SERMON IV.

ON THE PRESENT STATE OF PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE WORSHIP.

ISAIAH, chap. v. verse 12.

The harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither confider the operation of his bands.

at the

Afylum,

March 18,

1792,

THE Prophet in this chapter reproves Preached the Jews for their impiety and riotous exceffes, and denounces against them the judgments of God for their ingratitude towards him. Whoever hears the part of the description which is recorded in the

SERMON

IV.

text, cannot fail to apply it to the times in which we live. A nearer confideration

of that disorderly state of things, which is there described, will make a very neceffary part of the plan which I have already propofed.

In my last discourse I took a view of the prefent mode of education amongst us. From the defective state of this grand foundation of men's future conduct and difcipline, we may, in a great measure, derive those evils of decreafing religion, which make up not the least painful part of this review. A relaxed youth must almost neceffarily produce a licentious manhood. He who has been accustomed to run wild in his father's house, will be more likely to encrease, than correct, his diffipation and careleffnefs, when he is himself exalted to be the head of a family.

The

IV.

The first instance of this continued re- SERMON laxation of manners which I fhall produce, is the neglect of family religion and family order. Religion is not an abstract fpeculation which can be detached from common life; it is breathed into all our motives, and directs all our actions to a conformity to the will of God. We pray to our Father, which is in Heaven, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven:" The life of angels in that pure and bleffed state-that life which we one day hope to become partakers of, is a life of praise and adoration. The temper of mind which will conftitute our blifs in Heaven must be acquired whilst we are fojourners on earth; and if we are in no degree fpiritualized here, we can have no capacity for the joys of another world, which are only the perfection of that which is fpiritual. If therefore God is not in all our thoughts

in

SERMON in the common conduct of our lives; if he

IV.

appears not in the regularity and the de-
cency of our families; if no incense of
praise and adoration rifes from our private
altars, can we be faid to have made any
progrefs in that frame of mind, whose best
and only enjoyment is hereafter to be found
in the constant fervours of piety and devo-
tion? Every appearance of this kind in
our houses has long ceafed amongst us;
and it is to be numbered with the evi-
dences of the decrease of religion, because
I may again appeal to the recollection of
those who are far advanced in life, for a
different conduct in this article of Chrif
tian duty.

With the neglect of family devotion, we fhall, of courfe, obferve a difufe of family instruction in the duties of religion. We no longer regard the command of God himfelf," Thefe words which I com

mand

mand thee this day, fhall be in thy heart.

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and fhalt talk of them when thou fittest in thy house, and when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up*:" We flight the dreadful judgment upon Eli for his neglect in this particular," I have told him (faith the Lord), that I will judge his houfe for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his fons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's houfe fhall not be purged with facrifice nor offering for ever +." Nor are we, on the other hand, encouraged to awaken from this fpiritual torpor by the Almighty's approbation of Abraham,

* Deut. vi. 6, 7.

† 1 Sam. iii. 13, 14.

he