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I fhould be glad to know what those who keep houses of public entertainment think of this doctrine. A refpectful complaifance and readiness to ferve, are the general duties of station. But there is one day of the week on which God permits, nay commands you to take rest to yourselves, and to keep your doors fhut against the idle and profane of what rank foever, and to restrain fuch as neceffity brings to your houfes, from every thing that is profane, either in fpeech or behaviour. If any fhall question your authority, this precept is your charter, vesting you with the fame power over the ftranger that is within your gates, as over your own children and fervants; and even charging you to exercife that power, as you would not incur the wrath of Almighty God. Did you know that you poffeffed fo high a privilege? I hope, for your own fakes, that you did not: and now that I have told you the fecret, I pray that God may give you wisdom and courage to improve it.

To conclude: Let all of us be perfuaded to pay a proper regard to this divine pre

cepte

cept. If we have any concern for the glory of God, for the honour of our Redeemer, for the welfare of our country, or for our own comfort and happiness, either in this world or the world to come, let us make confcience of the important duties of the Lord's day, that after having finished our courfe on earth, we may be fixed as pillars in the temple above, and may spend an eternal Sabbath in the prefence of God and of the Lamb. Amen,

SER

SERMON X.

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2 SAMUEL vi. 20.

Then David returned to bless his household.

ROM the example of this great and

FR

good man, I propofe to recommend to you the important, but much neglected duty of family-worfhip. And I have chofen the example of a king, for two reasons.

ift, Because the actions of one in that elevated station are commonly more regarded than those of a meaner perfon. "The

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poor man's wisdom is defpifed, and his "words are not heard." But if one arrayed in royal apparel make an oration from a throne, the people fhall give a fhout, faying, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” This partial regard is indeed a fore evil under the fun but in the prefent cafe, it is poffible to bring good out of it, by making

that

that pomp or fplendour, which fo often covers the deformity of vice, a mean of throwing a luftre upon religion, and of rendering a thing fo truly excellent in itself, more refpectable in our eyes.

2dly, It is but too obvious, that the neglect of family-worship prevails chiefly among those who either are, or imagine themfelves to be of a better rank than others: nay, fome who were punctual in the performance of this duty while their station and circumftances were low, have been obferved to lay it afide, when, by the bounty of Providence, their state became more profperous. This prefents us with a very melancholy profpect, and threatens nothing less than the utter extinction of family-religion. For if once it becomes a maxim, that this duty is below the rank of a gentleman, then every one who affects to be thought of that rank will forbear it. In this cafe, it is impoffible to forefee where the evil may ftop; as there are few people in the world, who do not imagine that they either are, or deserve to be, of equal confideration with their neighbours. I have therefore, thought it necef

fary

fary to pitch upon nothing lower than a royal example, that the vanity of no man may take it amifs when I call upon him to

follow it.

We have an account, in the preceding verfes, of David's bringing up the ark of God from the house Obed-edom, into his own city. This was done with fhouting, and with the found of the trumpet; the king himself, girded with a linen ephod, attending the folemnity, with the highest expreffions of thankfulnefs and joy. When the ark was fet in its place, in the midst of the tabernacle that was prepared for it, then David, as we read in the 17th verse, offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord, and afterwards difmiffed the af fembly with prefents which he dealt among all the people, having first bleffed them in the name of the Lord of hofts. This he did as the Father of his people. But he did not ftop here. The duties of his public office and character did not make him forget what was incumbent upon him in his private capacity: for, as my text informs us, "Then David returned to blefs his houfe

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