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THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN'S MANUAL; 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 Some Thoughts en the following Suhjefts, viz. 
 
 /.— On thcARTicLEs of the CHRISTIAN FAITH, 
 with a concife Form of the Covenant annexed. 
 
 //.-On BAPTISM. A Dialogue. 
 
 ///.—On the LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 IV.— On PRAYER, with fome Forms. 
 
 F.-On CIVIL GOVERNMENT, by Qucftion and 
 Anfwer. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 A part of a celebrated Sermon, on the 
 neglect of Public Worfhip. 
 
 The whole Defigncdfor the life of Families, 
 
 By HEZEKI AH PACKARD, a, m. 
 
 A Minister of the Gospel. 
 
 Publifhed according to Ac> of Congrefs. 
 
 Printed by S \MUEL PRESTON Amhust, N. H, 
 
 MARCH l801, 
 
— ®& 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 A HE writer of thefe fheets can affure 
 the public, that, in preparing them for the 
 prefs, he has taken the advice of the mod 
 approved Authors, with whom he has had a- 
 ny confiderable acquaintance. He has found 
 the bufmefs of collecting materials for the 
 following work no folitary employment. For 
 he has attended with pleafure to the friendly 
 and valuable inftruclions of Mr. Grove and 
 Mr. Bell on the Lord's Supper, and has had 
 occasional interviews with others, who have 
 directed their thoughts to the fame point. 
 Mr. Towgood, who highly adorned his pro- 
 feflion, in company with feveral others of no 
 fmall repute, has afforded him much affiftance, 
 in carrying on a dialogue with a refpeBable 
 Parifhioner, on the fubje6t of Baptifm. In- 
 deed, the writer has already fuch a refpe&a- 
 ble number of patrons, who ftiil live in their 
 writings, that he now fubmits this fmall vol- 
 ume to the public, with encouraging hopes 
 of its being ufeful. And hereby he tmfts 
 he fhall contribute fomething to the be ft in- 
 terefts of bis fellow-citizens. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 To the Serious and Inquifitive Reader. 
 Dear Friendj 
 
 J- N the following work, you will notfnd 
 much of the f evert ty and edgednefs of party. You 
 will foon perceive, that it is the Authors dejign to 
 ajfijl and encourage your inquiries, and to render 
 you more religious. While he endeavors to roufe 
 the attention of the inconfiderate, and to Jlrengthen 
 the true believer, he has an ardent dejire to admin- 
 ijler comfort and fupport to the feeble minded, and 
 to aid your purfuit after The One Thing need- 
 ful. He hopes you will perfevere in your moment- 
 cus inquiries, and he prays God to work in you 
 the work of faith with power. Let no opportuni- 
 ty efcape your notice, nor pafs unimproved. Short, 
 at longefl, is the day of life and of grace. A 
 jiale of retribution awaits us. Our future condi- 
 tion will be the fair refill of our moral tharatlers 
 in this world. So that we are aBingfor eternity. 
 How folemn and affecting the thought ! -Oh ! that 
 men were wife, that they underfood this, and would 
 confider of their latter end ! 
 C helm tf or d, Jan. 1801. 
 
PART I. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 A jew Thoughts on the Gojptl Covenant > 
 
 TOGETHER 
 
 With a Form of it, as adopted by the Churdt of Ckrifl f 
 in Chelmsford, 
 
 Be not rafh with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hafty 
 lo inter any thing before G<r.\. For God is in heaven ■Tnd 
 thou upon earth ; therefore let thy words be few. Ecc!. v. a. 
 
 ON THE ARTICLES OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN COVENANT. 
 
 OUR fyftem of faith and the terms of ad- 
 mifSon into the Church fhould be fo 
 conftru&ed and adapted, as to meet the ac- 
 ceptance of every unprejudiced and firrcere 
 chriitian. Confeflions of faith have had at- 
 tached to them fo many fharp points, that 
 numbers have been afraid to approach the 
 table of our common Lord. Some perfons 
 of good characters and vifibie piety have 
 lived and died without the pale of the church, 
 becaufe they could not in confeience fub- 
 fcribe to the articles of faith prefented them, 
 nor comply with the required forms of ad- 
 miflion. It is certainly matter of painful la- 
 mentation, that any proper and accepted 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 members of Chrift's fpiritual kingdom fhould 
 be denied the privilege and benefits of his 
 vifible church on earth. By requiring too 
 much we fruftrate our own defigns,and tempt 
 perfons to handle the word and ordinances 
 of the Lord deceitfully. When we confid- 
 er that chriftians of the greateft and thofe of 
 the Tmalleft attainments, have the fame God 
 and Father to worfhip and adore ; the fame 
 Lord and Matter to ferve and obey ; the 
 fame glorious inheritance in profpecl ; we 
 are conftrained to be candid and mild. Ar- 
 guments in favor of meafures charitable and 
 conciliatory rufh in from every quarter. For 
 after urging and fixing ever fo many points, 
 the main point is to have the heart right in the 
 fight of God. After all our forms and con- 
 feflions, the grand re qui fite \s to have a temper 
 and difpofinon for a life of holinefs and vir- 
 tue. Hence, to reduce our forms of the 
 ChrKlian Covenant, and our terms of com- 
 munion to the mild ftandard of the gofpel, 
 is matter of great importance. To fee the 
 diflinclions of feci: and party laid afide, and 
 all malice, revenge and bitternefs done away, 
 is truly defirable. And it becomes all the 
 rightful members of Chrift's family and king- 
 dom to unite their exertions in the common 
 caufe of their common Lord and Mahler, 
 and promote peace and good will among 
 men. Wifhing to contribute fomething to 
 aid fuch a valuable defign, and affift the in- 
 
[ 7 ] 
 
 quiries of private chriftians and all well dif- 
 pofed pupils in the fchool of Chrift, I here 
 fubjoin a concife form of the Chriftian Cov- 
 enant, adopted by the Church of Chrift in 
 Chelmsford and adminiftered to all who are 
 admitted. 
 
 *fl 
 
 
 THE COVENANT. 
 
 "YOU do now, in the prefence of Al- 
 mighty God and before this chriftian alTem- 
 biy, profefs a fincere belief in the exiftence, 
 providence and government of Jehovah, 
 who is infinitely wife, juft and good, and who 
 fcarches the hearts and regards the actions of 
 men. You believe that to love and obey 
 him is our moft reafonable fervice, and con- 
 ducive to our higheft interefts. You believe 
 in man's primeval innocence, voluntary 
 tranfgreffion,and unhappy fall. You believe 
 in the doftrines of divine revelation, which 
 is gracioufiy defigned lor our inftruclicn, re- 
 covery and eternal happinefs. You believe 
 that God fpake to our Father's by the Proph- 
 ets, and that in thefe laft days, He fpeaks to 
 us in the Gofpel of his Son, who is the one 
 Mediator between God and man, and the 
 only true way to eternal life. You do hum- 
 bly and penitently confefs your fins of every 
 name and nature, and devoutly implore the 
 benefits of the Spirit's guidance, the Son's 
 
C 8 ] 
 
 facrifice, and the Father's mercy. You do 
 ardently defire to give up yourfelf to God, 
 and refolve to deny all ungodlinefs and live 
 as the Gofpel teaches. You commit your- 
 felf to the care and difcipline of this cbrif- 
 tian church, and promife to walk in com- 
 munion with us as long as God in his provi- 
 dence (hall give you opportunity. Thus you 
 believe, thus you refolve, thus you promife* 
 
 You are then under the folemn bonds of 
 the Covenant, and in the name of this chrif- 
 tian church I declare you a member of it in 
 full communion. In the name of the church 
 I alfo promife, that we will watch over you 
 in the fpirit of meeknefs and charity, and 
 endeavor to promote your prefent and future 
 welfare. And may grace, mercy and peace 
 be multiplied to you and us through the 
 hlood of the everlafting Covenant." 
 
 AMEN, 
 
 This form of the Covenant comprifes, in 
 the Author's opinion, the effentials of the 
 christian religion. All matters of faith and 
 practice may be fairly reduced to what is 
 ( here dated and required. Thofe points on 
 which fo many volumes have been written, 
 and on which polemic Divines may never a- 
 gree to fix, do not determine the ftate of the 
 heart, nor mark the degrees of grace. The 
 
[ 9 ] 
 
 beft creed may be fubfcribed and vindicated 
 by a bad man, while a man of real piety may 
 have doubts and fears refting upon his mind. 
 Some who have readily fet their names to 
 lengthy and particular conftffions of faith, 
 may belong to the number of hypocrites and 
 unbelievers. And fome, who have been re- 
 ftrained by confcience from fuch confefiions, 
 may hold a di ft ingui fined place in the church 
 and affembly of the firft born in heaven, 
 Before our own Matter we muft ftand or fall. 
 It becomes us, therefore, to inquire and 
 judge for ourfelves. With- this view, let us 
 fearch the fcriptures to know God's will and 
 human duty, and examine our own hearts to 
 know ourfelves. Let us take heed that we 
 build our opinions, our characters and hopes 
 upon the foundation of the Apoftles and 
 Prophets, Jefus Chrifi himfelf being the 
 
 CHIEF CORNER STONE, 
 
PART II. 
 
 On BAPTISM, 
 
 IN 
 
 A Dialogue between a Minifter and a refptBabh 
 Farijhloner^fvppofed to be at the Minifter' s koufe. 
 
 DIALOGUE. 
 
 Pardoner. T HAVE come, Sir, to con vcrfe 
 7 JL with you on fome fubjects, 
 
 which have long laid upon my mind with 
 great weight. I know your readinefs to im* 
 part all the light and inftruftion you can to 
 your people, and I am fenfible I need both, 
 
 Minifter. I wifh to do what good I can, 
 and fhall be happy to render you all the fer- 
 vice in my power. What are the fubje&s 
 which labor in your mind ? 
 
 P. I have neglected to profefs the cbrif- 
 tian faith, and to dedicate my children in 
 baptifm. I feel uneafy. Matters of a reli- 
 gious nature have employed much of my at- 
 tention for feveral years paft, and I have 
 endeavored to difcover my own character 
 and duty. I now think it incumbent on me 
 to profefs Chrift before men. But I am in 
 doubt with refpecl to the proper fubjecls and 
 mode ol baptifm, and wifh for your fenti- 
 nients. My parents gave me up to God in 
 
t it 3 
 
 baptifm, when I was in infancy, and I have 
 a defire to do what is proper for my children. 
 But I cannot a& for them in this cafe, with- 
 out a fufi&cient warrant for it. Chriftianity 
 addreffes itfelf to our reafon and underftand- 
 ing ; but the fcriptures are not fo clear and 
 full on thefe points, as to remove doubts and 
 difficulties from my mind. 
 
 M. I have paid fome attention to the fub- 
 jefts of your inquiry, and will now fubmit 
 to your confideration fome of my ideas. 
 
 We all allow, that baptifm is a divine infti- 
 tution, and is appointed as a (landing ordi- 
 nance for the regular admiffion of perfons 
 into Chrift's vifible kingdom. It is the ap- 
 propriate feal of the Gofpel Covenant, and 
 denotes the neceflity of divine power and 
 influence to renew and govern our hearts. 
 It fignifies the wafhing of regeneration and 
 the renewing of the Holy Ghoft. Indeed, 
 it fignifies much the fame that circumcifion 
 fignified under former difpenfations. The 
 Apoltle, you know, fays, that he is not a Jew, 
 who is one outwardly, neither is that circum- 
 cifion which is outward in the fit fh. But he 
 i^a Jew, who is one inwardly, and circumci- 
 fion is that of the heart, in the fpiritand not 
 in the letter. 
 
 P. I perceive, that in their general de- 
 fign and import, baptifm well agrees with cir- 
 cumcifion, but I will hear you farther. 
 
M. The vifible church of God, as to it* 
 foundation and leading principles, has always 
 been the fame. In every period and under 
 every difpenfation, the church has refted up- 
 on the Covenant of grace. This Covenant 
 was in part opened to Adam, Enoch and No- 
 ah, and all the pious patriarchs. To Abra- 
 ham, in particular, it was more fully made 
 known in that memorable Covenant, of which 
 circumcifion was the appointed token and 
 feal. The Abrahamic Covenant, founded 
 in God's grace and companion towards a fin- 
 ful and idolatrous world, was imitated in its 
 principal features and defign by the Mofaic 
 difpenfation, which was exprefsly added, 
 " becaufe of tranfgreffion" To keep the unlia- 
 ble Ifraelites from the worfhip of Idok, and 
 to fpread the knowledge of God and religion, 
 the Lord fpake to Mofes from the burning 
 bufh ; Sinai was made to tremble ; the peo- 
 ple of Ifrael received ftatutes and judgments 
 for their admonition and guidance. The 
 promife made to Abraham was of faith, that 
 it might be by grace. The law was a well 
 qualified fchool-mafterto bringmen to Chrift. 
 In this connexion, we ought to remember 
 the inuVuclions of the Apoftle, that, if we are 
 Chrifts* zee are Abraham's feed, and heirs accord* 
 ing to promife j and that on two commandments* 
 which naturally rife from the Covenant of 
 grace and are always binding, hang all the 
 law and the prophets. This being the cafe, 
 
[ *3 3 
 
 and we living under a difpenfation, to which 
 all former ones ultimately referred, we can- 
 not fuppofe, that children are now excluded 
 from thofe privileges and bleflings, to which 
 infants were formerly admitted. Are not the 
 children of believers now, as capable of fig- 
 nal and diftingmfhing favors, as were infants 
 of eight days old in the time of Abraham 
 and Mofes ? Did any earlier forms of God's 
 Covenant with fallen man embrace our in- 
 fant offspring more tenderly and more ef- 
 fectually, than the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, 
 who is the only begotton of the Father, full 
 of grace and truth ? Infants were formerly 
 admitted into Covenant and had its feal (lamp- 
 ed upon them. They had given them an ex- 
 prefs token and pledge, that Jehovah would 
 be their God. They were confidered as 
 {landing in a peculiar relation to the great 
 Head of the church, and were accounted his 
 children. This was juftly efteemed a grat 
 and precious privilege. We have no account 
 in the facred fcriptures, that this privilege has 
 ever been taken away, and this relation re- 
 nounced. Our authority for withholding a 
 privilege muft be as great as that upon which 
 it was at fir ft granted. The children of be- 
 lievers are born into the arms of the Cove- 
 nant. And hence we may fairly conclude, 
 that the infants of believers, or any under 
 their care, retain a right to this ancient, un- 
 repealed privilege, and ought to be admitted 
 
 B 
 
[ 14 ] 
 
 into Covenant. And baptifm being now, as 
 was circumcifion, the Teal of the Covenant, 
 and being, like that, the mode of initiation 
 into the church, they ought to be baptized. 
 Baptifm fignifyingwhatcircumcifion fignified, 
 it well fupplies its place. I conceive it, 
 therefore, to be your duty, on profeffing 
 chriflianity, to give up your children in this 
 ordinance to the protection, guidance and 
 bleffing of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Gketft. 
 
