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AN

ADDRESS

ON THE SUBJECTS OF

PRAYER AND FAMILY RELIGION.

BY BENJAMIN TRUMBULL, D. D.

PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN NORTH-HAVEN.

BELOVED BRETHREN and Friends,

PRAYER is not only an indifpenfable duty, but as inestimable privilege. It is an important part of that worship which all men owe to God, and so essential to re ligion, that without it there can be none. It affords the nobleft relief and fupport to the Christian in all his dan gers and diftreffes; is an important mean of his growth in grace, of communion with the Father of his fpirit, of his overcoming the world, and of obtaining the inheritance of the faints in light. It has great prevalence in averting divine judgments from a people, and in obtaining for them the richeft bleflings. It is the fureft defence of in dividuals, families, and whole nations. Family religion, including prayer, pious inftruction, and government, is no lefs important. On these two very much depend the re ligion, comfort and falvation of individuals, the religion, good order, honor and profperity of families, of the church and commonwealth. In thefe the divine honor, and the prefeat and endless happiness of men are most deeply con cerned. Scarcely any thing, among a people, whofe fath ers were men of prayer, and who, like Abraham, haw commanded, That their children and households after them should keep the way of the Lord, [Gen. xviii. 19.] can be a greater apoftacy, than a cafting off fear, and re ftraining prayer before God, and the neglect of family re

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gion. It is at once finking down from a ftate of chriffinity, under the light of the glorious gofpel, into a state f heathenifm. It is at the fame time awfully calculated ɔ bring down the wrath of God on all fuch children of mpiety and disobedience. If men will forfake God, he vill caft them off forever. [1 Chron. xxviii. 9.] Since herefore, it is lamentably evident, that prayer and family eligion are exceedingly neglected, and rapidly on the deline, how deeply fhould it affect every heart? How should t awaken the united exertions of all who love human naure, of all who seek the profperity of Zion, and wish the duration and happinefs of our nation, to remedy thefe alarming impieties, and to reftore ns to our primitive tate? To effect thefe happy purposes, as far as may be, by the divine bleffing, is the defign of this address.

Prayer is certainly an act of natural worship. If there be a God of infinite perfection, nothing is more certain than that he ought to be worshipped as fuch: and prayer is a principal part of that homage which we owe him, as our creator, conftant preferver and benefactor. His perfections challenge our supreme love, and most perfect obedience: his daily care over us, and countless mercies towards us, our continual thanksgivings our daily fins, our constant penitential fupplications for his pardoning goodness and our continual wants, that we should always be asking his help. Prayer, therefore, is but our reafonable fervice. It is founded in the very nature of things, in the infinite perfection of God, in our relation to him and dependence on him. The very heathen cried, every man to his God. They facrificed and made vows. [Jonah i. 5. 16.]

Further, the exprefs commands of God oblige men, in all places, and circumstances, to pray to him: To pray with all kinds of prayer and fupplication: to pray without ceafing, and without fainting. It is written, Trust in him at all times: ye people pour out your hearts before him. [Pfal. lxii. 8.] I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. [1 Tim. ii. 8.] Jefus Chrift abundantly inculcated the duty of prayer. He fpake a parable to this end, that men ought al-ways to pray, and not to faint. [Luke xviii. 1.]. He com

manded, That men should watch and pray always. He ex prefsly enjoined this as abfolutely neceffary to guard them from temptation, to give them victory over the world, and that they might ftand before him with victory and triumph at the last day. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. [Matth. xxvi. 41.] Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all thefe things which shall come to pass, and to stand before the fon of man. [Luke xxi. 36. compared with chapter xxii. 40. 46.] The apoftles were no lefs exprefs and abundant in inculcating this great duty. This was their language: to the churches, Pray without ceafing. [1 Theff. v. 17.1 Watch unto prayer. [1 Peter iv. 7.] Fraying always with all prayer and fupplication in the fpirit, and watching thereun to with all perfeverance, and fupplication for all faints. [Eph. vi. 18.] Thefe paffages exprefsly command men to pray always, never to cease praying at the proper times and occafions of prayer: That men watch for thofe times and occafions, that they fhould not fail of attending and improving them to their edification and comfort; and that they fhould watch their hearts, that they might always be in a fuftable frame for prayer: That they fhould pray with all kinds of prayer ufed among chriftians, and perfevere in them to the end. The apostle Paul enjoins this praying always with all prayer, as of the highest neceffity for chriftians; that they may fucceed in their fpiritual warfare; even after they have taken the whole armor of God, and done all things elfe to ftand. Without this they never can stand and win the field. Thus abundantly is. || prayer enjoined, and the neceffity of it fhown, and the du ty preffed upon all men universally by our blessed Savior and his apostles.

