rather than of the man of God, who, viewing eternity with deep seriousness and concern, has much to bring to his people of what he has gathered in his heavenly contemplations. It has been well remarked—that 'when once a man begins to view religion not as of personal, but merely of professional importance, he has an obstacle in his course with which a private Chistian is unacquainted.* It is indeed difficult to determine, whether our familiar intercourse with the things of God is more our temptation or our advantage. For what accurate self-observer has not verified Butler's remarks on the repetition of passive impressions,† and found the effect of formal Ministerial repetition to be of a rapidly and powerfully hardening character?' As the natural consequence of going through the daily and Sabbath routine of employment without renewed fire from the altar, the doctrines of the Gospel will be maintained, while the assimilation of our character to their heavenly spirit will be totally neglected. And in the absence of this spiritual character-what is our Ministry more than a beautiful and correct mechanism, without living or quickening influence, unvisited by the Spirit of God, and unblest with the tokens of his acceptance?

of

*Wilks's Essay on Conversion and Unconversion in Christian Ministers, p. 14. † Analogy, Part i. ch. 5. Massillon speaks with awful solemnity of the case of a formal Minister-He contracts a callousness by his insensible way handling Divine matters, by which he becomes hardened against them, and by which he is so far put out of the reach of conviction, in all the ordinary means of grace, that it is scarce possible he can ever be awakened, and by consequence that he can be saved.' Not less awful is the language of Dr. Owen-He that would go down to the pit in peace, let him obtain a great repute for religion; let him preach and labour to make others better than he is himself,. and in the mean time neglect to humble his heart to walk with God in a manifest holiness and usefulness. and he will not fail of his end.' Sermons and Tracts, folio. p. 47.

CHAPTER IX.

THE DEFECT OF FAMILY RELIGION; AND THE WANT OF CONNEXION OF THE MINISTER'S FAMILY WITH HIS WORK.

THE qualifications necessary for a Christian Bishop were evidently meant to apply to the lower orders of the Ministry. And not among the least important are those which mark the Christian Minister in his family government. 'A family,' as Quesnel beautifully observes-' is a small diocese, in which the first essays are made of the Episcopal and Ecclesiastical zeal, piety, and prudence.'* If therefore "a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?" Our Church fully recognizes the importance of this subject in demanding of each of her candidates for the holy office a distinct pledge of family godliness- Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the doctrine of Christ, and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ? I will apply myself thereto, the Lord being my helper.' It was a frequent petition

† 1 Tim. iii. 5. "This is the injunction

* Quesnel on 1 Tim. iii. 12. Service for Ordination of Deacons. of the Apostle, 1 Tim. iii. 12. And the same command was enforced by the ancient laws of the church, which were much stricter concerning Clergyman's wives, children, and servants, than those of the laity. The houses of Ministers should be the schools of virtue, little emblems of a church, and patterns for all their parishioners, of peace and good order, sobriety and devotion.' Comber. Compare also Dr. Nicholls, in Bishop Mant's notes on the service.

of the excellent Philip Henry in his family worship'That we might have grace to carry it as a Minister, and a Minister's wife, and a Minister's children, and a Minister's servant, should carry it, that the Ministry might in nothing be blamed.'*

The testimony on this point of one of the most determined enemies of Christianity is remarkable. The Emperor Julian in endeavouring to re-establish Paganismand accounting, as he declares, the strictness and sanctity professed by Christians, one of the main causes of the prevalence of their faith, gives directions (unquestionably copied from the injunctions to the primitive priesthood) that the heathen priests should be men of serious temper and deportment-that they be neither expensive nor showy in their dress--go to no entertainments, but such as are made by the worthiest persons-never be seen at the public games and spectacles—and take care that their wives and children and servants be pious as well as themselves.” Fas est et ab hoste doceri. Archbishop Secker thus briefly applies this testimony Let not, I entreat you, this apostate put you to shame.'t The family of Eli, illustrates the necessity of the regulation, that an elder must be one, having faithful children.'§ If he cannot convey grace to his children, at least he can enforce restraint, and acquit himself of the guilt He can inof "honouring his sons before God."|| culcate upon them the responsibility of a consistent conduct of promoting the design of his Ministry-the importance of adorning not only their Christian

6

*Life, ut supra, p. 81. † Jul. Epist. 49, ad Arsac, p. 430, 431. 301-305. Secker's Charges, pp. 244, 245. Tit. i. 5, 6.

1 Sam. ii. 17. iii. 13.

Fragm. Epist. pp.

|| 1 Sam. ii. 29.

profession, but their parent's principles, and of showing that the principles of their father's house and Ministry are the rule of their conduct.'*

6

Mr. Herbert's Country Parsons is very exact in the governing of his house, making it a copy and a model for his parish. His family is a school of religion.' This however opens a wide field—including daily exercises of family worship—the whole circle of family instruction-the principles of education, essentially Christian, and with a constant reference to a scriptural basis-the regulation of conversational habit within the domestic sphere-all bearing a concurrent testimony in confirmation of the doctrine of the pulpit in its fullest detail. The Ministerial character also should pervade the lower departments of the household. The pastoral work must enter into our family economy in the individual instruction of our servants, and in dealing with every member of the house, with spiritual inquiry and counsel, as if responsible for the care of their immortal interests.

In Bishop Hooper's family-' in every corner of the house there was some smell of virtue, good example, honest conversation, and scripture reading.' Of Mr. Joseph Alleine-an admirable pattern of a Christian Pastor-it is said that as he walked about the house, he would make some spiritual use of every thing that did occur, and his lips did drop like the honey-comb to all that were about him.'§ The economy of Philip Henry's family exhibited the most beautiful and complete display of Christian godliness, simplicity, and order, constructed upon the patriarchal

Richmond's Life, pp. 294, 295. † Chap. x. Clark's Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, p. 222, and Fox's Life of Hooper. § Alleine's Life and Letters, pp. 97-100.

principle of "commanding his children and household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord, to do judgment and justice."* It is a serious respon-. sibility, that the whole system of the domestic circle is the subject of daily observation. Its correctness is the standard of duty. Its inconsistency furnishes excuse for the neglect of duty, or the positive indulgence of sin. The detail of family religion is also a component part of the Christian Ministry, inculcating principles of parental restraint and dutiful subjection-the necessity of constant instruction snd superintendence of precept illustrated by example, and of the daily exhibition in the domestic circle of the habits of Christian self-denial, holiness, cheerfulness, and love. Now if the parsonage does not show the pattern as well as the doctrine, exhortations from thence will only excite the ridicule and offence

* Gen. xviii. 19. Compare Philip Henry's Life, pp. 82-86. Cotton Mather's family picture is less known. He prayed for each of his children distinctly-interested them early with engaging stories from Scripture, as the vehicle of inculcating lessons of practical usefulness. He had always a word for his children, when they fell in his way. Their habits of secret prayer were early formed, and often brought to mind-Child, don't forget every day to go alone and pray, as you have been taught.' He endeavoured to enlarge their minds in Christian love, by engaging them daily in some Essay to do good' for one another. He encouraged and commended them, when he saw them take pleasure in it, and let them know that a backwardness to it was highly displeasing to him. When they were old enough, he would take them alone one by one, and after many affectionate and solemn charges, to fear God, to love Christ, and to hate sin, he would let them witness his earnest melting prayer on their account. He catechised them on every part of the Gospel, turning every truth into a question, as the best way of gaining their attention, of informing their minds upon it, and applying it to their hearts. One cannot wonder that such consistency and diligence in the domestic Ministry was associated with uncommon power in his public work. The pattern expounded the doctrine with irresistible force of application and encouragement.