the temptations of an ensnaring world, and finally lose their souls, their ruin may not be chargeable to your account in the great day.

In this address we speak to you, beloved friends, in the fulness of our hearts, and from a sensible concern for your future happiness, and the happiness of your families, that if it shall please God to bless our endeavours, you may be quickened to the diligent use of the means, and the practice of the duties of religion, by which it may be insured to you, and to your's.

In this recommendation of family prayer, we are fully convinced that it is the duty of all, whatever their character, to awake from their stupidity, and call upon God that they perish not. Yet we speak principally to those heads of families who are regular in their lives and conversations; who have a rational conviction of the truth of religion, the being, perfections and providence of God, their necessary dependence on him for every blessing; their guilt, weakness and misery, and need of his help and mercy, and the reasonableness of their praying to him for needed mercies; but at the same time wish to have some assistance in this duty, that they may perform it in a manner better adapted to edification than extempore prayers.

While we inculcate the expediency and reasonableness of family prayer, and offer these helps to the performance of this duty, we entreat you brethren ever to bear in mind that prayer and other instrumental duties are only means, which God in his divine wisdom

hath appointed, for your obtaining the renewing influence of his spirit to write upon your hearts those two great and comprehensive laws of his moral kingdom: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself; and thereby qualify you for the everlasting enjoyment of that kingdom.

Beware then of resting in a form of godli ness without the power thereof; if you do, however constant and exemplary you may be in prayer and other positive duties of religion, your hope of future happiness founded on these things will issue in shame, confusion and de spair. These things you ought to have done, and not leave the other, justice, mercy and truth, the necessary effects of a principle of divine love in the heart, undone. We only add our fervent prayers to the Father of lights and mercies, that the happy period may be hastened which will supercede these helps of devotion, when the spirit of grace and supplication shall be poured out, when they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know ye the Lord; for they shall all know him from the least of them to the greatest; and when prayers and praises to God, dictated by a spirit of pure and fervent devotion, shall ascend before his throne from every family and dwelling place of Mount Zion....AMEN.

5

Advice relative to the service of the Sanctuary.

TO be early at the house of God, in order to obtain the blessing on leaving it, thereby uniting, with devout affections fixed on God, joining our hearts with our lips in every part of the worship. To attend with seriousness during the exhortation, as it points out to us the great duty we are come upon-When we pronounce the general confession of our sins, to recollect our secret ones-When the abso lution is reading, we ought most humbly to beg our share therein, and when the Psalms and Hymns are repeating, to raise our souls, and rejoice in God for the great blessings commemorated in them-While the lessons áre reading, to observe what particular instructions, reproofs, or consolations arise to us from any part of them-In the collects and the litany, to endeavour to lift up our hearts to God to obtain the blessings we ask of him-In the thanksgiving, to unite in an humble acknowledgment of the mercies received from God-When we make confession of our faith with one voice, be sure we unite with it the belief of our heartsWhile the commandments are repeating, to endeavour to recollect our former sins, and the infirmities of our nature, together with the temptations to which we are exposed. Aud to stand when we are engaged in that sublime part of worship, Singing of praise to God. Whenever we hear sermons (not however with a view to criticise, and censure him who officiates*) but as

"Reverence your minister, he is a wise and good man, and one who has a tender care and respect for you, do not therefore grieve him, either by neglect or disrespect, if there be any person

Use of forms in worship, recommended by the ministers in the Towns and Parishes on Piscataqua River.

DEAR FRIENDS,

With sensible concern we observe the de elining state of practical religion, the preva lence of error, vice and infidelity, and the consequent neglect of the duties of piety, jus tice, mercy and truth. And it is not the least cause of our concern, that there are many in our respective towns and parishes, who live in the habitual neglect of family prayer, and instruction, notwithstanding their solemn engagements to God in the holy ordinance of baptism to their children, that they would instruct them in the knowledge of true religion, and inculcate upon them, by their precepts and example, their duty to fear, serve, and glorify their Creator...

圈

The common plea that many serious persons make, respecting their neglect of family prayer, is, their want of resolution, and a sufficient acquaintance with language to address the infinite majesty of heaven before their families in expressions suitable to the solemn occasion, and adapted to the use of edification.

To remove this objection, and to leave all who shall hereafter continue in the neglect of so reasonable a service inexcusable, we recommend to you for daily use in your families, forms of prayer, which we have endeavoured should be as short and comprehensive as is consistent with perspicuity, that none may be tired with their length, and because our words should be few, as creatures in our circum

stances, whose foundation is in the dust, and who dwell in houses of clay, address our prayers to a Being of incomprehensible majesty and glory, whose throne is in the heavens, exalted far above all principalities and powers.

In forms of prayer, avoid vain repetitions, sensible that our Father in heaven knows all our wants and desires before we ask him, and is ever ready of his abundant goodness, to grant all our requests which are agreeable to his will, for the sake of Jesus Christ.

X

We also recommend the use of scripture expressions and allusions, as best adapted to inform the understanding and warm the heart.

We cannot therefore presume you will be prejudiced against using forms of worship, considering, 1st, That not only the primitive apostolic churches used forms in their worship after miraculous gifts had ceased in the church, but that Jesus Christ hath left on record a comprehensive form of prayer for the direction of his disciples in all their addresses to the throne of grace.

In thus recommending to you the use of forms in prayer, we would not have it understood as our meaning, that you should confine yourselves to forms prepared for your use, however excellent; the use thereof will soon overcome your natural timidity that will enable you to feel a freedom in offering up petitious and praises in your own words, dictated by a sense of pressing trials, and signal mercies.