Serve the Lord
First, it is the duty of every governor of a family to take care, that not only himself, but also that those committed to his care “serve the Lord.”
Every governor of a family should see himself as required to act in three capacities: as a prophet, to instruct; as a priest, to pray for them and with them; and as a king, to govern, direct and provide for them.
It is true indeed, that household managers do not often neglect their kingly duties (no, in this they are generally too much engaged). But as for the two former duties, their priestly and prophetic office, they don't care for such things.
But however indifferent some household managers may be about it, they can be sure that God will require an account of their performance in all three offices.
For if, as the Apostle argues, "He that does not provide for his own house, in temporal things, has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel;" to what greater degree of apostasy must he have arrived, who takes no thought for the spiritual welfare of his family?
Furthermore, people are generally critical of a pastor who does not take heed to and watch over the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made him the overseer; but may not every manager of a family, be in a lower degree liable to the same censure, who takes no thought for those souls that are committed to his care?
For every house is a little parish, and every household overseer a priest, every family a flock; and if any of them perish through the overseer's neglect, their blood will God require at their hands.
If a minister were to disregard teaching his people publicly, and from house to house, and excused himself by saying that he had enough to do to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, without concerning himself with that of others; would you not be apt to think such a minister to be like the unjust judge, "One that neither feared God, nor regarded man?"
And yet, odious as such a character would be, it is no worse than that overseer of a family deserves, who thinks himself obliged only to save his own soul, without paying any regard to the souls of his household.
For every house is a parish, and every master is concerned to secure, as much as in him lies, the spiritual prosperity of every one under his roof, as any minister whatever is obliged to look to the spiritual welfare of every individual person under his charge.
What rationale can men give for neglecting this duty?
They certainly cannot point to the example of holy Job. He was concerned about the spiritual welfare of every family member.
'When the days of his children's feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts: thus did Job continually.'
Men who neglect their duty as household managers cannot look to Joshua for support. He was as much concerned for his household’s welfare as for his own. Nor can they plead the actions of Cornelius, who feared God, with all his house.
If Christian household leaders were of the same spirit as Job, Joshua and the Gentile Centurion, they would act as Job, Joshua and Cornelius did.
But alas! If this be the case, and all governors of families ought not only to serve the Lord themselves, but likewise to see that their respective households do so too;
what will then become of those who not only neglect serving God themselves, but also make it their business to ridicule and scoff at any of their house that do?
Surely such men are factors for the devil indeed. Surely their damnation slumbers not:
for although God, is in his good providence, may allow such stumbling-blocks to be put in his children's way, and allow their greatest enemies to be those of their own households, for a trial of their sincerity, and improvement of their faith; yet we cannot but pronounce a woe against those masters by whom such offenses come.
For if those that only take care of their own souls, can scarcely be saved, where will such monstrous profane and wicked governors appear?
But hoping there are but few of this unhappy stamp, we shall now proceed to the Second thing proposed:
To show after what manner a governor and his household ought to serve the Lord.
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