Secret prayer is exprefsly commanded by Christ, who was a remarkable example of prayer. But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and, when thou baft fhut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret fhall reward the openly. [Matth. vi. 6.] He not only commanded this and encouraged it by a most gracious promife of an open reward, but recommended it by his example. He retired into mountains and folitary places, and it feems fometimes fpent whole

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nights in prayer. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. [Luke vi. 12.] How doth this command. and example of Chrift, teach and oblige all men to be conftant and abundant in fecret prayer, and in the fecret duties of religion?

Further, as all kinds of prayer are exprefsly commanded, praying always with all prayer and fupplication, family prayer is included. This certainly is one kind of prayer. All heads of families are therefore indifpenfably obliged, by the divine authority, and exprefs precept, to pray with their respective houfeholds. Befides, as reafon teacheth us to pray in general, and as we are exprefsly commanded to pray to God in fecret, because he is worthy to be worThipped: because we are his creatures and owe him all the homage of our hearts and lives; because we are entirely dependant on him, and have innumerable wants which he only can fupply; because he loads us with his benefits; and because we are finners and must perish without his pardoning mercy, fo families for the fame reafons are certainly bound to pray. There are all the reasons for family prayer, which there are for fecret.Nay there are more, and fome of greater confideration. Families owe no lefs homage to God than individuals. They are no lefs dependant. They all have family wants and bleffings, have family fins, and must be miferable with out the divine favor. The religion of a whole family, its order and profperity, are more important than thofe of an individual. More good, other things being equal, is done; more are inftructed and edified. God is more vifibly honored. If fecret prayer therefore be an indif penfable duty, family prayer must be much more fo, Indeed we are taught this by the most important and forcible fcripture example. What lefs could be included in the refolution of Jofhua, But as for me and my house, we will ferve the Lord, than family prayer, and all pious and ufeful family inftruction? [Joth. xxiv. 15.] What can be defigned by David's returning to bless his house, but to pray with his family? [2 Sam. vi. 20.] What was the praying of Daniel three times a day in his houfe, but family prayer: Dan. vi. 1o.] Had it been fecret prayer his enemies could

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not have known it, they could not have proved it, or expectaTM ed to have obtained any advantage against him on that ac count. What were the prayers of Cornelius in his house, but prayers with his family. [A&ts x. 2. 30.] Our divine master has added his example to that of pious men. prayed alone with his difciples, who were his conftant family. And it came to pass as he was alone praying, his difciples were with him. Luke ix. 18.] How remarkably did he pray with them, and for them, just before his pasfion. [John xvii.] He not only prayed with them, but taught them to pray with one another, or among themfelves, as a family. The prayer which he taught was a focial prayer. This was the form of it. Our Father which art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread; Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil! This could not be fecret prayer, because the terms are plural. It was given as a form particularly for his disciples for the then prefent time, while they continued together as one family: for after his refurrection, and the introduction of christianity, he taught them to pray and afk every thing in his name. It also appears better adapted to private than public worship. Do not the examples of thefe ancient faints and much more the inftructions and example of Christ clearly teach us the will of God with respect to this duty, and lay indispensable obligations on all chriftians to practife family prayer?

But further, do not all the commands which oblige parents to educate their children for God, bind them conftantly to pray with and for their families? Can any family be a religious family, educated for God, without prayer Certainly there cannot. But God has given the moft ftrict and abundant commands, that his people shall inftruct their children in the doctrines and duties of religion, t and educate them for him. And the words which I command thee this day, fhall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach· them dilligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them' when thou fitteft in thine houfe, and when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thow risest up. [Deut. vi. 6.] For be eftablished a teftimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Ifrael, which he commanded our fathers, that they fhould make them known to their children. That the gen

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