be my snare, neglecting my duty for your contempt of it. But have you been to blame in nothing? Have you done all your part right? Are you sure that all the fault is mine?

Wife. I know nothing I have been to blame in, but in telling you what is true enough, that your praying in your family is, to me, a piece of cold insignificant stuff; I look upon you as one of them whose prayer is an abomination.

Husb. That is calling me a wicked man in the first place; and yet even such are commanded to repent, to pray, to turn to God, and to call upon him. You do not argue, I hope, that, because you esteem me so much worse than yourself, that therefore I must not pray to God, nor take care to have religious worship kept up in my family; to do that, is the way to have our children worse than any of us.

Wife. I'll take care of my children; they shan't be the worse for your example, if I can help it.

Husb. I question whether that would be in your power, if my example were really bad, as I hope it is not; how ever, I hope, in praying for them, and with them, I can do them no harm, there is no bad example in that.

Wife. You may do as you please; your prayers are of

no use to me.

Husb. Have a care, my dear, lest some time or other you come into a condition to desire, nay perhaps to want the prayers of every one, that will but pity you enough to pray for you.

Wife. That's none of your business, you see I don't ask your prayers now; you may stay till I do.

Hush. I'll pray that God will be pleased to give you a better mind.

Wife. You may as well let it alone.

Husb. Your temper is perfectly void of charity, and you' act as if you would have the worship of God wholly neglected, or dropt out of the family.

Wife. I look upon that, and your performing

much as one; if it were otherwise, I should do as becomes

me.

Husb. I wish you would do as becomes you now, and not discourage the work of God. What if God, notwithstanding your despising them, should accept my imperfect petitions? I am sure you are not a judge of the sincerity of the heart. What if He that knows the heart should accept what you so much despise? You would then be found a fighter against God. I intreat you consider your duty.

Wife. I don't want to be taught my duty by you, that do not understand your own.

Husb. How can you say I do not understand my duty, when I now tell you with grief my sense of having omitted it, and my desire to return to the discharge of it.

Wife. Well, what is it you pretend to desire of me?

Husb. My desire is, that you would concur in the exercise of our morning and evening service, that we may join together in praying for the pardon of our family sins, and for a blessing upon us and our children.

Wife. I tell you my reasons why I cannot join with you. I do not look upon your performance to be called praying. I do not see that your lips and your heart go together, or that your life conforms to the seeming holiness of your expressions.

Husb. Why, my dear, must none pray but those that have no infirmities? and pray, who made you a judge of the sincerity of the heart?

Wife. Well, what is all this discourse for?

Husb. Why, my dear, I would fain restore the face of religion in my family, which our last dispute has made a dreadful breach in.

Wife. Well, and so you would set up your hypocritical formalities again?

Hush. That's very unchristian, very unkind, and very discouraging.

Wife. But may be very just for all that.

· Husb. No, nor is it just; but, however, since you are so rude to me, and in a thing so necessary, and which I can

not, I dare not any longer omit, I tell you I am resolved to do my duty, do what you will.

Wife. Then what need was there of this discourse?

Husb. Because I would fain have had your concurrence and your countenance in it, which it is your duty to give children and servants. among your

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Wife. I don't think any of the children like it, any more than I do.

Husb. To you, my dear, I'll offer no force of any kind; as for them, I shall expect their attendance. I will take care of that part myself: whether they like it or not, that's another question.

Wife. I believe they will all be Dissenters. I hope you will give them liberty of conscience.

Husb. Liberty of conscience relates to different ways of worship, but is not concerned in the dispute between worship in general and no worship at all; there's no toleration to be an atheist, to deny God, or abandon religion.

Wife. But they may pray by themselves.

Husb. I'll oblige them to give their attendance to family. orders; I am sure it is their duty; they may pray by them selves too, and I hope they will.

Wife. If they don't think it their duty, it is persecution and tyranny.

Husb. Family-worship is an undoubted duty. If they think not, 'tis time they were taught better.

Wife. Perhaps they do worship in the family without you, and more to their satisfaction.

Husb. Let them worship God as often as they will, I hinder none; but at my stated times 1 shall expect them; their worshipping in the family without me, is not familyworship.

Wife. They will let you see plainly enough then, that it is a force upon their inclinations, and perhaps sometimes in a manner which you will not like.

Husb. I know not what your example may have encouraged them to; however, as it is their duty to do otherwise, if they fail in their duty, I shall find means to teach them better manners: and as for yourself, seeing you oblige me to force my way thus to that, which, as a kind wife, you ought to have assisted me in; and as a good Christian, you ought to have encouraged in your family. I shall be best pleased if you will prevent the discouragement I have formerly met with from you, by withdrawing yourself, till you can with charity and decency join with me; and, in the mean time, I'll pray for you, that God will reconcile you better to what I am so well assured is your duty.

Wife. I believe you will be sooner gratified by me than by your daughters.

Husb. Leave that to me.

The good man was exceedingly afflicted with this obstinacy of his wife; and the more, because he looked upon it to be incurable. However, being resolved to do his duty, he takes his little boy in his hand, and goes down stairs; and, after some time, called for his two eldest daughters, who came down stairs also to him. Upon this he calls his servants into his parlour, and causing his eldest son to read a chapter, had fastened the door, and went to prayer with them.

During his performance he had the disturbance, to hear his wife come down stairs, and offer to open the door, but finding it fast, tó retire and go up again.

At night he resolved to do the same, but before the usual hour; and that his wife might not prevent his children's attendance, he called his eldest daughter, about seventeen years old, to him, and began to discourse a little with her of the nature of prayer, which occasioned the following dialogue, his second daughter being also by.

Well, my dear, said he, are you one of them that are dissatisfied with your father's calling you to prayer in the fa mily?

Fa. No! what made you then and your sister go away 'ast night?

Fa. Well, I hope your mother called you into her clo set, to reading and private prayer.

Da. Yes, Sir.

Fa. But that must not interrupt public worship, my dear.

Da. But if my mother calls us

Fa. Why, that's true, my dear; but I'll speak to your mother not to call you at that time when we should all meet for family worship.

· Da. But my mother will, it may be.

Fa. Then, my dear, you must answer that your father has called to prayers.

Da. But my mother will be angry.

Fa. No, child; I hope such an answer will satisfy her; if not, you must answer her as you do me, and tell her your father will be angry.

Da. Yes, Sir.

Fa. But hark ye, my dear, do you love praying to God, or is it a burden and tiresome to you?

Da. No, Sir, I am not tired with it, I hope; my mother has always told us it is our duty, and showed us God's command for it in scripture.

Fa. Well, my dear, then if your father prays with you in the family, and your mother also in her closet, I hope you won't think it too much?

Da. No, indeed, Sir.

Fa. I hope you know the nature and meaning of praying to God; you have learnt your catechism, my dear.

Da. Yes, Sir.

Fa. And you too, child? turning to the other.

Child. Yes, Sir.

Fa. Well, my dear, come, be plain with me then; have you any scruple in your thoughts against joining with your father, when he prays in the family?