of the Lord;" as is clear from Gen. xii. Gen. xiii. Gen. xxi. 33. I took notice of Jofhua's family-devotion a little before. David, Pfal. ci. faith, "He will walk in his houfe at home, with a perfect heart ;" and we find him coming home from the public worthip, 2 Sam. vi. 20. to blefs his own family, which was certainly to go about family-worship with them, and pray for God's bleffing on them. We find Daniel about this work three times a-day, Dan. vi. 10. It was open family. prayer which he performed; for, if it had been secret prayer, ftrangers would not have known fo well of it, nor would they have found him at it, as it is faid they did: So great a prince would have had fervants in his outer rooms, to have ftopt them ere they came fo near as to hear him at his fecret devotion. We have our great pattern Jefus Chrift finging pfalms, and praying with his family, viz. his difciples, Matt. xxvi. 30. Luke ix. 18. John xvii. This was Cornelius's practice, A&s x. 2. it is faid, "He feared God with all his houfe;" which implies, that he "worshipped God with all his houfe," for fearing of God comprehends worship.

Laftly, We find Paul, Philem. ii. 3. making mention of the church in Philemon's houfe, which was his reli gious praying family: And then, ver. 22. he speaks of their joint prayers, through which he trufted he fhould be given to them."

Since then the duty is fo clear, let us be concerned and zealous to promote the worship of God in our families. Confider how zealous fome are to promote a falfe or fuperftitious worship: God bids the prophet look and wonder at their diligence, Jer. vii. 17. 18. There we fee both fathers, children, husbands, wives, and all are taken up about it. Where, alas! is there any family fo earneft for the true worship of God?

Objections against family-worship answered. Object. 1." We pray in fecret, and that is fufficient." Anf. 1. This is not fufficient, as hath been proven; one duty will not fupply the want of another: Familyprayer is your duty, as well as fecret prayer; and you

ought

ought to go the round of duties, and flight no known duty, if you would profper in any duty.

2. Secret prayer, O man, would be your duty, although you had no family; yea, although you had no tongue nor faculty of fpeech. O mafter of a family, why hath God b'effed you with a family, and with the faculty of fpeaking,, but that you might be more capable to glorify him with and before others? Hath not Chrift, in that excellent pattern of prayer, taught you to pray conjunct by faying, " Our Father which art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread ?" Have you any charity to your neighbours, any love or pity to the fouls of your family, and will not take them alongst with you to the throne of grace? Did you enjoy any communion with God in fecret, or tafte any fweetnefs in the duty; would you not invite them to come, tafte and fee that God is good, and partake of the fame heavenly cheer with you?

Object. 2. "We have not gifts to pray before others." Anf. 1. The great hearer of prayer doth not look to gifts as we do; no, he looks to the heart. Say not then, because you cannot pray as a minifter, or fuch a gifted man, that ye will not pray at all; bring a humble and broken heart to God, and he will accept of you, though you had but two or three words, or broken fentences. It is not fine words, or eloquent expreffions, that God is delighted with; it is the fincerity of the heart.

2. Use the one talent, trade with it, and it will increafe; do as you can, and God will teach you to do better; I never knew any that tried it fincerely, but God helped them. Can ye not fay with the difciples, "Lord, teach us to pray." Yea, fay but the Lord's prayer, if ye can fay no more, and, if ye do it fincerely, more fhall be given.

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3. Make ufe of the helps which God affords you prayer. 1. Acquaint yourfelves with the fcriptures, frequently read the Pfalms, and particularly the xxv. li. lxxxvi. cxix. pfalms, and others, where you will find variety of fit expreffions and petitions to be ufed in prayer. Take with you thefe words which the Holy

Ghoft

Ghoft teacheth, they are the most acceptable words. Likewife ftudy the Ten Commands, view the large extent and meaning of them, the duties required, and fins forbidden in each of them, and they will furnish you with vaft matter for confeffion and petition. Alfo ftudy the Lord's prayer, and the import of the feveral petitions thereof, for there are many petitions wrapt up in every one of them.

2. Study well the attributes and works of God, and they will afford manifold matter, both for prayer and praifes. View the work of creation; and more efpecially, the work of redemption, the eternal contrivance of it, the glorious Mediator, his nature, his offices, life, death, fufferings, and infinite love; his fulness, graces, offers, promifes, and well ordered covenant; and then, I am fure, you will not be barren of fuitable matter, and words for prayer. "A very child (as one faith) "when he fees a merchant's pack opened, where there "are variety of things which he defireth, will learn, "without book, to fay, O father, buy this, or give me "that." So the foul will not want what to fay, that fees the treasures and riches of Chrift opened.

