cause, and yet will not give it up, nor comply with a duty, of your obligations to which you are secretly convinced, and yet in effect say, "I will go on in this sin, and venture the consequence.” Oh it is a dreadful venture, and will be found in effect provoking the Lord to jealousy, as if you were stronger than he*.

But perhaps there may arise in your mind some objections, which may in some degree break the force of this conviction, and which in that view it may be expedient for me to discuss a little, before I dismiss the subject and close my address to you. You may perhaps be ready to object,

1. "That family prayer is not in so many words commanded in scripture; and therefore however expedient in some cases, it cannot be so universal and so important a duty, as we represent it."

I answer plainly, that it is strongly recommended in scripture, and consequentially commanded; as there are precepts, which plainly include, though they do not particularly express it. And I appeal to yourself in this matter.

When God is

represented as giving this reason to his angels for a particular favour to be bestowed on Abraham, because he knew, that he would command his children and household to keep the way of the Lord, that he might obtain the blessing promised; did he not intend to declare his approbation of the care he took to support religion in his family? And can it be supported in a total neglect of prayer?—Again, do you not in your conscience think, that the spirit of God meant, that we should take Joshua for an example, when he tells us, that he resolved, and publicly declared the resolution, that he and his house would serve the Lord 1; which must express a religious care of his family too?-Do you not believe, that this blessed Spirit meant it as a commendation of Job, that he offered sacrifices for all his children §; Sacrifices, undoubtedly attended with prayers; when he feared lest the gaiety of their hearts in their successive feastings might have betrayed them into some moral evil?-And was it not to do an honour to David, that the scripture informs us, that he went home to bless his household; that is, to perform some solemn act of domestic worship, when he had been spending the whole day in public devotions ?-What think you of the example of Daniel, who prayed in his house, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, and would rather run the risk of being cast into the den of lions, and being torn in pieces by those cruel beasts, than he would either omit or conceal it ?-And do you think, that when our blessed Lord, whose whole life was em

* 1 Cor. x. 22. † Gen. xviii, 19. ‡ Josh. xxiv. 15. § Job i. 5. ||2 Sam. vi. 20. ¶ Dan. vi, 10. 4 F 2

ployed in religious services, so frequently took his disciples apart to pray with them, that he did not intend this as an example to us, of praying with those under our special care, or in other words, with the members of our own family, who are most immediately so?Or can you by any imaginable artifice delude yourself so far as to think, that when we are solemnly charged and commanded to pray with all prayer and supplication* this kind of prayer is not included in that apostolical injunction ? On the whole, the question lies in a very little room. Have I proved by what I have said before, that family prayer is a reasonable thing? That it has a tendency to promote the honour of God, and the interest of religion, and your own salvation, with that of those who are committed to your care? If you are really convinced of this, then all the general precepts which require the love of God and your neighbour, all that recommend a regard to the interest of Christ, and a concern for our own everlasting happiness, bind it in this connection as certainly upon us, as if it had been commanded in words as express as those, in which we are required to enter into our closets, and there to pray to our Father which is in secrets.

And I will farther add, that if the care of family religion be, (as I suppose every man's conscience will secretly testify that it is,) a proper part of a religious education, then all those many passages of scripture which recommend this, must in all reason be understood as including that. But perhaps you may be ready to plead, 2. "That it is generally neglected."

cause.

Yet scarce can you have made or thought of this objection, but you will see at the first glance, that this must turn upon yourself, rather than on the whole appear favourable to your It is the reproach of our age, if it be indeed generally neglected. And if it be generally excluded from the families of the rich and the great, (who too frequently set the fashion, where they are most apt to set it wrong,) let it rather awaken a generous indignation in our breast, to think that it is so excluded. At least, let it awaken a holy zeal to exert ourselves so much the more, as it is certain that no association in vice can secure those that join in it: For it is expressly said, though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished. So will your obedience be the more acceptable, in proportion to the degree in which it is singular. Were there not one praying family in the whole nation, in the whole world, methinks it should instigate you to the practice, rather than tempt you to

Eph. vi. 18.

+ Mat. vi. 6.

Prov. xi. 21.

This part of the argument is enforced with peculiar strength by that great and excellent writer Mr. Howe, in his posthumous Sermons on the subject; which I earnestly recommend to every reader that can get an opportunity of perusing them.

the neglect, and you should press on as ambitious of the glory of leading the way: For what could be a nobler object of ambition, than to be pointed out by the blessed God himself, as Job was; of whom he said, with a kind of triumph, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the land, or even on the earth? But blessed be God, this supposed universal neglect is far from being the case. Let it however, rejoice us, if God may say, "There are such and such families distinguishable from those in the neighbourhood on this account; as prevalent as the neglect of family prayer is, they have the resolution to practise it, and, like my servant Daniel, fear not the reproach and contempt which profane and ungodly men may cast upon them, if they may but honour me and engage my favour: I know them; I hearken and hear, and a book of remembrance is written before me for them that fear me, and think on my namet." Nor should you urge,

3. "That you have so much business of another kind, as not to be able to attend to this."

