov. xxix. 19. 'But Duties of Servants to Mafters. 389 Bat the reverie is the cafe where fpright- lineis and. good-nature mark the character of fervants. Such fervants will feel them- felves happy, and make all happy about them. Coniidering their duty as their in- tereft, and having a natural turn for it, re- membering that Providence has placed them in the rank they fill, and that they have co- venanted to do the duties of it; pleafing themfelves with the hope that though it be an inferior flation, they mall in time rife to a fuperior one, and affuring themfelves that aiming to excel they fhall not fail to pleafe; occupied I fay with thefe chearful and ani- mating ideas, they will fcarce feel pain or fatigue in any of their exertions, or if they do, it will be more than balanced by the repofe, pleafure, and commendation that will follow. The livelinefs of their coun- tenance, the foftnefs of their addrefs, the readinefs of their anfwers, and their decent, refpedful, good-natured carriage will fecure them the good- will of all they ferve. Their mafters will conilder and treat them as their friends, not their flaves. The children of the family will quickly feel an affectionate attachment to them. And the relations and acquaintance of the houfe will have a plea- fure in vifiting it, and go away admiring as C c 3 well 390 Duties of Servants to Mafters. well the kind and benevolent manners of the fervants, as the prudence and hofpitality of their fuperiors. And now is not fuch a mode of obedience as this proper? What do fervants get by doing their duty grudgingly ? They hurt themfelves as much as they do others. They wafte their fpirits more by the frowardnefs of their tempers than the la- bours of their hands, and if they get their wages, they mifs of that which an inge- nuous mind would coniider as his principal reward, the good-will of his fuperiors. There is indeed a difference in people's natural tempers, and all proper allowance mould be made for that timidity, gloomi- nefs, and referve which is conftitutional to fome perfons. But then fervants who are thus circumftanced, mould endeavour to mailer their tempers, by reafoning with themfelves, and watching againft every ex- preffion of thefe ill qualities, fo difgufting to all obfervers. They mould thruft gloomy ideas as much as poflible from their minds, and endeavour to make their fituations as agreeable to themfelves as they can. They mould learn to fing as well as to pray, and ihould confider, efpecially if they are chriftian fervants, how much they are obliged Duties of Servants to Mafters. 391 obliged to contribute to tbe comfort and happinefs of all around them, and what difgrace the contrary behaviour will bring on their profeffion. Chearfulnefs in matters of religion is of the laft importance. Whoever is an ac- ceptable fervant of God muft be fo out of choice : he muft love his mafter, and make his honour and intereft his object. It muft be his meat and drink to do his will, and he muft confider his work as his reward. " Serve the Lord with gladnefs : come be- " fore his prefence with fingingV Thus the angels ferve God. Happy fpirits ! How chearful their countenances ! How willing their obedience ! " They do his command- *' ments, hearkening unto the voice of his "word 5 ." How " fwiftly" did Gabriel fly, charged with a mefiage of high im- portance, to Daniel, the man greatly be- loved of God f ! Thus the -prophets and apoftles ferved God, and thus they laboured with all their might to perfuade others to ferve him. And thus bleiTed example in- deed ! the Lord Jefus Lhrift in the days of his flefh ferved his Father. " Lo, I " come," faid he, " to do thy will." Tho' T Pf. c. 2. * Pf. ciii. 20. l Dan. ix. 21. C c 4 a thoufand 392 Duties of Servants .to Majlers. a thoufand obftruclions were thrown in his way, none of them difcouraged him. " He " went about," ill-treated as he was, " do^ *' ing good." He felt ardent pleafure in his work. Not a complaint was ever heard from his lips. His countenance was ferene and eafy, his addrefs affable and courteous, and his words foft and engaging. Wherever he came, his kind and obliging manner put it beyond a doubt, that he ferved both God and man with perfect fincerity and cor- diality. What a glorious pattern this for our imitation ! Who can confider it, and not catch fire at it ? Set him, fervants, be- fore your eyes, and charge it upon your- felves to do as he did. This ready obedience to the will of your matters is likevvife ftridtly enjoined in the, word of God, and you are allured to it by the moft gracious promifes of divine afjlftance in the courfe of your work, and an ample reward at the clofe of it. " Whatever ye " do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and " not unto men u ," fays that apoflle to the Coloffians. And the language of the text is, " Obey your mailers in finglenefs of " your heart, not with eye-fervjce, as men- < pleafers, Duties of Servants toMafters. 393 (( pleafers, but as the fervants of Chrift, " doing the will of God from the heart -, " with good will doing fervice, as to the ** Lord, and not to men." And you may depend upon it he will comfort, ttrengthen, and fucceed you. Of you, who confider yourfelves as ferving God while ferving your matters, he fays, " My fervants mall " eat, but they who chufe that wherein I " delight not {hall be hungry : thofe mall "drink, but thefe be thirfty: thofe mall f( rejoice, but thefe be afhamed : thofe mall " fing for joy of heart, but thefe cry for ft forrow of heart, and howl for vexation "of fpirit*." And how unfpeakably glorious will your reward in heaven be ! There you mall ceafe from your labours^ and your works (hall follow you. " The (( reward of the inheritance ye mall receive, " for ye have ferved the Lord Chritt V (( Well done, good and faithful fervant !'* he will fay, " enter thou into the joy of thy Lord V Thus have we confidered the obedience required of fervants, and the manner in which it fhould be rendered. " Servants, f obey your matters in all things : and let f Ifaiah Ixv. 13, i/j.. Y Col. iii, 24, z Matth. xxv. 21, " your 394 Duties of Servants to Mafters. " your obedience be bumble, faithful, dUI- " gent, and chearful" And now, my friends, may I hope the light in which your duty has been placed, and the arguments with which it has been enforced, approve thetn- felves to your underftanding and judgment, and to the ingenuous feelings of your hearts ? If fo, and you are difpofed cordially to fall in with the apoftolical admonition in our text, you will be yourfelves happy, you will make your mafters happy, and you will crown our endeavours to promote your mutual good with an ample reward. DISCOURSE Sf <.<' : V^S *% ^^9 DISCOURSE VIII. Duties of Mailers to Servants. E P H. vi. 9. 'e Mafters, do the fame Things unt9 them, forbearing Threatening: knowing that your Majler alfo is in Heaven, neither is there Refpeft of Perfons ivitb Him. Di) H E Duties of Servants to their :rf ,, gc Mafters having been at large @ ^ explained and enforced, we are (M!C now to confider thofe of Majler s to their Servants. This is a fubjedt of as great importance as the former, for the obligations and interefts of both parties are mutual : and indeed, after all the pains that have .been taken with Servants, the fuccefs of our endeavours depends not a little upon the prudenty. rkiblute, and good- natured behaviour of Mailers towards them. In 396 D utl'es of Mafters to Servants . In explaining the text we are to confider, Firtt, The perfons addrefled : Secondly, The duties enjoined : and Thirdly, The arguments with which they are enforced. Firtt, The perfons addrefled are Mafters. Mafters here are to he confidered, agree- ably to what was obferved in the former difcourfe reflecting fervants, either as claiming property in their fervants, or as having an authority over them that was the refult of mutual compact. Thefe are called matters according to theflejh, to remind both them and their fervants of the great God, who is afterwards faid to be their Majler in heaven. So fervants are taught to have re- gard to the divine authority in the obedience they render to their mailers : and matters, on the other hand, are taught to exercife humanity and condefcenfion to -their fer- vants. Although they are their fuperiors in regard of condition, they are upon an equality with them in regard of nature. And whatever authority they claim over their bodies, that authority cannot extend to their nobler part, the foul. They are and can be only matters according to the Secondly, We are next to confider the duties enjoined on matters. Thefe Duties of Mafters to Servants. Thefe are all included in the general idea of doing the fame things unto them, that is, acting upon the fame principles of equity and benevolence, as thofe on which fervants are required to ad: in their obedience to them. If it is their duty to be faithful, honeft, and juft, it is the duty of matters to be fo too. If the latter are not to be in- jured in their perfons, characters, or pro- perty, fo neither are the former. Maf- " ters," fays the apoflle elfewhere, " give " unto your fervants that which is juft and " equal 3 ." Let them have fuch food, wa- ges, protection, and commendation as their fervices merit, and as by pofitive agreement you ftand engaged to render them. But it is not the rule of juftice only but that of benevolence alfo, which is to govern, the conduct of matters towards their fer- vants. They are to treat them with all humanity, moderation, and gentlenefs, for- bearing threatening. Some explain the word here ufed b , of remitting oft the evils threat- ened, which, if it were the fenfe, would feem to allow of threatening. But furely the apoftle could not mean to countenance a practice fo improper in itfelf, and fo op- 8 Col. iv. i . b Avnfltf. pofite 398 Duties of Mafters to Servants. polite to the mildnefs and generofity of the gofpel, which is not only averfe'to a vin- dictive temper, but to all that violence and paffion which is nfually exprefTed in loud and menacing language. And it is pro- bable he had in his eye the treatment which bond lervants or (laves commonly met with/ who were confidered as their matter's ab- folute property, and to be difpofed of ac- cording to their pleafure, which treatment therefore he reprobates. Thirdly, We have next the argument with which thefe duties are enforced. They are in general infinuated in the manner the duties them (elves are defcribed, that is to fay, it is right and fit that men ihould do to unto others as they would have others do to them j and therefore matters ihould on this ground confider themfelves obliged to the duties recommended. And then, matters by being addrefled as chriftians are reminded of the equity, humanity, and benevolence of the chriftian fcheme, and fo by thefe truly noble and exalted motives urged to their duty. But the confideration more directly held up to their view, is that of their knowing that their majler alfo is in Aeaven, neither is there. refpefl ofperfons with bim. All ranks 5 of Duties of Mafters to Servants. 399 of men are alike fervants of the great God, and amenable to him : and it is moft certain that he is ftrictly juft, and will not (hew a partial regard to any on account of the fu~ perior ftations they hold in life. This they fliould remember. But perhaps the apoftle has Chrift here more immediately in his eye, and by fpeaking of him as being m heaven would remind them that he has a greater and more abfolute authority over them, than they can by any laws whatever be fuppofed to have over their fervants. And as he is their mafter, and will by and by call them to an account, fo they mould charge it upon themfelves frequently to realize the folemnities of the 1 aft judgment, which will be conducted according to the Jftrict rules of truth and jufHce. The text thus explained, we proceed to a more full difcuffion of the fubject before us. But, previous to a particular enumeration of the duties required of mailers, let us fpend a few moments in mewing the great im- portance of their taking every proper mea- fure to fecure to themfelves the Reverence and Ajfettion of their fervants. Thefe two points, once gained, will have a confiderable effect to facilitate the feveral duties to be hereafter recommended. i. It 400 Duties of Mafters to Servants* I. It fhould be the care of mafters to cftablifh in the breads of their fervants a due Reverence for their authority. Without this it will be impoffible that the one fhould govern, or the other ferve aright. No authority can avail that is held .in contempt: its exertions will be feeble, and its effect nugatory. A mafter has a right to command, and a fervant mould know it, and know too that he is refolved to affert it. Property, rank, and confent give power. But of what ufe is power, if not applied to the purpofe for which it was given ? If, through pufillanimity, ill-breed- ang, or want of fenle, mafters fufTer all idea of their fuperiority to be obliterated from the minds of their fervants, is it to be wondered that fuch fervants grow familiar with them, that this familiarity breeds pertnefs and con- fidence, that thefe are followed 'with obfti- nacy and difobedience, and fo all the ends of their office as fervants are defeated ? It can fcarce be otherwife. PofTefling this power, therefore, mafters mould have fpirit to claim it, particularly when fervants enter their families. This will fix fuch irn- preffions of humility, fear, and reverence, upon their minds, as will have the moft important effect to guard them againft in- 5 decency, Duties of Maflers to Servants. 401 decency, idlenefs, and neglect. They will not dare to treat their mailers orders with indifference, or by a confident behaviour to put them to the blufh before Grangers. But by what .kind of deportment are matters to fecure to themfelves fuch refpect from their fervants ? Not by affuming a power they have no right to. Not by ar- rogating the authority of a haughty defpot. Not by accuftoming themfelves to a proud, iupercilious, diftant carriage. We mean nothing of this kind. Such a behaviour is carrying the matter to an extreme as per- nicious as the contrary* No, what I mean is a propriety and dignity of conduct re- fulting from a juft fenfe of their fuperiority. How do fome heads of families let them- felves down in the opinion of their fervants, by allowing them the like familiarity they do their children or their particular friends! Can this be right ? Have matters reafon to O expect their dometticks will revere them, if no attention is paid to the natural and pro- per forms, which the common fenfe and cuttom of all nations have adopted ? If, for inttance, they allow them to be talkative, to anfwer again, to take place by their fide, or to be covered in their prefence ; can they wonder that their fervants quickly forget D d their 402 Duties of Mafters to Servants. their character and ftation, and fo become indifpofed to their duty ? " Is the fervant ce above his Lord c ?" To juftify fuch im- prudences on the ground of humility and condefcenfion, is weak to the laft degree, if not abfolutely criminal. Our Lord him- felf condemns it, when he fays in one of his difcourfes, " Which of you having a * 4 fervant plowing, or feeding cattle, will " fay unto him by and by, when he is come " from the field, Go and fit down to meat ? " And will not rather fay unto him, Make " ready wherewith I may fup, and gird thy- f( felf, and ferve me, till I have eaten and " drunken : and afterwards thou fhalt eat " and drink ? Doth he thank that fervant " becaufe he did the things that were com- " manded him? I trow notV On the other hand, 2. Mafters mould be alike anxious to fe- cure to themfelves the cordial Affettion of their fervants. As to God, love is of as much confe- quence to influence and regulate our obe- dience to him as reverence. No one that does not affectionately efteem that great Being, will render him acceptable and ef- c Matth. x. 24. d Luke xvii. 7, 8, 9. feclual 403 fedual fervice. Such is the cafe with refpect to fervants. If they have no cordial attachment to their rnafters, but poflefs only the abjedt awe and reverence of flaves, how- ever they may do what they are bid, they will not do it well -, and their mailers will find their bufmefs in governing them to be a very arduous one indeed. They muft, in fuch cafe, have their eye perpetually upon them, muft ifTue their orders on every mat- ter with a fevere and peremptory tone, and mud frequently endure the painful iealoufy of undutifulnefs and infidelity. On the contrary, if our fervants love as well as reverence us, they will not only obey our commands, but obey them chearfully. They will make our interefts their own, and by aiming with all their might to pleafe, will relieve us of many anxieties and exertions which would otherwife be unavoidable. This, therefore, mould be an object with the heads of families. The fecuring this point, as well as the former, mould engage their fteady attention, efpecially when fer- vants firft enter their houfes. But how is this to be done ?