ham's fervant pray alone, when he came to the place where he was to find a wife for his master's fon? Did not Ifaac go out to pray and meditate in the field? Did not Jacob weep and make fupplication in folitude, on his way to Bethel? Time would fail me to mention Mofes, Aaron, Samuel, Noah Daniel and Job, who in fecret were powerful interceffors with God. Hannah prayed alone at the time of offering incenfe. David arofe at midnight to perform this fecret fervice. Cornelius was a devout perfon and a man of prayer. Peter to be in private went up to the house top to pray. But of all the inftances of fecret prayer our Lord's example, as in all other things fhines forth with brilliant luftre. We read of his going to a mountain, to the wilderness, to a garden and other private places to pray and converfe with his Father. He rofe before day, retired at night for this purpose. He was fervent in his devotions, and fometimes offered up his fupplications with strong cries and tears. All pious people, in all ages, have made confcience of this duty. To this we have a beautiful allufion in the revelation, of an Angel," Standing at the altar " of incenfe before the throne that he should offer it with the pray. "ers of all faints." If we refped the commandments of God the conduct of the wife and good, throughout all ages, it must be allowed that fecret prayer is an indipenfible duty, and the neglect of it involves the highest degree of criminality.

A word or two must close the subject.

All will acknowledge every thing faid upon this obvious duty to be just, rational, fcriptural and proper. Are there any who neglect it, their misconduct cannot be proved by men, but all is open to the all feeing God. Such negligence is reproached by the brutal creation. The moft ftupid animals feel their wants and their dependence upon the hand of their fupplier. "The Ox knows his owner and the Afs his master's

“crib,” but dreadful is the thought, God's people, neither confider, pray, nor are they thankful. Those who have lived a multitude of years in the non-performance of this duty, it is "fearcely worth while to addrefs them; but this exhortation fhall be particularly directed to the children and youth of this flock. I am, my precious young friends, going off the stage of life, and you are coming on to take the place of your Fathers in Church and State; remember you are God's and abfolutely dependent upon him. In him you live, move and have your being. You are not your own, you are God's by creation, Chrift's by baptifm, and you belong to the Holy Trinity for your prefervation. God bears you on his hand, if he withdraws it for a moment, you fink and perish forever. Have you ever had a feeling fentiment of your dependence? If you have Godly parents, they have taught you to pray; they have prayed with you alone, and put praying words into your tender mouths. My counsel is when you pray, to confider what the words import and mean. What do you ask, when you pray that God would preferve and bless you? Does it not import that you are poor helpless and needy creatures, and that God, alone is the only fource of fupplies? When you ask the forgiveness of your fins. This implies a knowledge and sensibility of your guilt, that you deserve to be rejected of him forever. When you cry for the fan&tification of your natures, you must be fenfible this is a blefling which God only can below.

My dear youth, my hope, the hope of your parents and the hope of the world, allow me to entreat you to pray. The tafk is not hard. When you awake in the morning, let your thoughts be turned to God in praife and gratitude for his watchful care of your prefervation in your fumbering and unguarded hours. Without his guardian protection, fleep would have been your death, and your beds your grave. evening, you fhould recollect the mercies of heaven though the day, and by prayer and gratitude offer up your evening

In the

facrifice. I think I could pafs behind the curtain with more pleasure, if I left my dear people and their children all at prayer. Should I arrive at Heaven to make the report, that all my co gregation, parents and children were a praying. people, the celestial arches would ring with fongs of praise,

SERMON IV.

The Duty of Family Prayer.

Joshua xxiv. 15. As for me and my Houfe, we will ferve the Lord.

RELIGION in all its doctrines, commandments and duties, is a most reasonable thing. Nothing is required of mankind, but what right reason supports. Family worship is that branch of our holy religion to which your ferious attention with all friendliness and tenderness is at prefent invited. If this can be a duty demonstrated from the reafon of things, and the state of society, and the fame confirmed by the practice of pious people, and all revelation pours in its influence, for its corroboration, then I truft, chriftians will no longer treat it with neglect. We enter upon this duty, with high expectation, and propofe nothing less, than to collect all reafon and revelation in its favour.

He was

Confider the determination of Joshua in our text. the greatest character in military, civil and religious refpects of that age. He was the immediate fucceffor of Mofes, exalted

above all the children of men, to converfe with God face to face, as a friend. This Jofhua commanded three million of the best people, that ever conftituted the Ifraelitish nation, which were dignified with the title of being the peculiar people of God. Was this extraordinary man, pre-eminent in all his relations? He ftands thus diftinguished in religion. And among all the duties of piety, his family fervice fhines with. a brilliant luftre. He comes forth before the whole nation, which he had long directed, inftructed, comforted and led to the poffeffion of the promised land, with this divine refolution." "As for me and my house, we will ferve the Lord." O! that the great men of the earth could be induced to imitate this great example.

This chapter is the conclufion of the life and administration of Joshua. He recapitulates to them in brief narration, the wonders God had performed for them and their fathers. He leaves his last charge with them, to ferve the Lord: Religion he resigns to their choice. All religion must be a free and voluntary election. He ftates to them his own purpose in the words of our text, both with refpect to his perfonal and family Godliness.

We fhall confider,

First, the duty of family prayer.

Secondly, fhow the confequences arifing from the perform. ance of this fervice, and the neglect of it. As to the

First, in fuch an affembly as this, there can be no neceffity: of defcribing what a family is, or whose business it is to lead in the worship of it. Every one knows that the head of the family or fome perfon deputed by him, is to be the mouth in

this fervice.