Family Government

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and th shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” — Gen. zviii. 19.

There are three things very remarkable in these words. 1. That Abraham used parental authority in governing his family: “I know him, that he will command his children and servants .after him.” He did not think it enough to pray for them, or to teach them, but he used the authority which God had given him — he commanded them. 2. That he cared for his servants as well as his children. In chap, xiv., verse 14, we learn that Abraham had three hundred and eighteen servants born in his house. He lived after the manner of patriarchal times; as the Arabs of the wilderness do to this day. His family was very large, and yet he did not say, “They are none of mine.” He commanded his children and his household. 3. His aiAccess:

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‘^ They shaH keep the way of the Lord.” It is oftea said that the children of good men turn out ill. Well, here is a good man — and a good man doing his duty by his children — and here is the result. His son Isaac was prohahly a child of God from his earliest years. There is every maik of it in his life. And what a delightful specimen of a believing, prayerful servant was Eliezer. — Gen. xxiy. It is the duty of all helieyers to rule their houses well.

I. The springs of this duty.

1. Love to souls. As long as a man does not care for his own soul, he does not care for the souls of others. He can see his wife r.nd children living in sin, gtHOg down to hell — he does not care. He does not care for missions — gives nothing to support missionaries. But the moment a man’s eyes are opened to the value of his own soul, that moment does he begin to care for the souls of others. From that moment does he love the missionary cause. He willingly spares a little to send the Gospel to the Jew and the perishing Hindus. Again: he hegins to care for the Church at home — for his neighhours — all living in sin. Like the maniac at Decapolis, he publishes the name of Jesus wherever he goes. And now he hegins to care for his own house. He commands his children and his household after him. How is it with you? Do you rule well your own house? Do you worship (Jod, morning and evening, in your family? Do you deal with your children and servants touchiug their conversion? If not, you do not love their souls. And the reason is, you do not love your own. You may make what outward profession you please; you may sit down at sacraments, and talk about your feelings, &c., but if you do not labour for the conversion of your children, it is all a lie. If you but felt the preciousness of Christ, you could not look upon their faces without a heart-breaking desire that they might be saved. Thus Rahab, Josh. ii. 13.

2. Desire to use all talents for Christ. When a man

comes to Christ, he feels he is not his own 1 Cor. vi. 19.

He hears Christ say:” Occupy till I come.** If he he a rich man, he uses all for Christ, like Gains. If a learned man, spends all for Christ, like Paul. Now, parental authority is one talent — the authority of a father and mastar is a talent, for the use of which men will be judged. He uses this also for Christ. He commands his children and his household afer him. How is it with jou? Do you use this talent for Christ? If not, you haye nerer given yoonsdf away to him — -you are not his.

II, Scripture examples of it.

1. Abrahttm. The most eminent example of it — the fath of all believers. Are you a child of Abraham? Then walk in his steps in this. Wherever Abraham went, he built an altar to the Lord.

2. Job, Upon every one of his son’s birth-days Job offered samfice, according to the number of them all. — Chap. L 5.

3. Joshua: ^’ As for me and my house, we will serve the Loftd.” — Chap. xxiv. 15.

4. Eunice, From a child, little Timothy knew the Scrip* tores; and the reason of this you understand, when you read of the faith of his mother Eunice. — 2 Tim. iiL 15, with L 5. Such was the manner in Scotland in the days of our fisUhers; and if ever we are to see Scotland again a garden of the Lord, it must be by the reviving of family goremment.

HI. The manner of it.

1. Worship God in your family. If you do not worship God in your &mily, you are living in positive sin; you may be quite sure you do not care for the souls of your fEimily. If you nlected to spread a meal for your children to eat, would it not be said that you did not care for their bodies? And if you do not lead your children and servants to the green pastures of Grod’s Word, and to seek the living water, how plain is it that you do not care for their souls! Do it regularly morning and evening. It is more needful than your daily food — more needful than your work. How vain and silly all your excuses will appear, when you look back from hell! Do itfuUy, Some clip off the psalm, and some the reading of the Word; and so the worship of God is reduced to a mockery. Do it in a spiritual lively manner. Go to it as to a well of salvation. There is, perhaps, no mean of grace more blessed. Let all your family be present without fySa — let none be awanting.

2. Command — iMe parental authority. How awftdly did God avenge it upon Eli, ‘^ because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not!” Eli was a good man, and a holy man; and often he spoke to his two wicked sons, but they heeded not. But WeVa le

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£iiled — he did not use his parental authority — he did not restrain them. Remember Eli. It is not enough to praj for your children, and to pray with them, and to warn them; but you must restrain them. Restrain them with the cords of love. From wicked books — from wicked companions — from wicked amusements — ^firom untimely houzsi restrain them.

3. Command servants as well as children So did Abraham. Remember you are in the place of a father to your servants. They are come under your roof; and they have a claim on your instructions. If they minister to you in carnal things, it is but fair that you minister to them in spiritual things. You have drawn them away from under the parental roof, and it is your part to see that they do not lose by it. Oh! what a mass of sin would be prevented, if masters would care for their servants’ souls.

4. Deal with eah as to the conversion of his soul, I have known many dear Christian parents who have been singularly neglectfid in this particular. They worship God in the family, and pray earnestly in secret for their children and servants, and yet never deal with them as to their conversion. Satan spreads a kind of false modesty among parents, that they will not inquire of their little ones, Have you found the Lord, or no? Ah! how sinful and foolish this will appear in eternity. If you should see some of your children or servants in hell — all because you did not speak to them in private — how would you look? Begin to-night Take them aside and ask, What has God done for your soul?

5. Lead a holt, life before them. If all your religion is on your tongue, your children and servants will soon find out your hypocrisy.

lY. The blessing.

1. You will avoid the curse. You will avoid Eli’s cmrse. Eli was a child of God, and yet he suffered much on account of his unfaithfulness. He lost his two sons in one day. If you would avoid EU’s curse, avoid Eli’s sin. “Pour out thy fury on the families that have not called on thy name” — Jer. x. 25. If you do not worship God in your house, a curse is written over your door. If I could mark the dwellings in this town where there is no family prayer — these are the spots where the curse of God is ready to fall. These houses are over hell.

2. Your children wUl he saved. So it was with AbiiH fiBRMON XYin. 121

ham. His dear son Isaac was saved. What became of Ishmael I do not know. Only I remember his fervent cry: “O that Ishmael might live before thee!** Such is the promise:” Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,” Such is the promise in baptism. Ah! who can tell the blessedness of being the saved father of a saved family? Dear believers, be wise. Surely if anything could roar the joy of heaven, it would be to see your children lost through your neglect. Dear unconverted souls, if one pang can be more bitter than another in hell, it will be to hear your children say: ‘< Father, mother, you brought me here.”