* Not by in- decent familiarity or mean fubmiffion, much lefs infmcere pretences : but by a humane, candid, generous, friendly behaviour to^ D d 2 wards 404 Duties of Mafters to Servants. wards them. Satisfied of the characters of their fervants when they hire them, and feeling themfelves well affected towards them as honeft, induflrious, and good- natured, and efpecially as religious perfons, if fuch they are ; matters mould endeavour to convince them that they are their friends, and mean to do them all the good that lies in their power. And in the full perfuafion of this kind difpofition towards them, they fhould take pains by all proper means to confirm them, fuch as condefcenfion, affa- bility, good-natured language, pleafant countenances, and other more fubttantial tokens of approbation. This no doubt is their duty and intereft, and one would wonder that people are not more generally fenfible of it. And now having laid the foundation of domeftick government in the fecure poffeflion of the reverence and af- fection of our fervants, we mall be enabled pretty ealily to rear the fuperftructure. We proceed therefore to coniider the duty of matters in reference to the Civil affairs, of their fervants their Moral conduft and their Religions intcrefts. FIRST, .As to the Civil Concerns of tha family. This Duties of Maflers to Servants. 405 This is a fubject that cannot with pro- priety be fo fully difcufTed in a fermon, as in fome other kind of difcourfe. We will, however, venture fome general obfervations on it, and the rather as the duty of matters, which hath indeed a principal reference to thefe matters, cannot be underftood without it. I fay their duty hath a principal re- ference to thefe matters, becaufe, though the moral and religious interefls of our fervants ought ever to be confidered by us as objects of the higheft moment, yet it is for the immediate purpofe of affifting us in our temporal concerns, that we take them into our houles. i . Permit us then, in the firft place, to advife the regular arrangement of the fe- veral bufinefles required of fervants. Method and punctuality are of importance to the right conducting and expediting all civil affairs. So here. Every one in the houfe mould have his proper office affigned him. A fit time fhould be allotted for each duty. The day is for work, the night for reft. The early hours of the morning mould not be wafted in floth. Bufinefs mould be forwarded, and that not put off to a late feafon which ought to be done immediately. Each fervice mould fucceed the other in D d 3 regular 406 Duties of M afters to Servants. regular order, and the department of this fervant not clafb with the duty of that. Matters thus adjulled in a family, all will go on with eafe, harmony, and fuccefs. Confufion will be avoided. Wafte will be prevented. Much will be done in a little time. A good underftanding will be pre- ferved through the houfe. And chearfulnefs will be feen in every countenance. Now the difpofing matters in fuch manner, is a duty lying upon the heads of families. They fhould therefore fummon together all the prudence, good-nature, and refolution they are mafters of, in order to the comparing thefe objects. More depends upon this than fome may at firfl view imagine. Inattention to domeftick affairs, either through floth or affectation of fuperiority to thefe low concerns, as fome may ftile them, has proved the ruin of many families. In- deed this is an evil, which in the prefent age of diffipation, calls loudly for a reform. Can any thing be more abfurd than for the mifcrefs of a houfe to confider what is her proper bufmefs as beneath her? By fuch a conduct (he difgraces her underftanding, as well as injures her family. Would to God 'we could perfuade fuch idle giddy people to pppofe to their own character that of the virtuous Duties of Mafters to Servants. 407 virtuous woman in the Proverbs ! Methinks the contrafl would put them out of humour with themfelves, and quickly recover them to their fenfes. Let them alfo recoiled: the character of Dorcas, whofe fame will not be forgotten fo long as the fcriptures re- main in our hands. So attentive was me to her domeftick concerns, and the pro- viding for her family and poor neighbours, that at her death " all the widows ftood by '* Peter weeping, and mewing the coats and " garments me made, while (he was with " them 6 ." But to return. As the general outlines of their duty are to be pointed out to them, fo, 2. Servants are to have particular in-' BJ e Afts ix. 39. Perfons in the higheft ftations, and who have been famed for their good fenfe as well as their fuperior rank, have not deemed it beneath them to attend to the affairs of their fa- milies, and to exercife their ingenuity and charity in the manner Dorcas did. Augujlus prided himfelf in wearing garments fpun by Li'via. Homer defcribes Helen employed at the loom in the .palace of her father Priam, ,3-' Horn. //. 3. Her in the palace, at her loom fhe found ; The golden web her own fad ftory crown'd. The Trojan wars fhe weav'd Pope. D d 4 ftructions 408 Duties of Majlers to Servants. flructions 'what is to be done and how it is to be done. This is necefTary to our own fatisfaclion, and to their improvement. How can we expedl to be pleafed, if we do not give them proper directions to that end ? " I " fay to my fervant, Do this, and he doeth " it f :" * I make him underfland what I would have done, and it is immediately done.' And indeed, if the heads of fa- milies in both departments, do not look narrowly after their fervant's work, they may depend upon it their fervants will get a contemptible idea of their underflandings, and fo will be under a temptation to flight their bufinefs, if not wholly neglect it. And it will not be a fufficient excufe to a flranger^ if things are ill done, and the houfe is all in dilbrder, that you have bad fervants. It will be naturally enough fuf- pected, either that through your impru- dence you have not a proper command over them, or that you do not underfland your own affairs. Beiides, common juftice to fervants requires that they mould be pro- perly taught, in order to their becoming expert and notable. If you will not direct and guide them, how are they to improve? f Luke vii. 8. This Duties of Mafters to Servants. 409 This is more efpecially the duty of matters to fuch fervants as are entrusted to their care, to be bred up to particular oc- cupations and profeffions in life. NeglecT: in thefe inftances is not only imprudent, but highly criminal. The idea of in- ftrudion, as well as authority, is implied in the character of a matter. In matters of religion, as fervants, we are to pray to God to teach us his will, to fay to him, " Lord, " what wouldft thou have me to do 8 ?" " Speak, for thy fervant heareth V " Let " thy work appear unto thy fervants V And God, as our divine Matter, hath pro- mifed us all needful help and inftrudtion. Chrift failed not tointtruft his fervants, the apoftles, and fo he does all good men by his holy Spirit. This therefore is a duty in- cumbent on matters. 3. Care is to be taken that no more is required of fervants than they arc equal to, and that we are gentle in our deportment towards them. . To lay burdens upon them which they have not ftrength to bear, is cruel. To demand fervices of them they are not com- petent to, and for which they were not e Afts ix. 6. * i Sam. iii, 9. * Pf. xc. 16. hired, 41 o Duties of Mafters to Servants. hired, is unjuft. Yea, to expert abfolute perfection of them in the particular de- partment they undertake, is unreafonable. Their underftandings, abilities, and natural tempers Ihould be confulted, and all proper allowances made for little failures and over- fights. We ihould put ourfelves in their place, and do unto them as we would have them, if they were our matters, do unto us. Humanity and good-nature are indif- penlible qualities in thofe who would go- vern their families well. The want of thefe will beget difguft in fervants, and their tempers being foured they will neglect their bufinefs, or however not do it as it fhould be done. Every thing will go on ill, and noife and clamour will difturb the repofe of the whole houfe. All this there- fore is to be avoided, and a certain fweet- nefs and affability to accompany our in- ftructions, admonitions, and commands. This is an art which fome have acquired in a very high degree, and the effect is fo confiderable that all about them are happy, and their friends who vifit them fharers in their felicity. As the feveral parts in mu- fick confpire to produce a pleafmg effect on the ear, fo the eafe and fprightlinefs. of good -nature, properly blended with the z grave Duties of Mafters to Servants. 41 1 grave tone of authority, feldom fails to produce the agreeable effect of chearful obedience, and to create perfect harmony throughout the family. Such deportment in the heads of families hath the function not only of good-fenfe and prudence, but of the bible. By the law of Mofes, mafters are exprefsly forbid " to rule their fervants with rigour V The language of the text is, " Ye mafters, do " the fame things unto them :" that is, as they ferve you, fo do you govern them with good will ; remembering that fo doing ye do the will of God. x^nd now we mention that great Being, how can we avoid expa- tiating a moment on the mildnefs and gen- tlenefs of his conduct, as a mafter, towards us ! Oh! how does he bear not only with our inadvertencies and failings, but with our undutifulnefs, perverfenefs, and rebel- lion ! Had he treated us with the rigour fome mailers treat their fervants, we had long iince been'difmiiTed his ferviee, denied a character, obliged to beg our bread, yea, reduced to the utmoft poverty and wretch- ednefs. On the contrary, he is patient and long-fuffering, he pities us and pardons us, k Lev. -XXV. 53. he 412 Duties of Mafters to Servants. he takes every lenient meafure to foften our rugged tempers, and to conciliate our af- fedions to his fervice. Let us then be am- bitious of imitating him, and convince our fervants that we are indeed his fervants. B*ut if examples of an inferior kind, by coming nearer our own ftandard, will have a more direct effect, we have enough of them in fcripture. What an excellent mafter was Abraham ! When he has occafion to fend the eldeft fervant of his houfe upon a bufmefs of importance, we hear him fay- ing, not with the haughtinefs of an eaftern defpot, ' See thou do this,' but with all the foftnefs that religion, as well as good- fen fe, infpires, " I pray thee" do fo and fo 1 . What a fenfible, courteous, , good-natured miftrefs was Abigail! how eafy of accefs to her fervants ! And how readily did they obey her commands ! Such was her character. And if fhades will enliven a picture, the churlimnefs of her hufband . Nabal will throw a luftre upon the prudence and gen- tlenefs for which Ihe was fo remarkable. Like a wretch as he was, he treats the fer- vants of David, who came to him in a peaceable and refpectful manner, with the J Gen. xxiv. 2. moft Duties of Mafters to Servants, 413 mofl abufive language j " Who is David? " And who is the fon of JelTe ? There be ** many fervants now a days that break away " every man from his mafrer ?" And his own domefticks, who had no doubt fuffered enough from his rude behaviour, are obliged to complain to their mifirefs of this ill- timed inhofpitality and brutifh ill-manner- linefs of their mafier m . Other inftances might be mentioned, but thefe mall fuffice. Let matters then be gentle in their deport- ment towards their fervants. It is how- ever fit and necefTary, 4. That they mould reprove them when, they do wrong. Some faults mould be wholly overlooked : fome, though fmall, mould be noticed that they may be amended : and others of greater magnitude, and that proceed from habitual carelefThefs, or which is worfe from ill- will, fhould be cenfured with fome degree of afperity. But then we mould fee to it that there be juft ground for the cenfure, and that it be denounced in a manner that does not favour of malevolence. " Be " angry," the apoftle fomewhcre fays, " and " fin net." We may be difpleafed, and ra i Sam. xxv, fliew 414 Duties of Mafters to Servants. fhew our difpleafure with fome warmth, and yet not be vindictive or refentful. Every approach towards this the worft of tempers, fhould be carefully avoided. To which end we {hould endeavour to entertain a good opinion of our fervants, to guard againft peevifhnefs, or a difpofition to find fault, and, if our paffions are fuddenly roufed, to do our utmoft to prevent the effect. Diflike of what is amifs is fometimes much better announced by looks than words. Or if we are in danger of expreffing ourfelves before we are aware too ftrongly, it will be our prudence to turn away, and defer our re- bukes and remon {trances to a more calm moment. Hafty, paffionate, violent lan- guage, efpecially when ufed to fervants, who are our inferiors, is an offence againft decency and good- manners. It is an argu- ment of ill-breeding and want of fenfe, and feldom produces any good effect. Inge- nuous minds are hurt by fuch treatment, the ftupid are hardened, and fervants, who are of the fame violent temper, are tempted to make reprifals in a way that is fure to iffue in the difgrace if not the defeat of their fuperiors. Having faid this, we fcarce need caution mafters againft proceeding to further ex- tremities. Duties of Majiers to Servants. 415 tremities. Chaftifements of a corporal na- ture are rarely to be inflicted, even on young perfons who are not arrived to the full ufe of their reafon. But fuch treatment of grown perfons, or a behaviour that at all borders on it, is illiberal to the laft degree. The text forbids it, at leaft by confequence: " forbear threatening," that is, ufe not loud, fevere, menacing language to your fervants, much lefs any violence to their perfons. And how contrary every thing of this fort is to the genius of the chriftian religion, as well as to decency and good- fenfe, I need not take pains to mew. The gofpel at once infpires men with a mild and gentle, and with a noble and magna- nimous fpirit : and the latter is as inimical to a haughty, fierce, tyrannical behaviour towards fervants as the former. The man therefore of this complexion, if he calls himfelf a chriftian, gives a He to his pro- feflion ; but at the fame time refcues it from difgrace, by telling all around him that he is only a pretender to the character he arTumes. But how are fervants to be reproved when they do amifs ? With gentlenefs and mo- deration, if they are of a foft and ingenuous temper, and the fault is of no great con- fequence : 41 6 Duties of Mafters to Servants. fequence : with firmnefs and afperity, if they are obftinate and unyielding, and the fault is confiderable. Reproof fhould be well-timed : never given when we are in a paffion, and fo incapable of addreffing them with calmnefs and dignity ; and always, if poffible, when they are in a difpofition to liften to our reproofs, and to profit by them. It mould not be too frequently repeated, for, if it is, it will loie its effed:. The object mould be conviction and amendment, not the gratification of refentment. And a reproof well taken mould inftantly and to- tally annihilate the fault. " As an ear- " ring of gold," fays Solomon, " and an " ornament of fine gold, fo is a wife re- " prover upon an obedient ear V In mort, if people have but a general knowledge of human nature, and a common mare of pru- dence, and if all their view is to make them- felves and their fervants happy, they need not be at any great lofs how to conduct ;his bufinefs ; efpecially if they fear God, and are rightly inftru&ed in the religion of Je- fus. But it is the duty of matters, 5. To commend their fervants when they do right, as well as reprove them when they do amifs. n Prov. xxv. 12. r A WltU Duties of Mafters to Servants. 4 r 7 A wim to pleafe is an amiable difpofition in all ranks of men, particularly fervants. And if from ingenuoufnefs of temper, and a cordial affection for their matters, they make it their bufinefs to conform to their will, and are never fo happy as when they give them pleafure, it is but right they fhould receive a recompence in this way. A chearful fmile and an applauding word will give them fpirits, and enliven them in their work. On the contrary, if the heads of families carry themfelves always with an air of gloominefs and referve towards their fervants, and think it is enough, when things are done to their mind, that they do not find fault $ is it to be wondered that their fervants tempers are foured, that they relax in their obedience, and that their work goes on heavily ? Would we wifti them then to ferve us ehearfully, we {hould, on proper occafions, let them know that we accept fuch fervices with pleafure at their hands. On proper occafions, I fay; for commendations ill - timed, and too fre- quently repeated (as we obferved before of reproofs) will lofe their effect. Indeed, fome fervants are fo perverfe, that they are in as much danger of fufFering by praife as by cenfure : the former becomes an occafion Ee of 4i 8 Duties of Mafters to Servants. of exciting conceit and pertnefs, the latter of prejudice and ill-will. To fuch fervants, therefore, that applaufe fhould be dealt out parfimonioufly, which may be beflowed on others with fome degree of profufion : fo that prudence and good- nature are to be equally confulted in the diftribution of this benefit. But indeed it is happy when the tempers of fervants and matters will allow of a mutual exchange of chearful fervices and chearful acknowledgments, without any injury to fubordination on the one hand, or authority on the other. Where this is the cafe, we fee no blacknefs or referve lowering upon the countenances of either fuperiors or inferiors; our ears are dinned with no loud commands or clamorous replies, no iharp reproofs or confident anfwers. But, on the contrary, pleafure fits fmiling on every brow, and peace, harmony, and joy prevail through the whole houfe. The mafter fays, Do this, and the fervant does it : his commands are executed with almoft the fame eafe that they are given, and the commendation in return is, Well done good and faithful fervant ! This leads us to fpeak, 6, And J^uties of Majters to Servants. 