Reason 1

REASON. I.

We should engage our houses to the service of God, out of respect to God himself. To the householder it may well be said, For God's sake look after your house; For God's sake, let there be God's service [illegible]. To speak particularly,

First, the commandment of God calls for it. We have this commandment often repeated to us, that we should be careful about the instruction and conversion of them that we are charged with. It is a commandment inculcated in the Old Testament. We have in (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7): "The words which I command you, you shall diligently teach them to your children." We have it again, in (Psalm 78:6, 7): "He commanded our fathers, that they should make known to their children, that these might set their hope in God, and keep his commandments." We have it once more in (Deuteronomy 4:9, 10): "Gather the people, that they may learn to fear me, and that they may teach their children." It is a commandment not unmentioned in the New Testament also. We find in (Ephesians 6:4): "You fathers, bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Behold, how many solemn charges are laid upon us to do our part, that God may be served by all that are under our inspection. God does command us, to command them, thereabout.

Secondly, the interest of God calls for it. Our Lord said to a Peter, in (John 21:15): "Do you love me? — Then feed my lambs." The like may be said to a master, if you do love God, then bring your lambs to serve him. To propagate religion is to magnify and glorify the Lord. It is said in (Proverbs 14:28): "In the multitude of people is the king's honor": as it is said of an earthly, so may it be said of the heavenly King. Now if we cause our houses to serve God in conjunction with ourselves, hereby we propagate religion; yes, to many generations. I remember, Solomon assigns this as one cause, why he did well educate his own children; it was because his father had so dealt with him; says he in (Proverbs 4, beginning): "Hear you children the instruction of a father; for I was my father's son, and he taught me." Let us fix our children in the service of God, and they will afterwards do so by theirs. Thus the Lord will always have a seed to serve him, which will be accounted for a generation. Our children, did I say? Yes, our servants too, may in like manner carry on a succession of service to the Lord. It was the commendation of Solomon, in (1 Kings 10:8): "Happy are these your servants, which hear your wisdom." Now many ages after, we find the posterity of those servants, retaining a savour of devotion and affection to the house of God.