Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

1

as to public inftructions, truly they hold themfelves to be as good judges of moral and divine subjects as the clergy; and therefore they think it loft time to give their attention to any thing which may be delivered from the pulpit. Now, it feems at leaft not very probable, that people, who fpend moft of their time (Sundays not excepted) at the card-table, fhould as thoroughly underftand the extenfive fciences of morals and theology, as the public teachers of religion, who have spent many years wholly in thofe ftudies. Thofe very perfons, when they chance to be overtaken with ficknefs, are very ready to call in phyficians, and do not pretend to understand, as well as they who have made phyfic their ftudy, the nature and cure of difeafes. But were it ftrictly true, that the polite people of our age are fo wife, that they are not like to hear any thing new, nor any known truth fet in a new light by any preacher; ftill is it not an advantage to have a fet of good thoughts, which lay dormant in the mind, excited and called up to the attention of the understanding, by an elegant and judicious difcourfe? Were there likewife nothing in this, what public-fpirited perfon would not even go out of his way for the fake of fetting a good example before the young and ignorant, who want inftruction, if he does not. But when all is faid, here is no pretence for neglecting the public worship of God, which is one principal end of religious affemblies. So that thofe, who habitually throw contempt upon this part of duty, are evidently guilty of a breach of common decency and natural religion, and are altogether without excufe.

If public worthip, in which the inhabitants of a whole quarter join together, be reasonable, it seems as much fo, that families fhould fet apart flated times daily for that purpofe. We are focial beings, and ought to be focial in all things that are commendable. And if heads of families are in reafon obliged to take care that their children and dependents have opportunity of confulting the interefts of a future life, and of being led by example, or moved by authority, to the obfervance of their duty; it is obvious, that in this important one of worthipping God, perfons in ftations of authority and example,

example, ought by no means to be wanting, left the failures (through their bad example) of thofe over whom they have had charge, be hereafter juftly imputed to their negligence.

The utual excufes for the neglect of family-religion, made even by many who do not deny its usefulness and propriety, are, want of time; and a certain foolish reluctancy at performing the duty of addreffing their Creator in prefence of others. As to the former, there is no well-regulated houfe, in which the family cannot be called together for half an hour before the bufinefs, or the pleasure of the day comes on, to addrefs their Creator for his bleffing and favour through the day; and the fame at night, to join in thanking him for the mercies of the day. That time must be employed in fome way different from what has been yet heard of, which is applied better than to the fervice of God. If we can find time for eating, drinking, dreffing, merchandizing, or cards; to pretend to want time for wor fhipping God, is monstrous!

As for the other objection against keeping up the worfhip of God in families, it is almoft too frivolous to deferve any answer at all. Surely nothing is eafier, than to choose out a few proper paffages from Scripture, or, with the help of the common-prayer of the church, and other books of devotion almoft innumerable, to compile a fet of devotions fuited to the ufe of a family, and for the mafter of the houfe, kneeling or ftanding, with his children and domeftics about him, to pronounce them with proper devotion, the reft joining mentally, or with a low voice, in every petition.

If any mafter of a family choofes to compofe a set of devotions for his own ufe, I will only mention one direction, which might render them more ufeful, than they could otherwife be: It is, that in them, the moral virtues, or duties of temperance, benevolence, and piety, might be fo worked into the petitions, that, in praying for the Divine Grace and Affiftance to perform their duty, they should be led to reflect upon it, and put in mind to examine themfelves whether they make confcience

of

[ocr errors]

(Book III of performing it. By this means the daily devotions in the family might partly anfwer the end of homilies or inftructions.

Who does not fee, that the natural confequences of fuch an œconomy, conftantly kept up in houses, are likely to be, the promoting of fidelity in domestics, obe dience in children, and drawing down the Divine Bleffing upon families; and, on the contrary, that a fociety, in which no regard is fhewn to the Supreme Being, is not likely to be bleft with the Divine Favour or Protection?

That all devotions in which others are to join with the perfon, who utters them, even in a private family, are better pre-compofed than spoken extempore, feems to me very clear. There are extremely few, even among men of the best abilities, who are capable of uttering fluently, and without hefitation, tautology, or fome kind of impropriety, an unftudied fpeech of any length. And that a fpeech made in public to God himself, fhould be ill digested, must be owned to be very grofs. For it is evident, that in fuch a cafe, the speaker, instead of leading along with him the devotion of his hearers, muft confound and diftract it. And it feems enough in any reason, that the speaker have the manner, and delivery to attend to, without his being obliged at the fame time to ftudy the matter.