419 6. And laftly, of the recompence to be made them for their fervices. But this, with what follows, we muil refer to the next fermon. PART II. IN the preceding fermon, previous to a particular enumeration of the duties re- quired of mafters, we have {hewn the great importance of their taking every proper meafure to fecure the 'Reverence and Af- fection of their fervants. So we have pro- ceeded to confider the duty of mafters in reference to the Civil Affairs of their fervants their Moral Conduct and their Religious Inter efts. We have begun with the Civil Affairs of the family. And here we have advifed the regular arrangement of the feveral bulinefTes of the houfe the particularly inftru&ing fervants what- is to be done, and how it is to be done the not requiring more of them than they are equal to the reproving them when they do wrong and the commending them when they do right. To all which we have now to add, 6. And laftly, the making them an ade- quate recompence for their fervices. In E e 2 this 42 o Duties of Mcifters to Servants. this idea I include Protection Mainte- nance Wages and Character. They who ferve us have no doubt a right to our Protection. When they enter our houfe they entruft their perfons, their re- putation, and in a fenfe all their interefts to our care. Their interefts, therefore, we fliould confider as our own. Every injury done them, efpecially when incurred by the faithful difcharge of their duty, we fliould look upon as offered to ourfelves. Their grievances we fhould redrefs, and to the utmofl of our power defend them againft all the evils to which they are liable. " If I " did defpife," fays Job, " the caufe of my " man - fervant, or of my maid-fervant, " when they contended with me : what " {hall I do when God rifeth up ? And " when he vifiteth, what mall I anfwer "him ?" They who can be inattentive to the fafety, repofe, and happinefs of their fervants, are void of juftice and humanity, and not a little defective in policy. Equity demands that thofe who defend, affift, and ferve us, mould enjoy the benefit of our patronage : and common fenfe teaches, that indifference on our parts towards them will job xxxi. 13, 14. be Duties of Mafters to Servants. 42 1 be likely to beget indifference on theirs towards us. Mafters are admonimed in our text, " to do the fame things" unto their fervants, that their fervants are re- quired to do unto them. Would we have them then defend our perfons, our cha- racters, our habitations, and our property, we fhould with the like zeal defend theirs ; and the rather, as their inferior ftation ren- ders them in a manner helplefs, and there- fore the fitter objects of the attention and regard of thofe who have it in their power to help them. Maintenance too they have an unqueftion- able right to. How can they do their duty, if they have not health, ftrength, and fpirits to enable them do it ? And how are thefe to be acquired, if a feafonable fupply of food, raiment, and reft is denied them ? Thefe we agree to give them, or to put it in their power to procure, when they enter our fervice : and to withhold them is equally unjuft and foolim. What horrid inhumanity to grudge the neceflaries of life to thofe who, prepare for us the conveniencies of it ! What wretched avarice to colled: wealth from the fcanty tables of our domefticks ! A kind of parlimony this that wants a name for it. A man of fpirit would rather fuffer any re- E e 3 p roach 422 Duties of Mafters to Servants. proach than be upbraided with the meagre countenances of his fervants : rather perim in obfcurity, than fee famine ftalking about his houfe, while he poflefTes the means of driving the fpec~lre thence. It is not, how- ever, luxury we mean to recommend : that is an extreme as dangerous the other way* No confiderate fervants will expedt to have their tables fpread with delicacies : but plain and wholefome food they ought to have, and a plenty of it too, with a hearty welcome. Wages alfo they mould receive adequate to their fervices, in a proportion which general confent has eftablimed, and rather exceed- ing the ftri& demands of juftice than other- wife. " Mafters," fays the apoftle, " give " unto your fervants that which is juft and " equal, knowing that ye alfo have a mafter " in heaven p ." Jtic&i ferved Laban faith- fully, and with all his might, as he ex- prefles it : yet Laban dealt deceitfully with him, and changed his wages ten times. God, however, fuffered not Laban to hurt him : but on the contrary, by an extraor- dinary interpofition, took away his wealth from him, and gave it to Jacob ; fo at once rewarding the fervant's integrity, and pu- f Col. iv. i. niming Duties of Mafters to Servants. 423 milling the mailer's infidelity* 1 . The law of Mofes was particularly attentive to this matter. " Thou malt not opprefs an hired " fervant that is poor and needy, whether *' he be of thy brethren, or of thy ilrangers ** that are in thy land within thy gates. " At his day thou malt give him his hire, " neither fhall the fun go down upon it, *XX> to focial connedions. Feeling that we cannot fubfift of ourfelves, we look to our fellow-creatures for fupport, affiftance, protection ; we covet one another's com- pany, 442 DomeJlick-Friendfiip. pany, and are happy in contributing to each other's felicity. It is evident, therefore, that we are formed for the pleafures of friend- fhip and fociety, and that thefe, next to the favour of God, are our chief enjoyments. Now family connections are the firft which take place among mankind, and thofe from which all other focial con- nections originate. Marriage, which is a voluntary and permanent union of one man and woman, was instituted by God, not only for the increafe of the fpecies, but for the purpofe of promoting their mutual hap- pinefs, and that of their offspring. A fa- mily then is a little fociety, confiding of man and wife, their children, their fervants, and fuch other relations or friends as may either dwell or occalionally fojourn with them. Now it may naturally be expected from the general idea of man as a focial creature, and from that of a family as the firft focial connection, that friendship mould prevail here in the higheft degree it is ca- pable of being enjoyed in the prefent flate. And it muft ftrike every one too on re- flection, that the cheriming it in this con- nection is of no fmall importance to the welfare of the publick as well as individuals : for the jntercourfes and friendships which prevail Domeftick-FriendJhip. 443 prevail in larger circles, take their rife and denomination from thofe of a domeftick kind. To difleminate therefore the true grounds and reafons of this friendfhip, to hold up to view all the natural and pleafing expreilions of it, and to afford every affift- ance in our power towards the cultivation and improvement of it, are the objects of this difcourfe. To thefe objects our text naturally leads us. It contains a moft chearful and ani- mated defcription of dome/lick unity. And however it is probable from the occafion on which the pfalm was written, that the idea was meant to extend to a larger fociety than that of a family, yet it is evident that this is the primary fentiment in the text. The pfalm is generally underflood to have been cornpofed on the final iffue of the civil war, which fo long prevailed between the two houfes of Saul and David. A happy and memorable event this, upon which the king of Ifrael with no fmall pleafure con- gratulates his countrymen, wiming them in the character of brethren henceforth to en- joy the fweets of internal peace and prof- perity ! And happy it is indeed to fee neighbouring ftates, efpecially the fubjefts of one kingdom, at peace among them- felves. 444 Domeftick-FriendJLip. felves. Happy it is likewife to fee all other publick bodies of men, particularly reli- gious focieties or churches, in friendfhip and harmony. But families are the little focieties we have in our eye, and to that idea we (hall reftrain the language of the text. There are three things obfervable in the words, which we ihall briefly explain before we proceed to the main argument to be dif- cuffed the manner in which a family is defcribed the particular domeftick virtue recommended and the pfalmift's com- mendation of it. Firjl, A family is defcribed as a fociety made up of brethren that dwell together. Mankind in general are brethren, as they derive from the fame flock, are of the fame fpecies, poffefs one common nature, and fubfift after the fame manner. " God hath " made of one blood all nations of men, to " dwell on all the face of the earth V But this character with peculiar propriety belongs to thofe who compofe one family, as they are united to each other by the mofl intimate and endearing bands of nature, and, if pious, of religion too. The heads of it, * A&s xvii. 26. hufband . ' Domeftick-FriendJhip. 445 hufband and wife, 'are in a fenfe one j their children are parts of themfelves; their re- lations and friends living with them are more nearly allied to them than others abroad; and their fervants for obvious rea- fons are particularly interefled in their re- gards. Thefe are all defcribed too as di&ell- ing together, and on this account, as we (hall more largely mew hereafter, they ought to confider one another as brethren and friends. SecondfyfTlie virtue recommended isUm'ty, that is, living together not merely in peace and upon general terms of good will, but in the mod perfect amity, friend (hip, and affection. It is a unity that ftands oppofed not only to prejudice, malevolence, and hoftility; but to neutrality, indifference, and referve. As enmity, with all its wretched attendants of anger, clamour, and itrife, fhould be for ever held at a diftance from the houfe ; fo coldnefs, which is very nearly as inimical to domeftick chearfulnefs and happinefs, mould never be permitted to enter into it. All the members of the fa- mily, united in nature and intereft, mould moft cordially efteem and love one another, and be ready on all occaiions to contribute the utmoft in their power to each other's felicity. Now, 3 thirdly, 446 Domeftick-FriendJhip. Thirdly, In the commendation of this virtue the pfalmift is very profufe. " Eehold, how good and p leaf ant it is for " brethren to dwell together in unity." Domeftick friendfhip is moft fit and right in itfelf, and highly conducive to the com- fort of individuals and the happinefs of the whole. There is fomething truly beau* tiful and lovely in it. Who can behold a family united by the facred bands of har- mony and love, without envying them of this felicity ? Such a fociety is a little heaven upon earth, and makes the neareft approach to perfection of any civil connection what- ever. Too much cannot be faid in praife of it. Now all this the pfalmift illuftrates by two very pleafing comparifons. The firft is taken from the ointment poured on the head of the High Prieft. // is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard* that went down to the Jkirts of his garment. Aaron was by divine appointment the High Prieft of the Ifraelitifh church. His duty it was, arrayed in the facerdotal garments, to offer facrifice, intercede, and blefs. At the proper feafons he approached the altar of God and the mercy feat as their reprefentative, and procured for them many 3 great Dome/I ick-Friendfhip. 447 great national bleffings. And in this cha- racter he was an eminent type of Chrift, who is the great High Prieft of our pro- feffion, and through whofe mediation we obtain peace with God, and all the bleffings of grace and glory. To his office, ib bene- ficial to the whole Jewim commonwealth or family, Aaron was initiated by the cere- mony here referred to. An ointment of ex- quifite richnefs and fragrance was prepared, and poured by Mofes upon his head at the door of the tabernacle T . From his head it ran down upon his beard, even to the Jkirts or fkirt of his garment (for the word is in the fingular number) : not to the lower Jklrt of the facerdotal robe, (for it is not pro- bable, nor was it convenient, that the facred oil fhould be poured upon him with fuch unneceflary profufion) but to the upper Jkirt of it, the month or collar of it, as the word Signifies 2 . The fragrance of this rich per- fume inftantly communicated itfelf to all who attended this moil folemn and pleafing ceremony. They enjoyed the grateful fmell, and were the more delighted with it, as it was a fure omen of thofe peaceful and har- monious pleafures with which they were to x See Exod. xxx. 22 ult. Lev. viii. 12, * vnno 'srbjj be 448 Domeftick-FriendJhip. be blefied through his mediation. Now unity among brethren, the pfalmift tells us, is like the ointment thus poured upon the head of Aaron. There is a fweetnefs and gratefulnefs in it, efpecially when fanclified by genuine piety, that fails not to make all the members of the family happy, and to refrefh and entertain thofe who occafionally afTociate with it. Oh! how the aromatick favour of this rich cordial diffufes itfelf through the houfe, juft as did the precious odours with which Mary anointed the feet of the Prince of peace, at the entertainment made for him at Bethany a ! The next figure by which the pfalmift illuftrates what he commends, is taken from the dew. // is, fays he, as the dew of Her- mon, and as the dew that defcended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord com- mandeth the blejjing, even life J or evermore. Dew is a fmall thick kind of mift or rain, which fometimes falls in a gentle, imper- ceptible, and plentiful manner on the earth; and contributes not a little to the beauty and fragrance of the garden, and the ver- dure and fruitfulnefs of the field. It de- fcends in great abundance in fome countries, * John xii. 3* at Domeftick-Friendfilp. 449 at particular feafons of the year, and is juftly confidered as a very great blefling. Mount Hermon, fituated on the northern border of the promifed land, without Jordan, was famous for it. On which account the pfalmiit chew-here poetically defcribes " Ta- " bor and Herman as rejoicing in God V* The dew is alfo faid to defcend on the moun- tains of Sion, that is, * the dew of Hermon defcended on thofe mountains,' for fo the words fhould be ftriclly rendered. And if it be enquired how this could be, the anfwer is, that the clouds which lay on Hermon, being brought by the north winds to Jerufalem y might cauie the dews to fall plentifully on that place. But fome have thought that not yerufalem, but the lower parts of mount Hermon are here intended. For it is remarkable that Hermon is actually called Sion in the book of Deuteronomy . And fo they conclude that the fumrhit of that mountain had the particular name of k Pfalm Ixxxix. ii. Mr. Maundrell, in his journey from dleppo to Jerusalem, fpeaking of the two jnounts T'abor and Hermon , fays, " We ** were fufficientljr inflrucled by experience what the holy " pfalmift means by the dew of Herman, our tents being as ' wet with it as if it had rained all night." See p. 57. edit. 3d. fc Deut. iv. 48. G g Hefmon> 450 Domeftick-Fr tend/hip. Hermon, and the lower part of it that of Sion. And this being the caie, they un- derftand the pfalmift as making a further comparifon, between the precious ointment upon the head of Aaron that ran down unta his beard, and fo to the ikirts of his gar- ment ; and the de and when they whofe bufinefs is to obey, mingle morofenefs and referve with all their expreilions of I i 3 refpect 486 Dome/tie k-Friendfhip. refpect and duty, how great is the unhap- pinefs ! Little real friendmip is to be x- pecled in a dwelling, where pride and ill- nature have given fuch a caft to the familiar intercourfes of it. But it is not the paffing intercourfes of a moment that I have here chiefly in my eye. Frequent opportunities of continued dif- courfe return, fuch as at the table, or other hours of recefs from bufinefs. On thefe occafions, in a family of love, domeftick pleafures will be enjoyed in the ampleft and moit endearing manner. Around the feftive board, crowned with the fmiling bounties of Providence, we thall fee them difcourfing with eafe and chearfulnefs, unembarrafTed with modes and forms, and free from the painful reftraints of jealoufy and referve. And in a long winter's evening, when the bufinefs of the day is over, we mall fee them around the fire entertaining one ano- ther, not with malevolent talk about their neighbours, nor with idle infipidjomances^ and plays ; but with infirudlive and en- livening difcourfe on fome fubject in hiftory, morals, or religion. How exquifitely pleaf- ing muft the friendly intercourfes of fuch a little party be ! Here is no dull melancholy, no cold referve, no contentious animofity. Eafe, Domeftick-Fr lend/hip. 487 Eafe, good - nature, and love fhed their fvveet and balmy influence over the com- pany. Every one contributes his quota either of folid reafoning, pertinent ob- fervations, or agreeable wit and pleafantry. Sentiments and paffions alike improving and endearing are mutually exchanged, and all arife, at the proper hour, from this ra- tional and delightful entertainment wifer, better, and happier. The ftated exercifes, too, of religion in fuch a family, may very well be confidered as expreffions of domeftick- friendship, as well as devotion towards God. Religion has a mighty influence in forming friend- fhips, and adding Strength and permanence to them. The pious effulions of a devout heart in focial prayer and praife are not only acceptable to God, but have a foothing, benevolent, and uniting effect in regard of thofe who concur in fuch acts of wormip. Where a family enters into the fpirit of thefe duties, and Chrift agreeably to his bleflfed promifc is " in the midft of them 2 ," methinks, it is impoflible that they mould arife from their knees without feeling that they love one another, and being iweetly z Matth. xviii. 