 P. Your obfervations appear to be found- 
 ed upon fcripture authorities, and the fubjecl 
 flrikes me in a light fomewhat different from 
 what it ever did before. But fo many things 
 have been faid on both fides of the quefiion, 
 I ftill feel at a lofs with regard to the mode of 
 baptifm. Sometimes I have thought I ought 
 to be -plunged, in order for regular admiflion 
 into the chutfch. Your practice fhews what 
 your fentiments are, but I fhould be glad to 
 know the reafons and grounds of your opin- 
 ion. 
 
 M. I do not find any examples on either 
 fide of the queflion to determine the point. 
 But there are feveral reafons, which have fat- 
 isfied and confirmed me in my praftice. This 
 fcal of the Covenant may indicate the fpirit- 
 ual contents which lie under i*. This ex pre f- 
 Qvcjign may ferve to reprefent the things/z>- 
 nified. In which cafe, the common and fpe- 
 ciat workings of God's fpirit upon the minds 
 
[ *5 J 
 
 of men are fet forth. It is true, we have no 
 adequate ideas of the manner, in which the 
 holy Spirit opens and enlarges, infpires and 
 direfts the human mind. But there are fome 
 paffages of fcripture, which feem to be de- 
 figned to point out fomething of the mode 
 of the Spirit's operation. We know how 
 rain falls upon the mown grafs ; how fhow- 
 ers de!cend, which water the earth > how the 
 gentle dew drop foftly lights upon the ten- 
 der herb ; how things are fprinkled with clean 
 water. And thefe are the ways in which the 
 operations of God's Spirit are reprefented in 
 the volume of infpiration. 
 
 I know it is faid, that believers are buried 
 with Chrift by baptifm. The fame idea is 
 expreffed in feveral places in the New Tes- 
 tament. And I acknowledge, that at firit 
 view fuch expreflions favor the practice of 
 plunging. But what is the real meaning and 
 intent of thefe parts of fcripture. They 
 cannot mean, that Chrift is really in the wa- 
 ter, while any perfon is receiving baptifm. 
 They cannot denote the mode of Chrift's 
 bjptifm, and at the fame time furnifh an ex- 
 ample to chriftians, becaufe our Lord con- 
 formed to John's baptifm, which was in fev- 
 eral refpe&s different from the chrifliah. 
 They cannot reprefent the manner of ChrifVs 
 death, becaufe he died upon the crofs erect- 
 ed upon mount Calvary. I wifh you would 
 lead, with the greatefl care and attention, the 
 
[ i6 ] 
 
 vi. chap. of Paul's Epiftle to the Romans* 
 and the ii. chap, of his Epiftle to the Col. 
 Endeavor to ascertain the whole meaning of 
 what is faid on the fubjecl:. And when you 
 find, that, by baptifm, believers are buried with 
 Chrift, are crucified with Chrift:, are rifen with 
 Chrift, you mult, 1 think, be convinced that 
 fuch paftages do not reprefent any particular 
 mode of baptifm, but refer to the things fgni- 
 fied by it. The matter feems to be in fome 
 meafure explained, in the iii. chap, of the 
 firfl general Epiftle of Peter. We are there 
 told that in Noah's ark eight fouls were faved 
 by water. " The like figure zvhereunto, even 
 baptifm doth alfe nowfave us, net the putting a- 
 way of the filth of the fief n, but the anfwer of a 
 good confeience towards God, by the refurreBion of 
 Jefus thrift" God uied the waters of the 
 flood not only to punifh and drown the old 
 world, when overwhelmed in its iniquities; 
 but he ufed them to fupport and carry i\\Q 
 ark, for the prefervationof Noah and his fam- 
 ily. In this view, Noah and his fauuly were 
 faved by water. They fled from a world 
 " all p trifling in fin' into the ark of fafety 
 provided for them, and rode upon the waters 
 of the flood. In like manner, by baptifm, 
 we renounce all communication with the un- 
 fruitful works of darknefs, and fly for refuge 
 to the ark of the Covenant provided in the 
 Gofpel. The Gofpel Covenant is to believ- 
 ers what the ark was to Noah and his family. 
 
[ »7 J 
 
 The inference, from the portions of the fcrip- 
 ture cited and referred to, feems to me very 
 plain and obvious. As Chrid dkd/or fin, 
 believers die to fin. As Chrift died and rofe 
 again, fo we are directed to die to fin and rife 
 to newnefs of life. As Chrift was crucified, 
 fo they who are Chrift's have crucified the 
 flefh with its affections and lulls. As Noah 
 and his family were preferved from the del- 
 uge by repairing to the ark according to the 
 divine command ; fo chriftians are preferved 
 from the tuft confeq,uences of fin, by taking 
 refuge in the ark of the Gofpel Covenant 
 and complying with its conditions. To be 
 buried with Chrifl by or in baptrfm, into or 
 unto his death, is to receive and chenfh thofe 
 inftruftions, truths and influences fet forth 
 and granted in that Co.venant, of which bap- 
 tifm is the feal and pledge. We lay afide 
 our weapons of rebellion, and become will- 
 ing fubje£h of the king of faints. We bury 
 the whole body of fin, and rife to newnefs of 
 life. All this does not determine the mode 
 of baptifm. 
 
 P. But do you not think, that many fe~ 
 rious and good people have put a different 
 conltruclion on the paffages, which you have 
 now explained ? 
 
 M. I do. I have no doubt, that many 
 individuals and even fome churches have 
 confidered the authority fuch paflages fur- 
 nifh for plunging amply fufficient. 
 
 B2 
 
[ »8 ] 
 
 P. I remember you hinted at fome differ- 
 ence between John's baptifm and chriftian 
 baptifm, and I would thank you to point it 
 out. 
 
 M. The requifite of John's baptifm was 
 repentance. He was the voice of one cry- 
 ing in the wildernefs. " Repent ye^for the 
 kingdom of heaven is at hand." The requifite 
 of chriftian baptifm is an influential belief of 
 the whole chriftian religion. John's difci- 
 plesbelieved in the promifed Mefliah. Chrift's 
 difciples believed that Jefus was the Chrift. 
 John's baptifm was not attended with the 
 particular eifufions of God's Spirit ; but he 
 gave affurances, that one was foon to come, 
 who would baptize with the Holy Ghoft. 
 John's baptifm was preparatory to the chrif- 
 tian. John himfelfwas the bright morning 
 ftar announcing the approach of the fun of 
 righteoufnefs. 
 
 P. There are feveral inftances of baptifm 
 recorded in the New Teftarnent, which are 
 fuppofed to authorize the practice of immer- 
 fion. I wifh for your ideas concerning 
 them. 
 
 ill. Do you refer to Lydia and her houfe- 
 hold, or to the jailor and his, or to Cornel- 
 ius and thofe at his houfe, or to the cafe of 
 Philip and the Eunuch ? 
 
 P. I had fome of thefe in mind, and I 
 fhould like to hear your fen time nis on each 
 of thegi. 
 
[ «9 ] 
 
 M. If we had never heard any difpute a* 
 bout the matter, and were to judge merely 
 from what is written of Lydia and her family, 
 we mould readily conclude, that fhe and all 
 under her immediate care, whether children 
 or not, were baptized on account of her faith 
 in Chrift. We fhould not be likely to form 
 any decifive opinion of the mode and place 
 of baptifm. Attendingon the preached word 
 near the fide of a river, it was there (he be- 
 lieved. And to preach there was no more 
 than the diclate of common prudence, con- 
 fidering the heat and barrennefs of that coun- 
 try, and the multitudes and thirft of the peo- 
 ple, who were often prefent on fuch occafions. 
 
 When the two ApoQies, Paul and Silas, 
 fpake to the jailor the word of the Lord, and 
 plainly told him what he mult do to be faved, 
 the jailor took them and warned the flripes 
 they had unjuftly received, and was baptized, 
 he and his, ftraightway. I think it hardly 
 probable, that they all went to a river, or 
 pond ; or that there was any convenient place 
 for the purpofe in the prifon. It mult be 
 matter of confiderable hazard for the jailor 
 and his family to be at a diftance from the 
 prifon, and in the middle of the night, with 
 perfons, whofe efcape might prove fatal to 
 him. And we cannot fuppofe, that there 
 were accommodations within the confines of 
 the jail. For though fuch a dreaded man- 
 fion is commonly furnifhed with chains and 
 
r 20 j 
 
 ilocks for convicts ; yet we do not expeft to 
 find pools and fonts for baptizing, converts. 
 We are told, notwithstanding, that the jailor 
 and his family were baptized^ the fame hour 
 of the night. 
 
 With refpe6l to Cornelius and thofe at his 
 houfe, Peter faid, " Can any man forbid water 
 that thefe Jhould be baptized P" Did he mean 
 to afk, whether any man eould be fo unkind 
 and cruel as to flop the river from flowing, 
 or prevent accefs to the common fountains 
 and ponds in the neighborhood ? Or did he 
 mean to fuggeft, that water fhould be brought 
 for the occaGon, and they baptized in the 
 name of the Lord jefus ? 
 
 I know it is written, that both Philip and 
 the Eunuch went down into the water and 
 came up oat of the water. Do you fuppofe, 
 that the baptizer was as much under water as 
 the baptized ? If not, how could they alike go 
 down into the water and alike come up out of 
 the water ? Beftdes, it is urged on good au- 
 thority, that the river, where the Eunuch is 
 faid to have been baptized, was not deep e- 
 nough for immerfion. The truth is, the 
 words rendered into and out of might with e- 
 qual propriety be tranflated 10 and from, and 
 they^muft go down to the water and come up 
 from it, in order to have baptifm adminifter- 
 ed according to either mode. 
 
 Thus I have concifely given you fome of 
 my ideas of the inftances of baptifm above 
 
[ w J 
 
 mentioned. I do not, however, confider 
 them as examples on either fide ; but fome 
 of them were attended with fuch circumftan- 
 ces of time and" place, as to render the prac- 
 tice of fprinkling at leafi probable. 
 
 P. You mention the practice of fprinkling, 
 which leads me to aik, what appears to have 
 been the prevailing practice of the church 
 iince the days of the Apoftles. 
 
 M. The general current of Eccleflaftical 
 hiftory bears increafi ng teftimony, that the 
 baptifm of infants has been ths prevailing 
 practice of the chriftian church from the days 
 of the Apoftles down to our own times. And 
 I believe, that fome chriftians and churches, 
 who were in the practice of immerfion, have 
 allowed that infants are the proper fubjecls 
 of baptifm, and in that way have received 
 them into the arms of the church. A coun- 
 cil of fix ty- fix bifhops was formed in the year 
 of our Lord 253. The grand queftion be- 
 fore them was not, whether infants mould re 
 ceive baptifm, but whether baptifm might be 
 adminiftered to them before they were eight 
 days old, according to the law of circumci- 
 iion ? The refult of council was unanimous, 
 " that the baptifm of infants was not to be deferred 
 till the eighth day.'' I could fill pages with re- 
 fpe&able authorities, drawn from hiftory, to 
 prove, that the fame practice has been contin- 
 ued from age to age. But you may think I, 
 have already faid too much, and I forbear. 
 
[ »« ] 
 
 P. I have heard you with pleafure, and 
 I hope I (hall make a good improvement of 
 your converfation. 
 
 M. You advanced one idea, fometime a- 
 go, which I think it my duty to notice. You 
 mentioned, that, though you were baptized 
 in infancy, you have had thoughts of being 
 plunged rn order to admiffion into the church. 
 We are not to triflle with fuch things. You 
 have received baptifm according to the opin- 
 ions and practices of churches regularly form- 
 ed, difciplined and taught. Your name is 
 enrolled with the members of ChrifTs vifible 
 kingdom, and the ordinance was adminifter- 
 ed before the church by one duly authoriz- 
 ed, and in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghojl. If there bean 
 error, which, however, I do not believe, it is 
 not yours. It belongs to the church, which 
 authorized, and to the Pallor, who adminis- 
 tered the baptifm. To be rebaptized brings 
 reproach and contempt upon the chriftian 
 profefiion, and offers an indignity to the tre- 
 mendous name, into which you were baptiz- 
 ed. I fhould as readily baptize in one way 
 as the other, but I could not confidently bap- 
 tize any perfon, who had been baptized be- 
 fore. To baptize infants or adult perfons by 
 immerfion at an inclement feafon, or in a 
 weak and fickly ftate, feerns to be hazardous, 
 Excepting thefe circumftances of difference 3 
 
[ *3 ] 
 
 I mould have no objeBion to baptize by 
 
 plunging any proper fubje&s. 
 
 P. I rejoice to find that you have fo 
 much candour and charity, I wifh, for my 
 part, the baptifts had more charity for their 
 fellow chriftians. That matter of clofe com- 
 munion I never could underfland. 
 
 M. There are many ferious, good peo- 
 ple among the baptifts, and I refpecl the de- 
 nomination. I have been treated by them 
 with great civility, and fome of my family 
 connexions have been of their perfuafion. 
 Some of their moll refpe&abie Clergymen 
 have given up the idea of clofe communion, 
 and are recommending the mantle of charity 
 to others. 
 
 P. But what has commonly been the root 
 and origin of bapuft focieties ? Have they 
 generally rifen at the time of the outpourings 
 of God's Spirit, and in feafons of general a- 
 wakening and reformation ? Or have they 
 commonly darted up in confequence of dis- 
 putes, quarrels and contentions ? 
 