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3. Study to be acquaint with yourselves, your hearts and lives: Confider your ftate and circumstances both in foul and body, and the providences of God towards you. Think upon the vanity and inconftancy of all worldly things, the frailty of man, and brevity of life; and particularly, think much on the four laft things, death, judgment, heaven and hell, and you will have abundance of matter for prayer.

Befides all which, there are four words ye fhould always keep in mind when you go to prayer, which would', prove a lasting fountain for suitable matter to you, viz. your fins, miferies, wants, and mercies.

1. Your fins. Have you not a great multitude to confefs, and feek mercy for, fins original and actual, of omiffion and commiffion, of heart and life? What indwelling corruptions, and heart-plagues have ye to lament, hardnefs, deadnefs, carnality, unbelief, backfl:ding, hypocrify, &c. Look into your lives, and behold

what

what fine ye have committed, and what duties ye have omitted, and make particular confeflion of them.

2. Your miferies. How many have ye to complain of, and beg deliverance from in prayer? Are you not born in a loft ftate, a child of wrath, an heir of hell, under an unfupportable burden of unpardoned guilt, most loathfome and polluted in God's fight; under the tyranny of fatan, liable to all the miferies of this life, cares, toils, loffes, croffes, fickness and death; yea, expofed to the wrath of God, the curfes of the law, the fword of juftice, to a ftrict and fevere judgmentfeat, to unquenchable fire, and everlasting burnings, and to banishment from God's favour and prefence to all eternity?

3. Your wants. Are ye not poor beggarly finners, full of wants and neceffities? "In us dwells no good thing." Do you want the bread of life, the balm of Gilead, pardon of fin, peace with God, deliverance from wrath, a new nature, a foft heart! Do you want eye falve, white raiment, gold tried in the fire?" Do ye want faith, love, repentance, victory over lufts?" &c. And have ye not matter for prayer and fupplication? Have ye not temporal wants to lay before God? Ye can tell them to your friends, and complain to them, though they afford you little help; ought ye not far rather go to God with them, who is both able and willing to help? Do you want health to your bodies, bread to your families, provifion for your children, a bleffing on your labours? Then feek them from God: "The ravens cry to him, and he hears them," how much more will he hear you?

4. Your mercies. God daily loads you with his mercies; they are new to you every morning: It is of the Lord's mercies, that your houfes are not confumed with fire, in the night, and ye buried in the ruins thereof; that fudden death doth not fmite your children, fervants, cattle, or relations; that you waken in fafety every morning, and not in everlafting flames. Doth not the Lord fet a hedge about you, and all that you have, and preferve you from devils, enemies and manifold dangers; give you health and ftrength, blefs the VOL. IV.

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work

work of your hands, cover a table for you, and rain manna about your tents? And have you not plenty of matter for thankfgiving? Yea, he hath contrived a way to fave you, fent his Son to redeem you, makes preffing offers of his falvation, and waits patiently for your repentance. Now, if you think on thefe mercies, can you want words in prayer to blefs God for them? I fay then, remember your fins, miferies, wants and mercies, and ye will never be fcarce of matter for prayer. Object. III. "We have not confidence to pray before others."

Anf. 1. Mind what Chrift faith, "They that are a fhamed of him before men, he will be ashamed of them before his Father in heaven."

2. Many are ashamed to pray before others, who are not afhamed to fin, curfe, fwear, drink drunk, and break the Sabbath before others.

3. Why fhould you be afhamed to pray before your own family, thefe you conftantly converfe with, and of whom you have the command? Will you have confidence to plead this frivolous excufe, at the day of judgment?

But, laftly, You you will not plead fuch, excufes in things relating to the body. If your children and family were ftarving for want of bread, ye would neither want words nor confidence to make known your cafe to a rich friend; if you were mortally fick or wounded, you would freely tell your cafe to a phyfician; if ye were drowning, ye would call aloud for help: And now, when ye and your families are ready to perifh in your fins, will ye not make known your cafe to God, and cry with the difciples, "Lord fave us, or else we perifh?" The common beggars, that go from door to door, will rife up against you; they think no fhame to cry at the rich man's door, hear them who will; they want not words enough, ye need not teach them what to fay; their pinched bowels make them both eloquent and importunate; they weary not to fand and cry, though they be but expecting a fmall morfel: And fhall we, whofe needs are far greater, whofe expectations are far higher, want words or confidence to cry and

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