who does not pray, cannot rationally hope for any blessing.

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To renounce all good, when it is attainable by any means, however difficult, is the conduct of a fool. To renounce it, when the means are the easiest possible, is the conduct of a madman. Such a fool, such a madman, is he who neglects prayer. To pray costs neither money, pains, nor time. Why do multitudes in this house neglect to pray? The true explanation of this mysterious, sottish violation of every dictate of reason, conscience, and Revelation is, that all these persons hate their duty. They sin against God, and wrong their own souls; they hate him, and love death.'

SERMON CXLI.

THE MEANS OF GRACE.

ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE.

THE USEFULNESS OF PRAYER TO FAMILIES.

PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER.

EPHESIANS VI. 10.

HAVING considered the usefulness of prayer to individuals, I shall now, according to the scheme proposed, examine its usefulness to families,

The text, as will be seen by attending to its connection with the preceding verse, contains a command in which we are required to pray always, ( TT Tw xxipw, at every season,) with all prayer; that is, with prayer of every kind; or prayer offered up to God in every form. By this precept, then, mankind are commanded to pray at every season suited to the performance of this duty; and with such prayer as becomes the circumstances, wants, and characters of those by whom the duty is to be performed.

That family prayer is included in this general direction, as one kind of prayer especially suited to the wants and circumstances of mankind, will not be questioned by most of those who profess the religion of the Gospel. Nor will it be doubted, that every morning and every evening presents a proper season for the performance of this religious service.

In examining the proposed subject of discourse, it will be useful to consider,

The advantages of performing,

The disadvantages of neglecting, and

The objections commonly made against this duty.

The foundation of family prayer, is laid in the intimate connection of those who are members of these little societies. This connection necessarily creates a variety of interests, wants, enjoyments, and sufferings, which are common to them all. United in all these concerns in a very intimate manner, the several members of a family find a common interest in unitedly supplicating upon them the blessing of God, without which neither prosperity nor relief can be expected. A common interest is the source of all communion in the worship of God, whether in families, particular churches, nations, or the Christian world at large. Nor is there any reason against family worship, which does not lie against the worship of churches, and larger Christian communities. Indeed, ancient churches were not unfrequently formed of single families.

Among the advantages which attend family prayer, I shall mention the following:

1. The intimate communion which exists in this worship, naturally renders our devotion intense and exalted.

Religion is in its nature social. Worship, particularly, is naturally social. Every man possessed of the spirit of the Gospel, feels an interest in those things in which others are alike interested with him, which it is difficult for him to feel in things, even of the same nature, which concern himself only. Nay, selfish as the human heart is, mankind are naturally more affected, on many occasions, by those concerns in which they share with others, than in those which are merely personal. He who would fly, when himself only was attacked, would fight when an enemy assaulted his family. Many a slothful man has become industrious, many a prodigal prudent, many a parsimonious man generous, and many a light-minded man sober, in consequence of the interest which he took in the affairs of his household.

All the members of a family are connected by the strong bonds of natural affection; bonds which unite human beings together with a power and intimacy found in no other circum

VOL. V.

stances of life. The sympathy bere experienced is therefore intense and peculiar. The wants and interests are not only common, but near and important; reaching every heart at once; awakening instinctively a lively, vigorous concern, a powerful sympathy, and united efforts, of singular energy and ardour. The members of a family all dwell also in the same house, are daily united in one common system of employments, interchange unceasingly and habitually their kind offices, and are accustomed to rejoice and mourn, to hope and fear, to weep and smile together. No eloquence, no labour, no time is necessary to awaken these sympathetic emotions. They are caught at once, from eye to eye, and from heart to heart; and spread instantaneously, with an electric influence, through all the endeared and happy circle.

In the devotions of this little assembly, parents pray for their children, and children for their parents; the husband for his wife, and the wife for her husband; while brothers and sisters send up their requests to the throne of infinite merey, to call down blessings upon each other. Who that wears the name of man can be indifferent here? Must not the venerable character of the parents, the peculiar tenderness of the conjugal union, the affectionate intimacy of the filial and fraternal relations, must not the nearness of relations long existing, the interchange of kindness long continued, and the oneness of interests long cemented, all warm the heart, heighten the importance of every petition, and increase the fervour of every devotional effort?

The blessings asked for are common to all. The parent, in speaking for one member of the family, speaks, even when he does not directly design it, for every one. For here, as in the natural body, whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. These blessings are also indispensable, and invaluable. They are no other than the health, union, peace, prosperity, forgiveness, sanctification, and everlasting life of all this circle of beloved objects. How necessarily then must all the natural affections of the heart, and all the power of religion, conspire to render prayer, thus offered up, eminently fervent and devout! The world perhaps does not furnish a single prospect so beautiful, so lovely, to the eye of virtuous contemplation, as a family thus assembled in the morning for

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their affectionate devotions; combining the two most charming among all the exercises of the human heart, piety to God their common Parent, and tenderness to each other; and living through the day in that course of evangelical conduct, which is pre-eminently suited to so delightful a beginning. No priest, no minister, is so venerable as a father; no congregation so dear and tenderly beloved as a wife and children. ; and no oblations are offered with the same union, interest, and delight, as those of a pious and affectionate household. 2. Family prayer eminently contributes to domestic order and regularity.

The worship of the morning and of the evening commences and closes the concerns of the day, with an exactness of method, almost necessarily diffused through all its concerns. The regular returns of an employment, distinguished by its importance, communicate to the business connected with it, and to those who perform it, a character of regularity, unavoidably felt, and universally prevailing. The worship of God is always of the highest importance. The spirit of religion which dictates it is, in its nature, a spirit of order. Its returns take place every morning and every evening, after short intervals, and with exact regularity. Its influence is therefore necessarily diffused through the day, operates with an efficacy wholly peculiar, and controls with a superior authority both the mind and the life. No influence is equally felt, and no minds are equally prepared to be acted upon by influence. The method established is invested with unrivalled solemnity, enforced by the sanctity of religion, regarded with singular veneration, and submitted to without a question, even in thought. But method is the soul of all business, especially of complicated business, and peculiarly of business in which numbers are concerned. The method here produced is formed with perfect regularity, with supreme ease, without the consciousness of any difficulty, and without a thought of any resistance. Its nature is delightful; its efficacy is complete.

3. Family worship greatly strengthens parental govern

ment.

In the morning and evening devotion, the parent is invested with the solemn character of a priest of God, a minister of Christ. This character, eminently venerable in itself, adds