20. I i 4 difpofed 488 Domeftick-FriendJhip. difpofecf to render each other all the kind offices in their power. The nobleft friend- fhip prevailed, as we have had occafion more than once to obferve, in the houfe of Lazarus at Bethany. Figure to yourfelf the Saviour entering it as their gueft, Mary fitting at his feet, and the reft of the family hanging with attention on his lips ; they proposing queftions, and he anfwering them ; both he and they mingling their joys and forrows, and all of them forming as it were one foul. Figure to yourfelf, I fay, this pleating fcene, and tell me whether the entertainment muft not have been di- vine. How did friendmip here difplay her glories in the higheft perfection ! Further, Particular intimacies are fometimes formed in families between brothers and fifters, or others, which open the way to a freedom of religious difcourfe fcarce to be expected in a larger company. The religion of the heart is of a {by, modeil, and referved complexion : it retires from publick view, and in many inftances can hardly be pre- vailed on to difclofe itfelf to bofom friends. But fometimes, as I faid, it fo happens that two or three in a houfe can be more free with one another on thefe matters than with any befides. And the effect of fuch free- dom Domeftick-Friendfhip. 489 dom to folve their mutual doubts, alleviate their troubles, heighten their joys, and unite their afFedions, is conliderable. You (hall fee them, in fome retired room or fo- litary walk, laying open their moft fecret thoughts to each other, and thereby re- lieving themfelves of a burden that would othervvife be unfupportable -, or elfe pouring into each other's bofoms pleafures which are heightened by being communicated. Friendmips of this fort have been productive of the greatefl good. Virtue has thus, in a courfe of time,been drawn from concealment into publick view. Religion in its infant ftate has been nurfed and reared. And rno- deft youth have been prepared for important fervices in life.- One more expreflion of domeftick-friendihip remains to be men- tioned, and that is, 5. And laftly, Rejoicing in one another s 'welfare. Where love prevails there is an union of intereft, and where intereft is united, the joys as well as the forrows of one party are felt by the other : they are the joint flock of both. Wherefore, in a family of love, the pains and pleafures of every individual are in continual circulation through the houfe. And, as we have obferved of the former, 490 Domeftick-Friendfhip. former, that they are alleviated, fo it is true of the latter, that they are heightened by being communicated. It is impoffible that each one mould have a hearty affection for the other, and not be gratified by every agreeable circumftance that turns up in their favour. Now this being the cafe, a large family of the character we have been defcribing, is almoft fure of enjoying a con- fiderable degree of happinefs. For it is much if fome one does not poflefs health, cafe, pleafure, honour, or fome other bleffing, either temporal or fpiritual j and the reft, having a hearty good-will to him, muft of confequence be (harers with him in thefe bleffings. But if they all poffefs fome this and fome that enjoyment, how happy muft they make one another by a mutual parti- cipation of fo large a portion of good ! And how muft the pleafure refulting from the very exchange augment the happinefs ! In- deed, the happinefs would be too great for the prefent life, if there were not a fea- fonable intermixture of occafional pains and for rows. Here imagination might prefent many pleafing fcenes to our view for the illuftration of the fubjecl. Suppofe, for inftance, the mafter of the family to have met with fome unexpected Domejlick-Friendfhip. 491 unexpected fuccefs in his worldly affairs. Providence fmiles on his prudent fchemes and honeft labours, and pours a rich variety of wealth into his grateful bofom. The effedt is not only felt in the liberal fupply which every branch of the family receives, but in the chearfulnefs that appears on all their countenances. Penury driven out of doors, and with it the anxieties it occafions, joys fucceed which are the common lot of the whole houfe. If any one of them, brought down by ficknefs to the gates of death, is reftored to health, how do they all exult in the event ! The tidings are in- ftantly told by their happy looks and their congratulatory embraces. ' We had juft loft' our father, our mother, or our child ; but Providence has given him back again into our arms, let us rejoice and be glad.' If a new alliance is formed, a daughter given in marriage, or a fon agreeably fettled in life ; the houfe refounds with feftivity, and the happy young people are crowned with a thoufand good wifhes and prayers from every quarter. If a prodigal, that has dii- graced his family, and made them wretched by his folly and fin, returns to his duty ; a flood of joy pours in upon them. The fatted calf is killed, they eat, drink, and are merry : 492 Domeftick-Friend/hip. merry : for, fay they, " Our brother was " dead, and is alive again j was loft,, and " is found 3 ." To a houfe that fears God what pleafure mufb it afford, to fee this or that member of it, that had been thought- lefs about his beft interefts, become wife unto falvation ! Or to fee this or that per- fon who had been overwhelmed with fad- nefs on account of his future ftate, emerge thence into the enjoyment of the fweet and refined pleafures of religion ! But befides thefe more considerable in- fiances of the divine favour and goodnefs, which create general pleafure in a family, there are joys of a leiTer kind which are in continual circulation agreeable feelings, I mean, excited by their mutual pleafant looks, chearful words, and good-natured adtions. When all are aiming to banim melancholy, and to make one another happy, and the falutary aim is every mo- ment to be read in their countenances, gef- ture, and language ; it is impoffible that the apprehenfion of this mould fail of creating pleafure in each bofom. And thus pleafure accumulates on pleafure, and all is the re- fult of this domeftick - friendship we are a Luke xv. 32. recommending. Dome/lick- Friendjhip . 49 3 recommending. " How good then and " pleafant is it for brethren to dwell to- ' gether in unity !" PART III. HAVING confidered the grounds, and enumerated fome among many others of the pleafing expreffions of domeftick-friendmip, fuch as, Forbearance, Sympathy, Affiftance, Converfation, and a mutual exchange of Joys, it remains that we now, THIRDLY, Subjoin a few directions for the cherishing and promoting this hearty good-will in the feveral members of a fa- mily towards each other. i. Let the interefl of the whole be pre- ferred to that of a part. This principle, founded in the trueft rea- fon, ihould be regarded in all foeial, efpe- cially domeftick, connections. The interefl:, at leaft the imaginary interefl, of one in a family often clafhes with the welfare of the whole. This is the cafe when an individual is fet upon gratifying his paffion for per- fonal eafe, pleafure, and emolument ; and declines all active and painful exertions for the general good. Such conduct may in- 5 volve 494 Domeftick-FriendJhip. volve the whole houfe in ruin : it will how- ever moft certainly prove a great obftruction to its happinefs. On the contrary, if the maxim we have laid down be regarded, and individuals are difpofed to deny themfelves for the fake of others, and to exert all their ability to promote their welfare ; the general fund of happinefs will be augmented, and the oppofite evils refulting from a felh'fh temper prevented. But to give effecl to this maxim fome- ihing further is neceffary than coolly proving its reafonablenefs. We muft endeavour to infpire one another with a generous bene- volent fpirit. Social feelings are exquifitely foft and pleafing. Happy man whole bo- fom glows with love to all his fellow- crea- tures, efpecially thofe to whom he is thus nearly allied ! How can a human heart be an utter flranger to this paffion ! How can the feveral members of a family be in- different to each other's welfare ! How can any one be fo entirely wrapt up in himfelf, as to prefer a little perfonal gratification to the content and happinefs of the whole ! Such a temper as this is bafe to the laft de- gree. It is totally inconfiftent with all idea of friendmip. It is inimical to all focial connections. And it renders a man utterly 5 unworthy Domeftick-Frltndft'ip. 495 unworthy of all the benefits of fociety. He who is of this caft is rather a brute than a man, and is rather to be munned with hor- rour than tolerated by candour. But it were eafy to prove, ft range as it may feem at firft view, that publick intereft is in effect private intereft : that is, publick intereft is the aggregate fum of private in- tereft. He therefore who ftudies the wel- fare of the whole, fludies the welfare of every part, and of confequence his own welfare. And by purfuing his own welfare, in this connection with that of others, he is much more likely to fecure his object than if his attention were wholly fixed to him- felf. Befides, the perfonal good he thus gains is mightily enhanced in its value by its being intermingled with the general good. How fweet and enlivening to an ingenuous mind thofe joys which are mared in common with others ! The force of this argument, addrefled you fee to felf- inter eft, every one muft feel. Let parents then and children, brothers and fifters, mafters and fervants, be perfuaded all of them " to look " not on their own things/' as the apoftle exprefTes it, " but alfo on the things of "others 5 ." Forego, Sirs, this and the * Philip, ii. 4. other 49 6 T)omeJlick-Friendfoip. other advantage of a private kind for the good of the whole, and depend upon it you will in the end be the gainers thereby. 2. Let the affairs of the family be con- ducted with regularity, and every one not only know his proper ftation but be con- tented with it. As tranquility, peace, contentment, and happinefs are ideas intimately connected with friendship, fo whatever tends to pro- mote thefe pleafures is of ufe to ftrengthen and confirm the band of domeltick union. In all focieties there are bufinefles of various kinds to be tranfacted. Every one has his department of fervice, and upon a due at- tention to it depends not only the profperity of the whole, but the comfort of every in- dividual. So it is in families. To the mafter it belongs to fuperintend the general interefts of the houfe, and to enforce obe- dience to its laws and orders. The office of the miftrefs is to look after her houfehold affairs, and fee every thing conducted with prudence and ceconomy. The children have each of them their duty, and the fervants theirs. No one mould invade the province of another, but all know the part they have to act; how this and that bufinefs is to be done, and the fit feafon for it. And Domeftick-Frkndflnp. 497 And as Providence has defHned every one to his proper ftation in the family, pointing out to each his duty by the age, character^ abilities, and rank he holds ; fo every one fhould make up his mind to his particular flation, not envying thofe above him, or carrying it haughtily towards thofe beneath him. Matters thus conducted, the affairs of the houfe will go on fmoothly and prof- peroufly, each will have his fhare of tran- quillity and pleafure, and fo the happy union of the whole every day acquire additional firmnefs. Thus order will beget peace, peace contentment, contentment happinefs, and happineis union and love. " A houfe divided againft itfelf," fays our Saviour, *' cannot ftand V But what is it that creates divifion ? Not merely the fiercer pailions of malevolence and refent- ment. Sedition, in thefe lefler as well as larger communities, is often the fruit of mal-adminiftration in thofe whofe bufinefs it is to govern, and of floth and difcontent in thofe whofe duty it is to obey. If no order is obferved in a family, and none are difpofed to attend regularly to their duty, who can wonder that in this lawlefs ftate of c Matth. xii. 25. K k domeftick 49 & Domeftick-FrienJJIjip. domeflick fociety the feeds of difcontent and peevifhnefs mould fpring up, and before it is long ripen into animofity, faction, and ruin ? And this leads me, 3. To inculcate the great duty of every one's endeavouring to get the due command of his temper. Self-government is of thelail confequence to the welfare of fociety in general, and to a man's own perfonal honour and happinefs in particular. But we are here fpeaking of it in reference to domeftick peace and friend- ihip. Suppofe felf-conceit and obftinacy to prevail in a family, how tremendous muft be the effect ! Each one, fully perfuaded he is right, will at all events have his way. The mafter angrily infifts that the children and fervants fhall in every inftance fubmit ; and they again, lofing fight of the duty they owe the mailer, think it hard that their will (hould not in this or that cafe be complied with. Their will is oppofed they rebel and what is the refult ? Can we be at a lofs one moment to determine ? The fpark kindles into a flame, the flame fp reads through the houfe, and, if prudence and good-nature do not immediately in- terpofe to check its progrefs, a total and terrible conflagration enfues. Friendship . Domeftick-Fritndfhip. 499 Friendmip is the generous offspring of xvifdom, humanity, and religion. It is a plant of tender growth, and muft be culti- vated with attention and care. The (harp winds of frowardnefs and felf-will, if not guarded againft, will nip it in the bud. Sincere and prudent friends, therefore, will fee it their intereft to fubrnit to one another in many points wherein their judgments differ. They will fubmit upon the wife and falutary principle, that, .though the meafure is wrong, the_niconvenjence of it jiad_better_be_en dared than a good^under-^ ftanding hazarded.^ And ought not fuch reafoning to prevail in families ? Should not every member of the houfe be difpofed to fubmit to the opinion and inclination of the reft, fenfible that the confequence of obftinately adhering to his own pleafure, may be infinitely detrimental to the hap- pinefs of the whole ? As ajiabit of yielding^- /- is truly glorious to him who has acquired it, fo it is fruitful of the mod noble and happy confequences to thofe about him. It effectually prevents difunion, and draws the filken knot of friendfhip fo clofe that no art can unloofe it. The frequent fa- crifice of pique and ill-humour, if mutual, will beget fuch paflionate love to one ano- K k 2 thcr 5QQ Domeftick-Friendfiijr. ther as no attempt from the demon of crif- cord can fubdue. The children will love even to diftraction the parents that can now and then relax their authority, and yield, or at Jeaft feem to yield, to their opinions and perfuafions. Such conduct too will bind fer- vants, ingenuous fervantslmean, morefirmly to their matter's intereft than the ftrongeft cords of rigour and authority. But at the fame time it mould be carefully remem- bered, that the age, character, and ftation of thofe who preiide entitle their opinion upon every matter to greater refpect than that of any inferior. Indeed the peace of a family requires in moft cafes an abfolute fubmiflion to their opinion, when fuch fub- miffion is infifted on. An-d I may add, that the miftaken opinion of fuperiors, in moft inftances, ought rather to be acquiefced in than the authority of the houfe difputed, its order deranged, and its tranquility invaded. If then there be any thing defirable and important in dorneilick union, let us be per- fuaded, each one of us, to reflrain, correct, and fubdue our natural tempers. Let us take pains to that end. Let us guard againfl every expreffion of peevifhnefs and fretful- nefs, and particularly the rugged ill-na- tured efforts of obftinacy and felf-will. Let us? Dome/tick- Friendfoip . 