SER M. contradiction, are apt to take refuge in a II. church, which pretends to certain and infallible direction: I fay, when all this is confidered, it cannot but import us very greatly to fearch to the bottom of fo dangerous an evil, fuch levity of principle, and weakness in the faith, and examine from what causes principally it should spring. Then we shall be better able to apply the proper remedies, and, ftriking at the root of the growing mischief, may hope for a good degree of fuccefs in our endeavours to extirpate it.

2

Now, in thinking impartially of this matter, I cannot do fuch honour to either fort of Seducers, as to imagine that their fuccess is so much owing to their acumen and dexterity, as to the want of preparation on our own fide to withstand their attacks. And though this may have proceeded from a variety of caufes, and the omiffion of several kinds of duty incumbent on us; yet I think there is none to which it may more generally be ascribed, to be fure none which may be more usefully difcourfed of to a popular audience, than the great and fcandalous neglect of Religion in private families. The little care that is taken by parents and masters to inftruct their children and domeftics in found principles, to remind them of their duty, to reprove their misbehaviour, and

to

II.

to go before them in a good example; it SER M. can be no wonder if this should be a means of corrupting the growing generation, as it leaves them expofed to every temptation, and without that proper guard and fecurity with which they ought to have been furnished.

For this reason I have thought it might be useful to discourse from the example of Joshua, who, after he had, by a continual feries of wonders, brought the people of Ifrael into the land of Canaan, and faw them fettled in a quiet poffeffion of it, thought fit. before his death, to call the beads* of them together, and in a folemn charge, to fet before them, in a fummary view, the many great and diftinguifhing mercies which God had conferred upon them, from the first calling of their father Abraham to that time; and from thence to deduce the ftrict obligation they were under to remove from among them all remains of Idolatry, and to fear the Lord, and ferve him in fincerity and truth. But because that Religion could avail them nothing in the fight of God, nor have force enough to influence their practice, which was not grounded in the heart, nor proceeded from the free and undiffembled motions of their own minds, he therefore puts it to their choice and option, whether they would enter * Jofh. xxiv. 1. + Ver. 14.

*

SERM. into folemn engagements to adhere to II. the God who had fo fignally extended his mercy towards them, or whether they would chufe to fall back into the ido latry of their fathers, beyond the Euphrates, or in Egypt, or that of the Amorites, into whofe country they were now come. Not that he thought it a matter of indifference and perfect liberty, to ferve and worship whom they would! (for he plainly urg'd it as their duty and their intereft, to obey the God, who had so fignally delivered them, and who, if they fhould for fake him, would turn again, and do them burt, and confume them, after that be bad done them good+.) Only he took this method to draw them into a perfonal engagement, that the fenfe of their duty might be ftrongly imprinted on their minds, and whilst they chofe to do that to which they were otherwife obliged, they might perform it with the greater chearfulness, and be better armed against Temptations. To this purpose he fets before them his example, and begins with engaging not only for himself, but likewife for thofe of his own houfhold or family, who were under his more immediate influence and authority, by which he gives them a pat

tern to use the same influence in their re- SERM, fpective families-As for me and my boufe, II. we will ferve the Lord.

It is a general rule of our religion, to look not every man on his own things, but every man alfo on the things of others: Which implies it to be a matter of common concern to promote the fpiritual welfare of each other, and advance the great and glorious work of Salvation. And tho' it may feem difficult, in fome inftances, to fhew our obligation to this, with respect to fuch perfons as are not under our charge, and over whom our influence is but flight and inconfiderable: Yet it cannot be difficult to evince in general, that wherever we have a real influence and authority, that fhould as opportunity offers, be exerted for the fervice of true Religion and Virtue ; and particularly, where any perfons are under the management and care of our inspection, we must be quite inexcufable, if we do not endeavour to feafon their minds with virtuous fentiments, and train them up in the knowledge of God and of themfelves.

The heads of families are, as the heads of kingdoms, obliged to look to the fpiritual welfare of thofe under their government, and that by a special application of *Phil. ii. 2 4.

thofe

II.

It is

SERM. thofe rules and methods, which the other can provide only in the general. It is incumbent upon Princes to fupport Religion by the provifion of good laws. likewise incumbent on the Clergy, to teach the knowledge, and enforce the practice of it from the word of God, and thofe motives it fuggefts: But thefe public provifions will hardly reach the end which is propofed, except the minds of young People are privately prepared by wholesome inftruction and advice, and carefully habituated to the practice of those rules which are prescribed. They are otherwise like land which lies uncultivated, from which there is little fruit to be expected, although the feed should be plentifully thrown upon it: For it is not enough that the feed be cast abroad, but the foil must likewise be plough'd up and foftened for its reception, or elfe there is no reasonable ground to look for increase or fertility.

It is the illuftrious character which God himself has given of Abraham, the father of the faithful- I know him, that he will command his children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do juftice and judgment *. And at the inftitution of the Passover, upon the deliverance of Ifrael out of Egypt +, the people were required to inftruct their children * Gen. xviii. 19. + Exod. xii. 26, 27.