Vol. II.weight, and the fin that does easily beset w you ; that you would not be flothful in

the work of God, but followers of those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises, that you would, with all your might, press on towards that Heaven which Christ has purchas'd for you by his Blood, which the Spirit of God prepares you for, to which God incessantly calls and invites you, where, when we come, our pious Friends that are gone before us, will welcome us with transporting Expres. sions of Love and Joy, and we our selves shall one day welcome those whom we leave here behind us.

197

of Families.

Joshuah XXIV. 15.
But as for me and my House, we will serve

the Lord.

TH

Here is nothing obscure or diffi

cult in the sense of these words, nor can you possibly be ignorant of the Occasion of them ; I will not therefore spend time in needless Descants or Reflections on the one or the other. My business (ball be to press and stir up all Masters of Families, to imitate the excellent Example in my Text, and to prevail with every one of them to make the same Resolution which JoJonah here does, As for me and my house,

&c. I need not tell you how seasonable a Discourse, on this Subject, is this Day: We complain of the decay of Vertue and Goodness, and the increase and growth of Prophaneness and Immorality, and we seem earnestly to long and groan for a Reformation, I cannot think on any way by which it

may

Vol. II. may be more wisely begun, or effectue

ally carried on, theo by awakening and
reviving the Conscience of their Duty
in the Masters of Families, and en.
kendling in their Breasts a Zeal for the
Honour of God, and the Good of
those Souls that are committed by him
to their trust.

To this end I will discourse from the
Text of two things :

1. The Dúty of Masters of Families.
II. The best way of putting it in prea

Etice.

As to the first, the Doctrine contained in these words, is plainly this, That every Master of a Family ought to promote Religion in it as much as in him lies.To move you to this consider these three things :

1. 'Tis your Duty, and therefore, without a conscientious discharge of it, I see not how you can secure your own Souls.

2. You have good reason to promise your selves good success in the difcharge of this Duty, and this is a great Encouragement.

3. Though this be at all times a standing Duty, yet we lye under pecu

liar Obligations to it this day, as more Vol. II. seasonable and necessary than ever.

I. 'Tis our Duty, whether we con-
sider our selves as Parents and Masters,
as good Christians, or as Men. i. As
Parents and Masters. I need not tell
you that Church and Kingdom were
originally shut up within the narrow
Bounds of single Families, and Prince
and Priest enclosed within the bosom
of the Father ; nor are these tyės dis-
solved by the cementing many Fami-
lies into a greater Kingdom, fill the
Master of the Family is invested with
a Soveraignty over this little Body, with
à Priesthood over his little Flock; and,
this Dominion is founded in Nature
and Reason, and in all those Texts of
Scripture where Children and Servants
are enjoyn'd Honour and Obedience
towards their parents and Masters.
Does God now, think yè, confer this
Power and Authority upon you to no
end ? does he commit this Trust to
you, without any purpose of calling
you to an account for it? will God
judge and punish Princes for neglect-
ing the Interest of Religion in their
Kingdoms, and will he pass over the

Negligence

Vol. II. Negligence of Masters of Families ? will w God require the Blood of a Sinner at

the hands of a negligent Watchman, a careless Prophet or Priest, & will he not require the Soul of a Child or Servant at the hands of a negligent Master or Parent ? But what need I infer this Duty from Reasons and Arguments ; is it not exprefly enjoynd, both in the Old Testament and the New ? Thus Eph. 6. 4. Parents are commanded to breed up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and Servants are here, and every where else supposed and included in the same Precepts, as Members of the same Family." And what is more, not only subje& to the same Domestick Authority, but redeemed by the same Blood, and Heirs of the same Hope. In the Old Testament this Duty is very frequently and very earnestly inculcated: Deut. 2.9. Only take heed to thy self, and keep thy soul diligently, left thou forget the things which thine eyes have

seen, and left they depart from thine heart all the days of thy life; but teach them thy fons, and thy Sons fons. Chapter 32. 26. Set

your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day, which ye shall com