501 us confider with ourfelves the real glory we {hall gain by fubmitting, the great utility of every act of felf-denial to the purpoie of meliorating our tempers, and the eflential fervice we fhall render our families by our meeknels and forbearance. The laft par- ticular of advice to be propofed is, 4. To make Religion our grand object. The favourable afpect which religion bears to domellick- friendship muft ilrike the moft fuperficial obferver. Nor do I know where to begin or where to end, when I attempt to difplay its excellencies in their reference to the matter before us. It teaches us, that God is love, that man was formed for ibciety, that disunion is one of the main evijs refulting from our apoftacy, that our Saviour came down from heaven to reconcile us not only to God but to one another, to create peace on earth and good- will among men, to break down the middle wal,l of partition between us, and to make thole, who had been ilrangers and foreigners to each other, fellow-citizens and members of the houfehold of God. Thefe great truths it holds up to our view, poflefling us of every poffible argument to difluadc us from wrath, bitternefs, and malevolence, and of every imaginable motive to difpofe us to K k 3 the j 02 Domeftick-Friendfhip. the practice of forbearance, gentlenefs, and love. It remonftrates againft our angry pafiions, and pleads with our tender and focial feelings, by the bowels of Chrift and all that matchlefs love which induced him to endure the greateft evils, in order to re- flore to us this the greateft good, friendfliirj. It prefents us with the nobleft examples of families in earlier and later times, which have been rendered truly happy, and have acquired no fmall honour, by paying a due attention to its facred dictates. It leads us into the tents of the antient patriarchs, the colleges of the Ifraelitifh prophets, and the habitations of the primitive chriftians - 3 and exhibits therein fuch pleafing fcenes of do- meftick fimplicity, concord, and love, as cannot fail of charming every heart that pofleffes the leaft degree of feniibility. And 'having thus entertained us here on earth in the houfes of a Lazarus at Bethany, a Prif cilia zn&Aqmla at Corinth, an elefl Lady* and an hofpitable Gaius ; it conduces us to the fair manfions above, where God the Father dwells, " of whom the whole family " in heaven and earth is named ;" \vherc Chrift the elder brother of the houfe ap- pears in all his glory, and where the ge- neral afiembly and church of the firft-born are Domeftick-Friendftip. 503 are all united in the fweet bands of do- meftick-friendmip bands which neither fin nor Satan fhall ever tear afunder. Do we then wilh to enjoy this inefti- mable bleffing in the tents Providence has pitched for us here on earth ? Let us wel- comeihe noble gueft I have been defcribing into our hearts, give him the moft chearful entertainment there, and fuffer him never to depart thence. To thefceptre of religion let us oblige all our angry, &lf- willed, and difcordant paflions to bow, to its authority let us render uncontrolled obedience, and its favour let us cultivate as the chiefefl good. So will peace be within our walls, and profperity tvithin our dwellings. And io will our friends and neighbours, while they are the witneifes of our happinefs, fay, *"* Behold, how good and how pleafant it is " for brethren to dwell together in unity. '* It is like the precious ointment upon the " head, that ran down upon the beard, " even Aaron's. beard, that went down to " the ikirts of his garments. As the dew " of Hermon, and as the dew that defcended ** upon the mountains of Zion, for there " the Lord commanded the bleffing, even *' life for evermore." K k 4 Let 504 Domeftidz-Friendfoip . Let us now clofe the whole with a few reflections. I. The wifdom and goodnefs of divine Providence is admirable in ib difpoling things, as that men mould be naturally and almoft necefiarily led into the enjoyment of this great bleffing of domeftick-friendihip. Man was made for fociety, and friendthip is the nobleft cordial of human life. It is the duty and intereft of all to love one ano- ther, and were the original dictates of na- ture duly attended to, malevolence and con- tention would have no exiftence in our world. But alas ! the complaint we often hear is too true, that there is little friend- ihip among mankind at large. Domeftick connections however, depraved as human nature is, oblige men by a kind of neceffity to be friendly to each other. And though there may poffibly be many houles where the demon of ftrife hath creeled his ftandard, and fcatters deflruction around him, yet friendmip reigns in all its glory in fome happy habitations, and there is the appear- ance of it in moft. Now this is owing to that wife arrange- ment of Providence we have been confi- dering. God has fo formed men as that they cannot fubfift other wife than in do- me/lick Dome/lie k-Friendfhip. 505 meftick connections. Thefe relations are the fruit of his will and appointment : and tending, as they diredly and powerfully do, to the great object of uniting in the moft harmonious bands parents and children, brothers and fitters, matters and fervants, the hott and his guett, they afford a ttriking proof of his infinite benignity. Thus has he alleviated the evils incident to human life, and mingled chearfulnefs and pleafure with the toils and troubles men are deftined to endure in their journey through this world. Go we among the favage tribes of America, or the more civilized nations of Europe, we find thefe little communities fublifting in much the fame manner, and enjoying family-pleafures in pretty nearly the fame proportion. The reverfe of which would in all probability be the cafe, if the interetts of individuals were not thus com- bined, and nature did_not lead them by an invincible kind of jnftindtjn to jhefe friendly ailbciations % 2. It is further to be remarked, that as the grounds of dorneftick-friendihip are laid in nature, fo divine revelation affords all imaginable fupport and encouragement to an inftitution which is thus manifettly of God. Nature 506 Domefltck-FriendJhip. Nature and the .bible are, in this refpecl: as well as every other, in perfecl: harmony with each other. The dodtrines, precepts, and hiftories of holy writ all tend to pro- mote peace on earth, and good-will among men : but they bear an afpe<5t peculiarly favourable to the interefts of domeflick life, which is the bafis of all other focial con- nections. Families are here announced as focieties which God hath eftablifhed for the nobleft purpofes both civil and religious. The duties of men in this relation are clearly laid down, .and enforced by various motives. The bleffed God, in allufion to this firft arrangement of nature, is defcribed as the Father of a numerous family, taking the moil tender care of his children, bearing with them, forgiving them, converfing with them, and providing in a thoufand ways for their fupport and happinefs. Men are addrefled as brethren of one another, and on this ground exhorted to the various duties of tender love, fympathy, and friendship. In the character, too, of fervants they are admonimed to all thofe offices which they owe to God their divine Mafter, and to the children of his family. The patriarchs with their numerous defendants are held * U P Domeftick-Fr-iendfhip. 507 up to our view in this relation, difcharging the duties and enjoying the comforts of do- meftick life. The Ifraelites are defcribed as one family, collected under the wing of Jehovah their Father, and ferved by angels and miniftering fpirits, fent forth to defend and blefs them. Under this figurative idea the church of Chrift is reprefented, and their numerous duties, honours, and privi- vileges, placed in the moft inviting and pleating light. And from earth the fcrip- tures lead us up to heaven, and mew us the IJlefTed God, in all the charms of an indul- gent parent, encircled by his numerous off- fpring, for ever happy in the enjoyment of his favour, and the raviming delights of domeftick-fociety. So well does the lan- guage of infpiration agree with that of na- ture, in regard of the grounds of family union and friendmip ! And this agreement between the one and the other is no inconfiderable prelumptive fthe truth pf revelation. Let __ _ the man who has attentively read his bibte fay, whether it is not the objed of this book, having firft confulted the effential in- tereft of individuals , to promote and cherifli by the moil powerful argumerrts_that do- meftick union which nature inculcates. He who 50 $ Domejlick-Friendflnp. who enters into the fpirit of this facred volume, inftead of tearing afunder thefe fvveet and pleafant bands of fociety, will feel himfelf difpofed to enlarge and ftrengthen them to the utmoft of his power. Which leads me to obferve, j 3. And laftly, that every thing which tends to derange this original conftitution of nature is highly offenfive to God, and big with the moft fatal miferies to mankind. That form of government, be it what it may, that endangers the happinefs, fecurity, and existence of domeftick fociety, is a bold invafion on the rights of nature. Dejpot-ifm, by depriving men of their liberty and pro- perty, or at leaft rendering the poiTelfion of them infecure and precarious, is guilty of this great evil ; and is therefore an offence againft the fup'reme will and authority of God. Both profane and facred hiftory have told us, in lines written with blood, what havock has been made on the peace and happinefs of domeftick life by an infatiable luft of power. See the houfe of the peafant laid wafte, the man (ion of the more wealthy torn from its foundation, families difperfed, and their very names obliterated ! What a eurfe on mankind is war] and how tre- mendous an account have they to give, who, ta Domeftlck-'Friendfh'ip. 509 to gratify their ambition, cruelly fport with the rights of mankind, and impioufly fub- vert thefe little communities, which owe their exigence and eftablifhment to the pe- culiar attention and regards of the merciful God! But it is not only the lawlefs ambition and cruelty of princes that we have here to complain of. There are doctrines, too, which tend to divide mankind, to diflurb the peace of families, and to endanger the very exift- ence of domeflick fociety. We cannot enu- merate them particularly : there are two however that muft not be omitted The Celibacy of the Romim church on the one hand and the unnatural and unfriendly doctrine of Polygamy on the other. The former of thefe tends to the extinction of domeftick fociety, and the latter to the total derangement and fubverfion of all its plea- fures. Had thefe doctrines been found in the bible, the enemies of revelation would not have failed to apply them to the pur- pofe of bringing its authenticity into queftion. They would have fet nature and chriftianity at variance, and not doubted but in the fcuffle the latter would fufFer dif- grace, if not. total ruin. But it is a fact which we have already afTerted, and will again 5 i o Dome/tick- Frtendjlnp . again affirm, that the religion of Jefus is an advocate not only for perfonal but do- mefKck-friendfhip. Not a word is to be met with here to difcountenance that firft great law of nature which leads mankind into conjugal union, and pofTefles them of all the fweet and rational pleafures that re- fult thence. On the contrary, Antichrift is defcribed when he comes, as " forbidding tf men to marry," a-nd thus offering violence to the exprefs command of God d . Nor is there a word to be met with to authorize the practice of a plurality of wives, which, were it to prevail, would degrade the fofter fex from that rank which Providence meant they mould hold in the intellectual world, would give vigour to the caufe of defpotifm and tyranny, and convert the houfe our text fo fweetly defcribes into a horrid fcene of anarchy and wretchednefs. What then are they doing who maintain thefe doctrines* and endeavour lo propagate them in the world ? They are fapping the foundation of a moil beautiful iuperftructure which God himfelf has raifed. Or if they furTer it to ftand, inftead of faying, as our Saviour commanded his difciples to fay, " Peace be * i Tim. iv. 3: " tO Domeftick-Friendfiip . 511 Als xx. 35. N n pitality, 546 Hofpitality. pitality, falfely fo called, which is not the effect of pure love and benevolence, but of a pafiion for fplendour and oftentation : .and it mull be owned, the pleafure refulting from fuch hofpitality is at bell mean, trifling, and precarious. But true hofpi- tality, which is the fruit of genuine hu- manity and friendlhip, cannot fail of ex- citing moll agreeable fenfations in his breaft who is accuflomed to it. How happy mull I feel myfelf, while relieving the anxieties and mitigating the forrows of thofe to whom I bear a cordial good will ! And how happy, too, while chearfully lharing the comforts of life with thofe whom I highly efteem and dearly love \ This joy, as it is rational and manly, fo is far greater and more enlivening than that of the wretch who eats his morfel alone, plealing himfelf with the miferable idea that the wealth he poflefies has accumulated from parlimony^ and that he hath grown rich on the fpoils of humanity. Would you then link into contempt among all around you, give exift- ence to a thoufand occalions of anxiety and diftrefs, and fuffer your miferable manlion to be haunted with the moft horrid fpedres imagination can create ? then, drive the widow, the fatherlefs, and the flranger from your Hq/pitatity. 54? your gates, fhut your door againft every re- lation and acquaintantance you have, bid defiance to friendship, facrifice at the (hrine of Mammon all the feelings of humanity, and beneath your treafures bury your wretched felf. On the contrary, would you fecure to yourfelf the efteeni of good men, the prayers of the poor, and the af- fections of your relations and acquaintance? Would you gratify the nobleft pafllon of the human bread, diffufe chearfulnefs through your dwelling, draw down the bleffing of God upon you, and lay up treafure for yourfelf in heaven ? then, Ufe hofpitality one to another, without grudging. 3. This duty is exprefsly commanded by God. Numerous are the paflages both in the Old and New Teftament, wherein hofpi- tality is ftrictly enjoined upon us, and en- forced by a great variety of motives* We cannot recite them all here. Mofes again and again with great earneftnefs admonimes the Ifraelites to be benevolent to the poor, the widow, the fatherlefs, the ftranger, and the Levite $ to receive them into their houfes, to eat and drink with them, and to rejoice in all the good that God had be- ftowed on them. He exhorts them to be N n 2 free, 548 Bofpitality. free, chearful, and cordial in the difcharg of this duty; befeeching them to beware left an avaritious, grudging, hard-hearted thought mould at any time arife in their breafts. He reminds them to this end of the deplorable condition they were them- felves once in, when Grangers and bond- flaves in Egypt -, and makes the Levites' having no inheritance among them a reafon why they mould be particularly hofpitable to them. He infifts that this duty was pe- remptorily required of them by God, that an attention to it would be highly pleafing to him, and that fo doing they might be allured the Lord their God would blefs them in all the works of their hand e . The prophets too in numberlefs inftances urge this duty upon the Jews, and for their failure therein denounce the judgments of God upon them. In the New Teftament, befides the many paffages wherein benevolence is enjoined, which includes in it hofpitality, there are not a few directly to our purpofe. Our Sa- viour frequently inculcates it in his parables, S particularly in that of Dives and Lazarus, and that of the good Samaritan f . " When c See Levit. xxv. 35 38. Deut. xiv. 2629. Ch. xv. 7 u,c..&c. f Luke xvi. 19 ult. Ch. x. 30 37. *' thoa Ho/vitality. 549 ** thou makeft a feaft," fays he in. another place, " call the poor, the maimed, the *' lame, the blind : and thou malt be blefTed ; " for they cannot recompenfe thee : for thou " malt be recompenfed at the refurrection c;i', o/y mi oix,ta. vttiuv. IA. Z Next Teuthras' fon diftain'd the fands with blood, Axylus, hofpitable, rich and good : In fair Artjba's wails (his native place) He held his feat ; a friend to human race. Faft by the road, his ever-open door Oblig'd the wealthy, and reliev'd the poor. Pope. Grangers 554 Hofpitallty. flrangers in the ftreet, after afking them whence they came and whither they were going ; invites them to his houfe, poor as he was, faying, " Peace be with you, let " all your wants lie upon me." So he gives provender to their afTes, wafhes their feet, and with a hearty good-will makes them eat and drink c . Who can read this little ftory without wifhing this poor man had poffelTed an eflate in Gibeah, large enough to excufe him from manual labour, and enable him to gratify his benevolent difpolition to the utmoft extent of it ? The ftory likewife of the Sbunamite muft not be pafled over in filence. She was in- deed in a fuperior ftation to that of the good man juft mentioned, but (he had a heart as benevolent as his. When Elima the pro- phet came that way me was ufed to invite him with great earneftnefs to her houfe, to " conftrain him," as it is expreiTed, " to eat " bread." And in the fulnefs of her heart we hear her faying to her hufband, " L#t " us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on " the wall, and let us fet for him there a " bed, and a table, and a ftool, and a can- " dleftick : and it (hall be when he cometh " to us, that he (hall turn in thither"." * Judges xix. 16 21. u 2 Kings iv. 8 10. This Ho/pit ality. 