 M. Theft queftions I acknowledge are of 
 fome weight, but they are not more impor- 
 tant than this queftion, Are they not in the 
 character of baptifts, as regular and religious, 
 as chriftians of any other denomination ? 
 
 P. There are fome of them who do no 
 honor to the chriftian profefiTion. If immer- 
 fion had a tendency to cleanfe perfons from 
 moral pollution, it would be neceflary to dig 
 
I »4 3 
 
 Tome of them a number of times before they 
 *would be clean and pure. 
 
 M. It is fo with fome of every denomina- 
 tion. How many of our fellow chriftians 
 are influenced chiefly by their paflions, and 
 by considerations of wordly intereft ! 
 
 P. I do not wifh to enlarge, but I have 
 a right to my own opinion. 
 
 M. It would be happy for civil and reli- 
 gious focieties, if people in general were lefs 
 inclined to enlarge on matters of difference, 
 and lefs difpofed to magnify each other's er- 
 rors and faults. 
 
 'P. I believe that private intereft, preju- 
 dice and pafiion do a great deal of mifchief 
 in church and ftate. How often people fet 
 up men, whom they know to be bad, and op- 
 pofe others, whom they know to be good! 
 It is aftonifhing ! From the evil confequen- 
 ces of fuch conducl, good Lord deliver us ! 
 
 M, It is our part to ufe our influence and 
 endeavors to bring things into a more regu- 
 lar train. If we are real friends to fociety, 
 we ihall confult and promote its beft interefts. 
 If we are real friends to religion, we (hall 
 difcover our attachment to it. at home and 
 abroad, and nay a fat-red regard to family re- 
 ligion and public worfhip. I hope you will 
 imprefs thefe things upon vour own mind, 
 and upon the minds of your children, as they 
 become capable of receiving inftruclion. 
 
[ *5 J 
 
 P. It is my prefent purpofe, and I hope I 
 {hall carry it into effecl. I Feel under great 
 obligations to you, Sir, for your friendly and 
 inftru&ive remarks and explanations. It is 
 my defrre to live like a chriftian, and to bring 
 up my family in the faith and order of the 
 Gofpel. 
 
 M. Before you go, I wifh to be indulged 
 in one obfervation, which deeply concerns 
 you. Every one ought to be religious, and 
 every religious parent fhould make hafle and 
 delay not to devote himfelf and his offspring 
 to God in an everlafting covenant never to 
 be forgotten. When you fhall have brought 
 up your children in the beft manner you are 
 able, and nVall have given them every advan- 
 tage for improvement, fhall you not think 
 them very ungrateful, if they will not ac- 
 knowledge their obligation and y oar kindnefs, 
 and make fome fuitable returns for all your 
 efforts of tendernefs and energies of love ? 
 God has done infinitely more for us, than a- 
 ny earthly parent can do for his children. 
 And fhall we negleO, to make fome grateful 
 acknowledgement and fome fuitable returns ? 
 How very ungrateful ! Let us not, my friend, 
 forget thefe things, but walk as children of 
 the light, and may our children walk in the 
 truth. 
 
PART III. 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Jnjlitution, JDeJign and Benefits 
 
 O* T H E 
 
 LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 * l Underftandtft thou what thou readeft ? And he (aid, how 
 can Ij except fame man ftiould guide me." 
 
 ON THE 
 
 LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 THE obligation we are under to obferve 
 any religious inftitution is founded up- 
 on the authority and injunctions of him who 
 appoints it. When fufficient evidence ap- 
 pears, that an inftitution is appointed by one 
 duly authorized to reveal God's will, and to 
 direct the views and morals of men, we are 
 under as ftrong obligations to regard and ob- 
 ferve it, as we are to obey any divine com- 
 mand whatever. Any ordinance, attended 
 wid) proper teftimonials of its divine author- 
 ity, whether made known to gu by a prophet, 
 an angel, or the only begotten of the Father, 
 claims our unfeigned relpecl and fteady ob- 
 fervance. Of this defcription is the Ordi- 
 nance of the Lord's Supper, which is the ap- 
 pointed memorial of the fufferings and death 
 
C *7 J 
 
 of Chrift, and of the general purpofe for 
 which he died. It was inftituted by Jefus 
 himfelf, with the obvious defign of promot- 
 ing brotherly love, practical religion and true 
 holinefs. His commiffion and authority can- 
 not be doubted by any, who receive him as a 
 Teacher fent from God, and admit the gen- 
 eral evidences of thfc GofpeL 
 
 The nature and defign of this Ordinance 
 may be collected from the words and anions 
 of Jefus at the time of its inftitution, and 
 from the teftimony and obfervations of thoie 
 perfons, who were authorized and infpired 
 to make known his mind and will. Of Inch 
 a character were the Apoftles and Evangel- 
 ifts, who were duly commiffioneil to open the 
 treafures of the Gofpel, and to declare the 
 defign of its rites and ordinances, and our 
 obligations to obferve them. 
 
 From a collective view of the pafTages, 
 which contain the hiftory of this excellent 
 inftitution, it appears, that all our Saviour 
 fold and did, at the time of its firft introduc- 
 tion, is included in what follows. 
 
 Our Lord, while celebrating the Jewifli 
 PafTover with his difciples, called their atten- 
 tion to the offering he was about to make of 
 himfelf for the remifTion of fins. He took 
 and broke a piece of bread in their prefence ; 
 and, after he had given thanks and bleffed it, 
 he made a friendly and afFeftionate diftribu- 
 tion of it among them, accompanied with 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 thefe words : Take, eat, this is my body broken 
 or give?i for you ; this do in remembrance of me. 
 He then took a cup and gave it to them, fay- 
 ing, drink, of it all of you, for this is my blood of 
 the New Covenant, ffied for the remiffion of fins. 
 This do, as often as ye drink of it, in remembrance 
 of me. 
 
 Taking into confederation all that took 
 place at the institution of the Supper, it is ev- 
 ident, that Jefus commanded his difciples 
 and followers to obferve a praftice of eating 
 bread and drinking wine together in remem- 
 brance of him. He required them to eat of 
 the bread which he then gave them, and to 
 eat bread thus prepared, from that time for- 
 ward, in memory of his counfels, fnfFerings 
 and death. His language, when he gave 
 them the cup, as clearly fhews, that they were 
 to continue the practice of grateful com- 
 memoration. This do, as oft as ye drink it, in 
 remembrance of me. In the life of fuch ele- 
 ments, they were to eat of the bread, as a 
 memorial of his body, broken or given for 
 them ; and to drink of the wine, as a memo- 
 rial of his blood, fhed for them. Thefe ele- 
 ments, jointly confidered, are the appointed 
 memorials of his death, fuffered for the re- 
 miffion of fins. * f 
 
 The words and aBions of Jefus, at the time 
 this Ordinance was inftituted, do not contain, 
 nor imply, either a promife of any fpecial 
 reward to attend its observance, or a threat 
 
C * 9 J 
 
 of any fpecial punifhment for its omiffian. 
 What was faid and done carries no more than 
 a plain and clear appointment and defcrrp- 
 tion of the Ordinance itfelf, and a pofitive 
 and twofold command to celebrate it. And 
 in this view, it may anfwer every moral and 
 religious purpofe for which it was intended. 
 
 The reafons and grounds of its inftitution 
 were not peculiarly applicable to thofe who 
 were then prefent, nor to any particular pe- 
 riod of the chriftian church ; but obtain in 
 all ages. And, as Jefus did not exprefs any 
 intimation, that the praclice fhould be dis- 
 continued, and the reafons in favor of it al- 
 ways holding good, we may fairly conclude, 
 that he defigned it as a Jtanding Ordinance, as 
 a perpetual memorial of his fufferings and 
 death, through ah* periods of his divine reli- 
 gion. To eftablifh this point beyond all 
 doubt, let it be remarked, that our Lord, 
 when he appointed this Ordinance, was cele- 
 brating the Jfewifh PafTover. While in judg- 
 ment God fmote the firlt born of every E- 
 gyptian family, he fawfit to fiafs over the hou- 
 fes of Ifrael, and in mercy to preferve them 
 from the common calamity. The Pajfover 
 was inflituted in the Jewifh law as a (landing 
 and perpetual memorial of the remarkable 
 deliverance of the Jews from the fatal rava- 
 ges of the deftroying angel. Such being the 
 occafion on which the Lord's Supper was in- 
 ftitutedj and the Pafchal lamb being of iingu- 
 
 C 2 
 
[ 30 J 
 
 lar importance at that Jewifh feftival, it is 
 mariifeft, that there is a perpetual obligation 
 on chriftians to obferve this Ordinance ap- 
 pointed by him, who is the lamb (lain from the 
 foundation of the world. And, as the Paflf- 
 over was kept and obferved by every Jew, 
 this Ordinance ought to be celebrated by ev- 
 ery chriliian. 
 
 The benefits, which we may expect from a 
 fincere and confcientious obfervance of it, 
 are that approbation of God and of our kind 
 Redeemer and of confcience, which an inten- 
 tional compliance with the divine will mufl 
 certainly fecure, and that additional Jlrength to 
 the principles and habits of virtue and piety, 
 which fuch a reafonable and affectionate cel- 
 ebration is adapted to produce. And, on the 
 contrary, the evils we have to fear from our 
 omiffion and neglect to celebrate it, are that 
 difap probation of God, and of the Redeemer, 
 and of confcience, which a voluntary difo- 
 bedience to the divine will has a direct ten- 
 dency to produce, together with the privation 
 of that additional Jlrength of our moral princi- 
 ples and habits, which would refult from a 
 due celebration of it. 
 
 In recounting the benefits of this facrcd 
 Ordinance, we may alfo obferve, that it ex- 
 cites thofe ferious reflections and thankful 
 acknowledgements, which the doctrines and 
 life, the fufTerings and death of Clirift, are 
 calculated to infpire ; and thofe pious refo- 
 
[ 3* } 
 
 lutions and purpofes, which are the actuating 
 principles of every worthy communicant. It 
 tends toftrengthen our attachment to religion? 
 to cherifb and enliven our deftres of obedi- 
 ence, and to infpire the fentiments of chrif- 
 tian piety and brotherly love. It calls into 
 exercife thofe difpofttions and affections, irv 
 the poiTeflion and difplay of which every 
 good man would wifh to live and die. In 
 thefe ways it regards the principal objects 
 and promotes the main defign of the GofpeL 
 To pacify and encourage doubting chrif- 
 tians, we mould do well to confider, that 
 whoever eats and drinks at the table of com- 
 munion in detigned remembrance of ChrilT, 
 and with a prevailing deilre to fulfil his com- 
 mands, does truly and properly obey the 
 command of Jefus in the inftitution. By re- 
 flecting on the goodnefs of God in- laying the 
 glorious fcheme of redemption, and on the 
 condefcenfion and love of Chriii, in carrying 
 it into effect, together wiih our obligations to- 
 comply with the terms of the New Covenant, 
 we conform to the fpirit and defign of this 
 chrifhan ordinance. No doubts and fcru- 
 ples ought, therefore, to keep any perfonfrom 
 the table of our common Lord, if he have a 
 prevailing inclination to cberifh fuch reflex- 
 ions and to fulfil fuch obligations. To fuch 
 a perfon the language of the Gofpel is, come^ 
 for all things are now ready* 
 
E 3* ) 
 
 The Ordinance of the Supper is well a~ 
 dapted to make good irrpreffions upon our 
 minds, and to chenfh goods difpofmons and 
 motives. It ferves at the fame time to pre- 
 pare our hearts for thofe influences and grac- 
 es, which are necefTary to carry on the work 
 of faith with power. To live, therefore, in 
 the full belief of the Gofpel, and yet forego 
 the benefits of chriftian communion, is in- 
 confiftent. To live under a fenfe of Gofpel 
 grace, and yet ncglecl this chriftian Ordinance 
 is a voluntary drfobedience of a positive com- 
 mand. And he who know cth his Lord's will and 
 prepay eth not himfelf^Jliall be beaten with many 
 Jlripes. He is verily guilty. Why fhould 
 not the fobcr inquirer, who has doubts and 
 fcruples reftrng upon his mind, dread the 
 confequences of neglecting a command di- 
 rect and pofitive, to which he is bound with 
 a twofold cord, as well as dread the confe- 
 quences of approaching the Lord's table in 
 an improper and unworthy manner ? Is it 
 fafe to neglect the duty of prayer, through 
 fear that we mail not pray in faith P Shall we 
 abfent oarfelves from the houfe and worfhip 
 of God, left me fhould not worfhip him in 
 fpirit and in truth ? Through fear of any e- 
 vils, fhall we voluntarily expofe ©urfelves to 
 greater evils ? From an apprehenfion that we 
 may not do right, fhall we do what we know 
 to be wrong ? Let reafon and kripture an- 
 fwer. 
 
[ 33 ] 
 
 We know that fome have an idea, that the 
 conditions of admiflion into the church arc 
 hard and arbitrary. Others may urge, that 
 there is fuch a proportion of immoral men 
 among profefTors, as to render it, in their o- 
 pinion, inexpedient and fmful to join in com- 
 munion. Difficulties cf this kind but too 
 frequently occur, andare matter of lamenta- 
 tion. But my brother's vices ought not to 
 keep me from enjoying chriftian privileges, 
 nor from obeying the commands of my Lord 
 and Matter. On the quedion of duty, per- 
 fons fhould examine and proceed with the 
 utmoft caution. They muft take heed, that 
 they rcnke an honed and faithful ufe of their 
 faculties and advantages, in forming their o- 
 pinions, and in making up the judgment up- 
 on which they acl. For without diligent in- 
 quiry and refearch after truth, they may re- 
 ject conditions, which are according to rea- 
 fon and fcripture ; or may fubfcribe to arti- 
 cles of faith, which neither reafon nor fcrip- 
 ture warrants. 
 
 The inftitution being exprefsly defigned 
 to commemorate the greateit fufFerings, the 
 pureft affcftion and the mod fignal benefits,, 
 the author feels it to be his duty to exhort 
 and entreat every one to take the fubje£t into 
 ferrous confederation. Let thofe, .who have 
 never made public profefiion of chriftianity,. 
 faithfully inquire into the caufes and confe- 
 quences of their oroiflion. Let none forget 
 
f 34 1 
 
 the folemn and affe&ing words of Chrift. 
 
