Verse 8
But if any provide not for his own.
The necessity and excellence of family religion
I. I shall prove that family religion is a duty, from the light of nature and of scripture.
1. If family religion be a just debt to the supreme Being, upon account of His perfections and the relation He sustains to us as families, then it must be our duty to maintain it according to the law of nature. Now this is the case in fact. God is the most excellent of beings, and therefore worthy of homage in every capacity, from His reasonable creatures. Again, God is the author of our sociable natures, and as such claims social worship from us. Again, God is the proprietor, supporter, and benefactor of our families, as well as of our persons, and therefore our families as such should pay Him homage. He is the owner of your families, and where is the man that dares deny it?
2. If family religion was the principal design of the institution of families, then is family religion our indispensable duty. And that family religion was the principal end of the institution is evident; for can you think that God would unite a member of immortals, heirs of the eternal world, together in the most intimate bonds, in this state of trial, without any reference to their future state? Were your families made for this world only, or for the next?
3. If family religion tends to the greatest advantage of our families, then it is our duty; and to neglect it is wickedly to rob ourselves and ours of the greatest advantage.
4. You are to consider family religion not merely as a duty imposed by authority, but as your greatest privilege granted by Divine grace. I now proceed to some arguments more purely Scriptural, which prove the necessity of family religion in general, or of some particular branch of it.
(1) We may argue from the examples of the saints, recorded and commended in Scripture (Genesis 18:16; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 26:25; Genesis 25:1; Genesis 25:3; Genesis 33:20).
(2) We may argue from several Scripture precepts, which either directly or consequentially refer to the whole, or to some branch of family religion. The apostle Paul, having given various directions about relative duties in families, subjoins, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). Peter exhorts “husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge, etc., that their prayers might not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7), which certainly implies that they should pray together. I proceed--
II. To show in what seasons, or how frequently, family religion should be statedly performed. Now it is more than intimated in Scripture, that it should be performed every day, and particularly morning and evening. Thus the sacrifices under the law, which were attended with prayer, were offered daily, morning and evening. To this the Psalmist alludes: “Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense” which was offered in the morning, “and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalms 141:2). He elsewhere resolves, “Every day will I bless Thee” (Psalms 145:2). Yea, his devotion was so extraordinary, that he resolves, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud” (Psalms 55:17). So Daniel performed family worship thrice a day.
III. I shall consider, what particular obligation the heads of families lie under, and what authority they are invested with to maintain religion in their houses. In all societies there must be a subordination, and particularly in families, and it is the place of the head of such societies to rule and direct. Particularly it belongs to the head of a family, when there is no fitter person present, to perform worship in it, to use proper means to cause all his domestics to attend upon it.
IV. And lastly, I come to answer the usual objections against this important duty of family religion.
1. “I have no time, and my secular business would suffer by family religion.”
2. “I have no ability to pray; I am too ignorant.”
3. “I am ashamed.”
4. “But, alas! I know not how to begin it.”
5. “But my family will not join with me.”
6. “But I shall be ridiculed and laughed at.” (S. Davies, M. A.)
Home claims
If any one provide not for his own kindred, and for those of his own house, as parents or children, he lives in a manner so contrary to the Christian faith, that he, in fact, denies it, and is worse than an infidel. “Indeed,” says Archbishop Seeker, “Nature as well as Christianity enjoins this domestic duty so strongly, that the whole world cries out shame where it is neglected.” That man, therefore, deserves censure, who, intent on the interests of others, disregards his own. The astrologer who was looking at the stars, and telling the fortunes of his neighbours, did not see the pit which lay at his feet, and into which he fell. It is well to do a good turn to a stranger, or even to an enemy, but “not to bulge our own vessel in attempting to raise that of our neighbour,” as the following story from AEsop may show. “A wolf that lay licking his wounds, and extremely faint and ill from the bite of a dog, called out to a sheep passing by, ‘Hark’ ye, friend, if you would but help me to a sup of water out of yonder brook, I would manage myself to get something to eat.’ ‘Yes,’ said the sheep, ‘I make no doubt of it; but when I bring you drink, my carcase shall serve you for meat.’“
Be the first to react on this!