The fupplication of a fingle perfon by himself, is, in my opinion, more properly prefented in his own thoughts or words, than in those of any other; though the reading of books of devotion are ufeful helps to those whofe thoughts want to be helped out.

What can be more rational, more fublime, or more delightful, than for a dependent creature to raise his thoughts to his Creator! to fill his mind with a fenfe of the prefent Divinity! to pour forth his foul before Him who made it? What fo great honour can an humble mortal enjoy, as to be allowed to speak to God? What exercife can the rational foul engage in, fo worthy the exertion of its nobleft powers and faculties, as addreffing the Majefty of Heaven? How can it, in this prefent ftate, approach fo near to the Author of its be

ing, or rife to an enjoyment fo much refembling the beatific vifion, as by this fublime converfe with the Omniprefent Deity? To fwell the thought with the infinite greatnefs of the Object of Worship; to confider one's felf as addreffing that tremendous Power, whose word produced the univerfe; to think that one is going to proftrate his foul before Him who formed it, who is to be its judge, and has the power of difpofing of it for eternity!—what can be conceived fo wonderfully awful and ftriking? But to reflect, that the glorious Objet of Worship, though infinitely exalted above the adoration of angels and archangels, is yet ready, to hear, and bestow happiness upon the meanest of his rational creatures; to think that the humble petition of the fincere penitent will not be rejected; that the poor and needy are no more beneath his notice, or out of the reach of his goodness, than the rich and the mighty; what can be more comfortable? If the God is the awful Judge of mankind, he is alfo the merciful Father of mankind. If his eye is too pure to behold prefumptuous vice without abhorrence, and too piercing to be deceived by the most artful hypocrify; it is also open to look with pity upon the proftrate mourner, and his goodhefs ready to forgive the humble penitent what he cannot forgive himself.

Be no longer, unthinking mortal, fo much thy own enemy, as to exclude thyfelf from the highest honour thy nature is capable of. Afpire to the fublime happinefs of converfing with thy Maker. Enlarge thy narrow mind to take in the thought of Him for whom thou art made. Call forth all that is within thee to magnify and praise Him. Humble thyfelf to the duft, in the contemplation of his unequalled Majefty. Open the inmoft receffes of thy foul to Him who gave it being. Expofe to Him, who knows thy frame, thy weakneffes, and thy faults. Think not to conceal or palliate them before that Eye which is not to be deceived. Haft thou offended? Make no delay to confefs before thy Creator and thy Judge, what he already knows. Though he already knows thy folly, he expects thy own confeffion of it, and that thou deprecate his vengeance. Though

he

he may already have thoughts of mercy for thee, it is only on condition that thou humbly implore it, and by repentence and amendment fhew thyfelf worthy of it. Art thou weak and helplefs? If thou knoweft thylelf, thou feeleft it. Addrefs thyfelf then to Him who is almighty, that his power may fupport thee. Art thou ignorant and fhort-fighted? If thou doft not think thyfelf fo, thou art blind indeed. Apply then to Him, whofe knowledge is infinite, that thou mayft be wife in his wisdom. Art thou in want of all things? If thou thinkeft otherwife, thou art wretched indeed. Have recourfe then to Him who is the Lord of all things, and is poffeffed of inexhauftible riches. If thou haft a juft fenfe of thy own ftate, if thou haft proper conceptions of thy Creator and Judge, or if thou haft a foul capable of any thought worthy the dignity of a reasonable immortal nature, thou wilt make it thy greateft delight to worship and adore Him, whom to ferve is the glory of the brighteft feraph in the celeftial regions.

A numerous affembly of people, celebrating. with grateful hearts the praifes of their Almighty Creator and Bountiful Benefactor, may be, for any thing we can conceive, one of the best emblems of fome part of the future employment and happinefs of immortal fpirits, which the prefent ftate can exhibit. It were well, if we could by the mere force of cool reafon, fo elevate our conceptions of the Divinity, as worthily to magnify him in our public affemblies. But fo long as we continue the mechanical beings we are, we must be willing to ufe all poffible helps for working ourfelves up to what our imperfect faculties of themielves are not, generally fpeaking, equal to, or, however, are not at all times in a condition for, Whoever understands human nature, knows, of what confequence affociations are. And it is wholly owing to the infirmities of our nature and prefent ftate, that a due regard to decency and folemnity in public worship is of fuch importance towards our moral improvement. Confidering these things, it is with concern I muft obferve upon the manner of performing the folemn office of praifing God in our public affemblies, that it very much wants reformation. I

know

« FöregåendeFortsätt »