555 This was genuine hofpitality, the fruit of benevolence and not of oftentation : for when the prophet on a time, feniible of his obligations to her for the care me had taken of him and his fervant, afks her whether he fhould fpeak to the king or the captain of the hoft on her behalf; fhe replies with all the fweet tranquility of unambitious con- tentment, a virtue nearly allied to that we are difcourfmg of, " I dwell among mine " own people V As to perfons in a fuperior ftation of life, who were eminent both for their piety and their hofpitality, many inftances occur in the Old Teftament ; but it mall fuffice to remind you of David, Obadiab, and Neke- miah. The firft of thefe it is true was a mighty prince ; his generoiity however on occaiion of his bringing up the ark to the tabernacle he had pitched for it, exceeded what might be expedted even from royal munificence. " He dealt among all the " people," it is faid, " even among the " whole multitude of Ifrael, as well women ." as men, to every one a cake of bread, and " a good piece of flem, and a flagon of " wineV Obadiah was ruler over the * 2 Kings iv. 13. ? z Sam. vi. 19. houfe 556 Hojpitality. houfe of king Ahab, and by favouring the reformation which took place through the means of Elijah, hazarded every thing ; yet fuch was his piety and hofpitality that " he ' took an hundred prophets, and hid them *' by fifty in a cave, and fed them with "bread and water*." Nebemiab was go- vernor of the Jews on their return from the captivity twelve years; and during that time, fo great was his benevolence that at his own private expence he kept open table for an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, befides thofe that vifited him from among the heathens 8 . To come now to the New Teftament, What a good-natured and hofpitable family was that of Lazarus at Bethany ! And tho* Martha was perhaps too anxious about her domeftick affairs, yet who can forbear ap- plauding the benevolent regards me ex- prefTed for our Saviour and his friends 5 ? The generous love of one of the Maries , who at a great expence procured an alabafter box of very precious ointment, and mook it over our Lord's head as he fat at meat ; was fo grateful to him that he declared, what me had done mould be told for a me- * i Kings xviii. 4. Nehem. v. 17, 18. * Luke x. 38 ult. morial Hofpitality. , 557 morial of her wherever the gofpel fhould be preached in the whole world c . The primitive chriftians were much given to hofpitality. In the beginning they had all things in common : " they fold their. pof- " fefTions and goods, and parted them to " all men, as every man had need ; and " daily, breaking bread from houfe to houfe, " they eat their meat with gladnefs and " linglenefs of heart 11 ." Wherever the gofpel was received a liberal fpirit was diffufed among the people, and the houfes as well as hearts of men in all places were open to entertain Grangers who came pro- perly recommended to them. In fine, the names of Prifcilla and Aquila, of Lydia, of Gains, and many others, will be conveyed down to the lateft poflerity with marks of divine approbation for their benevolence and hofpitality. But the moft powerful argument to perfuade us to the duty we are recommending, is that which refults, 5. And laftly, -from divine Hofpitality . The blsfTed God is the Father of a nu- merous family, the great Houfeholder of the univerfe ; and words are wanting to ex- prefs the benevolence of his heart and the bounty of his hands. '* He is good to all, c Matth. xxvl. 6 13. d Adts ii. 45, 46. " and 558 Hofpitality. " and his tender mercies are over all his " works. All his works praife him, and " his faints blefs him. His creatures, every " one of them, wait upon him, and he " gives them their meat in due feafon. He " openeth his hand, and fatisfies the defire " of every living thing 6 ." His fun mines and his rain falls on the evil as well as the good. His very enemies mare of his bounty. He gives liberally to all men, and upbraids not. From him we receive ability to be hofpitable, and hearts to be fo too. The tables to which we invite our friends he fpreads, and the cup we put into their hands he fills. Oh the munificence of the great God ! How large, how conftant, how in- exhauftible is his bounty ! Ought we not then to be followers of God as dear chil- dren ? To be hofpitable is to be like God : and to refembk his Maker is the glory of an intelligent creature. But when we have furveyed the bounties of Providence in their large!! extent, the idea we colled: from thence of the generbfity of the blefled God falls prodigioufly mort of that which the gofpel infpires. Here, to ufe the language of an apoftle, " he hath " fhewn the exceeding riches of his grace, e Pfalra cxlv. 9, 10, 15, 16. " in Hofpitality. 559 " in his kindnefs towards us, through Chrift " Jefus f ." A feaft he has prepared for my- riads of guilty, wretched, helplefs beings, at an expence which angels are at a lofs to compute. The facrifice is his own Son! How exquiiitely grand muft the feaft on fuch a facrifice be ! Let eaftern monarchs in all the pride of wealth and power, aiTemble their princes, nobles, and people, to partake of a banquet the moft expenfive and magnificent they can furnim. Let them on thefe oc- cafions, like Ahamuerus, exhibit to the view of their fubjedls " the riches of their " glorious kingdoms, and the honour of " their excellent rnajefty g ." It is all idle fhew, a mere fplendid nothing, when com- pared with this the nobleft of all enter- tainments. Nor is the reception which the Mafter of this feaft gives his numerous guefts, lefs kind and gracious than the feaft itfelf is fumptuous and deleclable. With infinite condefcenfion and goodnefs he fends his fervants to invite men of all defcriptions to it, with a cordiality not to be imagined he welcomes them to it, and with unex- ampled hofpitality pours upon them a pro- fufion of joys the moft refined, fubftantial, and unutterable. Happy day, when all the guefts mall be afTembled, and this glorious { Eph. ii. 7. Efther i. 4. 2 feftival 560 HoJpttaKtyl feftival (hall be celebrated in the palace of the great King above ! Let us now lay all thefe ideas together tbefitnefs of this duty the reward it brings with it the fair examples of thofe who have moil diftinguiihed themfelves by their ge- nerofity in this way arid, above all, the hofpitality of the bleJJ'ed God on whofe favour our happinefs depends j let us lay all thefe confederations together; and then afk our- felves, whether we can find it in our hearts to be felfifh, parfimonious, and inhofpitable? A man of this character is a wretch, a dif- grace to his fpecies, and deferving of the contempt and deteftation of every rational and fociable being. Such monfters there may be in our world : but fuch, furely^ are not to be found among the difciples of the kind, the benevolent, the hofpitable Jefus. It is irnpoflible that they who have fhared of his bounty, and have drank into his fpirir, mould thruft the honeft poor from their doors, mut up their bowels of companion: from the widow* the fatherlefs, and the ftranger, and have no tafle for the generous pleafures of friendship and fociety. We fpeak therefore, chriftians, a language har- monious in your ears, and congenial to your hearts, when we fay with the apoftle, Ufe hofpitality one to another, without grudging. DISCOURSE ' DISCOURSE XL Convivial Intercourfe. JOB i. 4, 5. /V Sons went andfeafted in their Houfes, every one bis Day, and fent and called for their three Sifters, to eat and to drink with them. And It was fo, when the Days of their feafting were gone about, that Job fent and fanSllfied them, and rofe up early In the Morning, and offered burnt Offerings according to the Number of them all : Jor fob fald, It may be that my Sons have Jlnned, and curfed God In their Hearts. Thus did- ^ob continually. in families, on ;?> M* occalion of marriages, births, 11 r ^ and other proiperous events ; $& have been ufuaj in moft ages and countries. And it is not to be doubted Q o that 562 Convivial Inter courfe. that the practice is innocent and commend- able. It is capable of being improved to ends the moft falutary and important 5 and on the contrary, of being abufed to purpofes very criminal and pernicious. To offer fuch advice therefore as may prevent the evils apprehended, and contribute to the chear-^. fulnefsand utility of thefe domeftick friendly aflbciations, is the objed: of this difcourfe. The ftory juft read naturally leads us to our defign : the particulars of it therefore we iLall confider and explain. It has been questioned by fome whether the ftory of Job is to be confidered in any other light than a fable or allegory, after the manner of the eafterns, and agreeable to jfome other parts of fcripture. But there does not appear to me ground fufficient to fupport this opinion. The ftory, exclufive of the difcourfe between the feveral parties, is more, told with a great air of fimplicity, and an exadtnefs of circumftances and names fcarce to be expeded in mere apologue. But befides the internal marks of its being a truehiftory, there are external ones which feem to me unanswerable : I mean, Ezekiel's mentioning Job in company with Noah and Daniel*, which it is hardly imaginable he b Ezek, xiv. 14. would Convivial Inter courfe. 563 would have done, if Job had not really ex- ifted as well as they ; and the apoftle 'James referring to his hiftory at the fame time he does to that of Chrift. ' Ye have heard " of the patience of Job, and have feen the " end of the Lord '. As to the author, it is not certain who he was, whether Job himfelf, Elibu, or Mofes. The latter feems moft likely, as the name of "Jehovah (by which God began to be known* or however chiefly known, in the time of Mofes) is Frequently ufed in the hiftorical part of the book ; whereas it is fcarcely if at all mentioned in the difcourfes which make up the chief part of the book, and which are fuppofed to have been fpoken, and indeed the whole matter to have hap- pened, before the time of the author. But Xvhoever the author was, the enquiry of the greatefl confequence to the bufinefs before us is, at what time Job lived. Now it is plain it mull have been before Mofes 's time, becaufe the age of man was then reduced to what it is now* feventy or eighty; whereas Job we find lived one hundred and forty years. It was before facrifices were con- fined to one altar, before the general apoftacy * James v. ii; 564 Convivial Inter courfe. of the nations, and when there was as yet no other idolatry but the worihip of the fun and moon, and that was punilhed by the Judges k . It was while God was known more by the name of God almighty than Jehovah, as was hinted before; and when divine knowledge was conveyed not by writing but by tradition, as feems probable from fome paffages in the courfe of the book 1 . In fine, it was evidently before the time of Mofes, becaufe no mention is made of the deliverance of the Ifraelites out of Egypt, and no reference is had to any of the cuftoms of that difpenfation. I mould fuppofe Job therefore to have lived in the patriarchal age ; perhaps about the time of Ifaac or Jacob : and very probably he was of the pofterity of Nahor, Abrahams bro- ther, whofe firft-born was Uz m . It was then in an age of great fimplicity of man- ners, but in which however idolatry began to prevail, and vice to fpread itfelf among the nations, that the fcene of this hiftory is to be placed. Now the text tells us, That the fens of Job went and feajled in their houfes, every one his day, andfent and called for their three * Ch. xxxi. 26, 28. i Ch. viii. 8, 21, 25. w Gen. xxii. zo, 21, Jijlers, Coxvtvia/ Inter courfe. 565 fifters, to eat and to drink with them. And it was fo, as he did Job, that " he is very pitiful and P p "of 578 Convivial Inter courfe. " of tender mercy*." But, in juftice to the fubjecl: before us, we cannot forbear, 2. Reflecting a moment on fome circum- ilances that contribute not a little to the mifbehaviour of fuch children. The feeds of depravity are deeply fown in our nature : and this no doubt is the grand fource from whence all the extra- vagancies of young people originate. But then there are other more immediate caufes and occafions of their degeneracy, which all operate under this firft great caufe. Too many pious parents are guilty of fatal miftakes in their manner of educating their children. They are either unrea- fonably fevere, or foolimly indulgent. In the former cafe, by treating them with ri- gour they add ftrength to thofe prejudices againft ferious religion, which are too .pre- valent in every unrenewed mind. And in the latter, by giving them their way in every thing, they fuffer their depraved paf- fions and vicious inclinations to become too turbulent to admit of any restraint. And what is the confequence? No other than might naturally be expected. Such un- happy children, growing up into life amidft 8 James v. 10, n. -wealth Cvnvtvtat Inter courfe. 579 wealth and fplendour, and having their youthful imagination ftruck with athoufand en/baring objects around them; are fuddenly precipitated into temptation, and proceeding from one failure in conduct to another are at length totally and irrecoverably ruined* Such fad inftances as thefe of parental im- prudence, and filial profligacy, cannot be enough lamented. Would to God that men of religion, who have families, would guard againft thefe fatal evils of feverhy and indulgence, which have proved the oc- cafions of the ruin of thoufands of children! But then, however parents may fail in their duty, let not, 3. Young people excufe themfelves of their follies by throwing the blame on them. Are there any of this character prefent ? Suffer me to expoftulate with you, Sirs, one moment. You are confcious to yourfelvesof great guilt. You have not liftened, as you fhould have done, to the remonftrances of reafon and confcience, You have foothed and cherimed your own depraved incli- nations, thrown yourfelves in the way of temptation, eagerly catched at every fhadow of objection to the truth of religion, and with the full confent of your hearts com- plied with the felicitations of fin. And all P p 2 the 5 So Convivial Inter courfe. the evil that hath followed, you muft ac- knowledge, you have righteoufly deferved. Think not to fkreen yourfelves behind the imprudence, or even the criminal negleds, of your parents. God is juft. And at his tribunal you muft fooner or later plead guilty. Let us therefore, 4, With all poffible earneftnefs and af- fedtion entreat young people to take warning from the deplorable inftance before us, and to be on their guard againft the dangers to which convivial indulgences will expofe them. What if the like tremendous calamities mould befal you that befel the family of Job I Wiiat if in the midft of your mirth and jollity you mould be told, as Belfoazzar was by the hand writing on the wall of his palace, that " the boafted reign of lawlefs " vice and intemperance is at an end, and " that having been weighed by God in the " balance of juftice, you are found want- " ing !" How will " your countenance," like his, " be changed, your thoughts trou- " ble you, the joints of your loins be loofed, "and your knees fmite one againft ano- " ther r !." Or if that mould not be the ' Dan. v. 6. cafe, Convmta/ Inter courfe. 581 cafe, depend upon it you will fufFer efTen- tially by thefe exceiTes in your temporal* fpiritual, and everlafting interefts. Your health will be impaired, your fubftance di- minimed, your character difgraced, and what is infinitely worfe, if mercy does not tnterpofe in a way you have little reafon to expect, your foul will be loft for ever. To what has been faid we have only to add, 5. And laftly, one word, to excite parents to the prudent and faithful difcharge of their duty. Let me afk you, my friends, whether the interests of your children do not lie near your hearts ? Would you not vvifh them to be refpectable and ufeful in this world, and for ever happy in that to come ? Look well then after their morals. Keep them out of the way of vice and lin. And do your ut- moft, in a dependance upon the divine grace, to conciliate their regards to religion that beft and nobleft of all blefTings. But your own perfonal happinefs alfo is very nearly concerned. Should you fail in the line of conduct you purfue refpecting your children, the like anguim you will feel that 'Job felt on this fad occafioh. May you efcape a forrow fo pungent, and not need be told to relieve you of defpondency, that P p 3 God 5 8 2 Convivial Inter courfe. God can overrule even this affliction for great good to you in the end, as he did to the pious patriarch, of whofe unhappy chil- dren we have been difcourfing ! PART II. THE fad ftory in our text we have con- fidered. Jo6 was a man of wealth and piety. He had a numerous family, no lefs than feven fons and three daughters. Thefe young people, poffeffing the means of diffi- pation, and having perhaps been treated by their parents with too much indulgence 5 were hurried by their violent paffions into a courfe of vicious practices. They were ufed to affemble together at each other's houfes, and, in the midft of their criminal excefTes, to trea_t the religion of their father, whofe company they cared not to enjoy on thefe occasions, with contempt. He, good man ! at home, felt no fmall pain on their account, fearing that their irreligious and riotous be- haviour would draw down the refentments of Heaven upon them. With all the ten- dernefs therefore of a parent, and all the pious fervour of a patriarch, he interpofed by prayers and facrifices on their behalf. But Convivial Intercourfe. 