 " Whofoever fliall confefs me before men, him fliall 
 the [on of man alfo confefs before the angels of God; 
 kit he, that denicth me before men, fhall be denied 
 kef ore the angels of God" 
 
 With what propriety can we reckon our- 
 felves among the followers of Jefus, while 
 we neglect his pofrtive injunBions, and refufe 
 si fhare ki that legacy of love, which he left 
 to the church ? If we fuffer our doubts to 
 prevail and feel unwilling to wear the diftin- 
 guiding marks and badges of a ehriftian, 
 bow can- we expecl to enjoy the benefits of 
 the Covenant, and become partakers of the 
 heavenly inheritance I Chrift being the only 
 true way to eternal life, the great Redeemer 
 of men, how can we let the memory of his 
 death ever die I Our hve to him and our re- 
 gard to his inftkuiions fhould keep alive the 
 remembrance of his love to the world. 
 
 To tnvprefsand penetrate the minds of all, 
 let us fuppofe the table of chnftian commun- 
 ion fpread and lurnifhed with proper ele- 
 ments, and our kind Redeemer at the head of 
 it adducing his difciples and the muliitude 
 in this periuafive language : Come unto me all 
 ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 
 you reJL Take my yoke upon you and learn of me ; 
 for 1 am meek and lozvly of heart. My yoke is 
 eafy and my burden is light. Let not your hearts 
 be troubled ; ye believe in God ; believe alfo in 
 we. In my Fathers hovfe are many manfion^ 
 
E 35 I 
 
 and to encourage and guide you in preparing for 
 them, I will fend you ike Comforter, even the Spirit 
 of truth, who fliall. abide with you, that where I am 
 ye may be alfo. You ought never to forget what I 
 have done andfuffered, and that you may not, eat 
 of this bread and drink of this cup in remembrance 
 of me. Since ye know thefe things* happy are ye? 
 if ye do them. If ye love me and believe that the 
 Father hath fent me^ neglect not this my lafl requeft 
 and injunElion. 
 
 Thus does the Gofpel prefent to us mani- 
 fold inducements and motives, invitations 
 and perfuafives, to approach the table of our 
 Lord. And Jefus himfelf fills our mouths 
 with arguments to feek the bleffings of the 
 Gofpel Covenant., and to live and walk as 
 brethren. The conditions of divine accep- 
 tance being plain and reafonable, I fell un- 
 willing that any fhould reject them. To im- 
 prove our moral difpofuions and to promote 
 vital religion and focial happinefs enters into 
 *he defign of the Lord's Supper. I lament 
 that any perfons of ferioufnefs and piety 
 mould deprive themfelves of its benefits. As 
 Jefus, who appointed this Ordinance, placed 
 all in a faUable Rate by his fufferings and 
 death, and once offered himfelf for the fins 
 of the world, it is devoutly to, be wiflied, that 
 all would believe with the heart unto right- 
 eoufnefs, and that confeffion might be made 
 with the mouth unto falvation. From the 
 hiftory of the primitive ages of cbiiftianny* 
 
r 36 ] 
 
 it appears, that the whole body of chrifttans 
 received the Lord's Supper, and that all who 
 devoutly attended public worfhip joined in 
 communion. Oh! that fuch a practice, fup- 
 ported by a fenfe of duty, may foon obtain 
 in this favored land, and bring all clafles of 
 people into one chriftian brotherhood ! 
 
 To haften the arrival of fuch a happy pe- 
 riod, let us confider the qualifications of a 
 worthy communicant, and earneftlv ftrive to 
 pofTefs them. A ferious difpofdion of mind to 
 regard the inflrutlions of God's word, and an in- 
 tentional obedience to the commands and institutions 
 of Chri/l 9 are the grand reauifites of a worthy cel- 
 ebration. Nothing but a want of a ferious 
 and good intention can make the Ordinance 
 of the Supper productive of any evil or dan- 
 ger. The pofjejfion of thofe principles, which 
 are fuppofed ever to acluate a man of virtue, 
 and a defire to commemorate the fufferings of 
 Chrift in accomplifhing the adopted plan of 
 redemption, have a commanding influence 
 on the temper and practice, and form a valu- 
 able part of that moral vefture, which gains 
 a welcome reception to him who wears it at 
 the table of chriftian communion. 
 
 A {'tnCc of imperfection, frailty and fin, is 
 no fufficient reafon for denying ourfelves 
 chriftian privileges, but for availing ourfelves 
 of all the helps within reach. If our faith 
 and hope are feeble, and our patience and 
 /irmnefs are deficient^ we certainly require 
 
C 37 3 
 
 fomething to ftrengthen our refolutions and 
 to fortify our minds. We need fomething 
 to purify and exalt our affections, and to pen- 
 etrate and govern our hearts. To anfwer 
 thefe important purpofes the Ordinance of 
 the Supper is well adapted, and the injunc- 
 tion of our Lord is always a reafon for cele- 
 brating it. There is nothing in it which ought 
 to excite any painful apprehenfion in the 
 minds of the honeft and fincere. We know 
 it is written, " He that eateth and drinketJi un- 
 worthily ', eateth and drinketh damnation to himfdj, 
 not difcerning the Lord's body."" On this pafTage, 
 however, it is no more than fair to allow the 
 Apoftle the privilege of explaining himfelf. 
 The great and alarming exceCfes of the Co- 
 rinthian Church fully account for the expref- 
 fion, which \\\z Apoftle here ufes. In the 
 very next verfe (1 Cor. xi. 30) he fays, .For 
 this caufe, many among you are weak, and jickly^ 
 and many flee pi or die. Bodily diforders and 
 ■ficknefs and death were the frequent confe- 
 quences of their wanton exceffes and finful 
 indulgence. Thefe various evils conflitute 
 that heavy judgment and juft condemnation, 
 which unworthy partakers ate and drank to 
 themfelves. The term, Unworthily, figmfies 
 improperly, undefervedly, bafely. They are 
 and drank without reference to the deljgn of 
 the Ordinance, and for the vile purpofes of 
 intemperance and excefs. The word, d/m- 
 nation^ in this place, means puniflirnent, judg- 
 
 D 
 
[ 38 3 
 
 ment, vengeance. If inftead of keeping in 
 view the defign of the inftitution, they ate at 
 the table of gluttony, and drank the cup of 
 intemperance, they mufl ftand condemned at 
 the bar of confeience, and in the fight of 
 God and man. A want of decency in their 
 behavior at the Lord's table, and a want of 
 refpeft to the Ordinance, muft lead on to un- 
 nappy confequences, and expofe them to 
 God's difpleafure. But by the mod impar- 
 tial and critical inquiry, of which I am capa- 
 ble, into the true meaning and import of the 
 paflage, in connexion with the context, there 
 is no particular reference to future punifh- 
 rnent, nor to a ftate of exact retribution. It 
 does not place the a£t of communion upon a 
 different footing from any other religious act 
 whatever. And fome, who ate and drank 
 unworthily, in the fenfe of the paiTage under 
 confideration, became, no doubt, true peni- 
 tents, and are now gone to inherit the prom- 
 ifes. I am fenfible, however, that ouriln 
 and guilt in negleBing a duty, recommended 
 to our reafon and underftanding with lingu- 
 lar force, urged by arguments peculiarly 
 weighty and momentous, and attended with 
 benefits of a fuperior nature, both in number 
 and degree, are greatly aggravated. Except- 
 ing thefe circumflances of difference, reli- 
 gious afts are upon a fitnilar footing ; chrif- 
 tian ordinances reft upon a fimilar foundation. 
 Our acceptance in doing and obferving them 
 
I 39 3 
 
 depends on fimilar qualifications. Without 
 a fincere regard to the authority of God and 
 to the obligations of duty, we cannot reafon- 
 ably hope for divine acceptance in any reli- 
 gious a£t or ordinance. But, when actuated 
 byTuch a regard to God and duty, we do well, 
 and mail be approved and accepted. This 
 laft obfervation, deeply imprefled upon the 
 mind, will greatly relieve andaffift the doubt- 
 ful and defponding christian, in reading and 
 underftanding fuch parts of the New Tefta- 
 ment, as relate to the Ordinance of the Supper. 
 
 Many have been kept back from the Lord's 
 table on account of the forbidding afpecl of 
 particular pafTages, which do not' apply to the 
 foher and fincere inquirer, but are directed 
 to the profligate and abandoned. The minds 
 of others have labored on the fubjecl in con- 
 fequence of mifreprefentations of this Ordi- 
 nance. And while we lament, that this ex- 
 cellent inftitution has been fo much abufed 
 and perverted, we ought to rejoice with grat- 
 itude, that the fcripture doctrine of it is fo 
 fully reftored, and that there are fuch pow- 
 erful arguments and fo many precious oppor- 
 tunities to celebrate it. 
 
 What now remains to be faid is in the way 
 of improvement and application. 
 
 The unbounded love of the Redeemer of 
 men mould infpire love in the breafts of all 
 the redeemed. The glorious work of our re- 
 demption by Jefus Chrift deferves to be had 
 
[ 4° ] 
 
 in everlafting remembrance. All, who en- 
 joy the light of the Gofpel and are capable 
 of the fervice, ought to engage in the duty 
 of grateful commemoration. The Ordinance 
 of the Supper having a tendency to promote 
 a fpirit of piety and the practice of univer- 
 sal righteoufnefs, young petfons, as well as 
 old, may derive from it peculiar advantage. 
 And as the Ifraelite was directed to explain 
 to his child the nature and defign of the Jew- 
 ifh Paffover, fo ought the chriilian parent to 
 explain to his offspring the nature and defign 
 of the Lord's Supper. He ought frequently 
 to mention before his family the benevolent 
 actions, the amiable character and atoning 
 facrifice of Jefus. 
 
 Under the manifold confederations which 
 have employed our attention, let none,wheth- 
 er old or young, rich or poor, who have a de- 
 fire to live a life of religion, refufe another 
 invitation to the table of chriftian commun- 
 ion, which I now give them in the name of 
 our common Lord and Mailer. 
 
 To conclude. May chriftian profeffors walk 
 as children of light, that others may be perfuad- 
 ed to glorify our Father in heaven, and come 
 with fincerity and gratitude to the commemor- 
 ating feaft of love. And may all be brought 
 to the knowledge, profeffion and practice of 
 the truth, as it is in Jefus, and be edified in 
 the faith and fellowfhip of the Gofpel, through 
 .the bloodof the everlafting Covenant. Amen. 
 
PART IV 
 
 Of PRAYER, 
 
 With a number of Forms of Family Prayer, 
 Jliort and plain* 
 
 THERE is a natural tendency in the foul 
 of man to fly to fome fuperior being for 
 help in danger and diftrefs; to exercife grat- 
 itude for fenfible and fubftantial good, and 
 unbofom itfelf, as occafions require, to an a- 
 ble and tried friend. So that the duty of 
 prayer feems to be founded in our very na- 
 ture. The a£h of faith and love, adoration 
 and praife, which refult from a j-uft view of 
 the divine perfections, together with the f^n- 
 timents and cuftoms of all nations, plainly 
 fhew, that religious worfhip is conformable to 
 the light of reafon, and conducive to the 
 moral improvement and happinefs of man. 
 Religion is the principal bufinefs of life, and 
 prayer is a valuable part of religion. To 
 render our fincere thanks and devout horn* 
 age to God, and to give unto him the glory 
 dje unto his name, is our reafonable fervice, 
 and is defigned for our advantage. By pray- 
 er we draw near to God, lift up our fouls to 
 him, and fpread our wants before him. It 
 becomes us to addrefs the infinite Majefty of 
 
 D2 
 
[ 42 J 
 
 heaven from the clofets of our hearts, in our 
 families and in the fanfruary. But owing to 
 the progrefs of vice, and the alarming decay 
 of piety, love in many waxes cold, and the 
 duty of prayer is furprifingly neglecled. 
 How many families live without offering 
 morning and evening facrifice to the common 
 Parent and Friend of man ! While the ox 
 knoweth his owner and the afs his mailer's 
 crib, and while the feathered tribes, in their 
 feafon, fail not to chant forth their morning 
 and evening fongs, how many families appear 
 to live unmindful of the God who made them, 
 and lightly efteem the rock of their falvation ! 
 The author of this work, painfully fenfible 
 of the declining ftate of family religion, and 
 feeling a tender concern for the welfare and 
 happinefs of parents and children, is led to 
 fpeak from the fulnefs of his heart to heads 
 of families, and to entreat them, if they have 
 been deficient, no longer to negle£t a duty 
 fo plain and important. To perfuade them 
 to this duty and to affift them in its perform- 
 ance, whole volumes have been written. Not 
 long fince, a Prayer Book for the ufe of fam- 
 ilies was prepared by the AiTociation of Min- 
 ifters in and about Portfmouth, in New-Hamp- 
 fhire. This book opens with a well adapted 
 and affectionate addrefs to heads of families 
 on the fubjecl, and adminifters gentle reproof 
 to prayerlefs families, and gives them friend- 
 ly and judicious counfel and advice. That 
 
[ 43 J 
 
 valuable work the author of this recommends 
 to every family, as containing forms of devo- 
 tion adapted to morning and evening, and to 
 particular aud extraordinary occafions, and 
 as well calculated to anfwer trV* pious inten- 
 tion of that extenfive and refpeclable AlTo- 
 ciation. The objeft in preparing the follow- 
 ing prayers for a family is to aid the fame 
 laudable defign, of alTifting the inquifitive, 
 convincing the erroneous and eftablifhing 
 the juft. He fubmits them to the confidera-^ 
 tion of families, and defires to devote this 
 work to them and himfelf to God, with whom 
 is the refidue of the fpirit. And he hopes 
 lhat every one, who has the care of a family, 
 will be led to refolve and exprefs himfelf in 
 the language of ancient piety- — " As for me 
 and my houfe, we xuillfcrvt the Lord" 
 
 N. B. Any perfon, who feels a reluctance 
 at taking the lead in family devotion, and ef- 
 pecially one who has lately entered into a 
 family (late, may ufe the following forms of 
 prayer, by reading them before his family for 
 fix monihs or a year ; and, by thus, reading 
 them with ferious attention, he will render 
 the fentiments and language fo familiar, as 
 to go on with much propriety and with more 
 feeling and devotion without fuch helps. 
 
t 44 I 
 
 Prayer I. 
 
