SERM. care at home, and that they, who refufe II. to let their children be catechifed at church, would, at leaft, make fure that they be able both to repeat and understand their catechifm. And next to this we may add the duty of bringing them to be confirm'd, that they may, in their own perfons, renew thofe engagements which were made in baptifm, and receive withal the Bishop's benediction and prayer, with imposition of hands, in order to their future growth and increase in fpiritual graces. And when they grow to a proper maturity of judgment, and appear to be well and virtuously inclined, they fhould then be excited to compleat their chriftian preparation by partaking in the other facrament, the communion of Chrift's body and blood, in which ordinance the church makes a folemn memorial before God of that one propitiation Chrift has made for fin, and applies the benefits thereof to the devout communicants, in order to the pardon of their past offences, and their farther improvement in all grace and goodness. 4 I could with indeed that this might not be matter of compulfion, but the result of their own choice and option. Only as young people are apt to be remifs and negligent, and carried away by the allurements and gaieties of life, it will be al ช ways ways needful that fome prudent monitor SER M. fhould be at hand, to remind them of the II. duties of the chriftian fellowship, and advise them at once to renew their engagements, and receive ftrength to perform them in the holy facrament. And this the rather, because it is found, by manifold experience, that where people have not been train'd up to this holy discipline in time of youth, they are usually more hard to be perfwaded to it as they advance in years. But it should always be remember'd, that the publick exercises of religion will have little efficacy; they will be apt to dwindle into form and pageantry, except the mind be privately habituated to the study of its doctrines, and the practice of its precepts. In our publick difcourfes, we use to suppose our audience to be already acquainted with the first principles of the doctrine of Christ *: So that they who come rude and unacquainted with the beginnings of chriftian erudition, will hardly understand what we build on that foundation, will scarce know what is meant by the devotions of the church, what are the evils which we deprecate, or what the benefits for which we offer our petitions. Or if their understandings fhould be better inform'd, yet their minds cannot relish or * Heb. vi. I. SERM.join in thofe devotions, except they be first II. brought to a devout frame and habit, by the fecret practice of the rules of religion. However publick devotions, when duly perform'd, are preferable to the private ; yet it is by the private, that we are prepared and qualified for a due performance of the publick, and our minds brought to that conftant frame and habit of devotion, which alone can enliven our addreffes at the throne of grace, and answer the purposes of the spiritual life. The Holy Ghost defcends not into thofe breafts, that look to him only as it were by fits and ftarts, but into thofe that wait on him with zeal and affiduity, and expect his gracious aid with conftancy and patience. For this reafon, we should study to prepare ourfelves for publick offices, by fecret prayer and habitual devotion; and to that purpose the fcripture exhorts us to pray without ceafing; and to fet our affections on things above; not doubting that where our trea fure is, there will our hearts be alfo ‡. In order therefore to fuch improvement of young people, they should be taught the ufe of prayers from their infancy, and when grown up they should have leifure and opportunity allowed them for retirement, at least, every morning and evening; and proper books fhould be put into I Theff. v. 17. + Col. iii. 2. Mat. vi. 21. II. their hands, which, together with occafi- SER M. onal advice, and inftructive converfation, would be greatly inftrumental to fortify their minds against the allurements of fin, to poffefs them with a ferious and earnest fenfe of religion, and both excite and af fift them in the exercises of it. The reading of the fcriptures, which were intended to make us wife unto falvation *, fhould also be particularly recommended to them; and let it not be doubted but thofe holy oracles, if perus'd with ferious and humble minds, fhall be attended with an inward efficacy; and the good feed of the word +, taking deep root in their hearts ‡, fhall bring forth fruit an hundred fold ||, and fpring up unto eter nal life. But because this is too much to be left entirely to the management of young people by themfelves, it is highly incumbent on the mafter of the family to fee that a part of it be done in his prefence, and by all the family together. In this private af fembling of themselves, he may confider himself as, in the patriarchal ftate, the mouth of the houshold, and the proper perfon to offer their requests to God. At least every evening, before the family repair to their apartments, let them be call'd into his prefence, to hear fome portion of 20. *2 Tim. iii. 15. Mat. xiii. 23. Mark iv. the SERM. the holy fcripture read before them, and II. join in offering up their evening facrifice. Where two or three are gathered together in bis name, our bleffed Saviour has promised to be present in the midst of them*: And therefore, befides our publick affembling in greater numbers, we fhould likewife embrace these domeftic opportunities to offer our prayers in conjunction. Besides the duty discharged on this occafion, the practice will be apt to leave a strong impreffion on the minds of all, and difpofe them to attend, with more effect, to the influences of religion; and withal, it gives the mafter opportunity to see that his fervants are at home, and in fuch order and condition as is fit for the members of a chriftian family. This leads him to reprove and rectify what he obferves to be amifs; it lays a check and restraint upon fuch as are viciously inclin'd: and it tends much to the improving those of better difpofition. And here again we have reafon to lament the practice of the prefent age, which makes it fo ufual for the heads of families to spend their evenings abroad, in company, or in diverfion, and stay out to fuch unfeasonable hours, that a part of the family is oblig'd to go to reft, to fit them for the bufinefs of the next day, and the * Mat. xviii. 20. remainder |