reftraint of the public eye, and all critical obfervation. Here he enjoys perfect liberty to unbofom and unburden himself. He may here pray and paufe, meditate a while, and pray again. Secret prayer is not only a duty, but it is a high and eminent privilege. How precious is it to retire from every eye, how fweet to tell his whole heart, and to converfe with God.-The gofpel minifter, who has prayed a whole day, and led the devotions of his congregation, twenty minutes retire ment has often given him more spiritual pleasure, joy and de. light than all his public performances. In the former he has done his duty, the imperfections, hypocrify and meanness of which caule him to weep in. fecret, but in private converfe with God, where he can open his whole foul, and spread all that is in it before heaven, here is pleasure and confolation that the world cannot know. And this which is the experience of Godly ministers, it may often be the cafe with pions chriftians. You have prayed, you have heard, your fouls have been inftructed and refreshed by the ordinances of the church, but have vou not felt more extatic pleasure in a few moments retirement than in all these public offices. Wherefore secret prayer and holy meditation is a duty of the highest importance, for all who wifh for holiness and happiness.

Having attended to this matter on common and rational confiderations, let us review what the fcriptures declare both in precept and example. Our Lord's injunction in the text is nothing more than a correction of foolish oftentation, and a reduction of this duty to its proper place in the fyftem of reli gion. Secret prayer was not a new inftitution, but in force from the nature of things, and by revelation from Adam to Mofes, from Mofes to Chrift, and its obligation must continue with the existence of the world. Let us caft our minds to the ancient fcriptures on this head, and we will find it neither a novel nor merely a chriftian doctrine. It was always a duty, and away in practice by the people of God. Did not Abra

ham's fervant pray alone, when he came to the place where he was to find a wife for his master's on? Did not Ifaac go cit to pray and meditate in the field? Lid nor 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 purpofe. He was fervent in his devotions, and sometimes offered up his fupplications with strong cries and tears. All pious people, in all ages, have made conscience 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 refpe&t the commandments of God> the conduct of the wife and good, throughout all ages, it must be allowed that fecret prayer is an indifpenfible du ty, and the neglect of it involves the highest degree of criminality.

A word or two must close the fubject.

All will acknowledge every thing faid upon this obvious ' duty to be juft, rational, fcriptural and proper. Are there any who neglect it, their miscondu&t 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 fcarcely 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 absolutely 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 sink 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 fenfibility of your guilt, that you deserve to be rejected of him forever. When you cry for the fanétification of your natures, you must be fenfible this is a bleffing which God only can befow.

My dear youth, my hope, the hope of your parents and the hope of the world, allow me to entreat you to pray. The task 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 i.umbering and unguarded hours. Without his guardian protection, fleep would have been your death, and your beds your grave. In, the evening, you should recollect the mercies of heaven through the day, and by prayer and gratitude offer up your evening

facrifice. I think I could pass 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 congregation, parents and children were a praying people, the celeftial arches would ring with fongs of praife.

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 reafon fupports. 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 reason 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 expecta tion, 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 respects of that age. He was the immediate fucceffor of Mofes, exalted