to us in examples such as these. If we be Christians willing to endure, like Job, or bent to enter in to our own promised land, like Joshua ; or true children of Abraham; or real soldiers of Cornelius' band; we shall of our own selves, without express command, be ready to employ the corresponding means provided in our own case, which doubtless Job and Joshua, Cornelius and Abraham, employed in theirs. We have the same witness in our hearts as they, to the becomingness of a domestic honouring of God, and that enlightened by the double light of both of God's covenants.

A question of much greater difficulty follows; not whether there should be some special exercise of family religion; (none, probably, would doubt of this, if they could only satisfy themselves about the form and substance of it) but what it should be.

And here, in the great breadth of a question left so widely open, to the proving of the real spirit of Christians, and especially under a revelation which declares to us that "God is a spirit, and

they who worship him must worship him in "spirit and in truth"," I certainly shall not presume to speak too confidently. It may in reason be

m John iv. 24.

And

expected, there will be very many different measures here employed, as there are very many different dispositions and tempers of men. some will be inclined, perhaps, to insist upon too much, and more will be content with too little. But it is to be feared, the greatest number of all will be of those, who, here and every where in matters of the soul mistaking a careless conscience for a guiltless one, will be at ease without any

at all.

Now that this last should be the case is (as appears to me) a sad and grievous stain on any Christian kingdom, and one that does by all means need, somehow or other, to be washed away. What is it then which may be said safely, concerning the important point of family religion? By which I mean, in this place, only that especial part of the religion of a family which has direct reference to the Almighty himself—to the practice of domestic piety, strictly so called; whether it be the conveying of express religious instruction to a household by reading or by catechising; or the enforcement of direct worship by prayer:—what is it, which may be affirmed in. truth and soberness concerning this?

That there should every where be some such work of faith and love, appears beyond all reason

able question. As little can we doubt, it ought to be at least of an extent and quality sufficient to conduct the members who should be partakers of it to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the special purpose of his coming. Assuredly, God ought to be the daily acknowledged guardian of every Christian home; Jesus, the remembered, the confessed Redeemer of every Christian soul! There should at any rate be so much practice of devotion or instruction, as in itself might serve to these great ends.

But

Now, let us think a little more, on this foundation laid. It is most sure, that piety and worship, of whatever kind, deserve their value from the sincerity and earnestness of faith. let us suppose it is by a right Christian faith that any one is led to family prayer. In such a faith there will at least be these ingredients-a humble and a sorrowful sense of sin; a fixed persuasion of the absolute necessity of an atonement; thorough consciousness of our continual need of inward help to strengthen, to direct, and to preserve us; a confidence that if we ask faithfully, we shall obtain effectually.

a

Well, then-where by reason of a faith like this a house and home is made the scene of daily and habitual offering to God; where a

father sanctifies his children, or a master his household, by prayer-in the morning and in the evening; where the day begins with a remembrance of God, the night with an expression of dependence on his preserving care and mercy; where all kneel constantly, in fellowship, to sue for blessing at his hand alone, to whom blessing belongeth; where, worship ended, (in the morning) all speed them to their business diligently, or go their way cheerfully, knowing that industry and labour" are of God's appointment, as surely as that prayer must seek their blessing for them; and labour ended, (in the evening) all return, with thankfulness, to prayer and praise, acknowledging the mercies of the day; where all meet in humility, and part in love; all confessing a common brotherhood, all looking for their strength unto the same high places, from whence cometh their help P:-is there nothing in all this to touch the heart? nothing to persuade our minds that it is good, by its own "beauty of holiness?" Surely it is God that does protect us through the day, and preserve us through the night! And therefore "the outgoings of the morning and of the evening"

n Cf. Serm. VII.

P Cf. Ps. cxxi. throughout.

• Cf. Serm. V.

should be made to rejoice in his providence.

66

It is God that commandeth his loving-kindness "in the day-time; and in the night his song "should be with us, and our prayer unto the "God. of our life"."

But it will be said, that "there are difficulties " and inconveniences in arranging hours, and in "assembling families for prayer." I do not mean to say that there are not; nor yet to press the usage so strictly, as to contend that it may never be omitted without blame or fear. That were, perhaps, to bring the duty to the verge of superstition. Occasional exceptions must be left to every single-minded Christian's own discretion. But with regard to general difficulties, I cannot think that there are any such, as that a Christian family which had begun the practice would be inclined to leave it off for them. If any families be so enslaved by a conformity to customs of the world, as that they "cannot do the thing they "would" in this respect for what is that a reason? whether, that the act of piety to God should be forborne; or, that the chains inflicted by diseased habits of society should be cast off?

With respect, however, to the other mode-of offering express religious instruction to a house

9 Ps. xlii. 8.

*