So under the law, families were solemnly to worship God: their eating of the passover at the beginning, within their doors, was a solemn piece of worship: And when afterward they were to go up to Jerusalem, unto that feast; yet their families did eat it apart; And parents were enjoined to instruct their families, Deut. 6.7,8. and 4.10. and 11.18,19. And to feast with their families before the Lord, in the place, which he was to choose for them, Deut. 12.18,19. And moreover, the words of the fourth commandment are clear for families sanctifying of the Sabbath, as families, within their ports [doors or gates—as in Exod. 20.10]: For all the members thereof are distinctly and particularly mentioned, and the very stranger, that sojourneth there for the time, is not omitted; and the charge is in a special manner laid upon the master of the family, in order to all the rest: So that all of them, as in the family, and as related to the father of the Family, either as their father or master, &c. and he with them, are to sanctify that day, as a family: Otherwise if this had not been required, why should the master of the family have been spoken to, and that in reference to all the particular members of the family? If the Lord had only said, Remember thou to sanctify the Sabbath day, as in the other commands, this would have reached all persons, young and old, superior and inferior, as we see other commands do; therefore when here, particular mention is made of all the members of a Family, something else must be imported, even the observation of this commandment by a family, as a family; that is, the sanctifying of the day of the Lord, by Family-worship, as well as by public and solitary worship: And sure, something else is required, in this command, of a master of a family, in order to his family, and to the members thereof, than in order to the members of another family; And what can this be, but their conjunct worship of God, as such a family, in order to the sanctifying of that day?
~ John Brown of Wamphray
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