Three objections to family prayer answered 2/2

      Objection (c).  Others there are who object not their own weakness as the reason of their not praying in their families, but the wickedness of others in their family.  They are confident enough of their own gifts, but question others’ grace, and whether they may pray with such.

           Answer.  I will grant there are such in thy family.  But is this a ground to lay aside the worship of God? Little thinkest thou whither this principle will lead. By this principle the worship of God should not only be laid aside in most private houses but in all our public congregations also.  If thou mayest not pray in thy family because a wicked person is present, then not join in prayer with any public congregation, be­cause thou canst never be assured that they are all godly; nor must the minister pray there, for fear some wicked ones should be in the company; and so this part of divine worship must be thrown out of the church till we can find an assembly made up of all true saints; and where such a one ever was, or will be on this side of heaven, none I think is able to tell. Surely the saints in Scripture were not thus scrupu­lous.  How oft did Christ himself pray with his disci­ples, though a Judas was among them!  I have else­where, clearly I think, proved it is the duty of all, even of the wicked, to pray; and that God will never charge the act of prayer upon him as sin, but his obliquity therein; much less will he impute to thee another’s sinful frame of heart with whom thou join­est in prayer.  Pray thou in faith, and his unbelief shall not prejudice thy faith, nor his pride thy humil­ity.  Thou joinest with him in the duty, but hast no communion with his sin.  You may as well say, if a cut‑purse in the time of prayer should pick another’s pocket, that all the company are guilty of his theft. How much better were it, Christian, to fear lest thou pray with a wicked heart in thy own bosom, than with a wicked person in thy family?  Thou art like neither to hurt thy own soul by praying in his company, nor better his by omitting for his sake.  May be, though he be carnal, yet he is outwardly complying, and how knowest thou but thy prayer—especially in his pres­ence—may pierce his heart, and give a lift towards his conversion?  Such I have heard of who have had the first sensible impression made upon their hearts in this duty of prayer.  If he be not only carnal, but a mocker at the worship of God, and a disturber of the duty, better thou shouldst, with Abraham, turn such an Ishmael out of doors, than for his sake turn God out of doors by denying him the worship due unto him.

Three objections to family prayer answered 1/2

Objection (a).  But what necessity is there that a family must meet jointly to worship God together? will it not serve if every one prays for himself in his closet?

           Answer.  A family is a collective body.  As such it owes a worship to God.  It is he that ‘setteth the solitary in families,’ Ps. 68:6; and as their founder, will be vouched by them. ‘Pour out thy fury upon the fam­ilies that call not on thy name,’ Jer. 10:25.  It holds in domestic families as well as national; foe he rears up the one as well as the other.  There are family sins; and these are to be confessed by the family, as na­tional sins by the nation.  There are family wants, and they require the joint supplications of the family. There are family occasions and employments, and those call for the united force of the family, to pull down a blessing upon their joint labours for the good of the whole society.  ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.’  And is it not fit that they who join in work should join in prayer for a blessing on their endeavour?  There are family mer­cies that the whole society share in; and is it not meet that they which eat of the same feast should join in the same song of praise to the founder of it?  In a word, there are judgements that may wrap up the whole family, and where all are concerned in the danger all should lend their help to prevent it—and many hand make light work.  A rope twisted of many cords is stronger than those very cords would be if single; and so the prayer of many together more prevalent, because likely to be more fervent, than of the same persons severally employed in their closets —though I would not learn one to justle with the other.  There is room for both; why should they fall out?  Polanus (in his Syntag. de Terræmotu) tells us of a town in the territory of Berne in Switzerland, consis­ting of ninety houses, that was in the year 1584 destroyed by an earthquake, except the half of one house, where the master of the family was earnestly praying with his wife and children upon their bended knees to God.

           Objection (b).  O, but I have not abilities and gifts for such a work, and better left undone than spoiled in the doing.

           Answer.  No more hadst thou skill and ability for thy trade when thou wentest first to be an apprentice. Apply thy mind to the work; bind the duty upon thy conscience; search the scripture, where matter for prayer is laid up, and rules how to perform the duty. Study thy heart, and observe the state of thy family, till the sense of the sins, wants, and daily mercies thereof—which thou hast lodged in thy memory—be left warm upon thy spirit.  In a word, exercise thyself frequently in secret prayer, be earnest there for his Spirit to enable thee in thy family service, and take heed of driving the Holy Spirit from thee, whose as­sistance thou prayest for, by sloth, worldliness, pride, or any other course of wickedness.  Then, up and be doing, and thou mayest comfortably expect God will be with thee, both to assist and accept thee in the work.  Moses was sick of his employment that God called him to, and fain would have put it off with this mannerly excuse, ‘I am not eloquent,...but I am of a slow speech.’  But this objection was soon answered: ‘And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the see­ing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?  Now there­fore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say,’ Ex. 4:11, 12.  His call was extra­ordinary, and his assistance was such.  Thy call to this duty, as the head of a family, is ordinary, and so thou mayest look for ordinary assistance.  Haply thou shalt never have an ability, to such a degree, with a flow of words to express thyself as some others.  But let not that discourage thee.  God looks not at the pomp of words and variety of expressions, but sincerity and devotion of the heart.  The key opens not the door because gilt, but because fitted to the wards of the lock.  Let but the matter of thy prayer be according to God’s mind, holy and warrantable, and the temper of thy heart humble and fervent, and no fear but thou shalt speed.  Yea, let the prayer be old—pray to‑day what thou didst yesterday; be but sure to bring new affections with the old prayer, and thou shalt be friendly received into God’s presence, though thou canst not on a sudden put thy requests into a new shape.  God will not shut his child out of doors be­cause he comes not every day in a new-fashioned suit.