 For the Morning of the Lord's Day. 
 
 ALMIGHTY and moft merciful Father t 
 Who art the Former of our bodies and Fa- 
 ther of our fpirits, and whofe providence and 
 tender mercies are over all thy works. Thy 
 works, O God, praife Thee and thy faints 
 blefs Thee. For thine is the greatnefs, and 
 the power, and the majetyy, and Thou ruleft 
 and reigneft over all. Lord, quicken us to 
 call upon thy name, and enable .us to ap- 
 proach Thee with reverence and godly fear. 
 Wilt Thou, the Father of lights, enlighten 
 our minds in the knowledge of the truth ;• 
 wilt Thou, the Father of mercies, have mer- 
 cy on us guilty tinners, and infpire our hearts 
 wiih love to Thee and to Jefus Chrift the Sou 
 of thy love. As Thou art every where pre- 
 fent,andknoweft ourdifpofhions and motives, 
 our actions and characters ; as Thou know- 
 eft our down fitting and uprifing, and under- 
 itandeft our thoughts afar off, may we hum- 
 ble ourfelves before Thee, and offer this our 
 morning facrifice upon the altar of each of 
 our hearts, May fin of every name and na- 
 ture appear to us, as it really is y ofrenfive to 
 Thee and deftruBive of our beft good. And 
 may we hite and forfake every evil and falfe 
 way. Help us to pay our principal regard to 
 things of the higheft value, and make every 
 other confideration yield lo that of duty. 
 
C 45 J 
 
 Let the faith of the Son of God influence 
 and regulate our livesand converfations, and 
 may we fecure the pleafures of a good con- 
 ference, the bleflings of religion and the re^ 
 wards of piety. O ! that a fenfe of thy 
 goodnefsand our dependence may attend and 
 direct us through all the labors, concerns and 
 cares of life and love. 
 
 We thank Thee for thy protection and 
 bounty to the prefent time j for the inftruc- 
 tions of thy word, the influences of thy fpirit, 
 and the hopes of happihefs beyond the grave. 
 Glory to God and the Redeemer, for the Gof* 
 pel which brings life and immortality to lights 
 and which allures us, that Thou art reconcil- 
 ing the world to thyfelf by Jefus Chrift, the 
 one Mediator between God and man. O ! 
 that we may breathe the fpirit of his religion, 
 imitate his example and acquire the charac- 
 ter of his true difciples. We thank Thee, 
 that we are brought to this morning of thy 
 day. May we be in the fpirit on this the 
 Lord's day, and worfhip Thee in fpirit and in 
 truth. May the Sabbath be out delight, and 
 we difcharge the duties of it with fervor and 
 devotion. Be with all the worfhipping afTem- 
 blies of thy people. May minifters preach 
 with the power and demonftration of the 
 fpirit, and may people attend with hearing ears 
 and understanding hearts. Blefs us of this 
 family. Delight to dwell under this roof. 
 Take poffeffion of our hearts, and guide us 
 
[ 46 ] 
 
 in the path of thy law. Blefs our connexions 
 and friends. Wilt Thou afford relief to the 
 forrowful, health to the fick, inftru&ion to 
 the ignorant, and thy parental eare and blef- 
 fing to all. Blefs this town and the land 
 which gave us birth, in all their important in- 
 terefts and concerns. Encircle in the arms 
 of thine affe£tion and mercy the whole fami- 
 ly of man. Let thy kingdom come and thy 
 will be done on earth, as in heaven,, for the 
 Redeemer's fake, to whom with the Father 
 and the Holy Ghoft be praife forever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 Praybr II. 
 
 For Sabbath Evening. 
 
 O THOU great Parent and Friend of 
 Mankind I On whom all eyes wait, and to 
 whom all flefh fhould come. May it pleafe 
 Thee to hearken to the voice of our fuppli- 
 cation, for unto Thee will we direft our pray- 
 er and look up. As we are encouraged to 
 fpeak unio Thee, wilt Thou hear in heaven, 
 and, when Thou beared, anfwer and forgive. 
 And as we know not how to order our fpeech 
 aright before Thee by reafon of darknefs and 
 fin, grant us thine holy Spirit to help our in- 
 firmiiies, to indite our petitions, and to en- 
 gage our hearts in thy iervice. Quicken us 
 to call upon thy name, and animate our de- 
 votions. We befeech Thee, for the fake of 
 
r 47 i 
 
 thy Son, to pardon our fins and have refpeft 
 unto this our prayer. May we fee the need 
 we fland in of fuch a Saviour as Thou haft 
 provided, and believe in him to the faving of 
 our fouls, In our addreffes to thy throne, 
 may we gratefully acknowledge thy favors, 
 penitently confefs our (ins, and devoutly im- 
 plore thy forgivenefs and blefling. We thank 
 Thee for domeftic, focial and religious fa- 
 vors; for Sabbaths and fancluary privileges; 
 for the day and m^ans of grace arid for the 
 hopes of glory. May the preached word, to 
 which we have this day attended, be follow- 
 ed with thy blefli.ig, and be as good feed fown 
 in good ground, and bring forth much fruit. 
 Pardon the coldut-fs and indifference v\ith 
 which we have performed the diui of pub- 
 lie and focial worfhip, and make us more fer- 
 vent in fpirit, ferving the Lord. We rejoice 
 with thankfulnefs in the pofleffion and evi- 
 dences of the Gofpel ; in the inftitutions it 
 appoints, and in the hopes it infpires. In the 
 temper of our minds and in the tenor of ou** - 
 conduQ, may we conform to its rules and 
 maxims, and let the lives we live in the flefk 
 be by the faith of the Son of God. Wilt 
 Thou work in us the work of faith with pow- 
 er, and filed abroad thy love in our hearts, 
 that we rmy make the bed improvement of 
 our time and talents, and obtain the end of 
 our faith, even the falvation of our fouls. 
 Lei thy blefling reft upon us and thy grace 
 
[ 48 ] 
 
 Hbe fufScient for us, in all the conditions and 
 circumftances of life. May this family be- 
 long to the houfehold of faitb, and be favor- 
 ed with every needed good. Wilt Thou ac- 
 commodate thy mercies to the aged and the 
 young, to the widow and thefatherlefs, to the 
 forrowful and afllifted, and to all whom we 
 ought to bear on our hearts and tongues to 
 thy throne. Grant, we befeech Thee, that 
 pure religion may reign in the hearts and gov- 
 ern the lives of thy people in this town. May 
 we know how good and pleafant it is for 
 brethren, friends and neighbors to dwell to- 
 gether in unity and love, and endeavor to 
 leflen the calamities and encreafe the prof- 
 perity of each other. Wilt Thou blefs Ru- 
 lers and Citizens, Minifters and people, and 
 let thern fulfil their refpedive parts in all 
 the cares and duties of life. Put an end to 
 wars and fightings through the world, and let 
 the peaceful reign of the Prince of peace 
 foon arrive. Thefe favors we afk, and thefe 
 praifes we offer in the Mediator's name, be- 
 feeching Thee to accept of us and of our de- 
 fire s to ferve Thee, to take the charge of us 
 this night and carry us to the light and pre- 
 pare us for the duties of another day : For 
 thine is the kingdom, the power and the glo* 
 ry, forever and ever. 
 
 Amen. 
 
r 49 3 
 
 Prayer III. 
 
 For the Morning. 
 
 SUPREMELY great and glorious Lord 
 our God ! We adore and worfhip Thee as a 
 Being, poffefled of every perfe&ion and at- 
 tribute, which can render a character com- 
 pletely glorious and fupremely hapry, or 
 claim the love and fervice of rational crea- 
 tures. We now come into thy prefence, be- 
 lieving that Thou art a God hearing prayer, 
 and art the Rewarderof them, who diligent- 
 ly feek Thee. In the name of Jefus Chrift, 
 we would now lift up our fouls unto Thee, 
 and offer this our morning (acrifice. We 
 unitedly thank Thee for thy care and bounty, 
 and for thy protection and grace. Having 
 obtained help from God, we continue to the 
 prefent time. We have been prefervcd an- 
 other night and are brought to the light and 
 enjoyments of this morning, becaufe thy 
 compaffion and mercy fail not. Blefs the 
 Lord, O our fouls and all that is within us, 
 blefs and praife his holy name. Plncouraged 
 by our pad experience, we now commit our- 
 (elves to thy protecting providence. Guard 
 us, this day, from every ftn, affilt us in every 
 duty, and carry us to the clofe of it in health 
 and peace. And in fpending the whole day 
 of life, may we difplay every chriftian grace 
 and every amiable virtue. Sanclify to us all 
 thy dealings, whether merciful or aftiiSive, 
 
[ 50 J 
 
 and work in us the work of faith with power. 
 Biefs all for whom we ought to pray. Let 
 a fenfe of our own imperfections and faults 
 lead us to exercife candour and charity to- 
 wards others, and let a fpirit of peace, truth 
 and righteoufnefs influence and govern ali 
 ranks of men. Overrule the affairs of church 
 and itate for the honor of thy name, for the 
 profperity of Zion, and for the peace and 
 welfare of ali claffes of people through this 
 our native land, and through the world. In 
 the comprehenfive language of our Lord, 
 would we now fum up our defires and peti- 
 tions to Thee, " Our Father, who art in hea- 
 ven ; hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom 
 come ; thy will be done on earth as it is in 
 heaven ; give us this day our daily bread; 
 forgive us our debts as we forgive our debt- 
 ors ; lead us not into temptation, but deliver 
 us from evil ; for thine is the kingdom, pow- 
 er and glory forever." Amen. 
 
 o 
 
 Prayer IV. 
 
 For the Evening. 
 
 ALMIGHTY and mod gracious God! 
 Who ruleft in the kingdoms of nature, prov- 
 idence and grace, and art the great Giwcr and 
 Xord of life. The heavens declare thy glo- 
 ry. Day unto day uttereth fpeech and one 
 night (peaks to another concerning thy truth 
 and faiihfulnefs ; and thy tender mercies arc 
 
[ h J 
 
 over all tby works. Thou, Lord, waft the 
 Proteftor of our infancy, the Guide of our 
 childhood and youth, and haft been our 
 Guardian and Friend to the prefent time. 
 We acknowledge thy fatherly care, thy liber- 
 al bounty and thine abundant grace. We 
 lament, that we have made no better returns 
 for thy favors. May we have a prevailing 
 fenfe of our paft ingratitude and difobedi- 
 ence, and be led to that repentance which is 
 unto life. May we carry with us a conftant 
 fenfe of our dependence and thygoodnefs, 
 and endeavor to conform in heart and life to 
 thy holy will. We thank Thee for all thou 
 haft done for the recovery and happinefs of 
 a finful world. Thou didft make known thy 
 gracious intentions to our firfl parents, prom- 
 ifing that the feed of the woman fhould bruife 
 the ferpent's head. Thou didft (peak to our 
 fathers by the prophets, and Thou art now 
 fpeaking to us and making overtures .of mer- 
 cy, by thy Son, Jefus Cb rift. O that we 
 may receive the Saviour, whom Thou haft 
 provided, in all his characters and offices, and 
 draw our rules of conduct from his precepts 
 and life. Let the fame mind be in us which 
 was alfo in him, and let the love of God and 
 the Redeemer reign in our hearts. 
 
 Thanks to thy name, that we have been 
 the charge of thy kind providence another 
 day, and that we now appear before Thee in 
 lo much health and comfort. Will Thou 
 
[ 52 J 
 
 dill be with us and grant us thy fmiles. Dur- 
 ing the frlent watches of this night, may it 
 pleafe Thee to watch over us for good. Give 
 us refreshment, by deep, and awake us to the 
 iight and duties of another day. Prepare us 
 for the events and changes of life, and help 
 us to make a good improvement of all thy 
 difpenfaiions. 
 
 We commend to thy gracious notice all 
 our abfent friends, and the fons and daughters 
 of forrow and diflrefs. May the ignorant 
 receive inftruBion, the vicious be reclaimed, 
 and the upright be encouraged. Wilt Thou 
 Succeed and profper the means of uieful 
 knowledge and religious inftruclion, and may 
 civil libenyand religious freedom be carried 
 to all nations of the world. May thy king- 
 dom come and thy will be done on earth as 
 it is in heaven, and the glory and the praife 
 ihall be thine forever. Amen. 
 
 Prayer V, 
 
 For the Morning* 
 
 OUR Father who art in heaven ! Thine 
 we are and Thee we ought to ferve. We a- 
 dore and worfhip Thee, the rightful Sove- 
 reign of the Univerfe, who art clothed with 
 honor and with majefty and covereft thyfelf 
 with light as with a garment. We revere that 
 power by which the world was made. We 
 admire that wifdom fo manifeft in the order 
 
r 53 j 
 
 of nature, and in the courfe of providence. 
 We adore and love that goodnefs, which ex- 
 tends to all thy creatures, and fills our hearts 
 wi<h food and gladnefs. While the heavens 
 declare thy glory and aH nature proclaims thy 
 praife, the Gofpel of Chtifr. difYdays the rich- 
 es or thy grace. We thank Thee for the 
 light of life, for the light of reafon, and for 
 the light of revelation. Oh that we may 
 fpend out lives in thy fear and fervice, and 
 walk in reafon's light and in the path of thy 
 law. Let thy Spirit and grace imprefs and 
 penetrate our hears and help us, at all times 
 and in all conditions, to conduct as feeing 
 Him, who is ever about our path, and knows 
 our down fining and uprifmg, and under- 
 ftands our thoughts. And may we carry a 
 fcn[c of thy prefenfe and of our accounta- 
 blenefs imo all the labors and duties of life. 
 We thank Thee for thy protection, care and 
 bounty ; for the bleffings of friendship and 
 and fociety ; for thy word and ordinances ; 
 and for all that variety of goodnefs, which 
 renders our lives [o comfortable and happy. 
 We rejoice in the light of this morning, to 
 which Thou haft fafely brought us. Wilt 
 Thou accept this our morning facriftce, and 
 graat us thy blefling. May we repent of our 
 fins and forfake eyery evil and falfe way. 
 Tnis day wilt Thou preferve us from every 
 evil and danger, and aflift us in our law fid 
 and laudable employments. Prepare us tor 
 
 E 2 
 
[ 54 ] 
 
 whatever is before us in life, and work in us 
 the work of faith with power. Help us to 
 acknowledge Thee in all our ways, and to 
 work out our falvation with fear and trem- 
 bling. Encircle in the arms of thy parental 
 care our friends and connexions, and blefs 
 all for whom we ought to pray. Send com- 
 fort to the forrowful, relief to the diftrefled, 
 health to the Tick, pardon to the penitent, 
 and the Go{pel to all mankind. Hear us in 
 heaven, thy dwelling place, and when Thou 
 heareft, anfwer and forgive, and the gloiy 
 and praife fhall be given to the Father, to the 
 Son and to the Holy Gboft, forever and ev- 
 er. Amen. 
 
