in reality. Let us study with one of old to 'walk before the Lord with a perfect heart.' Let us imitate the admirable,—the suitable conduct of Abraham, and let the love of Christ, and the love of souls, constrain us to ‘command our children, and household, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.'

(3) Family religion is a duty we owe to God, as our Preserver.

The God who created us sustains our lives. Let him withhold his power, and we are the subjects of death. It is the same gracious Preserver, who watches over all our concerns, and orders all events. In this respect, then, much gratitude is due to him by us, as the members of families Private acknowledgments are good; but will all in our families make those ackowledgments? Let us call them, then around us, and tell them of their mercies, and from whom they are received. Let us invite them to join with us in praise and thanksgiving; and if their hearts unite not in our prayers, their condemnation lies at their own door. Public worship is good; but this is rather intended as an open testimony of our profession before all the world, and to keep up the union and fellowship of the Church; but family worship seals that profession in some degree, and evidences, that we, and our house, serve the Lord. Delightful work! and no less delightful than important. Can I, as a Christian, lay my head down to rest, without first committing my soul to God? And equally important is it for all to unite in this pleasing employment, and to ask the protection of the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumbereth, nor sleepeth; for, Except the Lord keep the house, the watchman waketh but in vain.' Equally necessary are morning ascriptions of praise to the

God of our Mercies, and the sustainer of our Lives And it behoves us unitedly to acknowledge with the Prophet, It is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.' Lam. iii. 22, 23.

2. Family religion is a duty we owe to our families.

(1.) We owe it to our children.

We are commanded to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;' and this every father of a family will do, if he ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection, with all gravity:'not swaying them with turbulence and pride, which may sour their tempers, and make them hate the name of Christian, rather than love it, and will beget in them a similar disposition; but love will be the best weapon to use against the opposition of nature, and will best set an example of the principles we wish to inculcate. Family religion is a duty we owe to our children, since God has committed them to our trust-their default in the concerns of eternity may be laid at our door. Lycurgus, the Spartan, and celebrated lawgiver, made a law, that parents who did not provide well for their children, in a way of education, should not be provided for by them when old. The Swiss had a law, that when the children had done any capital crime, the parents should be their executioners, to teach them they were to blame in that matter. And I recollect reading, that the Chinese had a law, (if they do not possess it to this day) that parents should suffer for the crimes of their children, considering that they generally arose from their neglect in their education, But, whatever the laws of men may be, the laws of God are strongly in force. If any pro

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vide not for his own, especially for his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel,' 1 Tim. v. 8. Here is an express command for the care of the body, and is it not reasonable to infer, that neglect of the soul is a crime of higher magnitude. If the Jewish laws were thus forcibly commanded to be taught the children, under the Mosaic dispensation, And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up; and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates.' Deut. xi. 19, 20.-If they were thus forcibly commanded to be taught to the children, surely, we should be equally concerned to teach our children the glorious gospel of the Son of God-the word of salvation.

(2.) This duty is due to our relatives.

Have we any in our family serious? these will not scruple to unite with us. Have we auy irreligious? We know not of what advantage our family labonrs may be to them, attended with a divine blessing. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.'

(3.) This important duty extends to our servants. While they are our servants, as stewards of our households, we should take care of their souls. Then will our servants pray for us, as Abraham's did for his master, when he sent him to take a wife for Isaac.

3. Family religion is a duty we owe to ourselves. (1.) Our temporal interest is concerned in it. (2) Our consciences cannot enjoy solid peace without this duty.

(3.) Weshall enjoy more of the divine presence, by a constant regard to this duty.

(4.) This duty we owe to ourselves, as it will tend to promote more holiness and peace in our families.

(5.) As it will place us in a

state for eternity.

more proper

The man who keeps God constantly in view in all his actions will never fear beholding him hereafter.. It is he only who dreads him, who knows him not, and whom he, therefore, will not know. To such an one the message is terrible, 'Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live.' His house is in confusion-his heart is in disorder. His language is not that of the Christian who longs to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better."

4. Family devotion is a duty we owe to religion.

(1.) To distinguish ourselves as professors of it, from mankind in general.

If we neglect family religion, where is the difference between them, and us who profess Christianity?-so do they. We go to places of worship-so do they. We read the Bible, it may be on a Sabbath day-so do many of them. But our condemnation might be written in legible characters on the dust of the sacred volume during the week, were not our servants to wipe it away. Can it also be said, each of us, as of Cornelius, 'he was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much aims to the people, and prayed to God always:' or will God testify of us as of Abraham, in our text: 'I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment?'

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(2.) Family devotion is a duty we owe to religion, to set a good example to the world. When they see its professed defenders not apparently more holy than themselves, they take from this a full licence to sin. What do these men (say they) more than others?' They watch us. They wait for our halting. They only want a precedent from us to authorise them in their neglectful conduct-not considering that they should leave us to our own consciences, and examine themselves. We are as lights set upon an hill, that all around may see us. Let us, therefore, take the advice of the Apostle :- See that ye walk circumspectly.'

(3.) Finally, family devotion is a duty we owe to religion, to exhibit the reality of it. In conclusion, observe,

1. That we have every encouragement to attend to this duty.

2. While we practice the important duties of religion, let us take heed of resting in them.

After we have done all, we are unprofitable servants. The man who does most for God is the man who takes least praise to himself, who thinks he can never do enough for him, and yet gives him the glory of what he does-who acknowledges, that of himself he can do nothing, but through Christ strengthening him he can do all thingswhose constant language is, not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy name alone be all the glory.'

3. Let us beware of neglecting this important duty.

All the duties of religion are closely connected together, and have a mutual subserviency one to another. To take away one part is, therefore, injuring the rest.