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THE

Obligations

FROM NATURE AND REVELATION

ΤΟ

FAMILY RELIGION AND WORSHIP,

REPRESENTED AND PRESSED

IN

SIX SERMONS,

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TO THE READER.

THE favourable acceptance, which the generality of serious christians have given to Mr. Howe's late posthumous treatise concerning the prosperous state of the Christian Interest before the end of time, hath encouraged me to take the same pains in fitting for the press the following sermons of the same excellent author concerning family-religion. The copy, transcribed by some unknown, but skilful hand, different from that by which the sermons already published were preserved, was communicated to me by my worthy friend Mr. Herman Hood.

In the treatise just mentioned, Mr. Howe speaks of this as one of the ways, by which we may hope that the Spirit poured out will produce the better state of religion which we are expecting, namely, by means of family order* more generally and vigorously set on foot among the professors of Christianity. And certainly we cannot reasonably entertain strong hopes of the revival of the power of godliness either in our own age or the succeeding, till this necessary part of the form of it becomes general among christians. As long as a customary neglect prevails in seasoning the rising age with proper instructions in the families to which they belong; while our youth, that spring from parents or are intrusted with masters who bear a Christian name, grow up altogether disused from the daily exercises of social piety; the seed of the church will soon be lost among the men of the world, and religion must die away without some very supernatural reviving.

* Page 260.

This just apprehension occasioned that agreement among the protestant dissenting ministers of this city, of which mention is made at the beginning of these discourses, that were preached in pursuance of it in the year 1693, to engage the attention of their several congregations at one and the same time to this very great and important duty. Mr. George Hammond at that time published a discourse upon the subject, at the desire of the united ministers; to which Mr. Matthew Barker annexed an appendix: and Mr. I have Samuel Slater printed a course of sermons upon the head. been nformed that, that general endeavour had the good effect by God's blessing to dispose several heads of families to set up religious exercises in them.

Another effort was made lately with as general concurrence by our ministers in the city, on November. 20. 1720, to enforce the same needful practice; I hope not altogether without success.

But still is there not too visible reason to fear, that the neglect of family-religion is a growing evil among us? Without prying unnecessarily into the affairs of families, it is unavoidable to those who have any conversation in the world, to hear from such as have been servants or residents in the houses of many who make great pretensions to religion without doors, that there is no more acknowledgment of God among them in daily family-devotion, than if they believed no such being.

I thought therefore, that it might be serviceable to publish this short set of discourses upon the argument; which appear to me to have placed the duty upon the most clear and indisputable foot, so as to be fit to reach all that are open to conviction; with a plainness for the greatest part suitable to the meanest capacity, and yet with a strength not to be evaded by the most judicious, and at the same time with a life and spirituality fit to impress every serious

mind.

It is no wonder to find people, who evidently discover a disaffection to religion, hardly drawn to the stated practice of its exercises in their houses. Till their hearts are touched with a lively sense and relish of true piety, it cannot be expected that they should be forward this way, but rather keep themselves in countenance in their neglect by the number of like examples among such as have not cast off all pretence to religion. The wonder is, that any, who give reason from the rest of their conduct for apprehending them in the judgment of charity to have religion at heart, yet should omit so plain and profitable a duty.

The common reasons alleged by such are, either their inability to express themselves properly in family-devotion; or an insuperable modesty, which will not allow them to speak before others with any freedom of thought or tolerable possession of themselves.

And I freely allow, that the one or the other of these may be the case with persons sincerely religious, so far as to hinder them from the performance of family-worship to edification, at least at first, without the assistance of forms, But in God's name let none continue the omission of so plain a duty, out of a superstitious preju

dice againt precomposed prayers. Our forefathers the puritans were far from having an aversion to forms as such. Nor is our dissent founded upon a dislike of all use of them even in public; we only declare against the use of some passages which appear to us excep tionable, and against being so tied down to them, as to be obliged invariably to use them without alteration or addition. Most sober writers have concurred in advising to make use of them in the cases mentioned, till people can arrive at more improvement of judgment and a greater presence of mind. Many dissenters have published "forms for the assistance of those" to whom they were needful: as in Mr. Baxter's family-book; Mr. Murray's closet-devotions, recommended by Mr. Henry: Mr. Henry hath published some himself, at the end of his method of prayer. And as Mr. Howe in one of the following discourses declares his judgment for the use of them, rather than the duty should be omitted; so his practice was agreeable. There is a small book in octavo, entitled "prayers for families," printed by Mr.Thomas Parkhurst without any author's name, about the year 1795; of which the late reverend Mr. Jeremiah Smith gave me this account many years ago. Upon the marriage of a daughter of the right honourable Philip Lord Wharton, the lady being desirous to have the worship of God kept up in the family into which she was entering, requested Mr. Howe, Mr. William Taylor then his Lordship's chaplain, and Mr. Smith, to draw up some prayers for that purpose. Mr. Smith, according to his usual modesty, declined bearing a part in the service. But Mr. Howe and Mr. Taylor complied with the request; and their composures were privately printed, and made use of in that Lady's family.

I only mention these things, to prevent the misapprehension of any, as if in what I have said I had offered any thing singular. All who love religion in earnest, whether in or out of the public establishment, whether in their judgments they prefer praying by forms or otherwise, will I doubt not agree in this; that it is better that God should be worshipped either the one way or the other, both in secret, and in families, and in public assemblies, than that men should live in any of these respects, as 66 without God in the world".

But

For my own part, I should be glad that every head of a family were fully capable from time to time to represent the case of that under his charge with propriety and life, in supplication and praise and confession, according to all varying circumstances. where that cannot be, yet I rejoice to know or to hear of a family, that seriously and solemnly calls upon the Lord in any way. Those who begin with a form, may find themselves gradually emboldened to go farther; and either totally in time lay that way aside; or sometimes pray the one way and sometimes the other, as they fiud the temper of their spirits to be; or, if they cannot get over the difficulties, which first made it necessary for them to use the assistance of other's composures, yet they may be able gradually to intersporse a sentence here and there suitable to special occurrences in their family, without any tremor.

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