 Prayer VI. 
 
 For the Evening. 
 
 INFINITELY great and glorious Lord 
 our God ! We would now employ the nobleft 
 powers and faculties of our fouls to worfhip 
 Thee, the greateft, the wifetl and the bcft of 
 Beings. Infpire us, we befeech Thee, with 
 a true fpirit of devotion, and may we call 
 upon thy name with fincerity and uprightnefs 
 of heart. As we now take it upon us to fpeak 
 to Thee in the way of our duty, wilt Thou 
 manifeft thvfelf tous in the way of mercy and 
 blefs us. Open our minds to underftand and 
 our hearts to receive the truth, as it is in Je- 
 fus. Hutnbla us under a fenfe of our fins, 
 
[ 55 I 
 
 and lead us to that repentance which is unto 
 life. As Thou art the Lord God gracious 
 and merciful, have mercy on us guilty fin- 
 ners. Enable us to live in the character of 
 thy children, and to be faithful in all the rela- 
 tions and duties of life. May we be eftab- 
 lifhed in that faith which works by love and 
 difpfays itfelf in ways of obedience. Let 
 nothing draw us into fin, nor keep us from 
 duty. May our hearts ever glow with piety 
 to Thee, and in our intercourfe with the 
 world may we be jufi: and kind, treating others 
 as we could reasonably expeft to be treated 
 ourfelves. With regard to ourfelves, may we 
 be fober, temperate and prudent. In our 
 lawful employments grant us thy fmiles and 
 bieffing, and through the whole day of life 
 wilt Thou guide and direct us. May it pl-eafe 
 Thee to blefs all our abfent friends and fami- 
 ly connexions, and all whom we ought to 
 mention in our addrefTes. May a fpirit of 
 order, truth and piety pervade all ranks of 
 men in this our favored land. Give wifdom 
 to our Rulers, energy to our laws, and per- 
 manency to our government. Profper the 
 means of ufeful knowledge and religious in- 
 ftru&ion, and let wifdom, and knowledge and 
 virtue be the liability of our times. We now 
 commend to thy gracious patronage and blef- 
 fing all our brethren of the human race. 
 Caufe the thunders of war to ceafe, and let 
 all men beco;ne fubje&s of that glorious 
 
[ 56 ] 
 
 kingdom, which confifts in righteoufn efs and 
 peace. We would not, heavenly Father, 
 clofe the devotions of the evening without 
 thanking Thee for thy care over us the paft 
 day, and imploring thy protection this night. 
 Wilt Thou give us quiet repofe and awake 
 us to the light and duties of another day, for 
 the Redeemer's fake, to whom with the Fath> 
 e^and holy Spirit be praife forever. Amen, 
 
 -~ — o 
 
 Prayer VII. 
 
 - for the Morning, 
 
 O THOU God of the morning and the 
 
 evening, to whom the darknefs and the light 
 $re both alike. We now come before Thee 
 to exprefs our firm belief in Thee and alfo 
 in Chrift ; cur gratitude for thy favors; our 
 fubmiffion to thi e authority and allotments; 
 our lull purpofe of heart to live foberly, 
 righteoufly and pioufly. And wilt Thou in* 
 ch'ne us to conduct according to thefe our 
 refoluu'ons, and to walk in the path of thy 
 Jaw. We defire now to call into exercife 
 the nobleft powers and bed affections in wor- 
 fbippmg and ferving Thee, the greater! and 
 be (t of Beings. The heavens declare thy 
 g'ory, and the whole univerfe is open to thine 
 infpeclion and fubjeft to thy control. What 
 then is man, that Thou art mindful of him, 
 or the finful children of men, that Thou 
 fhculdft daily vifit them with thy grace and 
 
[ 57 J 
 
 favor! Thy loving kindnefs is new to us ev- 
 ery morning, and thy truth and faithfulnefs 
 every night. May we carry a fenfe of thy 
 providential care and a&ive goodnefs, and of 
 our dependence and obligation, through 
 all the labors and duties of this and 
 every day. In our common concerns and 
 regular bufinefs, may we enjoy thy fmilesand 
 bleffing, and be fatisfied with thine allotments. 
 Eftablifh thy covenant with this family and 
 may we belong to the houfehold of faith. In 
 our domeflic relations and duties may we be 
 faithful and happy. Let this our dwelling 
 be the manfion of peace and love. We com- 
 mend to thy gracious notice all, who are near 
 and dear to us. We pray for the fick and 
 forrowful, the poor and needy, the widow and 
 fatherlefs, the aged and young. Wilt Thou 
 accommodate thy mercies to their various 
 circumftances and wants. Blefs all ranks of 
 men, and all denominations of chriftians. 
 Let our Rulers be wife and faithful,. and citi- 
 zens honeft and virtuous ; our religious 
 Teachers fpeak with the power and majefty 
 of divine truth, and people attend to the 
 preached word with hearing ears and under- 
 itanding hearts. May our national govern- 
 ment be a lafting fource of rich blcffings to 
 all claffes of people, and may we cultivate 
 that righteoufnefs and thofe virtues, which 
 exalt and dignify a national character. Give 
 thy fon the heathen for his inheritage, and 
 
C 58 3 
 
 the uttermofl parts of the earth for his poffef- 
 fion, and let the great family of mankind 
 worfhip and yield fubmiffion to the Prince of 
 peace. 
 
 We offer this our morning facrifice in the 
 name of our Mediator and Advocate, through 
 "whom to Thee be rendered ceafelefs praifes. 
 Amen. 
 
 Prayer VIII. 
 
 For the Evening. 
 
 O THOU, who art the God of our lives 
 and Father of all our mercies ! In the morn- 
 ing fhalt Thou hear our voice, and in the 
 
 evening will we declare thy truth and faith- 
 fulnefs. As Thou art every where prefent 
 and every where good, Oh that thy dread may 
 fall on us, and a fenfe of thy goodnefs infpire 
 us with hope and confidence in Thee. Hav- 
 ing obtained help from Thee, we flil! contin- 
 ue, and are indu!ged with another opportuni- 
 ty of family worfhip. For thy care and pro- 
 tection, for thy word and ordinances, and for 
 all the bleffings of the throne and of the foot- 
 ftool, we deure to return Thee our finctre 
 thanks. We now call to mind with gratitude 
 the favors of the pall day and this evening, 
 and we befeech Thee to give thine angels 
 charge of us this night. And do Thou be 
 pleafed to wake us to the light and duties of 
 the following day. O that we may be hum- 
 
r 59 ] 
 
 We and penitent on account of our fins, and 
 with a broken and contrite heart approach 
 the throne of grace ! We lament before Thee, 
 that we have made no better improvement 
 of our time and advantages, and that we have 
 made no better returns for thy favors. O 
 that our eyes may be opened, that we may fee 
 the exceeding finfulnefs of fin, and that we 
 may behold the beauties of holinefs. May 
 we be renewed in the temper and fpirit of our 
 minds, and be inclined to keep thy law. May 
 religion, pure and undefiled, appear impor- 
 tant, and the Saviour precious. With our 
 whole hearts may we love and ferve Thee. 
 Guide, we pray Thee, our future fteps. Guard 
 us from the temptations and fnares of fin. 
 Satisfy us with life, and prepare us for an ex- 
 change of worlds. 
 
 O Thou Obferver and Preferver of men ! 
 Wilt thou grant, that all thy rational offspring 
 here below may foon enjoy the fweets of lib- 
 erty, and the bleilings of the Gofpel. Let 
 the fun of righfeoufnefs fcatter the clouds of 
 ignorance, error and fuperftition, and enlight- 
 en the minds and warm the hearts of the whole 
 family of man. With confidence in thy be- 
 nignity and love, we implore thy bleiUng on 
 our native land, and on all our important in- 
 terefts and concerns. May thy protecting 
 providence guard us from foreign invafions 
 and domeftic e* . ils, and we be that happy 
 people, whofe God is -the Lord. Let the 
 
[ Go ] 
 
 Gofpcl have a commanding influence over 
 the temper and practice of all ranks of citi- 
 zens, and wiidom and knowledge be the fta- 
 biliiy of our times. Thefe things we afk and 
 offer in the Mediator's name, to whom with 
 the Father and the holy Spirit be rendered 
 unceafing praifes. Amen. 
 
 Some Occasional Addresses, 
 
 Which may be introduced, at difcretion, ints the 
 
 preceding Forms of prayer, 
 
 I. 
 
 On a Thank/giving Day. 
 ALMIGHTY and everlafling Father ! In 
 whom power refides, in whom wifdom dwells, 
 and from whom goodnefs flows ! Thou open- 
 eft thine hand and fatisfieth the defire of eve- 
 ry living thing. The whole creation is thy 
 charge and thy tender mercies are over all 
 thy works. We thank Thee that Thou haft 
 brought us to fee this Anniverfary under cir- 
 cumftances of fo much comfort and happinefs. 
 With gratiiude would we utter the memory 
 of thy goodnefs and fpeak of thy loving kind- 
 nefs. By a facred regard to thy wife difprn- 
 fations and by a courfe of virtue and piety, 
 may we exprefs to Thee our thankful nefs for 
 our privileges and bleffings, And let a fenfe 
 of thy bounty and grace to us infpire us with 
 kindneik and charity to all around. 
 
[ 6* ] 
 
 II. 
 
 Tor Fa ft Day. 
 O LORD God gracious and merciful ! 
 With reverence and godly fear would we 
 now humble otirfelves before Thee. We 
 have finned, what fhall we anfwer, O Thou 
 Oblerverand Preferver of men ! At the re- 
 collection of our numerous faults and by the 
 recommendation of our civil Fathers, we 
 now lay afide the common labors and con- 
 cerns of life, that our fins may be fet in order 
 before us, and that we may take to ourfelves 
 the words and feelings of penitence and fly 
 to Thee, with whom there is forgivenefs and 
 plenteous redemption. Help us to keep 
 fuch a Faft as Thou haft chofen, and may we 
 offer Thee the facrifice of broken and contrite 
 hearts. We pray God to fmile on and pro- 
 tect the liberties and important interefts of 
 our country, and to order the feafons of the 
 year favorably. May Schools and Acade- 
 mies, Colleges and Univerfiiies flourifh un- 
 der thy gracious patronage, that wildom and 
 knowledge may be the liability of our times. 
 
 6 
 
 III. 
 In a Time of Siclncfs. 
 THOU, O Lord, art the great Phyfician 
 of foul and body. Thou healeft oik difeaf- 
 es, redeemed our lives from j^efttuclion, and 
 crowneft us with loving kind-nefs and tender 
 mercy. Our help is in Thee. Reflrain 3 we 
 
[ 6* 3 
 
 befeech Thee, the progrefs of the malady, 
 which prevails among us, and let the lives 
 and health of thy people be precious in thy 
 fight 
 
 o 
 
 IV. 
 In Time of Drought. 
 O THOU Father of the rain, who beget- 
 te-ft the drops of the dew, be pleafed to vifit 
 and water thy weary heritage. Caufe the 
 grafs to grow for cattle and the various fruits 
 for the fervice of man, and crown the year 
 with thy goodnefs. 
 
 _ o 
 
 V. 
 For the Prefzdent of the United States and all in 
 our national Adminiflration. 
 WILT Thou, who ruled and reigneft over 
 all, take into thy holy keeping thine il!u(iri- 
 ous Servant, the Prejident of the United 
 States. May his important life be precious 
 in thy fight, and be fpent in the fervice of 
 his country. O that he may be an extenfive 
 bleffing to our land. And may all, who take 
 an active part in the adminiltration of our 
 national government, be guided by the beft 
 principles and moti.es, and be led by wifdom 
 into thofe tneafures, which may do honor to 
 themfelves, and promote the profperity of 
 their country. And let thy providence be 
 as a wall of (ire round about us, and the Gof- 
 pel of Chrift a glory in the mid ft of us. 
 
C 6 3 I 
 
 VI. 
 
 For the Blcjfings of Liberty through the world. 
 O THOU univerfal Parent ! Let the 
 branches of the tree of liberty extend from 
 fhore to fhore, and from the river to the 
 ends of the earth, that all nations may tafte 
 and enjoy its fruits. 
 
 o ■ 
 
 VII. 
 For our State Government, 
 BLESS our Governor, and grant him wif- 
 dom to direft our public affairs with a fkilful 
 hand and an upright heart. And may ail in 
 fubordinate ftations of important truft, be 
 wife men, ruling and walking in the fear of 
 the Lord. Let Officers of State and Minis- 
 ters of the Gofpel be alike patrons of liber- 
 ty, learning and religion, and be eminently 
 the Mrnifters of God for good to the people. 
 
PART V. 
 On CIVIL GOVERNMENT, 
 
 AND 
 
 The Duties 05 Citizens. 
 
 BY 
 
 Qaeftion and Anfwer* 
 
 " Tis Education forms the tender mind j 
 " [uft as the twig is bent, the tret's inclin'd. 
 
 A certain per fan pr <nofed to Agefilaus, a Spartan king, thi< ques- 
 tion : U -ivAct ought Youth to be principally, inflruftcxl. ? AgeSlauS 
 wifely anfwered, That which they will have na oft need to//a<-- 
 tife, when th«y are men. 
 
 1. Oueftion. rr HAT is Civil Government P 
 
 Anfwer. Civil Government is an eftablifh- 
 ment of legal authority and the adminiflra- 
 tion of public affairs, according to original 
 articles of mutual agreement, which teach 
 rulers how to govern and fubjecls how to- 
 obey. 
 
