Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness

Q. 1. Ho doth it appear that Family Prayer is a Duty?

Ans. 1. The Scripture doth enjoin this. God in his word, commands men to pray with all Prayer, Eph. 6. 18. Not only Prayer in closets, and in solemn Assemblies, but in Families, is comprehended under that expression of A ll Prayer. Nor can a man be said to pray with all prayer, except he doth practice public, secret and Family Prayer. And in the Scripture, Husbands and Wives are required to live lovingly together, that their prayers be not hindered. 1. Pet. 3. 7. what prayers? surely Family Prayers. They that are contending and quarrelling one with another, are very unfit to go to prayer together: Therefore Husband and Wife should live in love that so they may not be indisposed to pray together in their Family. Again, the Scripture declareth, that Men should take care that their Families as well as themselves serve God. Fathers are to bring up their Children, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6. 4. which they cannot do except they pray with them, and by example as well as precept, let them see that God ought to be worshipped and prayed unto. Thus Joshua was resolved to do, Chap. 24. ver. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua did exhort the Children of Israel, that they should all of them in their Houses serve God, which doth imply Prayer unto ⟨p. 60⟩him; inasmuch as prayerless Families can not be said, to be God-serving, God-fearing Families.

Ans. 1. The Scripture doth enjoyn this. God in his word, commands men to pray with all Prayer, Eph. 6. 18. Not only Prayer in closets, and in solemn Assemblies, but in Families, is comprehended under that expression of A ll Prayer. Nor can a man be said to pray with all prayer, except he doth practice publick, secret and Family Prayer. And in the Scripture, Husbands and Wives are required to live lovingly together, that their prayers be not hindred.