illustrated; the difficulty is, to bring men to the practice of it. I proceed therefore,

II. To show the reasonableness of it.

And under this head, I shall confine myself,. chiefly to what the light of nature suggests upon this subject; that law which was written upon men's hearts by their Creator, on which Revelation is founded, by which it is confirmed and with which it is always consistent. This law arises from the relation in which man stands to God and his dependence upon him. Now reason suggests, that it is our duty to reverence our superiors; and therefore that the highest reverence is due to God, our Creator and Supreme Ruler the Being on whom we have a constant, necessary dependence; and who gives and continues to us. those powers and faculties, by which we are capable of worshipping him. We may now take it for granted, as an allowed truth, that God is to be worshipped by every rational creature singly, or in his personal capacity; that men are to meet together and worship. their common father, friend, and benefactor, in a public manner. The same reasons that have often been urged to prove secret and public worship to be necessary duties, will, in general, be equally strong for family Worship. But the reasonableness of it will more particularly appear from considering-the relation of the family, as such, to God—their mutual

relation to one another-the relation of the head to the several members of the familyand their relation to the world-and all these will be confirmed by the practice of the heathen. I argue,

1. From the relation of a family to the great God. God. And here, these thoughts will occur; that families are societies constituted and appointed by him-and favoured with special advantages and opportunities for worshipping him-and therefore ought to do it.

Families are societies constituted and ap pointed by the great God himself, and therefore ought to worship him. He is the Foun der of all families. He saw it was not good for man to be alone, and therefore provided him a suitable companion. His providence is to be acknowledged in the social affections he hath implanted in human nature, and the provision he hath made for the regular exercise of them. It is God, who, as the Psalmist expresseth it "setteth the solitary in famiilies," who buildeth up our houses, and directs men in the choice of their relations. His providence gives persons ability to keep house, and make provision for those that serve them. We and our families continually depend upon God; and whatever we do for their suste. nance, support, and comfort, he is the great sustainer and preserver of them. In this

* Psalm lxviii, S.

respect, he is the "God of all the families of the earth." He is likewise the supreme Governor of all families; as they are united by his appointment, and he exerciseth a prov-idential government over them. He stands in a particular relation to christian families. Accordingly it was foretold, "that he would be the God of all the families of Israel,"* that is, of christians, who are now the Israel of God, and all related to him through Jesus Christ, "of whom the whole Family in Heaven and earth is named." Now it is very natural to argue from hence, that there is homage and worship due to GOD from all families, as such. He ought to be acknowledged in this relation, as their builder, owner, and supreme master: according to his own reasoning, "the son of a family honoureth his father, as a superior, and a servant his master if I then be a father, where is my honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear, saith the Lord of hosts !" It would be strange, that a society of creatures, of which God is the author and support, should not be obliged to acknowledge that he is so, and worship him in that relation. We are obliged to honour God in every way we can; and as social creatures, to honour him by social religion and as families are one of those societies which he hath constituted, and, in the order of nature, the very first of them, they

* Jer. xxxi. 1.

+ Mal. i. 6.

ought to honour him in that capacity. This will be allowed in our personal capacity; and the argument is equally strong with regard to family religion. A person is bound to worship God as the head of a family; that is, with it. He is capable of it, and they that belong to his family are capable of joining with him; and therefore they ought; because God has a right to all the homage we are capable of paying, consistent with the other duties he requireth of us. This reasoning is grounded upon this plain maxim "that whatever relation providence brings a person into, he is bound to serve God in that relation;" as a king, a magistrate, a master of a family, and the like. It is further to be considered (though I fear most people never consider it) that a family, is a constitution, or a society formed, not merely for this world but for another; as composed of rational immortal beings. Why (saith the Prophet Malachi) did God form one man and one woman only? and unite them together as a family? but that he might seek a godly seed ?" So that this relation was ordained, not only to continue a succession of men upon the face of the earth, but to support religion. Families were ordained to be nurseries of religion; to maintain it in the world, and hand it down from father to son, from family to family, through all generations. Now,

*Malachi ii. 15.

how can this be done, without impressing the minds of families with a sense of God? and how can that be done, without solemn Prayer to him?-Again,

Families are furnished with special advantages and opportunities for worshipping God, and therefore ought to do it. Their nearness and convenience, their mutual society and endearment, and that regard they ought to have for another's comfort and happiness for both worlds, render it peculiarly expedient and highly necessary. More homage may be paid to God in this way than in solitary worship; and therefore, as the Creator and Preserver of families, as well as the greatest and most excellent of Beings, he ought to be worshipped by them. It is reckoned a piece of decency and good breeding for the members of a family to salute the head and master every morning, when they first meet: and every evening when they retire and doth not the head and master of all families, to whom we and they are subordinate, deserve that we should, in our joint-capacity, pay our homage to him? The reasonableness of Family Worship may be argued,

2. From the relation of the several parts of a family to one another.

It is a society distinct from all others; and hath an independent government, as far as the laws of the community allow. The parts of