SERM. of Chrift, with good will doing fervice, as to II. the Lord, and not to men. It is common to hear people complain of the increafe of bad fervants: And yet it is wonderful to fee how they contribute towards it, by neglecting to inftruct and give them proper advice, nay, very often by going before them in example, and even prompting them to the commiffion of fuch things, or obliging them to fuch omiffions, as must tend to leffen their regard to religion, and relax thofe reftraints which that fhould lay upon their actions. The head of the family, provided his own conduct be but ordered with care and decency, ufes to be looked upon with fuch degree of respect and attention, as cannot but add weight and influence to those inftructions which he fees fit to recommend, not only to his children, but to the other relatives and dependents of his family. Therefore he is reputed, in the ftyle of the Ancients, for the Father of the whole family; and it greatly concerns him that thofe impreffions, which are derived from his authority, be prudently difpofed to the fupport of virtue and religion; left he become chargeable with double guilt, and be bound to answer for the crimes of his domeftics, as well as for his own. We see how feverely God refented the SER M. negligence of Eli. Though he was pi- II. oufly difpofed himfelf*, and had gently reproved the misbehaviour of his fons, yet because he did not effectually reftrain their iniquity which he knew†, he is charged with kicking at the facrifice of God, and bonouring his fons above him; he is threatened to have his family cut off from the altar, and that the iniquity of his house thould not be purged with facrifice nor offering for ever || ; for them that honour me (fays God) I will bonour, and they that defpife me fhall be lightly esteemed §. The oppofite character to this we fee in the example of King David, who, when he had declared his refolution to walk in his boufe with a perfect heart **, not only resolved at the fame time to use his authority, as fupreme magiftrate, to destroy all the wicked of the land, and cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord ff, but more particularly to look to the ordering and regulation of his court and houshold. Mine eyes (fays he) fhall be upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me. Whofo leadeth a godly life, he shall be my fervant. There fhall no deceitful perfon dwell in my * I Sam. ii. 23. iii. 14. Sil. 30. til. 29; 33. 1 Sam. iii. 13. 7 SERM. boufe: be that telleth lies fhall not tarry in II. my fight*. The Pfalmift here begins, as Joshua in the text, and as every houfholder fhould do, with refolving for himself, to walk in his boufe with a perfect heart, to go before his domeftics in a good example, and recommend the precepts he inculcates by his own practice. I mean this under a due regard to the diverfity of circumstances in which they are placed. For there are relative duties incumbent on children and fervants, which are not, in the fame instances, to be expected from their parents and mafters. But then thofe parents and mafters have other anfwerable duties incumbent upon them, which they are equally obliged to discharge. gain, there are lets and impediments, as of bodily indifpofition, or the like, which may hinder the actual performance of fome external duties. And in that cafe, the head of a family may fitly require his dependents to do that which he is not in condition to perform himself. But in general it may be faid, that it is strictly incumbent on him, to make confcience of performing all thofe duties, whether of piety towards God, of meekness and temperance in the conduct of himself, of juBice and charity to other men, for which * Ver. 6, 7. -A the the state and condition he is in does pro- SER M. perly give him opportunity. II. Without this his exhortations will be apt to carry little weight or fignificance. Tho' they be reasonable in themselves, yet whilst he appears not to be influenced and governed by them, they lose that weight and efficacy which the paternal authority should add to them; and their own intrinfic worth and excellence will be lefs attended to by young and unexperienced minds, than the allurement of those vices, which, whilst they strike in with the corruptions of nature, are also recommended by the parent's example. The reproof of their imitation will come but with an ill grace from him whom they have imitated: It being an eafy and an obvious reply which we have from the Apostle Thou which teachest another, teacheft thou not thyself? thou that preacheft a man fhould not fteal, dost thou steal? Thou that fayeft a man should not commit adultery, doft thou commit adultery? Thou that abborreft idols, doft thou commit facrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, thro' breaking the law, dishonoureft thou God * ? But when the reprover is first careful of his own conduct, his advice will be attended with a double efficacy, and his precepts powerfully enforced by the brightness of his own example. Nay, even when he *Rom. ii, 21, &c. SERM. forbears to speak, his very practice and be II. haviour will speak for him, and put his dependents out of countenance, in proportion as they fall short of so illustrious a pattern. But to the light of his example he will do well to add the weight of his advice and authority. Thus, for the purpose, it is highly neceffary that he fhould oblige them to regular attendance on the public worship, at least, on the Lord's Day. I fay, at least, on the Lord's Day: Because, where leifure and opportunity ferve, I judge it would be commendable to encourage them to attend on other days befides. But on that day, at least, it concerns him to provide that thofe, who are under his direction, be not criminally abfent. The publick worship of God is a duty of natural religion: So it certainly appears to us, who have the light of fcripture added to difcover it; and they muft little have confidered the relation between creatures and their great Creator, who are not fenfible of the obligation from hence arifing, to join in the humbleft adoration of him, and to feek the law at his mouth. And though the proper way and manner of approaching him, fo as to depend on his favour and acceptance, cannot be clearly deduced from principles of nature, yet we have also the exprefs commands of revelation to prescribe our |