 2. Q. Are all men horn free and equal ? 
 A. Though men pofTefs a diverfity of tal- 
 ents and advantages, they are born equally 
 free with regard to rights^ obligations and du- 
 ties. 
 
[ 65 ] 
 
 3'. Q. What is the end of Civil Government ? 
 
 A. ^Civil Government is defigned to pro- 
 tect and encourage men in their honeft and 
 laudable purfuits ; to promote a fair and ufe- 
 ful intercourfe wiih each other, and to (ecure 
 the fafe enjoyment of their lives, liberties 
 and property. 
 
 4. Q. What kinds of Government are there 
 in the world ? 
 
 A. There are three general forms, which 
 are, however, differently modified. 
 
 5. Q. What are they called ? 
 
 A. Monarchy <> where the fovereign power 
 is lodged in one per f on ; Arifiocracy, where the 
 fupreme power is holden by a. few individuals ; 
 and Democracy, where the fupreme power re- 
 mains in the people. 
 
 6. Q. Is there any other governmental dif 
 tintlion ufually made ? 
 
 A. Government is farther diftinguifhed 
 into free and arbitrary. 
 
 7. O. May not this diflinBion fo far he loft, 
 that governments denominated free may exercife 
 
 ARBITRARY pOWer ? 
 
 A. When a people, or their conftituted 
 agents, under a free government, are guided 
 by their paflions and prejudices, inftead of 
 conftitutional principles and the fpirit of the 
 laws ; when they wantonly and materially 
 change the inftruments and meafures of right- 
 ful adminiftration, the government becomes 
 uo (table and arbitrary. 
 12 
 
C 66 ] 
 
 8. Q. Is the Government of the United States 
 in any danger from f itch afource ? 
 
 A. The love of liberty is fo interwoven 
 with the ligaments of our hearts and we 
 breathe fo much of the fpirit of our fathers, 
 that if we be as jealous of our paflions and 
 vices, as we are of our Rulers and laws, the 
 grand palladium of American liberty will be 
 happily preferved. " The Jons of Columbia 
 will never be f laves." * 
 
 9. Q. What is a Republic ? 
 
 A. A Republic is a regular and organized 
 Democracy, where the people inveft whom 
 they pleafe, with Legiflative, Executive and 
 Judicial authority, and referve a right to call 
 them to an account. 
 
 10. Q. What then is the difftrence between a 
 Democracy and a Republic. 
 
 A. A Democracy fuppofes that the fupreme 
 power refides in the people ; but a Republic 
 fuppofes the fupreme power to be, for a time, 
 delegated to particular perfons. 
 
 1 1. Q. Can you name fome of the principal 
 advantages of a Republican Government ? 
 
 A. In a Republican Government, elec- 
 tions are free and frequent; the doors of 
 preferment are open to the moft regular and 
 deferving Citizens y and, if the people duly 
 exercife their rights, the wifdom of the Com- 
 munity may be collected and applied to the 
 beft purpofes. 
 
C «7 ] 
 
 12. Q. Does the Go/pel encourage and pat- 
 ronize civil Government ? 
 
 A. Such was the ftate of the Jews in our 
 Saviour's time, that He did not fay much a- 
 bout patriotifm, or the love of our country. 
 
 1 8* Q* What was our Saviour s conduct with 
 regard to the rulers and laws of His country ? 
 
 A. He paid refped and yielded obedi- 
 ence to both. 
 
 M- Q- What was His probable meanings 
 when he /aid, " Render to Csefar the things 9 
 which are Csefar's, and to God the things, 
 which are God's."? 
 
 A. He meant, no doubt, that men mould 
 be ready to fupport civil fociety and main- 
 tain religion, 
 
 15. Q. Why did Chrifl adopt an uncommon 
 method, to pay Peter s tribute, or taxes, and His 
 own, 
 
 A. This method was taken to fhew, in a- 
 ftriking manner, His readinefs to fubmk to 
 lawful authority. 
 
 16. Q. And what is faid of civil Government 
 by Chrifts Apojiles ? 
 
 A. They exhort men to be fubjecl: unto 
 higher powers, and to" give tribute and honor 
 to whom tribute and honor are due ; and 
 they enjoin us to fubmit to every regular or- 
 dinance of man for the Lord's fake. 
 
 17. Q. What are the reafons and grounds for 
 maintaining focial order and civil fociety ? 
 
r €6 ] 
 
 A. The focial nature of man and the re 
 vealed will of God. 
 
 18. Q. How does it appear •, that civil fociety^ 
 in its improved Jlate? is agreeable to the nature of 
 man and to the -will of God ? 
 
 A. Civil fociety gives a more liberal play 
 to our focial affections, which God requires 
 us to exercife, and which conduce to enjoy- 
 ment and ufefulnefs ; and, as civil fociety 
 improves, human happinefs always increafes. 
 
 1 9. O. What, then, will be the flak of the 
 world*, when civil fociety JJiall be carried to the 
 great efl poffible perfection ? 
 
 A. Then civil Government will be found- 
 ed upon christian principles; mankind will 
 difplay the true fpirit of the Gofpel, and uni- 
 verfal peace and happinefs will reign tri- 
 umphant. 
 
 20. Q. What is civil liberty ? 
 
 A. Civil liberty is the light or power, 
 which each citizen derives from the commu- 
 nity, to regulate his own con duel in all civil 
 matters.. 
 
 21. Q. What is political liberty ? 
 
 A. Political liberty is the legal right, 
 which citizens enjoy by common confent,to 
 manage the affairs of the community to 
 which they belong. 
 
 22.O. In what ways may political liberty be 
 ah i fed ? 
 
 A. By neglecting matters of common 
 concern, by an heedlefs election of unquali- 
 
r % 3 
 
 6ed perfons into public offices, and by wan- 
 tonly attempting to exercife powers already* 
 delegated to others. 
 
 23. Q. 'What is religious liberty ? 
 
 A. It is a liberty to worfhip and ferve 
 God according to the dictates of a clear con- 
 science, and to perform chriftian duties with- 
 out moleftation* 
 
 2 4* Q» And what is moral liberty ? 
 
 A. Moral liberty, for which we are more 
 efpecially indebted to our Maker, is a liberty 
 of a6Hng well or ill, wifely orfoolifhly. 
 
 2 5- Q- Where are thefe kinds of liberty the 
 mofi fully enjoyed ? 
 
 A. Every man in every nation enjoys 
 moral liberty ; the other kinds are, at pre- 
 fent, the rnofl fully enjoyed in the United 
 States of America. 
 
 26. Q; And by ivhat means may thefe liberties 
 be preferved ? 
 
 A, We may preferve thefe liberties, by 
 ftudying the things, which make for peace ; 
 by carefully exercifing our civil rights ; and 
 by bringing into practice the principles of 
 our hoiy religion. 
 
 27. Q. Favored with fitch an excellent Gov- 
 ernment and with fitch ennobling liberties^ what is^ 
 our duty ? 
 
 A, It is our duty to acl the part of hon- 
 eft men, good citizens, and real chriftiansj 
 that we may become inhabitants of the new 
 Jerufalem, 
 
I 7° J 
 
 Apart of Dean Swift's SERMON onjleep* 
 ing at Church, with fome alterations* 
 
 Acts xx. 9. 
 
 u And there fat in a xvindow a certain young man, 
 named Futjchus, being fallen into a deep Jleep ; 
 and while Paul was long preaching he funk 
 down with fleep, and fell down from the third 
 loft, and was taken up dead" 
 
 I HAVE chofen thefe words with defign, if 
 poffible, to difturb fame in this alTembly 
 of half an hour's fleep, for which places of 
 public worfhip are, at the prefent day, very 
 much celebrated. It fo happens, that thofe, 
 who by the wickednefs of their livesr^and 
 in the greateft need of inftru&ion, have ufu- 
 ally the fmalleft ftiare. For they are either 
 abfent on account of idlenefs, or diflike to 
 religion, or with a view to doze away the in- 
 temperance of the week ; or elfe, if they 
 come, they employ their minds upon fubjects 
 quite foreign to the bufinefs of the place. 
 
 The accident, which happened to the young 
 man in our text, has not been fufficient to 
 difcourage his fucceffors. Hat, unwilling to 
 rifk the confequences of a fall, they choofc 
 fome fafer place. For, though fome preach- 
 &r.s may exceed St. Paul in the art of fetiing 
 
t 71 ] 
 
 men to fieep, they cannot, like him, work mir- 
 acle* to wake them up again. Of courfe, 
 modern fleepers take the mod fafe and con- 
 venient ftations and poftures for their repofe. 
 They are willing to venture the confequen- 
 ces of fleeping at church during the exercife, 
 but are loath to run the hazard of a fall. 
 However, as this is not the only way in which 
 men difcover their neglect of preaching, I 
 fhall enlarge on the fuhjeft, and order my 
 dilcourfe in the following method. 
 
 I. I fhall produce feveral inftances to 
 fhew the great neglect of preaching. 
 
 II. I fhall reckon up fome of the objec- 
 tions and prejudices, which men have again ft 
 preaching. 
 
 III. I fhall fet forth the great evils of this 
 neglect of the preached word, and difcover 
 the real Caufes of it. 
 
 IV. I fhall propofe fome remedies againft 
 thefe great and fpreading evils. 
 
 I. I fhall produce feveral inftances to 
 fhew the great neglect of preaching. 
 
 Thefe may be reckoned under two heads. 
 Firft, men's abfence from the fanBuary ; and, 
 fecondly, their mifbehaviour when they are 
 there. 
 
 The firft inftance of men's neglect is their 
 frequent abfence from the place of worfhip. 
 The confeience* of many men have by fome 
 .means become extremely pliant and fubmij- 
 five to their owners. They appear to be 
 
r 7» 3 
 
 iveary of preffing home \ht\r counfelsand admo- 
 nitions, and determined to make no farther dif* 
 turbance. Accordingly any thing, however 
 trivial, will be fufficient to excufe frequent 
 abfence from public worfhip. Some men are 
 fo unfortunate as to be always indifpofed on 
 the Lord's day, and think nothing more un- 
 vholefome than the air of a church. Oth- 
 ers have their affairs io oddly contrived, as 
 to be unluckily prevented by trufinefs. Some 
 difcover ftrange fits of lazinefs, which feize 
 them at the clofe of the week, and are cer- 
 tain to confine them at home on the fabbath. 
 Others, again, are abfent out of contempt to 
 religion. And, laftly, there are not a few, 
 who, calling the fabbath a day of reft, claim 
 the privilege of their cuftle, and fpend the 
 day in eating, drinking and fleeping. Now, 
 in all this, the worft circumftance is, that thefe 
 very perfons (land in the greateft need of 
 help. Thefe various disorders call loudly 
 for a phyfician. 
 
 Secondly, Men's neglect of preaching ap- 
 pears in their mifbehavior when thev attend 
 public worfhip. Were the whole aiTembly 
 to be divided into different clatTes, according 
 to their deportment, how fmall would be the 
 number of thofe, who receive the word as 
 they ought ! What a large proportion of the 
 feed, then fown, would appear to have fallen 
 by the way fide, upon flony ground, or a- 
 mong thorns ! How fmall a portion of good 
 
r 73 j 
 
 ground there would be to receive it ! Of all 
 mifbebavior in the houfe of God, none ap- 
 pears greater, than that of thofe, who fleep 
 away their time. Opium is not more ftupi- 
 fying to many perfons, than an afternoon fer- 
 raon. The words of any preacher become 
 a fort of uniform found at a diftance, which 
 always lulls the fenfes. And when the found 
 ceafes, they awake from their flumbers, call 
 their fenfes together, and are ready, with 
 much devotion, to receive the bleffing. 
 I proceed, 
 
 II. To reckon up fome of the ufual pre- 
 judices and objections which men have a- 
 gainft preaching, and to (hew the unreafona- 
 blenefs of them. 
 
 .The indecent conducl of many, while- in 
 folemn aflembly and while their duty is ex- 
 plained to the audience for the benefit of all, 
 obliges them to fearch for excufes to exten- 
 uate their fault. And without long trying the 
 ftrength of their inventive faculties, they are 
 difpofed to fhift the blame upon the particu- 
 lar preacher, or upon preaching in general. 
 
 Fir ft. They object againft the preacher. 
 His manner, his delivery, his voice, is difa- 
 greeable. His ftyle and expreffions are much 
 too flat and low, or much too high and bom- 
 baftic. His matter is heavy or trivial ; or on 
 the other fide, he runs up into unintelligible 
 fpeculaiions, empty notions, and giddy 
 flights. 
 
[ 74 3 
 
 Secondly, They objeQ againft preaching 
 in general. It is a perfect road of talk. They 
 already know whatever can be faid, and have 
 heard it an hundred times over. They com- 
 plain, that preachers do not enliven fuch an 
 old beaten fubject with wit and invention. 
 Thefe and the like objections are frequently 
 in the mouths of thofe men, who neglect the 
 preached word. But let us inquire whether 
 thefe objections be reafonable. 
 
 The doctrine delivered by preachers may 
 be nearly the fame. So we preach, and Jo you 
 believe. But the manner of writing and de- 
 livering is according to the abilities and (kill 
 of preachers, who differ from one another in 
 thefe refpecls, as much as any other clafs of 
 men. But, however, in perfonal diilikes,are 
 thefe men certain that they are always right ? 
 Do they duly confider that every public af- 
 fembly is made up of various characters* 
 whofe tafte and judgment differ ? Do they 
 confider, that they not only differ from oth- 
 ers, but from themfelves at different times ? 
 For thefe reafons, to calculate a difcourfe 
 that mall exactly fuit them all, is beyond the 
 reach of human reafon, knowledge and in- 
 vention. Befides, if preaching in. general be 
 old and beaten, and they be well acquainted 
 with it, the more fhame and guilt fall to them, 
 who have derived fo little benefit from it. 
 And what could thefe perfons fay in their 
 defence, fliould we turn the objection upon 
 
C 75 ] 
 
 themfelves ? With all their, liberty of dif- 
 courfe on various fubje6is, they are To dull 
 and deftitute of invention, as to furnifh noth- 
 ing but tedious repetitions, and little paltry 
 common place obfervations. And thefe are 
 fo vulgar, obvious and worn out, that were 
 they advanced in fupport of any good caufe, 
 they would be hooted off the ftage. 
 