583 But it was too late. Being on a certain day at their eldeft brother's houfe, eating, and drinking wine; in the midft of their mirth and jollity, and probably whilft they were curfing God with their lips as well as in their hearts, there came a great wind, which inftantly deftroyed the houfe where they were thus riotoufly aflembled, and buried them beneath the ruins of it. We have made fome general reflections on this fad ftory, and proceed now to the main thing propofed ; which is, FIRST, To give fome account of the nature, origin, and ufe of Fejlivals, and more efpecially of domeftick or family entertain- ments i and then, SECONDLY, To direct to fuch a prudent arrangement of circumflances in thefe cir- cular vifits, as may prevent the irregularities they are fometimes the occalions of, and fecure all the falutary advantages propofed by them. FIRST, Fejffvafs, of which we are here to give fome general account, may be con- lidered in three views, as religious civt'/~ and domeftick. Religious fejlivals have obtained time im- memorial in all countries, among Pagans, Mahometans, Jews, and Chriftians. Dif- P p 4 miffing 584 Convivial Inter courfe. miffing however thofe of the two former profeffions, the rites and grounds of which are all of human invention, and which it is not to our purpofe here to examine j it (hall fuffice to obferve, that thofe only of the two latter owe their authority to divine appoint- ment. The feftivals enjoined by Moles were founded in reafpn, and adapted, cir- cumftanced as the Jfraelitifh nation was, to anfwer very important political and religious purpofes. But thefe feftivals are now at an end, the pofitive laws refpedting them being exprefsly repealed by the fame authority that enadted them. And under the chriftian dif- penfation, no rite of this fort that I know of is in force, but that of the Lord's fupper, This was inftituted by Chrift, who hath commanded that it mould be obferved to. the end of time $ and is with good reafon, fpoken of in the New Teftament as afeaft". As to the numerous feftivals of the Ro- mifh church, and thofe ftill retained in thq eftablifhed_church of this country, there ap- pears to me to be no foundation for them in the word of God. On the contrary, we are rather cautioned againft fuch ceremonial obfervances, as tending to enflave the minds " I Cor. v. 8, ' Of Convivial Intercourfe* 585 of men, and to beget a kind of fuperftition very injurious to religion*. To which it may be added, that the fcriptures feem to have purpofely left us in the dark about the exact time when thofe great events hap- pened, the commemoration of which on certain days is neverthelefs enjoined by hu- man authority an authority which, with all becoming deference, we are obliged to proteft againft as not competent to fuch in- junctions. But it is not our bufinefs here to enter "particularly into this argument, We muft, however, maintain that it is law- ful for any number of chriftians, with mu- tual confent, to fet apart days of thankf- giving for bleffings they have received, and days of humiliation under calamities they fuffer; nor is it only allowable to do fo, it is their incumbent duty. And indeed it ftrikes me, that it is an expreffion of very unreafonable and criminal perverfenefs in wno diflent from the eftabliihed religion of their country; to refufe, at the inftance of the civil power, to acknowledge national benefits and to deprecate national judgments. And then, as to publick fefti- \:als that are purely civil 9 and totally uncon- i Gal. iv. 9, 10, ii ^ 586 Convivial Inter courfe. nedled with religious matters, there furely can be no harm in paying a decent regard to them, provided they are held under due regulations. They have their ufe in fociety, to promote benevolence and a good under- Handing among mankind. But our view at prefent is to festivals of a private or domejlick kind, obierved by fa- milies periodically, or on occalion of prof- perous events, fuch as marriages, births, removals to new habitations, and the like. In moft ages and countries it has been ufual for relations and friends to entertain one another, on fuch occafions, at their houfes. The practice has ever been held lawful and commendable. Abraham made a feaft at the weaning of his fon Ifaac Y . Thefe cir- cular feafts in the family of y&& 9 however abufed, were conformable to the cuftom of the times. Sampfon made a feaft at his marriage which laired feven days 2 . And we read of " a yearly facrifice," or feaft, ** there was at Bethlehem, for all the family " of J e / e > the father of David *" Indeed it were endlefs to enumerate the many in- ftances of this fort which occur in the Old Teftament, And in the New, we frequently y Gen. xxi. 8, z Judges xiv. xo, 1-7. a i Sam. xx. 6. read Convivial Intercourfe. '587 read of our Saviour's being entertained at the houfes of his friends, and once of his being prefent at a marriage feafl in Cana of Galilee b . A practice therefore in which mankind have fb univerfally agreed, is no doubt natural and lawful. And as it is in- nocent, fo it is capable, if properly con- dueled, of anfwering very ufeful purpofes. The harmony of families is hereby preferved, and friendfhip among individuals promoted. Indeed the nobleft ends, civil, moral, and religious may hereby be attained. But then it muft be admitted, on the other hand, that thefe feftivities are capable of being abufed to the moil pernicious purpofes. They have fometimes proved the unhappy occafions of intemperance, animofity, and ilander; or at lead of indecent levity and diffipation. We will go on therefore, SECONDLY, To offer fome advice refpec"l- ing the management of thefe circular vifits, in order to prevent the irregularities jufl mentioned, and to fecure the falutary ad- vantages propofed. Here it muft be obferved, before we pro-> ceed, that the company on thefe occafions is fuppofed to confift of various forts of b John ii. i, 2. perfons 4 $88 Convivial Intercourfe. perfons, fome elder and others younger 5 ibme ferious arid others gay,- but. all of them relations and friends, and of decent reputable characters. And their object, we take it for granted, is relaxation, and the enjoyment of a chearful afternoon and even- ing together. Thus circumftanced permit me, Sirs, to exhort you, i . To beware of Intemperance. You are now under a temptation to this great evil. For though good manners may fecure you from brutal excefs, yet fitting down at a table covered with delicacies, your appetite keen, your hoft generous, and your aflbciates all of them briik and gay; you are in danger of going beyond the ftri<5t bounds of fobriety. Be therefore on your guard. Remember intemperance is an odious vice, difpleafing to God, degrading to human nature, and productive of the mofl pernicious confequences. Befides the injury it does the conflitution, it deprives perfons of many rational and manly plea- fures they might expect to enjoy on thefe eccaiions, makes them difagreeable to each other, excites animofity, and if carried to the utmoll length, brings- deftruction after it. The manner in which the feafts fpoken qf in our text were conducted, and the event Convivial Inter courfe* 589 event of them, very well juitify the fufpicion that intemperance reigned in the family of *job. His fons and daughters, as we have feen, and their companions met together to make merry. They eat and drank with- out regard either to health or decency. They grew noify and quarrelfome. From one excefs they proceeded to another. Till at length, having curfed God in their hearts, they curfed him with their lips. Horrid impiety ! And what was the confequence ? Juftice revenged the infult offered toHeaven, and thefe daring tinners were inftantly buried beneath the ruins of this wretched temple, confecrated to vice and debauchery. To enjoy the bleffings of providence, and to be more than ordinarily pleafant on thefe occaiions, is by no means criminal. You may eat, and drink, and be chearful, with- out offending either God or man. But if you exceed depend upon it you will pay dearly for it : you will fuffer in your health, your character, and your peace. Let the matter of the family, therefore, take heed that he does not tempt his guefts to intem- perance, by prefenting them with too great a variety and abundance, or with delicacies unfuitable to their rank and to bis circum- fbnces. Let there be plenty without luxury: and 59 CfelWWWW Intercourfe. and let the rule obferved at Ahafhuerus's feaft be ftridtly regarded, * to compel no one to eat or drink beyond his inclination V And let the guefts, amidft all the eafe and freedom that mould prevail on thefe occa- fions, fee to it they do not tranfgrefs the bounds of moderation. It is related of the Egyptians* by Hero- dotus and others, that in order to prevent irregularities at their entertainments, and to give fome check to exceffive mirth ; they were ufed to bring into the room after fup- per, when they began their wine, a coffin with the image of a dead man carved in wood, (probably the embalmed remains of fome anceftor of the family.) This fpectacle was prefented to each of the com- pany by a perfon, whofe office it was to pronounce diftinctly the following words, ' Look upon this, and be merry : for fuch " as this, when dead, malt thou beV A ftrange ceremony this ! It (hews, however, in what abhorrence this very extraordinary people held thofe extravagancies, which too often difgrace publick and domeflick fefti- vities. Solomon was a wife and good man. He knew what danger young people are ~\ " c Either i. 8. * Herod, lib. ii. .45. a expofed Convivial Inter courfe. 59 1 expofed to, efpecially on thefe occafions. Nor can we do them a kinder office than to \vhifper in their ears thofe memorable words of his, when they are thus tempted to ex- cels " Rejoice, O young man, in thy " youth, and let thy heart chear thee in " the days of thy youth, and walk in the " ways of thy heart, and in the fight of " thy eyes : out know thou, that for all " thefe things God will bring thee into " judgment V 2. Let good order be obferved. Chearfulnefs is an idea always connected with feftivity : nor can there be chearful- nefs where there is not freedom and eafe ; and to impofe difagreeable reftraints upon our guefls, would be deemed illiberal and ill-mannerly. But as the company is often on thefe occafions large, and made up of perfons of different denominations, ages y and tempers ; and as young people, amidft all the gaiety of a feftival, are in danger of falling before they are aware into irre- gularities ; fome kind of controlling in- fluence, fo delicately managed as fcarcely to be perceived, fhould pervade through the aflembly. And where fhould this influence e Ecclef. xi, 9. be 592 Convivial Inter courfe. he lodged, or by whom can it be fo properly exerted, as the head of the family ? The prefence of a venerable parent or grand-fire, will of itfelf have an effect to prevent in- decent levities ; and Should any improper behaviour take place, no one will object td the interpofition of fuch authority. Had yob prefided, or at leaft been prefent at his eldeft fon's houfe, when the feaft of which our text fpeaks was celebrated; the evil that happened there would in all probability have been prevented. I know it will be faid, that old folks are not fit company for young people; and that, upon thefe occafions, when it is expected all ihould be fprightly and gay, it may be as well for the grave and gloomy to be abfent. And indeed I mould think fo too, if age and feverity, religion and gloominefs, were fy-* nonimous terms, or qualities totally infe- parable. But furely this is not the cafe. Why may not elderly people be good-na- tured and chearful ? And who will venture to affirm that religion makes men four, tho' fome who profefs it may be fo ? Be that however as it will, good fenfe would teach the heads of families fo to conduct them- felves on thefe occafions as to render their company agreeable, and their authority at 2 the Convivial Inter courje. 9 3 the fame time refpectable. Why cannot parents, for a few hours, accommodate themfelves to their children ? Why not make all proper allowances for them, re^ membring that they too were once children^ and had the fame paffions thefe young folks have ? Why not endeavour to infinuate themfelves into their affections, by all the good-natured arts which parental fondnefs and prudence fuggeft ? Can any one be fo morofe as to find fault with this ? Is there a man fo deftitute of the feelings of humanity, as not to be pleafed with the fight of a fond father, encircled by a numerous offspring, fmiling upon them, partaking with them in their amufements, diverting them with pleafant flories, and doing all in his power to make them happy? No. It is a lovely fight. And this affectionate affability of parents, or thofe who preiidc on thefe oc- cafions, is the rather to be recommended, as it will enable them to convey instruction to the minds of their young guefts in the fofteft manner, and fecure to themfelves an authority over them which will effectually reftrain them from all irregularities. By fuch means then mould good order be pre- ferved on thefe occafions. But it is further neceffary to this end, 3, That 594 Convivial Inter courfe. 3. That every one mould take care to keep a due command of his temper. The kind of company we are fpeaking of refembles that of the community at large. It confifts, as that does, of perfons of va- rious ages, characters, paffions, and con- ditions. Wherefore the general rules adopted by all wife and good men for re- gulating their conduct in the publick walk of life, mould be obferved here. And none of them perhaps is of more confequence than that we have juft mentioned. Among ten or a dozen met together in a family- way, fome in all likelihood will have their peculiarities of temper and manners. And in an unguarded moment, fprightly young people may, for the fake of a little innocent mirth, carry their raillery to too great a length : fo an individual may be difgufted, and in the end the good humour of the whole company interrupted. This evil therefore mould be avoided, and efpecially every thing that looks like ill-natured in- vective', or malevolent farcafm. What pity to bear hard on any one perfon ! It is un- generous and unmanly. And, on the contrary, none mould be difpofed to put an ill-con ftruction on what another haftily fays. Or if the language is pointed, tviat Inter coiirfc. 