Preface
It, in the title of this volume, the author has used the word “minister,” in rather an unusual latitude, its adjective will serve to explain, and restrict it. The domestic minister, intends, not the pastor, or preacher; not the servant of the Most High God, who officially shows unto men the way of salvation — but he, who adopts the resolution of Joshua — “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.**
The preservation and spread of relig-ion should not depend, exclusively, on a particular order of men, however important their functions may be. //christians, in their respective stations, ought to co-operate with those, who are, by designation, workers together with God.
It ought to be a matter of thankfulness, that the number of ministers, properly so called, who enter into the spirit of their office, and preach the truth as it is in Jesus, is exceedingly increased. But compared with the field, and the vastness of the work, the labourers are yet few. And few they would be found, if multiplied a thousand fold; and we should still need, the property, the talents, the influence, the example, the exertions, and the prayers, of all the subjects of divine grace.
And can their services be dispensed with — now?
God is not the God of confusion, but of peace: and He has said, “Let every thing be done decently and in order.” It is his providence that determines the bounds of our habitation, and furnishes the several stations we occupy; and into these we are to look for our duties and opportunities. Men are often led out of their own proper sphere of action, in order to be useful; but it is ignorance, if not discontent, and pride, that tempts them astray.
As the stream of a river is most lovely and beneficial, when it patiently steals along its own channel, though it makes not so much noise, and excites not so much notice, as when it breaks over its banks, and roars and rolls as a flood; so good men are most acceptable, and useful in their appointed course. Wisdom will estimate every man, by what he is, not out of his place and calling, but in them. There we naturally look after him; there we unavoidably compare him with his obligations; there we see him habit. ually — and there he gains a character, or goes without one
In a day like the present, there will be many occasional cslIU of prblic duty; but it will be a sad exclamation to make at a dying hour, “My own vineyard have I not kept.” In the spiritual, still more than the temporal neg-lect, “He that provideth not for his own, especially those of his own house hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
“You wish to serve your generation?” It is well that it is in your heart; but let it be according to the will of God. And how does this require you to proceed? From public relation into private, or from private into public? Does it order you to waste time and strength, to go to a distance; and begin labouring, where difficulties will be too great, and means too few, to allow of your improving the waste, back to your own door? Or, to begin near,- to cultivate onward; to clear and fertilize the ground as you advance; so as to feel every acquisition already made, converted into a resource to encourage, support, and assist you, in your future toil?
“You long to be useful?” And why are you not? Can you want either opportunity, or materials — you, who are placed at the head of families; you, who are required to rule well your own households; to dwell with your wives according to knowledge; to train up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; to behave towards your servants, as remembering that you also have a master in heaven. — Behold, O man of God, a congregation, endeared and attentive, committed to thy trust. Behold, a flock whom you may feed with knowledge and understanding; and before whom you walk as an example in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity. Behold a church in thy house. Behold an altar on which to offer the morning and evening sacrifice of prayer and of praise.
Here, observe these things without preferring one before another; here teach and exhort, and reprove with all long suffering and patience; here officiate — and ‘ye shall be named the PRIESTS of the Lord; men shall call you the ministers of our God.”
The remark of Baxter is worthy our regard — “If family religion was duly attended to, and properly discharged, I think the preaching of the word, would not be the common instrument of conversion.” And Gurnal says — “The family IS the nursery of the church. If the nursery be neglected.
ten upon this subject: and what he, himself, could oflTer in support of the practice, is already before the public*
It is futile to allege, as some have done, that there is no positive and express command lor it in thr Scriptures; when noth-ng- would be more eisy, than to prove the will of God — - from the simp!.;bt deiuction, from the fairest reasonings, and from the most generally acknowledged principles.
The examples of the faithful; the commendations which God has bestowed upon them in his word; his promises and Jireatenings; the obvious and numberless adlantages resulting from domestic devotion, as to personal religion, and relative government: — with regard to th<jse that preside in the family; and as to instruction, restraints, and motives — with regard to relations, children, and servants; all this must surely be enough to induce any man, capable of conviction, to terminate with a broken heart, the mischiefs of neglect; and to swear unto the Lord, and vow unto the Mighty God of Jacob — “Surely, I will not come into the tabernacle of my house; nor go up into my bed, I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumljer to mine eye-lids, until [ find out a place for the Lord, an habitatior for the Mighty God of Jacob.”