 Nor, laftly, are preachers juftly blamed for 
 neglecling the airs and flourifhes of theatrical 
 performers. It is not the bufinefs of a Chrif- 
 tian Orator fo much to move the pajfions dti 
 his hearers, as to enlighten and convince their 
 under /landings, not fo much to entertain as to 
 perfuade them. St. Paul came not with excellen- 
 cy of words, or enticing J pee ch of mens wifdom, 
 but in plain evidence of the fpirit. And, per- 
 haps, it was for that reafon, the young man, 
 Euiychus, accuflorned to Grecian eloquence^ 
 grew tired and fell fo faft afleep. 
 I go on, 
 
 III. To let forth the great evil?, which 
 attend fuch neglecl of preaching, and todif- 
 cover its real caufes. 
 
 It is obvious, that this neglecrof preaching 
 has occafioned the decay of religion among 
 us. What a diverlity of fentiments obtains 
 at the prefent day ? What a multitude of fec- 
 taries (land forth, and fome with impudence, 
 and others with abundant weaknefs, endeav* 
 or to vindicate their refpeclive tenets ? And 
 how many are there, who, having no other 
 
C 76 } 
 
 ground of hope, try to perfuade themfelves 
 and others (an herculean tafk) that all are fafe 
 and that the kingdom of God, like Peter's 
 net, will take in good and bad ? But the va- 
 rious and promifcuous multitude, which Pe- 
 ter faw, were exhibited to teach him, that 
 the offers of falvation would be made to all 
 nations and defer iptions of men. This mani- 
 fold exhibition was not defigned to point out 
 the future condition of all characters, but to 
 denote the charter of privileges fecurcd by 
 Chrift to all the human race. Some perfons, 
 however, fo twift and diftort the fcriptures, 
 as to prefs them into the fervice of fin and fa- 
 tan. Such men, by indulging falfe fentiments, 
 may foon forget that they are falfe, and at 
 length they may conclude, that the Almighty 
 is determined to ranfack the dark regions of 
 impenitence and even the infernal abodes, 
 till every created being, whether man, brute, 
 or devil, is brought within the confines of 
 paradife. Such wild notions may be gener- 
 ally owing to men's ignorance, ignorance to 
 the neglect of preaching, and the neglect of 
 preaching to a corrupt heart; and, though 
 they attribute this corruption of heart to fa- 
 tanic influence, the guilt and pains are charg- 
 ed to them, and they will be brought to an 
 account. 
 
 Again. This great negleft of preaching 
 opens a way to all manner of vice. For, h\ 
 vain we preach down fin to people, zvh if e 
 
C 77 J 
 
 hearts are. waxed grofs, whofe ears are dull of "hear- 
 ing, whofe eyes are clofed. Gf all kinds of ne- 
 glc6l of God's preached word, fleeping in the 
 houfe of public worfiiip denotes the greateft:. 
 It is like fleeping upon the brink of a preci- 
 pice, where the leafl: blaft might prove fatal. 
 A fcorner may liften to reafon and become 
 ferious ; an unbeliever may feel the pangs of 
 a guilty confcience, and become a convert ; 
 one, whofe eyes are rolling from obje6l to 
 object, may by a lucky word be called to at- 
 tention ; but a deeper fhuts up all the aven- 
 ues to the foul. He rs like the adder, that 
 hearkeneth not to the voice of the charmer, charm 
 he ever fo wifely. And we may preach with as 
 good fuccefs to the congregation of the dead. 
 
 But the great evils of fuch neglecl will 
 more fully appear, if we confider the caufes 
 from which it proceeds. 
 
 The firfi: of thefe caufes is an evil con- 
 fcience. Many men come to the fanctuary 
 to fave, or gain a reputation. Or they come 
 for the fake of complying with an eflablifhed 
 euttom. But all this time, they are loaded with 
 the guilt of deep rooted fins. Theyexpeft to 
 hear nothing from the pulpit, but terrors and 
 threatenings, their fins painted in their true 
 colours, and that eternal mifery, if they re- 
 main impenitent, muft be their portion. To 
 prevent the alarms of fuch a jolt defcription, 
 they flop their ears and* divert their thoughts* 
 and leek any amufement, rather than to 
 c 2 
 
C 78 1 
 
 meditate on their own frightful condi- 
 tion. 
 
 Another caufe of this neglect is a heart fet 
 upon worldly things. Men, whofe minds are 
 much enflaved to wordly affairs through the 
 week, cannot difengage or break the chain of 
 their thoughts fo fuddenly, as to apply to a 
 difcourfe, which is wholly foreign to what they 
 have mod at heart. Tell an ufurer of chari- 
 ty and mercy and reftitution, and you talk to 
 the deaf; his heart and foul, with all his fen- 
 fes, are among his bags, or he is gravely afleep 
 and dreaming of a mortgage. Tell a man of 
 bufinefs, that the cares of the world are apt 
 to choak the good feed ; that we fhould not 
 incumber ourfelves with much ferving ; and 
 that the falvation of the foul is the one thing 
 needful. You fee, it is true, the fhape of a 
 man before you, but his faculties are gone off 
 among his papers of account and plans of 
 profit. He is thinking how to fupport a bad 
 caufe, or pick flaws in a good one ; or cife 
 he wears out the time in drowfy nods. 
 
 A third caufe of the great neglecl ofpreach- 
 ing arifes from the practice of fome men, who 
 endeavor to wound and deftroy religion. 
 Being ftrangers to the virtues, which it incul- 
 cates, they know nothing of its plea fu res, and 
 therefore wifh to effect its overthrow. And 
 -*hefe but too well fucceed. For they always 
 have at hand a volley of buffoonery, which 
 they fire off on all occafions 3 and, as their 
 
L 79 J 
 
 pieces will not allow them to make a long 
 (hot, they fire the oftener at fmaller diftances. 
 
 IV. Let me now, in the laft place, briefly of- 
 fer fome remedies againft thefe palpable evils. 
 
 One remedy againfl the neglect of preach- 
 ing is rightly to confider the end for which it 
 was defigned. Thofe who attend public wor- 
 fhip meiely to be entertained ate often difap- 
 pointed. Our bufinefs at church is quite an- 
 other thing. We fhould go either to learn 
 or be reminded of our duty to God, to our- 
 felves or to each other ; to apply the doc- 
 trines delivered, compare the rules we hear 
 with our lives and actions, and find wherein 
 we have tranfgre fifed. Thefe are the dii por- 
 tions, which men fhould bring with them in- 
 to the houfe of God. And, if they attend 
 with fuch views, they do not wifh the preach- 
 er to difplay great wit and eloquence, but to 
 exhibit the truth in all its fimple majefly. 
 They do not employ their ingenuity to find 
 out his infirmities and faults, but aim to cor- 
 rect their own. 
 
 Laftly, The fcorners of preaching would do 
 well to confider, that their talent at ridicule 
 is very eafily acquired and applied to any oth- 
 er fubject. Religion is no lefs excellent, be- 
 caufe it is capable of being perverted to bur- 
 lefque. The mod celebrated pieces have 
 been treated in the fame manner with fome 
 iuccefs. It is in any man's power to fuppofe 
 a fool's cap upon the wifefi head, and then 
 laugh at his own fuppofnion, 
 
I 80 ] 
 
 To conclude. Thefe confederations may 
 have fome effeft while men are awake ; but 
 what arguments (hall we ufe to the Deeper ? 
 What methods fhall we take to hold open his 
 eyes ? Thofe, who indulge fuch drowfy pow- 
 ers, can liften for hours to hear idle talkers 
 revile religion, but are unwilling to watch 
 half an hour, to hear it defended. Is this 
 the part of a good judge, to liften on one fide 
 of the caufe, and deep on the other ? He 
 that hath ears to hear, let him hear, and God 
 give us all grace to hear and receive his ho- 
 ly word to the falvation of our fouls. 
 
 AMEN, 
 
 The LORD'S PRAYER, Paraphrased. 
 
 AS a legacy of regard and affection to a 
 fmful world, our bleffed Saviour left a 
 fummary of his religion to guide our faith and 
 to influence our pra&ice. That form of de- 
 votion, which He prefcribed to us, and which 
 is called 1 he Lord's Prayer, teaches us to cul- 
 tivate the difpofitions of reverence and fub- 
 miffion, mutual forgivehefs, extenfrve benev- 
 olence and unfeigned piety. It clearly de- 
 notes the importance of fi-ncerity and devo- 
 tion in our religious addreffes, and the necef- 
 fity of conforming in heart and life to this 
 excellent form of fupplication. It is plain 
 and rational, concife and devout. Had the 
 
[ 8i J 
 
 name of the real Author been concealed from 
 the world, every observing and good man 
 would be likely to difcern and admire the 
 burfting vein of piety, which runs through 
 the whole of it. This may more fully appear, 
 if we now confider and explain the feveral 
 pafTages and petitions, which it contains. 
 And it becomes us all to come before the 
 Lord with a filial temper and fay in the words 
 of our Saviour, 
 
 " Our Father* who art in Heaven'* 
 
 By this mode of expreffion, we acknowl- 
 edge God to be the author of our lives, our 
 hopes and our happinefs. We confider our- 
 felves as the creatures of his power, the pen- 
 fioners of his bounty and the fubjecls of his 
 government. 
 
 And when wecherifh thefe pious fentiments 
 and pay homage to our Father in Heaven, 
 with proper temper and difpofhion, it is our 
 heart's defire and our earneft prayer, that 
 His great name may be revered and magnifi- 
 ed by all intelligent creatures, and that all 
 may join us in offering incenfe to God, holy 
 and acceptable. Our minds dwell on the 
 next expreffion of reverence and adoration, 
 " Hallowed be thy name." 
 
 And that all may unite in the fincere and 
 devout worfhip of God, whofe name is fan8i- 
 fled by them who come nigh Him, we are de- 
 firous to fee God's moral kingdom erected 
 upon the ruins of fatan's empire, and to have 
 
[ »2 ] 
 
 all become the willing and obedient fubjecTs 
 of the Prince of peace. We devoutly wifh, 
 that all hearts may yield to the power and 
 energies of divine truth. And in this lan- 
 guage of piety, we pray to the Parent and 
 Lord of all, 
 
 " Thy kingdom come." 
 
 And while we cultivate fubmiflion to God 
 and commit all we have and wifh for to his 
 care and keeping, it mould be our earneft de- 
 fire, that a fpirit of religion may pervade all 
 ranks of men and all nations of the earth, 
 and that all mankind may become fubjecT to 
 the glorious empire of reafon and religion. 
 The language of our hearts fhould be, 
 
 " Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" 
 May thy will be the law and thy good pleaf- 
 ure the delight of man. 
 
 Thofe, who thus pour out their hearts be- 
 fore our Father in Heaven, reverence his 
 great name, and cordially defire that his juft 
 dominion may be acknowledged in every 
 land and by every tongue, do not indulge a- 
 ny anxious folicitude about the things of this 
 life ; but, in the diligent ufe of the appointed 
 means of fupport and comfort, they commit 
 all to Him, whole eye furveys, and whole 
 goodnefs feeds his creatures; and they are 
 ready to join in the next petition, 
 
 " Give us this day our daily bread" Grant 
 us the fruits of honeft induftry, and give us 
 as many of the good things of life as are belt 
 
[ «3 J 
 
 for us ; efpecially, afford us a fupply of that 
 bread, which came down from Heaven, and 
 the guidance of that fpirit, which comforts 
 and animates. 
 
 Confcious of our unworthinefs and fin, we 
 ought to humble ourfelves before God, and 
 implore his pardoning mercy. And if we 
 cultivate the feelings of penitence on account 
 of our tranfgreffions, and afk forgivenefs, we 
 are willing on reafonable terms to forgive 
 thofe who offend us. We are ready to fhew 
 to others that mercy, which we ourfelves pray 
 for and reallv need. And, having on eafy 
 conditions buried our refentmcnts and cul- 
 tivated a mild and forgiving temper, we may 
 with confidence adopt the language, which 
 our Saviour recommends, 
 
 " Forgive as our debts as we forgive our debtors." 
 As we forgive may we be forgiven. As we 
 forgive thofe who wilfully injure us, when 
 we difcover in them marks of forrow, fo in 
 the exercife of repentance may we experi- 
 ence Thv forgiving grace. 
 
 The trials, which we are called in Prow 
 dence to fuffer, we fl-iould endure with pa- 
 tience ; but when we confider the treachery 
 of the human heart and the allurements of 
 the world, we dread the favorite abodes of 
 temptation. We mud be fenfibie of our ex- 
 pofednefs to fin, and of the neceflity of vi- 
 gilance. All, who are confcious of their 
 own weaknefs, and fee the dangers which en- 
 
C 84 ] 
 
 compafs human life, feel the propriety and 
 force of our Saviour's words, 
 
 " Lead us not into temptation." Lay nothing 
 before us which will allure us into fin. Shew 
 us no finful indulgence. Be our prefent 
 Helper in trouble. Let not the ftorras of af- 
 fliOion overcome us; but do Thou guard and 
 protect us, and, when evils opprefs and ca- 
 lamities invade us, do thou affijl and deliver us. 
 Refcue us from evil, or fupport us under it. 
 
 Such aid and help the children of God of- 
 ten impore, while they patiently endure what 
 he fees fit to appoint. It does not become 
 us to decline any dangers, or fufferings, de- 
 figned for the trial of our faith, or the im- 
 provement of our virtue ; hut we fhould flu- 
 dioufly avoid the haunts of fin, and carefully 
 ftiun the paths of iniquity. And we fhould 
 afk wifdom of God, who knows our weaknefs 
 and forrows, and can ftretch forth his hand 
 and fupport us. Unto Thee, O Lord, will 
 we, therefore, direct our prayer and look up. 
 Wilt thou grant us what is good, though we 
 do not afk for it, and deny what would be 
 injurious, though in ignorance we fhould pray 
 for it. And we be leech Thee to teach us 
 what is good, teach us Thyfdf and may our 
 de fires and hearts a (pi re to Thee ; for Thine 
 is the kingdom^ the power a.nd the glory forever. 
 
 AMEN. 
 

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