I might cut this objection short at once, by applying to your conscience, whether you have not time for many other things, which you know to be of much less importance. How many hours in a week do you find for amusement, while you have none for devotion in your family? And do you indeed hold the blessing of God so very cheap, and think it a matter of so little importance, that you conclude your business must succeed the worse, if a few minutes were daily taken solemnly to seek it together? Let me rather admonish you, that the greater your business is, the more need you have to pray earnestly, that your hearts may not be ingrossed by it. And I would beg leave further to remind you, that if your hurry of business were indeed so great as the objection supposes, (which I believe is seldom the case,) prudence alone might suggest, that you should endeavour to contract it. For there are certain boundaries, beyond which a wise and faithful care cannot extend; and as an attempt to go beyond these boundaries has generally its foundation in avarice, it often has its end in poverty and ruin. But if you were ever so secure of succeeding for this world, how dear might you and your children pay for that success, if all the blessed consequences of family religion, for time, and for eternity, were to be given up as the price of that very small part of your gains, which is owing to the minutes you take from these exercises, that you may give them to the world? For you plainly perceive the question is only about them, and by no means about a strenuous application to the + Mal. iii. 16.

* Job. i. 8.

proper duties of your secular calling through the day. And if you will be rich upon such profane terms as are here supposed, (for truly I can call them no better than profane,) you will probably plunge yourself into final perdition, and may in the mean time pierce yourself through with many sorrows*; while reli gious families learn by blessed experience, that the blessing of the Lord, which they are so oftem imploring together maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with it; or that a little with the fear of the Lord is better than great treasure, with that intermingled trouble, which in the neglect of God must necessarily be expected. But I conclude that yet more will be objecting,

4. "That they want ability for a work of this kind."

To this I must in the first place reply, that where the heart is rightly disposed, it does not require any uncommon abilities to discharge family worship in a decent and edifying manner. The heart of a wise and good man, in this respect, teacheth his mouth, and addeth knowledge to his lips§; and out of the fulness of it, when it is indeed full of pious affections, the mouth will naturally speak. And if it speak naturally, and in the main properly, it is enough. There is no need at all of speaking elegantly. The plainest and simplest language, in addresses to the Majesty of heaven, appears to me far preferable to laboured, pompous, and artificial expressions. Plain short sentences, uttered just as they rise in the mind, will be best understood by them that join with you. And it should on such occasions be our endeavour, to let ourselves down, as much as possible, to the understanding of the least and meanest of them: And this will in itself be more pleasing to God, than any thing which should proceed from ostentation and parade.

I must also desire you to consider, how many helps you may easily procure. The scripture is a large and noble magazine of the most proper sentiments, and most expressive language; which, if you will attend to it with a becoming regard, will soon furnish you for every good word and work, and most apparently for this. And besides this, we have in our language a great variety of excellent forms of prayer, for families as well as for private persons; which you may use, at least at first, with great profit. And if it be too laborious to you to learn them by heart, or if having learnt them you dare not trust your memory, what should forbid your reading them reverently and * 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. † Prov. x. 22. Prov. xv. 16. § Prov. xvi.23. || Luke vi. 45. ¶I must beg leave on this occasion to mention and recommend two excellent collections of this kind, Jenkes's Devotions, and the Family Prayer Book, printed for Mr. Waugh. Readers of almost every taste may find themselves suited by one or the other of these; and there are many admirably devout and judicious forms in both, which I should think every wise and good man might hear with pleasure and improvement, and to every clause of which he might put his most hearty Amen.

devoutly? I hope I shall give no offence to any good christian by saying, but on this occasion I should offend my conscience by not saying, that I have long thought an irreconcileable aversion to forms of prayer, even of human composition, as vain a superstition, as a passionate attachment to them. And if any had rather, that a family should be prayerless, than that a well chosen form should be gravely and solemnly read in it, I think he judges as absurdly, as if he would rather see them starving to death, than fed out of a dish whose materials or shape are disagreeable to him. The main thing is, that God be reverently and sincerely adored, that suitable blessings, temporal and spiritual, be sought from him for ourselves and others, and cordial thanksgivings returned to him for the various gifts of his continual bounty: And if this be done, the circumstances of doing it, though I cannot think them quite indifferent, are comparatively of small importance. I know by sure experience, in a great variety of instances, that it is very possible for christians of no extraordinary genius, and with a very low education, to acquit themselves honourably in prayer without the assistance of forms: And they who at first need them may, and probably, if they seriously set about it, would soon outgrow that need. But if they did not, God might be glorified, and families edified, by the continued use of such helps. And on the whole, if it be indeed come to this, that you will rather sacrifice all the benefits of family prayer, than submit to the trouble of reading, or appointing another to read, a well composed address, which perhaps, with a small portion of scripture before it, might not take up one quarter of an hour's time, indeed, indeed, you must be condemned by God, and your own conscience. In such a view both must testify, that it is neither want of leisure, nor want of ability, that prevents your discharging your duty, but a stupid indifference about it, or rather a wretched aversion to it; the natural consequence of which might, if a little reflected upon, be sufficient to throw the most careless and arrogant sin, ner into an awful alarm if not a trembling consternation.

I apprehend, that the most plausible objections have now been canvassed; for I suppose, few will be so weak and cowardly, as to plead,

5. "That their domestics will not submit to the introduction of such orders as these."

But as this may be secretly thought of, where it would not be pleaded, especially where these duties have unhappily been omitted when families were first formed, and in their most flexible and pliant state, I will bestow a few words on this head.

And here I must desire, that you would not rashly con