SERM Q N I.

Family Worship recommended.

By ANDREW HUNTER, D. D.

Jos. xxiv. 15.

As for me and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord.

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HESE words are part of a folemn addrefs to God's ancient people Ifrael, delivered by Joshua at the close of an active and ufeful life; and could not fail to command attention, as they proceeded from one no lefs venerable for age, wifdom, and experience, than for his unfhaken integrity, high rank, and illuftrious deeds. Verf. 14. "Now "therefore fear the Lord, and ferve him in "fincerity and truth, and put away the "gods which your fathers ferved on the o"ther fide of the flood, and in Egypt; and "ferve ye the Lord. And if it feem evil "unto you to ferve the Lord, chufe you this

day whom you will ferve, whether the gods "whom your fathers ferved that were on the "other fide of the flood, [viz. Jordan], or "the gods of the Amorites, in whofe land ye dwell." Then he adds his own fixed determination: "But as for me and my house, VOL. III.

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we will ferve the Lord;" that is, I am refolved to be religious myself to the end of life, and to recommend the service of God to my relations, and all under my roof, by my advice, example, and influence: I am determined to check impiety and licentiousness, and to use my beft endeavours that all my family join me in the worship and obedience of the living God. Such is the purport of the refoIution of this worthy general.

Imagine not, however, that Joshua thought it entirely in his own power, or in the power of any mafter of a family, to make all thofe who dwell in his houfe fincerely pious and holy. Many, after their beft endeavours, have had melancholy experience of the contrary. To change the heart, is the work of God. But Joshua was refolved, that nothing should be wanting on his part to promote the fpiritual welfare of all in his houfe; and trufted, that the divine bleffing would render his endeavours fuccefsful. It is not unlikely, indeed, that the domeftics of this good man were piously disposed, like himself; and that, from his knowledge of their character, he might venture to promise on their faithful adherence to the duties of religion: "As for me and my house, we will ferve the Lord."

Various are the methods by which the head of a family may promote the religious interefts of thofe under his roof; by inftructing them in the principles and duties of religion, joining with them daily in the exercifes of devo

tion, frequent catechifing of younger perfons, admonishing and reproving the thoughtless and vitious, and finally exhibiting in his own life an amiable reprefentation of religion, a bright pattern of every Chriftian virtue.

To no caufe can the prefent declining state of piety, and growing licentiousness of manners, be more juftly attributed, than to the great neglect of family-religion, Were heads of families at due pains to perform the important duties now fuggefted, we might with reafon indulge the pleafing hope, that our Zion would yet flourish," that righteousness "would run down our streets as a ftream, "and judgement like a mighty current." To thofe therefore in this affembly who are pla ced in that character or relation of life, would I now addrefs myfelf; and gladly would I perfuade them to adopt and effectuate the refolution of the victorious leader of Ifrael, "As for me and my houfe, we will ferve the "Lord."

The particular branch of family-religion which I propose to recommend at prefent, is family-worship: A very important duty; and which I am perfuaded there is at this time the greatest need to inculcate; for there never was a period in which it was more generally neglected. Every attentive reader of the context will difcover, that ferving the Lord means here, paying worship or homage to him, as expreffed by adoration, thanksgiving, and fup plication; for it is put in oppofition to the A 2 neglect

neglect of religious worship, or grofs mistakes as to the object of it.

IT fhall be my endeavour, in dependence on divine grace, 1. to point out and enforce the obligations to the daily practice of familyworship; 2. To examine and refute apologies for the neglect of it; and conclude with an application fuitable to my fubject.

I. ATTEND then to the reafonablenefs of this duty. It is hardly needful to observe, that the difference between family-worship and the other fpecies of devotion, viz. fecret and public worship, is, that the former is the act of a family, and fhould have a reference to the ftate of it at the time; the latter are the acts of an individual, or of a large fociety, and fhould likewife have a refpect to their particular circumftances. Now what can be more fit, than that a family fhould unite in the worfhip of the living God? In whatever point of view we confider it, this will appear to be a reafonable fervice. Every argument that can be propofed with refpect to the obligations of prayer in general, might be urged with ftrength in fupport of this branch of it; but we fhall confine ourselves to thofe which are more strictly connected with this duty.

1. The fupreme Being is the founder of families, and therefore fhould be acknowledged by them as fuch.

It is a clear principle of reafon, That God fhould

fhould be acknowledged by his rational creatures in every relation in which his providence hath placed them. Now, if this is unque ftionably one of the most important relations of life, it is obvioufly fit, that those who are placed in it fhould frequently join in a corre fpondent act of homage to him who "fettleth "the bounds of their habitations." If fecret prayer is our duty as individuals, if public worship is binding on men as members of a community; family-worship is as much obligatory on us as members of families; for what are families but fmaller focieties? It is God who is the eftablifher of households; it is he who formed for man a help meet for him, and who appointed the facred bond of marriage for the mutual comfort of both par ties, and for the continuing of a feed to ferve him. It is the Almighty who "placeth the

folitary in families; children are his heri66 tage, and the fruit of the womb his re"ward." He is the father of all the families of the earth; his providence continually prefides over their refpective interefts, and directs every event that befals them. "A fon "honoureth his father, and a fervant his "mafter." The fubordination of nature and of fociety requires it. Should not then our heavenly Parent and Mafter receive the homage of every family of reafonable beings, feeing he is invefted with thefe characters in a much higher degree than they ever obtain among men?