Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

A Call to Family Worship

I reproduce here the epistle to the Christian reader from Oliver Heywood's work, A Family Altar Erected to the Eternal God, which renewed my conviction of the need of our family and indeed Christian families in general to pursue activities of private worship in their homes.

Heywood writes:

For your sakes, dear Friends, I presume again to appear on the public stage, to be your faithful monitor, to prompt you to your duty, and to promote the work of God in your souls, and the worship of God in your families: and I know not how a minister can employ his time better, (next to the conviction and conversion of particular souls) than in pressing upon householders a care of the souls under their charge. This hath a direct tendency to public reformation; religion begins in individuals, and passeth on to relatives, and lesser spheres of relationship make up greater, churches and commonwealths consist of families. There is a general complaint of the decay of the power of godliness, and inundation of profaneness; and not without cause. (Heywood wrote this in 1692 - TKP) I know no better remedy than domestic piety...In vain do you complain of magistrates and ministers, while you that are householders are unfaithful to your trust. You complain that the world is in a bad state, but what do you do to mend it? Do not so much complain of others as of yourselves; and complain not so much to man as to God, and plead with him for reformation, second also your prayers with earnest endeavours; sweep before your own doors; act for God within your own sphere. (emphasis mine)

Heywood, typical of a Puritan pastor, tells it like it is. We complain often about our leadership, but how often is the complaint we offer applicable in some way to our own guidance of our own homes?