5 9 pointed, the edge of it fhould be blunted by the good nature of him to whom it is di- reded -, at leaft prudence fliould teach him to conceal the pain he may be fuppofed to feel, rather than unduly refent it. And it is happy when thofe who are by know how to throw in a word, which like oil may fmooth the ruffled paffions before they burfl into aftorm. Such a command of people's tempers will prevent animofityand confufion* contribute mightily to eafe and harmony, and open the way to all the innocent plea- fures of convivial intercourfe. In Ihort, it fhauld be the wifh of every one to make the reft happy; and not only ill-humour, but wit itfelf, mould be facrificed to that ob- ject. -Which leads us, 4, To point out the amufements proper to be adopted on thefe chearful occaiions. In mixed companies, fuch as thefe are fuppofed to be, it will require fome inge- nuity to adjuft matters fo as that all maybe entertained and improved : and yet upon re- flection we (hall find this to be no very diffi- cult bufmefs. With refpecl ro the younger part of the company there are devices enough to be contrived to pleafe their imagination, and exercife their wits : nor will it be un- amufing to the elder, who cannot forget that 2 they 596 " Convivial Inter courfe. they too were one day children, to be fpec- tators of thefe diverfions, if not actors ire them. Human nature is the fame in every age, and an infpired prophet, in order to exprefs the future profperity of the Jews in a ftriking manner, is allowed to hold up to their view the lively and pleafing idea of "' Jerufalem being full of boys and girls " playing in the ftreets thereof V But, en- tertaining as it muft be to the moft fenfible people to fhare awhile in the innocent pafti-mes of children, friendly difcourfe ihould no doubt be the main employment of grown people during thefe hours of re- laxation. To fay how fuch difcourfe mould be managed will require fome attention. This however we mall attempt. In the mean time give me leave to proteft againft all amufements that are erifnaring, pernicious , and of ill-report. Perhaps it may be deemed an argument of too great precifenefs and inflexibility to the cuftom of the times, to rank among thefe the pre- vailing amufement of cards. And indeed he mull: have little knowledge of the world, who mould expe Convivial Inter courft, gree, in forne inftances, which will not allow us to doubt that if Satan were afked (as he was in the courfe of the ftory we have been relating) <{ Whence comeft thou ?" his an- fwer would be, " From going to and fro " in the houfes where gaming is pradifed." *' But, fay you, the moment I find this eager defire of gain excited, or feel myfelf difturbed with peevimnefs, ill-humour, or anger, I will throw alide my cards." That is right. But can you be fure you will have fo much command over yourielf ? Be advifed then. It is better not to play at all, than to hazard the decifion of this queftion. So you will be fafe. Qbfta principiis. "Well, but if there is fo much danger of your paf- lions being unduly engaged, you will pre- vent the evil, by refolving henceforth that you will rifque nothing, or a,t leaft nothing that lhall be an object with you.' 1 Very well ! But to venture nothing, or what is no object:, is to deprive the game of its principal allurement, to make it dull and infipid, and to degrade it to a rank with the mofl trifling amufements. And now, the queftion brought to this point, what can you fay more in favour of this practice, but that it is with you an affair of indifference ; for fo that muft be confidered Convivial Intercourfe. 599 confidered which does not at all intereft the paffions. And if it ftands thus in your mind, may you not as well have nothing at all to do with it ? But to give the fcale a turn, and determine you to a negative, let me collecl: what has been faid in a few words, and add fome other reafons of a collateral kind, which, I think a man of prudence and ferious piety muft acknowledge, have at leaft fome weight in them. It is admitted, that it is an enfnaring^ diverfion ; that multitudes have been eiTen- tially hurt by it, infomuch that in fome cafes it is laid under a legal reftraint; that many who do not reprobate it as abfolutely criminal, yet think it wrong to countenance what hath been upon the whole the occafion of much evil ; that among a great number of ferious people it is confidered as of ill- refute ; that felf-denial even in indifferent matters, and a caution not to give offence to our chriftian brethren, are llrongly re- commended in fcripture; and laftly, that he who upon thefe considerations abftains is by no means chargeable with guilt ; but on the contrary, efcapes entanglements, fecures to himfelf leifure for profitable and manly amufements, and is fure of having the pleafant reflection, that if he has erred, it 4 Has 6 oo Convivial Inter courfe. has been on the fide that is leaft hazardous. All this, I prefume will be admitted. And if fo, I afk, Is there no weight in thefe confederations, to induce a prudent and good man to decline this pradtice which fo ge- nerally prevails ? Should it be faid, as indeed it often is, that it is better to be thus employed than in flandering our neighbours, or fullering our children to go into the indecent and noify levities too common on the convivial occafions we are difcourling of; all I have to reply is, that if the alternative is una-r voidable, no doubt the leaft evil of the two fhould be chofen. But this is not the only alternative, as we are now to (hew, by giving fome directions refpecling the management of convivial difcourfe g . % The Spectator gives us the following little anecdote of Mr. Locke. " Being invited to dine with the then Lords ' Hallifax, Anglefea, and Sbaftjbury \ immediately after * dinner, inflead of converfation, the cards were called ' for, where the bad or good fuccefs, produced the ufual ' paffions of gaining. Mr. Locke retiring to a window, and * writing, my Lord Anglefea defired to know what he was * writing : Wby, my Lords, anfwered he, / could not. Jleep 1 laft night for the pleafure and improvement I expefled front. ' the convtrfation of the great eft men of the age. This fo ' fenfibly ftung them that they gladly compounded to ' throw their cards in the fire if he would his paper, and fo f a converfation enfued fit for fuchperfons." N 533. Chearfulnefs. Convivial Intercourfe. 60 1 Chearfulnefs is the main thing on thefe occafions, but no one, methinks, can object to the mingling profit with pleafure. Con^ verfation refembles commerce, and a little party collected around a winter's fire maybe conlidered as a company trading upon one joint flock of knowledge, wit, and virtue. Mutual freedom, confidence, and good-na- ture are neceflury to the right management of this bufinefs. Nothing (hould be forced, but all flow on with eafe and pleafantry. But here we muft beg leave again to put in our caveat againft that illicit kind of com- merce juft now referred to, I mean the wan- tonly meddling with the characters and af- fairs of other people. This is a trade that can bring no profit, though it may fomq pleafure a fort of pleafure, if it may be called fuch, that is procured at an enormous expence. The dealer in this contraband bufinefs muft have a very depraved heart ; and, if detraction and malevolence can make him happy, for that happinefs he muft be content to part with the good opinion and efteem of the company. But- Procul y 6 procul efle profani ^Let all fuch profane abufers of the rites of convivial intercourfe be driven hence. YOU will fay then, What muft we about ?- 602 Convivial Intercourse. about? What? furely people of good fenfe, and fuch you wim to be confidered, cannot be at a lofs for fubjects to difcourfe of. Let tbe whole ftock of your little party be fairly brought to market, and there will be no want of ufeful and pleafant commo- dities to traffick with. Are you all ftrangers to hiftory, bufmefs, nature, morality, and religion ? No. Thefe fources then will furnim an ample fupply for the entertain- ment of the evening. Suppofe fome one were to relate a re- markable incident in the flory of his an- ceftors, his family, or his country ; upon that tale would hang another, and thefe pleafantly told would not fail to inftruct and amufe. Suppofe the conversation ihould turn upon matters of trade and commerce, may it not be fo managed as to divert at the fame time it informs ? Or if a curious queftion refpecling any of the works of nature is Started, think you that fome prefent of a fprightly imagin~ ation are not capable of investigating it, fo as to create admiration and pleafure ? Young people have memories : and why may they not be allowed to recite pro- ductions of innocent wit and pleafantry in poetick numbers ? Who Shall be offended at Convivial Intercourfe. 603 at the entertainment? Or if the attention ihould be led by fome circumftance to a point of morality, may not the difcufiion of it for half an hour very agreeably engage your judgment and paffions ? Some events of a lingular kind may have happened to this or that perfon in the courfe of the paft year, either efcapes from eminent danger, or the acquifition of fome unexpected good. Why may not fuch events, with all the cir- cumftances of them, be related ; and fo the whole company become marers with their friend in his happinefs, and enjoy with him a grateful remembrance of the feafonable interpolation of Providence ? I will add, if there is a prudent, pious, chearful chriflian in the circle; why may he not be vallowed to throw in now and then a hint or reflection of a religious kind ? It may ihed light on the mind, and do good to the heart, without favouring of affectation, or tending to give (difguft. And fuch hint or reflection leading on to further difcourfe of the fame nature, (if it meet the approbation of the company) will put them all, it is to be hoped, into a temper to attend, 5. To the duties of family worfhip. I am aware the very mention of family- worftiip on thefe occafions, will be apt to give 604 Convivial Intercourfe. give offence to fome fort of people. But why? Is there any thing in this fervice in*- compatible with the chearfulnefs of a fefti- val ? Surely it is not, at leaft it ought not to be, a tedious, formal, uninterefting bu- finefs. And if there is a dated feafon for it in the houfe where we are affembled, what decent fatisfaclory reafon can be afiigned for fetting it afide ? It will not take up much time: and to fay your minds are fo diffipated that you cannot compofe yourfelves to it, is in effect to fay that your mirth has exceeded the bounds of prudence. And will fuch excufe be pleafing to God or to yourfelves on the reflection ? How difmgenuous to make your duty to him, from whom you derive all the pleafures of convivial inter- courfe, fervilely yield to your ungenerous abufe of thofc pleafures ! On the contrary, will not a quarter of an hour fpent in prayer and praife to God, be likely to have the happieft and moft falutary effect ? It will recall your wandering thoughts and pallions to the fupreme Good. It will revive, in your breads a pleafant remembrance of your obligations, as a family, to the Father of mercies. It will put you in perfect good humour with one another, and fend you to your feveral houfes and your reft with eafy minds, if not joyful hearts. And Convivial Inter courfe. 605 And now to this arrangement of circurn- flances, relative to family-afTociations, we might oppofe the irregularities too frequent on fuch occafions ; and draw an argument from thence to enforce what we have been recommending. But I do not mean here to lead you into 'houfes where grofs immo- ralities are pracftifed. Scenes of intempe- rance, lewdnefs, and profanenefs, fuch as drew down the vengeance of Heaven upon the families of "Job, E/t, Aaron and others; are too painful to be held up to the view of a virtuous mind. And no perfon who h any regard to decency, will heiitate a mo- ment to determine, whether the pleafures of an evening fpent in the manner we have re- commended, are not far preferable to thofe of lawlefs mirth and diflipation. But what I mean to obferve is, that the little trifling amufements mentioned above as proper for children, and very allowable on thefe occafions; mould not wholly engrofs the time of grown people. Such diverfions may for a while give pleafure : but is that pleafure comparable to the entertainment re- fulting from the rational amufements wehave propofed? The freely difcourfmg on fubjecls civil, moral, and divine is a manly, chear- ful, and improving way of fpending our leifure 606 , Convivial Inter courfe. leifure hours. Knowledge thus circulated, with all the aid that variety of wit, ima- gination, and reafon can give it; will en- tertain and enrich the whole company : and the focial affections hereby excited will en- liven the animal fpirits, and add a glow of real pleafure to the heart. Every one will be delighted with this gainful commerce, carry away with him the moft agreeable re- flections, and impatiently wifh for the next return of thefe convivial meetings. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE XII. Heaven confidered as a Family. JOHN xiv. 2. In my Fathers Houfe are many Manfions $ if it iv ere not fo , I would have told you ; I go to prepare a Place for you. M O N G the many figures ufed % in fcripture to reprefent the " $ bleflednefs of heaven, none is ' 0@^@ieJ more inftrudive and pleafing than that of a Family. Domeflick con- nedtions are the firft in nature, and if the duties refulting from them were rightly dif- charged, they would be produdive of the nobleft enjoyments. With -the affiftance therefore of this figure we propofe now to lead you into a contemplation on the joys of heaven ; and from thence to derive an argument in favour of thofe tempers and 2 duties 608 Heaven confidered as a Family. duties which have been fo largely explained and recommended in the preceding dif- courfes. Now it will be neceiTary, at our entrance on this delightful fubject, to pre- fent you with the pidture of a family that approaches as near to perfection as poffible;. Such a picture we fhall draw. Excufe me if the colouring is too high. We mean it iliould glow on the bofom of the beholder, and kindle there all the paflions of ad- miration, delight, and rapture. The family we have in our eye (and I flatter myfelf more than one fuch family has exifted in our world) were in affluent circumftances. Their habitation was neat, convenient, and elegant ; it did honour to the Hull of the architect, without offending the fimplicity of nature. The father was a wife, affectionate, good man : a fincere dif- ciple of the meek and lowly Jefus, whofe doctrine he profefled, and whofe example he followed. A rich treafure of knowledge he had acquired, and with it the happy art of communicating that knowledge to others in a plain, eafy, and pleafant manner. The welfare of thofe entrusted to his care lay near his heart, and the fchemes he daily planned for promoting it, which originated in prudence and benevolence, fucceeded to 2 his Heaven confidered as a Pamily. 6dcf his wifh. His fervent piety, like the pre- cious ointment that ran down from the head of Aaron to the fkirts of his garment, dif- fufed its facred fragrance through all the houfe. The counfels of divine wifdom, which flowed like a filver ftrearn from his lips, were fweetly mingled with the moft pleafing expreffions of paternal tendernefs and love; and his was the felicity to per- fuade with greater energy by his example than his words. The partner of his life, inexprerTibly dear to him, had all the charms which virtue and religion could add to a form that com- manded admiration and love. She was mo- deft, prudent, and kind. Her happinefs coniifted in attaching the affections of her family to herfelf, and fo difpofing the affairs of it as that harmony and chearfulnefs mould prevail through the houfe : and the meafures me took to this end were followed with the fame fuccefs that crowned the generous offices of her hufband. Nor was me lefs attentive than he to the duties fhe owed to God : her devotion was as lincere, though perhaps more rapturous than his. Such being the character of thefe amiable people, it is not to be wondered that they reigned fecurely in the affections of their domefticks; R r and 6 1 o Heaven confidered as a Family. arid poffefled an authority over them, on all occafions cordially acknowledged without their feeming to affert it. Their children (for they had a numerous family) inherited the virtues of their parents, as well as a linking refemblance of their perfons. While young they fondly hung on the bofom of the mother, amply re- warding maternal attention and care with the playful and endearing fmiles of infant- fimplicity. Beauty bloomed in their coun- tenances i and as the powers of reafon ex- panded, the feeds of religion, which had been carefully fown in their breafts, fprung up under a divine influence, and promifed a fair and joyful harveft. They knew, they felt, they acknowledged their ignorance, guilt, and depravity -, and looked for pardon and eternal life through the mediation and grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift. Each ftep they advanced towards manhood, furnifbed fome pleafing proof of their progrefs in knowledge, purity, and benevolence. Fi- lial obedience was their delight, and when a temptation to undutifulnefs at any time found accefs to their imagination, it was quickly oppofed by the warm refentments of unconquerable attachment. The focial commerce daily carried on between their parents Heaven confdered as a Family. 6 1 1 parents and them, in the mod foft and eafy manner, was a continual fource of growing pleafure to them both : as was alfo the commerce that fubfifted among themfelves. Friendfhip, that balm of human life, was here enjoyed with little or no interruption. A mutual exchange of fentiments and paf- fions, accompanied with a thoufand offices of generous love, confirmed the union na- ture had created. And fo they were happy in a degree beyond what is ufual in the pre- fent life. They tenderly bore each other's griefs, and fincerely mared in each other's joys. " How good, how pleafant muft it " have been to behold brethren thus dwell- " ing together in unity !" The characters, too, and deportment of the fervants were fuch as entitled them> not only to the good-will, but the affection of the family. They were modefl, faithful, diligent, and chearful j contented and happy in their flations, and ever difpofed to do their duty from motives of love as well as intereft. The golden rule " of doing to vz!;fu [J-tXpi vvv dec/?, yoi'tu&ir, et^tX- " po/<> ywajx,i, Tiitvoif, cPtf'a./rx.aXoif, nrpo^-vyt, qtKMf t ffOI fJ-iypl I VV 4 O ^_ & I ^ i 1 5 > I* s I INfl3\\ r-s si s % ^r: 1111 ^ tl I i' %UDNVSO^ ^5 IK 5 => = rf zz = 1 3 I 3 S *= ^> <-5 I ^ i? x"^^ . 05 ft 2 IV /y^ i 25 VI i Tin S i i iii c: iii 000 022 807 2 \ f r s* I* o r^ "- I I EDNIVER% 1 i i ? i