rations may depend on your conduct in this

matter.

4. Family worship when duly conducted is attended with many happy effects on your whole family. No wonder that those who neglect this, are continually troubled with the misconduct and perverseness of those under them and about them; no wonder that jarrings, dissensions, and other disagreeable circumstances, are continually disquieting them. It is just what might be expected. How can they who neglect the worship of God in their families look for peace or comfort in them? We may confidently appeal to those who have regular and daily family prayer, that, when conducted in a simple and devout spirit, it has a tendency to remove, or allay, all those unhappy passions to which our common nature is subject, and which, more or less, appear in every family.

5. Family prayer gains for us the presence and blessing of our Lord. There is a promise of his presence, which appears peculiarly applicable to this duty. Many have found in family worship, that help and that communion with God, which they had sought for with less effect in private prayer.

Dr. Buchanan strikingly contrasts a family which worships God and a family which worships him not; and the excellence of the remarks will justify the length of the quotation. "How painful it is to reflect,' he says, that there should be in this kingdom, many domestic societies among whom the worship of the Deity is not known, in whose houses no grateful accents are ever heard, no exultation of heart for the divine goodness

There are, indeed, accents of exultation and mirth; and the harp, and the viol, and the tabret, and the pipe, are in their feasts ;' but there is no remembrance of God: they regard not the operation of his hands.' While even inanimate nature, in a certain sense offereth praise to the great Creator, and fulfilleth his will; these men pass through life in silence! Insensible to the mercies, or judgments, or power, or providence, of the unseen God; yes, more insensible than the inhabitants of heathen lands, upon whom the light of truth has never shined!

How different is the scene which is presented in those happy families where the voice of prayer and thanksgiving consecrates every day! where the word of God is devoutly read, and infants are taught to lisp their Creator's praise. There, from day to day, domestic peace, and love, and harmony, are cherished by the sublimest motives, and strengthed by the tenderest and most powerful sanctions. On the hallowed day they repair, with gladness of heart, to their respective places of worship, and mingle with assemblies which meet with much more delight for praise and prayer, than other assemblies for worldly mirth. And let not the world contemn, or disturb their holy exercise; for we learn from scripture, that it is from such families and assemblies, who are 'the salt of the earth,' worshipping in the midst of us, that the incense of prayer ascends in behalf of the country, and is accepted in heavenly places through the intercession of the Mediator.”

SECTION VIII.

SOCIAL PRAYER.

THE term "social" may be applied to all kinds of prayer in which we join with others, but it is here restricted to the united prayer of Christian friends, distinct from public and family worship. It would be well if Christians were more accustomed than they are to sanctify their occasional meetings by prayer, and to meet also for the purpose of uniting in prayer to obtain those blessings which they need. The particular promise given to united prayer, has led many to practice this both as privilege, and as a duty. "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."

We have scriptural examples to encourage us to the performance of this. When Peter was in prison, "prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him;" and when he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, he found there " many that were gathered together, praying." When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, they comforted each other by social prayer. "Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them."— "When Moses' hands were heavy, Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Bishop Hall remarks on this, "Doubtless Aaron and Hur did not only raise their hands but their

minds with his; the more cords the easier draught. Aaron was brother to Moses. There cannot be a more brotherly office than to help one another in our prayers, and to excite our mutual devotions. No Christian may think it enough to pray alone: he is no true Israelite that will not be ready to lift up the weary hand of God's saints."

And as social prayer is a duty binding generally on all Christians, so there is a special reason for it in some particular relations. Husband and wife should pray together, with and for each other; the apostle appears to suppose they do so, when he adds, as a reason for some directions given to them, "that your prayers be not hindered."

St. Paul hoped for deliverance from his difficulties, by the Corinthians "helping together by prayer" for him, and this supposes that Christians will unite in prayer for their minister. Remember then your minister in your social meetings; it will bring a blessing on him and yourselves also. Why should not those members of a family who are under the full influence of real religion unite, at stated periods, in praying for those of their relatives that are careless and regardless of its holy truths?

It is a proof of the low state of religion when even real Christians can meet and part without praying together. Is it feared that this might be counted strange and uncommon? This is a weak objection. The devoted Christian is an uncommon character, and must expect to be often reproached for unnecessary strictness and preciseness. Have you reason to think that this would be an unwelcome service? Surely, then, you

should not voluntarily be much in the society of those who would think it such. Or may not another reason be, that the conversation, even among those who have professed to renounce the world and its vanities, is often so trifling, so worldly, and so vain-so much about man, and so little about God, and Christ, and his word, and his love, that your sculs are unprepared and unfitted for communion with him.

Were your social meetings thus sanctified, the occasional intercourse of dear friends would be more blessed than it is. You would find it a means of grace, and would enjoy, in a much higher degree, the privilege of the communion of saints. You would find the prayers of those who can and do pray with freedom and fervency, a great help to your own attainment of this gift. Those who have the holy fire may be the means of enkindling the sacred flame in others.

SECTION IX.

EJACULATORY PRAYER.

HITHERTO We have dwelt on the various kinds of devotion, private, public, family, and social, which should each come in its course at stated times; but the believer's character, “I give myself unto prayer," shews that he is continually in the spirit of prayer. The Scriptures suppose that this is the habit of the Christian mind. Hence we find directions of this kind: " Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all persever