Friends, is a falfe fhame, which you should endeavour to vanquish. By frequent and refolute attempts many have overcome this natural infirmity; and why may not you? Did you cherish a more lively fenfe of the great nefs of that Being who is the object of worfhip, it would deftroy, in a great meafure, fhame and timidity on account of the prefence of any of your fellow-creatures at your devotions. Some of thofe who have been moft modeft in company, have been fearlefs of man when addreffing their Maker, or when executing a divine commiffion.

But perhaps you complain of a want of expreffion, or of a ready command of thought in focial prayer. This defect, however, may ufually be remedied. In this, as in other things, facility and correctnefs are to be acquired by frequent practice. Some who have been very hefitating and inaccurate at firft, have attained afterwards much propriety of diction in family-worship. Those who stand in need of affiftance, may take the advantage of compofed forms of prayer, to fupply their deficiencies of thought or language, and intermingle fuch additions as are fuitable to the particular fituation of their family. Though I approve more of free prayer, yet I am fenfible, that well-chofen forms may be of great help to beginners, and to perfons of weak conceptions, or in a depreffed ftate of mind. It is furely better that a fet form fhould be used,

than

than the duty be neglected. The excuse of inability, therefore, cannot be fuftained.

But there are others who plead the hurry of business as an apology for the neglect of family-worship; as if this were an exercise only for idle people. Allow me to ask, if it is reasonable for you to immerse yourselves fo deeply in the cares of the world, as to exclude the acknowledging of God at proper feafons and intervals? It would not confume much time, nor retard greatly your fecular affairs, to spend fifteen or twenty minutes every morning and evening with your family, in thanking God for mercies enjoyed, and in imploring temporal and fpiritual bleffings. The advantages attending this duty would much overbalance the expence of time; it would prove an excellent antidote to the temp tations of bufinefs and of pleasure, a ftrong excitement to duty, and a powerful support under the daily trials and afflictions of life. May it not reasonably be expected, too, that your united fupplications will promote the fuccefs of your worldly employments, and draw down the bleffing of Heaven on your families?" The lot is caft into the lap, but the "difpofal thereof is of the Lord." In truth it is not want of time, but want of inclination, which is the melancholy fource of the neglect of this duty. David, though much engaged in war, as well as occupied by the cares of his family and kingdom, found leifure for prayer, thrice, and often feven times a-day, and expe

rienced

rienced its utility in the execution of his im portant truft. It is ftrongly to be fufpected, that many who urge the apology of business, fpend much more time at the card-table, or at their bottle, than is requifite for the purpofes of devotion; and I leave the impartial to judge, which of them will be most beneficial in the end to themfelves and families.

But it is probable there are fome in this affembly who are reluctant to comply with the prefent exhortation, from the fear of ridicule, or being marked for fingularity. You dread the fneer of the fcoffer, or the imputation of enthusiasm, hypocrify, or fuperftition. Now, my friends, if you are confcious of the inju ftice of the charge, and that your motives are more pure, why fhould you regard the cenfures of the world? Would you act thus in your worldly affairs? Would a wife man allow himself to be laughed or frightened out of a good estate, or a profitable employment? I think not. How comes it, then, that you fhould be fo eafily diverted from more important objects of attention, from the concerns. of eternity, which are incomparably more valuable than the fleeting things of time? What fignify a few bad names and fatirical remarks, when compared with the approving teftimony of your own minds, and the welfare of your families in time and through eternity? Even fome pious perfons are too much under the influence of regard to fashion, and to the maxims of a corrupt age. If I am

not

not mistaken, there are fome who cut off pfalmody, which is an effential and pleasant part of worship, from the religious exercises of the family, for no other reafon but to conceal from their neighbours and paffengers their keeping up the worship of God in their houses. But why do you affect this concealment? Why would you fmuggle your religion? Are you afhamed of your mafter? You are not averfe that it fhould be known by your neighbours, that you fit down regularly to meals with your family, at leaft you would not refrain though it were known: why then fhould you be fo anxious to conceal from your neighbours, that you celebrate the praifes of God with your family, and endeavour to prepare them and yourselves for a better life? Though to be feen or praifed of men, fhould not be the motive of any religious performance, we fhould not neglect any duty of piety for fear of being feen by men; efpecially if the nature of the duty is fuch, that if performed, it must be known by those around us. By fuch a concealment you diminifh the influence of your good example, which might probably excite others to a duty in itfelf reafonable and advantageous. Boldly avow, then, your attachment to religion; it is your duty at all times, and never was it more needful than at prefent. Remember the leclaration of our divine master: "Whofoever fhall be afhamed of me and my words in an adulterous and evil generation, of

him also fhall the Son of man be afhamed "when he cometh in the glory of his Father, " with the holy angels." Not only muft we

with the heart believe unto righteousness, " but with the mouth make confeffion unto es falvation."

There is only another apology (if it deserves the name) to which we would request your at tention, namely, that of those who acknowledge the reasonableness of these religious exercises, but after a long neglect cannot prevail on themselves to introduce them into their family. What does this amount to? it is, that you are too proud to confefs a fault. How unreasonable for perfons who have fo great cause, to make fuch an acknowledgement! The longer you perfift in the neglect of known duty, your guilt is the more aggravated. Be affured there is nothing which can put you in a more honourable and advantageous light in the estimation of your family, than to acknowledge, that you are fenfible of having done wrong in the neglect of fa. mily-worship in time past, and that you are refolved to be punctual in the performance of it for the future. O that you had the humility and courage to adopt and effectuate the refolution of Joshua, "As for me and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord."

It is not enough that you join with your families in religious exercises on the Lord's day only, as is the practice of many. If you with them to be beneficial to your children

and