A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

MOTIVE II.

¹2. These precious and immortal Souls in your Families are committed to your charge and care. You Masters of Families have a charge of Souls as well as Ministers. When you have a child born and continued to you, there is one immortal Soul that God entrusts you with to bring up for him and Heaven. When you take a Servant into your Family, there is another Soul committed to your care. Do you question this? Study well the meaning of the fourth Commandment, and you shall see that this is true. And is it so? And shall not the blood of those that go to Hell out of your Families, through your neglect, be required at your hands? Have you done your duty, when a Servant that hath served you seven years, and you make him free, can truly say, My Master taught me my trade, but he taught me not to serve God; he often called me up unto my work, but he never called me to Prayer? Are you not afraid that your very Children and Servants will rise up in judgment against you, and accuse you at the Bar of God? Lord, my Father, saith the Son, no nor my Master, saith the Servant, never prayed with us, and we both Children and Servants being so brought up, and having such Examples before us, did not mind thy service neither, Lord, we are justly condemned; but yet we perish much through our Parents and Masters neglect. There stands my Father, saith the Son, and there stands my Master, saith the Servant, that never prayed with us; we do accuse them, they never did, and they cannot say they did. Will you not then wish you had never been Parents to such Children, nor Masters to such Servants? As you would avoid this, be faithful to your trust, and mindful of your duty, lest thou wish O Utinam coelebs mansissem, ac prowl carerem.

¹2. These precious and immortal Souls in your Families are committed to your charge and care. You Masters of Families have a charge of Souls as well as Ministers. When you have a child born and continued to you, there is one immortal Soul that God intrusts you with to bring up for him and Heaven. When you take a Servant into your Family, there is another Soul committed to your care. Do you question this? Study well the meaning of the fourth Commandment, and you shall see that this is true. And is it so? And shall not the blood of those that go to Hell out of your Families, through your neglect, be required at your hands? Have you done your duty, when a Servant that hath served you seven years, and you make him free, can truly say, My Master taught me my trade, but he taught me not to serve God; he often called me up unto my work, but he never called me to Prayer? Are you not afraid that your very Children and Servants will rise up in judgment against you, and accuse you at the Bar of God? Lord, my Father, saith the Son, no nor my Master, saith the Servant, never prayed with us, and we both Children and Servants being so brought up, and having such Examples before us, did not mind thy service neither, Lord, we are jastly condemned; but yet we perish much through our Parents and Masters neglect. There stands my Father, saith the Son, and there stands my Master, saith the Servant, that never prayed with us; we do accuse them, they never did, and they cannot say they did. Will you not then wish you had never been Parents to such Children, nor Masters to such Servants? As you would avoid this, be faithful to your trust, and mindful of your duty, lest thou wish O Ʋtinam coelebs mansissem, ac prole carerem.