already mentioned, refer to this subject in a manner too evident to leave a reasonable doubt, that family worship was their immediate object. When Joshua informs the children of Israel, that as for him and his house, they will serve the Lord;' he teaches us directly, that they united, and had customarily united, in this service. The Lord's Prayer, after the manner of which we are directed by Christ to pray, is social prayer, and seems plainly to have been intended, not for an individual, not for the closet, not for the church, but for the family and the fire-side. In this prayer we are directed to ask for our daily bread, on the day in which the prayer is used. As therefore we need, and are bound to ask for, our daily bread every day, it was plainly designed to be a daily prayer, and could not therefore be intended for the church; since mankind are not, and cannot be, present in the church every day. That it was not intended for the closet, is obvious from the fact, that it is addressed to God by more persons than one. That it may with propriety be used both in the church, and in the closet, as to its substance, I readily acknowledge: but it was, I think, plainly intended principally for the household. "What a live coal," says Dr. Hunter beautifully, "is applied to devotion, when the solitary my Father and my God, is changed into the social our Father, and our God!" How delightful, let me add, how interesting, how animating, how encouraging to every amiable and virtuous emotion, for the pair, thus united, to be able to say, and actually to say, ' Behold, here are we, and the children whom thou hast given us!'

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In Zechariah x. 10, the prophet informs us, that, as a commencement of the millennial glory and happiness, the people of Israel shall worship God with peculiar earnestness and devotion, as it is expressed in the Hebrew, families by families.' In other words, he teaches us, that there shall be a wonderful prevalence of family worship. This also he exhibits as followed by remarkable testimonies of the divine favour, and as crowned with blessings new in their degree, and eminently glorious in their nature. It is difficult to conceive how God could testify in a more affecting manner the peculiar favour with which he regards family religion.

2. Diffidence and timidity are often alleged as serious objections to the performance of this duty.

This certainly is a very unhappy excuse for neglecting this duty, and very unfortunately alleged. I should feel myself bound to ask the author of it, Are you too diffident to perform your customary business? Are you too diffident to pursue customary amusements? Are you too diffident to commit sin? Does the bashfulness, which hinders you from family prayer, hinder you also from censuring, and laughing at others who practise it? Does it prevent you from using the language of profaneness? Why should you be timid only concerning the duties of religion? Is there any thing in the nature of this subject, which can reasonably excite shame, or which can fairly excuse you in indulging it? Is it not true, that religion itself is the thing, of which you are ashamed?

Remember, I beseech you, the awful declaration of Christ concerning this subject, Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,, when he shall come in his glory.' Family worship, presented in the name of Christ, is as real a confession of this divine person, as the participation of the sacramental supper.

3. Inability to pray, to devise proper thoughts, and to find proper expressions, is also no unfrequent objection against the performance of this duty.

To him, who alleges it, I would say, Have you not wants to be supplied, woes to be relieved, sins to be forgiven, and blessings to be supplicated? Can you not confess your sins, recite your wants and distresses, and mention the blessings which you need? Do you ordinarily find any difficulty in conferring with an earthly friend, or in soliciting aid from an earthly benefactor? Have you, when in earnest, ever found any serious embarrassment in telling others what you needed, or what you desired?

Wherever religion gains possession of the heart, regular experience proves, that all these difficulties vanish. Nay, where serious conviction of guilt and danger is entertained by the mind, every man who is the subject of it forgets at once both his inability and bashfulness. Is it not evident, then, that the true reason why these things have such unhappy influence over you is, that you have no proper regard for religion, and no just sense either of your guilt, or your need of forgiveness?

At the same time, these difficulties are incomparably more formidable in prospect, than in reality. As you approach them, they vanish. Thousands and millions, originally neither wiser nor better than you, neither less timid nor less embarrassed, have got over them all. Certainly then you may achieve the same victory.

4. Multitudes allege also, as a serious objection to the performance of this duty, that they shall meet from their families nothing but opposition, censure, and ridicule.

To the author of this objection I shall answer, that it is usually, if not always, founded in mistake. Children are by nature prepared to reverence religion. The conscience of man, before it has been warped and overpowered by passion, prejudice, and sin, prompts him, of course, to regard this solemn and awful object only with emotions of respect. So obvious is this truth, that it has often been acknowledged by infidels. Children therefore present no obstruction to the performance of this duty.

Whatever may be true of other countries, it is certainly true in this, that the number of women is extremely small who discourage, in any manner which may be styled direct, the ordinances of religion. From them therefore no hindrance will be presented to this duty, unless in cases of a very extraordinary nature. The difficulty then which is here alleged is, in almost every case, created solely by the man himself.

I would farther ask this objector, Have you made the experiment? If not, where is your proof of its truth? If you have, have you attempted to remove it; and, like a wise and good man, determined to govern your family, and subdue so unreasonable a spirit?

This evil is oftener feared than felt. It is doubtful whether the man can be found, who, after a faithful trial, has been prevented by it from the regular worship of God in his family.

There is another objection, which, though perhaps never alleged in form, has had no small weight in particular cases. It is this: The persons in question have long neglected it, and feel extreme reluctance to exhibit to their families their inconsistency of character. Concerning this objection I shall only observe, that it lies equally against all reformation; and,

if yielded to, would effectually prevent every sinner from becoming a Christian.

Upon the whole, all these objections are either erroneous, or nugatory; either devised, or adopted, by a mind already willing to neglect the duty; and fastened upon, as the best means within its reach, to quiet its own conscience, and to

justify its conduct in the sight of others.

SERMON CXLII.

THE MEANS OF GRACE.

ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE.

THE USEFULNESS OF PRAYER TO COMMUNITIES.---ITS

EFFICACY IN PROCURING BLESSINGS.---ENCOU

RAGEMENTS TO PRAYER.

IT IS GOOD FOR ME TO DRAW NEAR UNTO GOD.

PSALM LXXIII. 28.

IN the last Discourse, I considered the usefulness of prayer to families. The next thing proposed for discussion was its usefulness to communities.

It may be proper to remind my audience, that the usefulness of prayer was originally mentioned as two-fold; consisting,

1. In its immediate influence on the suppliant; and, 2. Its efficacy in procuring blessings.

It may be proper further to observe, that, next to the usefulness of prayer, I proposed to examine the encouragements to this duty. These three subjects will be considered in the present Discourse.

In the text, the psalmist declares, that it was good for him to draw near to God.' If it was good, that is, profitable, for the psalmist to perform this duty; it must, without a question,