may promote the honour of his religion, by exhibiting to the world in its purity and integrity, the lustre of a Christian life. Powerful is the charm of piety, of benevolence, of meekness, of equity, like that which the gospel requires. Seen in the lives of men, the spirit and virtues of Christianity form one of its highest commendations. On account of the force of a pure Christian example, in commending the path of religion to men, its blessed Author left to his followers the impressive injunction, "to let their lights so shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father in heaven."

“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

OF the person here spoken of, it is recorded by the Spirit of God, that he was a perfect man." And in nothing which we know of him is his excellence more interesting than in the picture of it which these words exhibit: "There were born unto Job seven sons and three daughters." It is in the height of prosperity and happiness that he and his family, in the beginning of this book, are presented to our view. They lived in the enjoyment of the delights of life; happy in their abundance, and blessed with a felicity of domestic intercourse, which has rarely, if ever, been exceeded. "And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and drink with them." It is in the midst of this cheerful and prosperous life that the father of the family recollects their dependence upon God for all their blessings; and that, in the lapse of the day his children may have sinned; and assembling them together, presents them before God, to supplicate in proper acts of devotion, forgiveness and a continuance of his mercies. "And it was so, when the

days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually." And is there a parent who has not reason, every evening, to fear that his children may have sinned? Is there a household who have not occasion every morning, to acknowledge and to seek the mercy of God? Picture to yourselves this holy man, gathering statedly his family around him, to sanctify them with devotion, and engage them with himself in offering homage and adoration to their gracious Benefactor, and you may wonder that family worship, so interesting, so lovely, is so generally neglected. Picture to yourselves the pleasures and the benefits which must have redounded to this household from this pious care of their head, and you may wonder that every parent does not thus do "continually."

I have brought this picture to your notice, brethren, to engage your attention to a discourse upon Family Worship; a business which is too certainly neglected among us more than it ought to be, and with the performance of which are undoubt edly connected peculiar and very great advantages. Were that attention to it restored, which has been a prominent feature in the character of every pious age and pious people, it would strengthen your church and bless your families, and you would have a larger experience of the peace which they have who love God's law. It is in the desire, and I would I could say, the hope of this, that I would set before you some of the considerations which recommend Family Worship to your observance, and offer to you some directions for the most pleasant and useful performance of it.

I am first to set before you considerations which recommend family worship, and these shall be drawn from its respect to the Deity, from its effect upon families in their collective capacity, and from its uses to individuals who compose them.

With respect to the Deity, it is due to him, and it is pleasant. VOL. II.-24

to him. Man is to worship his Maker in all the capacities and relations in which his Maker places him. As an individual he offers to him his private devotions. Communities, as such, bring to him in public worship their gratitude and their prayers. And families, living under the same roof, affected by the sins, interested in the wants, and blessed in the felicities of each other, owe a family sacrifice to the God of mercy, and giver of their common safety and joys. If anywhere Almighty God may come, expecting justly a social homage from his children, it is to our houses in the morning; when, while the shades of night encompassed our dwellings, and our strength and powers were lost in the helplessness of sleep, we have been protected by him, and refreshed midst we know not how many unseen dangers, and have risen, while many have sunk into that dread sleep from which they shall not awake till the heavens are no more,-have risen in safety to the light and beauties, the hopes and joys of a new day. If anywhere Almighty God may come, expecting justly a joint expression of gratitude and social supplications from his children, it is to our houses in the evening; when we have been fed together by his hand at our meals, and conducted by his providence through the exposures of the day; while many come not to their house any more, are gathered again in health to the sweet pleasures of home, and are about to resign in the arms of unavoidable slumber all power, amidst the dangers of night, to protect or help ourselves or each other. Surely, it is strange, that to the guest who tarrieth but a night, families should be anxious to offer, morning and evening, the salutations of courteousness, and suffer the God who is with them to greet them when they rise, and bless them when they retire, without receiving from them any expression of regard!

Will it be said, God has no need of such service? We have every reason to believe that this duty is peculiarly pleasant and acceptable to him. It was from Abraham he resolved he would not hide anything he would do, because he knew the Patriarch, that "he would command his children, and his household after

them, that they should keep the way of the Lord." It was Joshua, highly favoured of the Lord, who has transmitted to posterity the celebrated resolution, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." It was to Noah, when he had gathered his family by an altar, to offer a sacrifice after their preservation from the flood, that he gave the bow to be a token of a covenant of mercy between him and them, placing it upon the clouds which covered them. Cornelius, the first of the gentiles to whom was given salvation through Jesus Christ, was "a devout man, and one that feared God, with all his house; praying to God always." And it was of him, whom we see in the text gathering his family statedly to acts of Family Worship, that the Almighty said to the malignant accuser of the human race, "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?" His pleasure in this duty hath, indeed, been generally manifested toward those who perform it. "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the just." And surely, they cannot be called just, who withhold from the chief claimant that which, upon every principle, is his due.

But, our heavenly Father hath not left our duty to him, unconnected with benefit to ourselves. Let us proceed to consider the effects of Family Worship upon the families in which it is performed. It is favourable to good order. The very recurrence of joint attention, at stated times, to a business of serious character, is calculated to give a character of regularity to a household; and when in the performance of that business all are brought, at the beginning and close of the day, into the presence of God, it may be expected that this will be promotive of that fidelity in all, in the discharge of their respective duties, by means of which the prosperity and happiness of a family are most effectually secured.

It is calculated to promote and preserve amity and kind offices in a family. The oftener mankind are brought together before their common parent, the fonder and more tender they will be