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ready." None are excluded,-all are welcome. If, however, one class of petitioners could be more welcome and successful than another, it would be that of youth. I will conclude, therefore, by leaving on their minds, the declaration uttered by Infinite Wisdom itself: "I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me." And now, to God the Father, &c. &c. &c.

SERMON X v.

FAMILY PRAYER.

FOR I KNOW HIM, THAT HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN, AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM, AND THEY SHALL KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD, TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT, THAT THE LORD MAY BRING UPON ABRAHAM THAT WHICH HE HATH SPOKEN TO HIM.- -Gen. xviii. 19.

THIS encomium, pronounced by the Almighty himself, upon faithful Abraham, shows that true piety is a principle, which always leads a man to honour God in every thing. God knew that this principle was active and vigorous in the heart of the holy patriarch, and therefore pronounces, that it would influence his conduct at home and abroad, upon common, as well as upon extraordinary occasions. It is this principle which led holy Abraham to exercise a religious care over his family, and must induce every Christian to follow his illustrious example. And in this part of his conduct he shows not only the devout state of his affections, but likewise the soundness of his judgment. Every wise man must see the necessity of establishing some plan of domestic government, in order to preserve his family from becoming a scene of confusion and misery. Now, by what expedient can a Christian better accomplish this purpose, than by endeavouring that every member of it may feel the force of those principles, by which he himself strives to become holy and happy? It is easy to imagine how persons of true piety will fill up this outline in the various occupations of their lives. There may be some shades of differ

ence in the performance of their several duties: but there is one ancient and godly custom, which, it is probable, will be deemed very important in the regulations of their fami lies, namely, the daily performance of religious worship; and to this subject I now solicit your attention.

The arguments in support of family religion, lie within a very small compass, and are, at the same time, so obvious to a serious Christian, that it may seem almost unnecessary to insist long upon them. It is scarcely possible that persons conversant with the holy Scriptures, and truly concerned for the temporal and eternal interests of those, who are under their care, can entertain a doubt of the duty of worshipping God in their families. With such persons, the commendations bestowed on Abraham, in the text, will be regarded in the light of an express injunction. They will conceive it to be enjoined upon them "to command their children, and their household after them, to keep the way of the Lord, and to do justice and judgment." And, what in fact, can appear more reasonable, than that God should be honoured in that community, which derives all its present comforts, and future expectations, from him? In every family, there are many mercies, of which all the members equally partake. How fit and becoming a thing is it, then, that all the members should join in acts of devout homage to their common protector and benefactor? Moreover, the assembling every day to worship the Supreme Being, has a powerful tendency to produce the happiest effects in forming the conduct of children and domestics. To recall the attention of a family frequently to God, must tend to impress all its members with an idea of his authori ty, and their dependence upon his providence. It holds out religion to them as a duty, not of occasional, but of daily obligation. The constant reading of the holy Scriptures, the frequent imploring of pardon for sin, and petitioning for grace to act as becomes Christians, towards God, and one another, imperceptibly convey into their

minds a knowledge of all their religious and social obligations. On the other hand, in families where instruction is never heard, nor any act of devotion performed, a deplorable ignorance of moral obligation generally prevails. Hence, undoubtedly, arise many of the complaints which are heard of the behaviour of servants, when little or no pains are taken to teach them their duty. How unlikely is it, that steady and cheerful obedience should be rendered to man, where the fear of God is not inculcated either by precept or example. If, therefore, the heads of families would consult merely their own comfort and interest, the best course for them to pursue, would be to tread in the steps of those godly persons, whose houses were consecrated by the daily performance of family worship; and thus a remedy would probably be found against that careless, idle, and faithless conduct, of many domestics, which so frequently disturb the peace and harmony of social life. Of these evils, no radical cure can reasonably be expected, until the almost exploded piety of former times is revived, by making religious instruction and worship, a stated observance in our families.

But there is another consideration, which ought to have great weight with every generous mind. The relation in which every person stands to society at large, imposes on him a solemn obligation to employ the means which tend to promote the religious principle among mankind. Families are the nurseries of the state. Parents, magistrates, and ministers of religion, were once children in a family, and have, probably, brought with them into their important stations, a strong tincture of the habits which prevailed in the society of their tender years. We retain the impressions which we receive in early life; and if they be not favourable to virtue, their corrupt influence may readily be traced in the actions of a riper period. Licentious children become ungovernable men. From not being habituated to reverence God, and eternal things, when

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