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Lord's Prayer, after the manner of which we are directed by Christ to pray, is a 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 fireside. 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!"

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 should 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 further 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 charConcerning 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.

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SERMON CXLII.

THE ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE. THE USEFULNESS OF PRAYER TO COMMUNITIES.-ITS EFFICACY IN PROCURING BLESSINGS.ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PRAYER.

PSALM Ixxiii. 28.-It is good for me to draw near unto God.

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 be equally profitable to every other individual, who prays with the same spirit. There was nothing in the character of David, which rendered prayer more beneficial to him, than it may be to others. He prayed frequently, faithfully, and earnestly. All, who pray in the same manner, will find the same benefits. Nor will this usefulness be, in any degree, lessened by the communion of multitudes in this solemn service. On the contrary, it will be increased. The power of sympathy cannot fail to enhance the fervour of prayer, when offered up to God by numerous bodies of mankind. Whatever advantages, then, result from prayer, generally considered, whether offered up in the closet, or in the family, all these will result from the prayer of Communities. Beside these, public prayer is accompanied by several advantages, in a great measure peculiar to itself. Particularly,

1. Public Worship is in a prime degree constituted of Public prayer.

The benefits of public worship I have considered at large in a former discourse. All these benefits are not, I confess, derived solely from Public prayer. They are, however, so connected with it, as, in a remoter sense, to be justly attributable to its proper influence. It seems scarcely probable, that without public prayer, the other ordinances of public worship would be celebrated at all; or the Sabbath at all observed. If we did not feel our dependence upon God for all good, and the absolute necessi

ty of deriving, and asking, it from him; there would, apparently, be no motives, of sufficient efficacy to preserve public worship in the world. If public prayer were to cease; the Sabbath, it is to be feared, would be forgotten, and the sanctuary deserted.

These things being admitted, it follows, that all the blessings, above mentioned, are derived from public prayer; not, indeed, immediately; but ultimately. On their importance I need not now expatiate.

2. Public prayer, above all things, preserves alive a sense of National dependence on God.

The prime mean of preserving in the mind of an individual a sense of his own dependence on his Maker is, confessedly, prayer; as has been shown at large in a preceding discourse. On families, and on nations, its influence is the same. No human emotion has a more advantageous influence on the mind than this.

fects men deeply in all stations and circumstances; and affects them all happily. It is a feeling, perfectly just; and the only just feeling respecting the subject. It is a feeling of high importance: it is a feeling of the most useful tendency.

On Rulers its influence is that, and only that, which they need to incline them to rule justly and in the fear of God. A ruler, who feels his dependence on his Maker, will be just, of course; because he knows, that God is just, and demands exact justice of him; because he knows, that God is an eye-witness of all his conduct; and because he knows he must give an account of that conduct, and be rewarded according to its nature. If he does that, which is right; he is assured of acceptance: if not; sin, he is equally assured, will lie at his door.

With such a sense of his dependence, a ruler will be merciful also; because he knows, that God is merciful, that he loves those who are merciful, and requires mercy of all men, and peculiarly of rulers; because he knows, that mercy and truth uphold the throne of a king, and the office of every other ruler: and because he knows, that, in the end, he himself will infinitely need mercy, that God has pronounced the merciful, blessed, and promised that they shall obtain mercy, and has awfully declared, that he shall have judgment without mercy, who sheweth no mercy.

With this sense of dependence, also, a ruler will be humble. In the sight of God, every man, however high his station, however extensive his power, is merely a worm of the dust, and crushed before the moth. To a being so frail, so feeble, so dependent, pride cannot belong. His own littleness cannot fail to stare him in the face, whenever he remembers, that every thing, which he has, or is, or will be, has been, and must be, solely derived from God; and for its continuance must depend solely on his pleasure. It is impossible for a mind, fraught with these sentiments, not to forget the haughtiness of power, and the splendour of station. At the same time, a ruler thus disposed will ever call to mind, that

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