As to objections arising from — shame — a want of time — the unfashionableness of the usage — or its interfering with visits or dispensations; all this, in a being, who yet owns himself to be a moral and accountable creature, is unworthy of argument, and would be too much honoured, by the attempt of refutation
There is one thing however, which deserves notice. It is the apprehension of inability to perform this duty. With respect to some, if not many, it is no breach of charity to conclude, that this is an excuse, rather than a reason. It is disinclination, or at least, the want of a more powerful conviction, that hinders them from adopting this salutary usage, rather than incapacity. There are few cases in which the old adage is not to be verified: “Where there is a will, tJiere is a way.” You feel little difficulty in making known vour distresses or wishes to a fellow-creature: and the Lord looketh not to the excellency of the language, but to the heart. The facihty would be increased by practice, and tJie divine blessing.
And I cannot but earnestly recommend the use of free
•See the Introduction to the author’s four volunaes of Short Discourses fji the use of families and extemporaneous prayer, where it is practicable. There is in it, a freshness, a particularity, an appropriateness, an immediate adoption, and use of circumstances and events which cannot be found in the best composed forms.
Yet there are those, who have only a slender deg-ree of religious knowledge; or discover a natural slowness and hesitancy of utterance; or feel a bashfulness of temper, so that they cannot gain confidence enough even to make a proper trial. And this diffidence is often found even with persons of education and understanding — i ndeed, such are more likely to feel difficulty, than the vulgar and illiterate, whose ignorance is friendly to fluency, and whose confidence is not perplexed by modes of expression, or embarrassed by the influence of reputation.
Now in cases of inability, or extreme difficulty, surely the greatest zealot for free prayer, would recommend forms in preference to neglect.
Besides, there are others — many in the establishment, and no few out of it, who deem a form more eligible: and it is needless to remark, that they have a right to their opinion: and as their practice will of course be regulated by it, it is desirable to aid them in their own way.
And surely in this case, as well as in many others, where we see so much talent, and religion, and even devotional taste, in opposing advocates; candour requires, and compels the concession, that all the arguments, all the advantages, cannot be on one side of the question.
Bigotry delights in exclusion; but the meekness of wisdom is satisfied with preference; and freely says, “Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind.” The amiable Dr. Watts observes — “Many a holy soul has found his inward DOwers awakened, and excited to lively religion, in the use of a form, where the wants and wishes of the heart have been happily expressed; and considering the various infirmities that surround human nature, even the wisest and best of men, may be glad of such assistances, at some seasons.”
Several books of prayers have issued from the press; and it is not necessary to undervalue, or conceal them, in order to excuse or even justify, another effort in the same cause. The great excellency of some of these composures is well known.
Yet it must be confessed, that such works, compared with other religious publications, are still very few; and that the far greater part of what we possess, is more for personal ancj
private use, than domestic. Fven in the deservedly popu y:ir volume of Jenks, there are only fiimily prayers for t»;?» iceek; the rest for all individual service.
lUit whatever might have been the author’s own opinion of the expediency, or necessity of such a work as this — ir order to furnish a greater abundance — or to accommodate a difference of tastes — or to excite attention by newness — oi to edify more by brevity and simplicity; he can truly aver, that he was principally induced to undertake it at the request of many, urged, for years, with importunity.
fn complying with their desires, he still feais he shall not satisfy their wishes. He unquestionably has not satisfied his own. In the want of that leisure, which allows a man to throw his whole soul into the composition of his work; and then to employ ail his skill in correcting and completing it, he has done, at the intervals of much public duty, and interruption, for a few months, what he could; and such as it is, should it obtain acceptance, he shall consider it the greatest honour that could have been conferred upon him, that while living and when dead, the service of God should ever be performed in words which he has furnished so imperfectly.
He can reckon on some esteemed connexions, whose partiality, as it has often admitted him into their circles as a friend, and employed him at their domestic altar as an expositor and intercessor, will retain him as an assistant, in this volume; and thus while absent in body, he will be present in spirit. He is also blessed with children, who will not neglect a practice, to which, in the order of a happy family, they were so early accustomed, and which was never rendered irksome by tediousness; and they wdl — he knows they will — train up their children in the same holy and lovely usage; and should relationship and endearment serve to render the book the more valued and useful as a sacred bequest to his descendants, this alone would keep him from thinking he had laboured in vain.
Pbbct-Placi, AprL 1820